Help me choose itinerary (Greece focus)

[MochaChip23]

We're deciding between 3 NCL cruises for next year and are torn between 3 itineraries.  We are family with 2 adults and 2 girls ages 18 and 22.  We have not been to any of these ports.  Planning to stay in Athens for 2 days before or after the cruise.  We originally wanted to make this a Greece only but Turkey is in all the itineraries but slightly different.  Istanbul and Kusadasi seem interesting but afraid of missing out on Crete and Paros?  The girls are most interested in Santorini and Mykonos which are in all 3.  Any advice from folks who have been to these ports?

 

Option 1		Option 2		Option 3
CRUISE ITINERARY		CRUISE ITINERARY		CRUISE ITINERARY
DAY 1		DAY 1		DAY 1
Piraeus (Athens), Greece		Piraeus (Athens), Greece		Piraeus (Athens), Greece
Departs 5:00 pm		Departs 5:00 pm		Departs 5:00 pm
DAY 2		DAY 2		DAY 2
Kusadasi, Turkey		Rhodes, Greece		Kusadasi, Turkey
6:30 am - 1:30pm		8:00 am - 6:00pm		6:30 am - 12:30pm
DAY 3		DAY 3		DAY 3
Istanbul, Turkey		Bodrum, Turkey		Istanbul, Turkey
9:30 am - overnight		8:00 am - 6:00pm		8:30 am - 6:30pm
DAY 4		DAY 4		DAY 4
Istanbul, Turkey		Mykonos, Greece		Mykonos, Greece
Departs 4:00 pm		7:00 am - 9:30pm		1:30 pm - 10:30pm
DAY 5		DAY 5		DAY 5
Mykonos, Greece		Iraklion, Crete, Greece		Rhodes, Greece
11:00 am - 8pm		7:00 am - 6:00pm		9:30 am - 7:30pm
DAY 6		DAY 6		DAY 6
Rhodes, Greece		Santorini, Greece		Iraklion, Crete, Greece
7:00 am - 6:00pm		8:00 am - 9:30pm		7:00 am - 6pm
DAY 7		DAY 7		DAY 7
Santorini, Greece		Paros		Santorini, Greece
8:00 am - 9:30pm		7:00 am - 6:00pm		8:00 am - 9:30pm
DAY 8		DAY 8		DAY 8
Piraeus (Athens), Greece		Piraeus (Athens), Greece		Piraeus (Athens), Greece
Arrives 7:00 am		Arrives 7:00 am		Arrives 7:00 am

[Hlitner]

Not fond of any of these itineraries because of lousy port times in too many places.  Just consider that arriving at Mykonos at 1:30pm will generally mean no opportunity to visit nearby Delos (generally only done in the morning).  If I had to choose (and having been to all these places) it would be a somewhat reluctant #2.  But personally, I would also spend time looking at other options (perhaps with different cruise lines).  The downside of Itinerary 2 is that it does not stop at Kusadasi which is a port worthy of an entire day...not just a few hours.

[CruiserBruce]

They do have some odd port times....as Hank says, Kusadasi gets short changed. 

 

If I weren't going to consider any other cruise line, I would probably take option 3.

[MochaChip23]

Thank you @Hlitner and @CruiserBruce for your insight.  Only option 2 has early arrival for Mykonos (7am) and I did see Kusadasi is very short on all 3.  I'll do some research. 

[cruisemom42]

I will start by saying that Paros (to me anyway) has some similarities to Mykonos, so if Mykonos is on your "A" list, then Paros -- while charming and less touristy -- could be eliminated. 

 

I would not skip Kusadasi, and a morning at least gives you time to see Ephesus, which is the main "must see" (though as Hank well knows, there are many other terrific sites as well....)

 

Of those offered, I guess I'd vote for Itinerary #3, as you will see some very iconic spots in Greece (Rhodes, Crete, Mykonos, Santorini) but will still also get a chance to visit Istanbul and Ephesus. Personally, I prefer the latter two to any of the Greek ports!  

 

On Mykonos, if you do want to visit Delos, it is just possible that your ship will offer an excursion in the afternoon. Sometimes they are able to arrange this. The site closes up for the day around 4-5pm. On the other hand, your two daughters may have a beach visit in mind...

 

 

[MochaChip23]

Thank you @cruisemom42Thanks for your advice.  I was thinking Paros would be good since it is similar to Mykonos which is top on our list.  And if for some reason Mykonos gets cancelled (I hear it happens for high winds) we would still have Paros. But I hear you saying we would be remiss to miss Istanbul and Ephesus. 

 

Any experience with Crete or Bodrom?

[GreenFamily]

Here is the Mykonos to Delos ferry itinerary: https://www.delostours.gr/en/

I assume it’s accurate? 
 

[marazul]

I agree with #3.

Any cruise that goes from Istanbul to Crete in one week necessarily has short port days because of the distances involved.

Check out other cruise lines. If possible, consider a longer cruise.

[Wishing on a star]

First, what is your time-frame?

 

Kusadasi (Ephesus) would be on my bucket list.

That is the one thing missing on the Italy and Greece cruise that we are planning.

Would plan on just staying onboard if visiting Istanbul.

 

Port times are important!

 

if you want to visit Santorini,  look at cruisemapper to see how many ships are in port.

That is a big factor there. Too many travelers and cruise ship passengers on that tiny island can be a problem.

 

At Mykonos, I see that one itinerary arrives early, and another at 11:00.  if the young ladies want to do one of the beach clubs, then, yes, a late arrival might make it hard to do both Delos and a beach club.   I have no experience, but have seen beach clubs at Mykonos online where you can only pre-book loungers until noon.  At noon, empty loungers could be rented out to others.

 

I would definitely consider other cruise lines if they had better itineraries.

[cruisemom42]

3 hours ago, MochaChip23 said:

Thank you @cruisemom42Thanks for your advice.  I was thinking Paros would be good since it is similar to Mykonos which is top on our list.  And if for some reason Mykonos gets cancelled (I hear it happens for high winds) we would still have Paros. But I hear you saying we would be remiss to miss Istanbul and Ephesus. 

 

Any experience with Crete or Bodrom?

 

Crete is a large island. You'll only get a taste by visiting one port. Iraklion (also referred to as Heraklion) is a fairly large city, for Crete. It is not, by itself, very pretty but it is close to the historic ruins of Knossos, and it has a world-class archaeology museum (with finds from Knossos and other Crete sites) that was just opened a few years ago. Beaches, not so much.

 

Bodrum I would consider a second or third tier stop, but that's just me. I travel to sightsee and not to go to beaches (at least, not in Europe). Not too much to see there, kind of known as a holiday town.

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, Wishing on a star said:

Would plan on just staying onboard if visiting Istanbul.

 

If I may ask -- why??

[marazul]

2 hours ago, Wishing on a star said:

Would plan on just staying onboard if visiting Istanbul.

That would be a total waste of your time and money and a missed opportunity to see an extraordinary city. Istanbul is one of the most historic and beautiful ports on that or any other cruise.

[MochaChip23]

7 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

Of those offered, I guess I'd vote for Itinerary #3, as you will see some very iconic spots in Greece (Rhodes, Crete, Mykonos, Santorini) but will still also get a chance to visit Istanbul and Ephesus. Personally, I prefer the latter two to any of the Greek ports!  

@cruisemom42So you think it would be better to visit Crete (in #3) vs staying overnight in Istanbul (#1)?  That's the main difference between #1 and #3.

[MochaChip23]

2 hours ago, Wishing on a star said:

First, what is your time-frame?

 

Kusadasi (Ephesus) would be on my bucket list.

That is the one thing missing on the Italy and Greece cruise that we are planning.

Would plan on just staying onboard if visiting Istanbul.

 

Port times are important!

 

if you want to visit Santorini,  look at cruisemapper to see how many ships are in port.

That is a big factor there. Too many travelers and cruise ship passengers on that tiny island can be a problem.

 

At Mykonos, I see that one itinerary arrives early, and another at 11:00.  if the young ladies want to do one of the beach clubs, then, yes, a late arrival might make it hard to do both Delos and a beach club.   I have no experience, but have seen beach clubs at Mykonos online where you can only pre-book loungers until noon.  At noon, empty loungers could be rented out to others.

 

I would definitely consider other cruise lines if they had better itineraries.

@Wishing on a star Our timeframe is Summer 2024 so we have time to plan.  

 

I've heard good things about Istanbul but you said you would stay on board for that one.  Is there a particular reason why?

 

Thanks for reminder to check cruisemapper for how busy some of these ports might be.

 

 

 

 

[cruisemom42]

1 minute ago, MochaChip23 said:

@cruisemom42So you think it would be better to visit Crete (in #3) vs staying overnight in Istanbul (#1)?  That's the main difference between #1 and #3.

 

My thinking was to try to balance your desire to see several Greek islands as well as seeing some other wonderful destinations.

 

My first visit to Istanbul was a one-day affair from a cruise ship. If you are diligent, you can see a lot in one day, whether on a private tour or ship tour. We saw the Haghia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace (Harem quarters), the Hippodrome, and the Grand Bazaar. My only two recommendations are do NOT opt for a long lunch (wastes too much time) and do not let yourselves get locked into a carpet demonstration (figuratively and sometimes literally!). 

 

As a postscript, I've been back to Istanbul on two land trips, an extended stay before a different cruise, and as another one-day cruise stop.  I love it -- one of my favorite cities.

[MochaChip23]

A couple of you have suggested we look at other cruise lines and/or itineraries for visiting Greece.  If you have any suggestions for either, I'm open to suggestions!  We prefer 7 day cruise since we are planning to stay 2 days in Athens but could go up to 9-10 days if totally worth it for cruise.

[MochaChip23]

4 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

My thinking was to try to balance your desire to see several Greek islands as well as seeing some other wonderful destinations.

 

My first visit to Istanbul was a one-day affair from a cruise ship. If you are diligent, you can see a lot in one day, whether on a private tour or ship tour. We saw the Haghia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace (Harem quarters), the Hippodrome, and the Grand Bazaar. My only two recommendations are do NOT opt for a long lunch (wastes too much time) and do not let yourselves get locked into a carpet demonstration (figuratively and sometimes literally!). 

 

As a postscript, I've been back to Istanbul on two land trips, an extended stay before a different cruise, and as another one-day cruise stop.  I love it -- one of my favorite cities.

Your response is very helpful, thank you!  Sounds like we should keep Istanbul on the must see list.  Lol we wouldn't knowingly sign up for any long lunch excursion or a carpet demonstration but thanks for the warning! 

[John Bull]

13 hours ago, Wishing on a star said:

 

Would plan on just staying onboard if visiting Istanbul..

 

 

Like cruisemom, and muaruzul I find that difficult to understand - perhaps the result of a rare one-off bad experience?

To me, Istanbul would be the highlight of any of those cruises - lots of well-known sights in the Sultanahmet quarter, most just a short walk apart - land and water options, including tourboat or ferry up the Bosphorus - busy & exciting streets, bazaars & waterfront - lovely people - fast & cheap tram system between ship and Sultanahmet - and a very different port to all the others. "Proper" Turkey - whereas Bodrum is  very much a vacation resort for Europeans.

Plus a scenic route across the Sea of Marmaris and thro the narrow Dardanelles Strait to / from the Med. - hopefully that'll be in daylight in at least one direction.

The overnite in Istanbul puts your Option 1 at the  top of my list.

 

The attraction of Kusadasi  is the ancient site of Ephesus which I'm guessing  is why it's a favourite of cruisemom's.

Diff'rent folks, diff'rent strokes, hot & dusty ancient sites aren't our scene - but we made a decent fist of Ephesus in a half-day.

 

Mykonos is a beautiful village (town?) of immaculate and colourful alleyways behind a bars & restaurnt-lined harbourfront, there are some easily walkable local sights like the iconic line of windmills across the back and "Little Venice" just around the corner (I've got no idea why it's called "little Venice", no canals 🤔)

Nice place for a leisurely half-day of wandering on foot and people-watching from behind a tall cold beer.

Sure, a half-day probably precludes a ferry across to Delos - but I believe (I've never been) that the attraction of Delos is more archaeological ruins - and on any of those cruises I'd have had my fill of them elsewhere.

 

Just MHO as always

 

JB 🙂

[MochaChip23]

1 hour ago, John Bull said:

 

 

Like cruisemom, and muaruzul I find that difficult to understand - perhaps the result of a rare one-off bad experience?

To me, Istanbul would be the highlight of any of those cruises - lots of well-known sights in the Sultanahmet quarter, most just a short walk apart - land and water options, including tourboat or ferry up the Bosphorus - busy & exciting streets, bazaars & waterfront - lovely people - fast & cheap tram system between ship and Sultanahmet - and a very different port to all the others. "Proper" Turkey - whereas Bodrum is  very much a vacation resort for Europeans.

Plus a scenic route across the Sea of Marmaris and thro the narrow Dardanelles Strait to / from the Med. - hopefully that'll be in daylight in at least one direction.

The overnite in Istanbul puts your Option 1 at the  top of my list.

 

The attraction of Kusadasi  is the ancient site of Ephesus which I'm guessing  is why it's a favourite of cruisemom's.

Diff'rent folks, diff'rent strokes, hot & dusty ancient sites aren't our scene - but we made a decent fist of Ephesus in a half-day.

 

Mykonos is a beautiful village (town?) of immaculate and colourful alleyways behind a bars & restaurnt-lined harbourfront, there are some easily walkable local sights like the iconic line of windmills across the back and "Little Venice" just around the corner (I've got no idea why it's called "little Venice", no canals 🤔)

Nice place for a leisurely half-day of wandering on foot and people-watching from behind a tall cold beer.

Sure, a half-day probably precludes a ferry across to Delos - but I believe (I've never been) that the attraction of Delos is more archaeological ruins - and on any of those cruises I'd have had my fill of them elsewhere.

 

Just MHO as always

 

JB 🙂

@John Bull  Thank you for your reply, it really helps me get a good picture of us in some of those ports.  We are probably not going to all the archeological sites near all these ports.  We will enjoy this experience in Athens and Kusadasi.  We are going to be very happy to see Mykonos and Santorini as you suggest by walking around, taking in the surroundings/people and taking LOTS of pictures (these are girls with social media). Istanbul sounds wonderful with lots to see and experience so it seems this could be a good trade-off for option #1 vs #3.  Option #1 2 days Istanbul and no Crete vs option #3 with 1 day each Istanbul and Crete.  Do you think that's a good trade off?  

Edited February 2, 2023 by MochaChip23

[pdmlynek]

We faced similar option as well.  Between the three options, I'd go with Option 2.  

 

The problem with visiting Istanbul on a cruise is that Istanbul is such a great city that you need at least a week so begin to scratch its surface.  It is like trying to see New York or Paris in a day.  It is a quixotic endevour.  Sure, you won't get to see much of any of the islands during a brief 1 day stop over, but at least you'll get a taste of the island at each stop.

 

Good luck!

[pdmlynek]

On 2/1/2023 at 9:31 AM, MochaChip23 said:

 We originally wanted to make this a Greece only but Turkey is in all the itineraries but slightly different.  

 

Yes, of course you cannot have a cruise do only Greece, or only one contry.  Every cruise must stop at ports in at least two countries, due to cabotage laws, such as the Jones Act in the US.  If a ship stops exclusively within one country, then it is a domestic cruise and not an international cruise, and must obey domestic labor laws etc. If the ship were not to stop in Turkey, the costs of the cruise would be much higher.

 

Edited February 2, 2023 by pdmlynek

[GreenFamily]

I booked a similar cruise for 2024 and also have children that will be the same age as yours. I’m working through the planning, as you are, although I believe I’m a little further along in the process. It’s a journey. 
 

I considered Mykonos a fun day as well at first. Then I realized our cruise for four with no drinks package will cost us $1200 per day, excluding tours and lunch. That’s a lot of money, with two kids in college, so there’s no way my kids are wasting a day on the beach, especially in Mykonos which isn’t exactly family friendly.  If we take this cruise, they are going to Delos!
 

I thought about downloading (right word?) a virtual reality app so the kids could see the sights as they were thousands of years ago. I thought this might be more engaging. I’m on the fence. I think a great tour guide can make up for what they can’t see. I also purchased some great greece documentaries and books I think they will engage them before we travel. Two novels that I highly recommend are The Song of Achilles, and Circe by Madeline Miller. 

 

I’m also considering cancelling the cruise and exploring the Greek mainland by land and one island on our own or through a tour company. This allows us a little more time to savor Greece. I’m just not there yet. 
 

Finally, whatever choice any of us make will be a good one, even if a day is “wasted” at the beach. The experience and memories will be worth every penny.

 

 

Edited February 2, 2023 by GreenFamily

[cruisemom42]

Well @MochaChip23 as you can see, you'll always get a variety of opinions here. In the end you have to weigh them against what you and your family hope to get out of the trip. 😉

 

In my humble opinion, introducing your kids to Istanbul (which at the end of the day has that exotic feel) would be worth spending at least one day there. But if there is a strong feeling of focusing on Greece, well -- you decide!

 

And @GreenFamily  I found when traveling with my son at that age/stage, a good guide can do a lot to make or break an experience. When we visited St. Petersburg we had a wonderful private guide for four for the 2 days of our visit. My son paid attention to her in a way that he would never have paid attention to me, so it was well worth it. (It didn't hurt that she was young and pretty!)

 

[John Bull]

2 minutes ago, MochaChip23 said:

@John Bull  Thank you for your reply, it really helps me get a good picture of us in some of those ports.  We are probably not going to all the archeological sites near all these ports either.  We will enjoy this experience in Athens and maybe Kusadasi.  We are going to be very happy to see Mykonos and Santorini as you suggest by walking around, taking in the surroundings/people and taking LOTS of pictures (these are girls with social media). Istanbul sounds wonderful with lots to see and experience so it seems this is a good use of two days and trade off for option #1 vs #3 being we wouldn't get to see Crete.  Do you think that's a good trade off?  @cruisemom42explained in a follow-up post that she has been to Istanbul many times so that's why she wouldn't be getting off on this one (hypothetically). 

 

Our last cruise in the eastern Med included Athens, Kusadasi (for Ephesus) and Katacolon (for Olympia)

We rented a car for the 40-minute drive to Olympia - then sat in a bar near the entrance for a while before driving off to motor round the area - didn't go into Olympia, too damned hot (please don't tell cruisemom 😏)

BTW it's not cruisemom who didn't get off the ship in Istanbul - its one of her favourite ports too.

 

Been to Istanbul a few times, several times independently and a couple of times in cruise ships (one was a turnaround in Istanbul & we tagged on a couple of days pre-cruise). The "blue  mosque" and other mosques, the Grand Bazaar, restaurants in Sultanahmet and under the Galata Bridge, ferry to the Asian side, ferry up the Golden Horn to a superb but little-known rahmi koc museum (lots of British stuff from the Victorian era), ferry up the Bosphorus (a tour boat isn't as much fun but less time-consuming).

You'll only scratch the surface, but you'll achieve more in two days than in one - and an evening to boot.

Photo-op more suitable for social media too 

 

Only been to Crete once - a couple of weeks at the other end of the island, didn't rate it highly. Did go to Knossos, just a couple of structures more than a couple of feet high and they are abortions of restorations done in about 1900 - do I recall a steel joist incongruously topping a doorway???

 

Again, just MHO

 

JB 🙂

[cruisemom42]

3 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

didn't go into Olympia, too damned hot (please don't tell cruisemom 😏)

 

😲😲😁

 

3 minutes ago, John Bull said:

BTW it's not cruisemom who didn't get off the ship in Istanbul - its one of her favourite ports too.

 

👍👍  Got that right!!