goldesq

I see tons of people asking what excursions they should choose and figured I would write a short post here about my picks. Any questions, feel free to ask.

Marseilles-since we were there on a Sunday, we wanted to go to the flea market in Isle la Surge and cruise critic member created a tour with a taxi company prior to the cruise. I joined them. It was a great tour to St Remy, Baux en Provence and Isle la Surge. I can get the name if you would like.

Rome-Rome in Limo tour (Alternative Tuscany) visiting Potigliano and Sorano

Florence-Rome in Limo Tour visiting San Gimignano & Volterra

Naples-Rome in Limo Tour visiting Pompeii, Positano and Sorrento

Crete- Best of Crete through Carnival

Rhodes-Lindos and Ancient Rhodes through Carnival

Kusadasi- Ephesus Shuttle dot com - I took Tour #2 (it ended up being about 6 hours because we did go to a rug factory and a ceramics factory but this was OUR choice and I LOVED it)

Athens- Panoramic Athens (mainly you saw the sites while on the bus) and La Plaka through Carnival (shorter tour and really was my least favorite but by the end of the cruise, I was wiped out).

Based on my experience, I highly recommend Rome in Limo and Ephesus Shuttle. I would definitely use them again when in the area. I would not use Carnival tours unless I really had to.

The Carnival tour buses were comfortable but there too many people on the tours. Also, the timing was terrible in that we were constantly waiting for people who came back late or had to use the rest room at every single stop. I hated having only 15 minutes at certain spots (like Lindos) or 50 minutes to shop at certain locations (La Plaka).

With a private tour, we went at our own pace and really got to know one another in the van. Private tours made the experience a lot more rich and intimate. Eating in local, smaller restaurants on private tours rather than hotels or buffets on Carnival excursions usually was MUCH better as well.

Specific questions? Feel free to ask! I spent a ton of time researching these tours for my 5/14 VISTA cruise.

There was NO tandoor on my cruise on Vista on 5/14.

Hello!

 

My friend and I are going on a 10 day cruise from Athens to Barcelona leaving on June 21st. The Carnival excursions are pricey, but I know they guarantee that you get experiences and get back to the cruise. When you get off at each port, are there people offering tours when you get off at each port?

 

Also, are some of the ports within walking distance of cities? I know that Rome you can take public transportation and in Naples.

I just did the 10 day Vista cruise and did half carnival excursions and half my own.....I would not book at the port. I booked before I left anything that was private and I now know I made great choices. I loved all my tours except one Carnival tour. Let me know if you want some advice. By far, the private tours I arranged or was on were so much better than Carnivals.

Thank you so very much for the informative response! You paint a beautiful picture of the area and I'm anxious to see it. Thank you again for taking the time to help us!

I agree with the spots listed above BUT frankly I think Ephesus and the Terrace Steps within Ephesus is enough. Ephesus is beyond amazing and a highlight of my cruise, much more than Pompeii.

We did stop at a ceramics place and a rug place only because we asked to and I bought nothing but loved it. Slightly pushy at each place but I loved loved loved learning the process at each place. I am sure they were not thrilled I didnt buy something but the whole process at each location was just amazing. I am so glad I went.

I used http://www.ephesusshuttle.com/kusadasi-to-ephesus/ephesus-artemis-temple/ and thought the tour (#2) was outstanding.

I haven't seen this addressed anywhere. The ship is supposed to get into Barcelona the final day at 6 am. We have a 10 am flight out of the airport. In booking our flights back in January Carnival stated that the earliest flight would be 9 am so we figured 10 am should be ok. How crazy or difficult is it getting off the ship?

Not at all crazy.....people were getting off all through the night so its not a huge deal to get off for a 10 am flight. I would recommend a Carnival transfer. It was so simple.

I was there 2 weeks ago. Not one single thing to worry about. The concern us more for Izmir. Vusta would not be dicking in Kysadasi if there was a huge concern. If you decide not to go to Ephesus you are doing yourself a HUGE disservice.

anyone?

I know the per day prices are as follows:

Social ($5 USD per day) – Access the most popular websites and applications. Includes: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Linkedin, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. Does not include access to other websites or apps.

Value ($16 USD per day) – Surf all your favorite sites, including e-mail, news, sports, weather, banking and finance. Note: Does not support Skype calling or music streaming (such as Spotify).

Premium ($25 USD per day) – From e-mail to Skype, our Premium plan promises the fastest possible connection, at speeds up to 3 times faster than our Value Plan. Supports Skype video calling, where coverage allows.

However, what are the 10 day package prices for social, value and premium? I will be on Vista next week and I see that others have reported internet package prices for cruises that are less expensive than per day prices.

John Heald mentioned in a video for dining that you need to go to the Java Cafe on deck 5 and get a buzzer there.

I cant figure out why they decided to do this. I have a feeling, with enough complaints, it will eventually be changed (but I could be wrong).

i was just checking out excursions for october 1st cruise out of barcelona. There are no excursions listed for izmir and they where there because i already booked one so im wondering if they might be getting ready to completely drop izmir

If you received a refund, that would be a final answer but I suspect they dont want people booking something they are not sure about yet.

No. They announced the first FOUR sailings would no longer call at Izmir.

That's old news. They have since changed the first itinerary by adding a new port and said there will be more changes to upcoming itineraries. They said that announcement would come last week and it did not.

Spoke with a Carnival rep today regarding a price drop and then I brought up Turkey. She said clearly no decisions have yet been made about any but the first few sailings.

The first few? Well, only one, the first, is for sure thus far it seems....

Lest anyone forget, people love to whine on Cruise Critic. I just drink it.

Try the roll call, the itinerary listings on Carnival or any announcement on Carnival about Vista. Maybe even google it?! Novel idea.

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Stupid question, I am sure it has been mentioned hundreds of times, but I cannot find information on when the first cruise (inaugural cruise is, I know it is the beginning of May but what date exactly? Thanks. I just want to start looking at reviews and posts and blogs :) I will be going on Jan 14th

Seriously?!?!?!

It's on the Carnival website and Roll Call thread and any travel agent site.

The VAT on drinks is only 10%...so it's not like it's super drastic.

 

$1 on a $10 drink.

 

Although, yes, it will hurt pictures etc. Carnival isn't happy about that either but that's the rules, and it is what it is.

 

Really no reason for everyone be stressing so much! Everything will be fine and you will have an amazing time. :)

 

 

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Agree 100%!!!!

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I don't understand why anyone would think the VAT would not be implemented or that dealing with it at the end is a huge issue. It's not.

What is luggage express?

 

 

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https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=carnival+luggage+express

Nice answer :rolleyes: .... I have been reading this thread but the main focus has not been to talk about the VAT. I was hoping someone could give us a precise answer on the VAT effect on our cruise. The answer after yours was informative.

 

What I have not seen is whether the VAT will not be charged for the whole cruise if we go into at least one non EU port.

The thread has mentioned ad nauseum how the VAT and EU and non-EU ports are connected and how it affects a cruise where we dont stop at a non-EU port (which, as of now, we are NOT).

You could not have been reading THIS thread.

Or take the elevator to any deck with outside areas

Now there's an idea.

Why are they looking for a non EU port?

Read the thread.

Thanks. I was hoping that deck 3 had a promenade of some sort but I am glad we board on deck 3. My room is on deck 3 for the 5/14 sailing so its a quick walk to my room. I was hoping though since I have a deluxe ocean view that I might have somewhere on my floor to step outside and get some air but alas, not the case. I guess I can stair at the LCD screens in the lobby area and pretend I am outside (or, walk up two flights).

I dont know if this info helps any but I was scheduled to go on a Sunday 4/3 cruise on NCL. My mom was ill the night of 4/2 and I called NCL first thing on 4/3 morning to cancel my cruise. I had insurance with AIG/ Travel Guard. NCL would not let me cancel claiming my travel agent had to cancel for me since I booked through them. They would consider me a no show if my agent did not contact them on 4/3.

I contacted my TA the next day since my TA was closed on Sunday and they canceled the cruise for me. NCL claimed my contract is with my agent and NCL's contract is with my agent but I dont have a contract with NCL (I dont agree with this but ultimately it didnt affect anything).

NCL has advised me that for no shows (which is what they consider me), they automatically send me a refund for taxes and fees as well as all gratuities for beverage and dining packages when you dont show for a cruise.

I filed my insurance claim online on 4/3 and sent all my paperwork to the carrier the day my mom was discharged from the hospital on 4/7. About 3 days ago, the carrier advised me that my claim was processed and approved. They stated that I would receive a refund minus the taxes and gratuities that NCL is paying me. If NCL did not refund me these fees, I need to contract them and they would make me whole.

Hi, I bought insurance through Travel Safe. Just came back from a 2 week trip to the Canary Islands, and this is the first time from over 13 cruises that my husband needed medical care. He developed the flu and ended up going to the ship doctor. Costing us over $650.00 (plus what we paid for insurance)

 

Well, come to find out, which I should have read the fine print previously, is that this trip insurance is a supplemental to the health insurance we already have. I highly doubt any insurance company is going to cover you while you are sick on the ship. I have to turn it in to my insurance first before they will even consider paying anything out.. Nonsense. I don't think I will ever get trip insurance again. If I do, I will do more research. The Trip Insurance store is actually where I got my insurance, who got me Travel Safe. They are one of the 9 companies they sell insurance for.

 

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Susan

What input do you really need? You will get paid. You just need to wait for your own insurance to send a denial letter and then send that denial letter to Travel Safe. It might take some time but eventually your claim will be paid. Why would you not get trip insurance again....because you have to wait? If you didnt have trip insurance here, you would be totally out $650.

My passport is out of date and I never got a renewal notice how much is this gonna cost me:confused:

Depends when you are leaving. LOL