lynncarol

We stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel. It is directly across from a huge lovely park that contains a beer garden. Restaurants are within walking distance. I would recommend you visit the castle (easy to do on your own via a taxi) and take a tour that includes the UNESCO sites of Jeronimos Monastery and the Tower of Belem. Also consider a day trip to Pena Palace in Sintra, which is easily done by a direct train from the Rossio station in Lisbon

La Digue in the Seychelles The Baths in Virgin Gorda. (I don't think cruise-ships go there but it is accessible by boat).

Just wanted to say that my husband and I (as senior citizens) found the Turkish locals in Istanbul to be very warm and accommodating when we were there in 2014. We had the day before our cruise was to start and a day afterwards where we wandered around on our own. Every time I boarded the tram, several folks hopped up to offer me their seat. Back then, Hagia Sophia was still a museum and while visiting the site, I was very impressed with how seamlessly the crowd control went. We also got to see the Cisterns and Blue Mosque thanks to locals who took the time to make sure we found the correct entrance. I would also recommend the Topkapi palace complex which we loved.

I just took a look at the train schedules. You can get from Venice to Ravenna with one change in Ferrara in a little over two hours and the cost is less than 30 dollars. My husband and I (both senior citizens) always travel via trains throughout Italy, including Ravenna. Of course, we don't carry a lot of large luggage and have no major mobility issues but its is a great way of travel if your group meets this criteria

We were in Alaska during the month of September and because the weather had been cold, no mosquitos at all in Denali. In fact, there wasn't a cloud in the sky for the two days we were there. I totally agree with previous poster...try to end the cruise in Anchorage and add on a week of driving around in a rental car. It is a gorgeous place and this way you can stop when and where you want. That's how we got those two clear days in Denali.

Had layovers in Frankfurt at least 6 times over the years. Never had any issues there. In fact, they have a hotel within the airport that we have used twice when long layovers were involved. As far as meds, I carry a pill dispenser box with my prescription medications, and put all the OTC stuff in small plastic baggies. None of this is marked, never use original pill bottles, and never any problem anywhere going through security in any country. I guess that's one of the few advantages of being a "woman of a certain age". Obviously I look like all these pills are necessary.

In the Caribbean, Klein Bonaire as of 2024. In the world, Seychelles and the Maldives (although that was over 20 years ago, so who knows now what they are like)

I have a rock collection so try to bring home a unique pebble from each country we visit. It is important however to never take anything from a country's parks or their national areas of prominence. I also have a shell collection since I grew up near the ocean, but carting off shells is illegal in most places abroad now.

When we were in Dubrovnik we had a rental car and drove to Mostar in Bosnia. I checked Viator and there are several day trips from Dubrovnik to Mostar that you can purchase. I don't know anything about them or how long they let you visit Mostar, but the four of us absolutely loved Mostar! We ended up spending the night there and all of us wished we could have stayed longer. Mostar has this incredible recreated ancient bridge in a lovely setting. Plus, mosques with minarets that you can climb, a really neat cobblestone road with tiny interesting shops: a quick introduction to the Muslim culture.

In addition to cruising, my husband and I travel independently a lot. Almost always, if it is an individual tour operator they want paid in cash. We have found this to be true for guides in Russia, Europe, Africa, Australia and South America. Frankly, only once have I ever paid an individual in advance and it did not end well. (Fortunately, it was less than 100 dollars). Our bank does not charge for foreign ATM fees, so that is what we usually do: the day before, we get the money out, then bring it with us for the tour. That way, no carrying large sums of money around and we can get the exact amount needed.

Although my husband and I have Elite/Diamond status on RCCL and Celebrity, we chose to forgo all those perks and sailed with Princess for our Alaska cruise, solely because we wanted to see Glacier Bay National Park and those formerly mentioned cruise-lines don't have the permits to go there. Glacier Bay is not to be missed, so whatever line you chose, I strongly suggest it is included on the itinerary.

Never have cruised to Croatia, but we spent a week there on our own back in 2019. Our favorite place of all the beautiful sites in the country was Plitvice National Park. Can you find out of any of the Croatian port stops offer that as an excursion? Some people say that Krka (near Sibenik) is equally as beautiful but it isn't.

Have you considered renting a car to drive to the site?

maybe if you are on the shorter side it is chest-deep water. My husband is 6'4" and I am also tall so to us it was about waist-deep.

Anchorage is, as I'm sure you know, a city. It has lots more restaurants and a great museum. Seward is more for the outdoor experience. The train from Anchorage to Seward leaves really early in the morning. (if I recall correctly, about 6:30 a.m). The Kenai Fjords are indeed lovely, but if the weather is bad, boat excursions there cancel. When we went in September, it was raining hard with wind and choppy waters so the captain turned the boat around and took us back to the dock half-way through the outing. (We were refunded half of the fare and saw a big pod of Orcas, so it was still a worthwhile experience). If I were you, I would check out the weather forecast before spending an entire day in Seward....we were told it rains there a lot!