Sun Princess May 3rd to May 10th 2025 Italy/Greece - Questions for those who have been there

[IndyKid]

We are relative newcomers to cruising, having done 2 with Royal Caribbean and 1 with Princess. I've decided that it's time to address at least 1 item on our bucket list so I'm surprising the wife at Christmas with a week aboard the Sun Princess next May, going from Rome to Athens with stops in Naples, Chania, Istanbul and Mykonos. My TA has already booked a cove balcony for us, but I'm thinking hard and heavy about upgrading to what they call a sanctuary balcony which includes the Premier Package and other goodies. It's about $500 p/p more, is it worth it?

 

Questions:

What are the specialty dining venues like? We only had Sabatini's and Crown Grill on our last cruise aboard the CB, but I know that the Sun is much bigger & newer.?

 

Excursions - Best ones to do at each stop?

 

This is our first trip ever to Europe, any tips and advice? Things to watch out for?

 

Thanks in advance...

[SCX22]

33 minutes ago, IndyKid said:

Excursions - Best ones to do at each stop?

 

Highly recommend going to Pompei in Naples.  Do a morning excursion and spend the afternoon walking around town.  As seedy as it may seem from the graffiti and bits of trash lying around, Naples has charm and is totally safe.  Don't miss out on eating pizza and a baba/savarin.

 

In Istanbul, find a way to visit the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Grand Bazaar.  A cruise down the Bosphorus is pretty cool.  Also note that it's expected that women wear a head covering when entering mosques.  We just came back from Turkey on a land trip and Istanbul is a very vibrant city despite what the media portrays it as.  Also haggling is totally acceptable and expected.

 

The rest of the ports you are very walkable and you don't necessarily need an excursion.  In Mykonos, you'll most likely be berthed in Tourlos, which is a ways from the city.  Princess will offer a bus transfer ($15 pp R/T last year), but the SeaBus next to the cruise pier is only €4 pp R/T.

 

51 minutes ago, IndyKid said:

This is our first trip ever to Europe, any tips and advice? Things to watch out for?

 

Pickpockets are real and very sly.  Watch your belongs and keep hold of valuables when in crowds, especially wallets.  They are very prevalent in Rome.

[reedprincess]

1 hour ago, IndyKid said:

We are relative newcomers to cruising, having done 2 with Royal Caribbean and 1 with Princess. I've decided that it's time to address at least 1 item on our bucket list so I'm surprising the wife at Christmas with a week aboard the Sun Princess next May, going from Rome to Athens with stops in Naples, Chania, Istanbul and Mykonos. My TA has already booked a cove balcony for us, but I'm thinking hard and heavy about upgrading to what they call a sanctuary balcony which includes the Premier Package and other goodies. It's about $500 p/p more, is it worth it?

 

Questions:

What are the specialty dining venues like? We only had Sabatini's and Crown Grill on our last cruise aboard the CB, but I know that the Sun is much bigger & newer.?

 

Excursions - Best ones to do at each stop?

 

This is our first trip ever to Europe, any tips and advice? Things to watch out for?

 

Thanks in advance...

For $1000 more total - if definitely upgrade to a Sanctuary Collection balcony cabin.  

 

The Premier Cruise Package alone is $1260 for 7 nights!  

So, to get the Premier Cruise Package, Sanctuary access, separate dining, and so forth, for an extra $1k - I'd  absolutely do it, if the budget allows... Cabin itself is the same, although the Sanctuary Collection deluxe balcony cabins have a massive extended balcony, which is a bonus also - 2 full size loungers, 2 chairs, table and still tons of space . 

 

There's 7 specialty restaurants aboard Sun - one for each night!

Umai Teppenyaki 

Catch 

Butcher Block 

Crown Grill 

Umai Hot Pot 

Sabatini's 

Kai Sushi 

 

As for excursions - best is subjective, for sure..  I definitely agree with Pompeii, and pizza in Naples! 

 

Pickpockets are real and sneaky and all over.  Try a Pacsafe or Travelon cross body locking bag, lots of styles to choose from and they're definitely added peace of mind. Be very aware of surroundings, secure any valuables - phone, wallet, etc.  

 

Have a wonderful time!! 

 

[Jadn13]

Mykonos you can do on your own, easy to take the Sea bus, directly at the pier. 
You can walk to the windmills, have some fun food and just wander around the beautiful winding streets.

 

[Chad_O]

My partner and I took this cruise and absolutely loved it. We had a Cove Balcony with the Premier package. The cabin was small but comfortable. The sanctuary collection cabins are on a higher deck and might make for easier navigation. The new elevators are awesome but if they can be avoided it might be for the best. To the OP post the upgrade seems to represent a really good value and I would certainly do it. If you have any questions I can share our notes and itinerary pre-cruise, for the cruise, and post cruise. It was a truly wonderful trip. Feel free to email me if that is easier for you chadoz0208 at Gmail dot com. 

[IndyKid]

Thank You @Chad_O. I went ahead and pulled the trigger today for the upgrade. I should have mentioned that the $500 P/P difference was going from the cove balcony with the Plus package to the sanctuary balcony. I thought it was a pretty good choice.

 

Which excursions did you do, if any? I'm pretty sure we will do Pompeii for our stop in Naples, not sure about the others. Maybe just get off the boat and walk around and others have suggested? 

[Chad_O]

I am so pleased for you both!

 

We went to Pompeii on our own. We took a taxi because I got a very good rate. We had planned on walking to the station and taking the train but the taxi was faster and allowed more time at the site. There are many options to get to Pompeii. There is a bus service that runs right from the pier everyday but Sunday. The train is close by and of course taxis. You can book a guide in advance or even arrange for one at the site itself I have degrees in history and art so I took the lead for our visit. We had a great visit and saw everything. We took the train from Pompeii down to Sorrento. My partner had never been there and we had enough time to stroll through the town, have some lemon gelato and buy some souvenirs. We caught the high speed ferry back to Naples which docks very near the ship and we were back onboard with some time to spare. We did self guided visits on all our ports and pre-cruise in Rome and post-cruise in Athens. 

[CruzerDeb]

What a great Christmas gift! I hope you will both enjoy your first trip to Europe and the cruise. I think you got a great deal on your Sanctuary upgrade. 
 

I just posted a review of my cruise last week (IDK how to link it here); look for “Live(ish) … Sun Princess Italy Turkey Greece, 8/31/23”  … for info on the excursions we did. I’m definitely a “book an excursion” person instead of a “wander on my own” person, but it may give you some ideas. 
 

I recommend that you spend a few days in Rome beforehand and some time in Athens after. 
 

We ate at specialty restaurants Crown Grill (didn’t feel it was worth the extra $$) and Umai Tappenyaki (definitely worth the extra $$). 

[IndyKid]

Thank You @CruzerDeb. Looking forward to the expression on her face when I give her this. I will definitely check out your review. As far as extra time in Rome & Athens I can't spare the extra vacation days from work, but we arrive early in the morning on Friday, and the ship doesn't depart until 6 PM on Saturday, so we'll try to do as much as we can. We are going to stay an extra night in Athens, we have a room with a view of the Acropolis, and we'll explore as much as we can.

 

As far as dining, the Sanctuary collection includes the Premier package, so we'll get to check them all out. Pretty sure we'll skip the sushi, we're not much for eating bait!

[IndyKid]

@CruzerDeb, I read your review, looks great! I have a question about finances - how much cash (euros) should we plan to take? Were credit cards pretty much accepted everywhere? I have no way to get any foreign currency where I live, so I would probably do that after we land in Rome.

[Chad_O]

Sorry to interject but in Rome credit cards were accepted everywhere except by street vendors. ATMs were plentiful for getting Euros. We made withdrawals so we had cash for other port stops without having to race to find a machine or paying numerous fees. In Istanbul we spent Euros on the street and used cards everywhere including the bazaar. 

[IndyKid]

19 minutes ago, Chad_O said:

Sorry to interject but in Rome credit cards were accepted everywhere except by street vendors. ATMs were plentiful for getting Euros. We made withdrawals so we had cash for other port stops without having to race to find a machine or paying numerous fees. In Istanbul we spent Euros on the street and used cards everywhere including the bazaar. 

My plan is to use our card as much as possible. So how much should I realistically need for street vendors and so forth? A couple hundred? If I have extra left over that's fine, we can always exchange wherever our next trip goes to. I know Greece is in the Euro zone, but Turkey is not. Do the locals accept Euros (or USD)?

[PensFan1028]

We took ~400 euros for two weeks to start, ended up pulling another 150 from an ATM (5e surcharge) but pretty much came home with it. - used Discover or Master Card 90% of the time. We don't typically buy too many trinkets or things from street vendors though. 

 

Weather will be great in May.

 

Depending on where you are staying in Rome or where you are exploring... go to La Nuova Piazzetta Navona for lunch. It is at the southern end of Piazza Navona in the entrance to the alley/street on the left looking south. Been to Rome 3 times now, by far the best home made pasta we've had. With that said, Rome is very walkable. Get a map from your hotel concierge and use your phone GPS to navigate.

 

If you are wine drinkers, in Europe, especially Italy, just order house red or white, whatever you prefer, usually sold in 1 liter or 1/2 liter.... sometimes it's a better value than bottled water 🙂

 

As already said, in Naples get pizza while you have time on your own (and wine of course). There is a Vesuvius/Pompeii tour that princess offers - do that. The Vesuvius "hike" isn't all that bad and they do have cars to take you most of the way if you prefer. 

 

Prearrange your car transfers from Rome airport to your hotel and from your hotel in Athens back to the airport. This helps with any communication / language barriers and peace of mind knowing you already have that worked out ahead of time. I've personally used Rome in Limo (not really limo just car service unless you want that) and haven't had any issues.

 

[SCX22]

11 hours ago, IndyKid said:

If I have extra left over that's fine, we can always exchange wherever our next trip goes to.

 

Don't recommend keeping exchanging currency.  In the end you end up losing money.  All money changers charge a fee.  Sometimes it's a % of the transaction.  Sometimes its by giving you a lower exchange rate.  No one gives the spot rate.  Budget wisely and spend all FOREX or save it for the next trip to those countries.  Also recommend getting small bills, like 20s, 10s, and 5s, instead of large bills because sometimes, sellers don't have change.  It takes getting used to but €1 and €2 are coins, not paper bills.

 

Pretty much everywhere in Europe takes plastic.  I find using a card more convenient in Europe than here in the US.  Where I live some establishments still have a CC minimum when charging small amounts.  In the EU there's a law preventing establishments from imposing CC minimums or passing the fees to consumer.  You can buy a coffee and pastry for some miniscule amount and use a CC.  Some taxis don't take CC.  

 

Also realize that public bathrooms are sometimes not free in Europe.  Sometimes, you'll have to pay €1 or less to use the restroom.  The money goes to the attendant keeping the restroom clean.  Best to use buy something small in cash, like a soda, and take the change.  Eating at a restaurant also gets you restroom privileges, even at a McDonalds.

 

Having just come back from Turkey on a land trip.  Most everywhere in Istanbul takes CC.  Up to you if want to bring Turkish Lira for a day, especially if you're going to be on a Princess excursion all day.  Many of the touristy shops will accept Euros.

[CruzerDeb]

12 hours ago, IndyKid said:

@CruzerDeb, I read your review, looks great! I have a question about finances - how much cash (euros) should we plan to take? Were credit cards pretty much accepted everywhere? I have no way to get any foreign currency where I live, so I would probably do that after we land in Rome.

Credit cards were accepted everywhere. We exchanged about $1,200 for approx 995E, primarily because (1) our prearranged transportation from airport to hotel in Rome (plus 4 hour tour) required cash and we used the same company for transfer from hotel to port (cash again); (2) to have cash tips for our excursion guides. We used euros for various small purchases as well. Your needs will vary depending on what you think you’ll need to use cash for. We exchanged our US$ for euros at our home airport. If you wait until you get to Rome, my understanding is you’ll get the best conversion rate by using an ATM, which are readily available at the airport. We didn’t want to wait to do this because we can only withdraw $300 at a time and that would have been enough. 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

On 9/8/2024 at 12:54 PM, IndyKid said:

This is our first trip ever to Europe, any tips and advice? Things to watch out for?

This is a great trip congratulations on making that leap. 

Check that you have a credit card that doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee.  This can really add up.  

 

Good footwear is essential.  Nothing ruins your day faster than aching feet. 

Another vote for Travelon theft resistant bags. We have the cross body small messenger bags and love them. 

Keep only a small amount of Turkish lira or Euros in your bag or zippered pocket. Small bills and coins for bathrooms and street venders are very handy. Use a CC for everything else. Carry only the essentials in your wallet. We use a small one that carries our licence, a CC and insurance card. 

Always take a picture of the port information on the boards before you leave it will have contact numbers if you have an emergency and need to contact the ship.  

Read the boards and the Patter for additional information about what to bring ashore or what not to. We always bring some Kind bars from home take off the ship.  Sometimes we just don’t want to break from what we doing to eat in a restaurant.  

 

In ports with an early departure I always use a ship’s tour.  For me the peace of mind is worth it. 

 

Mykanos is very walkable and we used a city bus to go to the beach Shirley Valentine was filmed on. 

Naples I vote for Pompeii and Herculaneum.  Either independently or with a ships tour depending on how tight the timing is. 
 

In ports where there is a limited number of roads leading back to port (2 or fewer) I also use a ship’s tour.  Accidents happen, roads close, detours happen again it’s my personal tolerance for stress.  
 

When we arrive early and leave late and there’s multiple trains, busses or roads leading back to port I do independent sightseeing. 
 

In Istanbul the lines to enter Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia are very long. These are easy to do on your own and I highly recommend them. All tour guides in Greece will wear a lanyard with their credentials on it. They will be outside these major sites asking if you’d like a tour. What we discovered is that they had a position saved in line and so you would join the line with them. We felt they really added a lot to our visits to these 2 sites. They accepted Euros and Lira.  
 

Topkapi Palace is also right in this area and I loved this so much we visited it for 2 days. It was my favorite site in Istanbul.  We had a guide for the first day but went on our own the second. 
 

In Rome if you do only one thing I’d have to vote for the Vatican and St Peter’s Bascilca.  Taking an early entry (or late) tour of the Vatican is a good way to save a bit of time. Book one that includes the Bascilica and they will take you thru a door that connects to the Sistine chapel and this saves you a ton of time and walking. The general public cannot do this only the tours can. Check the tour description to make sure this is listed. Climb the Dome!  
 

In Athens if you can only do one thing I would vote for the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum. The museum has a free tour of the archeological dig under the museum that is very interesting.  It’s free but you have to register for it on the museum website. 
 

For your embarkation/disembarkation ports Early is always better everywhere. We are out by 8:30 and have the sites to ourselves mostly until about 10:30 when the school groups show up.  Around noonish the ships tours show up and everything becomes a zoo. By 1 we are headed to a restaurant for a nice lunch then a siesta in our hotel. Evening site seeing is also cooler and less crowded. 
 

 

Edited September 13 by HaveDogWillTravel

[HaveDogWillTravel]

One more or 2 more suggestions.  
 

Since you will have such limited time in Athens and Rome pay the premium to stay right in the historic centers nearest the sites you want to visit. 

 

Learn a few phrases in Turkish, Italian and Greek.  Good morning, please, thank you, excuse me, where is the bathroom, how much is this…… I’ve found it is appreciated and they will not expect you to be fluent. 

Edited September 13 by HaveDogWillTravel

[IndyKid]

6 hours ago, SCX22 said:

 

Don't recommend keeping exchanging currency.  In the end you end up losing money.  All money changers charge a fee.  

We travel a lot to Mexico, so anything leftover I would exchange all of it just once at whatever resort we stay at, and whatever pesos we have left simply go home with us and put into the safe with our passports for the next trip.