daphne
Junior Member
LOVE Travelling!!
Posts: 58
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Post by daphne on Feb 17, 2015 14:01:46 GMT
Whohooo, swimmingsuit check, adaptor check, saving enough check, be prepared to wheel and deal for bargains check!!
Thank youuuuu!!!!
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Post by tiffany on Feb 17, 2015 14:48:42 GMT
Hi Daphne, I will write a tale after I get back from my trip for people to read. Our tours are almost the same, despite the fact that I’m doing the 4 day tour. I’ve been to Istanbul before, and decided to use the money I saved from doing the 4 day cruise towards the optionals.
I usually start thinking about tours about a year in advance, but don’t start planning until January of the new year. I think a lot of people on this forum plan their trips in advance, so you’re not alone.
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daphne
Junior Member
LOVE Travelling!!
Posts: 58
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Post by daphne on Feb 17, 2015 15:06:14 GMT
Wonderful, will be looking forward to your tales!! As South Africans, our currency rate is soooo extreme, at this stage 1 EURO = 13.25 ZAR, so we have to start planning and saving up a year in advance. Our trip to France and Italy July last year, the rate was 1 to 15ZAR!!! So you can image a tin of Coke amounted to 2Liters of Coke and a 125ml bot of water, amounted to 2L of water in South Africa. We also have 2 couples from America and a couple from Australia wanting to join us (we met them on previous Trafalgar trips), so we have to be prepared!!!
Lots op pics!!!!!
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Post by Oz-T on Feb 19, 2015 20:40:05 GMT
G'day Daphne; great to see you found our forum. I hope you're able to participate often. This tour is also on our wishlist, but you'll be getting there before we do. I know it's a long time until the trip but I'll be interested to hear all about it.
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daphne
Junior Member
LOVE Travelling!!
Posts: 58
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Post by daphne on Feb 20, 2015 16:22:37 GMT
Oh hi there Oz-T! Yes it's wonderful to see all of you again, so comforting knowing questions can be asked and advice given, honest opinions, funny stories, sometimes I just LOL at all the posts, its really great to be back. Looking forward to Greece, sooooo enjoyed Chech's blog with travel tale and flickr photies, only 9 mnths till bookings our trip !
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Post by tiffany on Feb 25, 2015 13:23:34 GMT
Hi, can someone who’s done this tour tell me how long it takes to get off the ship on the last day, and around what time we’d be back at our hotel? My friend and I are looking at a couple of Viator tours for the last day, and while two of them are later in the afternoon, the one that we are most interested in leaves at 12:30 p.m. I want to make sure we’ll have time to make it to the meeting spot in time.
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Post by chech on Feb 25, 2015 14:10:23 GMT
We were back in the hotel by about 9:30 am. My tale says we docked by 5:30, had breakfast at 6 am and were off the boat by 7 am, meeting with the TD at 7:15 and then walked to the terminal and went through the chaos of getting our luggage. I remember that we got to our rooms (they weren't ready for everyone at that hour) and by the time we got back to the lobby, we had just missed the 10 am shuttle to Plaka. The port isn't far from Athens. You can actually see it from the Lycabettus Hill in Athens.
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Post by tiffany on Feb 25, 2015 14:14:57 GMT
Thanks, that will definitely give us time to do the 12:30 p.m. tour. T here’s another 9:30 a.m. tour that we find interesting, but we won’t make that one!
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Post by bet on Mar 3, 2015 4:52:00 GMT
Exciting times ahead for you Tiffany, cruising the Greek Islands sounds great and so much better doing it with a friend instead of solo. I'm looking forward to hearing about it as Greece is one of my options for next year, although I'm looking at the Greek Island hopper tour.
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Post by tiffany on Mar 3, 2015 12:40:07 GMT
Thanks Bet. I’m really looking forward to Greece, and I’m glad I’m finally making it there! I’ve been trying to get there for a few years now, but something else always comes up. I’m also glad I found a friend to go with me. It’s always better to travel with a friend, and it saves you so much money! I’m also looking forward to stopping in London on the way to Athens. I’ve always wanted to go back to London, and this was the perfect opportunity.
I’ll definitely write something when I get back. I know a few people have written about the Best of Greece with 7 day Cruise, but no one’s written anything regarding the 4 day cruise option.
The Greece Island Hopper tours looks good too, and gives you more time on the islands. I may go on that tour in the future, to get to see more of the islands, but I really wanted to see mainland Greece, so the tour I picked works for me.
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Post by bet on Mar 4, 2015 0:18:17 GMT
It sounds so much fun Tiffany and happy for you that your finally going to Greece. I know when I do eventually get there I'll be doing it on my own and not sure how much 'fun' cruising on your own would be or if there's still group interaction, as well as how rushed the sightseeing is when you disembark so I'll definately read your tale when you get back. I was considering Globus as they combine mainland Greece tour with the Island Hopper, which Trafalgar doesn't offer. Unless you take 2 seperate tours which is a more expensive way of doing it, but an Aegean cruise is so tempting as well so I'm undecided.
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Post by tiffany on Mar 4, 2015 12:44:25 GMT
Hi Bet, I noticed that Trafalgar was offering a few new Greece tours this year that looked interesting to me, however, I decided to go with their classic tour of Greece and the Greek Islands. I thought about the Secrets of Greece including Corfu with Santorini Extension tour, however, I would then have had to do a tour of the other Islands separately, and I really wanted to see the Islands this time around.
I never really looked at Globus, so I’m not sure what they offer. I’m not opposed to going on a tour with Globus, but since I know what to expect with Trafalgar and Insight, I seem to gravitate towards them. I’m sure you will have a great time no matter what tour/tour company you choose. Hopefully my tour tale will help you make a decision.
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Post by bet on Mar 6, 2015 5:53:31 GMT
The Secrets of Greece tour with Corfu does look good, there's even a new Turkey tour that includes a cruise. I was thinking of doing Greece and Turkey at the same time but it's all about the $$$. I like reading any tour brochure and researching, even though I'm happy with Trafalgar I still like to look at all my options and I'm sure I'll try Globus one day, they seem good value & often cheaper than Trafalgar.
What cabin option have you chosen? It looks such a great tour and no doubt you will have a great time, hopefully your friend doesn't pull out like what happened with your S&A tour.
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Post by tiffany on Mar 10, 2015 11:44:50 GMT
Hi Bet, I choose the inside cabin with no window. I figured I’d only be in the room to sleep, so why pay extra for a window. I decided to use the money to upgrade our my flight on the way home, as we are flying Air Canada Rouge, which has very little leg room.
It’s a different friend coming with me this trip, and, unless there’s a family emergency, I don’t think she’ll back out. She’s always wanted to go to Greece, and her husband’s not interested going there, so this might be her only chance to go, as she won’t travel alone.
I looked into going to Greece and Turkey together a few years ago, but decided I wanted to do each country on their own, as the combined tour missed out on so much in each country. The Greece and Turkey tour didn’t go to Cappadocia, which was one of my favorite places in Turkey. The Best of Turkey tours was one of the best tours I’ve ever been on, and I’d highly recommend it.
If you go on a Globus tour, I’d love to hear about it. I should be more open to checking out other tour companies.
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Post by bet on Mar 11, 2015 1:02:21 GMT
You will have to let he know when you get back your thoughts on the cruise portion for a single traveller. I was thinking of doing the best of Turkey and then Greece and either the cruise or hopper option. But I also like the new Turkey tour that Trafalgar has that includes a cruise on the Turquiose Coast. im sure you'll have a great time
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Post by tiffany on Mar 11, 2015 11:49:11 GMT
I’ll definitely let you know what it was like when I get back. I wouldn’t worry too much about doing the cruise portion of the tour on your own, as by that time you will have made some friends on the tour. I know not everyone will be doing the cruise portion, but I’m sure quite a few will.
I haven’t seen the new Turkey tour. Because I’ve already been there, I haven’t search for Turkey tours in a while. The Best of Turkey tour was a good one though, and it wasn’t very expensive. It was one of the cheapest tours I’ve done.
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Post by chech on Mar 11, 2015 13:27:01 GMT
That's what is nice about doing the Best of Greece and then the cruise - you'll be with a group you know well by then. And the TT rep on our cruise was a hoot! (George) I'm looking hard at that Turkey tour with the 4 day yacht cruise! It's high on my list.
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