Giantfan13

We are doing an NCL cruise out of Civi at the end of Oct. We will be flying into Rome (haven't made our plane reservations yet). So is there a train from the airport to take us to Civi, or do we have to go to Rome first and then Civi? Is there a train that goes from the airport to Rome, or do we have to take a taxi.

I have read the thread about the express train from Rome to Civi, but we are two seniors with 2 big suitcases and probably 2 mid size carry ones also. This might be a trick if we had to maneuver them on trains and/or buses.

Part 2 is, when we disembark our NCL cruise, in Civi, we have a TA scheduled for 2 days later. Should we schlep everything into Rome for those days (we have been to Rome a couple of times already), or just get a place in Civi for the two days and if we wanted to go to Rome, take that express train?

Just one other thing, we can't afford any private transfers. Schlepping on the train/bus isn't a good thing especially if we have to walk with all this luggage, so would taxi or maybe shared shuttle be better?

Cheers

Len

Hi

Phew just read all pages to this thread, but I have a couple of questions that I have not seen mentioned.

We will be arriving on RCCL March 11, 2020. So average wise, what type of weather can we expect then. We are from the Northeast in the US so we don't mind cold, but temp wise, about what can we expect.

We are both seniors. I have a little mobility issue, in that I use a walking stick when we are wondering around towns. We were considering the HoHo bus, just to get us around and to the top without struggling along. That said, I went on Trip Advisor and saw these tours with these little cars for, what seemed like a very reasonable price. Do you know anything about these things or the companies that use them. We also considered a Segway thing, but the last time my DW tried that, well, let's just say it didn't go according to plan.

I am an avid amateur photographer, and love the winding narrow streets in many European cities. I would assume Malaga would be another that I would love? Anyplace special in the city that stands out more in that request and if we decided to do the HoHo would that get us there?

Thanks for all your time and help with many of these questions.

Cheers

Len

As has been said, the further north you go, the more snow you will see. Last year was the hottest on record for Alaska, so who really knows what will happen to most of the snow. Let's put it bluntly, the earlier you go, the more snow you will see.

Cheers

Len

On 10/14/2019 at 5:24 PM, mkkao924 said:

Maybe it's a different time of the year?

 

I got the above quote from Costco Travel, for 6/4/2020 to 6/6/2020, 2 days, and it's $178.88.

Don't doubt th9is is the price as of today. I did a quick check and there were cheaper rentals, but all were extremely high. I can guarantee that once you get to within 4 months of the trip, the cars will be al least half of what you were quoted. Depending on the car, you will be able to get a decent size car for well under $100 a day. 

Cheers

Len

We have been to Ketchikan several times, did all the 'regular' stuff, so we also wanted a relaxing day in town. We did dome pretty good shopping as were there in September and stores were marking down merchandise. 

We wanted to do the Married Man's trail and we followed the stream/river quite a while past where the trail starts. There were thousands of Salmon all thru the river. If you follow it for maybe 1/4 mile past the waterfall, there is an opening, sort of a small beach area where you can picnic, just hang out for a while. At this spot, the water is very shallow and there were many kids and adults in the water trying to catch the salmon. Nice place to hang out and just relax. 

Cheers

Len

We were in IPS in September and sure don't recall seeing 'tons' of vendors anywhere. If you want to go out, you should book ahead of time and sure yourself a spot. 

In Juneau, there are scores of vendors around the square, when you get into town.

Cheers

Len

Just be forewarned, we arrived in Seward and it was really storming. We had a 6 hour Kenai fiord cruise booked but because of the weather, rough seas and heavy rain, they gave us the option to cancel, which we did. So what else to do in Seward but head for the Sea life Center. I guess this was the only thing in town to do and the place was so mobbed that there was a line, in the rain, out the door. We have been to many such places, so we just decided it wasn't worth fighting all the crowds and we left. Talking to locals, when it does rain like that, the Sea Life Center absorbs everyone as there really isn't anything else to do there.

Cheers

Len

We did the bus for $65PP. 2+ hour ride thru wonderful scenic country. No stops and drops you off right in Seward. 

Cheers

Len

All three ports are very easy to do on your own.

Juneau have a square full of vendors looking to book you on a tour, excursion or whatever. Decide what you might want to do and pick one. If you just want to stay local, either book a bus to Mendenhall Glacier, do the hike to Nugget Falls and spend some quality time there. You can also get there via public transportation for a lot cheaper. You can also do the Mt. Roberts tram which is right in the heart of town. Just buy a ticket and off you go. 

Skagway--we rented a car and drove off to Emerald Lake in the Yukon Territory. Very easy drive (you cannot get lost), maybe a few hours each way depending on where you want to stop and how many stops. Just a gorgeous ride and well worth it. You can also walk up and buy tickets for the White Pass train, which is the sort of main attraction there. Very nice trip and well worth the cost. 

Ketchikan--A good town to shop, if that is your wish. We have done many things here, but on our last trip, we walked around town, visited Creek Street and walked the Married Man's Trail to see thousands of salmon along the way. Totem Park is another option as well as the Lumberjack show. All easy to do on your own. Many here do a flight into Misty Fiords, expensive but also, well worth it. 

Cheers

Len

On 10/6/2019 at 4:18 PM, mkkao924 said:

Wow. Super great information! Thanks all for the valuable information.

 

I am indeed prone to seasickness so I will find more about the 5-hour tour which is inside Resurrection Bay. However, my fear is that we can only get up close with longer tour.

 

Matanuska Glacier looks like a great stop, but we need to consider the added cost for this, basically it's $300+ for 2 cars one day, plus $30 pp which is another $240. I am bookmarking it for the future cruise when it's just me and DW and when we drive up to Denali. 🙂

 

Do you think it's possible for the private transfer to add a stop for Bryon Glacier?

Don't know where you get the figure of $300+ for a 2 car rental? We rented a pickup truck from Budget (hold 5 easily) for about $30 per day. We stayed in Anchorage for 4 days and it cost us $150 total.

Cheers

Len

I don't know about an excursion, but we have been to Civi several times and there are many taxi's/vans at the dock offering rides to Rome for, what I felt, was a very good price. 

Cheers

Len

A question about Muster Drills. We used to cruise with a couple who basically refused to go to the drill. They hide in their cabins or some where else--whatever. What can happen to some one who basically doesn't show up at all? Obviously they won't be thrown in the brig, so if there is no real penalty, why even make the effort if that is what people want?

Cheer

Len

Just a suggestion for you and, something that might be great for you AND the kids.

If you would think about staying in Anchorage for a day and renting a car, about 100 miles to the Northeast, along the Glen Hwy there is a glacier  Matanuska Glacier, a sort of privately owned glacier where, for a fee of $30PP (not sure what the rates are for the kids) you can walk out onto this glacier and spend as much time there as you wish. It is about a mile walk to the actual glacier (although you are walking on the glacier most of the way only it's mostly dirt and planks to get to the actual glacier itself). My DW and I are botjh in our 70's and we made out just fine. The kids will love this as many who were there were sliding all over the place, having a ball. The ride there, on the Glenn Hwy is also a wonderful ride with many scenic spots and a few great towns to visit. We have a marvelous day and it sure beats whatever the cruise lines charge you to go out and walk on a glacier. Something we always wanted to do and now we can scratch that off our bucket list.

Anyway, just suggesting something I know your kids would love.

On 9/7/2019 at 1:21 PM, jskinsd said:

I am on the Jewel now and there was no Thursday Night football.  Is this happening on all ships.   We are in Alaska cruising American ports and cannot get American football. What is going on.  Seem to remember watching football last season on this ship. 

Seems you have beaten this to death, over and over again. You started this thread to complain there was no football. Then you claim you cruise to Alaska for a month and really don't care if you watch football, but then you lambaste NCL for not thinking of YOU and not getting you your NFL game.

I was on your cruise and although I was also upset that there were no NFL games, I asked, and got a very reasonable explanation why, but you want to ignore that and still insist it is all about money. Yes it is. Why buy an NFL package to show Australians, when the one Australian who posted here didn't even know what NFL football was. I guess just because you are an American and feel you are entitled to get whatever you think you need, and have very little regard for what other nationalities really want and NCL is giving them.

Just drop it already. Now you are home and can watch what you like.

Cheers

Len

6 hours ago, mkkao924 said:

When did you visit Seward? Is it always like this, or more often in certain time of the year?

 

I was surprised the sea life center was so crowded, maybe because everybody tried to find a place to wait until the rain stops?

We didn't realize it rained so much there also, but on questioning several of the locals, rain seems to a usual occurrence. Since this summer was so dry in most of Alaska, they were thrilled by the rain, not us though.

 You would really have to check the Seward weather almanac to see average rainfalls and which are usually the rainiest months. You are exactly right about why the Sea Life Center was so crowded. It looked like whomever was in Seward for our cruise, decided to check it out. From what I understand, many of the excursions with the private people were cancelled because of very rough seas and torrential downpours. 

Cheers

Len

If we do all the work, can we join you on the cruise also?

You're thinking about an Alaskan cruise and want us to do all the work for you. You really need to do some homework and then come here and ask specific questions and people will be more than happy to answer. 

So a few suggestions, be prepared for rain or sun, warm or cool temperatures, one way or round trip, ship excursions or DIY, land tour and just the cruise, which cruise lines you feel more comfortable with and the list just goes on and on. 

Cheers

Len

Just another opinion on Seward.

We had an overnight in Seward. We came down on the bus in the AM was supposed to do the Kenai Fiord cruise but the weather was so bad, and very rough seas that they cancelled it. So that left us with a bunch of hours to kill in Seward in a pouring rain. We took the free shuttle to the Marine Sea life Center. When we tried to get in the door, there were so many people there, just waiting to get in, and we are from NY where crowds are a way of life, we decided, no way and we left. After that we spent a 'wonderful'  hour in the Ace hardware store, another hour or so in a good gelati place and we sort of wandered about some shops, just waiting until 4PM so we could check into our hotel.

It does rain a lot in Seward and it isn't really a place to have nothing to do in. 

Just trying to make you aware of what is there and what is not. doing things outside of Seward may be great, but if you have to spend a good deal of time in Seward, well, it just wasn't our type of town. 

Cheers

Len

OK, just read all 7 pages of this thread and really, people seem to like to talk just to hear  themselves and really don't know much about it.

Like my handle, I am a huge NFL football fan (sorry to say, at this point, a Giants fan). I was on that cruise that the OP was on, opening of the NFL season and NO football. I really thought that Dallas/Giants would be on, but again, no NFL at all.

And to think that the Jewel is being singled out is utterly ridiculous. WHY, because I asked the Captain at that meet the Captain thing that they have. He spoke maybe 6 words of English and referred the question to the cruise director and his explanation made sense. The Jewel is going to be based in Australia and they just did not see the need to pick up the NFL package. He said, you cannot pick up part of it, you have to buy the entire season, and they just figured that there wouldn't be a huge call for the NFL from Australians. Personally, I wasn't happy about this, but I do understand. You can argue all you want about cost, who makes this decision, whatever, but that is the exact reason the Jewel will no t have any NFL games this year and other ships will. It is on a ship by ship basis and they must figure who the passengers are going to be when they decide what is to be shown.

Cheers

Len

10 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Well, since the cruise terminal is at mile marker 86, doing 5 knots would take 17 hours to clear the river.  Unless there are restrictions due to high water levels, the ships will do 10-12 knots average, over the ground.  The speed through the water will of course be very different due to the current, being up to 15 knots upriver and as low as 7 knots downriver.

Thanks for the cruise lesson.

When you are NOT enjoying that part of the cruise it feels like 5 knots or even slower.

Cheers

Len

1 hour ago, diesel1973 said:

more than 1!!

WHEN?????

Cheers

Len

Being from NY, maybe we are a bit prejudice, but we have sailed out of NY 6 times and there is NO BETTER port to sail out of, at least for sights et al. Sailing down the Hudson River, by the new Freedom Tower (we still have pixs of the WRC)  and right past the Statue of Liberty, then under the Verrazano Bridge. Venice is very nice, but nothing beats just sailing by the Statue of Liberty, knowing you are off on a cruise. 

I would also add sailing in and out of Stockholm thru their Archipelago is also not to be missed.

Cheers

Len 

27 minutes ago, QuickieGlenn said:

Thinking of taking a cruise out of New Orleans

 

But it looks like such a long trip up and down the Mississippi

 

How hard is it to find a hotel room?

 

Looking for some info for those that have done it

We sailed out of NO on a B2B several years ago. We found the about 8 hour sailing up and down the Mississippi very unsatisfying. We just didn't enjoy all the oil refineries and all the other stuff that, to us, wasn't very attractive. I posted that same opinion here and several others disagreed with it. So, as they say, 'different strokes for different folks'.

Just be aware that it does take about 8 hours to clear the River before getting out into the Gulf, basically doing 5 knots during those 8 hours. 

You may like it, we didn't.

Cheers

Len

11 hours ago, diesel1973 said:

Seems like the salmon ran much earlier this year. Some thought the fish sensed the HOT weather moving in around the fourth of July was the reason. Was up there for 6 weeks and got my fishing done in the first 4 days. Don't have to worry about the price of salmon as I have 100+lbs. in my freezer.

Having a BBQ????😄😄😃

Cheers

Len

Depending on your budget, you could spend more than the price of the cruise, just to get you and/or your family to helicopter onto a glacier. There are the whale watches in most ports. Juneau, in particular, has a square full of booths just looking for people to go on private tours.

That said, all the ports you mentioned are quite nice and you can manage to spend a day in each just wandering about, doing walking tours or local transportation. Depending on what you are looking to do and how much you are willing to spend.

Take Skagway, for instance, you can walk right up to the White Horse train and buy a ticket if you wish. You can rent a car and drive into the Yukon, as you cannot get lost as there is one main road there and back. 

Ketchikan you can spend quality time on Creek street, walk up the Married Man's Trail and see salmon all over the place. visit Totem Pole Park. In Juneau, you can get some transportation to Mendenhall Glacier and spend some hours there, taking the easy mile walk to the glacier and the waterfall.

You do NOT need to spend a fortune in Alaska unless you want to do things that cost lots of money. 

Cheers

Len

As has already been posted about our trip, we just got back from Alaska and had a south bound cruise, Seward to Vancouver, with 2 glacier stops. Unfortunately the Sawyer stop was cancelled because of too much ice in the water, or so we were told. Alaska is getting warmer and who knows what will be next year.

This was our third cruise to Alaska and on the previous two we did Glacier Bay and both times, we had glorious weather and it was truly spectacular.

Our time, this year, at Hubbard was great because there was so much calving it was hard not to get pixs of it and see it.

If you have the choice, I would also recommend Glacier Bay. it is truly spectacular. 

cheers

Len