Cruising

We leave on our Greek island cruise today. I have no idea if I'll have easy access to the internet or not so I'm preparing this posts in advance.

Those who have read this blog will know that I won the cruise through a photo contest that easycar ran over the internet. The photo contest was basically a popularity contest - try and get as many of your friends to go to the internet and vote 10 for your picture. I was hoping to win a car rental for the next time we were in Europe. Never did I contemplate winning first and being awarded with a cruise.

Easycar is known as a discount rental company without any frills. I suspect that their cruise venture, which has only been in existence three years, and which I understand from the various discussions over the internet has been fraught with problems, will be similar. The boat is actually a refurbished ferry.

I've taken to calling this the WalMart cruise.

Apparently it caters to young travelers without a lot of money to spent.

This would make it the spring break WalMart cruise.

Great.

The cabin we won was a no-luxury, inside cabin in the bowels of the ship. After looking at one picture I felt claustrophobic . . . can a picture actually do that? It did. The thought of spending a week in a tiny cabin like that made my head hurt.

I immediately upgraded to a junior suite with an outside view on a upper deck. The amount of the original cabin was deducted from the cost of the upgraded cabin - this saved us close to $ 1000.

Then we got word that the cruise we had booked (1 week, Greek islands and turkey) had been canceled and turned into a 4 day cruise of the islands and Turkey. We could have canceled and gotten a refund but by this time I think Paul had his heart set on going so we stayed with it.

For the inconvenience easycruise booked us into a hotel for the nights that were canceled, provided vouchers for the meals that we would now have to purchase, provided transport to and from the cruise ship, provided upgraded meals on board, and provided a 100 euro on-board drink voucher.

One of the challenges is that they essentially booked the 7 day itinerary into 4 days. Where easycruise had had a reputation for maximixing time in port so that visitors could really enjoy their time there, this was thrown out the window. The timetable now resembles one of those bus tours of Europe that covers Italy in two days.

Nonetheless, I am determined to make the best of this. We will be cruising. We will have saved $ 1000. We won't have to cook or worry about meals for a week. We will see Mykonos, Patmos, Rhodes, Ephesus, Crete, and Santorini. We will be cruising the Greek isles . . .

Comments

[girasoli]

Have a fabulous cruise! Too bad about the changes but sounds like you are both making the best of it.

[sandi @ the whistlestop cafe]

See if you can get into the kitchen... that is where the action will be.

Find a shady spot and enjoy!

[nancyhol]

I hate when things get completely changed like that!

But you are right - you ARE cruising rather than (God forbid) working.

Have a great time and take lots of pictures.

[chiaro]

A positive attitude is everything.
I've been on this type of cruise twice and on a ferry once in the Greek Isles.
It is a very beautiful place to cruise.
Enjoy!

[Barb Cabot]

Your there and I'm sure it will be wonderful. Enjoy everything.

[Marcia]

Oops, my comment never got here, but I just wanted to say you are certainly making the best of an interesting situation - out on the beautiful waters, and under the beautiful skies, you will have a great time. WalMart cruise, priceless . . . look forward to the report.

[JDeQ]

I'm good with changes - my strengths (believe it or no) are in being flexible and tolerant of change. Who knew?

Because our expectations were so low we were plesantly surprised with how much we enjoyed it.

It is all in your attitude! LOL