Which ports will Insignia be docked far from town

[De La Cruise]

There is a wonderful Chagall Museum in Nice as well as a fabulous Modern Art Muse:)um.

Terima Kasih (that's thanks in Malay) Ochestrapal!

 

Has anyone stayed in Cabin 7022 and 7023 before? Would the location of the cabins fore (is it fore or aft? Not sure of the nautical terms) of the ship induce seasickness, which can be a problem for DW if it is severe?

 

We were told by our TA that 7022 is portside and 7023 is starboard. In our previous cruises, we never paid much attention to this. Which of the cabins would give a better view of the coastline and ports as we sail off?

[De La Cruise]

Hello.

 

Cinque Terra - you can walk to the train station and then take the train to the farthest of the five towns and then come back by hopping on and off the train or by walking along the paths between the towns. They sell a special ttrain ticket for this option. Some of the paths are strenuous and some are very easy (ie. Via del Amore). You can also take a boat which is also very nice as long as the seas are calm. The area gets crowded in the summer months but it was very nice in April and May.

 

Livorno - we came in twice at Livorno. Once in the commercial section and once where the smaller ships dock. If you come in where the smaller ships dock, you can take a taxi or bus to the train station and then take the train t0 Florence or to Pisa and Lucca.

 

Civitavecchia - a long way from Rome. We embarked here twice. The taxi is expensive and the ride is over an hour. You can take the train which is not far from the port and the port runs a shuttle bus from the ships to the end of the port. The walk is a couple of blocks to the train station.

 

Enjoy.

Tell me it ain't so!

 

We were planning to see Portofino from La Spezia as well as the Cinque Terre towns by boat when we dock on 18th Nov.. However, a friend who'd worked in Milan before tells us that the season is from April to Oct and that everything shuts down after Oct, including the ferries. Is that really true?

[JimandStan]

Has anyone stayed in Cabin 7022 and 7023 before? Would the location of the cabins fore (is it fore or aft? Not sure of the nautical terms) of the ship induce seasickness, which can be a problem for DW if it is severe?

 

Those cabins are in the forward third of deck 7 which has 4 passenger decks above it, and 4 passenger decks below it. Most people who have a problem with motion sickness say that they prefer to be lower in the ship, people who are marginal say that deck 7 is fine.

We were told by our TA that 7022 is port-side and 7023 is starboard. In our previous cruises, we never paid much attention to this. Which of the cabins would give a better view of the coastline and ports as we sail off?

 

Here is the way to determine Port versus Starboard:

When you look forward (toward the pointy end of the ship), your LEFT SIDE is the PORT SIDE (Port and Left both have four letters!) and your RIGHT SIDE would be the Starboard side.

 

That being said, the ship does not sail close enough to the shore for you to see anything from either side when you are at sea. Entering or leaving port is a different story, but that is a crapshoot.

 

We were planning to see Portofino from La Spezia as well as the Cinque Terre towns by boat when we dock on 18th Nov.. However, a friend who'd worked in Milan before tells us that the season is from April to Oct and that everything shuts down after Oct, including the ferries. Is that really true

 

The good news is that the Cinque Terre boats will still be running through November 1:

 

"Line boats service from Saturday 27th march 2010 until the 1st of November, every day, sea permitting".

 

http://www.navigazionegolfodeipoeti.it/

 

One last thing, since you ask about seasickness. If anyone in your party is predisposed, you might want to plan a cruise that is more "in season" than October.

The Mediterranean is typically more calm in Summer, which is one of many reasons why Summertime is a more expensive time to be there.

[TERRIER1]

Tell me it ain't so!

 

We were planning to see Portofino from La Spezia as well as the Cinque Terre towns by boat when we dock on 18th Nov.. However, a friend who'd worked in Milan before tells us that the season is from April to Oct and that everything shuts down after Oct, including the ferries. Is that really true?

 

 

I don't know about the ferries but the train runs all the time.

[JimandStan]

To do both Cinque Terre AND Portofino in the same day would be a very busy very rushed day.

 

It might work if you hired an Italian Tour Guide who knew the area superbly well and you had a private car, but I don't think that I would try it via public transportation.

[harrodsfan]

It would be hard to see St Tropez from Ville France. It is a very long way. Maybe Canne but even that is a long way. EZE, Nice and Monaco 0r st Paul are all doable.

[De La Cruise]

Those cabins are in the forward third of deck 7 which has 4 passenger decks above it, and 4 passenger decks below it. Most people who have a problem with motion sickness say that they prefer to be lower in the ship, people who are marginal say that deck 7 is fine.

 

 

Here is the way to determine Port versus Starboard:

When you look forward (toward the pointy end of the ship), your LEFT SIDE is the PORT SIDE (Port and Left both have four letters!) and your RIGHT SIDE would be the Starboard side.

 

That being said, the ship does not sail close enough to the shore for you to see anything from either side when you are at sea. Entering or leaving port is a different story, but that is a crapshoot.

 

 

 

The good news is that the Cinque Terre boats will still be running through November 1:

 

"Line boats service from Saturday 27th march 2010 until the 1st of November, every day, sea permitting".

 

http://www.navigazionegolfodeipoeti.it/

 

One last thing, since you ask about seasickness. If anyone in your party is predisposed, you might want to plan a cruise that is more "in season" than October.

The Mediterranean is typically more calm in Summer, which is one of many reasons why Summertime is a more expensive time to be there.

Thanx JimandStan for the info! You've explained everything very clearly and succinctly. Thanx also for the heads up on the challenge of doing both Portofino and Cinque Terre together.

[De La Cruise]

It would be hard to see St Tropez from Ville France. It is a very long way. Maybe Canne but even that is a long way. EZE, Nice and Monaco 0r st Paul are all doable.

Thanx Terrier1 and harrodsfan. What if binoculars are used? Would St. Tropez be visible then?

[De La Cruise]

The first port of call after we sail from Venice will be Hvar, Croatia. Anyone knows anything about Hvar? What's there to see? Can we walk into town? Are shuttles provided? We'll be docked from 10am to 6pm.

[De La Cruise]

Just 17 days to go to our Venice to Barcelona "Footsteps of History" Cruise on board Insignia.

 

Our Roll Call has been fairly quiet so I'm posting on this Main Message Board.

 

We've managed to fill:

 

A. Our private tours to:

 

1. Monaco/Nice/Antibes/St Paul de Vence on Nov 20th.

2. Aix en Provence/Arles/Les Baux de Provence/St Remy de Provence on Nov 21st.

 

B. Return Coach Transfers to:

 

1. Rome on Nov. 17th.

 

2. Pisa and Florence on Nov 19th. We have 19 pax signed up for Pisa and Florence and have vacancies for 6 more. If all six sign up the return transfer cost will drop to 35 Euros per pax.

 

Anyone interested can email frankdlaw@yahoo.com