Side Trips
 

Cruising Greek Isles, Turkey on Oceania. They offer so many side trips. Can anyone recommend ones they liked or should we try to book an independent tour operator, private car? Thanks, Judi

If you list your specific ports, it will make it easier for us to respond. The ports of call boards at www.cruisecritic.com have lots of information, too. Oceania is our favorite cruise line--I hope you like it as much as we do.

Anyone recommend excursions for the following port stops on an Oceania cruise: Olbia/Sardinia, Amalfi/Positano, Italy, Athens, Delos, Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Kusadasi (Turkey), Istanbul. I only want to do 2-3 side trips so want to just choose the best ones. Thanks, ShuShusMom

We used the cruise kines tours in Athens, Kusadasi, and Istanbul. The Istanbul tour was good and filled the time allotted. It was expensive. The Athens tour was a waste due to a guide who had his own interests. I did receive a partial refund. The Ephesus tour was good. It was mainly a ride out and back. On Mykonos and Santorini, we got off the ship and walked around the main town and were completely satisfied with our experience. After all, your are not there very long.
For the first two or three places, I think that I would try to arrange a private tour guide, if I were to do it again. Look on the net or ask your travel agent.

Amalfi/Positano: We used Giovanni from www.tourofitaly.com for an all day excursion along the Amalfi coast, stopping in Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento, and Ravello. It was wonderful.

Athens: this was our disembarkation port. Sprios, from www.athenstaxi.net picked us up at the ship, yook us on a half-day tour, and dropped us at the hotel. Also wonderful.

Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes: we found these ports very easy to tour on our own, using information from guide books.

We took Oceania in 9/06 and did several of the same ports. I definetly recommend you go to Ephesus (Kusadasi). We used Ekol Travel www.ekoltravel.com for a private tour. Mykonos you can do on your own. We did a full day in Athens (also went to the Cape) with [email protected] who was very good. We used a guide in Santorini too and went all over the island. Other option there is to rent your own car for the day or take cabs between the two towns. Delos you do on your own. Amalfi we used Drive Amalfi and went even up to Sorrento. Full day and enjoyed it. Rhodes has an old town you can do on your own. We still did a full day tour and went to Lindos with Rhodes Private Tours.

So definetly Ephesus. If you want to see my trip report - just e-mail me