visiting athens

I am surprised your cruise did not give you a map. Here is one:
http://www.athensguide.com/map/athens.htm
as you can see, Plaka is the district right up against the AcroPolis. It will cost about 30E to taxi from Piraeus to the acropolis ticket entrance.

You can walk down several ways.One is through the Ancient Agora (it has a museum of interesting items found during Agora excavation). ANother way is by the Theatres (Herodion). This brings you directy to a BEAUTIFUL pedestrian walkway Dionysus Aeropagus (see map). Follow this, turn left toward the Lysikratis Monument, and you are in Plaka. Adrianou St. has the most souvenir shops but they are everywhere, also cafes.

To go to ship, keep going to Syntagma Square Metro Station (on map, where it says Monument of Unknown Soldier). At ticket window buy tickets to Piraeus, 1€ each. Take Blue line ONE stop to Monastiraki. Follow the crowd 100 yards to GREEN Line. Piraeus is end of the line; 30 mins. If ship is too far, taxi is 3-4€.

Thanks so much what a great resource!! There are excursions off the ship, but it was hard to tell if we could do both. Now we can explore on our own!! Any lunch suggestions!

Glad you liked my suggestion. I think those ship excursions are a rip-off and besides you get stuck with all the same people.

Take a snack in case u get hungry atop Acropolis. When walking into Plaka, I said, head for Lysikrates Monument. When you get to monument, look beyond, to nice cafe under trees -- Dionysus. It is one of my FAVORITE spots... a few steps away from the heavy foot traffic, so serene. The booths/tables w.o. tablecloths are for light fare ... and don't worry about leaving u can linger at table as long as you like and waiters won't hurry you.
PS: Last year, when sitting there, my travel pal wondered aloud about the fruit from overhanging boughs; the waiter sprang on a chair, plucked off a small branch, and presented it to her with a bow. Part of the Greek "kefi" (enthusiasm, brio).

We had lunch at a really nice place in the Plaka. They serve only mezedes (Greek version of tapas). But 3 mezedes between my wife and I were enough for a meal. And they have a really good house rose wine. It's called O Glykos. The address is Angelou Geronta 2. It's just north of the main street in the Plaka. The main street has 2 names. In the western part of the Plaka, it's called Thespidos. In the eastern part, it's called Kidathineon. As you're walking down Thespidos/Kidathineon, with the Acropolis at your back, turn left on Angelou Geronta. It's about 30 yards down, on your left-hand side. The outdoor seating area has rafters over it, with grape vines running through the rafters.

Great suggestions!! Thanks so much. What about Rhodes, Mikanos,or Cyprus any suggestions for self exploration rather than cruise excersions? We are a family of 4 (kids 10 & 7) but all looking to experience Greek food and culture.

Having taken several cruises now, what we have discovered is the ship only gives you a map that takes you to the shops where they get a kick back. Research and go off on your own. You'll save lots and have a better time (as a for instance, when we were in Puerto Vallarta, I booked a swim with the dolphins for my family and saved $100 for the same exact activity that everyone from the cruise was at).