edinburgher

before all of the Venice/Trieste upheaval, we had Trieste as a port of call. We found enough to see and do there for a day, going out of town high up to a village above Trieste for the views, than taking a public bus along to the Miramare Castle before exploring around the city centre on return. There should be online tourist info available if you internet search and of course previous threads you can search for. This one may be of interest: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2860815-trieste-to-miramare/#comment-63423077

Le Havre isn't the most attractive town to stay in so should you find little online to interest you there, you could also consider looking at Rouen or Honfleur as both have connections to le Havre. Rouen has a lot to offer and is around an hour by train from le Havre. Honfleur is pretty but much smaller and connections would be by public bus or taxi.

I can see on the link the word "hiver" which is winter so the service may not be as frequent, but if it is still running a bonus for you. Given your travel date, you might find the same switch from summer to winter timetables in some of your other ports, for opening hours at some sights, museums, public transport etc.so worth checking. A little bit extra work for you if you are straddling October and November dates as this can be a "switch over" period. Enjoy.

I would second that. Our day in Seward was very wet so we strolled along to this center as a way of escaping the rain, only to find that we really enjoyed it and spent longer than we thought we might. In Haines the weather was absolutely glorious so we decided on the spur of the moment to take a flightseeing trip as they are costly and we had not wanted to book one ahead of time anywhere in case the weather was poor on the day. We were only doing one on that trip an it was an opportunity. We left the ship early and went directly to a local company which offered a selection of routes and booked there and then. When we returned an hour or so later for our time slot, all of their slots for the entire day had been filled by other pax who had the same idea, so if interested organise it as early in the day as you can.

Yes, my opinion, however was concerned that it would be too much of a difference from your usual preferences of warm sunny weather and fun onboard activities which reflected that weather as Alaska is so different and the emphasis is usually more on the itinerary than the ship. Was also a little concerned that you were looking at NCL as they don't have the best reviews for their Alaska routes and port times, and only later did it register with me that it is a "comped" trip and probably won't give you the flexibility of looking at other lines. You will either love it or hate it, but it is an opportunity for you to experience something different.

Good idea. They should be able to give you the correct info, and maybe a link to a timetable.

You didn't say for how many nights you are looking for a hotel. For one night, le Havre may be good from a practical choice for you, but for longer stays there are so many more attractive places you could consider.

There used to be a frequent little ferry service which served the short crossing between la Seyne and Toulon, but as I no longer have info for it, you could try internet searching with relevant wording. But importantly you should also check timetables as November is sort of beyond the end of the tourist season and many services, facilities tourist shops, cafes etc will close at the end of October.and you may find either a reduced service on your date, or that it has ceased running by then.

You might find it helpful to read some of the previous threads discussing Rio. You can find them using the search function under your username. This one could be a good starting point. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2846897-rio-april-2023/#comment-63110824

There are many who swear that a balcony is the only way to go, but it really depends on the price points and a couple of other factors such as weather, including colder and perhaps some rain too, also the scenery and if someone is a keen photographer who would prefer a more open view. But on our Alaska itineraries, we actually spent much more time on the open decks and covered or semi covered Promenade Decks, with the occasional seat in poorer weather in a forward Observation Lounge for better views than we could get from our room. Alaska is all about the scenery and the wildlife,and a balcony restricts you to one side only. And on sunny days you might find yourself on the shaded side. On open decks you can move easily from one side to the other and can often have a forward view in addition (and the stern can also be good). We find the ability to move from one side to the other much more convenient, and quite often other passengers will spot whales or otters or something else of interest and give a shout out which you would be unaware of sitting on your balcony. And very occasionally, a Captain will announce a "sighting" which is broadcast on open decks but not always inside the ship so as not to disrupt pax having a long lie or a meal service. I am sure others will disagree, but open decks worked well for us so the actual room is not that important to us for viewing purposes. Ours were with HAL and we were very happy with the ships.

And in Europe it can be very easy to DIY your own excursions as most towns and cities have very good or excellent public transport in addition to taxis. Public transport options can be by bus, metro, trams, ferries or even trains depending on the size of the city. There is always much info to be found online about how to use public transport in ? or ?, plus ticketing info and timetables. As for port information, there is a wealth of information and images to be found online, also the European Ports forums here on CC. Town or city tourist info websites can be a good starting point, guide books, Tripadvisor, YouTube, and Rick Steves publications are popular with Americans. There are a huge number of tourist info websites if you search "(city/town name) Tourist information" Also read the shorex available even if you have no interest in booking any as they give you an idea of highlights you might want to consider should they appeal to you. You can look to see how you could visit them without paying $$$s for shorex. And join the Roll Call for your ship and date as that is where you and fellow pax can exchange ideas and tips and possibly arrange small group private tours. Google really is your best friend.

Older than ten years but would like to volunteer to be your adopted grandkids should you want a couple more additions!😀

I am being lazy and copying/pasting a post I added yesterday to a very similar question although also wanting to know about NCL so I have tweaked a little. I have no personal experience of NCL as we prefer smaller ships, but I am pretty sure I read threads at different times this year from pax stating that NCL have shorter times in ports than other lines, also that they have less favourable docking positions and sometimes have to tender. Both Princess and HAL have much experience cruising Alaska as they have been doing it for many decades, and (someone correct me if I am wrong) they have more permits to sail Glacier Bay than NCL.My understanding is that they are the market leaders and also operate many of the domed rail cars. And Princess own lodges in Denali. To get the most from your trip, choosing the right itinerary is important and not all lines offer the same itineraries. And the ship is also important, although the emphasis is not so much on entertainment, more on cabin comfort, viewing opportunities and informative lecturers. We did a HAL 2 week north/south out of Vancouver first, thinking it would be a "one off" but returned 2 or 3 years later when a new HAL itinerary opened up out of Seattle. As it covered many of the places and scenic cruising spots our first one had not, and as we thought HAL did the first one so well, (and the ship was great for outdoor viewing)we booked and didn't regret doing so as the more we saw of Alaska, the more we wanted to see.

Perhaps if you had asked the questions you have now asked in post #18, it would have been clearer to others what you meant. Some of your questions are relating to travel choices and the amount of time to be spent somewhere. Not possible to reply to these as your sightseeing agenda will be personal to you and your interests and whatever mode of transport you feel most comfortable with. As to the amount of time to be spent, that will be determined by the amount of time you have built into your sightseeing plans plus your personal interests, as for some, an hour in the Vatican would be more than enough, for others not nearly long enough. Ditto the Colosseum as some visitors might not want to visit it at all but others would want to visit both above and below the arena which takes much more time. As for transportation, again it is a personal choice and the level of your budget. And you should not need to learn more Italian just because you will spend a short time there, as especially in touristic areas, there will always be someone to be found who has a few words of english if you are stuck. Or could you up/down?load one of the translation apps to your phone? The same should apply to other European countries you will visit. There is usually no need to learn multiple languages if you are only visiting touristic areas. And you asked about transport between Civi and Rome. There is a pinned thread at the top of the Italy Ports Forum where others have discussed their experiences and it might be helpful for you to read it. it is always worth checking for pinned threads at the top of destination forums as they may be helpful to you. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2848357-civitavecchia-port-rome-by-train-2023-your-questions-answered-here/page/2/#comment-63163274

The link from the internet search for the Villefranche port calls gave listings of expected cruise ship calls for 2023 and 2024. As you know your ship name and arrival date, it should not be confusing if it is listed as Villefranche, and if it is not, then perhaps it will be Nice, but an email to one or the other should clarify.

Thanks for acknowledging as not everyone does. enjoy Oslo.

The examples you have given could apply to anywhere in the entire world, but you asked specifically about Italy as a whole, not even only one location, as if your examples would only apply there and nowhere else? As an example, you asked: or did something at the wrong time of day and it made for a poor experience. Answer;In hot weather, avoid going outdoors for extended periods during the hottest hours. (not unique to Italy, as applies worldwide)

Do you have any tender ports on this itinerary? Should there be any tender port calls, are you aware of the P and O rules for any tender port if travelling with young children? Friends travelling with son, daughter-in-law and two young grandchildren were caught out by a "step test" with the youngest.

And once you look at the HOHO route, you will know if any of the stops will be at attractions you found when researching which will be of personal interest to you and you can hop off, visit, and hop on again. I think you will see more of the city than you would with a walking tour.

Absolutely. Iit isn't called "The Grand Harbour" for no reason. And definitely be out on deck in a spot where you can move easily from one side to the other as you will be able to see both sides as well as forward.

If the Port of Nice website was a dead end, instead try something along the lines of" Port of Villefranche cruise schedule" as I just now did and found a link to the schedule in the results. I would still check from time to time in case there are any future changes, or you could try contacting one of the two ports (e-mail?) and ask directly. Also, have you checked with others on your Roll Call in case a fellow passenger has already given a definitive answer?

Vigelands Sculpture Park Being a city there are many sights and attractions and "one size won't fit all" for a one day visit. And it is fairly spread out so I am not convinced a walking tour would cover what are considered to be the top sights in Oslo. I recommend you put in a bit of time reading tourist information websites and guidebook recommendations , also review sites such as Tripadvisor. Once you read descriptions and look at images of what Oslo offers, you will develop an idea of which sights/attractions appeal to you most and can plan your day accordingly. We found public transport very easy to use so don't be put off if your top choices are not in close proximity to each other. The Vigelands Sculpture Park was probably a favourite of ours, as it is with many others, and reviews and images can be found online.

There are some left luggage locations in Lisbon, but I only know they exist, not anything about them, so for that you would need to google something like "left luggage in Lisbon" or "luggage storage in Lisbon". And also try googling for left luggage at the main train station or at "Rossio train station" which is closer to the port. google is your best friend.

So the word "sticky" has not been changed,but has in fact been removed. Does this mean we now refer to these threads as "pinned threads"?

For helpful replies you really do need to give more detail otherwise you cannot expect anything helpful to you personally in the replies. Are these the kind of replies you are hoping for? EG I personally would shy away from hiring a motor scooter or booking a car rental with the intention of driving in Rome or Naples. I would also not arrive at tourist attractions such as the Sistine Chapel or the Colosseum (and many others across Italy) and expect to walk right on in.