Port Everglades Cruise Hotel ReviewAfter disembarkation day from our Southern Caribbean Cruise on Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas, we checked in to GalleryOne a Double Tree Suites by Hilton in Fort Lauderdale for a few days.
If you're looking for a hotel near Ft. Lauderdale's Port Everglades for an overnight stay before or after your cruise, hopefully this photo review will help you decide if GalleryOne DoubleTree is the right fit for you! Water TAxi Stop 7You can purchase a water taxi ticket for $38 that gives you unlimited rides. They also offer multi-day passes and annual passes. Outdoor SpaceOne fun thing outside of the hotel was the placement of outdoor games to pass the time along the water. Would you be playing corn hole or jenga?! Outdoor BarThere is a nice outdoor bar if you would like to enjoy a drink along the waterway with plenty of palm trees in view! This area gets lively in the evenings and when the hotel holds events. PoolLobby CafeThere is a small cafe counter in the lobby of the Double Tree where you can order a latte if the in-room coffee isn't cutting it for you. Cafe Menu with pricesBelow you can see the menu with prices for some non-coffee beverage options including Julius Meinl teas. You can also grab a quick breakfast yogurt parfait, fruit cup, piece of fruit or croissant/bagel. Vue on the Water Restaurant Menu with PricesIf you're wondering what the prices are like at the restaurant and what kind of foods they offer, here is the menu for Vue on the Water. Smoothies for $10 and beers are $7.50/8.50. Lobby BarIf you'd like to enjoy pre-dinner drinks with your friends, there is a bar in the lobby. Second Floor ViewsWith some time to kill before check in, we explored the public spaces of the hotel. On the second floor you can enjoy some nice views from these floor-to-ceiling windows! Checking In at Galleryone Double Tree Ft LauderdaleIt was finally time to check in and if you have allergies you will be happy to know that Double Tree now carries allergy friendly cookies for their guests! More on the cookies later.. 😉 Room TourThe GalleryOne Double Tree in Fort Lauderdale offers suites, meaning the rooms are very spacious as you will see! KitchenUpon entering the suite, the kitchen was located to the left. It is well equipped with a dishwasher, microwave, and small refrigerator. Coffee StationThe in-room coffee setup was a cuisinart double brewer. There were coffee pouches, sugar and sweeteners, creamers and some tea bags. Dining And Living AreasA dining table that seats four makes eating a meal or working on a laptop very convenient at this hotel. Of course there is also a couch to lounge upon as well as an oversized chair in the opposite corner. A pocket door separates the living/dining space from the bedroom. bedroomThe spacious bedroom includes a large king size bed, 2 night stands and a dresser, Tv, recliner and closet space. If you have hanging clothes, you will appreciate that there is a closet. The hanging height is a bit short as there is an upper shelf in the closet which houses the in-room safe and iron. There is also an ironing board. The closet doors offer full sized mirrors which is a great and often overlooked detail in accommodations. BathoomA tiled walk-in shower with rainfall shower head await. The DoubleTree also provides shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in the shower. There is a spacious countertop surrounding the sink and a large mirror. The ViewBeing on an upper floor, our suite had nice views! In the other direction you could see the intercostal waterway and the ocean! Looking straight down you could see the pool area along the waterway. The Doubletree CookieAnd this is definitely one of the best backdrops you can get for your Double Tree Cookie! We opted for the original cookie as we don't have any relevant allergies and my is she a beaut! Not only is this cookie a looker, but it's actually an absolutely delicious cookie. As a big chocolate chip cookie girl, I was actually shocked how good this cookie was!
PF Changs Fort Lauderdale, FloridaIrrespective of how delicious the double tree cookie was, we were starving and needed to get some real food. It had been a long day after disembarkation and waiting around for check-in time so we just wanted to get take out and call it a night. If you're looking for somewhere within walking distance from GalleryOne Doubletree Fort Lauderdale, try PF Changs! PF Changs Lettuce Wraps PicsWe went for the cult favorite chicken lettuce wraps. PF Changs Spicy Chicken PicsPF Changs Spicy Chicken bowl. Mongolian BeefPF Changs Mongolian Beef Good thing our suites have nice dining tables! :) Galleryone Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port Hotel REviewThe GalleryOne by Hilton near Port Everglades can be a great choice before or after a cruise. It's conveniently located, the rooms are spacious, and the access to a kitchen is convenient. And we can't forget the cookies! ;) If you have time to kill you can take the water taxi all over creation as a DIY excursion, visit the mall next door, or walk to the beach. There are also plenty of great restaurants to try near by! Fort Lauderdale Restaurant Reviews
FLorida Hotel Reviews
|
Cocktail Prices |
Beer prices |
|
|
​An additional service charge will be added to these prices unless you have a Royal Caribbean Beverage Package.
​
You can also order items not on the menu, of course. Like the Labadoozie - basically a frozen rum punch or even a whisky to sip on the beach.
​
Beach Time on LAbadee
​Even on an overcast day, the views are beautiful with calm waters nestled between lush mountains, it's exactly what you're hoping for on a Caribbean Cruise.
​
If you have cash to splash you can rent one of these private cabanas for the day or do an excursion like kayaking in these tropical waters.
​
Free Food On Labadee
When you're hungry on Labadee you can enjoy a beach picnic including things like hot dogs, hamburgers, grilled chicken, rice, corn on the cob, fruit, salads, cookies, cakes and the like. The food is included in your cruise fare.
A Taste of UK Royal Caribbean Menu
Goat Cheese Tart
Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
Mozzarella cheese coated with crispy garlic-seasoned panko breading and fried until golden brown, paired with a zesty marinara dipping sauce.
​
​ Due to a supply chain issue, the culinary crew had to make a cheese swap out. So it was surprising when you're expecting mozzarella, but hey - when you're talking about breaded and deep fried cheese it's hard to go wrong. :)
Traditional English Fish and CHips
​
Chicken Tikka Masala
Sticky Toffee Pudding
​
Hairspray Broadway Production
After dinner we squeezed in a production show. On Symphony of the Seas you can watch the Broadway production Hairspray. It's one of the longer shows you will see on a cruise.
​Labadee, Haiti Royal Caribbean Review
I love Royal Caribbean's offerings of Labadee and Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Some argue that these cruise line owned resorts or islands are not an authentic experience of the island, and sure I get that. But I view them as a high value "freebie" day where I don't have to plan or spend any extra cash if I don't want to or don't have it.
Labadee offers a low pressure day where everything is taken care of for you and close by. You have beach chairs and umbrellas included for free at the various beach locations. You have food included without having to go back to the ship or spend extra cash. You have tram service if you're unable or don't want to walk as much. And the scenery is absolutely beautiful.
While I do love exploring cruise ports and trying local food and having that "more authentic" experience, I am always happy to see either Labadee or Perfect Day on a Caribbean Itinerary.
More from this Royal Caribbean Cruise Review:
- Lobster Night On a Cruise
- Aruba: DIY Walking Tour Aruba Cruise Port
- Aruba: A Taste of the Caribbean Dinner
- Embarkation Day: Symphony of the Seas Embarkation Day
- Sea Day: Exploring the Ship on a Sea Day
- Sea Day: ​A Taste of Italy Dinner
- Curacao: Missing Curação Cruise Port
- Breakfast at Johnny Rockets - Free on Oasis Class Ships
- Symphony of the Seas: Water Slides & Flow Rider
- El Loco Fresh Review - Mexican Inspired Food
- The Royal Night - Royal Caribbean Dinner Menu
Day 4 of our Southern Caribbean Cruise was a port day in lovely Aruba. We did not plan an excursion in advance and decided to DIY a low key day on the island and revisited a yummy foodie spot. |
Free Shuttle from Aruba Cruise Port
Conveniently, after exiting the ship's gangway there were shuttle buses waiting to take cruise ship passengers to the main gate.
They were clearly marked with the name of our ship, Symphony of the Seas.
Aruba Cruise Port
For those with limited mobility, there is plenty of shopping to do in the main port area.
If you're able to walk a bit more you can check out the "local market".
At the main intersection walk left, and you'll see the sign for the local market right across from the I ❤︎ Aruba sign.
Souvenirs in Aruba Cruise Port
The colorful boho sandals were calling my name, but I restrained because I was afraid they were too flat for my feet. :(
Knock Off Ray Ban Sunglasses in Aruba Cruise Port
But hey if you want some D&G, Chanel, or Ray Bans ....
Cute paintings and decorative signs for your home.
Cost of Souvenir Hats in Aruba
Loads of souvenir hats and visors were available. As seen below the prices at this shop ranged from $5-8.
The Paddock
A popular spot due to it's convenient location and vibe, a bucket of 5 local beers would set you back just $20 and a meal consisting of French bread, chicken salad, and fries ran $10.
I do believe this was also a spot where you could catch wifi in Aruba cruise port.
Walking Around Oranjestad
This was just at the edge of the Renaissance Marketplace in the Aruba cruise port where we found a really cool store.
Mopa Mopa Aruba
This store was filled with unique and intricately decorated home decor.
Have you heard of the Mopa Mopa Tree?
Much to my surprise, these items are not painted. Rather they are decorated using a centuries old technique of extracting resin from the Mopa Mopa Tree.
I think this is a very cool store to walk around and learn about this unique craft even if you're not in the market for a piece.
Murals by Armando Goedgedrag
Absolutely incredible art murals can be seen on the sides of buildings in the Renaissance Marketplace which have been painted by the very talented Armando Goedgedrag.
It's very cool to see support for local artists like this and it really adds to the vibrance of Oranjestad, don't you agree?!
Wilhelmina Park, Oranjestad
Wilhelmina Park in Oranjestad is a well-manicured park with a nice walkway stroll through.
Here in this park you will see a statue of Anne Frank.
As well as Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands whom the park is named after. She reigned from 1890 until her abdication in 1948.
Queen Wilhelmina was the longest raining monarch in Dutch history. Apparently she was also the world's first female billionaire.
Her park is also full of iguanas!! It's hard to tell from the photo, but they are quite large!
Mangroves and Beaches
These cool trees have aerial roots that grow into accessory trunks. Over time a Banyan tree can cover several acres - isn't that insane?!
It was hard to pass up an opportunity to walk down through this banyan tree and onto a beach via this sort of secret path.
The beach area here was quite narrow, but felt private. There was no one in sight although it was not that far from the main Governor's Beach area.
When traveling, very often you are rewarded when you're willing to take just a few extra steps.
Continuing on toward Surfside Beach, we passed some more incredible trees like this Acacia tree.
And I found it fascinating how this tree looked like it was currently caught in a violent windstorm although the weather was calm. :)
There were just a few families there. With plenty of trees to catch some shade from or sit on, I really enjoyed this beach!
By the way, all beaches in Aruba are free. :)
The Pastechi House
There was one last stop we wanted to make before heading back to our cruise ship after this day in Oranjestad.
That stop was The Pastechi House.
We visited The Pastechi House on an ABC islands cruise back in 2017 or around there and were thrilled to see it survived through the pandemic, though it was a struggle the owner shared.
Pastechi House Menu with Prices
Pastechi is an ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao) version of an empanada and they are tasty!!
We also nabbed ourselves a fresh orange juice which was a tad bit more expensive than in Portugal.
Just outside The Pastechi House was this spectacular rooster ...
Even more exciting was the exotic black, white, and orange bird in this palm tree! It appears to be a Venezuelan Troupial!
Downtown Oranjestad
It was time to make our way back through downtown Oranjestad and to the cruise ship terminal, past the blue horse ...
Beyond all the cute buildings ...
Probably should have gotten a Where's my Pastechi at!? mug.
It was a cool honor system sort of set up where when the artist wasn't there in person (like the day we were there), you could snap a picture of what you wanted to by, message her on whatsapp and then send the payment to her!
I Heart Aruba Sign
Don't forget, you can't leave the island without snapping a pic of the I ❤︎ Aruba sign, can you?
We returned to a cute little towel animal welcoming us back and I put on the closest thing to a "Caribbean" themed outfit as I had for dinner in the main dining room.
A Taste of the Caribbean Menu
Miami isn't necessarily the cheapest city to eat in when you're on a shoestring budget so we made great use of TooGoodToGo and Happy Hour Menus to enjoy some of the culinary offerings without completely breaking the bank. Enter El Primo.
Check out the Hyatt Regency Miami Review Here
Well, at El Primo Red Tacos they are serving $6 margaritas and cerveza (beer) all day, every day!
what we got.
What we Thought.
Small corn tortillas are my favorite and home made tortilla chips can't be beat! The tacos at El Primo Red Tacos are birria and the only problem that I had with them was I wanted more. lol
The Horchata was unbelievably tasty. Typically made with rice, flavored with cinnamon and sweetened with sugar, this horchata was refreshing and a nice balance to the savory tacos and spicy salsa. To pay $5.99 in Miami for 2 quality tacos, chips and salsa, and a drink was a great deal! I could have easily eaten more, but I was happy for the opportunity to try El Primo Red Tacos at a discount while in town and I wouldn't hesitate to return next time I'm in Miami! |
More Miami Food & Travel Blogs:
- Hyatt Regency Miami Review
- Meraki Greek Bistro Review - Miami Happy Hour
- A Family Review - Argentinean Delights in Miami
- Dumpling Mi Amore Review - Ramen and Dumplings in Miami
- Marabu Cuban Cuisine - Miami Happy Hour Review
- Raccoon Coffee & Kitchen Miami Food Truck Review
- Versaille Miami's Most Famous Cuban Restaurant Review
- Azucar - Little Havana's Best Ice Cream
- Miami Slice - Overrated?
- Free Public Transportation in Miami - Trolley, Metro Mover
More too Good To Go Reviews:
- Rei do Churrasco Review - Quarteira, Portugal
- Too Good To Go Portugal Review
- A Family Miami Too Good To Go Review
- Raccoon Coffee & Kitchen Miami TooGoodToGo Review
Embarkation at Port Everglades
​Our 8 night Southern Caribbean Cruise departed from Port Everglades, the cruise port in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We arrived 2 nights in advance (free flights - thanks to Chase Ultimate Rewards Points!) and stayed at a nearby cruise port hotel. Uber (actually Lyft) from our hotel to the port only cost $4.17 thanks to a Lyft discount I had.
How long did embarkation take? Not long at all! We were in the terminal at 11:43 and by 12:04 we were onboard!
​
Fort Lauderdale blogs:
Exploring Symphony of the seas
Your first time onboard a new cruise ship is so much fun - there is so much to explore! You probably spent months researching and learning about every nook and cranny of the ship (okay, a certain bunch of people do this... I'm assuming you're part of the club since you're here? ☺)
Today is the day to see if you can remember literally anything from all your research. haha!
​
Embarkation Day Tip: Lifeguards are posted so have your swimwear handy and you can enjoy the pool during one of the few times that it will totally empty! ;)
Above you can see a view of the Central Park Neighborhood - yes, those are real trees! Symphony of the Seas also has 3 water slides and multiple pools including a saltwater pool.
​
El Loco Fresh is the popular Mexican casual dining restaurant on Symphony of the Seas where you can get things like grab and go tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. Be sure to load them up with fresh pico de Gallo, salsa, and guacamole! You can also find fresh fruit cups here.
​
​Celebrity Apex was also in port in Fort Lauderdale!
​
Embarkation day lunch
We traveled in a group of 8 relatives for this cruise and only 2 people in the group knew we were coming. It was a really fun surprise seeing the reactions of aunts and uncles. We met up in the Solarium Bistro and snagged a large round table for lunch. This smaller buffet area was a nice spot to meet and I was soaking in the novelty that I only managed to get 2 pics of my lunch.
I have to say the Indian food was excellent and I also thoroughly enjoyed this little carrot cake dessert cup! It would make a perfect individual dessert idea for a dinner party and someday I hope to replicate it for Home Cooking Inspired By Travel.
​
Oceanview Cabin Photos
Around 2pm we had finished eating and were ready to check out our cabin. It was our first time in an ocean view stateroom. You can see all our cabin 3198 photos here:
​
​Dinner in the main dining room
We had traditional dining on Royal Caribbean which means we had a table reserved for our group every night at the same time. Our early dining time was 5:30 PM. ​Of course we could also dine at another time by walking in and waiting for a table, eating at the buffet or other casual dining venue, or eating at a specialty restaurant.
Embarkation day Welcome Aboard menu
Different than our experience on Sun Princess, on Symphony you ordered your meal and dessert at the same time.
​
What we ordered.
Caesar Salad.
A classic caesar salad is a cruise dinner must.. if you're into that sort of thing. :) Every night your table will be presented with a basket of bread/rolls. The one shown below seemed like an asiago cheese roll and was delicious. You may need to ask for more of these if you like them because each basket will probably only have one of them.
crab cake.
​
Pan Roasted Fish Fillet.
​
Southern Fried Chicken.
​
Dessert
Dark Chocolate Custard.
​
Key Lime Pie.
Silky key lime custard baked in a brown butter graham cracker crust topped with whipped cream.
royal theater: Dare to Dream
After dinner we went straight to The Royal Theater to watch our first production of the cruise - Flight Dare to Dream.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Tip: Reserve your entertainment on the Royal Caribbean App so you can get the best seats.
​
If you love a hoagie, give Laspada's Original Hoagies in Fort Lauderdale, Florida a try!
​
Located just a half mile (aka a pleasant 10-15 minute stroll) from our cruise port hotel, Laspada's made up for the disappointing pizza we had the night before. Their first hoagie shop opened in 1972 and has expanded to 5 locations in Southern Florida, Laspada's is worth your visit as far as we are concerned! ​ |
Laspadas - A local hoagie shop in south florida
Loved by travelers and locals alike, this is a classic hoagie shop where you are welcome to dine in or take out. Located at 1495-D SE 17th St Fort Lauderdale, FL 33431.
​
Laspada's Hoagie Menu with prices
​
What's on an original hoagie at Laspadas? Tomatoes, lettuce, onions, pickles, sweet peppers, hot peppers, oil and vinegar and seasonings on Italian or wheat bread, and provolone cheese. Sounds perfect, doesn't it?
​
​Laspada's also sells a variety of chips which are an ideal crunchy, salty companion to your delicious hoagie!
​what we ordered.
For the two of us, we ordered one large hoagie, a can of pop (soda), and a bag of kettle chips.
Total with tax: $17.50
​
Dr Brown's Natural Flavor Black Cherry Soda - $1.75
Dr Browns Black Cherry Soda With "Other Natural Flavors" Ingredients: Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, cherry and other natural flavors, citric acid, caramel color, sodium benzoate, and red 40. Gah. not red 40...
​
​Dirty Potato Chips Deli Style Salt and Vinegar Kettle style - $1.70
If you want to see the ingredients on these Salt and Vinegar Kettle Chips from Dirty you can see the photo below!
LArge 12" Italian Hoagie - $12.90
Now on to the star of the show! We ordered a Large 12" Italian Special Hoagie - Ham, Genoa, Salami, & Cappicola.
​
This hoagie was loaded! The cross section is a thing of beauty - carefully constructed, strategically placed layers of freshly sliced Italian meats and toppings.
​
Laspada's Hoagies Review
A hoagie may seem like a simple thing. Some bread, "lunch meat" and cheese, maybe a bit of iceberg and a tomato? Forget that nonsense. A real hoagie establishment takes pride in every element from the texture at the bottom of the roll to the pillowy bread to the sliced-to-order Italian meats and fresh toppings - Laspada's knocks it out of the park.
​
I mean just look at the care going into dressing and seasoning this hoagie...
It's been months since I ate this hoagie, but I still think about it from time to time. Laspada's is the kind of place I would actually make a point to return to next time I am in Fort Lauderdale for a cruise. ;)
​
Fort Lauderdale Blog.
​ ​Arriving a day before your cruise is always the wisest course. ​Before our Symphony of the Seas cruise we used Chase Points to book a night at the Hyatt Place Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port Hotel. ​ |
Our room.
​
search pre-cruise and post-cruise hotels near Port Everglades:
​living space.
​There is a large couch with ottoman which converts to a bed. As you can see the couch cushions were a little worse for wear. The room has a mini fridge, individual cup coffee maker, and a small sink in the area directly across from the couch, as well as a desk area.
bathroom.
The sink is outside the bathroom door where you will also find a large mirror and very long counter top above built in drawers. If you're traveling with the circus :p, it can be nice to have the sink outside the bathroom so that while someone is showering, other members of the family can be brushing their teeth, for instance. In the case of this room, there are 2 sinks outside of the bathroom!
​
Symphony of the Seas Reviews | Royal Caribbean Cruise Blog.
​Breakfast Buffet.
The breakfast buffet is pretty standard for a US hotel in this category. These pictures were taken at the end of the morning shortly before the buffet closed. They served scrambled eggs, sausage patties, hash browns, bacon, pancakes, cereal, fresh cut fruit, bananas, oranges, a variety of bread and bagels for toasting as well as donut holes.
​
​gym.
​There was also a small gym at Hyatt Place Ft Lauderdale Cruise Port, in case you want to get a quick workout in before your cruise!
​
Manhattan Ny Pizza Fort Lauderdale Review
As one does when arriving to a hotel late after a long travel day, we ordered a pizza. Manhattan NY Pizza was nearby and touted their pizza being made with dough from NYC so we were intrigued.
​
​
Fort Lauderdale travel blog.
hyatt place cruise port hotel review
We were happy with our experience at Hyatt Place in Fort Lauderdale near Port Everglades. There is nothing particularly exciting about this hotel, but there doesn't need to be - you're going on a cruise! That's the exciting part of staying here.
The hotel is in a good location and offers the amenities you need for a night before a cruise - a place to sleep and free breakfast. Hyatt Place also offers a free airport shuttle and they do have a cruise port shuttle available from the hotel for a fee that you can sign up for on arrival. We opted to use Uber for convenience and it being collectively cheaper for us rathe r than pay a per person rate with the shuttle van coming at a set time. Choice is yours!
Our hotel night was totally free thanks to Chase Ultimate Rewards Points. We used 8,000 points transferred from our Chase Sapphire card. See the Best Chase Sapphire Sign Up Bonus Here so you can get free hotel stays too! ;)
​
Day 4 of our Sun Princess Mediterranean Cruise landed us on the Greek Island of Crete. This was, in fact, an alteration to our original itinerary. Santorini was our original port of call, but it was changed to Chania, Crete. New Cruiser FYI: If you have never cruised before you should be made aware that ports of call are subject to change. If there is a safety issue, capacity issue, or other unforeseen circumstance a cruise line may stop at a different port or have another sea day.
To start our day on Crete, we ordered the free room service breakfast on Princess. We ordered 2 danishes, 1 pizza muffin, an egg and cheese English muffin, a fruit plate, and bananas along with coffee, of course! ​
|
In this post:
Looking for something specific? Jump ahead:
Princess Cruise Review
|
Starboard View of Souda Port Chania on the greek Isle of Crete
View from Balcony 11221 Starboard, looking at Chania port toward the left, straight ahead, and to the right respectively.
Crete Cruise Port FAQs
It can be, but on our Mediterannean cruise we did not tender on Crete with Princess Cruise Lines. Check your cruise itinerary or contact your cruise line to confirm if you will be tendering or docking on Crete.
Where do cruise ships dock in Crete?
The majority of cruise ships will dock in Iraklion (Heraklion) port or Souda (Chania) when visiting Crete for the day.
Where does Sun Princess dock in Chania, Greece?
On our cruise, Sun Princess docked at Souda Port. Souda is the name of the port in Chania.
Also note the blue dot on the map below to indicate where Sun Princess was docked in Crete.
Cruise Travel Tip
​Cruise Travel Tip: On Sun Princess, there were large screens along the path to exit the ship on port days which featured contact information for the Port Agent. Make sure to snap a photo of the Port Agent Contact Information. It will usually be in your printed daily schedule as well.
If you run into any trouble while in Port, including if you're running late, (ps. please don't run late getting back to the ship!) it will be essential to contact this number for help. It is well known that cruise ships will leave passengers who aren't back on board in time, so always get back to your ship with plenty of time if you are doing your own excursions.
Still, 'unexpected events overtake us all' and if you find yourself in that situation, call the port agent right away and let them know. No guarantee the ship can wait or will wait, but you stand a better chance if you've communicated and they know what's going on. ​=)
​
Our one day in chania cruise port
Shuttle Bus to Chania Town
Chania is a very walkable and cute port to visit, however you cannot quickly walk to Chania from Souda Port. It would be quite a long walk, something to the tune of 2 hours.
Needless to say, we were very happy that Princess had a complimentary shuttle bus from Souda Port which dropped us off in Chania near the Municipal Garden of Chania.
The bus displayed a sign in the front window which said "Sun Princess Shuttle".
How long is the shuttle from Souda Port to Chania? ​ The ride was between 15 and 20 minutes and gave a good opportunity to check out some key phrases in Greek from The Turquoise Collection. |
A walk through chania, crete
After getting off the shuttle I snapped a pic of this monument and area which was under construction. As it turns out this is the entrance to the Agora, the Municipal Market of Chania.
It is currently being restored and while it was anticipated to reopen in summer 2024, the expectation is now at least spring of 2025.
As we walked along the perimeter of the Municipal Gardens of Chania to reach the coastal area, we met two of the loveliest elderly ladies at the cart. We learned via google translate, it was their custom every week on this day to be there. Modern day Anas to warm our hearts. Although we couldn't speak the same language we instantly felt the special bond that is such a treasure.
Next we popped into a grocery store to take a peak around. Fully enjoyed this coffee grinder. Nothing like freshly ground coffee beans!
Walking around Chania is enjoyable. From wide shopping and dining streets like this one ..
​
Here's a cute hotel entrance framed by a blooming bougainvillea which provides shade like an umbrella from nature for anyone sitting at that little table. =)
​
Unique Greek Gift Ideas on Crete
Do you see the green and yellow leather bags in the photo? This backpack style is called Vourgiali or Vourgia.
According to their website, this style of bag is used by Cretan shepherds and farmers to store their daily meals. Vourgiali can also be found in Cyprus and the Dodecanese islands. This leather backpack would be a really cool souvenir from Crete - it's useful, it's unique, it supports a local artisan, and it has cultural significance and an interesting story.
​If leather isn't your thing. check out O Armenis for more unique souvenirs from Crete.
O Armenis sells traditional cutlery and you can see how unique these handmade knives certainly are.
The tall walking sticks / shepherds crooks caught my eye as well. I was curious how much they cost. These cool walking sticks were 80 euros, but I imagine they will be hard to pack in your checked luggage. lol
​
​
Walking past the next store, something immediately caught my eye - the colorful coin pouches inside the doorway. They looked Thai, without a doubt.
This cute boutique, Wipa Silk Shop, has loads of cute dresses and accessories including many authentic Thai goods. It was a highlight of the day to chat with the owner, a kind Thai woman.
​Please stop in at Wipa when you are in Chania!
​
Another great souvenir from Greece would be handmade leather sandals. Typically the sandals will have the family name stamped in the footbed. I much prefer this dignified way to acknowledge the maker than the overly branded items popular today, which can be tacky.
cretan Cats of chania
In the neighborhood were some adorable street cats and a comical, scruffy little dog.
​
old venetian port of chania
We had made it to the Old Venetian Port of Chania.
​
We found more cats hanging around waiting for a fresh catch and this one looked quite distinguished.
There are plenty of restaurants to dine at along the Old Venetian Port where you'll have a view of the water and the Lighthouse of Chania.
What's so special about Chania's Lighthouse?
It's said to be the oldest lighthouse in the world so we thought it worth the walk down the long mole (the stone pier leading to the lighthouse), but not without first taking in the views.
Before walking down the pier, take a peak around the corner of this stone wall to see glimpses of the Chanion Gulf in the Sea of Crete.
The walk to the lighthouse starts out well. The walkway is spacious and affords views of the boats docked along the shore with the Venetian shipyards in the background.
​
The old sea wall going out to the lighthouse has sort of an upper level and lower level. At one point we took stairs to the upper level, which was more narrow and because I started to feel uneasy we turned back in order to continue on the lower level a la Proverbs 22:3.
Shortly thereafter my sandal proceeds to break in an irreparable way while we are on the middle of this long walk to the lighthouse in the blazing heat. We had no choice but to turn back and let me tell you it was an even longer walk back trying to hold onto my flipflop by scrunching up my toes while walking.
Tired, overheated, frustrated, and hungry we hobbled our way to a place called Tostachi.
​
Tostachi Restaurant Review | Chania Cruise Port Crete, Greece
​Tostachi is a cute little restaurant serving bio (organic) foods made from the heart.
Tostachi Chania Menu
Greek Coffee
Cretan Spinach Pie
​
Stelio's Salad
​
Kalitsounia with honey - Dessert
By the way, if you're wondering what is mizithra?! It's a homemade traditional cheese made from goats milk.
Fruit Plate
The best part of tostachi.
The kind of guy who would repair a sandal for a total stranger :) and as if that wasn't enough, even provide extra wire in case the first fix didn't stay. What a legend!
​
walking back to the cruise shuttle bus
​
Cool Buildings in Chania
​We walked near the water and the views of the Chanion Gulf were so beautiful.
​Once I saw these steps I knew I had to run down them real quick and dip my toe into the water - it was my last chance! When would I be on Crete again?! It was soooo refreshing on such a hot day.
Wouldn't you love to visit Crete and spend some time in these beautiful waters?!
Sailing from crete on Sun princess
The views...
... were just ...
so so so good!
We couldn't get enough
of the views through souda bay
dinner and Dancing in the Piazza
​
​You will also like:
Sun Princess MEDITERRANEAN Cruise Blogs:
- Is Chania walkable from cruise port?
- What to do in Crete from a cruise ship?
- Is Chania a tender port?
- What is the name of the port in Chania?
- What is the name of the cruise port in Crete?
- Is Chania Crete worth visiting? Yes!!
- What currency do they use in Chania?
​Bring euros! The currency in Chania Crete is euro since Greece is part of the European Union. Cards are also widely accepted. Our favorite travel cards do not have foreign transaction fees either. ;)
Oh, Hey!
We're Justin and Marissa
We love to travel and eat!
Traveling Through Food is a place to share some of our adventures in travel and food so you can find inspiration for your next big trip whether it's around the world or down the freezer aisle at the grocery store. :p
Check out this recent cruise post:
Check out this recent Restaurant Review:
Categories
All
Alaska Cruise
Albufeira Restaurant Reviews
Aldi
Algarve
Algarve Foodie Blog
Algarve Restaurant Reviews
All Inclusive Resort Deals
Americans In Portugal
Anthem Of The Seas
Anthem Of The Seas Cruise Deals
Appetizers
Apples
Aqua Theater Suite
Are Travel Agents Worth It?
Aruba
Bacon
Bahamas
Balcony Stateroom Cabin
Barcelona
Beans
Beef
Bermuda
Bifana
Bitoque
Boardwalk Balcony Stateroom Cabin
Book Travel
Breakfast
Bubble Tea
Cafe Reviews
California
Carrot Cake
Celebrity Apex
Celebrity Ascent
Celebrity Ascent Review
Celebrity Beyond
Celebrity Cruise Blog
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises Drinks Packages
Celebrity Cruises Travel Agent
Celebrity Dream Makers
Celebrity Edge
Celebrity River Cruises
Celebrity Xcel
Central America
Chase Credit Cards
Chefs Studio
Chefs Table
Chili
Client Services
Cost Of Living In Portugal
Couples Travel Blog
Crepes
Crete Chania
Cruise Drink Packages
Cruise Food
Cruise News Today
Cruise Ports
Cruise Restaurant Menus
Cruise Reviews
Cruises
Cruise Travel Blog
Cuban Food
Cyprus
Deck Plans
Desserts
Dinner
Disney Deals
Dominican Republic
Donuts
Door Dash Review
Drinks
Eastern Caribbean Cruise
Eden
Eden Cafe
Egg
El Loco Fresh
El Salvador
Enchantment Of The Seas
Europe
European Cruises
Expats In Portugal
Experiences
Explorer Of The Seas
Family Recipes
Family Travel
Ferreiras
Flight Reviews
Florida
Flow Rider
Foodie Blog
Foodie Bloggers
Fort Lauderdale
Freedom Of The Seas
Fukuoka
Get Sailor Loot
Grandeur Of The Seas
Greece
Greek Isles Cruise
Grocery Reviews
Haiti
Happy Hour
Hawaii
Hello Fresh
Hilton
Hilton Honors Credit Card
Hoagies
Hotel Reviews
Hyatt
Icon Of The Seas
Imperfect Foods
Independence Of The Seas
Indian Food In Portugal
Indian Restaurants
Infinite Veranda
Inspired By Travel
Italy
Italy Travel Blog
Japan
Japanese Food
Johnny Rockets
JW Guides
JW Travel Agent
Korean Barbecue
Labadee
Labadee Beach Bar
Labadee Cayman Cruise
Last Minute Travel Deals
Las Vegas
Learn Portuguese
Legend Of The Seas
Le Grand Bistro
Liberty Of The Seas
Lidl Reviews
Lisbon
Lisbon Hotels
Lisbon Restaurant Reviews
Lisbon Restaurants
Lisbon Travel Blog
Lobster
Los Angeles
Lunch
Luxury Cruise Vacation
Marissa Books Travel
Meal Kits
Meal Prep
Mediterranean Cruise
Miami
Miles And Points
Misfits Market
Mosaic Restaurant
Moving Abroad
Mushrooms
Naples
North America
Norwegian Cruises NCL
Norwegian Fjords Cruise
Noteworthy Burgers
Oceanview Stateroom Cabin
Ohlos De Agua
Orlando
Pasta
Pastries In Portugal
Pastry
Perfect Day CocoCay
Photo Diary
Piri Piri Chicken
Pittsburgh
Pizza
Pizza In Italy
Pizza In Portugal
Pizza On A Cruise
Plate Of The Day
Port Canaveral
Port Everglades
Portimao
Portugal
Portugal Travel Blogs
Potato
Presidents Cruise
Primantis
Princess Cruises
Quarteira
Ramen
Raw On 5
Recipe Reviews
Recipes
Recipes Cooking Tips Grocery Reviews
Restaurant Review
Reviews
Rice
River Cruises
Rome
Royal Beach Club Cozumel
Royal Beach Club Nassau
Royal Caribbean Blog
Royal Caribbean Cruise Deals
Royal Caribbean Cruises
Royal Caribbean Review
Royal Caribbean Travel Agent
Salad
Saving Money
Scarlet Lady
Sea Days
Seafood
Should I Use A Travel Agent?
Should I Use A Travel Agent To Book A Cruise?
Snacks
Sorrentos Royal Caribbean
Soup
Southern Caribbean Cruise
Souvenirs
Specialty Dining Reviews
Spice
Star Of The Seas
Stateroom Tours
St Thomas
Sun Princess
Sun Princess Reviews
Sushi
Symphony Of The Seas
Symphony Of The Seas Review
Tacos
Take Out Delivery Review
Taste Test
Technical Writing
The Bazaar
The Market
The Pesky Parrot
Too Good To Go Restaurants
Too Good To Go Reviews
Tools & Gadgets
Train Travel
Transatlantic Cruise
Travel Blog
Travel Blogs
Travel Credit Cards
Travel Days
Travel Deals
Travel News
Travel Tips Travel Hacks Packing Tips
Travel Tutorial
Travel UGC
Travel With Kids
Turkey
Uber Eats Reviews
Ugc
UGC Blogger
UGC Creator
United Airline Miles
Utopia Of The Seas
Valiant Lady
Viking Cruises
Vilamoura
Vilamoura Restaurant Reviews
Virgin Voyages
Virgin Voyages Blog
Virgin Voyages Cruise Deals
Virgin Voyages Travel Agent
Vision Of The Seas
Voyager Of The Seas
Western Caribbean Cruise
What Do Travel Agents Do
Wonder Of The Seas
Wonder Of The Seas Reviews
Xcel Tunnel
Archives
April 2025
March 2025
February 2025
January 2025
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
May 2024
April 2024
January 2024
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023