hoenichj

Thanks you!  We have done some in other cities and they are fascinating!

Any street art tour to recommend?

thanks,

Judy

34 minutes ago, cboyle said:

•  

John and I are going in to Buenos Aires two days before our Antarctica expedition cruise with Ponant from Ushuaia on February 3. 

 

Defrantur is picking us up at the airport for a private transfer to our hotel (2 nights), which they also arranged, in the Retiro neighborhood. In early afternoon. we are doing a private tour to the Tigre River and a wine tasting later in the evening. The next day we are being taken to a food tour in the Palermo neighborhood and being dropped off afterwards at the San Telmo antiques fair. They have recommended and made a dinner reservation at a restaurant near the hotel and are picking us up very early the next morning for a private transfer to the airport for the Ponant-included flight to Ushuaia. All of that (not including the dinner) is costing half of what Ponant was asking for 1 night in a hotel plus a city tour, dinner at a steakhouse, and the airport transfers for the two of us. 

 

If you want to read about other tours Defrantur has set up for us, this is our (very long) review of our "Around the Horn" cruise with precruise tours in Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls and wine regions of Argentina and Chile. They also arranged a tour to an estancia when the cruise had a port call in Buenos Aires. https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=80603

 

If you have any other questions, just ask.

 

Hope that helps!

 

Carolyn

Thanks, Carolyn.  that is great!

Judy

On 12/8/2019 at 1:30 PM, cboyle said:

We have used this company for tours/transfers twice on visits to South America and will be using them again in February, 2020.

http://www.defrantur.com/INGLES/Default.asp

What tours have you done with them?  Thanks!

Judy

They had a couple of coach buses out there waiting. They gave us this little ticket to return with. So when we were done in Bruges (around 4ish I'd say), we walked back the train station parking lot. There were a lot of buses, so we just had to find ones that were from the company we used. I don't know how often they run, I think we sat there maybe 10-15 minutes, which was fine. We had plenty of time to get back to the ship. We got off the ship right when it docked, as soon as we were allowed. We had planned on catching a cab, which had been suggested, but then we were pleasantly surprised to find this tour company running right at the ship, dockside. We got into town early, like some stores weren't open yet. But it was sooo... nice, not crowded at all. It got way more crowded later in the day.

 

Which is why I'd also suggest, which I'm sure I mentioned in my trip report, if you plan on doing the canal boat tour, do it early. When we did it later in the day, it was packed and we had to wait like 30-40 minutes.

Thanks, Cindy!! Very helpful.

Yep! When we went last summer there was a coach bus offering R/T rides to Bruges for like 20 Euros/person. We hopped on that, got into town just as things were getting opened and spent about 8-9 hours there. It's a beautiful city, easy to walk to everything and find your way around. I also bought a little guide book before to give us some ideas.

Thanks!

Which shuttle company was it and did they have multiple busses or did you have to wait for half an hour for another bus?

Was it a problem to return to the ship or did they also have multiple shuttles? what time did you leave the ship to get into the city?

thank you!

Judy

there are plenty of Taxis by the centre of town

I think STEL taxi has an office by the canal tours but not sure so you could check in advance

 

Maybe Crystal have a diy shuttle that you could get back to the ship

Bruges itself is pretty much a DIY town & the tourist office has walking tours

thank you! I am a little nervous about not having a return taxi booked, but the companies do not seem to want to book only one way...

Hi,

We were thinking of taking the city tour from the ship (Crystal Serenity) which is about 5 hours, but then staying in the town for a few hours longer instead of returning with the tour to the ship so that we can have lunch in Bruges and see more of the town. We would need a taxi to take us from Bruges back to the ship.

In your collective experiences Is this possible to do or would it be a problem to find a taxi to get back to the ship. Other thoughts?

Thanks

:)

Thank you, Ine

Thanks, Ine.

Would you suggest a taxi/uber or the public transit system - if timing is the only consideration?

Judy

thank you. any idea if there will be taxis outside the ship?

Trying to book the Van Gogh Museum. Does anyone have an idea at what time we can get off the ship in Amsterdam if it docks at 8am. This is a 2 day stop before Bruges.

Thanks!

Judy:)

Perfect, thank you!!

thank you! Are there other tours offered by Crystal in any of the other ports that you think might be worthwhile?

Thank you Keith, you are always a fount of knowledge!

Judy

Hi Keith,

Another question. We each have $500. OBC. Any ship tours that you would recommend?

thanks,

Judy

Hi Judy I am glad that you enjoyed the photos.

 

For this particular tour we had arranged for a private tour with Crystal Cruises so it was not one that is offered on the regular program.

 

I do like your idea. You might want to even check out Trip Advisor to see if you can arrange for a private guide to take you out to Wicklow or Powerscourt and then try to spend a few hours on your own in downtown Dublin.

 

Keith

Thanks!!

Hi Keith,

Thanks for the lovely photos. We have never been to Dublin and are there overnight on the Crystal Serenity July17-18. What tour did you take? Do you think that we should spend the day in Dublin or try to get out to Wicklow or Powerscourt gardens etc as well. We generally like to walk and not be rushed about, and I was considering that a half day out of Dublin (on a tour) and a half day on our own in Dublin to see Trinity college, Guiness, the Goal, etc might be good. I am, however, happy to defer to an expert:) :):-) Thanks!!

Judy

Hi George C- will you do a post about your Liberty cruise? Wondering if the outside area of the SL is open and who the current concierge is?

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Hi Cruisin,

How did you like Nautica? we are scheduled to do Bangkok to Mumbi on Nautica and I would really be interested in your tour guides and tours in Ko Samui, Singapore and Bangkok.

Thanks,

Judy

Thanks Talia.

If we are staying at a hotel, can I presume that they will be able to arrange a taxi Friday night?

Judy

Thank you. Did you do any of this on Friday night or Saturday? is the local mini bus a sherut?

Thanks,

Judy

Thank you, Talia.

We are thinking of taking a taxi Thursday from Ashdod to Jerusalem and staying overnight and going back later in the evening on Friday from Jerusalem to Ashdod. Other plan would be to go to Tel Aviv on Friday afternoon and then taxi to Haifa( where the boat will be on Saturday. Any taxi companies to recommend?

Is it less complicated to taxi from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv late in the afternoon on Friday (around 5pm) Shabbat candles are to be lit at 5:44 on Oct 2 (according to Chabad).

Judy

Hi all

Any idea how to get from Jerusalem to Ashdod on a Friday night?

thanks

Hi,

Glad that you had no problems booking tickets. What time did you go to the sights and did you buy the tickets in advance or just before you entered.

Thanks,

Judy

thank you so much. Do you have to book the tours in advance? Do you suggest prebooking transfers from the port to the hotel?

Judy