wheelchair use on Calypso and smoking policy

by **jbshawhall** on Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:30 pm

We are booked on Calypso for 14 nights in May. Has anyone travelled on this ship with a wheelchair, if so can you give me some idea of how easy or hard it s going to be getting around the ship. A few tips on the ports of call would be useful!!!!. (We have sailed on Ocean Viilage, Island Star and Escape with no problems)
Also do the men have to wear suits at the formal evening or will shirt and tie be OK?
I know smoking is a bad subject but we do enjoy an odd cigarette during the evening. Is there any area inside the ship that you can smoke or is it all non smoking?

by **kate52** on Fri Feb 01, 2008 11:19 pm

Hi- we were on the Calypso last year. On the formal night a few men wore smart shirts and no jacket, but the majority were in suits or DJs, especially if they went to "meet the captain".
The only indoor smoking area was the casino, which was next to the entertainment lounge, but had few tables, and you couldn't really join in what was going on from there. One half of the outside decks are also no smoking.
Not sure what itinerary you are doing, otherwise would help with ports if I can. We did Crimean discovery and the Corinth Canal one (forgotten the name already!) last year.
Can't help about the accessibility either, sorry. We don't use the lifts much. It's a small ship, very friendly, sure you will like it.

by **jbshawhall** on Sat Feb 02, 2008 11:51 pm

Thanks for your reply. My fella does not like the idea of being in a penguin suit when its 90 degrees!! So if I can talk him into wearing a suit and tie he might be OK.He likes smart casual - good shirt and trs.(The thaught of a tie will choke him!!)
We are doing 2 week cruise - nessebar in bulgaria, stevestolpol in ukraine, contstanta i romania, istanbul in turkey,and a new destination for this year - mirina then back to thresslonki in greece for full day whilst ship embarks and disembarks passengers, Corinth canal, zakinthos,corfu (already been), itea in greece, piraeus greece (already been), Volos in greece.
Do you know if you can smoke in your cabin?

by **kate52** on Sun Feb 03, 2008 2:10 am

you could smoke in cabin last year- though they ask you to refrain if possible. The rules seem to be changing by the minute!! The neutrogel air fresheners seem to work quite well (we took one with us!)

We had bad weather going to Sevastopol and were 4 hours late getting there which cut down our time a lot. Luckily got on a trip at the last minute so were able to see more than if we had been doing it ourselves. The panorama museum is amazing. Would definitely recommend it. Quite a lot of steps in there though. A lot of scenery as you are sailing- some of it with commentary from the "bridge". Istanbul by night was especially good.
When the ship docked in Istanbul we were very near the bridge, so we walked over and made our way to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, Topkapi palace and Grand Bazaar on our own.
The dock in Volos is a way out of the town, and being a Sunday there's not much open. We went on a train ride into the mountains.
Thessaloniki is nice and flat- out of the docks, turn right along the sea- front and you come to the main square, White tower further along.
The excursions team were extremely helpful and the info they gave us was always spot on (not always the case!).

My husband also hates the suit and tie nights- can just about put up with it once a week!