Europe/Mediterranean: Favorite ships and ports!

[sailingrose]

I agree, loved Istanbul as well but wouldn't make plans to go there anytime in the near future.

[Shari2]

Hi Everyone...sorry it took so long to reply...our power was out due to a storm.

Jan...hopefully things will be better there next year...everyone says Istanbul is a great place to visit. The Reflection should be a great ship.

Larry...it's too bad that you didn't get to Egypt, and extra time in Israel, but so good that you were safe...these are tough times in the Middle East, for sure. It sounds like it was a wonderful cruise. It sounds like Celebrity took good care of everyone.

Rose...thanks for your ideas

Thanks, Everyone, for your replies!

[jacketwatch]

Shari that cruise was amazing for the chance to see Israel. Too bad about Egypt but I think it may be better to tour there from a land based vacation. Perish the thought. :D

[Shari2]

• Larry, I have heard of too many tourists being attacked there in Egypt...also Christians, think it's (sadly) a place I would avoid.

[jacketwatch]

Shari: Thanks for the concern. You are correct in that its not the right time now. Who knows when? Kashmir in India is supposed to be beautiful too but its a hot spot as well so its to be avoided. I recall my wife telling me how pretty Kashmir is but she saw it many yrs. ago when times were different.

[Shari2]

That's so good that your wife got to see Kashmir back when times were different. Wouldn't it be so great if the whole world was at peace...

[zebra]

Shari - that's a hard question. We've been a couple of times on the Millenium and loved the ship (especially our aft balcony cabin) - although our biggest complaint with Celebrity for this itinerary was that the buffet closed after normal dinner hours and at many of the ports you only got back to the ship late in the evening - exhausted!!! It would have been great to have had a 24 hour buffet, which would have given one time to shower, rest and then go to dinner. Dinner was always a ruch and we never got to see any of the evening shows..... we were always too pooped!!!!

With regards to the ports our favorites were Santorini and Mykonos ..... loved the Greek Isles!!! We also loved Venice and Barcelona. Actually Tony's faves are Barcelona and Santorini. The second time we did Livorno (Florence) we did a private driver to Tuscany and it was out of this world!! Hope this helps.

[coloradocruisers]

Actually Tony's faves are Barcelona and Santorini.

Those are the two ports I am looking forward to the most on our next cruise. Barcelona, because we are spending so much time there before we sail. Santorini, because the pictures I've seen are so amazing.

[Shari2]

Thanks, Jackie...that does really help. I will keep all of that in mind, and also let my niece know. We really do enjoy the sit down dinners in the dining room, and I love the entertainment, but I do expect that this will be a very busy cruise... and very tiring. I know I'm not in shape for it this year, but am working on it. A ship with the 24-hour buffet sounds perfect, although I still want to go on the newer Celebrity ships.

Kevin...your cruise sounds really great...hope you and family have a wonderful time.

[WeCruiseToo]

In less than four months from now we’ll be making our fifth trip to Europe, but all of them have been for river cruises. We’ll have visited 35 different ports/cities/towns (ten of them twice) in seven countries, but no big ships and no time in the Mediterranean. This is really a “gap” in our cruising experiences (people say, “You’ve been on over 50 cruises but you’ve never been to the Mediterranean???”) that we fully intend to rectify soon!

Regarding choice of ship: if there’s a ship, class of ship or cruise line that you’ve enjoyed in the Caribbean or Alaska or wherever, there’s no reason to think you wouldn’t enjoy them in Europe as well.