marazul

8 minutes ago, tls716 said:

Thank you, I have reposted in other forum. I originally was going to post there, but saw Limassol listed under Greece ports.

True because many Greek island cruises make a stop there. Because of cabotage laws all round-trip Athens cruises have to make a stop in another country. That means Turkey, Italy or Cyprus. Cyprus started being used at the end of the pandemic when Turkey was still closed to cruises. However, posting on the other forum might get you some local expertise.

41 minutes ago, tls716 said:

Hi! We have a 1 day port stop in Limassol. We'd really like to see the Troodos mountains and hike either the Artemis Trail or Kaledonia Waterfall Trail, then visit a mountain village for lunch. I'm only finding excursions that either we don't have enough time for, or they are private and too expensive. Will there be taxis outside the cruise port that will take us up into Troodos mountains? Or will there be tour companies at the port where we can book a tour up into Troodos that day?

The Troodos mountains are in Cyprus, not Greece. Post in the "Other Mediterranean Ports" forum.

1 hour ago, mthomp5 said:

Thank you for the great suggestion! I’ll take the email route!

 

One more question…did you have to pay in advance?  Or at time of stay?  Thank you!

Most hotels offer a discounted, pay in advance, non-refundable rate. 

Don't do it unless you are booking just a few days out. Get the pay at the hotel, cancelable rate.

47 minutes ago, Mimiya11 said:

Thank you and to clarify cruisemom and marazul - 

For purposes of this question, we are looking for high quality food. Kids are ages 3 - 13 so pasta and pizza options are probably our best bets.  Just trying to avoid tourist traps.  

 

And am asking this far in advance so I can make reservations for 11 people.  Would never think of expecting to get a large table without a reservation.    

Look at the thread pinned at the top of this forum: 

@BDEM

If you are looking for a romantic place, the Alhambra is it.

Here is a suggestion using Taxi Motril to go to the Alambra. Pay extra to wait 4 hours instead of 3. Tour at least the palace Nazaries (see post #11). Then go for lunch in the Hotel America right on the grounds of the Alhambra.

https://www.hotelamericagranada.com/en/restaurant/

Another option for lunch (and more upscale) is the Parador de Granada, right next to it and located in an old, beautiful convent.  

https://paradores.es/en/parador-de-granada

https://paradores.es/en/restaurant-el-almori-del-generalife-parador-de-granada

And here is a view of the Alhambra grounds including both hotels:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hotel+América+(Granada)/@37.1757303,-3.5884437,265m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m9!3m8!1s0xd71fcb6f864f08b:0xf59baf78994893a2!5m2!4m1!1i2!8m2!3d37.1760334!4d-3.5883878!16s%2Fg%2F1tdglm3b?hl=en&entry=ttu

And, yes, you must buy admission tickets ASAP.

2 minutes ago, BDEM said:

Thank you so very much!  I have a question... how much money would you suggest to take on a 2 wk trip? Euros? US Dollars?  Just many questions to prepare for.... thank you again!

Do they tip in Europe? How much?

Search for how much money to bring and where to get it on this Forum and on the Italy forum.  Tons written there.  Clues: credit cards and ATMs.

No, you do not tip in Europe. Employees are paid fair wages, it is not a two tier system like in the US. Rounding up the bill is ok, like 9.50 to 10.  Or leaving the change on the table after a coffee.  Also, lots written on that on the Italy forum.

1 minute ago, BDEM said:

Oh ok, thank you so very much!  I appreciate all your help! I hope they have transportation to and from the port?

You can ask. Just take a taxi there and they will call one for your return.

1 minute ago, BDEM said:

Thank you so much!  I appreciate it!  Yes that is cold, but we are from Texas... so we will leave with 100+ temps LOL!!  I still need to get a Day Pass at the hotel as we will be on the NCL Viva cruise and that day will be our 30th Anniversary, June 11, so I want to have a romantic relaxing day in the sun and water!! The Playa Granada is highly rated. Thoughts?  Thank you!

Email the hotel and ask about making a lunch reservation and renting lounge chairs by the pool. It isn't really called "day pass." 

@Mimiya11

I second cruisemom and would add that there are eleven of you.  You need to make reservations if you want to go to specific places.  And when you reserve say 11 people, not 6 adults and 5 children!

9 minutes ago, BDEM said:

According to the Impressive Granada Hotel and Resort they have access to the beach and a beautiful pool.

Here is a little secret about the Costa del Sol beaches: the water is really cold even in August! 

That is because the Northern Atlantic waters come in through the Straight of Gibraltar and don't really warm up until farther into the Mediterranean.  Here is the water temperature in June according to seatemperature.org for Almuñecar Beach which is right next to Motril:  between 67.4ºF and 72.2ºF. That is cold!

https://www.seatemperature.org/europe/spain/almunecar.htm 

In all likelihood, you will be disappointed by the beach experience and end up spending the day by the pool.  By the way, "day passes" are not really a thing in Spain since all beaches are free. 

Don't miss this chance to visit the Alhambra. It is extraordinary.  

3 hours ago, erby2283 said:

As first time visitors to Messina, is a trip to Etna worth the time or would you rather spend more time in Taormina (DIY day)?  ItalyTours has a 8-hour tour for 99 eu that goes to both - but I think they do Etna first - which would put us in Taormina in the afternoon - and I think I read the shops close from 1-4 or something like that. It's nice not to have to worry about transportation and booking train/bus independently, but when you're also looking at seven ports, cutting down costs and only booking tours when absolutely necessary also helps your money go a long way. Thanks in advance. BTW - we are in Port 9am-6pm

I think Etna is very interesting.  How many active volcanos do you get to walk on? Being in Taormina in the afternoon is just fine.  All the restaurants and gelaterie will be open.  Many of the tourist shops will stay open.  Frankly, you will find lots of overpriced stuff, so why even bother. 

12 hours ago, mimxmom said:

Has anyone been here recently? If so, is it easily accessible via taxi from cruise port and how long of a ride and how much should I expect it to cost? TIA

I looked it up (so can you). It is in Alimos, about 15 minutes by taxi from the port. There is also a tram that runs along the shore and would take you there in about 30 minutes. Google the stops. There is one not far from the port.

Have you been to Athens before? If not, there are better things to do there than go to the beach. And there are better beaches on the islands than around Athens. A beach bar is a beach bar.

You might also want to check the seawater temperature for when you are going on this website:

https://www.seatemperature.org/europe/greece/athens-may.htm

40 minutes ago, dougygreen said:

     I would also like to hear from someone with first hand experience with the commute to Florence for an overnight. It seems hard to find anyone. Have you asked in another thread Murt22?

 

From the research I've done so far I gathered a little bit of info if it helps. Our line, NCL, told us we are free to book a night in Florence and there is no curfew in Livorno - so we could take the latest train from Florence if we wanted, or even arrive at 3 A.M.

 

Most online reviews about it are positive and suggest it's the best way to go, for the best price. I did watch one YouTube vlog that described it as a bit of a hassle, but I think if you just plan well and consider that it's not quite as simple as hopping off the boat and onto the train it should be simple enough.

 

The port shuttle should take us to 'Piazza del Municipio" (The stop can be searched on Google maps). From there, it's getting to Livorno Centrale station and on the train. Options for that seem to be a 10 minute bus or 30-40 minute walk.

 

Still hoping someone who's done it finds this and provides a little extra encouragement, but we think we're going to go for it. We've planned very expensive excursions in other ports so we gotta budget somewhere! The crazy prices for NCL's excursions to Florence just aren't worth it when the city is so doable on your own.

 

 

 

 

 

You are overthinking this. You already figured out how to get to the train station in Livorno. That is the hardest part.  Reserve a hotel in Florence near the train station. Take the train over. Check in the hotel and enjoy the city.  Look at the food thread pinned at the top of this forum for restaurant recommendations. Enjoy the city at night. If you want to book tickets to the Uffizi or Academia, do it for the earliest time next morning for no crowds. When you are ready, take one of the many frequent trains back to Livorno.

Have a great trip.

5 minutes ago, FlaMariner said:

 

Opposite experience booking our tickets thru the cathedral website.....

 

First issue:  It did not like my email that ends in .net.....had to use a different email address

Second issue:  My BofA visa did not have some sort of Euro required multi-authentication so was declined.....Used my Amex (which has nothing special) and the transaction was approved.

 

Once we got thru that drama, we are good to go....So looking forward to touring Sagrada Familia in April!

 

 

😵‍💫🤪 Go figure!

52 minutes ago, kprice1218 said:

This is for a one way transfer to connect with a Viking River Cruise departing Avignon on 11/10/24.

Nice combination of cruises!

Take a taxi to Gare St. Charles, the main train station in Marseille.

Look for trains on the official website:

https://www.sncf.com/en

They run frequently. 

5 hours ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

That sounds like something I’d enjoy!  Thanks!

 

I had forgotten about the Baths of Caracalla. We had watched a video about it and thought it looked like a cool place to see. I will watch both videos you linked. Thanks!

 

I emailed Marisa last night. Our tour includes the museums, and Saint Peters. She said she will email us in May with more details. Would that be too late to book the scavi tour?  I’m sure Marisa will tell us where we can locate a taxi. We’ll plan on using one, especially since we will need to bring our passports. 
 

 

You can only book here:

www.scavi.va/content/scavi/en/prenotazione.html

13 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

The Sistine Chapel is grouped with the Vatican tour, Saint Peter’s is not so we’ll have to do that on our own. I will look up the Scavi tour, as I have no idea what it is.  Thanks!

Scavi means excavations. It refers to the archaeological finds underneath St. Peter's.  

scavi.va

47 minutes ago, ktbmhb1 said:

So, I see the tickets are available for the day we would like to go and tour not only the inside but go up the tower.  I see on the Sagrada Familia Website and have read that others in this group have had issues just purchasing tickets.  Has anyone gone on a tour using their website? How was it? I also have an email ending with .Net so I assume I'll need to use another email like gmail.  Just looking for some confirmation that this would easy enough to do.

 

Thanks

Their tours are excellent.  The website is just fine. Try booking your tour. Use your own email. Don't use amex. If you have any questions, come back.

13 hours ago, Kensington-cruiser said:

We are cruising in Alaska with Seabourn in Summer 2025. The shore excursions are available to book now and we want to secure a couple now, so we don't miss out. The Ventures excursions however aren't showing yet and it may be that we later see something we like more.

 

I see that you can cancel excursions up to boarding and receive a full refund to the credit card.

 

Please could anyone tell me - is it easy to cancel and can it be done online or do you need to call Seabourn to do so?

 

Grateful for any advice or insight from seasoned Seabourn cruisers as we are first timers! Thank you

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, we had to cancel our April cruise.  All refunds were made within 24 hours.

1 hour ago, Shella73 said:

Hello, looking for suggestions for a full, but laid-back day in Athens for me and my husband, on August 30th and a half day on the 31st. We have to be on a cruise ship in Piraeus by 2 pm on the 31st. I am cross-eyed from trying to plan it on my own. we like food, history, and architecture. We want to see enough to hit the highlights, but we want to be able we saw the city together..not spend the day being so worried about running from place to place on a tight schedule. SO, I guess I am looking for the "Quality over quantity" recommendations.I know everyone's opinion will differ, but it will give me a place to start.

I have a room at Hotel Hera and have arranged my airport pickup and port transfer from them. Other than this I have zero plans, My husband really wants to go inside the Parthenon. Looking to control costs and do it on our own if possible.

Thanks for your help.

The Hera is within easy walking distance of the Acropolis, Acropolis museum and the Plaka. You can visit all on your own.

Get your own tickets to the Acropolis. You cannot walk inside the Parthenon, but you can walk all around it. 

1 hour ago, CruisinRoxy said:

We will be spending three nights in Rome post cruise from celebrity Equinox.  Celebrity is offering a shuttle but it drops off at some station, train I presume?  I’d rather take a cab or private driver, so as to be dropped off directly at the hotel.  Not interested in public trans at all.  Anyone have any suggestions? Thank you!

romecabs.com for a private transfer. 

36 minutes ago, MikiBis said:

This was very useful.  I arrive in Bari on October 20th and want to take a repositioning cruise from Barcelona on October 24th.  Getting from Bari to Barcelona is a challenge, since we'll each have a large suitcase.  I'm not sure what airlines/trains will accomodate them.  I prefer a train to Rome, then stay a couple of days in Rome, then fly out ofRome to Barcelona.    Thoughts?

That plan works fine.  All trains will accommodate your bags. Search for train advice on this forum. Book on the Trenitalia official website. Bring a cable lock to secure your bags in case you don't get seats near them.

Check recommendations for Rome hotels in the 'pinned' thread on top. No need to stay near the train station. There are much better choices and more pleasant areas in central Rome. 

30 minutes ago, cruznliz said:

Thanks for the input. Do you have a hotel name of something reasonably priced and near either the Vatican or Coliseum?

 

Don't stay near the Vatican unless that is your only interest in Rome.  It is out of the way for all other sightseeing. You will have a much better choice of hotels and restaurants in the central Rome areas, such as Colosseum, Pantheon/Navona or Trevi.

2 hours ago, Cruzin1616 said:

@marazul @Hlitner @edinburgher @D&N

 

Thank you all for your tips and suggestions.  I really appreciate it!  

 

We like the idea of a nice picnic somewhere with a nice view. 

Like I said he wants to walk around the Casino to say he has been there, not to actually play. He doesn't play at the tables. 

I like to window shop! I don't want to spend the money, but I love to look and dream! My favorite thing we do once a year is going to the multi-million-dollar open houses at home and act like we could afford it!  

I love to also just sight-see and take photos of the pretty views. 

And I am sure we all appreciate your note.

Don't forget to pick up some wine at the Casino supermarket for your picnic.  Their pastries are also very good.

If you like to visit nice houses, go visit the Prince's Palace for a view of a really "old money" house.  The Grimaldis have been the rulers since 1297 and have occupied the palace (with lots of renovations) for 700 years.

https://visitepalaisdemonaco.com/en/

Also fun to see are the mega-yachts at the harbor.  If you want "rich and famous" you are at the right place.

10 hours ago, cpl100 said:

Have you use this company for a private tour?  We are going in May and considering them.

I have NOT used this company.  Santorini Day Tours is new to CC posts.  They posted above (posts #11 and #13).  @John Bull made a comment about their posts (post #12).  I was curious about this new poster and I looked them up.  I found their website and I posted that they were a tour company.  I didn't take the time to look at their offerings. They did post some very useful information here, but I do not know anything else about them.  Maybe they offer some good excursions starting and ending at the Cable Car port.  If anyone tries them out, please post.