I’m home now after cruising the Mediterranean. And it’s time to wrap up this Blog Gone Europe series. Thanks for all the great comments this last month. I’ve enjoyed reading them each day. And I’ve learned a lot. I thought a summation of my experience would be a good capper. So here goes:
There are travelers and there are tourists. There is travel and there is hedonism. I’ve long thought that cruising was hedonism for tourists, catering to people for whom travel is “see if you can eat five meals a day and still snorkel when you get into port.” In fact, I’ve built a career championing the beauties of experiencing Europe independently…through the back door. And that’s about as far from cruising as you can get.
But my newest guidebook — Rick Steves’ Mediterranean Cruise Ports — is selling like hotcakes. It’s the first and only cruising guidebook written by someone with a healthy skepticism about cruises. I’ve left the cruise-ship rundowns to the industry aficionados, and focused my book on what I consider the main attraction: some of the grandest cities in Europe. Even if you have just eight hours in port, you can still ramble the colorful Ramblas of Barcelona, kick the pebbles that stuck in Julius Caesar’s sandals at the Roman Forum, hike to the top of Athens’ Acropolis, and hear the Muslim call to prayer warble from an Istanbul minaret across the rooftops. Yes, you could spend a lifetime in Florence. But you’ve only got a few hours…and I have a plan for you.
But with the new cruise book selling so well, many of my traveling friends are wondering what’s going on. What happened to “going through the back door?” Have I sold out? Have I turned my back on “real travel?” Am I suddenly “pro-cruising?”
I visited 12 ports in two weeks. Dancing my nights away under starry, starry skies at sea, I shared a ship with 3,000 people whose priorities seemed to be shopping, gambling, eating, drinking, and sightseeing —often in that order. Yes, for many of these cruisers, the experience was hedonism plain and simple. But for many others, cruising has become an efficient, affordable, and enjoyable way to enjoy the best of both surf and turf.
For me, it was two weeks toggling between life on shore and life on board — a time filled with culture, camaraderie, and calories. As soon as I returned to the ship after a day exploring, I’d plop my wallet into the top drawer of my dresser and rejoin a fantasy, cashless world that, in many ways, is a floating 14-story-tall food court/shopping mall/entertainment complex.
Cruising is just one of many ways of traveling and, keeping an open mind, I enjoyed the experience. And I learned a lot. The officer who monitors supplies told me the two most important items to keep in stock: TP for guests and rice for the predominantly Asian crew. They once ran out of rice and nearly had a mutiny. I also learned a lesson when booking a sea view seat in the ship’s fanciest restaurant: A window seat after dark on a cruise ship has you sitting next to a big, glassy, black wall with nothing to see but your reflection.
While plenty of cruisers I met were clueless about the various ports and seemed to want to stay that way, I was impressed by the number of passengers who bounded down the gangplank as soon as it was open, determined to get the most out of each hour in port. These are the people who are enjoying my new guidebook. Its goal — and my challenge as its author — is to empower those who enjoy the fun, efficiency, and economy of cruising with the information necessary to get the very most out of their time in port.
So, is cruising really travel? It depends on the cruiser. I enjoyed a relaxing vacation at sea, but each day in port I managed to venture away from the cruise crowds. Whether it was in a farmer’s market in Livorno, a tapas bar in Barcelona, or a dusty corner of Athens’ Agora, I tried get out of my comfort zone and experience a slice of real Europe. While there’s plenty of fun on board for cruisers, my most vivid and prized memories came from back-door adventures I enjoyed on land.
I worked on a cruise line that did a World Cruise. I enjoyed every second that I was able to get off the ship and immerse myself in a different culture. I would LOVE to do that same cruise again… except as a passenger! Though I would also love to go to Europe Through the Back Door too!!!
I am glad you enjoyed your trip and I love reading your books. Someday I hope to use a book of yours while on vacation!
For us cruising is a way to see many of the sites without having to pack/unpack, make travel arrangements for every other day and always know where our next meal will be. For my husband in his mid 60’s, he prefers not schlepping our suitcases on the trains, the racks above heads, up and down stairs – cruising works for us. Our first priority in selecting a cruise is the itinerary, then comes the ship itself and the cost.
We almost always make independent arrangements in each port as we don’t want to be packed on to a cruise ship excursion bus with 44 other passengers. We like taking some control of our time onshore and as you said, we were one of the first ones off at each port to meet out independent tour guide and driver. The cruise lines do have a point in that if you are late on a private excursion, they will leave without you and the private vendors know that. They also are very aware of their reputation and that is how they get repeat cruisers or new cruisers through word of mouth – they will not make you late.
We make our dining arrangements in the specialty restaurants at sunset knowing we will have a spectacular view and that it will not be crowded at that time. I have pictures of beautiful sunsets over Ephesus as we were pulling out as well as Mykonnos.
This past cruise that we took last month we saw the ancient cities and all that I had read about them in books since I was a teenage; I climbed the Acropolis and saw the Pantheon, I visited the famed Blue Mosque, Topeki Palace, listened to the call to worship and, the Cistern in Istanbul which was magnificent, the ruins of Ephesus, Virgin Mary’s purported home at the end of her life, the beauty of the Amalfi Coast, scenic Greek Islands. We would have never done all this in one trip as easily as we did it last month. We do add on before and after the cruise to round out the experience. Glad you are coming around to cruising and how it works for some of us.
Rick,
Your comments are another example of the honest and professional person you are and why you are so highly respected in the travel world. Thanks for your thoughtful insight and for showing that cruisers and be travelers, too. Will you ever try a river cruise in Europe?
I still prefer “The Back Door” but we’re off to the Danube in two weeks; doing our homework to slip thru the back door from our much smaller boat in much smaller ports.
Twinkle
Well put Rick. I’m also in the camp of first off the ship to explore, often independently and see what we can see in a day. My favorite memories are often those not expected – off the beaten path, a market, a cafe or just people watching in a quiet square. Received my copy of Mediterranean Cruise Ports yesterday. Yea! We leave for Rome in four weeks to catch the Equinox transatlantic. Looking forward to the adventures in Port and also the lazy evenings on board and the even more lazy days at sea as we cross the Atlantic. Keep up the good work for all of us Rick.
Joe (Portland, OR)
As people who have done it both ways, we think your comments and ideas are great. Also, as we age, cruising is a great way to “keep travelin'”.
There is a wide spectrum of cruise passengers that stretches from those that don’t get off the ship while it is in port to those that embrace your methods of independent travel. On board, I see a lot of passengers reading your books.
I’m glad to hear of your new book: Rick Steves’ Mediterranean Cruise Ports.
I remember once seeing an a newspaper ad for a cruise line here in Australia. One of the cruises left Sydney, stayed a number of days at sea without stopping anywhere, and then returned to Sydney. I don’t think this particular cruise was very popular because I cannot remember seeing it advertised since.
Generally, a Med cruise is the cruise I’m least likely to take.
I have yet to tour with a cruise excursion. I consider them too expensive, too crowded, and too touristy. I plan my own day in port and get the most out of my time.
I can do many ports well in a day. A full day in Cozumel can include a morning and afternoon scuba with a home-made bar-b-que lunch. A day in Belize city can (barely)include a boat ride on the New river to Mayan ruins not frequented by large crowds. In Helsinki, you can ferry to Suomalinna Island and explore a World Heritage Site, then visit the rock church using local transit and explore the port area. In each case, planning your own shore excursion allows you to do more for less.
Florence, Rome, Istanbul, Barcelona, Venice, etc. need more time to explore. There are too many things to see in the time available. These cities, among others, should be seen by land first – after that, a day trip from a cruise may be fine.
Bravo to you, Rick, for taking the time to try to understand this type of travel, and why some people enjoy it, even if it isn’t necessarily your ‘cup of tea’. In my opinion, there is no “right” or “wrong” way to travel, just different ways.
I agree with you completely on your analysis of cruising. I personally love to cruise but I love to see new places too and find it a wonderful way to do so. We just returned from a Med cruise that visited Rome, Israel(3 1/2 wonderful days), Athens, Mykonos and Naples. I spent every moment possible on land investigating the areas we were visiting and can’t imagine a better way to see many places in one trip. We were so tired by days end most of the time that we treated the ship more like a hotel then anything else. That’s not the case on Caribbean cruises, which we have now largely abandoned. We LOVE your books and used your Rome guide extensively before our trip. Have purchased the Med Cruise guide and plan to use it a lot for our next adventure to Lisbon, Barcelona, Toulon, Cadiz, Florence and Rome!! Thanks for all the insight.
I think cruising also has appeal as a vacation that can be enjoyed by multiple generations of a family, accomodating a wide range of interests and physical abilities. We’ve found that everyone can do our their own thing during the day (shopping, walking tours, napping) and reconnect back on the ship at night. Without the ease of cruising there are many that would not be able to get to these destinations at all.
Rick,
Thank you so much for your comments. We are planning a cruise to Europe in April. Once there we will take 2 other ones before setting sail back to the US. I do not like to fly so was thrilled when I was able to map out several cruise’s to see Europe. I will be purchasing your book to get some well needed advice. Thank you for taking this avenue of travel and sharing your insights. Kathy
I believe that travel is simply moving around the world. Some do it to see different places, some do it to get away from things, some do it to enjoy the nature of the means of locomotion.
We enjoy our days at sea and enjoy the delightful space which is a cruise ship – a place away from our normal lives, a mini society apart from the rest of the world for a period of time, a place to relax and let one’s cares go for a time.
We also enjoy our port stops – the chance to sample a little of some of the world’s best known places, to be able to visualize what we have read about sometimes since childhood, to be able to meet people from other cultures and languages and even try to learn a word or two. It’s not for long, but then travelling never has had a minimum time attached to be considered travelling.
We don’t over eat on the ship – no need to force ourselves to diet when we get home, and we enjoy the sumptuous meals which the cruise ships prepare for us – truly culinary delights.
We seem to have done much the same itinerary you mention in your article – we did a Trans-Atlantic in May followed by an eastern Mediterranean to Istanbul and Athens back-to-back. We too experienced kicking “the pebbles that stuck in Julius Caesar’s sandals” in Rome. All too short a time but these are now travel memories which are a highlight of our lives and made us the richer for the experience.
Finally, a book that gives cruise passengers a reliable experienced way of traveling from cruise port to attractions and more easily. I like to cruise to new destinations for the reason of sampling. If I like an area I visit I can plan a more extensive stay in the future. I dreamed about places that is pitched as a romantic or fun filled or adventurous location only to be disappointed to learn that it is very overrated and not that interesting, historical or educational. Cruising provides a taste as to whether to visit again. Imagine paying good money for a few days or a week only to realize the area isn’t anything you read it to be. So, I love the idea of pulling into port for a day and exploring the area just to see if it is worthy of a longer and more detailed visit. This time enjoying all there is about the culture, history, religion, food and atmosphere.
I never go on the cruise excursions and am always off the ship first thing. I always use public transportation with a back-up plan just in case of a train strike or something else unexpected arises. Sometimes never seeing another cruise passenger because they were taken to the tourist spots and shopping meccas. As far as the ship goes…well, I think there is no better way dollarwise to have transportation, hotel, restaurant, entertainment, housekeeping, spa and someone else do the driving. Then there is the commaraderie. Cruisers make friendships for life. I have even meet a couple who had your Rick Steves Italy book in hand that started a long time friendship. I have visited other cruises homes in their country for a visit which by the way, gives you a personal guide to the best places and events. I have always used your land books to plan out my days on land. Now I can use your cruise/land book to get me easily to and from the ship. Thank you for exploring an additional form of travel that lets people go to places they might never go otherwise and for that experienced cruiser, showing them ways to broaden their travel experience. I keep on traveling because of your books. Thank you Rick.
A real traveler will keep an open mind about his/her experiences whether it be a luxury cruise ship or a broken down railroad car. I enjoyed reading your observations, many of which we have also made as we have moved from being ‘not cruise people’ into ‘cruise fans’. I might add that we’ve used your guidebooks while in port – and have also taken trips on our own out of port cities (local trains and buses) to other locales – much can be accomplished in a ‘port day’ if you’ve got the sense of adventure and do a little homework before taking a cruise. My favorite cruise passenger story, though, is the fellow who told me as the cruise ship was sailing from Izmir that he’d taken a ship’s tour that day to ‘that esophagus place’. . .think about it. (Ephesus)
So glad to read your comments about cruising. Our kids grew up that each summer we spent our vacation in Europe with your books in hand. We could rent a car, stay in B&B’s, see out of the way sites, sleep in rooms that provided ear plugs, and loved every minute of it. Yet, the Mediterranean was just not in the picture because of the cost of air fare. We really don’t have the kind of money to do the traveling we do, but, we make it a priority. We discovered cruising about 10 years ago. By staying in the cheapest cabin available it opened up a lot more areas for us. Is it the same as your “Back Door” traveling, no, but, hey we are at least there, and we had learned enough via your style of travel to strike out on our own and not use the ships excursions. I read an article a few years ago you wrote about cruising and I thought at the time you were unaware that for two segments of travelers this is a great way to travel. The elderly who can no longer get around as well as they used to. (Took my 86 year old mother last year, no way could we have done that on a car, bus, and train based trip), and for those who air fare from location to location is just too expensive. Can not wait to get your book and use it on our next cruise. Thanks
Perhaps the other 90 percent wish the cruisers would pay more taxes? I wouldn’t know but in the US maybe fewer people should be on cruises and many more paying for those who need health care? In the meantime, in between time, the rich get richer and the poor — well you get it.
I had the same trepidations as you did. My favourite activities involve nature, culture … and food/wine. I ate authentic fare at lunch during the port calls, and international top-end evening meals on the same ship that you travelled on. So it is possible to get a bit of both. But is the balance between the two what I wanted, and is it a way to see the world? And it is certainly not the cheapest way to tour and to fill your boots with what far-flung countries have to offer. Would I do it again? Perhaps if the price were ‘right’ and it gave me samples of places that I might not otherwise be inclined to include.
Make no error I enjoyed my first cruise, but is a ‘cushy’ way to travel. There is really very little contact with the countries that you visit; it is far more a contact with the ship that you are on, and its paying guests. So I am inclined to conclude that I could do better with a land trip where I could get my hands a bit more ‘dirty’, my mind a bit more expanded, my experiences a bit less ‘5-star’, and my wallet less stressed.
Full disclosure: I’ve never been on a cruise, but my impressions from friends and enthusiasts and from your reports suggest that it would differ greatly from our usual travel in Europe. My husband and I typically rent a car and stay in rural areas or suburbs and small towns. We like B&B’s and moderate-priced lodging, and we like to eat well (often regional specialties). By contrast, if we had to return each night to a ship and to a bunch of people quite like us (relatively affluent Americans), speaking English and talking about topics we left behind, it would “break the spell” of foreign travel. We went on a one-week group tour (20 people) to an exciting destination, but the fellow travelers got to be tiresome. Reciting life stories at each new meeting can be a drag. But I’ll close with the admission that I’m tempted by a river cruise on a small boat; I love short excursions on the water in sight of shore, so maybe longer would be better. Example: the Mosel or the Rhine.
Since Webster’s defines travel as “to go on a trip or a tour,” cruising is undoubtedly travel. I think the question should be: is it the best or most rewarding or most adventuresome or most exciting form of travel?
I’ve done cruising and enjoyed it very much. One is at complete liberty to do as one pleases and that goes for food and drink as well.
I’ve also done a Rick Steves tour and traveled extensively on my own, through the back door and on relatively expensive trips. There is much positive about almost every form of traveling and I don’t think there is one perfect way to go.
just wondering which ship you were on?
If that question was directed at me, I was on the HAL Ryndam.