Hlitner

Easier said than done! We Americans often suffer from what has been called "tipping guilt" and have a difficult time not tipping :). We sometimes see posts here on CC where folks suggest they will always tip...not matter what! What we (Americans) fail to understand that mores do differ around the world and there are actually places where tipping is considered an insult and patronizing. The UGLY American is alive and well and believes that they are always right and there is no need to follow local customs. Hank

They do have several. Sometimes we have seen them waiting just outside the port (in Leixoes) and other times the HoHo was nowhere to be seen. I believe the official routes do not include the port, but that seems to be meaningless. If they do not come to the port you can take the Metro (it is above ground near the port) into town and head to one of their stops. One possible complication is that Porto has several docking locations. The main one is in a port (with a shuttle bus to the port exit) but there is a 2nd dock when there are two ships and even a third location (more than a mile distant) if there are even more ships (we have never docked at that third location). Being somewhat independent adventurous travelers we simply "play it by ear" and deal with the situation that presents itself. If folks are uncomfortable being flexible than they are well advised to book a cruise line excursion or arrange for a private tour. Hank

It is important to understand that those boats (from Fira to Oia) are privately owned/operated and not a true public conveyance. The operators do as they please which means they can keep you waiting for some time (until they are full or have enough passengers) or they can even cancel their run if they do not get enough folks. We have been known to stand on the dock and tell the operator we will pay and step into the boat "when they are ready to leave." Hank

It is a little complicated and there are numerous web sites that talk about tipping customs in various countries. In Italy you need to be aware of various service charges (often mentioned in very small type at the bottom of menus) such as Coperto or Pane e Coperto (a charge for eating bread or bread sticks). And than you might see (in very fine print) "Servizio" which is simply a service charge. My personal favorite is an extra service charge for entertainment which we have seen at one very touristy cafe on St Marks Square (Venice) where a single cup of coffee could cost you nearly 20 Euros. Some Italian servers are also adept at spotting Americans and suggesting, "tips are not included" when presenting the check. If in doubt, simply do not tip or just slightly round up your payment. Another more recent issue has happened to us when using credit cards. The waiter will bring over the card reader/machine (this is the normal practice in Europe where folks do not let their credit cards out of their sight) and input the check amount. They will them either ask you "how much tip to add" or present the card reader with the screen showing tip options (i.e. 10%, 15%, 20% etc). They do not normally do this to Europeans (most would ignore it anyway). Hank

Consider a 4000 passenger ship calling at Flam, a town with about 350 residents! Boggles the mind.

I will add that Shipwreck Beach (Navagio Beach) is more than just a normal beach. In fact, there is even a viewing platform (high up on the cliff that overlooks the beach). Seeing the place and some of the nearby caves was a highlight of a week we spent cruising the Ionian Islands. With a population of about 40,000, it is not a shopping haven. Like most islands you can find some restaurants (fresh seafood is common). I still remember docking at the island and watching an "older" man go into the water near our pier and pick mollusks off the wooden pier (he said it was going to be his lunch). If you are interested in scenery, consider a boat tour around the island that gives you a view of Shipwreck and visits some of the caves. As to shipwreck, there used to be the ruins of an old freighter on the beach (I imagine most of it is now gone) which wrecked when smuggling cigarettes (or so we were told). Hank

Call be adventurous, but we would simply rent a van and drive ourselves. Total cost should be under $200 and driving in France is not overly difficult. Pond du Gard is actually a good place for DIY since they have a fine visitor center and plenty of information in all languages. Hank

The Eclipse will no longer be able to call at Bora Bora because it exceeds the passenger count limitation. Some cruise lines (too many IMHO) have a habit of not telling passengers about itinerary changes until after final payment or even after embarkation. Hank

The last two times we were in Porto, we docked close enough to the Metro (more like a tram when near the port) which took us right into town. We prefer to cross over to the south side of the river since that is the part of town that has most of the Port Wine houses that we enjoy visiting. On the Northern side of the river (which is closest to the cruise port) you have the main part of town including the historical area. You would want to get a map/guide or have a working smart phone to use as a guide. It is also wise to do a little reading about the city (pre cruise) and form a flexible plan on the areas that best meet your own wants/needs. Hank

As a fellow senior, I would remind you that the 40s were about 80 years ago! Times have changed Hank

You have a few issues to ponder. Tuscany is a very large province and most of it is not even accessible (from Rome) on a day driving trip. Just consider that Siena, which is on the Rome side of Tuscany is a good 5 hours round trip (if driving). If you wanted to go to San Gimignano that would be about 6 hours (round trip) and that is just one town. Cortona (an interesting town) would be a 5 hour (round trip drive). And these driving times are increased, depending on where you are in Rome and the traffic. Instead of thinking "Tuscany" you might want to consider some of the places closer to Rome. Tivoli is an interesting day trip. In Tivoli you would have two major attractions (Hadrian's Villa and the Villa d'Este's gardens. There are other sites in the area, plenty of places to eat a nice lunch, etc. And the best part is you would not spend more than half the day just getting to and from the area. We think that Tivoli is one of those areas wrongly overlooked by many tourists. As to avoiding the tour buses, this has become increasingly difficult in this over touristy world. If a place is cute and worthy, it has likely been put on tour itineraries. Keep in mind that cruisers and cruise excursions are just a very tiny part of Italian tourism. Many more tourists are on bus tours, driving tours, etc. We once tried to escape the big tours by driving up to the Marche part of Italy (way off the normal beaten path...or so we thought). We had not reckoned on that part of Italy being on the major tour routes of bus tours coming from other parts of Europe such as Germany and and Austria :(. We were shocked to see many tour buses in Urbino! Most folks have never even heard of Urbino and Ascoli Piceno! You will not find any cruise folks in these places, but the intra-European bus tours are everywhere! Hank

On a upcoming HAL cruise (is Asia) we need to get a K-ETA (Korean travel authorization) that can only be done on a smartphone (most have had little success trying to do it on a normal computer) and Japan requests that folks complete (on their phone) their Visit Japan Registration which generates a UPC (on the phone) which smooths the way to enter Japan. Why do I mention this? Because while folks can usually (not always) find a work around without a phone (or other device) it is becoming very difficult to impossible for some travel. The K-ETA is a great example because it is mandatory and can only be done on a device (preferable phone since you need to have that approval to show authorities). We could agree that phones are not mandatory on ships (at least we have not seen this) but I can tell you that the lack of a working smartphone puts one at a big disadvantage on some lines since that is the method generally used to make/change dining reservations or show excursion tickets! We live in Mexico (during the winter) and are hosting a party. In some cases, the ONLY way we can contact some invites is via text messages (sometimes their e-mail address also works). If those folks did not have working cell phones they would simply not get invited since there is no other reasonable way of contact. We also regularly communicate (hear and see) our Grandchildren via Facebook or Zoom (both done on phones). Otherwise, we would have no reasonable way to keep in touch with family unless you could find us super long-range carrier pigeons :). And finally there are the airlines that too often have schedule changes and/or cancellations. How do they communicate this to passengers? Via text messages or e-mails. Getting this information can be the difference of driving hours to an airport only to find your flight is cancelled or delayed (sometimes several days). While are of similar generations and I do understand the reluctance of some folks to "get connected" it continues to become increasingly difficult to travel without a working smartphone. We have had this online conversation in the past, and just since the last time we have run into new travel requirements that make a smartphone necessary. But when it comes to cruises, my own preference has always been to turn off my phone, lock it in the safe, and go enjoy. But even that is now becoming increasingly difficult. Hank

Ok, so a few years ago we stayed at an attractive local hotel called the Hotel Grandes d'Ecole which is located in the Latin Quarter. You can google the place (they have a website). The downside is that it is up a hill from the nearest Metro station so is a place for folks who are mobile. The latest reviews on Tripadvisor are quite good so it sounds like "Madam" has kept the place in good condition. If you do consider this place and it will be in a hot time of the year, you should inquire whether they can give you an air conditioned room. Hank

"What is the point?" (2nd post). Consider that as a long time HAL cruiser (5*) a combination of reviews (mostly here on CC) and various posts from folks I respect, has persuaded us not to book any more HAL cruises (we continue to cruise on several other lines). Since we are already committed to a 42 day cruise on the Westy, we will hope for the best, expect something less, and truly pray that we come away from that experience having booked a few more HAL cruises in the near future. But, "what is the point" for us had a big impact on our future bookings. In the past 3 weeks we have booked cruises with Explora Journeys (quite excited to try this new line) and Princess (many things about this line we prefer over HAL). The recent restructuring on upper management is an indication that Jan Swartz is aware of some "issues" and is moving to make changes. Whether this has some fast results remains to be seen. Hank

That begs the question (with a difficult answer) which is where to stay in Paris. Most Paris lovers (DW certainly falls into that group) usually start by choosing an Arrondissement (neighborhood) and then look for options in that area. There are those who prefer the Left Bank (which includes me) and those who prefer the Right Bank. Our two favorite areas are in the Marais (especially if our stay involves a Sunday) or St Germain des Pres (our favorite area). Since we normally stay 1-2 weeks, location is important. For a one or two night stay I would be less choosy and focus more on the hotel. When we do book hotels we prefer smaller Parisian style places over the huge chain hotels. Hank

It almost sounds like your driver got lost, which can happen on those back roads. As to turning green, I have been known to have that problem even when driving :(. Never get seasick, but a windy road can do me in!

#1 Rule,,,Grandchildren can do no wrong 🙂

The last time we drove to the Cinque Terre area, we noticed that the government has installed some permanent movable gates along the access road to Riomaggiore. We talked to a restaurant owner in Riomaggiore who said that the government has plans to close the access roads on days when it is too crowded in the villages. Or course that is not going to stop folks from arriving on the trains so we do question the sanity of the plan. Like many plans in Italy, those gates may remain unused for years while various officials debate the issue. My own plan would be to simply ban cruise ships from nearby La Spezia. Cinque Terre has a crowd problem and when you port a 4000+ passenger ship a few miles distant it is not helpful. As much as we love to cruise, we also appreciate the charm of Cinque Terre and hate to see the atmosphere being completely destroyed by over tourism. When you actually stay in one of the villages, the charm does return in late afternoon as the day trippers leave the area. But during the day it can be truly awful. Hank

I am trying to understand "2 hours" between La Spezia and Riomaggiore (the closest Cinque Terre Village). We have driven that route (multiple times) and it's about a 30 minute drive. Even driving to the most distant village, Monterosso al Mare should only take about an hour. We agree with the suggestion to visit Portovenere since it is relatively close and a charming place (unless it is overrun with tourists). Hank

I would find that preferential to a large tour bus :). We have been on numerous cruises when the Wifi, Internet, or both go out of service for hours/days. It is fascinating to watch the panic in the faces of some cruisers. I must admit, that DW and I fight the tendency to become addicted to the phones. One rule, in our home, is to not use our phones during dinner with one exception...if the Grandchildren are calling. Hank

Not fond of any of these itineraries because of lousy port times in too many places. Just consider that arriving at Mykonos at 1:30pm will generally mean no opportunity to visit nearby Delos (generally only done in the morning). If I had to choose (and having been to all these places) it would be a somewhat reluctant #2. But personally, I would also spend time looking at other options (perhaps with different cruise lines). The downside of Itinerary 2 is that it does not stop at Kusadasi which is a port worthy of an entire day...not just a few hours.

I think this is a good option for folks trying to limit walking. Les Baux is all about walking and can even involve some steps..depending on the bus parking area. As to Avignon, you again have the issue of how far it is from the bus parking area to the Palace of the Popes. The good news about Avignon is that the city is relatively flat and walking not too difficult. I am a little confused by the OP's post where they talk about "bland" tours but want to limit walking/stairs. DW and I only take ship excursions as a last resort (we prefer DIY and small private tours) because we find most cruise ship excursions "bland" because they must usually be designed to please a mass group (often 50+) which often means adhearing to the lowest denominator. Just consider how long a "rest stop" can take when you must wait for 60 folks to get their turn in the facilities. Hank

We simply communicate by talking to each other! I know this is a novel idea in this new world where folks sit next to each other and text back and forth, but talking is still an option. When we do go our own ways we always "talk" about where we will be going and when and where to later meet. I would add that some of us are old enough to remember a time before cell phones and devices. Somehow, folks managed to make it work :). We have been cruising for over 50 years and it is only in the last decade that onboard apps are starting to take hold. Hank

We wondered the same, about an upcoming Westy cruise in Asia. There were no excursions listed for the first part of a cruise (that begins in March) until a few days ago. Than without any warning, HAL completely revamped the itinerary, eliminated 1 port, added two new ports, and posted excursions. Some speculated that HAL must have known, for some time, they were going to make the itinerary change, which is why they had not posted excursions for the affected ports. Hank

There have been multiple studies done on the subject. One study can be found here: Cruise Tourism Pt 3: Impacts on Economy and Communities - Ranggo Magazine (myranggo.com) When we were vacationing in Key West we also read some local articles on the topic (about 2/3 of residents voted to ban or restrict cruise ships). In that town, many locals were unhappy that some nice locally owned boutiques had been "forced out" by cheap T-shirt shops, Diamonds International, and other businesses that target cruise ship customers. The citizens of Bar Harbor, ME have also decided to ban cruise ships because they simply do not want to be overun by thousands of cruisers. A local bar/club owner told me "we loved cruise ships until we didn't!" In Key West, when they went through the cruise industry shut down (because of COVID), many local businesses found they did not miss the ship and liked that the town was not wall to wall people. They also realized that for the first time in decades, the sea water around the island was actually clear. Apparently, the big ships stir up the bottom silt, thus making the local water somewhat cloudy and bad for snorkeling, diving etc. We do think you are also right when you talk about the "riff raff." Folks that pay the big bucks to stay on islands like St Barts and Anguilla do not want to deal with thousands of day visitors that crowd their beaches, strain their infrastructure, etc. The issue of environmental damage is the main reason why ships have now been banned from Venice, Italy's decent cruise port. Bottom line is that there are multiple reasons to ban or restrict ships and it is now having an impact on cruise itineraries. Anecdotally, when we visited Puerto Vallarta on a cruise ship we walked around town and stopped for a few beers and lunch. Total money spent was less than $50. We now live in Puerto Vallarta (for 10 weeks a year) and we spend a LOT more than $50 a day between our Condo, meals, bars, clubs, etc. Hank