western Mediterranean in Sept. 2010

[juschuck]

Hi Everyone,

 

I just registered with cc. My wife and I are doing the western Mediterranean in mid Sept. 2010 on Royal Caribbean. We are looking for advice on which ports the cruise based excursions are appropriate for, and which are fine, and cheaper, to do things on our own.

 

We were planning to splurge and take a bigger cruise sponsored excursion in Rome for $225 each. We thought that at most we would need 2 or 3 other short tours or just transposrtation at the other ports. Basically, we thought the ship would be taking us right into the area of interest. However, this looks like it is not the case. We have previously only cruised to Bermuda and Alaska, so excursions weren't really necessary in either place.

 

The ports are:

Naples-where we would have to choose between Capri, Pompei and Mt Vesuvius, or Pompei and the Amalfi countryside. I want Capri at $150 each with lunch. She wants Pompei and the Amalfi countryside at $125 each. I would love to see Pompei and Capri. Can this be done in ten or eleven hours?

 

Rome-We are thinking of going with the cheaper "Rome on your own" tour, which is basically transportation to Rome for about $100 each. We have never been in Rome, and would like to see the coliseum, the Sisitine Chapel, and the Trevi fountain. I guess we would get around by bus or taxi. Any tips regarding Rome sightseeing would be appreciated. We have heard all about the pickpockets and gypsys.

 

Livorno (Florence and Pisa) We were in Florence and Pisa on our honeymoon in 1987. We are planning to skip Pisa and just get the cruise based transportation to Florence and see Florence on our own. This trip is about $100 each. Ideas/suggestions?

 

Nice-Never been here. I think this is where the excusrion to Monaco leaves from. Suggestions?

 

Villefranche-Never been here either. There are excursions to Marseilles and San Tropez. I am leaning towards San Tropez for a day of relaxing at the beach. She wants to see Marseilles. Ideas?

 

Thanks in advance!

[patrickmoran]

For Rome and Livorno, because you are looking for just transportation, I would recommend taking the train. The cost would be 20% of the cruise ship transportation and just about as convenient. There is tons of info on the boards on how to take the train in each port.

For Naples, I would recommend seeing Pompeii. We were there for the 1st time in November and the 2 hours we had was not enough.

In Rome, I would suggest adding the Pantheon (sp?) and St Peters Bascilica. It is within walking distance of Trevi Fountains. We used taxis when we were in Rome and that saved us alot of walking and generally the cost was reasonable. For our 1st day in Rome, we rode the train into Rome, taxied to Colisseum, taxi to Pantheon, walked to Trevi, taxi to Vatican, and walked to San Peitro train station to return to port.

[-Lew-]

Hi juschuck and welcome to CC...

 

Here's my input for what it's worth:

 

Since you want to do Rome on your own, I'd recommend you consider taking a train from Civitavecchia to Rome on your own.

 

Buy the BIRG, integrated regional ticket. It will get you to and from Rome and transportation on Rome's metro and buses. It was €9 in September '09. It's a great deal for anyone spending a day in Rome on a cruise port of call.

 

We have done the excursion you describe in Capri. Either excursion would be enjoyable, but I would question what Amalfi countryside means. I would want a ride down the Amalfi Coast with some stops along the way.

 

For Livorno, why not get out into the Tuscan countryside? An excursion to San Gimignano and Volterra with lunch at a winery was a lot of fun and very interesting in September '09.

 

On a visit to Cannes last year we did a private excursion to Nice, Monaco and Eze which was very enjoyable. We're going again in October and haven't decided as yet what we will do.

 

You should join the Roll Call for your cruise. Go to Roll Calls → Royal Caribbean → your ship → embarkation date. You'll find a lot of other cruisers on your cruise.

 

Have a wonderful cruise...

 

Lew

[juschuck]

Thanks Pat and Lew. Those are the kinds of nuts and bolts details I was looking for.

 

I am a little afraid that we would be wasting too much time waiting in line to buy train tickets from the port to Florence and Rome. I also read on a FAQ here that, if you have to be tendered to shore, the people booked on the cruise line excursions have priority (get off first). Any idea about that?

 

I am also a little worried about getting back to the ship on time in the evening, I mean as far as depending on an Italian train,LOL.

 

Cookie-I am afraid we are going the week after you. Too bad : (

 

And thanks everyone for the roll call tips! Anything else you can think of, or care to add, please feel free to do so.

[-Lew-]

 

I am a little afraid that we would be wasting too much time waiting in line to buy train tickets from the port to Florence and Rome.

I can't speak for the situation in Livorno, but in Civitavecchia there has been no line at all. There are many trains to and from Rome. If one doesn't go, take the next one. You can check out the train schedule over on RailEurope.

 

In the Port of Civitavecchia you'll get a free shuttle ride from your ship to the edge of town. The train station is about ¼ of a mile from that point. Sometimes the shuttle will bring you to the station.

 

I also read on a FAQ here that, if you have to be tendered to shore, the people booked on the cruise line excursions have priority (get off first). Any idea about that?

You won't be tendering in either Civitavecchia or Livorno, so that's not a concern. Nice may be another story...we did tender in Cannes. Can't comment on how RC handles it, but on Princess the tendering goes very quickly whether we've been on a Princess or a private excursion.

 

Lew

[-Lew-]

I noticed on another thread that you're embarking in Barcelona...one of my favorite cities in Europe!! Please plan to arrive a few days early if you can. Barcelona is a fantastic, beautiful city.

 

You didn't ask, but I'm going to recommend our hotel to you anyway. We stayed at Hotel Montecarlo, La Rambla, 124. It's right in the heart of the action ...convenient to just about everything.

 

Lew

[patrickmoran]

Best advice I can give you is to get ahold of Rick Steves' travel books. Go to your local Barnes & Noble, buy a cup of coffee or frappe, and start perusing his books for Florence, Rome and Naples. Tons of info, good maps, suggestions for walking tours, etc. I ended up buying 3 of his books. His website has free audioguides that you can download. We used all of them.

Italian public transportation is very reliable. The trains are very popular and dependable. Just watch these boards right before your cruise for anyone posting info on any upcoming strikes. They do happen but almost always with plenty of notice. The Italians use the trains everyday and need time to make alternate arrangements if there is a strike. We used the trains for our November cruise and a week in Italy without any major problems.

[Ann262]

Great information! We are going on our first Med cruise in May.

 

Is it difficult to take the trains and taxis in Rome if you don't speak Italian? I am so nervous about not getting back to the ship on time!

[crusinKimmie]

I noticed on another thread that you're embarking in Barcelona...one of my favorite cities in Europe!! Please plan to arrive a few days early if you can. Barcelona is a fantastic, beautiful city.

 

You didn't ask, but I'm going to recommend our hotel to you anyway. We stayed at Hotel Montecarlo, La Rambla, 124. It's right in the heart of the action ...convenient to just about everything.

 

Lew

 

We will be departing out of Barcelona on the 18th, however, arriving on the 16th so have time to enjoy. Could you please provide some highlights of what you love about Barcelona? We are staying at Hotel Cathedral. I'm anticipating that we will want to rest a bit from our flight on the 16th so maybe some things "close by", then have all day on the 17th to explore - and again morning of 18th before getting on the boat. Thank you.

[euro cruiser]

We will be departing out of Barcelona on the 18th, however, arriving on the 16th so have time to enjoy. Could you please provide some highlights of what you love about Barcelona? We are staying at Hotel Cathedral. I'm anticipating that we will want to rest a bit from our flight on the 16th so maybe some things "close by", then have all day on the 17th to explore - and again morning of 18th before getting on the boat. Thank you.

Kimmie, you'll more likely get the responses you are looking for on the Spain board: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=596

[juschuck]

Thanks again Lew and Pat. You guys are a wealth of information.

Thanks for clearing up the tendering and waiting at train station issues.

 

I will also check out that hotel in Barcelona. Any idea if the're on the web?

Any idea on their pricing? And is it air conditioned? I know, I know, typical American : )

 

We arrive in Barecelona two full days before the cruise, and stay another 24+ hours after the cruise. We are really looking forward to seeing that city. We love tapas and my wife is fluent in Spanish. My mother in law has also been there at least once or twice, so she is a good resource too.

 

As far as Rick Steves, yes he is a great resource! I actually planned our three week honeymoon using his Europe Through the Back Door guide, another book or two, and the Eurailpass map. Three weeks with no hotel reservations. We had a great time, never spent more than $50-60 a night, usually with breakfast, and probably spent under $130 a day between food, room, admissions, transportation, etc. (1987 prices). Ah.......to be young again. We actually thought that we would go back in a year or two or three, but then kids happened! So here we are 23 years later sending the younger son off to college and planning our return to Europe. We just wish we had the same feet, backs, necks and shoulders we had 23 years ago!

[-Lew-]

Here's the link for the Monte Carlo. I suggest you check out some of the European hotel reservation sites.

 

The Monte Carlo is right on La Rambla...near everything you'd like to see. The hop-on/hop-off bus can be caught at Plaza Catayuna...just up the street. We enjoyed doing that a lot.

 

Lew

[juschuck]

Thanks again Lew.

 

How can I list my prior cruises so they show up in my postings?

 

Does it involve my CC profile, or is it some kind of cut and paste thing?

 

Thanks,

Chuck

[-Lew-]

 

How can I list my prior cruises so they show up in my postings?

 

Does it involve my CC profile, or is it some kind of cut and paste thing?

 

Yes, you’ll need to get into your Control Panel.

 

Click on Edit Signature, then enter your data in the box that appears on the right side of the page. Click on Preview Signature to see how it will look; then click on Save Signature when you’re satisfied with the way it looks.

 

The method I described is the simplest way to do it. There are a number of other techniques using HTML, JPGs, etc. I'm sure you've noticed the diversity of signatures in use.

 

Lew

[navigator0709]

Hi,

 

It sounds like you are OK splurging the $225 each for the cruise excursion... for that price, I would HIGHLY recommend you look into the private tours offered by romeinlimo, romecabs, etc... (tons of info on these boards). They will pick you up right at the ship and take you everywhere you need to and back. Once your roll call gets going (I'm crusing in July, and my roll call is still pretty silent, LOL), you can add some people to your tour to save on costs. What I mean is, rominlimo and other private guides give you a lower price per person if you get 6-8 people on the tour vs. just 2.

 

Do a search on the tour providers to get more information on the costs and "how they work". Lots of reviews on CC on these.

[texancruzer]

.

Naples-where we would have to choose between Capri, Pompei and Mt Vesuvius, or Pompei and the Amalfi countryside. I want Capri at $150 each with lunch. She wants Pompei and the Amalfi countryside at $125 each. I would love to see Pompei and Capri. Can this be done in ten or eleven hours?

 

Rome-We are thinking of going with the cheaper "Rome on your own" tour, which is basically transportation to Rome for about $100 each. We have never been in Rome, and would like to see the coliseum, the Sisitine Chapel, and the Trevi fountain. I guess we would get around by bus or taxi. Any tips regarding Rome sightseeing would be appreciated. We have heard all about the pickpockets and gypsys.

 

Livorno (Florence and Pisa) We were in Florence and Pisa on our honeymoon in 1987. We are planning to skip Pisa and just get the cruise based transportation to Florence and see Florence on our own. This trip is about $100 each. Ideas/suggestions?

 

Nice-Never been here. I think this is where the excusrion to Monaco leaves from. Suggestions?

 

Villefranche-Never been here either. There are excursions to Marseilles and San Tropez. I am leaning towards San Tropez for a day of relaxing at the beach. She wants to see Marseilles. Ideas?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Naples - Capri can be done on your own via ferry/hydrofoil. Lots of info here on the boards on "how to". For Pompeii and Amalfi drive I would use a private tour. Join a group on your roll call and share the cost. Well worth the effort to plan. To do both would be a hectic day for sure. Pick one or the other and enjoy.

 

Rome: Once in Rome from the port area you can do alot on your own. I would start at the Coliseum, walk to Trevi then taxi to Vatican. The Sistine Chapel is only accessed by going thru the museum (big place !) You will basically have to make a beeline thru it and just do the chapel due to time constraints. I would really think hard about a private tour share here also. A ships tour is time draining in that you have to wait for 50+ people to get on the bus, 50+ people to get off the bus... etc. etc.

 

Florence/Pisa - we did the "On your own" ship tour. Basically a bus ride. Worked well for us. While glad we saw Pisa, wish we had more time in Florence as we loved it.

 

Stumped by Nice and Villefranche - since these two places are so very close to each other I am surprised that they are seperate ports stops. We tendered in Villefranche and did a ship tour to Nice, Eze, Monaco and Monte Carlo. Long day but fun.

 

Keep researching...... plans will come together.

[juschuck]

Thanks Texan!

 

And you are correct, sorry to stump you. The French ports are Villefranche (Nice) and Provence (Toulon).

 

I know I am on the wrong board as far as asking for sightseeing advice in France, but since we're already on the subject....... : )

 

I hesitate to tackle the French boards until I can get the missus to firm up some plans for Italy.

[tom_uk]

I concur with other recommendationa about Rome - you can certainly do this one on your own easily, by train. Note though that there are pros & cons as regards the BIRG ticket. It's cheap but is only valid on Regional trains - these are slow because they stop at lot of places. Italian railways also have fatser trains from Civ to Roma Termini - Inter City trains - which are quicker, but cost more. But: the BIRG ticket will also do for the Metro in Rome, and the slow trains stop at San Pietro station (St Peters); I'm not sure if the intercity trains do. One more thing about Italian railways: make sure you read up on validating your ticket *before you get on the train*: if you don't and you get caught, they'll levy an on-the-spot fine. Have a look here.

 

As for Livorno/Florence, we did a shuttle bus/public bus/train journey to Pisa when we were there, and it was all a bit laborious. You can manage a journey to Florence on your own and it will be cheaper, but this is one place where paying extra for the ease that an excursion would offer, or a private tour, would seem worthwhile. That's the decision we've taken for our forthcoming Med cruise.

[euro cruiser]

Note though that there are pros & cons as regards the BIRG ticket. It's cheap but is only valid on Regional trains - these are slow because they stop at lot of places. Italian railways also have fatser trains from Civ to Roma Termini - Inter City trains - which are quicker, but cost more. But: the BIRG ticket will also do for the Metro in Rome, and the slow trains stop at San Pietro station (St Peters); I'm not sure if the intercity trains do.

The IC trains do not stop at St. Peter's.

 

Another factor in the decision is that there are relatively few IC trains, so your day in Rome will be considerably shorter if you choose them over the more frequent Regional trains.

 

Also, the fastest IC train takes about 50 minutes while the slowest Regional train takes about 80 minutes. However, you need to get to Roma Termini station for most IC trains (some can be accessed from Roma Ostiense but not all, which even further reduces your flexibility). Since a tourist won't typically be near Termini, the time to get to that station must also be subtracted from your day and factored into your decision.

[Med Chick]

Hi Juschuck,

 

Here's my plan of action :) for your days in port!

Combine it with tips from other people and you will definitely maximize your days in port and save some money.

First of all, when you get on the cruise, I warmly recommend to find your Port and Shopping guide and attend their consultation hours or the live talk. They are a well of information and can be very helpful.

Ok, let's get back to the tips:

 

Naples:

my favourite in the area is Capri! And if you really plan your day well, you will be able to see both Capri and Pompeii.

Take one of the first hydrofoil to Capri in the morning ( If I remember well there is one at 7:30 and 8:10). The hydrofoil station is 5 min walk from the Stazione Marittima, across the parking lot. Be in line to buy your tickets at least 20 min before the hydrofoil leaves, it can get very busy. If buying return tickets know your exact return time ahead! Have cash, no cc taken!

1hr and 15min later you will be in Capri. In the port, look for the funicular booth (away from the funicular vault entrance!!!) and buy your tickets both ways (about 1,20 euros each). Purchase your hydrofoil ticket at the booth next door to go back if you haven't done so in Naples. Head to the funicular entrance. You'll be in Capri in 5 min!

Capri is great but can be seen in about 2 hrs for sure! Enjoy the coffee at the piazzeta and don't forget to get your wife her own magic bell!;)

Head down and catch a hydrofoil back around 11 or 11:30.

When back in Naples, catch a taxi on the main street to the Circumvesuviana train station. It's easy to reach with a local bus or tram but you don't wanna waste time. Trains are very frequent and you'll be in Pompeii in about 30 min. Although you could spend a week in Pompeii, 2 hours will give you a good idea what it's all about. Chose one street and don't wander off too much or if you do keep a good check on your watch!

Make sure you know what time's your train back to Naples.

 

Rome- If you're not taking any privately organized tours, I definitely suggest the train! Take the free port bus from the ship to the port exit, walk to the main street, face the Mc Donalds and head right (down the waterfront) on the left hand side of the street. You'll be at the train station in 10 min. Buy BIRG ticket, you'll be in Rome in 5o min, much much faster than on the cruise shore excursions! Traffic can be terrible in the morning and you would be sitting 2,15 hrs on the bus!

Get off at Roma San Pietro, walk left and then right...under the underpass and you'll be in Vatican. Once finished there, walk towards the Tiber and walk left (whether on this or the other side). Rome is a perfectly walkable city, everything can be seen on foot! Both the Colosseum, the Spanish steps etc...Just have a good map with you! If you don't like to walk, catch a hop-on-ho-off bus in Vatican, on the main street taking you to the river!

 

Livorno-just like everyone else mentioned, it's possible to do it on a train. Here's a few tips: RC normally organizes a bus to the Livorno main square but last season they also had a special bus taking you straight to the train station. it wasn't advertised so you had to inquire about it at the Shore Ex desk. Not sure they'll have it again but worth trying. If not, take the one to Livorno Piazza Grande, buy your local bus ticket at the newsstand or tabacco (do not buy train tickets here, they'll rip you off), Cross the street from Mc Donalds:rolleyes: and wait for the local bus no 1 or 1A. They go every 5-10 min. You'll be at the station in 5 min. It's very very important you run through this whole procedure at the speed of light! I'm not joking! Use your elbows! Be first in line for everything. Why? Trains go only once an hour and if you miss your train ( you will most probably only be able to catch the 9:10 one), you're wasting a whole valuable hour of your day!

Don't forget to validate your train ticket in the yellow box.

You'll be in Florence in about 1hr30 min. It's easy to walk to the Cathedral from the train station, but if you want to start your day from the furthest point of interest (Piazza Santa Croce) take a taxi there and then walk your way back to the train station. Now, remember that money you saved in Rome and Capri? Well, now it's time to get your wife an 18 kt gold necklace and a butter soft leather purse, a bottle of Chianti and lemoncello; ask your port and shopping guide for the best recommendations!

If you want to simplify your day...taking a Florence On Your Own isn't such a bad option, either. Your drop off/meeting point will be at the Santa Croce. You will get to Florence about 10:30 and leave at around 3 or 3:30 pm.

 

Not sure about Villefranche/Nice/Monaco...never been. I know for sure it's possible to see the area on your own, see your Port and Shopping guide for the tips, however, I think the little village of Eze is one of the most magical spots in the area. taking an organized tour might not be a bad idea here, either.

 

Hope this helps, enjoy your cruise!

 

Med Chick

[texancruzer]

Thanks Texan!

 

And you are correct, sorry to stump you. The French ports are Villefranche (Nice) and Provence (Toulon).

 

I know I am on the wrong board as far as asking for sightseeing advice in France, but since we're already on the subject....... : )

 

I hesitate to tackle the French boards until I can get the missus to firm up some plans for Italy.

 

 

Okee dokee..... that makes more sense. We also docked in Toulon. We did a 1/2 day ships tour to Aix-en-Provence and enjoyed it alot. It was pretty much a bus ride into the Provence countryside. Once at Aix they had a short guided tour (which we ditched very quickly) and then time on your own to explore. Charming old town area....... We chose the 1/2 day tour as this was our last day on the cruise before disembarking in Barcelona the next morning and I had to pack :eek: Worked out really well for us ...... they did offer a full day tour also.

[-Lew-]

Med Chick's suggestions are pretty good; however, I would add that I would not go to Capri without visiting Anacapri. We take a bus to Anacapri and work our way down from there.

 

This is why I feel a full day should be devoted to fully appreciate Capri. Trying to squeeze in Capri and Pompeii in one day...spending two hours at each...does not do justice to either.

 

Lew

[juschuck]

Thanks once again Lew, Tom, Texan, Med Chick, and anyone else I forgot to mention.

 

This is really coming together mentally for me as far as having a plan.

 

I think I will get a multi-section folder, as I saw suggested somewhere, an use a section for each port. That idea originally sounded obsessive (even to me!), but now seems like a good idea. I'll probably print out all your tips too and take them along.

 

I did register for RCI Meet and Mingle. I think we are the first ones registered.

 

I just need to spend a quiet night or two (or six!) writing down or printing out these tips.

 

Now to tackle the Fench ports!

[texancruzer]

Thanks once again Lew, Tom, Texan, Med Chick, and anyone else I forgot to mention.

 

This is really coming together mentally for me as far as having a plan.

 

I think I will get a multi-section folder, as I saw suggested somewhere, an use a section for each port. That idea originally sounded obsessive (even to me!), but now seems like a good idea. I'll probably print out all your tips too and take them along.

 

I did register for RCI Meet and Mingle. I think we are the first ones registered.

 

I just need to spend a quiet night or two (or six!) writing down or printing out these tips.

 

Now to tackle the Fench ports!

 

 

HEY !!!!! I am NOT obsessive !!!!!! Just thorough.......HAHAHAHA :D

 

That was me that suggested the binder ------

 

Actually I always have a small 3 ring binder for all my travels (and we do quite a bit - not just cruises) I would go C-R-A-Z-Y if I didnt stay organized with all the details !!!!!

 

ps: dont forget a section for airfare, one for hotels, one for transportation (if needed) We have found that to have the addresses for all these can come in real handy if a taxi driver etc doesnt speak english..

[juschuck]

Thank you all again for all the tips. I haven't really thought about the trip for the past thee months, other than to book a hotel in Barcelona.

 

I need to get the binders or folders, visit the French ports boards, print out all your great tips, and.......there was something else, but I forgot what it was.......LOL. I guess I better get a Rick Steves book too.

 

GTW-I found hotels.com to be a great resource. Booked a Best Western propertyin Barcelona for around $90 per night. It is a two star hotel, but it is very highly rated by many people. I forgot the name, and there are several Best Western properties in Barcelona, but this one is very close to the catherdral and next to a hospital.

 

If anyone needs the name, let me know.