kawagama

I totally agree with several posters on this thread. Large mega-ships that offer the party life should be limited to simply cruising and not dumping 5000+ people on any port. I also agree that Antarctica should be left alone. Whenever people start touring in any given area, things always seem to get ruined, one way or another. We were in Venice in the fall and felt first hand the ire of the locals who dislike cruiseship passengers. They staged a small boat regatta in the main canal to prevent at least 4 ships from entering the canal and making it into port on time. St. Mark's Square was a zoo, with line-ups for everything, and we spent much of our time looking for out of the way areas of Venice to enjoy just to get away from the crowds.

I think that even ships of 2000 are too big for some of these places. To keep building bigger ones is nuts and the pretense of being ecologically friendly is nothing more than a sham (imo). We have only been on two cruises--Europe and Alaska. Luckily, when we went to Alaska, we were the first ship up the coast (early May) and were the only ship in each of our ports. Europe was a little different. My disappointment with Europe (Mediterranean) was that the time in port and sometimes the distance from the port to the actual city, really didn't give us a chance to experience the places (with the exception of Kotor). I did not feel that the cruise way of seeing European cities really did them justice and was frustrated that I had to choose one activity or sight seeing spot because time didn't allow for much more. My point with this is, that when there are upwards of 10,000+ in any port that is small, the experience of actually seeing anything is diminished; therefore, choosing a cruiseship from which to visit these places is probably not the best choice (at least it wasn't for us). And so it baffles me that more and more itineraries are being created on more and more ships for an experience that is less than ideal.

I haven't done either, but when I checked out the hike option the details say it takes 8-9 hours. Are you in Skagway port that long? When we were there, I'm pretty sure we didn't have that much time, considering transportation to and from. Just something to consider.

Anyone in Kotor who has reasonable fitness and doesn't have bad knees should consider doing the climb to the top of the fortress in the old town. The views are stunning and once you reach the top, the sense of accomplishment (along with the views) is amazing. We did it in October, in the heat of the day (and yes, it was hot), and we are 64 and 65! So, unless you have real issues with mobility/knees, this is a great thing to do while in Kotor. 1500 steps to the top! And only 3 euros.

We had heavy fog this past October! Our cruise was in the middle of the month and the ground crew in the terminal told us it is common to have fog in Venice in October and November. We were suppose to leave on Oct. 14 at 5PM. We ended up leaving on the 15th at 10:45 AM--all because of fog! The ship could not come in until the fog cleared. Then there was a regatta in the canal, so it was delayed even longer. Finally arrived at 5PM. People on the ship all missed their flights home if they had scheduled for that day. It was a zoo for embarkation because now 2,000 people all wanted to get on at once. Took 2.5 hours snaking through a long zoo-like line. Once on board (after 9PM), the fog rolled back in and the port was closed again, so we spent the night in port, but on the ship. Consequence to the delays--two of our 3 Greek Islands were dropped from the itinerary--the two we most wanted to see. I will never cruise with that particular line again, nor will I willingly choose Venice as my gateway. This was not an experience I would even want to come close to repeating.

Really? I've been reading this board just about every day for the last 11 years and can only think of perhaps 5 times in total I've ever heard of the fog being so bad that ship arrivals/departures were significantly delayed (or the port changed).

 

Suggesting this is something Venice is "known for" is doing a real disservice to readers by making them worry unnecessarily about something that is extremely unlikely.

Happened to us in October of 2017! Ship was suppose to arrive in port at 6:45 AM. It arrived at 5 PM! We were waiting to get on. Everyone on the ship that had a flight booked for that day missed it. Not only was fog an issue, but once it lifted, the Venetians (who hate cruise ships and all tourists it seems) decided to hold a small boat/gondola regatta in the canal--delaying 4 ships even longer. I loved Venice, but I don't think I would ever choose to cruise from this port again.

While the Vatican and the Coloseum/Forum are the big ticket draws, if you have limited time and love art, consider doing the Borghese Gallery. They only let in 200 people at a time, and you can only be in there for two hours, so unlike some of the other museums which are overwhelmingly large, this one is not crowded and is doable in two hours. You do need to prepurchase tickets, however, so if you are interested, order them on-line for your designated time. Truly a spectacular building and gallery. With time left over, you can stroll through Rome's streets and take in the Trevi fountain (if you can get near it), and some of the other piazzas. But, like others have said, you cannot do Rome in a day--not even close. We spent 6 days there and still didn't see many wonderful things.

We did not enjoy our Vatican tour because of the crowds. Barely got to see anything and we were so busy trying not to lose our guide, that we missed stuff along the way. If you do the Vatican, splurge on a private tour. You will see more and perhaps be able to miss some of the hordes of people.

While it is not near St. Marco, I might recommend Murano Palace on the island of Murano. We stayed there for one night after our cruise in October and it was lovely! A bit cheaper than Venice itself as well, and nice and quiet in the evening once all the shoppers went home. You can take a vaparetto from the airport and then there are no bridges to cross to get to the hotel. Similarly, you can take a vaparetto to the pier. The hotel is a 5 minute walk from the vaparetto stop. I guess the downside would be having to take a vaparetto into Venice proper for sight seeing during the day. The hotel was lovely, however, and very very comfortable with a nice breakfast included.

Not the person you directed your questions to, but we did the Chilkoot Trail Hike and Float in May 2016 and it is not at all strenuous. We are in our mid-sixties and had no problem. There is a lot of up and down and there are some rocks and roots on the trail, so that is why it is labelled strenuous--I guess to forewarn anyone with mobility issues. If you are fit you will find it quite easy. It's also not that long--maybe 2 km? if I remember correctly. The float down the Taiya River was really nice, although quite cold when we were there. We saw many eagles and beautiful scenery. We booked it through Skagway Shore Tours, rather than through our ship. There were only 4 of us on our hike, so it was very personal.

We went to Mendenthal on our own. I don't think you really need a tour for it. There are shuttle buses available all day that go back and forth to the glacier. Once you are there, it is easy to just wander around yourself, to the falls and back. If you google Juneau tourism, you should be able to find information on these buses (cost and frequency and where they start and stop). Unless, of course, you are wanting to get right on the glacier itself, then you would need a tour group of some sort.

Was this a ship excursion or independent? If independent, who? Thanks!

We booked it through https://skagwayshoretours.com/tour/chilkoot-trail-hike-float/

Really fun! There were only 4 of us on this tour so we got a lot of attention. We went in early May so the float trip was a bit chilly, but still really nice. The hike is up and down, but not very strenuous at all.

We did the underground and 3rd tier of the Coliseum in October of 2016. It is worth it! I wish I could remember the name of the tour company we had. We booked it through Viatour, but given that that is just the agency, the tour company was different. Our tour started at 11. Once we got into the coliseum, another guide took over--he worked at the site--and he explained everything about the arena and the underground. Then our own guide took us up to the top (amazing views) and then on to the Forum and Palatine Hill. The whole tour was roughly 3 hours, but then she left us on our own on the Palatine Hill and we were able to spend as much time as we wanted revisiting the Forum. One note of advice: if you do one of these, bring lots of water and pack a sandwich or two in your purse. There really is nothing on these sites for food and if you plan on spending time there, you will get hungry--and tired. So much to see.

Dear Kawagama,

Thank you for the information and your quick response. I particularily appreciated the caution regarding bad knees. I think that I will skilp this hike. We are doing a cruise through the Mediterranean. Some of the port stops include, Athens, Santorini, Katakolon, Corfu, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Zadar, Koper and Venice. Did your cruise include any of these ports and if so, where there highlights or not to miss recommendations that you may have? I appreciate your input. It is so nice to be able to visit with people who have recently toured the region. Have a nice day.

We went from Venice, 7 night round trip. We did stop at Athens, Kotor, and obviously Venice. Unfortunately for us, due to fog in the Venice port, our stops to Mykonos and Corfu were abandoned. Instead we went to Split, Croatia. We were not happy with the revised itinerary, as we had signed up for a Greek Island cruise.

In Athens, the 4 of us booked a car and driver through Private Greek Tours: http://privategreecetours.com/

The driver met us at the port, took us to all the major sights in Athens, and answered all our questions. It was very comfortable and we saw a lot in our 6 hours. I highly recommend this company.

We stayed in Venice for two nights before our cruise and then in Murano for the one night after our cruise. I don't like coming in and flying out on the day the ship boards or disembarks. Doesn't leave room for any issues that may arise. The group that was on our ship before us missed all their flights after their cruise because of the fog and the fact that the ship could not come into the port. Venice is very walkable. We did not do any tours, but visited a few key places on our own. It's not that big, so if you are able and willing to walk, just do that. Actually, you pretty much have to as no vehicles are allowed in Venice itself. We visited the Academia and St. Mark's. Otherwise, we just wandered around taking in the sites. Murano was amazing! Glad we stayed there afterwards. The hotel we had was very lovely and the town was quiet, which was a nice change after the cruise and after crowded Venice.

Your itinerary sounds wonderful. Have a great time!

I am going to Kotor Montenegro and beginning to plan our day for that port. I am interested in learning about the hike to up to St. John’sfortress. I heard that there are two different paths to get there. How much time do we allow for this hike and how difficult of a climb is it? I am also considering an independent boat trip on the Bay of Kotor to see Our Lady of the Rock church/ island, the village of Perast, and Porto Montenegro marina/village in Tivat. Your input is appreciated. Thank you.

The hike is approximately 1500 stone steps, up 1200 meters elevation. We did it in the middle of the day when the sun was quite hot. It was gruelling, but we took our time and made it to the top. We are in our 60s and my husband had had by-pass surgery 5 years ago--so it is doable as long as you are reasonably fit and take your time. Anyone with bad knees should probably not consider it. There is one main route for getting to the top. The map shows an alternate one, but also indicates that it is higher risk (whatever they mean by that). I think the round trip took us 2.5-3 hours, as down is quicker than up. But, we took several rests and lots of photo stops. Bring lots of water! The cost to go up is 3 euros.

There are public buses that go to Mendenthal Glacier from the city. It takes about 15-20 minutes to get there. We did that and spent as much time as we wanted there. It was an easy walk to the Falls and the Glacier. I think the buses run every 20-30 minutes as well to return.

We saw lots of whales from the ship--some views were better than others. Our best was when we were kayaking out of Ketchikan. A humpback came up behind us, and then a few minutes later we saw its tail very close to the kayaks. For me, this was better than chasing them in motor boats. There is something truly spectacular about seeing them when they want to be seen.

The Red Dog Saloon in Juneau was fun! We had a snack and a craft beer there. Next door is their shop. I bought a sweatshirt/hoodie and my husband bought a baseball cap. I had something warm to wear (that I still love) and he still enjoys the cap. Somewhere on the trip I also purchased a coffee mug which is still a favourite when family comes over. I guess it depends on what you want, and how much you wish to spend. Our memories and photos are our greatest souvenir.

We did the inside passage in early May, return from Vancouver. Did not expect any seasickness as we are boaters. But, once the ship got north of Vancouver Island, it was in the open sea and both of us felt the rolling. Again, on our return, the captain went on the west side of the Haida Gwaii Islands--again open sea on the Pacific and quite wavy. Gravol seemed to do the trick for us. Many, many people felt seasickness on this trip. There are several companies that have smaller ships (under 200 passengers) that sail the Inside Passage to Alaska. I think some of these might be less problematic with seasickness as they can hug the shore more than any of the cruise ships can. Something to consider.

We hiked a portion of the Chilkoot Trail and then floated down the Taiya River. It was nice to walk in the woods, and not overly difficult or far, and the float was a hoot. Saw lots of eagles and learned about many of the forest "foods" from the young local guides. Lots of fun!

Check out Southeast Sea Kayaks tours. There are many to choose from and they are wonderful. We did one with them and were the only two people, so it was a private tour. Were lucky enough to see a humpback quite close up to the kayaks too!

Can't advise you on a cruise, but if you are browsing and see Kotor, Montenegro, it is beautiful! The entry into the port is breathtaking and the old town is very quaint. There is a great hike to the top of the fortress that many people do. 1500 old stone steps to the top with breathtaking views from above. A bit of a slog, but worth it. Takes a few hours to go up and come back down, but the old town is very close to the port, so it is doable during a stop.

If you think you will be seasick, bring something for that, as you won't be in your cabin the whole time. Depending on the weather you encounter, you may be up for some large waves and tide swells north of Vancouver Island in the open waters. We did, on our cruise, and did get seasick--rather unexpectedly as we are seasoned boaters. The tidal swells up north are big and if there are waves, then the boat will move in two different directions.

When we went we booked all our tours through Alaska Shore Excursions. They didn't seem to be cheaper than through the ship, but we had small groups (once just the two of us), and the tour guides were local individuals who went over and above trying to make our experience a good one. The site is easy to use and offers one stop shopping for all the major ports. Check it out!

We stayed at Casa Rezzonico, which is in the Dorsoduro section of Venice. It took us only 10 minutes to walk to the People Mover and we only had to cross over 3 small bridges. Depending on your luggage and how long you plan to stay in Venice before the cruise, this could be a nice option as it was close to the Academia, many restaurants and cafes, and not for to walk from San Marco. The hotel is very nice, clean, with a lovely breakfast. We found it very comfortable and pleasant.

We went with HAL in May--first ship up the coast and the only one in each of the ports we stopped at. That was awesome. It was cool most of the time. We had a balcony that we hardly could use, although it was nice to use it for the 360 of Glacier Bay. Lots of layers needed just in case.

Agreed. Be very careful that your tour doesn't end up being through Green Line Tours. Our experience with them in Rome was less than favourable. I would not use them again, but when we booked our tours, it was through Viator and we didn't know who we were getting until we printed our chits.

We went in early May, with HAL. I believe we were one of the first ships up the Inside Passage for that season, and we were the only ship in the 3 ports: Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan. It was a bit cooler weather-wise, but we were able to avoid the hordes. I was also able to see how many (and which) ships were going to be in port on our days by checking the Alaska port authority timetable. Consider doing that, although I'm not sure how early they post these if your were to do that before booking. Of course, during the summer months, there will be many many more ships. We didn't do any land tours, but in 2013 were lucky enough to do our own driving tour of Yukon (which is the Canadian territory next to Alaska, so very similar) and it was virtually empty everywhere! And we were there in August. So much space, so few vehicles--it was amazing! Consider that if you want to avoid teeming crowds everywhere you go.