Input on picking better itinerary?

[petuniaflower]

Trying to decide between these two, if anyone has sailed and has input, please share.  Ship wise they are similar and tho we prefer the newer/bigger ships we want to port, ideally embark in venice which is why we have these narrowed down.  Really want Venice and Greek Islands/Athens, and these are the only ones that seem to have both, tho one has Athens, but the other has 2 Greek Islands..also Ancona and Brindisi seem to be pretty non eventful ports, but open to suggestions.  Thx in advance!

msc lirica

venice

monteneg

mykonos

santorini

ancona   vs   msc armonia athens croatia venice brindisi mykonos

[Essiesmom]

You have t said when your cruise is, but I feel if you want to appreciate Venice, you want to embark there, spending at least a day if not two prior to the cruise.  I also prefer Kotor to Split.  Santorini can be an arduous day due to tendering and getting up and down from the tender dock.  But it should be done at least once.  EM

[alserrod]

2 hours ago, petuniaflower said:

Trying to decide between these two, if anyone has sailed and has input, please share.  Ship wise they are similar and tho we prefer the newer/bigger ships we want to port, ideally embark in venice which is why we have these narrowed down.  Really want Venice and Greek Islands/Athens, and these are the only ones that seem to have both, tho one has Athens, but the other has 2 Greek Islands..also Ancona and Brindisi seem to be pretty non eventful ports, but open to suggestions.  Thx in advance!

msc lirica

venice

monteneg

mykonos

santorini

ancona   vs   msc armonia athens croatia venice brindisi mykonos

 

 

 

I am going to compare these two ones

 

MSC Lirica

 

 

 

 

 

MSC Armonia

 

 

 

 

If you have more accurate journeys, please share them. You have posted "Montenegro" and "Croatia". There are a lot of ports there and my opinion could differ depending on exact ports.

 

Venice (both)

 

Dubrovnik (Lirica)

Kotor  (both)

 

Corfu & Zakynthos (Lirica)

 

Mykonos & Santorini (Armonia)

 

Ancona Vs Bari 

 

 

From this side of view

 

Lirica includes Dubrovnik and two Greek islands. I know nothing about Zakynthos (I had a call there in mainland, near Olympia stadium). Conversely Corfu is well-known

Armonia just includes Mykonos and Santorini. Two of most iconic Greek islands.

 

 

 

I have a nice souvenir from that area because they weren't congested. All of them could be crazy if you travel in peak dates.... 

 

I would choose Lirica after these ports

[petuniaflower]

2 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

You have t said when your cruise is, but I feel if you want to appreciate Venice, you want to embark there, spending at least a day if not two prior to the cruise.  I also prefer Kotor to Split.  Santorini can be an arduous day due to tendering and getting up and down from the tender dock.  But it should be done at least once.  EM

Sorry-next July, and yes we plan to arrive a day earlier at least 🙂

Edited June 14 by petuniaflower
addition

[petuniaflower]

37 minutes ago, alserrod said:

 

 

 

I am going to compare these two ones

 

MSC Lirica

 

 

 

 

 

MSC Armonia

 

 

 

 

If you have more accurate journeys, please share them. You have posted "Montenegro" and "Croatia". There are a lot of ports there and my opinion could differ depending on exact ports.

 

Venice (both)

 

Dubrovnik (Lirica)

Kotor  (both)

 

Corfu & Zakynthos (Lirica)

 

Mykonos & Santorini (Armonia)

 

Ancona Vs Bari 

 

 

From this side of view

 

Lirica includes Dubrovnik and two Greek islands. I know nothing about Zakynthos (I had a call there in mainland, near Olympia stadium). Conversely Corfu is well-known

Armonia just includes Mykonos and Santorini. Two of most iconic Greek islands.

 

 

 

I have a nice souvenir from that area because they weren't congested. All of them could be crazy if you travel in peak dates.... 

 

I would choose Lirica after these ports

Sorry 🙂

Armonia

Athens Greece

Split Croatia

Venice Italy

Brindisi Italy

Mykonos Greece

 

vs

Lirica

Ancona Italy

Venice Italy

Kotor Montenegro

Mykonos Greece

Santorini Greece

 

 

[Essiesmom]

You can board Armonia in three different ports, including Venice.  So you could do either itinerary with a Venice embarkation.  I haven’t been to Ancona or Brindisi but I have visited the others at least twice.  EM

[alserrod]

1 hour ago, petuniaflower said:

Sorry 🙂

Armonia

Athens Greece

Split Croatia

Venice Italy

Brindisi Italy

Mykonos Greece

 

vs

Lirica

Ancona Italy

Venice Italy

Kotor Montenegro

Mykonos Greece

Santorini Greece

 

 

 

 

So

Both: Venice and Mykonos

Similar on Both:  Kotor/Split

Similar on both: Ancona/Brindisi

 

 

and difference is

 

Armonia: Athens

Lirica: Santorini

 

 

Look for information for a 1 day stop in both ports and decide

 

you are deciding between the most iconic Greek island and the old and heritage-known Athens

 

 

 

t

[petuniaflower]

Thanks..I think Ancona/Brindisi is what we're trying to find more info on at this point.

 

Also, are Santorini and Mykonos similar?

[Essiesmom]

They are both quintessential Greek islands, but while Mykonos is picturesque and quite walkable, Santorini is spectacular.  EM

[awatt]

I would pick any itinerary with Santorini, I loved it so much I went back and stayed a week.

 

Enjoyed Mykonos, very pretty and the beach club was a great afternoon. But feel no need to go back.

 

Both will be packed in July.

[Dididi]

OP,

 

We've been looking at similar MSC cruises for 2025 and have narrowed down our choices to the MSC Fantasia's 9-day out of Trieste (includes Athens, Ephesus and Istanbul) and the 7-day MSC Armonia out of Venice-Marghera. We like the Armonia's itinerary better than Lirica's because the stop in Brindisi would allow us to visit the trullo houses in nearby Alberobello:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trullo

 

Santorini is spectacular but the line to take the cable-car up/down to the pier in the summer is very, very long. Armonia gives you a "classic" Greek island, Mykonos, and the wonders of Athens.

 

We haven't yet been to Split (and its Diocletian Palace) but loved Kotor. To get to Kotor the ship will slowly sail through a narrow fjord for a couple of hours.  A very pretty sail worth getting up very early to witness. So both itineraries are appealing in different ways.

 

And I agree with Petunia that you should plan for at least two days in Venice. One day to walk around St. Mark's Square and all of the sights you can do mostly on foot, and the next to take the vaporetto ferries to Murano, Burano, etc.  

 

To help you in deciding which itinerary to go and what to do in Venice, I recommend Rick Steve's book on Mediterranean cruise ports.  Athens, Mykonos, Santorini and Venice are covered in detail.  Best of luck!

 

 

 

[alserrod]

21 hours ago, petuniaflower said:

Thanks..I think Ancona/Brindisi is what we're trying to find more info on at this point.

 

Also, are Santorini and Mykonos similar?

 

I have google "Santorini Greece" and "Mykonos Greece"

 

These are some of first pictures in the query

 

 

SANTORINI

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MYKONOS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[alserrod]

Santorini

this picture is mine and taken a lot of years ago.

 

I was sailing in the ship you can see in

 

I haven't been in Mykonos