mapleleaves

Unfortunately there is only one line at the cable car entrance so having a prepaid ticket won't get you in any sooner. The bus from Oia to Fira only makes one stop, in Imerovigli. A taxi is around 30E but they are pretty scarce so best to have a reservation.

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Check out the Rome forum on tripadvisor. Do a search on "wine tasting" (using the quotation marks) . These 2 companies were mentioned in several threads by a local: Wine Tastings and Food Tours in Rome • VinoRoma , and for food & wine tours Casa Mia Tours | Italy Food & Wine Experiences | Rome Tours Or post your own question and see if any new recommendations appear. Good luck !

That's a lot of sitting in a car when you look at the logistics of it: a 2 hr drive each way, plus 1/2 hr between MP and Pienza. So maybe 1 1/2 hours for the wine tasting in each village? Do you get to visit each town or is the winery on the outskirts ? I spent 3 nites in Montepulciano during a 10 day road trip in May. It was my favorite location. Such a beautiful area. So easy to drive around and explore. Personally I'd save this for another trip when you have more time for Tuscany. But it all depends on your priorities.

Another lite packer here! Whether I'm gone for 1 week or 3, I only take a 22" suitcase. I've been very satisfied with the ship's laundry service. As for the lingerie bag question, I was surprised last yr on the Gem when my items were taken out of the bag and tagged individually, then returned to the bag! That was a first. Maybe they were concerned the bag would open during the wash/dry so they wanted to tag everything? I dunno.

There's a thread at the top of the page called Barcelona Hotels and another just below your's called Barcelona Hotels. Read thru both for suggestions. Prices in Barcelona are pretty high, just as in most major cities. And are usually booked way in advance for pre-cruise nights. Hopefully your trip is 2024. The area around Placa Catalunya is very convenient. First, it is serviced by the Aerobus for only 8E, for 30minute ride from airpoprt. And also, it's just a few minutes to Las Ramblas, so you would have all morning to sightsee ...visit the Boqueria Market, wander down Las Ramblas to Placa Real, a brief wander thru the Gothic Quarter. Also, a cab ride to the ship will only take about 10 minutes/20E. We wanted to squeeze every last moment from Barcelona so we didn't board until 2pm ....bonus, no lines at check in. If your trip is this yr, go to a site like booking.com and use the map to limit your search to the Placa Catalunya area, and use the budget and availability features to limit the search further IF you find a few hotels that appeal, ask for feedback. Good luck !

You and several hundred others will need a taxi, so I'd be on the pier early if you need to be at StCharles by 7. Are you going to CDG ? There's a 10am on OuiGo that gets to CDG T2 at 1:30.

on a 7day cruise, the laundry special is around the halfway point. The bag is about the size of a pillowcase and costs $30. You can cram quite a bit into the bag, but it's paper so be careful not to split it. The steward usually leaves a bag in your room the night before, but since yours is a longer cruise, I would ask the steward which days, (plus sometimes they don't leave the bag and you'll miss out on the special)

I've seen positive comments about this company. Use the SEARCH box to find past comments; just enter " taxi mister cab driver". Be sure to use the quotation marks.

I took the train from Venice to Trieste, 20E For the return trip I used Flixbus since i needed to go to the airport, also 20E. Both trips were just over 2 hrs.

People who are taking a cruiseline transfer to the airport will NOT be walking off the ship with their luggage. As well as people who have late flights and are taking a post-cruise tour to kill time.

Your cruiseline doesn't have a transfer?

Not only are their luggage fees but sometimes there's a fee to select your seat ! And seat prices vary depending on where they're located. Crazy. But each airline has their own fees and rul I fly to London nearly every yr; either from Seattle or Tucson. And I only fly with a 22" carryon whether I'm travelling for 1 week or 3. It's not hard to do, and it makes travel so much easier. No dragging multiple cases thru the airport, I can easily hop onto a subway or train, and I never worry about lost luggage! I can use the laundry bag on the ship for $30 and on a long trip I'll find a laundromat and enjoy a cafe/peoplewatch while I wait. I usually fly BA. Always economy. There are 2 levels of economy. With the most basic fare, you pay extra for your seat selection and for checked luggage. But with the next level you can choose your seat and get 1 checked bag (51lbs) for only $85 more. Use google.com/flights to see which airlines fly from your home airport then check each airline to see what the fare is, and what is included or extra.

I stayed at the Hotel Lleo for 2 nites. Great location for transportation and sightseeing. Good bfast. We took the Aerobus from the airport to the Universitat stop for 5 or 6E then walked about 2 blocks to the hotel. After checking in we walked to the Bogueria Market, maybe 5 minutes away. Wandered a little further and found the Umbrella Bldg for a photo opp, then came across Placa Real where we stopped for a drink and tapas at one of the outdoor cafes. Went back again the next night for dinner! On cruise day, we checked out but had them hold our luggage. There was a taxi stand right outside so around 2pm we took a cab to the pier, maybe 10 minutes, 20E for 4 of us. Barcelona was a wonderful surprise. Absolutely loved it and wished we'd stayed 3 nites.

No tours, it's a very walkable city. We just loved walking around and enjoying the architecture, esp in the side streets near LasRamblas. Oh my, the bakeries, and bars, restaurants ! Day 1, we arrived around 4pm and took the Aerobus from the airport to Placa Catalunya, 5E. We dropped our luggage at Hotel Lleo and walked to the Boqueria Market. Spent an hr there, then walked further down Las Ramblas. Found the 'Umbrella Bldg" and got photos of the dragons. Stumbled upon Placa Real, and stayed for a drink at one of the outdoor restaurants there. Day 2 we went back to the Market to kill time as we waited for a relative flying in from London. (We had planned to do a free walking tour of the Gothic District but her flight was too late.) Then we walked to the Sagrada Familia, passing Casa Mila, wandered thru the Gothic district, and back to the Placa Real for dinner. Wandered around around the Gothic District some more then crashed. Day 3 took a taxi to a park to watch Castellers (human pyramids) perform. Fantastic! Collected our luggage around 2pm and took a cab to the ship. We just LOVED Barcelona and wished we had arrived a few days earlier. So much to see.

what are the 2 half-day tours ? Do they interest you ?

There will be a shuttle from the ship to Piazza Municipio in downtown Livorno. Apparently some cruiselines charge for the shuttle and others don't. This Piazza is where many tour companies, including Tuscany Bus meet their pax Livorno Centrale, the train station is 1 1/2 miles away from Piazza Municipio; walk or take a city bus. Doubtful that you'd find a taxi for such a small fare, but they'd be happy to drive you to Pisa since it's 30 minutes away. When you get to Pisa Centrale, you can walk to the Leaning Tower in about 30 minutes, or take a cab. When I was there in May a cab was about 15E.

When I was there last Sept (NCL), we were scheduled to tender but we docked instead, at the New Port. As soon as we exited the port terminal there was a free shuttle bus. It dropped us off at the Old Port, by a beach. From there it was a short walk along a waterfront path to Mykonos town, 5-10 minutes. On the way back we thought the SeaBus would be a more scenic route. For 2E, why not? It dropped us quite close to the New Port. I'd look for the free shuttle first. If it's not offered, take the Seabus for 2E. Certainly don't pay $10 for a shuttle!

I will also mention that we arrived in Barcelona 2 nites prior. Absolutely LOVED Barcelona ! Such a beautiful city, wonderful architecture, and so walkable. We stayed near the Placa Catalunya. The Ramblas and Boqueria Market were within a 5 minute walk. The port was about a 10-15 minute cab ride away.

As I mentioned in your other post, you should buy a guide book specific to Mediterranean cruises. Learn about each port, the sights, activities, history, etc. The maps and information will be a valuable resource for your planning. Some sights require advance reservations, and some are even timed reservations, so it's important to learn as much as possible about each destination. - Livorno is about 1hr 15 minutes from Florence and 20 minutes to Pisa. We visited both cities via the train. We aren't art or history buffs so 3 or 4 hrs in Florence was enough, and our stop in Pisa was just a quick photo opp.. Depending on your interests, you may only have time for one of those cities. - Rome is also an hr from the port. Again, we took train into Rome and visited the sights we wanted to see. - Naples. We were torn between Pompeii AND the Amalfi Coast. We decided that the Amalfi Coast was our priority so we did a private tour. Hired a car/driver for 9 hrs and visited Amalfi, Positano and Ravello. - Cannes was a tender port for us. It's a lovely town to wander around. However we chose to take the train to Nice and Monaco - Palma was another tender port for us. Another lovely port to wander around. Beautiful cathedral. If you aren't comfortable using the train, you can book a private tour, shared tour, cruiseline excursion. Some cruisline excursions are full blown tours and some just provide a ride to the destination and you're on your own to xplore. Have fun with your research and planning !

wonderground is a good resource for historical weather data: You can review several yrs worth of data in just a few minutes. Spata, Greece Weather History | Weather Underground (wunderground.com)

OMG, it's a $5 fee !! Come on! But yes, if you have an America the Beautiful pass, it's free. Info on the park, trails, transportation fees (and what the fees are used for) on the Forest Service web site. Tongass National Forest - Offices (usda.gov) I took a cab there about 5 yrs ago. $32 each way. I would imagine it's $45-50 now. Juneau isn't a huge city with an abundance of taxis, so if you need a ride back, call one ( or more) of the taxi companies about 1/2 hr before you're ready to leave.

put 'chioggia' in the search box and you'll find past answers to this question, including suggestions and cost of private transfers.

There is a Ports of Call forum and each country has it's own forum where you will find useful info on sights, activities, and how to get around. Use the attached link as a starting point. Mediterranean - Eastern & Western - Cruise Critic Community I would also suggest you buy a guide book specific to Med cruises. ie Rick Steves 'Med Cruise Ports' and Ann Vipond 'Med by cruiseship'. These books provide info about the history, culture, sites, tours, DIY options, etc. Also, look in the blue banner at the top of this page for LIVE CRUISE REPORTS. Read thru Med cruises for this yr and last (regardless of the cruiselline) for first hand experiences and suggestions.