Thread: Rotterdam Oct. 17, 2009 Athens to Rome

Definitely want to attempt a roll call on my favorite cruise board. Haven't been here recently , but I haven't posted much anywhere else either.

This cruise goes from Athens to Rhodes, Antalya Turkey, Iskendurum Turkey, Haifa Israel, Ashdod Israel, Alexandria Egypt, Malta, Gozo Malta, Messina on Sicily, Naples and ends in Rome.

I have wanted to go on a cruise to Israel for a long time, and this one also goes to Iskendurun, which is close to the Biblical town of Antioch, where St. Paul (?) preached. DH wanted to go to Antioch very badly, so much that he is giving up 3 weeks of football season to see it. This is the only cruise ship going there this year!

Fortunately, there are 3 days at sea, because almost all the ports are places we want to see.

I will post our plans for the ports later on, and would love to hear from people who have been to these places. We have been to Rome and Haifa, but all the other ports will be adventures! And of course, do post if you think you would like to sail with us!

Welcome back Mindy

Thank you sweet Hanna! I'll try to stay around a bit more.

Hi MCcruiser!

I have been in the harbour of Athens (Piraeus) 3 times. Piraeus is hot in summer and a bit crowded. Athens is really easy to reach by metro but there are also a lot of taxi's driving back and forth.

Athens is beautiful! A lot of culture, nice little resaurants, kind people and a lot of things to see. Hope you can find the time to visit is during the fact that it is the starting of your cruise.

I also went to Naples and Civitavecchia (Rome). Both also realy nice places to visit. Naples is like Piraeus a bit crowded, a real city! We stayed in Civitavecchia and did not go to Rome but that also was a really nice little town to visit.

Enjoy your cruise! And to help you get started. I have a picture for you of the Rotterdam in Rotterdam hope you'll like it!

Thank you xgx!!! We are really looking forward to our cruise.

Last year we took a cruise that started in Amsterdam. I would have loved to spend more time in your wonderful country, but we only had 3 days. I loved Amsterdam, but since I grew up in Nieuw Nederland (called New York since 1664), it was to be expected.

Hi Mindy

Good to see you back here!!

Thankfully you will be on the Rotterdam before she goes into dry dock togin massive renovations.

And welcome home to you, KK! I have my list of questions waiting for you at my desk at work, once you are settled in at home.

I believe the refurb will start a few weeks after my cruise ends. From Rome it will do a transatlantic, and I believe they will start their "improvements" then.

That's right.

We have figured out what we will do in almost all the ports. This was quite an accomplishment!
We will spend 3 days in Athens prior to the cruise, and then
Sat Oct 17 - Trip to ship, perhaps tour Piraeus
Sun Oct 18 – Rhodes – Self Guided Walking tour of Rhodes town
Mon Oct 19 – Antalya – SLEEP IN, walk around town or beach day or museum
Tues Oct 20 – Iskendurum – Ship’s excursion to Antioch and Selucia
Wed Oct 21 – Haifa – Tour of Acre
Thur Oct 22 – Ashdod – Tour of Beersheva
Fri Oct 23 – DAY AT SEA
Sat Oct 24 – Alexandria – Tour of St. Mark’s Coptic church and El-Alamein
Sun Oct 25 – DAY AT SEA
Mon Oct 26 - DAY AT SEA
Tues Oct 27 – Malta – AM : Interior tour courtesy of travel agent
PM : Walking Tour of Valetta, guided by my husband
Wed Oct 28 - SLEEP IN
Gozo (aft’noon arrival) - Ship’s excursion to Inland Sea by 4x4
Thur Oct 29 – Sicily – Ship’s excursion to Taormina and Castelmola
Fri Oct 30 – Naples –Take train to Pompeii if sunny; tour Archeol. Museum if rainy
Sat Oct 31 – Rome

Hi Mindy!!

Your schedule looks wonderful.

Many years ago we spent 3 days pre-cruise in Athens -- loved it.

We stayed at the Athean International Hotel -- first night there just happen to be our anniversary. We ate at the restaurant on their roof overlooking the light display of the Parthenon and when the manager found out it was our anniversay - he threw on a lobster tail on each of our seafood dinners.