You hit a home run on this one Gary. By including the story of Winnie,Your personalized your post making everyone feel like you were talking about them. See why you’re number one in the Cruise vlog category. Kudos
@@tipsfortravellers I think this video contains more helpful information than any other of yours that I have watched, Gary. Thank you. @DavidWilliams-qf5yi Kudos sounds good but I can’t find any cruise ship that calls in there. Is it near Santorini? ;-) 😉
I grew up in Lebanon and trust me, NO ONE, unless they absolutely don't have a choice, wants to be on the water in July/August. It's hot, humid, crawling with tourists and generally very unpleasant. September/October are fantastic times and in some ports, the fall colors are amazing. What did Winnie wind up doing? We're all now emotionally vested in this...
I just got off the Celebrity Edge 2 weeks ago..Embarked in Civitavecchia Italy with a pre night stay in Rome...cruised to Santorini, Rhodes, Mykonos, Athens and Naples. Hardly any crowds, Temp in the 70's with no rain. The ship holds 3,000 but there were only 1,300 on board. The food, Entertainment and service was remarkable. We had a standard Veranda and loved it. at night we left the veranda door open and all you heard was the ocean, so relaxing. I have been on 24 cruises, This was possibly the best cruise I was ever on. Celebrity did a GREAT JOB.
I've never objected to the bus trip from ports into the cities as it gives you a great perspective about rural/semi-rural housing. Most cruise ships ensure there's a guide on each bus, so you also get great info about the next stop as we rarely, if ever go on organised excursions preferring to explore cities on our own. And finally, a balcony is a must - we love our sundowner(s) seated on the balcony watching the ocean glide by. I appreciate you can do the same from the bar and deck topside, but truly it's special when you and your partner watch the sun disappear over the evening horizon sipping your favourite drink in your own outdoor space!!
I got very lucky. This is my first time in Europe. I just got back from my 2 Europe cruises. The weather was perfect and no more than 2 ships in a port. I made 2 mistakes. First I should have walk everyday before my trip. You will walk alot. Second I should have left 2 or 3 days earlier. Coming from California it was a very long flight and jet lag. I got home safe. I had a great time. Lots of pictures and memory. My friends I met on the ship is amazing.
Over the years I’ve done five Med cruises. They have different beginning and ending ports and loads of different ports for excursions. I’ve done extended stays at Rome, Barcelona, Nice, Athens and Istanbul. It’s very important to pay attention to what you want to see. And realize that you can’t see it all in one cruise. Additionally, it’s incredibly hot in July and August. Walking excursions will exhaust you unless you are fit and in good shape simply due to the heat. I took a hike up a dormant volcano, near Santorini as I remember, and our guide passed out from the heat. I wouldn’t recommend the Med in July or August unless you are acclimated to high temperatures as well as being very fit. I rarely see this issue addressed but it’s an important consideration for us senior travelers.
@@Kaffemosterful Great advice. I did a Baltic cruise in August and it was very chilly. But those were the days when St. Petersburg was on the schedule. An Alaskan cruise in July-Aug is another consideration.
Completely agree. It’s sad that St P is off the schedule as it’s truly the jewel of Baltic cruises. There are many river cruises that will give travelers a break from the heat. We did a Danube trip one July that was so chilly that we bought jeans and jackets. Although we prefer warm weather our next cruise is going to be a Christmas Market.
I totally agree with pre and post stays. With length of our flights when going to Europe we like to stay as long as we can, so a 7 day cruise is usually 12-13 days for us.
What a great friend you were! You covered the little subtleties that few people think of. I couldn't agree more with your advice, after my years and years of cruising the Mediterranean. I wish. I actually only went once, Barcelona to Civitavecchia, and in my first inside stateroom after always balconies. Would spring for at least an oceanview; I did not like needing to get dressed just to see where the heck we were. The unrelenting succession of port days was indeed quite tiring, no matter how much I enjoyed the cities. I was not thrilled with the thought of a 3 hour drive both ways to see a tourist spot for an hour, so I spent the days in the "gateway" cities. I loved the little walk+boat tour in Livorno, a city that the cruise line categorizes as not worth visiting.
I always feel "cruise smart" after watching your content. Funny thing is, I've still not been on a cruise. But I can guarantee this your videos are definitely on my syllabus! I will watch until and even after I actually book a cruise! Thank you for always sharing the knowledge.
Inside cabins for us, 99% of the time, we are hardly ever in the room, only to sleep and shower, when we have leisure time we go to like the serenity deck and have a 180 degrees field of views, and I can move around to the left or right side, something you can't do in your balcony, most ports are not attractive and beautiful and you travel at night when it is so dark.
I prefer balcony, just love being able to walk out on a morning with a cuppa, coming back in an afternoon away from the bustle of being by the pools and finally sitting at sunset. Each to their own
@@AugustoLugo1983 Oh blimey, we only go P&O You certainly couldn’t get 4 holidays out of the price of our cabin 😂 I can only afford one cruise a year (it’s not just the cabin is it?) and therefore a balcony is worth it for me. Happy sailing!
On our 12 day Mediterranean cruise we had a balcony cabin and loved using it. We went in July so it was hot and crowded so when we returned from our excursions it was nice to sit on the balcony and enjoy a drink away from the crowds. On a sea day after hanging around the ship (and all the people) it was nice to return to the cabin and sit watch the water while sailing to our next port. Having a balcony is a respite from the crowds and I would never sail in any other type of cabin. We sailed with a friend who had an inside cabin and she enjoyed our balcony as well.
We always have a balcony too. I couldn’t go in an inside room. I love the privacy of a balcony and would hate not being able to see outside. I always pop out first thing in the morning and right before bed to listen to the sea too
My first cruise was a Med cruise, from Marseilles on a loop, touching Tunisia, Malta and a number of stops in Italy with MSC. It was AMAZING! The first day was a sea day which was perfect for exploring the ship before calling into a new port every day. Thanks to your advice, Gary, I booked my first SOLO cruise in a studio cabin with Norwegian and will do 10 days around the Greek Isles! Thank you for the advice and inspiration!
While I am not in the market for a Mediterranean cruise, I like how logically that you lay out the options for your cruiser. I wish more travel agents were that articulate.
We went on a 11 day med cruise in October and it was fantastic!!! The weather was absolutely perfect! Crowds were not bad and we got a fantastic deal also we were on NCL and only 2,500 people, wasn’t full and about 10 kids on the entire ship.
I went to the Western Mediterranean cruise and stayed before and 5 days after. Took a few tours and got to see all of Rome! Great info for those that do their due diligence!
Great tips. I've made plenty of those mistakes! The Med is very hot & crowded in July/August, and the distances from the ports to the attractions can make it a very tiring experience. Sometimes you have to accept that seeing those bucket list sites (Rome, Florence) comes at a cost.
The embarkation and debarkation misconception was such a great tip. It’s typically why we choose a post stay. Not only to see the city but to relax a few days before heading home. I wish the mainstream lines would include pre and post stats like others do (Viking). I know they are more expensive than booking on your own but for the less experienced traveler, it makes it easy and with no worries about missing flights or canceled rooms. 👍
I'm fairly new to cruising, but Norwegian does offer air & hotel, you just have to coordinate directly with them vs online/advertised. They'll include the shuttle transport as well. Not sure for others.
Agree, we like pre stays so we are relaxed. We like post stay to see a city very well. In fact next time we cruise out of London, we will stay a week before sailing. We did that in Rome, it was great. Paris also, before a river cruise. We want small ultra luxury, because we have more in common with those we have dinner with. We like the butler, to bring us exactly what we want in the morning and before dinner. The balcony is critical, as we have many sea days.
I’m so very glad I found your videos on Mediterranean cruises. I’ve booked one for October of 2024 and was expecting all the ports to be gorgeous. It’s best to have a reality check ahead of time to plan. My cruise sails out f Barcelona and I plan at least five days there prior to the cruise. Most of the ports are in Spain in cities you’ve said are beautiful. But you’ve given me a heads up to do my research. In the future I’d like to see Greece and Italy. Thank you!
How did I get hooked on watching tips on cruising videos, when I'm not a cruiser? The more I watch these videos, the more I realize that I probably won't ever take a cruise, mainly because, now I would want "Tips For Travellers" to help book my cruise.
Great points, although my first warning when people ask me about a ‘cruise in a balcony cabin’, I always check with them why they want the balcony. Often, people I speak to don’t realise the size of a cruise ship balcony, and sometimes end up disappointed when they can’t sunbathe/have a meal on their balcony, as they could in a ‘typical’ Spanish hotel. Great video! :)
Took the Viking Mediterranean cruise - Barcelona to Rome 2019, totally agree ports were not the greatest, had to travel by bus to cities, I think Monte Carlo was the only one we could actually walk. But oh what a wonderful cruise!! Would do it again
Great advice. We took a week-long island hopping cruise in Greece/Turkey. We had a wonderful time, but you’re so right about some of the challenges. We hit 2 ports on some days, so being physically ready for such busy itinerary is important. Also, our port in Crete was across the island from any real sight-seeing. Because we were either sleeping or off ship most of our cruise, taking a cheaper cruise line with an inside cabin (for daytime sleep between ports) worked for us.
I had nightmare experience in Greece 10 yrs ago. Was booked on a luxury yacht islands cruise from Piraeus. Instead of advertised yacht was brought to a 1970s college party barge looking boat. The Tugboat instead of the Love Boat. Was a Sunday holiday in Greece so everything booked/busy. Like rats leaving a ship we jumped off w luggage after captain claiming original boat broke down. Ran into road and flagged down a taxi. Found one night at luxury hotel in athens. Travel agent in California woken up and working like crazy found us a suite on resort on Crete, flights, hydrofoil to Santorini, tours. So we missed all the cruise and ports, but had wonderful time on Crete. She also got every dollar refunded. Must be flexible and have a good TA!
We are going to do our third Mediterranean cruise in May of 2023 on Viking. We always go with a balcony as we spend a lot of time outside and get our moneys worth. The idea of planning is so important so as to get the most out of the trip as you noted.
When cruise ships used to dock at Venice city it was no benefit to the city. None of the passengers spent any money on local eateries or bars. It was just mass sightseeing crowds then back to their ship buffet. That’s why so many ports got rid of them or dock them in the shipyards. These cruise ships use wonderful old cities like a Disney prop.
Good points about the "false ports" and balcony cabins in the med. I think the key is to do your research before you book. Our first ever cruise was Western Med and my wife really went to town on the research so we, more or less, knew what to expect (well done her!!).
We visited Rome in early december (not a cruise) we had a great time and the crowd was not bad. We still paid attention as pickpockets dont take any time off.
I’ve never been on a cruise, nor did I plan on trying one. The algorithm suggested this to me after watching aviation videos but I watched it all the way to the end. I’ve clicked on your channel for more. Your presentation and editing is excellent. Cheers!
Love your videos. So many great tips. Getting ready to go on AMA Danube. Have been on Ama before and was very impressed. What I saw, the staff,the food. A fabulous trip. Thanks for all your tips.
I have learned so much over the past few years of cruising. But, wow, you taught me even more about the Med cruises. Excellent information, as always Gary.
My wife and I are at the beginning stages of planning our Mediterranean Cruise. Your video answered most of our questions and answered questions we never thought of…thanks. You pointed out that most ports include a minimum 1 hr bus ride to the main attractions. This we were surprised to know. Question….on average how long do we get in port on Mediterranean Cruises? Basically, from the moment we are allowed off to the expected time to return. This will help us decide if a balcony or interior room will suffice. Love your channel!!
Gary, without a doubt, your channel is one of the top channels out there for cruising. Fantastic content, as always. Lots of great information. Thanks for your time, effort, and attention to detail in putting this video together.
I am thinking of taking my first cruise in the spring of 2023 and am so glad I have found you as I absolutely don't have a clue how to go about it . I will be back watching all your videos .:)
If she is British you have forgotten Marella which may have been what she is looking for. There ships are slightly smaller and they offer a range of itineraries from popular holiday destinations. They are also better value than most of the American lines as their fares are slightly cheaper and the ships all inclusive.
Very useful information and a good presentation. Thank you! I've not done a luxury cruise in the Med First mini-cruise was three days out of Piraeus on a package holiday from England:: Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes and Crete (Knossos). Coach/bus tour on Rhodes (city and Lindos) and Crete, so wonderful to see these places. But a very small and cramped Greek boat, and not exactly a great time aboard. Because the boat never left Greek waters, it did not have to meet international standards. Otherwise two tours with Road Scholar aboard the smallish and not luxurious converted ferry boat that was then owned by Voyages to Antiquity and now belongs to Road Scholar. Pros: very good itinerary, excursions, lectures. Con: cramped public space; tiny (single) cabins. Luckily, most days spent ashore. I did the two cruises back to back (Athens to Venice, Venice to Rome). Heartily endorse pre-cruise and post-cruise stays. Jet lag does take a few days to get over! Big warning: went in October, and unfortunately there was a huge storm system in the Adriatic. Sea so rough at Dubrovnik that we couldn't dock near the old city and tender in; had to moor in the big ferry and commercial port about two miles away and have a bus in. In Split we had torrential rain. Venice: St. Mark's Square was flooded. Venice was incredibly crowded even in the off-season! I would advise against a cruise in the Adriatic any later than September, because you get the weather really is uncertain. I think a Greek Isle cruise or one in the western Mediterranean might be better early or late in the year. Also, do check out when Easter falls--Western Calendar or Eastern (Orthodox) for Greece. Easter is notoriously busy. But it's worth putting up with any problems with crowds or weather to see the wonderful sites of this beautiful and historic region. That really is why one takes a cruise here. If you just want sun and sand, take a Caribbean cruise (but look out for hurricane season!). P.S., if you most want to sightsee on the land, why not skip cruising and use local ferries? Jadrolinija ferries up and down the Croatian coast give you a wonderful view, and you can stay a couple of nights on islands such as Hvar and Korcula. Thre are many, many ferries linking the Greek mainland and islands. A long time ago I went on a package tour to northern Spain where we traveled from Barcelona to Palma de Majorca on overnight ferry. And there are ferries linking Italy and Croatia. That might be more interesting--and cheaper!
Excellent points Gary, all things that can take people years to learn. I am sure many of your readers will be helped immensely by the finer points you touch on. Thanks for your dedication to helping people learn all about Cruising.
You mention that travelling in June and August can be very crowded, but if you are on one of the bigger cruise ships they themselves can cause crowding problems. I well remember holidaying in Santorini. When a large cruise ship came in it was complete chaos. It took ages for the passengers to get into town. Then the town was jammed and meal prices doubled! Not a nice experience. If you want big ship ammenities don't visit small towns/Greek Islands. If you do want to visit them, then go on the smallest ship possible.
Such a good point. About window vs balcony. When younger and later with family we did port intensive as our kids aged we did more sea days and splurged on balconies
Excellent tips, Gary, to anyone thinking about a Med cruise. We have done Eastern, Western and the Greek isles and decided that our next one would be a 20 day combination with Oceania's newest ship, Vista. We just booked it for June 2024 and it hits all the places I love, from Lisbon to Athens and every port in between. It will be a busy time with only one sea day, but, that's fine with us.
I really appreciated this post. very helpful. I'm in the beginning stages of planning a Mediterranean cruise and just overwhelmed by all the variables!
My brother and sister in law are going on a mediterranean cruise this year but I don’t think they will even get off the ship, they will be too busy getting their money’s worth out of the drinks package.
Very useful information and we agree with all of your points. Just back from a Celebrity cruise in the Mediterranean which was our first since covid and everything was perfect.
Very inciteful! After cruising the British Aisles (twice) I've come to expect distances between ports and cities. Cobh/Cork, Grenoch/Glasgow, etc. We're taking a 12 day Apex Western Med trip, and noticed much the same thing. Okay. So glad we chose May, but I've lived in Greece and knew to avoid July and August. Kids in school, and fewer crowds in town also came into play. You perfectly discussed so many issues. This was one of my favorites of yours. Thank you.
This video is literally perfect for us. We're on NCL epic beginning of September from Rome, Pompeii, caan etc over 7 nights. My in laws first ever cruise. Great job. Thank you
Great and valuable tips! Thanks. I hope to go on a Mediterranean cruise, possibly next year if/when all things COVID seem more manageable. Love all your videos!
Easy solution to the pickpocket problem - use an across the shoulder bag and keep your money inside. Its not as 'cute' but very safe. Just got back from a 3 week cruise of the Mediterranean- never had a problem. As to not going in peak season - sometimes that's not possible. As a teacher, I only have July and August. Was it hot? Yes. But so worth it.
Our Western Mediterranean cruise next year is booked for October. The ship spends the first two full days in Venice so we were considering flying in from the US on day one, but after watching your video, I decided to fly in a day earlier to give us those extra hours for traveling from the ship to Venice and get two full days to sightsee. Thank you for your excellent advice.
Fortunately, I don't get claustrophobic. For many years, I lived in a tiny bed-sit (cheap little dive with a great landlord in an expensive neighborhood). However, I do want light, because I generally sleep with the curtains open and wake-up when the sun rises, so I think an ocean view cabin would be fine. I'm glad that you talked about Viking, because it sounds exactly what I want. I love lectures / museums / cultural sites, but I'm not a fan glitz, West End / Broadway productions and don't like nightclubs / going out drinking all that much. I live just outside of Boston, MA. My favorite form of exercise is Avoiding taking the T (public transit), so I walk and walk and walk. I live 1km away from a public transportation hub and 2.5km away from my favorite shopping square. I'm not fussy about the itinerary, but I have to be 'away' for at least 2 weeks (to make it worthwhile for me to get onto CET before flying out of Boston and then dealing with jet lag when I come home.) I'd rather go May/June or September/October, because I know what Paris looks like at the start of summer tourist season...
We did a western Mediterranean cruise in July. We loved it, but July was so hot. We live in Florida and are use to heat. However, touring the Vatican (with no A/C) was less than desirable. My purse was stolen in Florence. Fortunately, my hubby had my passport and ship card. I was able to cancel the credit card immediately. I just lost all the pictures on my cellphone.
Thanks for the tips! I typically get a balcony room because it helps my motion sickness to be able to see out. Plus after I day of overstimulation I can relax on the balcony. 😊
Great tips! Going in 9 day cruise with Ncl out of Barcelona. Frequent cruiser by never the Med. So enjoy your channel. So informative and you don’t speak so fast like many do so I sit back and enjoy! Have a safe year! Thank you!❤
This is one of your best tips videos yet. Spot on and recommendations I'd make myself if asked. I'll never do the Med in July\August again. Great work here Gary.
If you just want to avoid the heat, you could cruise Alaska or Northern Europe (Baltic). They're probably pretty crowded most summers, but I'm doing the Baltic this month and heard that the ship is only 75% full.
Hi Gary. I really believe in the atraction theory. A friend of my called me today looking for a Mediterranean cruise in July. And I just thought of that and opened my phone and this video from you was the first thing that I saw, even though that this video is 8 months old. Incredible😃
I am sur you forgot Valletta Malta which has one of the most beautiful Grand Harbour which is not man made. You can say much what Valletta /Malta has to offer for a day. Contact Malta Tourism Authority they will help you for sure.
Another trap can be two ports in one very long day. Eg Santorini morning depart 2pm arriving Mykonos 7pm depart midnight. You will race to see much in either port and mykonos is a distance between the port and town which is very congested.
We went in Spring to Europe and while it’s Spring break in the US, it’s not over there. We did not find any crowds and the weather was in the 50s but very sunny. It’s the best time of the year to do.
I like Cunard but they no longer have much choice in the Med, so I'm trying Holland American for the first time hoping for a similar experience. I have been dragged on Carnival by friends but hated the amusement park rides and huge casino and kids everywhere misbehaving. I like to save money like everybody else, but that was too much. I think balcony cabins worth paying for, simply for the claustrophobic problem of a solid wall rather than fresh air.
We sailed on Holland America for our honeymoon trip and loved it. Holland America seems to attract an older crowd and there were few families aboard. (We sailed in October so the kids were in school and the weather was great.). If you like music, you’re in for a treat as Holland America focuses on this. Hope you have a great trip!
My cruise to the Mediterranean was on Holland America. It's the only time I've had a balcony cabin (or "veranda" as they call them on HAL). We went because my mom found a great deal and thought it would be fun to go with my sisters and me. It was a bit cramped, but we really enjoyed the view from the veranda when sailing into ports like Malta and Venice (before the pandemic). I think we went in November and it was beautiful. We still used sunscreen every day and came home with a little bit of a tan.
I have very little desire to visit Spain, Portugal, France, Monaco or Italy, and am _loathe_ to visit anyplace where alcohol _and_ pork is not commonly consumed. In the Mediterranean, that leaves Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania, and part of Cyprus. I'm thinking the ones I listed are best visited slightly off season and via land tour, not a cruise.
Looks like September or October to Western Med. would be what I should go for with pre-cruise days in Cordoba (which I had missed on my trip to Spain). Using a travel agent to get a good deal as per another brilliant episode of yours. Thanks Mr. Bembridge.
Excellent video! Except that I would like to point out that the port for Rome is pronounced "Chi-vi-ta-VEK-kia." (C before e or i is pronounced "ch," but when an h is interposed, it's pronounced "k.") Just thought you might like to know for future videos. I know it's a hard one! I love all your videos and very much appreciate all the time and effort you put into them!
You are amazing and help people soooo much! My husband has never been on a cruise and when we do someday, I will reference your videos to make our selection! I was on 2 cruises (Holland America), 30 years ago with my X and a lot has changed since then! Thank you, Gary!!
We cruised with Royal Caribbean from Barcelona to Venice in 2018. Your tips are perfect. One thing I didn’t consider is the food on the cruise. It was somewhat disappointing because it was the same as our previous Royal Caribbean Caribbean cruise. I would have liked a more Mediterranean experience. Do you know if a different budget cruise line offers menus that are locally inspired?
This video is an eye opener! It sounds very complicated, luckily I’m not making a booking in the next few years. It will give me time to do my research. Thanks.
Some good tips there especially for the first time cruisers. If you want a quiet cruise you can also go on an adults only cruise which is what we do as we do not like/have kids (here, I said it). My ship of choice is Marella Explorer 2, I don't think Gary you ever mentioned Marella in the few videos I watched at all so I'm guessing not your fave but we love it. Never had any issues. Our first cruise was around the Caribbean and we were hooked on cursing. We are going on a Med cruise next April. We done the whole cabin upgrade thing before and had a suit etc and it was a great as an experience but now we don't really care for it since most ports are not pretty to look at and a cabin is a base for exploring. The only thing I would pay to upgrade is to a cabin on a specific deck (we like deck 9 towards the back) because we know what is below and above and it's the most quiet deck to have your cabin on. We looked at Virgin cruises a well as they are adults only but they tend to have 2 sea days which is waste of time and call to less desirable ports (for us) for the same or higher cost. I will add we are not fussy, our number 1 criteria for holiday overall is adults only accommodation, especially true on cruise since you can't easily get away from your accommodation. We tend to travel more in April/May - September/October as you get better deals, less people and more mild weather which is perfect for exploring. I also look at the to/from port and pick one I don't care for (like Palma where I've been many times) because you don't generally see that port at all. Cruise and stay is generally not something we go for as we have jobs with set amount of holidays and would rather go on more holidays in a year than go on a long holiday. But when you make a list of what's important to you and pick right itinerary you wont miss a thing.
