Aurora July 2014 central med 17 nights

[Thebuggs5]

Hi there I'm new to this so give me time.My husband and I are due to do our first cruise next year,we are a little excited to say the least,but the down side is I have no clue as to what to do now!!!

I've started to print things about our cruise but not sure about doing excursions and if so which do we do?? Also do they charge for soft drinks as I thought a cruise was food and drink was in the price??

Thanx for letting me get some of that of my chest :)

[the english lady]

Hi there I'm new to this so give me time.My husband and I are due to do our first cruise next year,we are a little excited to say the least,but the down side is I have no clue as to what to do now!!!

I've started to print things about our cruise but not sure about doing excursions and if so which do we do?? Also do they charge for soft drinks as I thought a cruise was food and drink was in the price??

Thanx for letting me get some of that of my chest :)

 

Hi and welcome to a very expensive habit..you will have to do another one, and another one..etc.

Ref what to do in port. Find out from others who have been before which as diy -able. Most are. We only go on the ships excursions if places are very difficult to get to otherwise. Where is your cruise going?

There is tea/coffee in your cabin. Also there will be a machine if the buffet area with free tea and coffee. Free fruit juice with breakfast. Anything else will be chargable (ie posh coffees/liquor coffees/alcoholic drinks)

Except for the select dining your food is included. Select dining carries a charge.

what else can you do besides researching your ports.....why go shopping for new outfits....

I am sure others will be along shortly with ideas. Ones first cruise is a lovely thing.

[BrianI]

Ships excursions can be expensive and most ports are easy to do on your own using local transport, hop on/off buses or taxis. It depend what you want to do. You don't have to book any excursions till you get on board. For Venice, I would recommend you buy a local waterbus all day ticket which gives you unlimited travel around Venice. Cost €18.

 

Although food included in your fare and is available 24 hours, drinks are not, other than juices at breakfast and drinks at Captains welcome aboard party (usually second night). Tea/coffee is provided in your cabin (with biscuits) and you can get tea and coffee in the self service at no charge. Costa coffee in bars is chargeable. If you like hot chocolate, horlicks or other hot drinks, you can get these with late night snacks in the Cafe Bordeaux after 10:30pm no charge.

 

Can recommend the afternoon tea in the main restaurant at 4pm. Choice of six teas or coffee, finger sandwiches, scones, cakes, muffins etc.

 

Brian

[Thebuggs5]

Thanx for the reply, we are going Cadiz,Venice,Gibraltar,Sicily,Croatia I think it's about 9 days at port. The rest are at sea.can we take our own spirits on board and cola and drink them privately to save money.i would rather spend my money else where :)

[BrianI]

Cadiz. You dock right in the town centre so easy to walk around. Hop on/off bus available from the dock gate. If you want to go to Jerez (sherry tasting) an excursion would be required.

Gibraltar. 15-20min walk into the town. Local taxis available at the dock for tour up the rock. They use people carriers and seem to charge per person. Cheaper than ships tour.

Dubrovnik. Dock is about 2 miles from city so shuttle bus operates. Interesting old walled city to walk around.

Brian

[the english lady]

Thanx for the reply, we are going Cadiz,Venice,Gibraltar,Sicily,Croatia I think it's about 9 days at port. The rest are at sea.can we take our own spirits on board and cola and drink them privately to save money.i would rather spend my money else where :)

 

You can take your own drinks onboard-within reason ref amount. For IN CABIN CONSUMPTION only. No where else.

[bunty14]

Gibraltar - mini buses available to take you into town (bottom end of Main Street), cost £3 return. Otherwise a 20 min walk.

[Brayman]

My advice for Sicily would be to do a tour, the ports I have been to are the dirtiest places I have ever visited. The countryside (ie out of city areas) are well worth visiting.

[tartanexile81]

I think you'll also be visiting Korcula and Corfu and they too are very easy to DIY. Corfu Town is within walking distance of the port and there's also a local bus if it's hot. Korcula is a tender port which means you'll be taken ashore in boats (about 100 people or so). We really enjoyed our visit there - small town but lovely to wander round.

 

We've cruised quite a lot now and hardly ever do excursions as we hate to be timetables, preferring to do things at our own pace on holiday. Having said that we'd do an excursion if we wanted to see something in a remote location or some distance from the port.

 

If you look at the Ports Of Call section on this website you'll get some great advice from fellow travellers on what they've done in each of the ports. I search by the port name and have found the advice invaluable.

 

You've got lots of time to plan and the main thing is what will you wear!!! You'll need more dressy clothes on Aurora than you usually take on holiday. There is a dress code and about half the nights will be smart casual but there will also be jacket required evenings (probably 4) and formal evenings, also about 4. During the day you just wear whatever you'd normally wear on holiday.

Edited December 11, 2013 by tartanexile81

[NSWP]

Excuse me for dropping in, but we are on Arcadia J402, Central Med, 13-30 April, so getting some good shorex advice here. Thanks all. We have been on Ruby Princess in the Med but P&O does some different ports, plus their Med cruises are not so port intensive as Princess ones.

Edited December 11, 2013 by NSWP

[jeanlyon]

In Venice, leave the port and walk about 10 minutes to the People Mover, an electric train that goes one stop to Piazzale Roma. Walk to the Vaporetto stop and buy an all day ticket for 18 Euro. You can go down the Grand Canal where the ship water shuttle does not go. No point in paying for the ship shuttle when you can do this. The People Mover costs 1 euro each way.

[bigjoe001]

Great choice - 17 nights Central Med, did it last May, and will probably go again next year, although I will hold fire until the Price drops

First Cruise price is not all inclusive, all drinks purchased via the bar including soft drinks need to be paid for - why not bring on board a few cans of Coke etc, and re stock at your ports of call.

 

Excursions - If you have never been before, suggest you buy one for Venice, apart from being guided it will be the easiest way to get around. I did the 6 hour trip which incuded St Mark's, Bridge of Sighs', Murano Island etc, no the cheapest, but OK value for Money, Oh and you need to be up early for the arrival from around 06:00, get a spot on the right hand side of the ship - starboard, and you will see all the main sights as you sail in.

 

Look up the other ports on the Web - Dubrovnik, walk the wall, buy a ticket at the entrance - Messina, In the centre of the town see the free show in front of the Cathederal at 12:00, the clock performs. Cadiz - Consider the open topped bus tour around 12 Euro's - go round onmce, the stay on and get off and on again second time around. Gib - Walk up to the town (15 mins), visit the Botanic Gardens (free admittance), stock up on Booze and Tobacco.

 

P&O's excursion programme is expensive, there are always lots of local taxis around, Oh and in Malta the bus system is excellent - operated by First, and like Gib everyone speaks English - Consider taking the bus to Medina - the bus station is near the ship, out turn left and up the hill - quite steep though - Have a great time. Big Joe:)

[daiB]

Excuse me for dropping in, but we are on Arcadia J402, Central Med, 13-30 April, so getting some good shorex advice here. Thanks all. We have been on Ruby Princess in the Med but P&O does some different ports, plus their Med cruises are not so port intensive as Princess ones.

 

Hi, NSWP,

 

If there are any ports you want any more information about, just ask. We are on Azura a week later to the western med so we will wave if we pass. :)

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

[Thebuggs5]

Thank you for all your responses I feel really good about going,with all your friendly advice.our first stop is Cadiz,then it's onto Catania, Corfu, Split, Venice then sea fir a few more days before hitting Gibraltar.

[daiB]

Thank you for all your responses I feel really good about going,with all your friendly advice.our first stop is Cadiz,then it's onto Catania, Corfu, Split, Venice then sea fir a few more days before hitting Gibraltar.

 

If you want to wander in Cadiz rather than going on a trip, as you leave the dock gates cross the road and bear left. In front of you is a park in the Pl. of Spain with an impressive monument. After that go to the right of the square and take a side road away from the park. You will come to a sea wall. Turn left and walk a few hindered yards. You come to a series of gardens, in different styles. Very pleasant. Continue round and you come to the sea on the other side of the peninsula to the dock. Turn left for 300 yards or so and then you will find the back of the Cathedral and the 'Old Town'. Should be nice in April, as it can be very hot in the summer.