Mrs. Slammer and I just booked an 11 day Cruise to Italy and Greece for the middle of May ……….yes in 7 weeks.
We will be spending 3 days/nights in Rome prior to our cruise departure and will be cruising to Sicily, Greece, , Malta, Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, Olympia, Naples, Florence.
Anyone familiar with these cruises and have any input or must do/see things.
This is our first time cruising and looking forward to seeing a different part of the world!!! I guess this means ice fishing season is over!!!
Slammer!!!
... permission to post irrelevant b.s. instead of insights???
One of our nieces characterized typical (?) cruises as "... a floating Disneyland." My wife and I weren't really leaning toward cruising, but that sealed it for us!! Apparently there's l-o-t-s of people who don't share our view. I trust/hope you and Mrs. Slammer will be part of the majority. 
Lots of things on the cruise that don’t interest me at all, but using as a means of transportation and lodging and relaxation time before between ports. Hoping the meals will be enjoyable. I’ve personally never heard anyone say the food on their cruise sucked!!!
Slammer!!!
I’m not that adventurous for reasons not to be shared here. But have fun Slammer I always wanted to see Rome and Greece. Caveat: I love Greek food and the Mediterranean Diet agrees with my gut.
Edited by - 5B-Ranch on 03/21/2025 09:02:44
Liz n i did 4 cruises..well i recall 4...
Fyi..
You are gonna get asked by the Staff.."would you like a drink"..every 2 miniets..
It is how they get the Bill..UP...
N..it ..WIILL..GO ..UP..! :0o
We really liked the cruises..
Fwiw.. i personaly would rather stay on the boat when it is in port..
All the places we went were tourest traps...
Staying on the boat has it's rewards..
Most folks leave the boat..
N at that time the opertoonities of the perks on the boat ..well.. you will not wait fer what you want..
Most cruises we had were 5 or 7 day trips..
We would exploere one deck per day..as they all have differnt stuff to do..
Also..i'm a wierdo...
I want me cabin in a lower deck..n.next to or on top of the engine room..
Just love the humm of the engines...
Cheap room too..(bounus).
We only just store our stuff thier n sleep..
Who wants to be in a cabin when ya got a whole boat to go see.. ;0)
Not that i have ..or ever would...but bringing yer own booze..is a ..no..no..
Um...if i did do it... (again not sayin i did..)
But a coulp'h flasks..inside yer banjo resonator..might work.. ;0)
Real good..
Oh..n Slammer..
The most entertainin day of the trip ..is the day you return to port...
I would sujest gettin up early that day..
As that is the day they slip the extra booze bill under the cabin doors......
Walkin the halls sippin on me coffee..
Most ahmuzin...listenin to the..SHREEKS..! Of Horror..
Right through the walls..when folks see that bill.. ;0)
We ate at the buffet..mostly.. which was great.
N ..pick one ot two...of the resteraunts..only as they are extra cost..
Oh..n when you flush the toilet...
It sounds like a Giant Sea Monster is commin fer ya...
Vacume systum (loud)...
Remember..Boat drinks...are ..MEGA EXSPENDSIVE..n..add ..up..
Folks were whinin that the booze bill was more than the base price of the trip..
Liz n i..would get the biggest cocktail that they made n split it.. on per day...
Thanks for the insight!!! We’ve got the total “Drink package all inclusive “.
Multiple restaurants and not interested in the “Specialty “ restaurants.
As far as fish and seafood………….I’ll catch my own. Bringing a few rods for Mrs. Slammer and I to troll off da back ofda boat!!!
Even opted for a Balcony room so we can jig over da side at night!!!
We’ve got reservations for a few excursions/sightseeing and what not, but plan on doing our own thing in ports………..if we feel like it !!!
Slammer!!!
Cruises have changed over the years just like Vegas!!! No more “freebies”
Slammer!!!
I have never done a cruise. First choice would be a small boat Alaska trip where I could also take in a long trip trip as well. Second choice, a new children cruise. Or maybe a Rhine River cruise. Man, I am an old fogey, eh. Brad
Did one about 20 years ago. Floating prison as far as I'm concerned. Not for me.
My neighbor asked me last summer if we wanted to go on an Alaskan cruise with them. Actually she asked me how that "sounds". I said " it sounds cold".
"But isn't Alaska on your bucket list?"
"Nope"
Well, this certainly isn’t going to be as relaxing as last years trip to the Grand Cayman Islands, but we’ll see how we like it. This one isn’t so much about relaxing as it is exploring another part of the world and sights!!!
I’m at home on the water and love seeing different bodies of water.
Being a Yooper and not liking crowds of people I was dreading my first rip o New York City, but turned out to be one of my favorite trips ever.
When we get back from the cruise , I’ll give an honest review. I’m looking forward to the unknown and something new!!!
Slammer!!!
My wife and I used to cruise all the time when we were taking care of elderly parents and didn't have time to plan anything ourselves. Mostly Caribbean stuff, cause we could fit in 5 days here and there. We liked to just kick back and read but also got into Salsa, tango, etc.. so would look for a ship with a good dance band. Never lost weight on a cruise. Always hated the comedy shows. Usually loved the floor shows. Stayed away from the casinos. My mother-in law took the whole family on an Alaskan cruise. That was mostly about being with family, but I really liked snorkeling in the Gulf of Alaska. I've got to think it's different doing a Mediterranean cruise with all that history. Have fun.
In a moment of insanity my wife and I, along with three other sets of parents, agreed to take a bunch of high school seniors on a Spring Break cruise. Finding then getting the lost and drunken teens back on the boat in Mexico before they were stranded there was NOT fun. If I go on another cruise I will not get off the boat, so any such cruise will have to have on board attractions, such as the Sandy Beaches Blues Cruise, which has enough good musical acts that I could enjoy without leaving the boat. Blues Cruise
Mrs. Slammer needs some credit for doing most of the legwork!!!
Lots of work to put together this trip on short notice and so many things you don’t think of when the idea first hits ya. Transport, phone service, money exchange, train and taxi service, luggage, hotels/ b&b , excursions, tickets, airports and airfare, reading reviews and more reviews on everything!!!
Safety, do’s and don’t, when and where, and the Big One…….How Much???
Slammer!!!
The best ones are the shorter ones. There is a 14 day cruse from here to Alaska. It goes to Anchorage. We took the 7 day cruse as far as Skagway and it was long enough. When my wife finally retired we took 2 cruses in Europe. Dover to the Norwegian coast and back to Dover. Two days later we went into the Mediterranean for a week and finished at Barcelona. By this time I was ready for dry land. Some people get greatly excited by a lavish dining room . My idea of exciting dining is to dress in sloppy comfort and eat real food without a load of pretending. The evening entertainment was usually mediocre at best, but the TV only got one or two channels in English. My idea of a great trip is to do what we really enjoy without breaking the bank. To this day I believe our best trip was to Newfoundland. We had a car that could go anywhere. The drives were magical. The people were fantastic and the memories are the best.
i thought you meant the 4 wheel kind
