Athens Acropolis Excursion Reviews

Great enjoyed my time there

Provider: Royal Caribbean International

Our tour guide, Rina, was fabulous. She did not rush us, was so full of information, told us what we would be doing next at every stop. Acropolis climb was a life-altering experience.

Provider: Independent Operator

Pictures do not do this justice. Amazing site. Lots of walking and LOTS of steps. Wear appropriate shoes. You cant miss this. Be prepared for crowds and long lines.

Provider: Norwegian Cruise Line

The Acropolis was not as difficult to climb as some of the literature had indicated. One gets excellent view of the city and even the cruise ship from the top of the hill.

Provider: Independent Operator

Our tour started with a visit to the Acropolis which I had previously visited, but my husband had not -- it was nice to see without so many tourists in November. Guide was excellent.

Provider: Princess Cruises

Very nice and tidy. Totally unlike the rest of Athens we saw. Athens is a dump!

Provider: Celebrity Cruises

I was expecting the Acropolis to disappoint, but it did not. The Parthenon and other buildings were impressive, and made more so by the details given by our guide (Effie from Navigator Tours) and the views from the top are fantastic. If you are worried about falling at the Acropolis, I would say to still go on the tour as the stairs are not the problem. You can get fairly close to the top without running into the slippery surfaces that cause the falls. However, the area that is level with the Parthenon can be very difficult to walk on unless you're quite careful. We did see more than one person with a cane both there and at Ephesus, so it can be done. I want to add that several couples complained loudly about the cruise line's "Highlights of Athens" tour which apparently had a terrible guide (also Navigator) who did nothing but talk about a jewelry shop and did not offer views of the Acropolis as promised. I've heard more than once that there is a lot to appreciate in Athens besides the Acropolis, but I've heard the opposite as well. Based on my experience and what I heard from others,we were very glad we risked the "strenuous" excursion to the Acropolis.

Provider: Celebrity Cruises

Same tour Standing on the Acropolis was the fulfillment of a dream.

Provider: Royal Caribbean International

This was a wonderful tour about 6 hours, tour of the city the Acropolis the Museum and the old shopping area, was very educational with great guide who was an archaeologist.

Provider: Independent Operator

One of those "must see" sights of the world.

Provider: Royal Caribbean International

All the tour buses showed up at the Acropolis at the same time. Total confusion trying to enter the site. The Acropolis is amazing though (I just wish the scaffolding and crane were not there.

Provider: Royal Caribbean International

With Piraeus port being some distance from the main attractions in Athens and having not been before we opted for the full day Acropolis and Plaka tour. Cannot fault the tour which was on a new bus which dropped us at the foot of the Acropolis with a bottle of much needed water. Tour guide was very informative and we all had radio receivers to listen. We were given plenty of time to wander the ruins ourselves before getting a bus tour of the main city highlights.We were then dropped off in the old town district of Plaka, beneath the Acropolis for a few hours of DIY sightseeing. Had a great day!

Provider: Royal Caribbean International

It was a bit hectic at the Acropolis. Our guide had bought our tickets in advance, which was meant to prevent us queuing in the main queue. However, the people at the Acropolis had moved the goal posts and wouldn't let us in without us going into the main queue to get our tickets stamped or something. Fortunately we found our guide (who on this type of tour was not going to take us around the Acropolis himself - he would wait with the bus until a pre-arranged time for us all to meet back at the bus. He sorted things out for us, but it was a bit annoying at the time, as there were people everywhere pushing and queuing. We enjoyed the visit anyway, and would like to visit Athens again sometime.

Provider: Independent Operator

We did this ourselves using the City Sightseeing tour bus.

Provider: Royal Caribbean International

Highly recommend Context Travel if you like small, intimate groups (6 people max). We had a guide for just our group of 4 - Kelly Bourni with a Master's degree in modern letters from the Sorbonne and a certificate in archaeology from the National School in Athens. She gave us not just a history lesson but insight into the passion and loyalty of the greek people. It would be easy to spend hours in the museum thinking you need to "see everything". Kelly moved us though the museum efficiently and the entire tour was informative and worthwhile.

Provider: Independent Operator

Surroudned by a scaffolding. Not that intersting.

Provider: Celebrity Cruises

The Acropolis was quite interesting a worth seeing. the tour we we one was informative and the guide knowledgeable (as you would expect). Unlike some of the other sites we'd been to during the cruise we were given ample time on our own after the guided part of the tour which was good. Once again it was expensive but at least it was more enjoyable.

Provider: Princess Cruises

It is a must see. The Acropolis is Fabulous

Provider: Norwegian Cruise Line

guide was not very good, kind of crabby. acropolis is crowded and hot. Take water!! Port 2 was Ephesus Turkey. This is a must do excursion.

Provider: Celebrity Cruises

Full of people. Long waits. Hot. Windy. We should have hired a guide, but then maybe we would have been stuck there longer. Never plan to go back. Wished we had skipped it and headed for Plaka.

Provider: Independent Operator

Booked an organised excursion as we had an early sail away and were conscious of time limitations. Athens looked much improved from the Athens of 20 years ago, the last time we had visited, and I know they had worked hard at improving the city for their Olympic games. When we last visited the Acropolis it had been busy, it is probably always busy, but the amount of people at the Acropolis was staggering, wall to wall bodies. Our guide was very knowledgeable but slightly boring, people started to drift away from her, including us, I think she must have been left just talking to herself in the end. The park around the base of the Acropolis provided a lovely shady place to enjoy and iced lemon drink and get our breadth back, before returning to the ship. A flying visit to an important city but it made me want to return

Provider: Thomson Cruises

fabulous!

Provider: Princess Cruises

Tour guide gave a brief history and then we explored on our own

Provider: Norwegian Cruise Line

Acropolis was fantastic. Plaka, not enough time.

Provider: Norwegian Cruise Line

Too much time left at Plaka for Shopping, but otherwise a great informative tour. If travelling in peak summer take the earliest tour to the Acropolis to allow for the high temperatures

Provider: Celebrity Cruises

It is incredibly hot and crowded around the Acropolis. Be sure to wear good shoes as the marble surface is quite slippery. The ship tour stopped at a crummy gift shop of course; no more ship tours for me from now on. The saving grace of the tour is that the Acropolis is truly spectacular.

Provider: Celebrity Cruises

Morning at the Acropolis and time on our in Athens in the afternoon. Excellent and knowledgeable guide, very helpful.

Provider: Princess Cruises

Spectacular. Guide gave us a review of the Acropolis and guided us almost the entire way. She also was very explicit on the meeting places.

Provider: Royal Caribbean International

Fantastic to see the Acropolis...wished we'd had more time to explore the surrounding area where Socrates and Plato taught. On all of the tours they give you ear buds to listen to the tour guides, but if you have small ear canals, you ears will hurt for hours. Some of them are very stat-icky.

Provider: Celebrity Cruises

With the crowds and the scaffolding (they are working on the Parthenon) it is difficult to really get into the spirit of what you are seeing. There is also a problem with most guided tours. If you are on a cruise then essentially you are getting "a taste of" each of the places you visit. You probably are not interesting in every little detail. Tour guides don't get that and want to fill you up with data you can't absorb - especially if you are standing out in 95 degree sun.

Provider: Celebrity Cruises

We booked with Context Travel. We did the Acropolis, New Acropolis Museum and Plaka. These places we visted were excellent but our guide was average. Would not use a Context Travel guide again for Athens.

Provider: Independent Operator

well worth it. just be careful in summer- it was VERY hot, VERY crowded, so go early - by 1000 there were 40 coaches waiting to park , in addition to the 25 already parked !

Provider: Royal Caribbean International

Irene was a great guide who knew so much and delivered it clearly and consistently. 7.5 hours and worth it.Great lunch at a greek Taverna in the Plaka District - Greek salad, wine, chicken, vegetables and baklava.

Provider: Norwegian Cruise Line

I am not a big fan of using the headsets but otherwise it would be difficult. The tour included a city tout and shopping in Plaka as well. Be careful going up to the Acropolis as the smooth store path is quite slippery even when dry. Very worthwhile

Provider: Royal Caribbean International

The ruins were great. The Temple of Poseidon is a long ride but nice country side. They are facing a vote in June on the Euro and the guide showed her dislike.

Provider: Norwegian Cruise Line

The ruins are fantastic and Georges knowledge of the history of the place is outstanding. He is an encyclopedia. The Acropolis is a "must do" on anyone's list of things to do in Athens. I have read about them and have seen photos of them, but until you visit them in person you can not appreciate them as they should be appreciated.

Provider: Independent Operator

Again we did a half day tour as was torn between Corinth Canal and Acropolis. Acroplis won for me! Acropolis for great for some awesome views, & the the Parthenon perched at the top of Athens' most famous hill was stunning. Some 500 steps to climb here so wear some comfortable shoes so you dont slip on the marble steps+it is also very hot at the top and there is no shadey spot to hide under..... Acroplis is just that in the middle of a built up city so don't expect much else in Athens except traffic! driver did stop outside ancient olympic stadium where the Olympic 2012 flame was lit for quick photos.

Provider: Thomson Cruises

Great tour!

Provider: MSC Cruises

This tour was to take us to the Acropolis and then time on our own at the Plaka. I would have preferred to do the hop on hop off bus as I had a hard time understanding our guide and he then spent most of the Acropolis tour standing in the same spot next to the Parthenon and talking about a lot of technichal details that were interesting for about ten minutes. I then got a little bored and wandered off on my own to just soak up the atmosphere of this ancient spectacle.The Plaka was nice to stop and have a leisurely greek lunch of Souvalaki and appreciate being in this beautiful. We did a little shopping but it was like shopping in any city.

Provider: Princess Cruises

Hot and crowded, but still worth seeing.

Provider: Royal Caribbean International

Although the Acropolis was amazing ... the view of Athens equally amazing, I was not moved by the sheer volume of this urban city. If not for the Acropolis we would not have done a day tour.

Provider: Royal Caribbean International

Magnificent! but Crowded. Also a MUST-SEE if you have not visited before.

Provider: Regent Seven Seas Cruises

The acropolis tour was just OK. The tour guide stood in one place and talked for a long time and we wanted to move around a bit more. We ended up setting out on our own and meeting the bus at the end.

Provider: Costa Cruises

A lot of fun being on your own. Bus, and subway run 24/7 even on holidays.

Provider: Independent Operator

Not long enough at this port

Provider: MSC Cruises