This year I decided to take another cruise using MSC Splendida: https://www.msccruises.com/int
I arrived in Istanbul a day before the cruise departure to explore Turkey's capital. It was such a nice day. I walked around the streets and visited the Blue Mosque (the entrance is free) and Palace Topkapi.
I recommend booking airport or harbour transfers online in advance. I used a company: Turmes Travel Agency: https://www.turmestravel.com.tr/ and Biivip Airport Transfer: https://www.biivip.com/ #Both companies were reliable, and the taxis were clean, neat and on time.
Cruise embarks from the Galaport which has stringent security restrictions. The entire "coming into the ship" process takes a long time. Have a bottle of water with you. MSC Splendida is a huge ship however it is an older sister of Grandiosa and unfortunately it can be easily noticed. I am used to a very high level of service however this time MSC disappointed me a little. My cabin had multiple issues which of course were fixed however I had to go to the Guest Services and complain.
Then I had to be in my cabin and discuss the problems with the Manager. First, my bed sheets were wrongly exchanged for used ones- the make-up foundation on the duvet and pillows. The phone was completely broken – I was with a group and I had to call different cabins and no toilet paper was left in the bathroom. All were sorted but it was unpleasant and I felt discomfort explaining what was wrong. On top of the above some days the flushing system was broken. Something definitely should be reviewed and the ship requires serious renovation.
The first harbour I arrived in, was Corfu. I contacted a company called: My Holidays/Social Corfu Connect Travel www.corfuconnect.gr which prepared a lovely 4-hour tour. Costas was great, shared much information about Corfu and brought me to hidden gems.
The second harbour was Bari. All my life I wanted to see Truli houses. Finally, I had the opportunity to visit Alberobello. It is amazing to walk around and experience the village.
The third harbour was Trieste. Giovanni showed me the city and told me so many interesting facts. I totally recommend his services if you need any assistance visiting the Trieste region. https://www.esperienzeanordest.it/
After Trieste, we stayed 1 day on the sea and then we sailed to Katakolo in Greece. It is a lovely little harbour where you can walk. It is some distance away so take a hat and water with you. You can also go either to the beach or visit Olimpia ruins.
The next stop was Piraeus Harbour. Taxi to the city centre of Athens is approx.€25. You can also use a subway but from Terminal B to the closest metro station in approx.3km walk one way. In Athens, there are many possibilities: Acropolis, Plaka, Psiri and many others.
My last harbour was Kusadasi in Turkey. It is a short walking distance to the market but I recommend going to visit the ruins in Efez.
Overall, it was a great adventure with some pros and cons. I took a taxi from the Galaport to the IST airport. IST is massive and it takes a long time to go through all passport and security controls. Take your time and try to book a flight back with some spare time just to be in the safe side.
Would I go again to the cruise again? Of course, it is the ideal way of sightseeing with sunbathing, dancing and theatre shows.
From Istanbul to Italy – MSC Splendida
