First cruise-should we go ashore every day?

[herecomesthesun]

I agree with love2vacation: Do a morning excursion and come back for the rest of the day. You don't have to spend every minute the ship is in port at the port, but you might want to at least give it a try.

[Wennfred]

I say yes, get off the ship, there are those Days at Sea where you can take that time to explore the ship and find all the lounges etc. You can go out for a few hours and venture out abit, no problem there.

[clackey]

Hola,

 

Personally, I like to see exotic places and meet strange exotic people. Then I get off of the ship. I have to see what is around the next corner, but you may be different. Do what YOU want to do. If you are happy staying on the ship, then by all means stay on the ship. I can't do it, however. There may be some fantastic new food that needs to have the "Captain Seal of Approval" down the next alley.:D

[twojays]

Thanks Love2Vacation - sounds like a great way to spend a relaxing day.

[twojays]

Clackey- We probably will get off the ship each day I think, even if it is just for a couple of hours. I was just a bit concerned with not having a single Day at Sea - that it might be a bit too much - and that we might not get the chance to explore the ship fully. But on reflection - and after considering everyone's kind replies - I am sure that there will be time to do everything!

[clackey]

Clackey- We probably will get off the ship each day I think, even if it is just for a couple of hours. I was just a bit concerned with not having a single Day at Sea - that it might be a bit too much - and that we might not get the chance to explore the ship fully. But on reflection - and after considering everyone's kind replies - I am sure that there will be time to do everything!

Hola again Amigos,

 

You will find that the ship is whatever you want to make it. A floating hotel with fine dining. Entertainment such as games, casino, lounges, bars, and my favorite, FOOD, glorious food around every corner. Pizza, 24 hours a day. Yes my friend, life is good. And when I'm done with the food, when I am so full that I think that I might explode, I work out in the gym or get in the hot tub. Like I said, life is good. You can be as busy or as laid back as you like. Just remember to have fun.;)

[Jo42]

Twojays, check your itinerary, you may find that some of the ports of call are only half a day, so you can go ashore and still have some ship time too. I stayed on board 2 out of 7 ports, missing Tunisia and Palma, there were some full days in port and a several half days. The ship is certainly quiet when in port and as you are going in high season the pool should be very enticing!

 

You will love it whatever you choose to do!

[twojays]

Jo42, we were thinking of going on an excursion in Tunisia -did you hear anything about it, as I noticed you said you didnt go ashore that day?

[celbercrz333]

Two Jays,

You will be off and on several times during your cruise. You can go out into towns and come back for lunch. Daytime is when you will mostly be off the ship. One thing I remember most about our first cruise was the size of the ship. We went from NYC to Bermuda (it now goes out of NJ) and we boarded from a port building. It wasn't until we got off the ship in Hamilton, Bermuda and stood back and looked at the ship from the shore that I thought, "we're on that???!!!!" And Celebrity Zenith is considered a smaller ship. We did Carnival Fascination last September but a hurricane kept us from leaving the ship all weekend. That's a huge ship too. We realized that at the port. Being on the ship doesn't seem so large after you get into the feeling of being on it. Where are you going and on which cruise line?

[twojays]

Celbercrz333 - thanks for your message.

 

We are going with Costa Cruises, on the Costa Magica.

It takes over 2700 passengers, so I guess it will be quite big!

It is a 7 day Mediteranean Cruise, and we are in a different port every day - with no At Sea days at all.

That was really why I asked the original question .

I do see your point about getting off - and actually looking at the ship itself.

[TC Cruiser]

I think that you might regret not seeing at least some of every port. Figure out what you like to do. Sit on the beach, shop, snorkeling? If you don't feel brave enough to take a taxi to a beach then sign up for an excursion or try to join up with some experienced cruisers that you meet and share the taxi with them. In some ports you can find enough to do just walking away from the ship and wandering about. You can come and go from the ship while in port so it's not as if they lock the doors for five hours when you leave.

 

The ship isn't so big that you need days to explore. Get out and enjoy!

[twojays]

Thanks for your suggestion bsvee,I think now that we will more than likely get off in every port, even if we just go for a wander on our own.

I now realise that we will have enough time on board in between.

thanks

[Jo42]

Twojays, our table mates who did go ashore in Tunisia enjoyed it but felt the ship's tour guide was only interested in taking them to his brother's carpet shop - which he did! They did not have enough time to 'haggle' properley with the locals.

We are going ashore this time though and I have to admit to being a bit nervous. Reports on this board are that the local taxi drivers are quite aggressive in trying to 'sell' a tour rather than just a ride to the Mdina. Unlike last time, I'll be with my hubby, who loves nothing better than haggling so I'm sure it will be an experience for us all!

 

My advice? Ship's Tour if you are at all nervous about Tunisia, other than that go it alone for more time to do your own thing.

 

Have a great time.

[twojays]

Thanks for replying Joe42.

 

I must admit that I am a bit nervous about going it alone in Tunisia - especially as you also pointed out, that there are a lot of negative reports on these boards about it.

I think we probably will take a ship's excursion there - as I would like to see some of the country, never having been there.

We will try going on our own in a few of the ports though.

So thanks again.