Looking forward to first Azamara cruise in the Western Med

[mdpa]

2 hours ago, SteveH2508 said:

Couple of points/tips.

 

I seem to recall that the HoHo buses in Barcelona (and most other cities) finish at 5 or 6 pm so the evening tour might be a bust.

 

If you are doing your own thing in Florence and you are near the Uffizi gallery, this place is the go to for lunch (if you can get in)

 

http://www.laprosciutteria.com/cibi-e-vini/

 

 

Looks like a very interesting place...thanks for sharing. My wife said she was OK renting a car again (we did in Venice and hit Parma and went over the Austrian border on two separate trips). If we do, we may try to do a loop and will check out the place you recommended.

 

The interesting thing about our May timing...it will either be cancelled or we should have less crowds than normal if we are successful. Wish me luck!

[mdpa]

6 hours ago, upwarduk said:

Because Gibraltar is a British protectorate and typical British food used to be Fish and Chips ( often take away).

I’ve added some photos which I took when we were in Gibraltar in 2017.

Plenty of useful information, but I do wonder if passengers will be allowed to wander on their own. Cruises that have already started in Europe, have insisted on ship only excursions.

 

 

We did fish & chips in London many years ago and very much enjoyed the experience so would be tempted to try again with our daughter.

 

Seeing the mailbox reminded me of our Bermuda trip last year when we mailed a post card back home.

[nordski]

14 hours ago, SteveH2508 said:

Couple of points/tips.

 

I seem to recall that the HoHo buses in Barcelona (and most other cities) finish at 5 or 6 pm so the evening tour might be a bust.

 

If you are doing your own thing in Florence and you are near the Uffizi gallery, this place is the go to for lunch (if you can get in)

 

http://www.laprosciutteria.com/cibi-e-vini/

 

The 5:00 or 6:00 pm cessation times may be correct in other cities, but in Barcelona they are listed as running until 7:00 (winter) and 8:00 (summer)

 

.Of course, service is presently suspended.
And upon resumption that timetable may be adjusted.

 

[rnvaniderstine]

Sounds like a wonderful cruise! Hopefully by then you will be able to get off ship on your own if you want and not be limited to only shipboard excursions.

 

When in Rome I would consider hiring a private tour if budget allows.  I have done it both ways, on our own and private tour and I can tell you from experience that a private tour will allow you to learn and see so much more of Rome.  Vatican museum is a must!!  I believe you can buy your tickets ahead of time to avoid the long lines.  Keep in mind that its about an hours drive from Rome proper to the the port so allow time for that on the day you get on ship.  While I have never done it, there is a train from Rome to the port.  Ship mates that we spoke to at the time said that it was fairly easy and cheaper than hiring a a car or taxi. 

 

Florence is a lovely walkable City.  Lots of shopping and museums.  Like Rome it will take about an hour from port to City center.  If you are museum folks you can also buy those tickets ahead of time to avoid long lines.  Pisa, which is very near Florence, is a quick stop.  Not much there really other than the obvious leaning tower.

 

Barcelona is one of my favorite cities, second only to London.  The last time we were there (2019) we were on an Azamara cruise and where they dock to Las Ramblas is not really walkable, you will need to get a taxi if you are doing it on your own.  Las Ramblas is a great place to just wander.  Lots of restaurants (tapas are defiantly a must in Barcelona) and vendors for purchases and such.  At the top of Las Ramblas is a square where you pick up the HoHo buses.  La Sagrada Familia is an architectural wonder and while I really loved looking at it from the outside, the inside is a bit underwhelming in my opinion, but worth it if time allows.  A tour guide or some kind of guide book is helpful so that you can understand the significance of certain areas of the outside architecture.

[Mackdogmolly]

18 minutes ago, rnvaniderstine said:

Sounds like a wonderful cruise! Hopefully by then you will be able to get off ship on your own if you want and not be limited to only shipboard excursions.

 

When in Rome I would consider hiring a private tour if budget allows.  I have done it both ways, on our own and private tour and I can tell you from experience that a private tour will allow you to learn and see so much more of Rome.  Vatican museum is a must!!  I believe you can buy your tickets ahead of time to avoid the long lines.  Keep in mind that its about an hours drive from Rome proper to the the port so allow time for that on the day you get on ship.  While I have never done it, there is a train from Rome to the port.  Ship mates that we spoke to at the time said that it was fairly easy and cheaper than hiring a a car or taxi. 

 

Florence is a lovely walkable City.  Lots of shopping and museums.  Like Rome it will take about an hour from port to City center.  If you are museum folks you can also buy those tickets ahead of time to avoid long lines.  Pisa, which is very near Florence, is a quick stop.  Not much there really other than the obvious leaning tower.

 

Barcelona is one of my favorite cities, second only to London.  The last time we were there (2019) we were on an Azamara cruise and where they dock to Las Ramblas is not really walkable, you will need to get a taxi if you are doing it on your own.  Las Ramblas is a great place to just wander.  Lots of restaurants (tapas are defiantly a must in Barcelona) and vendors for purchases and such.  At the top of Las Ramblas is a square where you pick up the HoHo buses.  La Sagrada Familia is an architectural wonder and while I really loved looking at it from the outside, the inside is a bit underwhelming in my opinion, but worth it if time allows.  A tour guide or some kind of guide book is helpful so that you can understand the significance of certain areas of the outside architecture.

I agree about Rome. We organized a private tour with three other couples. Met us at the ship and it worked out great and was much less expensive than a (larger) ship’s tour.

[Baynanno1]

In Rome we found Dark Rome Tours good.

You get to a meeting point to begin the tour, no hotel pickups, so the length of the tour does not include driving around hotels for pick up as many others do. We did both the Vatican and Colosseum and had timed entry tickets, so no entry delay.

 

Re. docking in Barcelona, which we have done many times with Azamara : the usual docking point is at the World Trade Centre, which is definitely within easy walking distance to Las Ramblas. Also, there is a stop for the HoHo bus at the World Trade Centre.

For some unknown reason last time we docked there, late last year, we were out where the big ships dock, where as noted by @rnvaniderstine Las Ramblas is definitely not a short walk.

[mdpa]

2 hours ago, Baynanno1 said:

In Rome we found Dark Rome Tours good.

You get to a meeting point to begin the tour, no hotel pickups, so the length of the tour does not include driving around hotels for pick up as many others do. We did both the Vatican and Colosseum and had timed entry tickets, so no entry delay.

 

Re. docking in Barcelona, which we have done many times with Azamara : the usual docking point is at the World Trade Centre, which is definitely within easy walking distance to Las Ramblas. Also, there is a stop for the HoHo bus at the World Trade Centre.

For some unknown reason last time we docked there, late last year, we were out where the big ships dock, where as noted by @rnvaniderstine Las Ramblas is definitely not a short walk.

 

Thanks for the tip...not sure if we will do a tour but I'll keep Dark Rome Tours in mind.

[Grandma Cruising]

13 hours ago, rnvaniderstine said:La Sagrada Familia is an architectural wonder and while I really loved looking at it from the outside, the inside is a bit underwhelming in my opinion, but worth it if time allows.  A tour guide or some kind of guide book is helpful so that you can understand the significance of certain areas of the outside architecture.

Our feelings about the Sagrada Familia are totally different. When we got inside we were so overwhelmed with the architecture that we just sat in the pews for about half an hour looking around. We loved it so much that we had one of the interior photos made into a large canvas for our kitchen. We also did the tower tour which gives you lovely views over Barcelona.

[Covepointcruiser]

Be careful of the pick pockets in Barcelona and in Rome.   They are very sneaky and good at their jobs.   There is a wonderful Marriott in Rome, believe it is the Grand Flora.   It has a wonderful rooftop and open air setting for the included breakfast.   It is next to a large park and on the Via Venetia (sp?).   You can walk to the Spanish Steps and there is wonderful shopping and outdoor restaurants along the street.   It is also across from an underground station for longer journeys.   It’s an older hotel but a great vale and a grand place.

[cruisemom42]

On 11/18/2020 at 5:39 AM, mdpa said:

Wonderful tips, most of the ports are new to us. We've been to Italy, Monaco, and France but never to these locations.

 

• Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
• Livorno (Florence & Pisa), Italy
• Marseille (Provence), France
• Barcelona, Spain
• Gibraltar, United Kingdom
• Lisbon, Portugal

 

As of now, we are tentatively booked at a new Doubletree in Rome for (2) days pre-cruise...also contemplated the Waldorf. I am surprised by the prices and how much the rates bump up for the 3rd person.

 

In Portugal, we are tentatively planning to stay at the Penha Longa Resort out in Sintra for (2) nights. We are using Marriott points and seems like a very good deal for a Ritz Carlton. The downside is it is out of town.

 

I am interested in any feedback on ports (do we have an advantage with location due to smaller ship size), hotels, and things to do. Very preliminary stages of planning, and we are prepared for the possibility of being cancelled, but the rates and flexibility gave us the confidence to give it a try.

 

Thanks for the great tips so far!

 

--

Doug

 

How lovely to talk about ports for a change in this dreary year?

 

If your new Doubletree in Rome is the one in Monti, it is a great location and well done. Monti is a bit less touristy than the Pantheon/Piazza Navona area (which remains my favorite nonetheless) and has a neighborhood feel and some good trattorias. It is very walkable to the ancient Rome sites (Colosseum, Forum, Baths of Caracalla -- all must-see spots).  I'm a Rome lover, so I'd suggest adding an additional night there pre-cruise, there is so much to see IF you also want to include the Vatican (St. Peters, Sistine chapel, Vatican museum) in the mix.

 

Sintra is lovely, but I'm not sure I'd trade staying there for staying in Lisbon proper -- however, I am a city lover. 

 

Just as an FYI, many European hotels (even quite a few American chains) have small rooms. Triples generally cost more because you have to get a higher category room. You often can't stuff a third person into a normal-sized double hotel room....especially in the cities.

 

[Grandma Cruising]

I’d add that if you’re going to the Vatican museum book your tickets beforehand, the queue can be half a mile long.