General – Piraeus is the seaport serving the city of Athens. This city is a major metropolis in its own right and the commercial area southeast of the port and near the sea has a number of excellent restaurants and attractions. While most passengers visiting this port for the first time will head out toward Athens and the Acropolis, if you have visited before consider spending some time discovering this area.
Where You Dock – Most cruise ships will dock along the northwest side of the port. There is a good walking sidewalk around the port and if you walk north and than continue around the port off to the east you will reach the central district in less than half a mile.
Transportation – There are a number of ways to go from Piraeus to Athens. If you want to head out on your own the best bet is the metro but you can also take a bus or taxi. Rental cars are also available.
The metro can be used to travel from Piraeus to central Athens. A trip to Athens using the metro costs <€1. Also a free bus usually operates in the port taking passengers from the ships to the metro station.
The metro station is about one mile away from the cruise terminal, or a 15-20 minute walk around the harbor. After that, you have a 20-minute ride on the metro to Athens. If the shuttle isn’t running you can take bus (number 843) from the cruise port to the metro station. The ride should take no more than 5 mins. The cost of the ticket is 1€.
To get from Piraeus to the Acropolis by metro, take the metro from Piraeus to Thissio (15 mins). At the metro station follow the pedestrian avenue towards the Acropolis. The walk is another 10 minutes to reach the Acropolis.
Traveling from Piraeus to Athens on a bus will cost roughly €0.80. Due to the usual heavy traffic, you should avoid the bus if you don’t have a lot of time.
Taxis offer more flexibility. To get to Athens one would spend about €15. This will get one to the centre of the city. If you plan to travel to the airport, the price price could be about €40.
Money – Greece uses the Euro and US Dollars are not readily accepted.
Nearby Attractions:
Acropolis -First and foremost there is ancient Athens and the Acropolis and if you haven’t visited before this is not o be missed.
In Piraeus take time to visit the Greek Nautical Museum and the Piraeus Archeology Museum with both walking distance from the port.
Located in the North Sea one hundred fifty miles north of Scotland, Lerwick, the major town in the archipelago is the major Shetland port.
Getting Ashore -Cruise ships will normally anchor out and use tenders to reach shore. The tenders will dock right in the center of this picturesque town with its narrow streets and historic buildings.
Transportation – While there is a good public bus network (www.zettrans.org.uk) with its hub at Lerwick that reaches most points on the main island, and using ferries to other islands. The Lerwick bus depot is conveniently located near the center of town. Unfortunately schedules aren’t good for day tours from Lerwick.
The Broch of Clickimin is a large, well-preserved but restored broch (a broch is an Iron Age stone hollow-walled structure unique to Scotland) dating to the late Bronze Age and is located just a mile north of town.
General – Civitavecchia is a seaside city and major port serving the city of
Rome. The city is served by frequent train service from Rome along with service to other Italian destinations. The Cruise port is only a short five or six block walk along the waterfront on Via Aurelia. Once at the port there are usually free shuttles to the cruise ships. How the shuttles run seems to change often.
The main entry to the port is marked on the map with a red 1 but the more 
likely location to catch the shuttle is marked with a red 2.
Transportation – The best way to get into Rome is to take a
Taxis are available but are famous for overcharging with the short ride from the port to the train station quoted as high as €10 or €15.
General – This is a nature port on Chichagof Island which opened in 2004 and is only open when cruise ships are in. It was developed by the Native Tlingits and celebrates their culture. It is the ideal location for viewing wildlife and sea life. Hoonah, the only town on the island is described as the largest Tlingit Village in the state.
Located in the North Sea one hundred fifty miles north of Scotland is the Shetland Islands where modern opportunities and history meet. Most buildings in Lerwick, the major town in the archipelago, are made of local stone and have the appearance of being from a different era. Narrow alleys and streets don’t appear to have been made with automobiles in mind at all. The town owes its success to its location, finding shelter in the lee of the island of Bressay across the channel and its good harbor. The town takes its name from Norse meaning ‘mud-bay’ and was a safe harbor for Dutch fishermen in the seventeenth century. This town is a good base for exploring the Scandinavian history, beautiful seascapes and wildlife of the Shetland archipelago.
“Nemo me impune lacessit” is the motto on the Royal coat of arms of the Kingdom of Scotland and translates to “No one attacks me with impunity”, and has been loosely rendered in Scots as Wha daur meddle wi me? (in Scottish Gaelic Cha togar m’ fhearg gun dìoladh, ). It is also alternatively translated into English as No one can harm me unpunished.
The Shetland Islands are home to a large population of puffins, making them a good place for puffin-watching as well as other bird watching. Within the Shetland Islands there are a number of places to see puffins, with some requiring only a short hike.
Port Location & Facilities – Cruise ships will normally dock at port facilities outside of town. Reykjavik is usually the supplier of shuttle service into town with a round-trip fare that seems somewhat over priced (this is probably related to the high cost of living in Reykjavik). If you don’t mind walking (weather permitting) there is a nice paved walk along the shore into town of only about two miles. There is no cruise ship terminal so ships have to make use of boarding ramps. For people with walking issues and wheelchairs it can be difficult.
The Intentional Travelers 