Thread: Rotterdam – Oct. 10, 2006 Venice to Athens

It is getting close to the 90-day count down for departure and I cannot find any roll call for the Ancient Wonders – Black Sea. Where is everybody? This should be a very exciting cruise.

Ship has been sold out for some time… where is everybody hiding?
:think: Is there any interest in sharing a private tour in Kusadasi or Istanbul? We have custom tours book both places and have room for two or four more people.

Also, I am looking for someone to share a taxi with in Alexandria.

Betty

This sounds like a fantastic cruise! Have a great time.

What are the ports?

I am off to the Med myself on a cruise in just 2 weeks!

Ports of call: Venice, Dubrovnik, *Corfu, *Alexandria, Kusadasi, Istanbul, *Constanta, *Odessa, *Varna and Athens.
*Have never been to these five ports.

jsducky – Bon Voyage, have a great cruise.

Betty

I'll be stopping at Kusadasi and Athens as well.

If you have any questions, I would be glad to try and help you out when I return!

Do you have shore excursions booked at either port?

jstducky
In Kusadasi, we both have already been to Ephesus so we are taking a custom tour as follows: The temple of Artemision, Isa Bey Mosque (Will not enter), Saint John Basilica, Selcuk Castle (drive by), Ephesus Museum, Lunch in Sirince (no wine tour). Return; Caravanserail and bazaars on our own. If you have not been to Ephesus, I highly recommend that you take an Ephesus tour, either ship or private. You should have time to do a custom tour that would include Ephesus. I you would like, I can send you the tour company’s name.

From the map it looks like Caravanserail and the bazaars are very close to the ship. If you could verify this, I sure would appreciate it.

In Athens, we have a hotel booked and will spend a couple days there. It is very easy to get around in Athens, so we will do everything on our own. If you are in fair physical condition, it is not a bad walk from the ship to the metro system in Piraeus. The metro system goes to the Acropolis (would have to transfer only once). And there is a little hike up the hill to the Acropolis. I’m looking forward to being able to take the lift and stair chair this time.

I was looking at your itinerary. You have some very nice ports of call and will have a wonderful time. I assume that you have made all your plans already. If you are going into Florence, make sure everything is open. One Monday a month things are closed for cleaning and I do not remember which Monday it was… only that there were a lot of unhappy tourist on that trip. Having already been there, I went to Pisa instead. Having seen both, I would recommend Florence.

Betty

raindrops, this sounds like a great cruise

Where in Minnesota do you live? I lived a whole year in the St Paul/Roseville area but then that was back in 1975 to 1976. I worked for Commerical State Bank downtown in the Nprthern States Power building. I am originally from Cedar Rapids, IA

Yes, I do believe it is going to be a very exciting cruise. I’m getting anxious.

I live in Crystal (suburban Minneapolis). We moved here in 77 from Los Angeles. Now that I have earned the status of “senior” I do not have to venture out in the winter time… and the world got nicer.

Houch, a very active member of CLF, lives in St. Paul. We are going on the same January cruise and plan on getting acquainted sometime before then.

Betty

I love the Twin Cities, so many great restaurants and shopping It is just too bad the winters are so nasty. It has been so many years since I have been back there. One of these days though......

Betty-

I have met some of the nicest, wonderfully travel savvy, interesting cruisers through this and other boards that will forever remain in my heart. BillS and his DW took the same cruise as we did last year in the Baltic, so we felt compelled to tag along in the Med for a TA this fall. My dear friend JASL and her DH will be on our Christmas cruise and we look forward to sharing the holidays with our extended cruiser family very much!! Then we are tagging along with Lisa and her DH on their 30th Anniversary cruise next March!!

I hope you are able to find the same quality of folks to cruise with, and I just know Houch and her DH are. (Gardeners who are cruise crazy are wonderful fun, trust me!! )