ollienbertsmum

i live in the Southern Mediterranean. I can say that there is no way I would sightsee in the middle of summer now the kids no longer travel with us. April and May are however great months for travelling around. You might get rain, which we did in our early May cruise to Croatia and Slovenia this year - I always travel with a light rain coat, I cannot cope with an umbrella when moving around. You may well have sunny days but if at sea it can be breezy and so pool activities are probably unlikely, unless you have a ship that has a cover over the pool. Temperatures might make you consider whether or not you are likely to need a balcony, that might be the place you use your heavy coat

In your case I think that I would consider leaving your luggage in the hotel and then using a Hoho bus. If you buy a basic ticket you have not wasted so much money if you can only cope with sitting on for one circuit.

88 euro sounds a bit excessive. The time you are leaving will probably still have taxi drivers working taking people home after Saturday night outings so why not use the hotel ? Welcome pickup rate sounds fair but perhaps it is one of those middle men companies that are not always recommended.

So today was a day at sea. Almost felt like I was on a cruise. For my birthday in April my girls promised me a whale watch. The idea is to see Orcas but they don’t pass through the Straits of Gibraltar until mid summer. We saw whales but only pilot whales. Apparently they are quite territorial and aggressive so they keep the Orcas away. We were a bit spoiled the first time we went two years ago when we saw so many Orcas…. maybe next year. We had a lovely lunch in Tarifa to end. IMG_7439.mov In this area there are not many boats that go out. When we went in Vancouver and Boston there were lots of boats. I think that they communicate with each other and let each other know where the whales are on that day giving more chance of sighting. It was good to see one whale species though. It did feel l like I was standing on a balcony at one point.

I have grown jalapeños for the first time this year. I picked one two days ago and I too thought it was a bit weak on the heat. Tasted more like a bell pepper. I think I am going to leave them a bit longer.

That is a lovely way to remember Pauline’s Dad. I am sure he is smiling down at you.

https://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/faq/cruise-ship-terminals/shuttle-bus-barcelona-cruise-terminal.html This map shows the port shuttle stops. I am not so sure how convenient it would be - you would probably save a few euro from the ship shuttle (which there must be) but it will be a bit of a long winded journey. Taxis are however plentiful in Barcelona and on a Sunday morning if you wait for the rush to die down (but not sure what time the rush is, ? around 8 - 8.30 am) people will be coming in taxis to board and so the drivers will be happy to pick up passengers to take back into town to wherever you are headed.

I have been to Livorno a few times with RCCL and NCL. We are also typically DIYers and have been to Livorno itself using the shuttle to the town centre. Pisa and Lucca on the train using the NCL shuttle direct to the station and then the ‘Florence on Your Own’ ship tour when I knew that the shuttle to the station was not guaranteed. I felt that the latter was expensive as a simple bus seat, but we had enough time in Florence to see what we wanted and I think I would do it that way if I went again.

April is just the start of the season in the Med. I suppose that my question to you is ‘what are you expecting from your cruise?’. When my children were as young as yours they tended to be happy with a pool, a toy shop or a park. In April you may well find it is not warm enough in the Med to really want the pool (ships can be quite breezy and lower the ambient temperature). We went to the Eastern Med the first week of May this year, it was pleasant and there were some people in the pools. The following week was quite wet I think. You can get toy shops and parks most places in Europe, but as an adult tourist I think I would have been frustrated if I had gone e.g. all the way to Cadiz just to go to a park and toy shop. There would be all the architecture and culture that I would have wanted to experience. So my advice would be to consider delaying the trip a few weeks OR consider going further south to the Canaries although that might mean a longer cruse than you intended. Both those options would mean that the kids could be more entertained on the ship and possibly on beaches near the port and then more tolerant of the occasional adult oriented activity. You can perhaps sample local food, climb up to a view point or get on a Hoho bus around the town. Finally, although I know that your question is about family-friendly ports, I think you might find it easier to choose by looking at the cruises that leave Southampton around the time you are considering and on the cruiselines and in the price range you are happy with. Then compare itineraries. You can come back and ask ‘which of these itineraries are more family-friendly?’. The answers might be more focused.

John Bull always gives good advice. Catching a number 2 bus up Europa Road and then hiking up the Rock is the cheapest way to go. If you have 9 hours in port so you should have plenty of time as long as you set out early. You still have to pay for the entrance to the Upper Rock Nature Reserve. Prices have gone up recently according to the Website it is now 18 pounds sterling for an adult http://www.visitgibraltar.gi/see-and-do/tours-excursions/mediterranean-steps-12 There is an advantage of doing it yourself. Although I do think the taxi tours are great and the drivers act as your guide, they do not take you everywhere that is included in the ticket. So (as far as I know) you miss out on the Skywalk, the Windsor Bridge, the City under Siege exhibition, O’Hara’s Battery. These are not the highlights, but they are of interest. I know that John says it is a 15 to 20 minute walk up to St Michael’s Cave - when it is hot, it feels like more than 20 minutes. I have added a few photos so that you know what you will be rewarded with when you get up the Rock. Getting down is probably easier than getting up - keep your eye on your watch though. It is not worth getting a bus back to the town centre. Once you come down by the Tower of Homage you will see steps that will get you back through the old town. You are in Main Street and you could stop for a drink or just carry on another 15 minutes (but flat this time) to the ship. You will be glad that you wore sensible shoes.

You need to get this information from the cruiseline. You really do have to be accurate about timing when you are embarking. However if you plan on boarding at the last minute you will not get an empty ship, many guests will be returning from their day trips to Rome earlier than 6 pm. As to the uneven embarkation numbers between Rome and Barcelona, it may be due to the marketing of that particular cruise. It may be that there will be more Spanish cruisers or (and this is purely speculation) that it is easier for Northern Europeans to fly to Barcelona

Malaga has a lot going for it and makes a great DIY day. I have really enjoyed the Picasso museum and the old fashioned bars in the centre make a great stop (see photo). There are other attractions which will fill the day. However …. If you have never been to Granada and seen the Alhambra Palace you can do it from Malaga. Due to the distance and difficulties getting tickets I would only consider it on a guided tour. It is quite special though. Ronda is also quite special and well worth a day trip and I think that you could do this DIY if your ship stops for a full day.

missed out the word ‘used’

@SteelCityCruiser10 I only mint and the watermelon (we happened to have a really sweet seedless one sitting in fridge) and it was great over crushed ice. It is going to work for me. Thanks.

Oh that balance between taking enough meds to get moving, but knowing the risks of addiction. Fingers crossed some walking will help.

I was sad about the weather. Was really looking forward to Day five of the Ashes. The outlook does not look promising. Cricket can be so frustrating.

That looks really nice. I am experimenting with virgin cocktails to accompany my late afternoons. I am going to look it up.

I have never been to the hotel - but have stayed in various areas included a bit further out from the Monument. I have always been happy. Barcelona is a big but walkable city so the tourist sites are somewhat spread out. The Monument is near to Casa Batllo which is a great attraction. It is certainly walking distance to the Ramblas and to the Gothic area. Barceloneta and Montjuic are walkable for me, but also accessible on public transport for most. If I were to say which my favourite hotel is from the location, it is Hotel Suizo. because it is central and there is a Metro station right outside. It is only 3 star, I am fine with that when traveling. We only use the room for washing and sleeping, we don’t even usually get breakfast in the hotel - prefer to go out for coffee and toast at different venues around. We don’t make use of the facilities of a 5 star. If I have a big budget I would rather spend that on a meal out or even an upgrade on the ship. The reviews of the hotel are mixed. The ones I read seemed genuine. I sometimes think that the higher the star ratings the more mixed the reviews because expectations are higher. I am not sure how helpful that is, but I cannot imagine you not being unhappy with your choice. It depends on the deal that you got.

That is a great trip.

Not sure about transport as it was over ten yrs ago. I think we must have used the ship shuttle to the old town then we took public transportation to the beach. It was in July. I would recommend La lonja de la seda - quite special.

I was looking through old photos of trips (sorting the files out). One thing I noticed was that youngest and I bought a couple of parasols. It made so much difference. You could just as easily carry an umbrella.

I have no idea what to advise.

I think right now that is the weather we are all craving.

So sad for you.

ouch