Vision of the Seas 2022 Europe

[Hoopster95]

4 hours ago, RKHOOKER said:

We took the express trains from Livorno & Civitavecchia to Florence & Rome, very easy & cheap.  We then did our own Rick Steves walking audio tour of both cities.  Highly recommend Rick’s audio tours!  

 

4 hours ago, Jimbo said:

Explain the cost of those audio tours and just how it works please?

 

RKHOOKER has one of the perfect examples of what you can do on a port day from wither Livorno or Civitavecchia. However, you truly need to ask yourself and be honest with yourself.... if you are not travel savvy, you have zero sense of direction, you don't understand how to get around on your own, you truly do need a guide or someone with you because of anxiety/OCD/ADD getting back to the ship from 50 miles away within 2 hours, then in no way should anyone feeling the above do a self tour. And if Trenitalia goes on strike the day you dock at 7am, you are hooped. Would you be savvy enough, have the stomach, and the $$$$$ to get back to the ship from 1 hour away in very short notice when all aboard is in two hours?

 

The other issue with a "walking" tour is that you're not going to be going into the Colosseum to actually stand in side it, nor into the Catacombs, nor into the Roman Forum, nor up to the rooftop of the Vittorio Monument, nor into the Sistine Chapel nor through the streets of Trastevere, nor into Castel St Angelo, nor into Villa Borghese... I guess my point is you'll be able to say you've "seen" things as you walk by them but you'll not be able to experience any of them. Rome is not a one day port stop... period. You need bare minimum 4 days just to see/enter/experience the major sites. It would be much much better to start and end a cruise in Rome so that you can have pre or post cruise days.

 

For the OP, I am assuming Lori has not seen Europe in that she's only planning a nine day trip to go all that way and plan all those things? I'm also gently assuming she may not understand that the concentration of that itinerary and seeing "everything" will be not only impossible but truly exhausting. That's ok... just go, live and learn, and see as much as possible and build memories!! I hope the OP is very fit, sleeps well and can recover from long days well.... especially after flying and feeling jet lag the first day.... has that been thought about?

 

In some of my Europe reviews I posted here on CC, I'm relatively young in comparison to many on this forum, I am fit, I do really well with jetlag, I did a ton of things everyday, and I was very tired! I know Jimbo and others have commented on how much I do and see on trips... I don't know whether I could replicate some of those trips and itineraries today

Edited June 23, 2021 by Hoopster95

[Hoopster95]

21 hours ago, kccrzr said:

On the port intensive cruises the lack of some specialty restaurants, entertainment venues, etc is less important to us. 

 

Good points. Thankfully if Lori wishes to splurge a small amount for a 5 day cruise to purchase the UDP (Unlimited Dining), she would be able to enjoy Giovanni's, Chops and Izumi... all in great locations on the ship and all three with views to the ocean.

 

20 hours ago, kccrzr said:

 

You might want to look into booking a private or semi private tour or transfer to Florence, especially since you want to go to a museum.   We have found that it was the best way to maximize time in Florence and can often be done less costly than going on a cruise ship sponsored shore excursion.  We have done this three times with two different tour companies and it has worked extremely well for us. A big cruise sponsored group on a bus from Livorno to Florence just takes up precious time better spent in town. 

 

100% excellent advice. Furthermore, I have found with Europe private excursions can be half the cost but with double the value than a ship excursion. Lori do some homework on this. Definitely get on the roll call for your sailing on this Forum or on fb and see if anyone would share an excursion with you.

[Norwich Cruiser]

3 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

Good points. Thankfully if Lori wishes to splurge a small amount for a 5 day cruise to purchase the UDP (Unlimited Dining), she would be able to enjoy Giovanni's, Chops and Izumi... all in great locations on the ship and all three with views to the ocean.

 

 

100% excellent advice. Furthermore, I have found with Europe private excursions can be half the cost but with double the value than a ship excursion. Lori do some homework on this. Definitely get on the roll call for your sailing on this Forum or on fb and see if anyone would share an excursion with you.

Agree the ships excursions are expensive and you are just one of a number.

 

I can highly recommend Romeinlimo.

 

Used them several times excellent reliable company with outstanding guides who were well worth the extra money.

[LoriLoriLori]

Thank you all.  Appreciate very much the advice and tips.  A lot to consider and plan for. 

 

It is true that Rome would have been an ideal starting and ending point.  

 

I have visited Europe twice by land -- Austria, Germany, France, London.  We know that we will only scratch the surface on this cruise. It's not ideal but we will make the most of it.  Also, we are fit people -- plenty of endurance and strength to power vacation.  😁

[Ashland]

39 minutes ago, Norwich Cruiser said:

Agree the ships excursions are expensive and you are just one of a number.

 

I can highly recommend Romeinlimo.

 

Used them several times excellent reliable company with outstanding guides who were well worth the extra money.

We've used RomeInLimo also and did a private tour with them...amazing.

[Cruisen Elf]

I forgot to mention -- Please be sure to take some time before and/or after your cruise to stay in Barcelona.  It is a beautiful city, with lots of things to explore and discover right in the city.  Spain Day Tours has various tours in the city and surrounding area.  Some of them even include transfer to and from the cruise port, hotel, or airport.  Here is their link:  https://www.spaindaytours.com/barcelona-tours/

 

[pstone1]

We have also taken a 12 night European cruise and a Transatlantic on Vision and loved both of those trips!  
 

I can also recommend both Rome in a Limo, Joe Bananas Limo and Spain Day Tours.  We have had multiple, excellent experiences with all of them!

[hardtohide]

On 6/22/2021 at 2:51 PM, LoriLoriLori said:

The sailing we are going on is five nights Sept 10 2022.  We are going to spend four days in Barcelona and beyond beforehand.  

 

"We have been on Vision once, we didn't like it. You should be fine though since your cruise is port intensive and really the ship doesn't matter anyway."

 

Can you elaborate on why you didn't like the Vision of the Seas?  Perhaps it's a moot point since we are booked -- still curious to hear your thoughts.

Enjoy your cruise as well!  

I just booked that cruise also!  Nad booked the 8 day right before it too so will have 13 days on that ship.  Super inexpensive, let's have a great time!!!

[Mickie]

We are booking the July 2022 cruise today with our grown children and two teenage grandchildren.

 

We rarely book ship tours and agree with other posters about all those private companies being so much better and less expensive..

 

However, has Royal changed their Covid rules that do not allow passengers gets off the ship UNLESS with one if their groups?  Hope I'm not spreading misinformation!!!!

[LoriLoriLori]

On 7/7/2021 at 10:49 AM, Mickie said:

We are booking the July 2022 cruise today with our grown children and two teenage grandchildren.

 

We rarely book ship tours and agree with other posters about all those private companies being so much better and less expensive..

 

However, has Royal changed their Covid rules that do not allow passengers gets off the ship UNLESS with one if their groups?  Hope I'm not spreading misinformation!!!!

 

I think Italy is coming out with new guidelines at the end of March. As of now, if you dock in Italy you must take cruise sponsored excursion.  Hopefully this will change at the end of March.

 

I am questioning my cruise choice.  Carrara port is 146 km to Florence.  One-hour and 45 minute drive.  There are closer ports to Florence.  We are staying in Barcelona for a few days before we board so I will make the most of it and may look at closer cities to Carrara.

[Mickie]

11 minutes ago, LoriLoriLori said:

 

I think Italy is coming out with new guidelines at the end of March. As of now, if you dock in Italy you must take cruise sponsored excursion.  Hopefully this will change at the end of March.

 

I am questioning my cruise choice.  Carrara port is 146 km to Florence.  One-hour and 45 minute drive.  There are closer ports to Florence.  We are staying in Barcelona for a few days before we board so I will make the most of it and may look at closer cities to Carrara.

I hope rules change re shore excursions. You make a good point re Carrera to Florence! We are also planning on staying in Barcelona a few days before. We had all these reservations made for 2020. Alas starting again.

[ycl]

On 2/27/2022 at 5:35 PM, LoriLoriLori said:

 

I think Italy is coming out with new guidelines at the end of March. As of now, if you dock in Italy you must take cruise sponsored excursion.  Hopefully this will change at the end of March.

 

I am questioning my cruise choice.  Carrara port is 146 km to Florence.  One-hour and 45 minute drive.  There are closer ports to Florence.  We are staying in Barcelona for a few days before we board so I will make the most of it and may look at closer cities to Carrara.

Regarding Carrara, I’m facing the same dilemma of where to visit.  I’ve been to Florence and Lucca a couple of times. I thought of returning the Cinque Terre but that requires a taxi to take our group of six to one of the towns, maybe Vernazza, as we will be there on market day, and a taxi to return.  Did you find taxi’s waiting at the ship upon your arrival at port?  

[LoriLoriLori]

22 minutes ago, ycl said:

Regarding Carrara, I’m facing the same dilemma of where to visit.  I’ve been to Florence and Lucca a couple of times. I thought of returning the Cinque Terre but that requires a taxi to take our group of six to one of the towns, maybe Vernazza, as we will be there on market day, and a taxi to return.  Did you find taxi’s waiting at the ship upon your arrival at port?  

 

Our cruise is this September so I cannot say if there are taxis at the port.  I will report back.  When is your cruise?  

 

We booked an excursion through the cruise line to go to the Accademia Gallery.  We have not been to Florence.  We want to see it,  but I think we might be spending a LOT of time on a charter bus. 🙂

Edited May 24, 2022 by LoriLoriLori

[bearette]

We also did this ship a few years ago out of Venice, when it went out of actual Venice. Very port intensive like yours so had dinner and saw maybe one show (might be the one we never saw any shows). We had kids so they were happy to hit the pool, minigolf and kids club on our one sea day. We enjoyed kid free dinners while they played in kids club and got them pizza at the nearly 24 hr place. I wouldn't want it for a transatlantic, but with your nice itinerary, you will only remember the fun like we do now from that trip.

[ycl]

On 5/23/2022 at 9:36 PM, LoriLoriLori said:

 

Our cruise is this September so I cannot say if there are taxis at the port.  I will report back.  When is your cruise?  

 

We booked an excursion through the cruise line to go to the Accademia Gallery.  We have not been to Florence.  We want to see it,  but I think we might be spending a LOT of time on a charter bus. 🙂

 

[ycl]

We sail in July.  Unsure of the taxi situation at the port we found a driver to transport us to and from La Spezia train station for 160€.  We will continue to Vernazza and Monterosso by train. After lunch we will ferry to the remaining towns and take the train from Riomaggiore to Las Spezia.  A taxi to the Carrara train station is the faster and cheaper option. But my experience with Italian taxi drivers 2019 at Salerno’s industrial port makes me nervous about  waiting until we disembark to find a driver willing to lose his place in line for a short fare. 

[Frenchie1964]

I will be on this cruise!  I'm traveling solo and glad to see someone on here will be on the ship!

[Markanddonna]

This is an old posting. You might want to start a new one as some of the info is now irrelevant. BTW, I loved the Vision of the Seas. We had a dashing young Polish captain who made the ship a really unique experience.