edinburgher

Too bad you missed Belem Hank. Tthat pesky jetlag gets us all at some point in our travels. You have been lucky though in that parts of Portugal are not as brutally hot as some other Southern Med regions. Enjoy.

Thanks for acknwledging as not everyone does. Dubrovnik is a lovely port day although it can get uncomfortably hot and crowded. Just a thought as i don't know if you will berth at Gruz or not, as some smaller ships do not berth there, instead anchoring and tendering in, in which case you would arrive directly into the Old Harbour (I think Backwater Bay in GOT)😄

Thanks for adding that as anything is better than nothing when there is so little. Truffle ice cream sounds.....intriguing!😄

If your tour is Game of Thrones locations, all you need do is google something like "Dubrovnik Game of Thrones self guided walking tour locations" and several results should appear. If you think a map would be essential and the walks don't show one, google similar to the above but substitute the words "location map" for "self guided walking tour". Whatever, just play around with the words order and you will find them. No tour needed in Dubrovnik as so easy to DIY. Public bus from outside the port gates at Gruz to Pile. Everyone will get off there as after that point it is pedestrian only. Or ship shuttle. Same starting point of Pile for the return to ship. if planning to walk the walls do that first thing as the crowds (and the heat) build up as the day progresses. You can wander quite happily after that as Dubrovnik is compact. Croatia began using the euro in January this year so no longer a need for kuna.

Messina or Valletta? (as the subject line is Valletta but your text reads Messina.) Assuming Valletta as I don't recall any parliament buildings in Messina, Very easy to do. It is a long steep and uphill walk from the port to the town, but instead you could exit the port, turn right and walk along the pavement (flat )until you see the entrance to the elevator across the street. You will probably have passed it on your starboard side as your ship makes its way to the berth Pre pandemic It was 1 euro pp to go up, free to come down. Takes you up to the Barrakka Gardens from where there are magnificent views of the harbour. Exit the gardens and you will already be in the centre of the city., and I think (you can check on a map) that all the newer buildings are to the left. only a few minutes walk away in the direction of the bus station. And do be up on deck early for the arrival into the quite stunning Grand Harbour as it is a wonderful sail-in

No worries as you now have your answer. Will be so much easier for you. Be aware that the buses to Pile go from the main road outside the port gates and not from inside the adjacent bus station. Sames side of the main road as the bus station and port to go into town, so do not cross over. Opposite side is where you will get off on the return to port..

texasstar, would you be kind enough to add a few more comments about your time in Rovinj? Only asking because there is so little info on the boards for Rovinj and I am sure that others reading this thread would welcome additional thoughts and impressions from more cruise pax.

A word of caution re overnighting in Florence. We had intended to do exactly that and had a hotel booking, but unfortunately a rail strike was in place for the second day, our" return to ship" day. The Tourist Offices in Florence and Livorno were able to give us info on returning to Livorno by a combination of train and bus but it was going to take longer than we wanted and we expected them to be very busy so we reluctantly decided to cancel. If you plan to overnight, be sure to book accommodation which is cancellable with a refund and keep a close watch on the websites which detail proposed rail strikes. They don't always go ahead, but sometimes they do.

Just in time then! It certainly saves a steep walk. Had picked up on it when reading Tripadvisor reviews then googled to get info on actual location. Thanks for acknowledging as not everyone does.

Hank, if my memory serves me well, the street art BIG RACOON is on the back wall of the Berardo next to the bus/tram stop direction city centre.

Cruising the wrong part of the world! Several cruiselines (including Royal Caribbean) which do not usually permit kettles onboard do actually supply them in-room on UK sailings as do UK cruiselines. They also supply milk, sugar and sugar substitutes. One suggestion. I too enjoy coffee which isn't from the giant urns. If available I will use the little sachets of instant coffee which are sometimes found next to the teabag selections and only add the boiling water. But I also carry with me, those sachets of "speciality"coffee which only need the addition of boiling water. I don't know about OZ, but here they are usually packed as 8 or 10 in a box and can be bought as lattes, cappucchinos etc. manufactured by the likes of Kenco and Nescafe. I ditch the boxes and throw multiple sachets into my suitcase. Would those work? They are not as tastly as freshly made ones from the onboard cafe, but are better than nothing and there is quite a saving to be made as it isn't essential to buy multiple daily speciality coffees from the onboard cafe.

We don't use elevators on ships at all, but when faced with a steep uphill climb to any location higher up, we always look for a bus or elevator or any other means to get us up to whatever it is although we do always walk down. We were slightly disappointed with the Malaga Alcazabar, but had been spoiled with visits to the one in Seville and two visits to the Alhambra Palace. It wasn't awful though, just lacked the wow factor of the other two as we had expected a little more than we found there. An internet search should find the elevator info before your next visit.

It does seem rather tame to suggest "go walk about", but there are no really top sights/sites there that we could find of interest to us, but we honestly did not miss them, enjoying our "walkabout" despite the afternoon heat. A word of warning though for YoHoHo visiting in August. Croatia (and the Adriatic in general) is one of the European areas currently experiencing the severe heatwave making the news. Should temps remain as high in August, I would advise avoiding the promenade/waterfront walk which is a shame as it is very scenic with nice views, but there was no shade at all and even then, too hot for us and tired as we were having already walked around town. I think the older part of town and the promontory will offer the most shaded areas, but do take plenty water with you.

Sorry, no definitive "yes" or " no". This pass is sold all over the place as you can buy it at hotels and other locations including museums and other sights. If it works in a similar way to city passes in other countries, the seller gets a small commission from each sale, but I do not know the ins and outs of the Dubrovnik Pass, as despite visiting seven times we never felt the need for one.Your quote above indicates it could also have been bought from the driver of the first bus you boarded, but as you have already bought it, you will need to collect it from the location given you by the seller, unless you can e-mail them and ask if there is an alternative closer to Gruz cruise port. Or nowadays, would it be possible to have an electronic one on your phone? That could also be worth asking. if so, you would perhaps only need to use your phone and a QR Code. I honestly do not know, but again suggest you contact the seller and ask

OOPS!

No need to climb up, as there is an elevator to take you up the easy way,found in the street which backs the Town Hall.The entrance is quite tricky to find as it is inset within a wall, but on our visit it was flanked by two large potted plants on the pavement outside. Regardless, it is directly behind the Town hall, an easy and flat walk from the port gates, or from a shuttle drop off point.

Based on the OP's plans in the original question, I thought I had explained the difference between the regular £5 day ticket and the Network day ticket at £12 as the OP made no mention of travelling out of town or to the airport (as the regular £5 day ticket does not include these routes) however for anyone else reading and with different plans involving out of town trips, your finer detail of the inclusions of a more expensive NETWORK day ticket will prove helpful.

There is a different theme each year, usually commemorating a special event or anniversary but whichever it is, it is always beautifully done. I am sure any others looking at it via the link will also enjoy the photos so thank you for uploading it. Looking at the info above which I posted earlier, it occured to me to check the cost of the X99 Daysaver. At £12pp including to and from the S. Queensferry tender point at HawesPpier it will be a better buy for you than paying 2x x99pp to/from the city plus an additional £5pp once in town. Having said that you are unlikely to use a bus or tram to get to or from the airport and that X99 day ticket includes that. The airport run is not included on the £5 day ticket. a £5 day ticket would have done almost the same but would not have run from the tender point and would not be an express bus so the journey to/from the city would be quite a bit longer. I had a quick look to see where the city centre stop is, and it is South St David Street, short and connects St Andrew Square to Princes St. literally a 2 or 3 minute walk from the Portrait Gallery should you want to begin there.

Hoping you found at least some of the above helpful if some of my thoughts had yet to cross your own radar. TBH, so glad those days are well and truly behind me and not ahead of me!

i am hoping you will read the following in the same spirit as which it was written. From one parent experienced with vacationing with small children to another just beginning. Not wanting to appear cheeky or critical,only wanting to help you get started witha few points you may not have considered and hoping I can highlight a few of the more important points you will need to consider with this being your first family cruise, as I am concerned that you are thinking back to vacations as a couple without realising that any vacation with young children will be an entirely different ball game and a very steep learning curve. Your emphasis on the ports is also concerning. Your absolute #1 priority will need to be the ship, with ports last on the priority list. You will need to find a family friendly ship or cruise line first .One which has suitable family size staterooms and other flexible services for young children. Once you decide on a ship or a couple of ships, you can look at the itineraries they offer and take it from there. It means you have far fewer ports to plan although you will be going where that ship goes, not where you would like to go. And "family friendly" ships are usually big ships with their size more limiting for the ports they can visit. And should there be any tender ports, will small children be allowed on the tenders or will there be an age restriction? Your onboard room. No verandah of course. And with four of you sharing one room, will the kids have their own beds or will they need to share a bed? If their own beds and one bed is a pull out, it will take up more floor space making it more difficult for any of the four of you to move around, and will there still be enough space to store your stroller? Will you need a room with a bathtub or are your kids happy to only shower? Will there be the option of a self service laundry or will you be sending everything out to the ship laundry (usually on a "pay per item" basis unless there is an offer.) Will there be a kids club?(and if so, note hours of operation and any age restrictions) And will there be a free or "for fee" child minding or kids club option in the evening? If no evening option, will there be a designated early dining time for kids? Otherwise with an under 3 year old you will need to dine early in the buffet with your kids or take it in turns to grab a quick solo meal in the buffet whilst the other is in the room once the kids are in bed. Or order from the room service menu. You would also need to take it in turns to catch a short show or any other evening entertainment. Not having personally cruised with young kids, (ours were mid teens at first cruise with their own room) there must be many more onboard questions to be asked, but I can no longer remember what they might be, and the family cruising forum should be a helpful source. As may other members reading this. The journey. Remember to apply for the kids passports in good time. Luggage. Assuming one parent will be in charge of the stroller and both kids,(and maybe the paperwork), the other will need to take full responsibility for luggage handling. You will need to consider travelling with only two suitcases and a couple of carry ons max as that amount should be doable for one adult but any more than that could be an issue. And you have tentative plans to sail from Southampton. Aassuming you will fly into one of the London airports, you will have to decide how to make the journey to Southampton and back again when leaving. If not planning a private car and driver or a taxi (both will be costly and you will do it both ways) your only other option may be public transport. Another reason for only two suitcases and a couple of carry ons. And on arrival you will probably all be jet lagged for a few days so sleep patterns for adults and children could vary from what you are used to at home. Hoping you will find some of the above points helpful. Although a long long time ago, thinking back to our own international family vacations (the first was when our kids were 1 and 3), we stuck with land/beach holidays with no longer than 3 or 3 and 1/2 hour flights. We didn't attempt long haul until they were 5 and 7(first Disneyworld Florida trip) And for the first 3 international short haul trips we travelled with only 2 suitcases and 2 carry ons. Nowadays families with young children do cruise, one of the reasons for so many large "family friendly" ships, but for it to be a happy and successful trip, planning for new -to-you challenges will be essential before you book. Wishing you good luck with that.

And thank you for acknowledging as not everyone does. Rovinj really is lovely. Lots of reviews and images on Tripadvisor to help you decide your priorities.

Be aware that many of the ports in the Med are quite some distance from the actual city named on the itinerary, such as the ports for Florence, Rome, Paris, Athens and others, and sighseeing these cities involves a long journey in each direction before you even begin sightseeing. Adults can find these typically 9 or 10 hour days exhausting, so how would your kids cope? And you are perhaps aware of the brutal heatwave currently affecting almost all of Southern Europe? Neither distances nor high heat is a good mix for young children, although in spring there is less chance of a really severe heatwave.. Ideally I think you would want a smaller ship visiting smaller ports with itineraries often being described as "intensive" Italy or Greece or wherever" although they don't cater as well for young children as the much larger ships do and sometimes there is nothing at all onboard for children. And the price point can be much higher on smaller ships than it is on larger ones. Mybe consider areas such as the UK/Ireland or Scandinavia as ports and cities there can be smaller and more manageable. Or if a land beach trip in the US has no appeal for you, consider a Caribbean itinerary or Bermuda or some other locations where there are beaches for the kids close to the cruise terminals.. You will really need to do a lot of reading to try to marry up possible destinations and children's activities together with onboard facilities..

We have travelled to dozens of countries around the world on both cruises and land trips for many years. Between us we have a few words of French but no other language skills. It has never held us back.We are also mostly independent travellers who DIY almost everywhere, mostly using public transport, which, especially in Europe is found in most towns and cities. You only need to internet search your planned journey online before leaving home and make notes. I make up a document for each port call and include all relevant info on it.It is then printed off and all taken with us.. On arrival into a port we take out with us the relevant document. There will almost always be online maps of routes/lines for buses, trams, metros, trains, ferries etc. Once you know which mode of transport is best suited to your A to B journey, you only need google again for timetables, cost of the tickets and how to use that mode of transport. I think you will be surprised at just how much info there is to be found online, and it is much easier to research at home in your own language than it is standing in a country whose language you do not speak, trying to understand what is being said or is written on machines or notices. And nowadays it is easier with the likes of Google Translate and other translation aids and apps for your phone. We have used public transport in Europe, Asia, including Shanghai, Singapore Hong Kong, Thailand and Japan, Central and South America, the Caribbean and others, and because we already had the info we needed, managed perfectly well even pre translation aids. It does take time so tackle one port at a time before moving on to another to avoid confusion.. I think you will find that once you tackle a couple of journeys, you will have the knowledge to find others more easily and quickly. One tip. Many people will have a smattering of english even if not fluent. However, if you really need help, look for a nearby 4 or 5 star hotel as door and reception staff in higher class hotels usually speak english, as do tour guides. And if all else fails and you really really do need help, look for a pharmacy as pharmacists (rather than counter staff) usually speak some english. Over the years, we twice had to ask pharmacists when we took a wrong turn, once in Chinatown Bangkok, and once in Taipei. Enjoy, planning is part of the enjoyment of a trip.

JB is 100% correct. le Havre IS in Normandy so the OP is already there on arrival.