Greek cruise - Yikes!

Check-out cruisecritic.com.

Second the recommendation to go on cruise critics forums,, or there are a bunch more,, cruise mates, cruise crazys etc..

Not to early to book. The three of you can pool your money and get a suite of some sort. Cozy for three so ensure you have the bathroom rules laid out. Sue, Sue and I (yes I like to have all my friends have the same name so I don't have to think to hard) got a veranda suite for two of us (Sue and I) and a inside cabin for Sue the incredible snoring machine. Split the costs evenly three ways and everyone hung out on the Veranda whenever they wanted from 9 a.m. on.

Looked at weatherunderground.com for historical dates for April 8-15; sounds too chilly to me for a swim or even shorts, but might suit you. Under "trip planner weather" it said: The Average High Temperature is 67 F with a historical range of 48 F to 80 F The Average Low Temperature is 49 F with a historical range of 32 F to 64 F
and 21% of a cloudy day. Might be warmer in the Caribbean cruise for Easter.

As you said, a very broad question. Some things to think about: Have you all cruised before? Do you like large ships or small ships. Would you want cabins on a smaller sailboat-type cruise? Can you afford two double cabins if the ship has no singles? Would you take a suite with a cot? Do you want arranged shore excursions? Do you get seasick? Any mobility problems? Start and end in the same place? Afraid of any countries? (I don't think of Cypress or Turkey as dangerous, but some people might ...) Do you want to swim in the Mediterranean, or just look at it? Note that on our first Med cruise (300-person ship), the water was too rough (we were seasick all night) at Mykonos so we went to a (great... Monemvasia) alternate port. You have no control over this, obviously. I found it valuable to consult a travel agent for our first cruise, although we did not get the lowest price. She has been on a lot of boats, and knows us, as well.

I took a cruise this last Easter from Rome to Venice. The cruise line was called Oceania. It was a beautiful cruise ship called the Marina and it has excellent service. I like cruise critic too for ship reviews. The only bad part of traveling during Easter is that is was very crowded at many of the ports. We departed from Rome a few days after Easter but we went early to experience Rome at the holiday. Way too many people for me. I like to travel in Sept after school starts or Spring but not during a holiday. Have a fun trip!

Cruise critic is a great place to start. There are reviews of cruise lines, ships, ports and potential excursions. You can get a really good idea from reading the reviews and forums what interests you and what features you care most about. Once you have a good idea, it's easy to book your trip yourself. There are dozens, if not more, online travel agents that specialize in cruises. I've booked three cruises through vacationstogo.com, including a Baltic cruise last summer, and never had a problem with the booking. Their prices are the same as all the other online agents, the website has a great search engine to find the cruise you want (based on date, ports, lines, etc.), and once you book online they contact you to settle all the details. I highly recommend arriving at least a full day ahead of your departure, in case a flight is delayed or connection missed. I planned my own flight schedule, transportation and hotels seperately. The cruiselines will do this for you but charge an arm and a leg for the service. At least shop for options before turning it over to them. Suggestions for lines? See cruise critic. I thought cruising "Italian Style" sounded great - until I read the reviews of fat, rude, middle-aged men in speedos ogling women while customer service people ignored complaints and failed to correct errors.

Check the cruise lines' direct websites too and compare itineraries. Pay very close attention to the times that you would get in port - for example: arriving in Mykonos at 7am and leaving again at noon is just plain silly!! So, as well as costs, pay close attention to TIME. Make sure that you have sufficient time to actually do & see stuff. Also note that tenders are used if the ship is big and the port is small. Louis Cruise Lines is one of the usual cheaper cruise alternatives for the Greek Islands.

Hi Mary, I would suggest you check vacationstogo.com. I find this site very helpful....just put in your dates and where you want to go. You will then see a page with all the cruises and prices. Hope this helps, Jo

Mary check out the "Pullantur's Zenith" April 9th for 7 nights. Love the ports and it sure seems like a Good rate. I've never heard of that ship but if I was planning a trip it would be something I would look into.