The problem built in with cruising is that you hit port with literally thousands of people at the same time. Many of these people are into shopping and gambling as much as they are into travel. In fact, for many, travel is just a way to clean your consuming palate between more rounds of shopping and gambling.
In two weeks of cruising across most of the Mediterranean, congestion wasn’t as big a problem as I expected. But still, the sightseeing focus is on the clichés; everyone seems to do and get excited about the same things at roughly the same time.
The Greek island of Santorini is spectacular and seems to live off of the cruise industry. Its main town of Fira is high above the port. To avoid the long line for the gondola back down to the port, we just hiked half an hour of donkey-pie-strewn switchbacks.
If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.
Rick……glad to see you trying out cruise ships. I am a former travel agent and retired airline employee. I love independent travel but find that the best bang for my buck in Europe these days is often found through cruise ships.
You are experiencing two large ships from one company. I recommend that you also try smaller ships like Azamara and/or Oceania. These two companies offer port intensive itiineraries that are great for independent travelers who like to “get out there on their own” while in port. As a solo traveler I have found the smaller ships to be cozy with fellow passengers more relaxed and ready to engage in conversations with others.
Before taking my cruise, I always read as much as I can about my ports….your books have been very helpful in this regard and I look forward to reading your new “Meditteranean Ports”.
PS…I am going to take an early guess and say that your final weight will be 218 lbs.
Ciao and happy sailing and keep taking those stairs!!
Carrie pretty much summed up what I was going to say. You really should try the smaller ships (Azamara, Oceania and even Windstar), which are far different from the stereotypical mass market megaships. You would find yourself sharing a ship with less than 700 well traveled people whose priorities are exploring, learning and savouring, in a “country club” casual atmosphere (no formal nights). You would find yourself sailing into the smaller and more attractive ports, often with an overnight or even double overnight stay to allow some real time to see the sights. You would find that the priority is not to have a resort at sea, but to allow access to wonderful experiences on land. And, you would find it hard to beat the value re cost and convenience to travel through Europe this way. As far as your (DIS-embarkation) weight: in spite of enjoying plenty of good food, you shouldn’t have gained any pounds.
Rick,
We hiked both up and down those donkey pie steps last year while on a wonderful NCL ship. The one thing that NCL does that the other cruise lines seem to miss out on, is NCL stays in port so that passengers can experience the beautiful sunset…..and I do mean beautiful!
The other thing that NCL does that is nice is they have fun, engaging entertainment crew. I have taken many RCCL and HAL ships and find it to be hit or miss with some of their personal downright gnarly and rude at times (many seem burnt out like their contract is way to long). NCL seems to focus on making sure their passengers have a good time. I also found their food to be better than many other cruise lines.
I look forward to sailing on Celebrity in the future due to your comments….(always thought they might be a bit stuffy so never ventured forth).
Not to change the subject but…….please recommend Javier Bardem’s family restaurants in Madrid…..his sister, Monica, and his brother each run them and are very friendly and charming….the restaurant is called “La Bardemcilla”…there are 2 in good areas not too far from main attractions. Their menu is affordable and their decor is fun.
Thanks for all your updates….really enjoy your blog, website, books, DVD’s, etc.
Many, many years ago I went to Greece with a friend. We stayed in rooms that we found when we got off the ferry and every day started with breakfast at a cafe as we decided what we were going to do for a day. On Santorini our rooms were inland as the island was packed with tourists. On our first we walked into town to explore. We soon realized that there wasn’t much to see and sat down to have coffee and plan our strategy. We had a great table, right at the head of the donkey path down to the bottom of the crater. We met people and just started talking, the hours slipped past. First we saw the locals putting table cloths out on the wall beside the path, then we saw the cruise ships arrive and the cruisers transported to shore. Then we heard the New York accents echoing up from the bottom as cruisers decided whether to ride a donkey or walk. In those days those were the only choices you had. Then we watched as our cafe owner wheeled a soft ice cream machine from the back of his cafe to the front. By this time we’d ordered lunch and moved off the coffee to beer. Finally, just as the first tourists started to arrive, the young son (12?) with red hair started calling out ice cream. They did a good business. Around 5 it all reversed itself. Yes, we stayed at this cafe at this table about 7-8 hours enjoying the view, the food, the drink and the conversation. What a day! We finally left to go find a different cafe for dinner. We were, at 7 or so, very early for dinner, but the Greeks tolerated our early meals and we enjoyed the local wine with our dinner.
I expect that the cafe is still there. I wonder if the 12 year-old now runs it or has gone on to bigger and better ventures. The coming of the Gondola would have hurt the business, but I suspect that they found a way around that development.
Someday, I’m going back to Greece.
Doing this on a cruise ship excursion is a waste of one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. You have to stay here and enjoy the peace and rest available away from the cruise ship crowds. We spent 3 nights at the Volcano View Hotel and it was the “vacation” part of our 2 wk vacation to Italy and Greece. Our high school daughter still talks about how much she loves Santorini.
mmm…it is good to see Rick doing this…but, i say what a waste travel experiences to travel to Santorini with a cruise ship!! (cruise ship is not my thing, btw :(
To those who say that a brief stop at a place like Santorini is a waste and that you must linger to appreciate the beauty and serenity, I say a partial yes, if that’s possible, of course that’s the way to do it.
But I remember the first time I had a chance to see Venice ,it was for only three hours and everyone said that was not enough time and it was foolish to make such a short visit–better not to go at all.
How ridiculous. I realized how wrong they were as I stood in St. Mark’s Square, walked along the srteets, peering into the shops and so forth. I have been back to Venice many times since then, but I have never regretted that wonderful first lick of the ice cream cone.
Well said Louisa! Sometimes there are real limitations placed on our travel and sometimes we let others or ourselves place false limitations. I was lucky enough that the first three times I went to Europe were for 6 months, and then two two-month trips. For years I thought, you have to have month to go to Europe. What a foolish limitation to have imposed on myself. I’ve been making up for it ever since. I think you grab the opportunities as they come your way. Carpe deim! ; )
I 100% agree that a multi-night stay in one location is a very different experience than spending 12 hours there during a cruise ship stop. However…my husband & I spent a very quick day in Berlin during a cruise stop awhile back. Berlin was a city that I thought would be somewhat interesting, but nowhere that I would have considered staying in for any length of time. Long story short, a year after the cruise, we returned to Berlin and spent 4 nights there. The moral of the story is that a cruise can offer you access to many cities in a short amount of time, giving you just a taste of each one, helping you decide where you’d like to return for a longer stay.
Looks like a slightly better dressed, slightly older version of people who are on Rick Steves’ tours. As for Venice, it is crowded and hot. But for some it is heaven simply because they are there.
Thanks so much for sharing your cruise experience w/ us. We have traveled for more than 10 years w/ your books but recently enjoyed a Mediterranean cruise. We found ways to escape large cruise crowds & look forward to the new tips in your books. Quite frankly, restaurant & hotel recommendations are easily found on the web, but your tips on avoiding crowds & lines in European cities, Rick, are priceless!