edinburgher

Why look elsewhere? You loved your first Alaskan cruise but you didn't say how long it was or how many ports you actually visited. If you only visited a handful of ports, with there being so many Alaskan ports to visit, you could easily return to Alaska but this time choose an itinerary which hits ports which would be new to you this time around. In this instance the itinerary would be more important than the ship. Although the majority of our Alaskan ports were new to us, we have repeated a small number of ports on our Alaskan cruises but still enjoyed revisiting (it is no hardship to revisit Glacier Bay as it changes depending on the weather on the day and Juneau offered more than we could do in one day) To obtain best itineraries, we sailed from both Vancouver and Seattle so you may want to look at sailings from both.

My aplogies. I had a bit of a senior moment and forgot to include the Akureyri link referenced in my post #5. It is this one. OP, ignore the first few posts on it as it morphs into a discussion of recommended tours and operators. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2910739-akureyri-activities/#comment-64715461

I am not an expert by any means, but am unaware of regular port cancellations and tours not running due to infrastructure reasons but others can maybe confirm you are correct. And be aware that Norway is one of the most expensive countries in Europe so you can expect prices to be higher than you would pay at home. And Iceland isn't too far behind.

Well, unless you are prepared to fork out multiple $$$s to go everywhere with the cruiseline,or mostly stay onboard or go out for short walks in each port, it will be essential to look at different options yourself. Fortunately you have an itinerary which is calling into mostly smaller locations so it should be much simpler than it would have been were you heading to much larger cities with a huge number of options. We have visited Longyearbyen. Very very easy to walk around yourself at very little cost.. Neither of us can remember exactly, but we think there was a shuttle bus from the ship to a central point and thereafter we simply walked around exploring this rather unique town.We used the internet in the public library inside the little shopping centre and spent time in the church chatting with the lady minister who by chance was there at the time,and who told us about life there, and visited the museum, and the little shopping centre, and the supermarket is interesting too for the limited selections and the ridiculously high prices. We also walked to the sundial and enjoyed the overall views, really quite scenic. You cannot give birth there, nor die there, nor be buried there due to the lack of services. There are "beware of the bears" signs around (good for photo ops) and it is (or was) forbidden to venture out of town without a rifle. Some of the few stores had signs at their entrance forbidding weapons inside. And most properties are raised above ground due to permafrost. And outside all of them, you will see skis and snowmobiles parked up.And the kids playgrounds outside the school and nursery had high fencing around them to keep the kids safe from any bear attacks. It was all really quite interesting, a brief glimpse of a life most of us could never imagine. And "researching" it wasn't onerous at all, mostly only reading, and if you read the above, you have already "researched" and it surely wasn't that hard was it? For additional information, google is your best friend. if you never visited Honningsvasg before, then the "must-do" trip is to the North Cape. There are a number of ways to get there including public bus, taxi, private tour or shorex, but I suggest you book this as either a shorex or a private tour. Is there a roll Call for this sailing? If so, do join as others may be planning private tours in some ports and looking for fellow pax like yourself to join them. The Reykjavik most highly recommended tour is the Golden Circle so if you are flying in the day before you would have time for that (i think) on your boarding day, or depending on flight timing, the day you fly in. isafjordur is tiny and offers little, so unless happy with a short walk around town then return to ship, you might want to look at tours here. Akureyri is a brilliant location for touring some of the most natural and intriguing sites in Icelandand there are several previous threads here on CC which discuss these. Use the search tool under your user name to find them,(will work for your other ports too,) but this one would be a good starting point. Tromso we have visited three times and DIY'd each time. Lots to see and do here so you should spend time researching the city to find the sights which appeal to you to enjoy the most on your one day.. Tripadvisor, guide books, many many other websites. And past threads here on CC. i am not familiar with hammewrfest, Alta or D????? but again, begin by searching past threads.

How about a different wine? I am thinking of a bottle of a fortified wine such as sherry as an example as most of the best sherries come from Spain and it would be difficult to go wrong with one. Or two! You could for example have a dry or medium sherry before dinner and a sweeter dessert one after dinner, but really there are no rules and it is a personal choice. Should you decide on sherry, can personally recommend any of the Pedro Ximénez brand we have found to be very acceptable and which have won numerous awards over the years.

Naples is huge and has many interesting sites and experiences for visitors, much too many for a one day visit, so important that you do your own research by reading as much as you can to find the sights of most interest to you, not to others and doing this will give you an enjoyable day, more so if you include the Naples "must do" which is to eat pizza in the city where pizza was first created. There are many many sources for"basic " sightseeing information for Naples. Borrow guide books from a local library, try Tripadvisor and similar wesites,(Fromer's, Lonely planet and many others) YouTube etc. And also try searching for something along the lines of "self guided walking tour of Naples historic centre" Google is your best friend. You could also read past CC threads for info and advice. Use the SEARCH TOOl under your user name to find them on the italy GENERAL forum, not an individual thread. This one could be a good starting poin tbut there are many many others. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2916657-wanting-something-different-to-do-in-naples/#comment-64853137 Others https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=naples&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=464

Not only not for a specific train, more importantly they are not sold for a specific date either, and unless validated on the day of use, could theoretically be used again-and again-and again!! The need to validate is common across a number of mainland European countries, so always best to check if it is and validate if required to..

Alesund is a popular port of call as there are a number of highlights to visit without much effort or expense and it is an attractive town with ships docking right in the centre. Many previous threads you could read for ideas to help you decide. This is only one of them https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2826391-alesund-norway/#comment-62526938 And here are others, some of which will mention your other ideas. Previous threads can be found using the SEARCH tool under your username. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=alesund&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=116

Another way of finding out is to google something along the lines of "accessibility at Cannes(or Monaco) train station" but be aware that Monaco is really quite hilly and some are very steep, not really ideal for a toddler "toddling" or you having to push a stroller. You could look at bus routes and free elevators in Monaco before you travel as using these would help you move around. OTOH, as much of Nice can be explored on flatter ground you may want to consider switching destination. And trains often have a few steep steps and a handrail to navigate when getting on and off. and as Cannes is a tender point, remember to allow extra time for the journeys between ship and shore.

We had a very pleasant day almost as described above, exploring town and walking along the waterfront to the Totem Park, spending longer there than we had thought we might. We didn't go to the Fortress or anywhere else but put in several hours which was actually enough for us. You could look at previous threads with the word Sitka in them for more info and suggestions. In case you do not know how to use the SEARCH TOOL, I did it for you and you could choose from my results here https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=Sitka&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=33

Referencing the above post #37 Not wanting to get into any full on discussion about scrubbers or green issues, only wanting to mention that we were extremely fortunate, and over the years sailed into and out of Venice 7 times in total. In more recent years when our ships were barely moving en route to the main terminal, we remarked on how very little water displacement there was from either the sides or the wakes of our ships, but in sharp contrast, we could not help but notice that the water taxis in particular were overtaking us and travelling much faster and dispersing much more water from their sides and wakes as they made their way to or from Tronchetto. We did wonder why there didn't appear to be a speed limit for them- and perhaps there was but not all locals adhered to it.

Thanks for responding as not everyone does. We had a very pleasant day in Homer and hope you do too. The outdoor trails are short so no great physical effort required and at least parts of some are on a boardwalk. You could try googling something like "outdoor trails at the AIOV Center" as you may find additional info by doing that.

And do also actually join the RC and offer any tips you might have.

Whilst I am sorry for your financial loss through no fault of your own, it could possibly have been avoided had you carefully read the relevant cancellation policies before booking, and having read them, made a more informed decision as to whether to book or not. And also for future reference, do note that Viator is a third party middleman, not a tour company. It is usually preferable to book directly with the company whose tour you are buying and any questions, requests, issues etc can be asked directly rather than having to go through a third party. You will find a number of posts here on CC advising this. In this instance, if the Viator cancellation policy is 24 hours plus, and you booked(entered into a contract with them), you are contractually bound by that condition.

Not on arrival JB. Identical procedure to description above. Like a well oiled machine, airport and transfer organisation has been appreciated for many years.

2024 carnival european cruise to iceland Better yet, post instead on the British Isles Forum as London is in the British isles.. This one: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/148-british-isleswestern-europe/ But before doing so, I suggest you chage the wording of your thread title to better reflect your question as your "2024 carnival european cruise to iceland" doesnt indicate what your question actually is. As London hotels are a FAQ, you could use the search tool under your username to find previous threads containing these words. And just now noticed, Welcome to CC. It takes time to figure how the site works, but your efforts will be rewarded.

As this is probably a Celebrity specific question, for most recent experiences, suggesting you cross post on the Celebrity Forum.

Thanks for responding as not everyone does.

Only Homer which we really enjoyed visiting. Lots of online info if you search for sites such as Tripadvisor. We explored The Spit which was a nice thing to do, lots of quirky stores, eating places etc.then took the free shuttle across from The Spit into "town". We are Brits and were excited to discover the shuttle bus was a yellow school bus, an iconic image we have seen multiple times on tv shows and films and never imagined we would ever ride. The American passengers were actually like kids again, whooping, laughing and exclaiming about how so many childhood memories came flooding back to them. They also mentioned that the bus had the same familiar smell that many also remembered and which we had not known about from films and tv shows.!! We saw many many bald eagles by the ship and on The Spit. Our next sight, and possibly the highlight of our day, was visiting The Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center, on the Highway a short walk from the shuttle drop-off which we thought both interesting and informative. There were also some short outside trails to explore, accessed from the building. We were told many of the summer staff spent the summer there each year, unpaid, living in their motorhomes, and volunteering simply for the joy of spending summer in Alaska. Entry was completely free at the time, and the staff were super nice, even loaning us binoculars for our short trail walks.They keep records of daily sightings and their locations inside. Do look for it online and on Tripadvisor for description, reviews and images. For anyone into birding, or fishing,Homer is the place to visit. And do call into the public library, across the street from the AIOV center for WiFi and internet access. While there, admire the "fish wall" where each metal fish displays the name of a donor. It is a work of art. Our KODIAK call never happened. We did dock there, but there was torrential rain, so much that unless going on a shorex, most pax didn't venture off the ship at all. It was also a Sunday morning and we were told that pretty much everything was closed so it wasn't much of an incentive to venture out in such a downpour. I hope you have better luck.

Pity you booked PandO instead of Marella, because unless there have been changes post pandemic, Marella pax could remain onboard and use all ship facilities and services (and their AI )until they transfer to the airport at an appropriate time for their flight back to the UK. They could even go ashore for a time if they wanted to depending on their transfer time.The same goes for pax transferring to hotels for the remainder of their cruise and stay holiday. (I think they could stay onboard until closer to hotel check-in time) The only "rule" used to be that cabins/staterooms had to be vacated (usually by 0800 or thereabouts) in order for room stewards to prepare them for incoming arrivals, but otherwise pax had free run of the ship. They still got you to the airport too early, but it was better being onboard for some of the time than sitting in the small airport all of the time. I would check with PandO pax who previously flew into and out of Bridgetown in case they have a similar arrangement, also because, in addition, you may or may not know that there are also special procedures in place re immigration, luggage collection and transport to the port from the aircraft.

I think the cruise industry has largely brought such criticism upon itself by building giant ships which can disgorge up to 5000 (or more?) passengers into small communities which lack the infrastructure to cope with such an influx and cause disruption to local residents. Tthey also have so many ships and berths they need to generate income from, they now deploy them for longer and appear to have extended the seasons they used to work to in the past.And so many ships on one day too! So pleased we visited the likes of Santorini (twice) many years ago when it wasn't as crowded as it now appears to be.Of course, local authorities should also share some of the blame for allowing such high numbers in the first place. Only last Saturday I read a long article in a newspaper describing the concerns of residents of Invergordon (Scotlish Highlands) about both the number of ships and the size of them. Whilst they mostly welcome the increased income, they object to the road closures which are in place during cruise calls, as they have few roads and locals struggle to go about their daily business as a result. Indeed some business apparently cannot function at all on these days. And the article stated that apparently during "cruise season"lasting several months, there are very few days when cruise ships are not visiting, and they would like to see a reduction in the number of ships and also a reduction in the size of ships, preferring fewer passengers and the possibility of keeping their local roads open to all, thereby making the visits more pleasant for locals and visitors alike. I think the cruise industry needs to work with local authorities to strike "a happy balance" wherever in the world they are visiting, also that local authorities need to listen to and act upon the concerns of their residents.

I think commission charges vary depending on the platform, but can go up to 25% or even a little more, and in these challenging economic times for owners there will be an incentive to maximize income. My understanding, rightly or wrongly, is that even when booking directly with them, property owners are unable to undercut their prices on the booking platforms but we have found in the past that they can sometimes offer "extra value" instead. This could take the form of an upgraded room category or including breakfast which is an extra on the booking platforms they are listed with. We have always preferred to book direct as any questions, special requests, or issues can be more easily addressed than when going through a third party. Bit of a moot point for us now anyway, as in recent years we have preferred aparthotels to hotels and never experiened a request for cash, ( maybe because they have been mostly owned by larger chains rather than independemnt owners?),although we have been offered upgrades. Whatever, we will usually accept whatever incentive is offered.

Not Athens, but Instanbul where our hotel also offered a discount for cash and we were happy to agree as our booking was for 7 nights. I cannot exactly remember, but we may have got the 7th night free in return for cash payment. So far in responses, Greece, Italy and Turkey. Where next?😀

Of the two we only visited Palermo. Both cities are hugely historic with interesting history and many many sightseeing opportunities without needing to go out of town. Would probably be helpful to you to read past threads. if you do not know how to use the SEARCH TOOL, here are results for Genoa. https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/search/?q=genoa&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=464 And for Palermo https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/search/?q=palermo&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=464 Palermo has so many sights that ideally two days would be better than one and we certainly filled ours. We found Tripadvisor extremely helpful for helping us to prioritise our wish list and other websites too, especially those with images and maps. We were a bit overambitious, and didn't visit everything we thought we might, but once we arrived at our first sight,(walked from the port) the others we visited were in quite close proximity to each other, but not especially exhausting as we had planned to do just that using online maps. And do look at the ship shorex descriptions because even if you do not want to do one, they will give you highlights of what they consider to be the top sights in each.

We have enjoyed time spent in both, but as they were on two different dates no "either or" decision had to be made. Honfleur would be a shorter day, Rouen longer as there is more to see and do there. Can only suggest that you research both online, where you will find many images, descriptions and reviews which might help you decide which of the two would suit your own interests best. I think you will enjoy whichever of the two you choose.