Do you feel you see enough of a country on a multi-country tour?

[iancal]

The second day we were in Corfu we counted five cruise ships in town.. We parked the car, spent all of ten minutes in town.  It was a zoo.  Reminiscent of Santorini.

 

We turned. around, left the town, and cameback a day or two laterwhen it was far less crowded and more enjoyable.

Edited March 1, 2020 by iancal

[clo]

2 minutes ago, iancal said:

Reminiscent of Santorini.

Another place we wouldn't return to because of the crowds. Dubrovnik and Rome being two others.

[ilikeanswers]

9 hours ago, Aquahound said:

 Even in small places like Caribbean island nations, it's a totally different place after the ships leave.  

 

I think you are right. I noticed something like this especially in Tallinn and Kotor. We did a self walking tour of Tallinn as soon as the sun came up before all the tours and cruises started off loading their passengers at the city gates. You could smell fresh pastries being cooked in the cafes where the locals grabbed a quick breakfast. It was very tranquil but around 9am the tour buses started dropping off their tours and the whole atmosphere just changed. The streets were really crowded, and there was so much noise from the guides talking over each other. It became so hectic, but then evening comes and all the tours are gone, and the locals start coming out and filling up the restaurants and the atmosphere changed again. Kotor was really dramatic. When the cruise ships left it would go from a busy, crowded city to a sleepy village😆.

[sayanne]

Just read the last day's comments, and I am reading stuff that is launching off again on assumptions that may be incorrect. Perhaps the nature of a board but...

 

I suspect most commenting are like myself, take a variety of approaches to travel. I have seen Germany and some of France via river cruises, added days at the beginning or end of a cruise trip to be able to see a particular area better and stayed in a location for a narrower and more focused experience like in Anchorage, a national park and a week of riding horses in the Canadian Rockies. The trip I am planning for 2021 to New Zealand will be land based and likely take three weeks. In contrast, assuming my upcoming river cruise goes off as planned the next one will again likely hop between various towns.

 

I am probably typical for people commenting here. But there seems to be a tremendous tendency to force answers into an either or situation, where a liking for ship based touring means that someone has "missed" something or suffers from "ignorance" about what else there may be to see in a region. Can't see judging someone else's choices like that.

 

It is great for people who have the money, time and health to do more in-depth tripping. But there are lots of things that can limit someone's travel options - caring for an elderly parent, young kids, work imperatives, medical conditions - that mean the best way to see a country at this point may easily be from a ship. My niece and her parents devoted resources when she was young to a variety of trips, all week long and out vacations. She did not see any country in depth like some here report. But she did see more of the world by the time she was 15 than most adults I know.

 

 

[Roz]

22 hours ago, Hlitner said:

In Europe it is the same for those who only choose to visit via cruise ship.  Places like the Alps, Vienna and Prague are not accessible to cruisers unless they do a pre/post extended land trip.  

 

In Europe river cruises are an option for inland locales.  I visited Vienna on a Danube River cruise.  I'm a sampler kind of traveler.  I would rather visit a place for a short time than not visit at all.  Some of us don't have the time off from work and/or the financial resources to do extended land trips. 

[cruisemom42]

9 minutes ago, Roz said:

 

In Europe river cruises are an option for inland locales.  I visited Vienna on a Danube River cruise.  I'm a sampler kind of traveler.  I would rather visit a place for a short time than not visit at all.  Some of us don't have the time off from work and/or the financial resources to do extended land trips. 

 

You don't need to have a lot of time off from work or $$ to do land trips versus cruises. Maybe not as "extended" as some can do when retired (although few people actually do them, in my experience), but still long enough to see more than you do in 8-10 hours from a ship, whether it's a river cruise or an ocean one.

 

For me, as a solo, cruises are perhaps not the good deal on a per-person basis that they are for some -- I find river cruises particularly expensive and discounts are harder to find. I work hard to find affordable options; I use frequent flyer points wherever I can, travel off-season (which has a lot of benefits in terms of avoiding crowds) and often stay in modest but well located hotels.

 

At any rate, for many larger cities or areas where there is a lot to see, I far prefer to spend a significant chunk of time in a certain "base" and then sightsee from there. If I enjoy a place, I will make multiple visits over time. My travel tends to be less expensive than a similar length cruise. Just in the last couple of years, for example, on three separate trips I've spent 10 days in Rome, 10 days near Naples, and 11 days split between Venice and Florence.  (And none of those were first trips to those destinations.)

 

[Roger88]

I will be honest With you, as a frequent traveler I would say NO. You have to visit a country and stay there for at least for a week or two to feel it and visit both historical and popular places of the country. In Russia for example you can spend a month in Saint P but it will be a totally different country when you go to Moscow and to other eastern cities and “republics” of the this vast country. 

[sayanne]

8 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

For me, as a solo, cruises are perhaps not the good deal on a per-person basis that they are for some -- I find river cruises particularly expensive and discounts are harder to find. I work hard to find affordable options; I use frequent flyer points wherever I can, travel off-season (which has a lot of benefits in terms of avoiding crowds) and often stay in modest but well located hotels.

 

 

Agreed that as a solo traveler finding way to do a river cruise without feeling abused for being solo is tougher. I have managed to do very well with one provider, zero penalty, for three trips assuming the next one runs. But they took away the 0% single supplement option last fall and and have not built a ship with a couple of single rooms in a while. The latter with a huge early booking discount and return cruiser benefits got me a  pretty good price for the one upcoming. But it is possible that I will have to switch providers for any more, either find a last minute deal with someone else for 0% or look at early booking discounts on providers that still have a few single rooms in their ships. That is with always traveling shoulder seasons or winter.

 

But even with those savings, I can't do one of these more often than every other or so year. Cost per day is still much higher than the land based vacation I did in Montana and BC Canada.  

 

You mention some trips of 10 days all of which were not your first time there. That is neat and it'd be nice to be able to do such a followup at some point. But right now there are too many places in other countries that I have not seen at all to want to lock down to one spot for that long. More likely to make that choice for places I have not seen in the US.

[cruisemom42]

16 minutes ago, sayanne said:

You mention some trips of 10 days all of which were not your first time there. That is neat and it'd be nice to be able to do such a followup at some point. But right now there are too many places in other countries that I have not seen at all to want to lock down to one spot for that long. More likely to make that choice for places I have not seen in the US.

 

It does help that I've been traveling a fair while. And also, I still intersperse new places and cruises with land travel -- definitely not an "either/or" for me but an "and".  Almost any travel is good travel, as far as I'm concerned. For example, I'm taking a trans-Atlantic cruise later this year that I've been bucket-listing for many years, primarily to get to Iceland and Greenland.

 

That said, I'll reiterate what I said in my first post on this thread: if someone is satisfied with a few hours in a place, that's fine -- people roll differently and I understand that. BUT those folks shouldn't hold forth in conversations (or posts) and pretend to be an expert on a place where they often have only seen the top 1-3 highlights and have no understanding of the bigger picture in that city/country.

 

 

 

[ducklite]

10 hours ago, clo said:

Another place we wouldn't return to because of the crowds. Dubrovnik and Rome being two others.

These are places we will return to. Land-based and off season when there are no crowds.  Santorini I don't think I really need to go back to, but I'd never say never.

[sayanne]

7 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

That said, I'll reiterate what I said in my first post on this thread: if someone is satisfied with a few hours in a place, that's fine -- people roll differently and I understand that. BUT those folks shouldn't hold forth in conversations (or posts) and pretend to be an expert on a place where they often have only seen the top 1-3 highlights and have no understanding of the bigger picture in that city/country.

 

 

 

 

If there is a post where anyone did that I failed to see it. I have seen comments on mechanics of a given type of travel where there is experience. That is about the mode of travel, not someone's expertise in a country.

[ducklite]

9 hours ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

I think you are right. I noticed something like this especially in Tallinn and Kotor. We did a self walking tour of Tallinn as soon as the sun came up before all the tours and cruises started off loading their passengers at the city gates. You could smell fresh pastries being cooked in the cafes where the locals grabbed a quick breakfast. It was very tranquil but around 9am the tour buses started dropping off their tours and the whole atmosphere just changed. The streets were really crowded, and there was so much noise from the guides talking over each other. It became so hectic, but then evening comes and all the tours are gone, and the locals start coming out and filling up the restaurants and the atmosphere changed again. Kotor was really dramatic. When the cruise ships left it would go from a busy, crowded city to a sleepy village😆.

In Tallinn it's not just the cruise ships though.  It's also the ferries, particularly from Finland carrying people looking to party cheaply,

[dogs4fun]

Usually, I prefer establishing a base (like Rome, for example) and then travel around the region from there. I enjoy cruising to get a taste of a specific port but, if the area interests me, I always want to return and spend some time. I believe that our interests dictate our style of travel - if one is a history buff such as myself, a short port visit will usually not satisfy. If one is into scenic natural beauty then a week in Rome would probably not satisfy.

Edited March 1, 2020 by dogs4fun

[ducklite]

1 hour ago, Roz said:

 

In Europe river cruises are an option for inland locales.  I visited Vienna on a Danube River cruise.  I'm a sampler kind of traveler.  I would rather visit a place for a short time than not visit at all.  Some of us don't have the time off from work and/or the financial resources to do extended land trips. 

We are land based 5-1 over cruising, and land-based is typically much less expensive.  We spent two weeks in Poland, Austria, and the Czech Republic last winter including airfare and travel insurance, all meals, accommodations, surface transit, admissions, everything--for 1/3  the cost of our cruise this year.

[K32682]

It does depend on the itinerary and we choose ours accordingly. Our transatlantic spent two days in Reykjavik and that was more than enough.  One day in Bora Bora was sufficient.  Alaska was great but there's nothing I'm keen to see again.  It is the same with most Caribbean ports most of which are virtually indistinguishable. 

 

But to be herded through some of the world's great cities with several thousand of your cruisemates for a few hours and rush back to the boat would be a soul crushing experience.   

[cruisemom42]

10 minutes ago, sayanne said:

 

If there is a post where anyone did that I failed to see it. I have seen comments on mechanics of a given type of travel where there is experience. That is about the mode of travel, not someone's expertise in a country.

 

I'm not referring just to this thread but to general conversations elsewhere -- on board ship for example or on the ports of call forums or elsewhere.

[ilikeanswers]

26 minutes ago, ducklite said:

In Tallinn it's not just the cruise ships though.  It's also the ferries, particularly from Finland carrying people looking to party cheaply,

 

We managed to avoid the weekend on our stay so I think we avoided most of the party people😂. However there was an Irish bar that got very rowdy after the sun set 😜.

[Hlitner]

There is another aspect of land  travel that has not  been mentioned on this thread.  For some folks, including DW and myself, food and wine are an important part of our travel experience.  In fact, many cultures are linked, in a major way, to their cuisine.  Just consider France and Italy and how much their cuisine has impacted the world.  On most cruises, the ship leaves the port in late afternoon or early evening.  When we travel on land, a big highlight, for us, is the dining in the evening.  Some cruise lines have added a few overnights to their cruises and this is something we enjoy.   But those overnights are limited.  Visiting Paris on a short day tour is fine, but once the sun goes down, the lights bathe the city, the restaurants and cafes become full.....that is the magic of the "City of Lights."    Seeing Mt St Michel after dark is absolutely stunning, but it will not happen to cruisers.  Walking the quiet streets of San Gimignano, late at night, when the lights and shadows make the ancient city take on an eerie glow is one of the most romantic moments we have experienced.  When we cruise in Europe or Asia we do often regret that we must be back on the ship by late afternoon.  

 

Hank

 

 

[Aquahound]

3 hours ago, sayanne said:

 

If there is a post where anyone did that I failed to see it. I have seen comments on mechanics of a given type of travel where there is experience. That is about the mode of travel, not someone's expertise in a country.

 

But in turn, you seem to be taking offense to those who say cruise tours are not a great way to really get to know a country.  This isn't about capabilities or choice in travel.  It's just opinions on whether or not cruises are a good way to really get to know a place.  I maintain it is not.  In no way, shape, or form is that meant to be offensive.  This is a cruise board.  We're all cruisers.  If it was being offensive, we'd be insulting ourselves. 

[sayanne]

6 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

 

But in turn, you seem to be taking offense to those who say cruise tours are not a great way to really get to know a country.  This isn't about capabilities or choice in travel.  It's just opinions on whether or not cruises are a good way to really get to know a place.  I maintain it is not.  In no way, shape, or form is that meant to be offensive.  This is a cruise board.  We're all cruisers.  If it was being offensive, we'd be insulting ourselves. 

 

Words are a funny thing. Here is the original question - "I would like to ask those whom have already been on a cruise, if they felt they saw enough of the countries they visited in a multi country cruise? Have any of you tried cruises + tours? "

 

Here is what you said - "...whether or not cruises are a good way to really get to know a place."

 

The OPer was asking if people felt they saw "enough" of a country, no information on what they thought "enough" was for themselves. Subsequent comments have come from some people for whom "enough" had a specific meaning, that of getting to really know a place. 

 

These are two different discussions.

[Aquahound]

3 minutes ago, sayanne said:

 

The OPer was asking if people felt they saw "enough" of a country, no information on what they thought "enough" was for themselves. Subsequent comments have come from some people for whom "enough" had a specific meaning, that of getting to really know a place. 

 

 

I see you're new to these boards.  However, if you participate in any other sort of discussion forums, you know they take new meaning as the conversation continues.  We're now on page 3, so it has changed a little.  I'll take you back to my first answer, which was if all I knew was cruising, I would be blissfully ignorant, meaning my answer would be yes.  But since I have since visited many cruise destinations by other means, I now realize I did not see enough on my cruises. 

[sayanne]

5 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

I see you're new to these boards.  However, if you participate in any other sort of discussion forums, you know they take new meaning as the conversation continues.  

 

You are correct, I am new to these boards and am being admittedly overactive. I have a land plus river trip coming up in the next several weeks and it is very possible that I could wake up halfway thru having traveled into a new hot spot for COVID19. I have always favored more info over less so I can be ready with alternatives. My "more" tends to be a lot.

 

But I have years, including being a moderator, on other boards. And I have seen this kind of topic creep create huge fights. It appears this board is not terribly vulnerable to that, but it doesn't mean it can't happen. So I react to such a risk.

[ducklite]

28 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

 

But in turn, you seem to be taking offense to those who say cruise tours are not a great way to really get to know a country.  This isn't about capabilities or choice in travel.  It's just opinions on whether or not cruises are a good way to really get to know a place.  I maintain it is not.  In no way, shape, or form is that meant to be offensive.  This is a cruise board.  We're all cruisers.  If it was being offensive, we'd be insulting ourselves. 

I agree with you.  A day in port is not a good way to really get to know a place.  However I am also self-aware enough to know when when after visiting a place/day for a day that I have no desire to return to a place for any number of reasons.  Particularly in the Caribbean because my interests lie in history, architecture, art, and culture. While of course there is some of that there, it's far more limited than what would be found in say Athens, Rome, Jerusalem, London, Paris, etc.  

[bennybear]

I think cruising gives you a Taste of a place.  We do both cruises and independent travel,  cruising is highly convenient and fun but it is a totally different experience.  We always combine a cruise with land travel pre and usually post.  

 

Agree about the food, one cannot beat eating fresh truffles in Italy after a day exploring the countryside.  We find a visit to the countryside is also a different experience than the major cities, often one we enjoy as much if not more.  We enjoy the freedom of a rental car to get off the beaten path.  Many of the gems of a country we have discovered are not accessible off a cruise,  we really enjoyed the Deep South of Italy and Assisi, the Italian lakes, Ortona.... 

 

We have also enjoyed train travel especially in Japan, where we experienced some of the most sublime food we have ever eaten!   

 

We too spend several months each year in a cruise destination, and know to avoid the town and snorkelling beaches cruise day.  The cruisers get a taste, while we experience the full meal.

 

So it is all an adventure,  try the different flavours of a country and of travel. 

[navybankerteacher]

16 hours ago, clo said:

Another place we wouldn't return to because of the crowds. Dubrovnik and Rome being two others.

I cannot imagine planning to not return to Rome —- sometime, somehow (but certainly never  while on a cruise ship stopping at Civita Vecchia).