If you fly into/out of Rome and have to make your own transfers to the cruise terminal, book a downtown hotel (there are 400) near the Union station. the trains/subway/taxis converge and it really is the middle of where to be. The old part of Rome is not that big a footprint (gotta remember they built the place when everybody walked to get around) , you go to Rome for the history and sights, you can party anywhere, but buildings on the scale of the Vatican and Colluseum are found nowhere else. Red house wine and bottles water are the same price, never make that mistake twice.
Public toilets (specially free ones) are very rare in Italy, you can use one at a cafe but buy a coffee or juice or they will chase you down the sidewalk. Take Imodium with you.
On the sail down from Rome to Messina you'll have to sail through the Aeolian Islands, just north of that you pass the active volcano Stromboli, have your camera ready the spark and smoke show can be pretty cool, the channel entering Messina has an amazing tower set where they connected the Island to Calabria , its amazing engineering. Go look at the Norman cathedral paid for by Richard the Lionheart on his way home from the crusades in Messina and if you get the chance do not miss Taormina a village with Greek! ruins founded by the greeks 6bc just outside Messina, Mt Etna is pretty interesting if you like hiking on active (hot) volcanos (dont wear sandals). Every area of Italy has there own cuisine specialties (15 varieties of Mozarella) so be adventurous , food is very important in the culture.
When you get to Greece, order a Greek salad, it sounds stupid but it will look nothing like a greek salad you get here and its awesome, the feta is amazing, get a spot on any patio and get calamari, you'll swoon, its that good. Greece may be my favorite place in the Med, really good beer is a buck, good red wine is a buck a glass and they really are pretty nice people.
The shore excursions only look expensive upfront, if you figure out land transport costs, the fact they have checked out equipment/quality of guides and if your on a cruise booked sidetrip the boat does not leave without you. Thats worth something.
Enjoy my favorite activity, get a good spot on the rail of the ship and watch idiots that cant tell time run down the pier screaming as the ship gets ready to pull away.
You'll come home planning a return to Crete, out of your itinerary that may be the most beautiful spot. IMHO...
Public toilets (specially free ones) are very rare in Italy, you can use one at a cafe but buy a coffee or juice or they will chase you down the sidewalk. Take Imodium with you.
On the sail down from Rome to Messina you'll have to sail through the Aeolian Islands, just north of that you pass the active volcano Stromboli, have your camera ready the spark and smoke show can be pretty cool, the channel entering Messina has an amazing tower set where they connected the Island to Calabria , its amazing engineering. Go look at the Norman cathedral paid for by Richard the Lionheart on his way home from the crusades in Messina and if you get the chance do not miss Taormina a village with Greek! ruins founded by the greeks 6bc just outside Messina, Mt Etna is pretty interesting if you like hiking on active (hot) volcanos (dont wear sandals). Every area of Italy has there own cuisine specialties (15 varieties of Mozarella) so be adventurous , food is very important in the culture.
When you get to Greece, order a Greek salad, it sounds stupid but it will look nothing like a greek salad you get here and its awesome, the feta is amazing, get a spot on any patio and get calamari, you'll swoon, its that good. Greece may be my favorite place in the Med, really good beer is a buck, good red wine is a buck a glass and they really are pretty nice people.
The shore excursions only look expensive upfront, if you figure out land transport costs, the fact they have checked out equipment/quality of guides and if your on a cruise booked sidetrip the boat does not leave without you. Thats worth something.
Enjoy my favorite activity, get a good spot on the rail of the ship and watch idiots that cant tell time run down the pier screaming as the ship gets ready to pull away.
You'll come home planning a return to Crete, out of your itinerary that may be the most beautiful spot. IMHO...
