I will be heading to a cruise in Europe, on the Jewel of the Seas leaving on May 11, 2019. Departing from Civitavecchia with stops in Crete, Rhodes, Athens, Santorini, Mykonos and Naples. I will update the cruise information below as required.
Many people go on cruise and are not sure what to do when they get to a port, this is very common in Europe.
When booking flight for a European cruise coming from the US, schedule flight arrival at least 24 hours prior to ship departure. Don’t plan on coming in the same morning, you will risk missing the ship.
Here are a few questions I received from a co-worker cruising to Europe.
When cruising in Europe, join the Cruise Critic Roll Call for your sailing. There will be a lot of information available on that site.
Starting cruise in Rome
If a cruise leaves from Rome, the port is Civitavecchia, which is about 1 hour from the city.
You can take the train from the airport or Rome city center to Civitavecchia, now there is a direct train from Rome to the port.
The best car service I have found is Rome Cabs: www.romecabs.com
Call them as soon as you plan a trip, if you wait until the last minute, they may not be available. They will pick up in the Rome area, including the airport.
If you want to reduce your cost, post on cruise critic roll call that you have a car and are looking for a certain amount of people. You need to make sure you are all leaving from the same area, either hotel in Rome or airport. Also designate a time. My suggestion is you leave the Rome area no later than 11 am.
If you are spending anytime in Rome, you should book the Visits to the Tomb of Saint Peter and the Necropolis under the Vatican Basilica (The “Scavi” are the excavations of the underground necropolis under St. Peter’s Basilica. You must request a reservation in advance to see the Scavi)
Link: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/institutions_connected/uffscavi/documents/rc_ic_uffscavi_doc_gen-information_20090216_en.html
Email address: scavi@fsp.va
Catacombs of Rome, located on Via Appia Antica
Naples port:
If you are in Naples for the first time, you need to go to Pompeii. You can take a train to get to Pompeii, or you can use the following tour company: Can’t be Missed Tours (http://cantbemissedtours.com)
This tour is an all day tour and covers a lot of areas. Pompeii
Also in Naples, if you have been to Pompeii, you can go Herculaneum (a much smaller ruin than Pompeii)
Additionally in the Naples area, if you are adventuresome, you can hike Mount Vesuvius. This was the volcano that erupted and cover Pompeii.
Athens port:
If you are in Athens for the day, when you dock in the port you can get on the Hop-on-Hop on bus and it will take you to Athens city Center. Check start times of the buses.
If you want to do it on your own, you can walk out of the port, for about 1 mile and take the train. It is a short trip to the city center. Leave as early as possible and head to the Acropolis, it does get very crowded.
Santorini port:
You will be tendering in the port. When you reach the docks, you will have to decide if you want to take the donkey up or the tram. You can walk, however be aware of all the donkey poop on the trail which makes it very slippery.
If you are interested in seeing additional ruins, you can take a tour of Ackrotiri, this is considered to be the location of Atlantis. The ruins are covered and indoors.
Kusadasi port:
The highlights in the port are Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary. You can take a tour using Ephesus Shuttle. I have used them twice.
http://www.ephesusshuttle.com
Contact them early, there prices go up as you get closer to your departure date.
When booking this tour, you will be gone for ~4 hours. So no need to get up early and leave the ship. However if you are going in the middle of summer, consider the temperatures during the mid-afternoon.
While in Ephesus, you have to pay extra to see the Terrace Houses, it’s a must see.
Part of this tour will take you to a rug factory, if you are not interested, please let them know in advance and they will not take you.
Post on cruise critic roll call to add people to your tours.
Rhodes Port:
Rhodes is a Greek island. You are docked in the city, so you can walk off the ship and go and take a walk around the city.
If you are interested in a tour, consider the Acropolis.
Monte Carlo Port:
Holland America docks directly in Monte Carlo, however most cruise line will dock or tender in other ports nearby. If that is the case, you can take the train into Monte Carlo. Once you are off the train, you can buy a ticket for the Hop on Hop off bus. It will take you throughout Monte Carlo and Monaco.
Plan a stop to the casino. During the day, you can go in casual dress.
