PurpleTraveller

I was there in June 2022 on a Sunday and the train was not running and there was no one at the port exit selling tours or bus trips. We met up with another couple who were also waiting at the train station and we got a taxi to Olympia. It cost €80 (so €20 per person) for the taxi to drive us from Katakolon to Olympia, the driver to wait two hours for us and then drive us back to Katakolon. We bought entry tickets to Olympia at the ticket booth and there was no line. It was a great day.

I should also have mentioned that there are a number of different dock locations some of which are further away from the old town of Stockholm. Please check the website for details of the dock location for your particular sailing.

You can check where your ship docks on the Ports of Stockholm website. https://www.portsofstockholm.com/vessel-calls/ Not knowing what date you are docking there this is an example of one of the Caribbean Princess visits. If you do dock at Stadsgarden S167 it is the closest dock to the old town of Stockholm. When we were there in 2017 the HOHO Bus stopped at the dock and there was also the HOHO ferry. We walked to the old town from the dock. We simply followed the blue line painted on the footpath and it took about 25 minutes. This is the old town from the dock.

I was on Reflection in June 2022 and loved the Sunset Bar. I didn't find the seats uncomfortable whether at the bar itself or at a table or a bench. It was our favourite place to have a drink at any time of the day or night!

Thank goodness you checked back with Celebrity and picked up their mistake. It could have been a headache you did not need! Hopefully everything now goes smoothly for you and you have a wonderful cruise. 🛳️

Not sofietucker, but If you look at the cruise itinerary you are interested in on the Celebrity website it shows which ports are docked and which ports are tendered. These are screenshots from the website of the cruise that I will be doing next month. Livorno is close to the dock and there is a shuttle to the town as there is no pedestrian access. The shuttle was free in 2022. Many passengers do a tour further afield to places such as Florence (a long way from the port), Pisa and Lucca. Portofino you tender to the town. Naples you dock right in the city but many go on tours to Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast or Capri. Messina you dock right in Messina but many go on tours to Taormina or Mt Etna. Brindisi you can either dock in the city or further away but there is a free shuttle to the city. A recent cruiser on Constellation reported that they docked at the further location and got the shuttle. Kotor you tender to the city and the dock is directly across the road from the old town. Kotor has the most beautiful sail in and out through the Bay of Kotor. If you go to Dubrovnik you dock away from the city centre. There is a shuttle that cost USD15 return in 2022 but I have seen reports that it is free this year. Split you dock a little way from the city but it is within walking distance. Zadar you dock outside of the city centre and there is a shuttle that costs USD15 return or USD8 one way. The whatsinport website is a good source for information on the ports for each location and things to see and do, so that further research can be done. I will be doing a review after my cruise so can provide more information then.

Love your report on your tour to Pyrgos and beautiful photos. I will be doing the tour next month and also booked during the Black Friday sale. Looks like we will have a great day in Santorini but then again I always have a great time there. We will also be walking down the donkey trail again as we have done it twice before with no issues and find it better than standing in the cable car line. Thank you for your wonderful review. I have enjoyed it greatly! Have a safe trip home.

In June 2022 we got a taxi to Olympia because the train was not running. We shared with another couple that we met at the train station. It cost €80 (€20 each) for the ride to Olympia, the driver waited for us for two hours and then drove us back to Katakolon.

When I was in Katakolon in June 2022 we went to Olympia by taxi and walked up to the ticket booth and bought our tickets. There was no queue and we walked in immediately.

Glad you got it sorted and you got a great price. My transfer from the ship to Ravenna train station in July is USD16.99 per person.

I don't know if you have seen the Turkey government visa website. You are correct to try and get this confirmed. Maybe you could send them an email to ask. https://www.visa-turkey.org/turkey-e-visa-requirements-for-cruise-ship-visitors/#:~:text=Tourists arriving in Turkey by,eVisa%2C based on their nationality.

I was in Livorno on a Sunday in June 2022. Almost everything was closed other than a few cafes. We walked around, visited a few churches before the Sunday services started and also went to the Fortezza Nuovo. We got the port shuttle to Livorno at 10.10am and were back on the ship at 1.20pm. This suited us as it was the last day of the cruise and we had to check in for flights and pack and had been to Florence, Pisa and the Cinque Terre previously. You may be better to plan a trip to Pisa or Lucca unless you would just like a short stroll before returning to the ship.

I can't help with your first two questions as I don't get onboard until June 25. To get to Livorno train station you have a few choices. You can get the shuttle from the dock (no pedestrian access) to Piazza del Municipio in Livorno and either walk from there to the station (2.5km) which takes about 35 to 40 minutes, get a local bus or get a taxi. You can get a taxi directly to the train station from the dock but most taxis want longer fares and you may find it difficult to get a taxi for a short distance. To get on a tender you will need to get a tender ticket. The earlier you get a ticket the earlier tender you will get on. Instructions will be given on the ship as to where and when to get the tender tickets. There may be a line for the tender tickets so join the line as early as possible if you want to get off quickly. If you are on a Celebrity excursion you do not need to get a tender ticket. Hope you have a wonderful cruise! 🛳️

In Kotor you will tender to the dock. The old city of Kotor is directly across the road from the dock and there is a pedestrian underpass of the road with escalators so you don't even have to cross the road. In Dubrovnik the port is a few km from the old city. When I was there in 2022 there was a Celebrity shuttle which cost USD15.00pp for a return ticket though I have read reports that it is free this year. We walked and it took about an hour to get from the ship to the Pile Gate. You can check out the whatsinport website for information about your ports and transport options.

Thank you so much for an absolutely fabulous review. I have enjoyed every moment reading about your trip and seeing your wonderful photos. Thank you for taking so much of your time during your cruise to keep us all entertained, providing great information and showing us all the fantastic places you went. Thank you again! 😊

Ohh, this is great! I love your reviews and are really looking forward to this one as I will be on Infinity on June 15 and have also booked the tour to Pyrgos in Santorini. I too am doing home renovations so are looking forward to some sun and relaxation. Hope you both have a wonderful cruise! 🛳️

On Royal Princess last December the reserved seating for Production Shows for Premier packages was next to the aisles on both levels of the theatre. The lower level on deck 6 is accessible for wheelchairs and scooters which has spaces for them. Maybe you could ask for one of these spaces to be reserved or possibly one of the spaces at the top of level 7. You can see the reserved and wheelchair seats/spaces on the lower level in this photo.

I was in C535 on my cruise in December which is in a similar position but on the Starboard side. We thought the cabin was in a great location. It was very quiet and we enjoyed being in the middle of the ship (five floors down to the Piazza and five floors up to the Lido deck) and were able to use the stairs to go down to the Theatre or Piazza and up to the Lido deck. We were also able to easily use the mid or aft elevators or stairs. Being mid aft we felt no movement of the ship. The guest laundry was nearby which was convenient. I thought that the ship was in great condition and did not notice any disrepair or worn areas.

Thank you! I'm really pleased that my review is helping with your planning. We find that it is best to bring layers as the temps can range from quite cool to warm in November. It can be very cool at sea and in the Sounds so a wind proof jacket is handy but the rest of the time short sleeves with a fleecy is usually sufficient. We only did one excursion in Dunedin and the procedure was the same as we have experienced on other Princess cruises. We met at the theatre at the time on our excursion ticket, waited in the theatre in the section for our excursion, were called by our excursion group and walked off the ship to our bus which had a sign on it with the excursion number. There was someone collecting our tickets at the door to the bus. At working ports where there were shuttles to take independent travellers into town the excursion buses were at the dock so the excursion participants only had to leave the ship and walk to their excursion bus. I hope you have a great visit to Australia and New Zealand and have a wonderful cruise! 🛳️

I haven't done The Malta Experience. I personally would prefer to spend my time exploring Malta which has so much to see and do (we spent five days there and still didn't see everything we wanted to), rather than spend time in a theatre, particularly if there is good weather. However, if you want to learn about Malta's history you may enjoy it. No matter what you choose I hope you have a great visit to Malta and a wonderful cruise. 🛳️

If you want to go to the Blue Grotto I echo Zana711 about not using public transport. (We got the public bus which broke down half way there leaving us stranded in the middle of nowhere. We had to walk for quite a distance until we managed to wave down another public bus which kindly took us to the closest point to the Blue Grotto on his route and then we had to walk from there. A 30 minutes bus trip turned into a 90 minute bus/walk/bus/walk trip. Fortunately we weren't on a cruise day but staying in Valletta for five days.) I would also recommend getting a taxi there and possibly getting them to wait then getting them to take you to Marsaxlokk and then returning to Valletta. That would maximise your time and allow you to visit the places you want to see and also have time to explore Valletta and maybe also fit in a ferry ride across the harbour.

I just checked my paperwork for my cruise last June and it was a 4.30pm departure with an all aboard time of 3.15pm. Your check in window may be later than my 10.30am check in, if you have a 6.00pm departure and it will also depend at what time the ship is due to arrive.

Last June I arrived at 10.15am for a 10.30am check in time (there are no longer check in times just a boarding window eg. 11.00am to 3.00pm). There were two ships in port and it was a disorganised terminal with long lines. Even with priority boarding I boarded the ship just before midday. Hopefully the terminal will be better organised this year but if you want to be on early you will need to arrive early for check in and leave exploring Vancouver for another time.

My next cruise is in September 2025 and when I checked my dining reservations after receiving the email all of my reservations had already been cancelled.

The cruise terminal in Barcelona where Princess ships dock is the Adossat Quay Cruise Terminal where there are five terminals - A, B, C, D and E. The Adossat Quay Terminal is about 2km from the end of Las Ramblas. There is a port shuttle for a cost that goes from near the end of Las Ramblas to the terminals at Adossat or you can get a taxi there. Either check which terminal your ship is leaving from or you will be able to see the ships once you get to the Quay and you can tell your taxi driver that you want to stop at the Princess ship. The World Trade Centre Terminal at the foot of Las Ramblas is only for small ships and Princess ships are too large to dock there.