Cruisers do get some respect!

[GlobalMethod]

Hey all! ... Just a joke! ... but ... strangely;

 

I made a comment recently that referenced cruising on marketwatch dot com ... so their senior editor contacted me and did a whole article on my wife and myself which strongly referenced cruising (unfortunately, we did not have many pictures to send them that did not show us cruising ... 🙂 ..._)

 

If you are interested the link is www.marketwatch.com/story/we-retired-to-athens-without-speaking-greek-heres-how-we-got-the-easy-travel-and-affordable-life-we-wanted-11606849562

 

[excitedofharpenden]

An interesting read and good for you. I can see the appeal. I'd say that Greece is one of my favourite European destinations. The people, the food, the climate and the way of life.

 

The country was in such a bad place economically a few years ago. There must still be remnants of it. Do you see evidence of that?  Have attitudes changed and the government tighter on regulations?

 

If I'm on an Azamara cruise I always look for ones that stop in Greece or the Greek Islands. So varied. 

 

Phil 

[TeaBag]

2 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

If I'm on an Azamara cruise I always look for ones that stop in Greece or the Greek Islands. So varied. 

 

Phil 

There's still lots of room on the Journey  May 13 2022 Singapore to Piraeus!  Come join us!

[GlobalMethod]

16 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

There must still be remnants of it. Do you see evidence of that?  Have attitudes changed and the government tighter on regulations?

Yes, there are still remnants of the financial crisis and the government is tighter on most of the causes of that crisis, including taxes for citizens and regulations.

 

However, COVID-19 has had a big impact on tourism which is a mainstay of this economy. This reduction in travel is the new crisis. It is what keeps the cost of living here very moderate but we hate to see the reduced business for some of our regular restaurants and tavernas.

 

The employee turnover is very low in these places because, relatively speaking, the pay and usually steady work has developed some great employees. We hate to see them not doing well because of COVID-19.

[GlobalMethod]

14 hours ago, TeaBag said:

Come join us!

That is our COVID-19 Crisis dream! We so want to be back on Azamara again!

[ChucktownSteve]

Interesting article.  It takes guts to make the leap without doing a final visit.  We'll be on an Azamara June cruise if it goes according to plan. It's a six night Athens to Athens. It would be convenient for you.

 

We're flying into Athens three days early.  Perhaps we could get some tips from you before we get there?

 

Trying to decide on a hotel that's convenient to walking/restaurants/transportation.   Any suggestions for a moderately price hotel?  Thankx.

Edited December 16, 2020 by ChucktownSteve

[TeaBag]

And here I am trying to find some short little cruise to take us from Athens to Rome!  Not to be found, we'll fly.  Our original itinerary from Singapore was to take us to Rome and we badly want to see Cinque Terra.  We had a tour booked there once and then they had that big mudslide and it had to be cancelled.  They are such lovely picturesque little places.

 

[GlobalMethod]

11 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

Perhaps we could get some tips from you before we get there?

Actually, we are thinking of doing one of the Athens to Athens cruises ourselves since things are so crazy with travel now ... we are much more confident in Greece than most countries regarding travel ... you may know we have one of the lowest COVID-19 infection rates in Europe ... but suddenly a connecting flight's country can go into lockdown ... yikes!

 

The cruise port at Piraeus is just 12 minutes from our location in Central Athens.

 

We'd love to assist! I have a web site I made that is full of that type of information but it requires a private invitation (it is free, of course) ... not sure how to get that to you ... in most years we have gone out for New Years Eve and had dinner, listened to music, etc. and stayed at one of the hotels ... I'll ask my wife which one we could agree on that would be a good match for a cruisecritic.com client! ... 🙂 ...

 

We definitely like Central Athens for hotels and restaurants. It is very easy to get around Athens because of the way the metro system is set up ... so that would be a good place to start thinking about a hotel ... stay in touch! ... 🙂 ...

[GlobalMethod]

10 hours ago, TeaBag said:

And here I am trying to find some short little cruise to take us from Athens to Rome! 

These Athens to Athens cruises are really nice ... everything can be so conveniently accomplished yet most have very nice itineraries. Just consider a port at any one of the Greek Islands an amazing bonus! ... 🙂 ...

[excitedofharpenden]

12 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

Interesting article.  It takes guts to make the leap without doing a final visit.  We'll be on an Azamara June cruise if it goes according to plan. It's a six night Athens to Athens. It would be convenient for you.

 

We're flying into Athens three days early.  Perhaps we could get some tips from you before we get there?

 

Trying to decide on a hotel that's convenient to walking/restaurants/transportation.   Any suggestions for a moderately price hotel?  Thankx.

I've stayed at the St George Lycabettus and it's a nice, moderately priced hotel with great views towards the Acropolis and an amazing rooftop pool area. Good location and at the base of the biggest hill in Athens if you are up for a walk. I'd stay there again. 

 

Phil 

[ChucktownSteve]

46 minutes ago, GlobalMethod said:

We'd love to assist! I have a web site I made that is full of that type of information but it requires a private invitation (it is free, of course) ... not sure how to get that to you ...

 

We definitely like Central Athens for hotels and restaurants. It is very easy to get around Athens because of the way the metro system is set up ... so that would be a good place to start thinking about a hotel ... stay in touch! ... 🙂 ...

 

TYVM.  Very nice of you. Try steveL47 hotmail.  I was thinking of Central Athens.  Somewhere on CC a poster mentioned the Athens Gate Hotel.    Know anything about them?

[GlobalMethod]

6 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

I was thinking of Central Athens

I sent out an invitation ... it is via shutterfly.com ... wife is still out "shopping" .. 🙂 ...

[GlobalMethod]

22 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

Know anything about them?

No personal knowledge other than we frequently walk by this hotel. It is on a busy avenue but appears to get good reviews. This excellent location makes it a little pricey.

[DRJVH]

The Herodian Hotel. Rooms are clean and comfortable. Beautiful views of the Acropolis, great roof top restaurant and bar, short walk to the Acropolis and Museum and not far from many restaurants in the Plaka district. They will arrange a transfer from the airport and to the cruise terminal - for a price. 
 

[ChucktownSteve]

15 minutes ago, DRJVH said:

The Herodian Hotel. Rooms are clean and comfortable. Beautiful views of the Acropolis, great roof top restaurant and bar, short walk to the Acropolis and Museum and not far from many restaurants in the Plaka district. They will arrange a transfer from the airport and to the cruise terminal - for a price. 
 

 

Thankx for the tip.  The hotel is currently closed.  No word on their web site about reopening.

[DRJVH]

Probably closed for the season. 

[GlobalMethod]

21 hours ago, DRJVH said:

Probably closed for the season. 

Hello DRJVH ... Like many places in the EU, Athens is in lockdown right now, even though the infection rate here is amongst the lowest ... hotels and restaurants are mostly closed because of this ... many will probably not open until COVID-19 is history ... it is a good time to think about travel but not yet a good time to plan travel ... we are holding off being more aggressive in our planning ... we are just happy some of our favorites restaurants are open for delivery ... 🙂 ... good luck and happy travels! 

[GlobalMethod]

On 12/21/2020 at 11:24 AM, GlobalMethod said:

hotels and restaurants are mostly closed because of this

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/cafes-tourists-virus-empties-streets-athens-74905801?cid=clicksource_4380645_14_post_hero_card_hed

[Ithikan]

On 12/17/2020 at 12:12 AM, ChucktownSteve said:

 

TYVM.  Very nice of you. Try steveL47 hotmail.  I was thinking of Central Athens.  Somewhere on CC a poster mentioned the Athens Gate Hotel.    Know anything about them?

We stayed at the Athens Gate Hotel prior to an Azamara cruise, several years ago, and found it to be perfect for us.  Lovely ruins just across the road; easy stroll to Plaka for food and Acropolis with new museum mere steps away.  Hotel staff were helpful, and the view of Acropolis from their rooftop during the ample breakfast buffet could not be bettered.