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Yes, usually you have to pay it on the spot. steamboats

Your DL might be o.k. at the port security (which is no governmental authority but a private security companay) for identification but your only legal document for traveling within Europe is your passport. Even the European DLs are no legal document for identification within Europe. The only legal documents for traveling in Europe are passports and for Europeans an ID card issued by the country. I quote @euro cruiser from the other thread: "Italian law requires everyone to carry a national ID at all times. The only national ID for Americans is a passport. Here is the relevant part of the law, translated by google: "3. The foreigner who, at the request of the officers and agents of public safety, does not comply, without justified reason, to the order to produce the passport or other document of identification and residence permit or other document certifying regular presence in the territory of the State is punished with imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of up to 2,000 euros." The full law can be read here: DECRETO LEGISLATIVO 25 luglio 1998, n. 286 - Normattiva The quote above is from Article 6, paragraph 3." steamboats

Definitely! steamboats

I´d say no as this is not a legal document for traveling to the EU. It does not show your Schengen entry stamp (Visa Waiver Program). So just with the passport card you can´t prof that you are not an illegal alien. steamboats

Usually with a cruise starting out of a Spanish port and with EU ports only the VAT applies for the whole cruise and not just within the Spanish ports. Just to get some facts straight: - it´s no Spanish tax but an EU tax and it applies for all EU countries (it´s just the rate which is up to the country - 10% reduced rate in Spain and 21% regular rate - you pay that extra in all shops onboard), it´s just that Spain enforced this. But I also had notes that the Italian VAT will be added to any purchase. - all other cruise lines do have to pay that tax too... All more European based lines (MSC, Costa, AIDA TUI Cruise) do include the tax in the price of the drink, while the US based lines (NCL, RCI, Celebrity...) add it to the price of the drink - that´s just how it is handled usually in those areas of the world. We all pay a VAT in Europe but our laws require it to be included in the price on the price tag. - it´s just NCL which is charging the 10% to every single drink of a package... RCI/Celebrity don´t do that. And I´d say that this (RCI/Celebrity) it totally correct regarding the tax laws. The VAT applies to the price of the package. That´s what the passenger has purchased. When you buy the package online you usually buy it outside of the EU (so maybe Maimi). Therefore the tax law of the country of purchase comes in (which would be US). That should be the same for an included package or Free at Sea package. You pay the package (included) with the cruise fare or you buy the Free at Sea package (and when you buy it with the cruise you didn´t buy it within the EU). So it´s only NCL interpreting the EU tax laws like this - meaning they have to add the 10% to each drink which is ordered with a package. steamboats

Being from the US the only legal document is your passport. steamboats

See post #5 in this thread 😉! steamboats

Ready the other thread... Italy is doing random checks and the fine when you don't carry a legal document is hefty. steamboats

As a European I do have my German ID card which is valid for travel within the EU. So for me there´s no need to carry my passport. But in Italy the law requires you to have a legal ID with you. And for non EU citizens this is the passport which also holds the Schengen stamp to proof that you are legally within the Schengen area. A DL is worthless within Europe and will only help you to get through the security to board the ship but not in a police control. steamboats

The US DL is no valid photo ID in Europe. There´s a current discussion on the Italy board that the Italian police is doing random checks in trains and near tourist attractions. For those random checks they want to see your passport (with your Schengen stamp) as a proof that you are no illegal alien. steamboats

We´re not talking about a check at port but a random check by the police in a train or in Italian cities. steamboats

Some states in the US require an international DL Like Georgia. Florida had it for a couple of months but then skipped it. steamboats

This is no legal ID in Europe. And the international DL here in Germany is just a piece of paper with translations - so pretty worthless. steamboats

The engine control room is usually above the engine room. There´s no direct connection allowing a window. Definitely no! It depends on the cruise line... I´ve been on the bridge of the MSC Euribia plus the engine control room and the engine room. On the Silver Nova we visited all crew areas plus bridge, engine control room. laundry and more (time ran out otherwise we would have gone to the engine room too). For those who want to see some behind the scenes... here´s a video of my DH (of various ships, sorry no NCL): Narration is in German but there should be English subtitles. steamboats

@-Lew- yes, a copie or photo of your passport might be helpful in case you need a replacement... just to prof your identity with the consulate/embassy. steamboats

Being German I´m traveling Europe and especially Italy and Spain for my whole life (and that´s more than 50 years now). I never had anything stolen by pic-pockets (knocking on wood). Yes, I did watch them in Rome several times. Use common sense... Don´t wear a bag on one shoulder but cross body. Don´t wear a bag on the street side of the side walk but always to the side where the buildings are. Have a bag with a zipper and no open compartments. Don´t wear a brand bag but a cheap one. There are a lot of travel bags with steel cords and locks for zippers. For men: No way you should carry your wallet (or now also the phone) in the back pocket of your trousers. Always put those things in the front pocket where you can keep your hands on. I prefer to have my purse and documents in a belly bag. I can always put my hands on. And yes, it´s one of those theft proofed travel bags. I can lock the main compartment. The clasp is hidden and can´t be opened easily. The belt is having an additional steel cord inside so it can´t be cut easily. There are a couple of well known tricks to get your attention away from your valuables... like spreading some mustard/ketchup on your clothes and trying to help you to clean it up (while the other person picks your wallet). Holding a paper or map in front of you to get the second person a chance to grab something underneath... Today the cell phones are a main target... Never let your phone lay open on a table in an outdoor café... BTW when being in the US a police man might be o.k. with my German ID or DL just for identification (or to prove my age) but anyway I have to carry my passport with me to approve that I do have my Visa Waiver stamp and that I´m not out of my 90 days range. steamboats

I wouldn´t subscribe that the passport card might be sufficent... As a non EU citizen you need to present a legal document showing that you are legally traveling within the EU. So they could insist on seeing your Schengen stamp in your passport. Driver licenses are not regarded as legal document in Europe. I have my German ID card which is valid for traveling within the EU and some other countries. But I also carry my passport with me - basically for check-in with the cruise line. So within EU I only take my ID card ashore. steamboats

BTW it´s raining all day long here in the South... and this should last on for tomorrow. steamboats

I´m not sure about Holler Grill, but the Parfümerie Kramer sounds familiar. It´s more than 40 years now I lived there. I love Federweißer ;-). steamboats

I lived in Karlstadt as a child. So I definitely know the Würzburg area. And I prefer the Weinfeste over the Oktoberfest 😂. And I'm happy that carnival is not that much of a thing in Munich 🤦. steamboats

Can't see anything happy related to this.... Worst two weeks of the year. steamboats

Yes, Line 2 is going directly from Tronchetto to St. Mark´s Square (either via the Guidecca Canal or the Grand Canal). What intrigues me a little is "Tronchetto City Center". Tronchetto is a parking space on an island on the West side of Venice followed by the former cruise port at Stazione Marittima. Usually all cruise ship busses are going to Stazione Marittima - at least for those ships which depart from "Venice" (Fusina or Marghera). It might be that the shuttle to/from Ravenna is going to the tourist parking area Tronchetto. You can also take the People Mover from Tronchetto to Piazzale Roma and board another line there. The tow major lines through the Grand Canal are 1 and 2 with line 1 having more stops. Our hotel was within walking distance of St. Mark´s Square but the closest vaporetto stop was S. Giglio. This one was only served by line 1 and not by line 2. So you might check out with google maps which vaporetto stop is the closest to your hotel and which line stops there. If you stay a couple of days in Venice get a day or multi day ticket for the ACTV vaporetti (we had an 48 hour ticket). The easiest way is to buy it via the AVM App. But make sure you download the app at home and get the payment features working. Most stops have sort of scanners where you you hold the QR code on your cell phone below the scanner and then the door opens. The ticket BTW does include the People Mover. steamboats

I have stopped by the Saar river yesterday briefly but no river cruise ship in town. I will have a longer walk along the Saar river tonight (on my way to dinner). But Saarbrücken is a pretty rare stop for river cruise ships. I saw two river cruise ships in Mannheim when the train crossed the bridge. steamboats

Weather is looking pretty good here in Saarbrücken 😉 right now. steamboats

Yes, and there are mutiple threads covering this topic. steamboats