Don't be afraid to try things on your own!

[Hlitner]

Well, I read through this complete thread looking for info on Capri, but not much was mentioned. Could someone give some info - docking in Naples, read many comments about the ferries. Not interested in doing the Blue Grotto, just want to take in the scenery there.

 

Please explain about the ride to the top of the mountain - is it like a ski lift, or in enclosed cable cars, or something else?

 

Ok. You ask and you shall get (if they ever get the search thingee working on this board you would already know). You simply walk off the pier, make a left and you will be at the ferry terminal. There are at least two different companies running jet boats to Capri (the Jet boats take 50 min and the slower ferries take 90 min) and you simply buy a ticket on the next boat. When you arrive in Capri, you will be at the small port town of Marina Grande. From there, you will take the funicular up to Capri Town. This town is where you will probably spend most of your day, and its a fun place. You can walk around, look in the shops (some very high end) and walk back a few blocks to see some of the residential and hotel areas. As to the chair lift (one of the great bargains at 8 Euros), you walk to the Capri Town bus station (about 3 blocks towards your left when you get off the funicular) and take the local bus up to Anacapri (its about a 15 min ride). When you get to Anacapri, cross the street and go slightly towards your left and you will be at the chair lift. These are single chairs, and it takes about 15 minutes to get you up to the top of Mt Solara. where the views are great. There are rest rooms and a small cafe at the top (everything is a bit overpriced) as well as some outdoor seats where you can just relax and enjoy the view.

 

Hank

[GSPLover]

At the top of the chair, the seats to relax in that Hank refered to were watched over and guarded by a sweet grandmother type who would only let you sit there if you bought something at the family run snack shop. Quite a funny show watching her. She claimed the stone wall that went around the patio also.

[PKB]

Thanks, Hank and GSPLover, exactly the info I was needing. Sounds very easy.

 

Found a photo of the chair lift on one of the Capri info websites. Interesting..........If I knew how to post pictures here I would.

[PMCRUISE1026]

Hi Hank,

I Just Read Your Post On European Ports. It Contained Great Information. I Am Taking The Celebrity Galaxy Cruise To The Greek Isle's And Turkey, On October 13th.

Have You Been To Turkey? If So, Do You Have Any Suggestions For Istanbul. I Would Like To Do It On My Own If Possible.

I Appreciate Any Information You Can Give....thanks!!!

 

Patricia B

[Hlitner]

Amazing! After 2 1/2 years this thread continues to survive which I guess just shows that there are still a few who want to do things on their own. Regarding the previous post, yes, we have been in Turkey several times (will be back again in April) and really enjoy the country and its very warm people. Istanbul can easily be done on your own, if you do some homework, get yourself a guide book, and if you have some "street smarts." Much of your plans would depend on how much you like to walk. We enjoy walking from the ship into town, but that is a good 30 minute walk that takes you over the Galata Bridge with its wonderful views of the harbor (Golden Horn) and the city. The primary sites would be Topkapi Palace (actually a large compound with multiple buildings), the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and of course the Covered Bazaar (Grand Bazaar). The first three are within a reasonable walking distance of each other, and its a bit of a hike through the city to get to the Covered Bazaar (this has about 5000 stalls). As an alternative to walking, you can always grab a taxi, but make sure they run the meter. The taxis will often try to cheat you, so just be alert. You also need to check the days of the week that you are in port, because most things are closed at least one day a week. The Covered Bazaar closes early on Saturdays, and is closed on Sunday. Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays (sometimes the cruise ship tours can get in on the closed day). The Blue Mosque is closed during prayer times. You should check my info on the web as it gets close to your trip.

 

Some have raised the issue of safety and politics. Turkey is 99% Muslim, but most of the Turks are something akin to secular Muslims and this is a pretty western thinking country where women have long had equal rights, the right to vote, dress in western clothes, etc. Our personal experience has been that the Turks have always been very warm, polite, friendly to Americans, and very entreprenaural (my wife once spent 1 1/2 hours bargaining for a tiny prayer rug in the covered bazaar). Many Turks speak English. Turkey is also a NATA ally, and has been a very good friend of America. However, like any country, they do have their problems and this does concern some visitors. However, we have only had good experiences in Istanbul, Izmir and Kusadasi, and we have spent hours walking by ourselves in those cities. Or course they do have some pickpockets (often children) so take care of your valuables.

 

Hank

[Cancunense]

isnt this funny that I stumbled here after Hlitner responded to me when I asked about the HOHO bus in Rome. He told me to do it, as a first timer there.

It will be the only 'tour' that we do and we dont usually do tours...my mother thinks that a tour is the ONLY way to go because she believes you will otherwise miss out...whereas, I feel if I am in Rome wondering around I am experiencing Rome,and that was my goal...no matter what I see...its ROME.

She believes strongly that you have to purchase every tour...while I am the opposite.

My first time on vacation here in Cancun I missed seeing a lot of things because the tours were so expensive, the internet was not out yet (1994) and we didnt do anything...because of the costs at the time.

I agree the research is part of the fun but its also true its not for everybody..but wouldnt the world be a boring place if we were all exactly a like ?

[corkpopr]

couldn't agree more. we very rarely take ship tours because we do not want to be on a bus with 50 or more people stopping when the tour wants to. we also rarely plan, we just get off the ship find an english speaking driver and explore. half the price (at least) and you get the locals views and history of their city. they also drop you at the non touristy restaurants that are usually winners. cab back to the ship and you have had a wonderful day.

[cruzisme]

we too like to avoid ship tours so we read up a lot at home ie R Steves, Frommers, L. Planet, etc.

we now carry a compass (so helpful) plus our maps and info on museums etc.

works for us! We have also hired a taxi/guide for some ports.

It is amazing to see the hundreds loaded up onto the ship's tour buses! Safety in numbers for sure but a lot of waiting around for others to board/unboard.

[CathyCruises]

I dislike ship's tours as well, and always get a great deal of satisfaction in planning and executing visits on our own. The last straw was the last ship's tour we did in Florence--when they took us to a restaurant that served roast beef and mashed potatoes (at a cost of $150 each). That was 'it' for me! 100% on our own for our 14 day Med cruise. . .not only will we save well over $1000--now that I think of it, more than that--but I bet we will see and do more and absorb way more of the local flavor than any ship's tour ever could.

 

Go Indies!!

 

Cathy

[ciceroana]

Hank

my dh and i are independent travelers too, one of the best parts of a trip for us is the research, november will be our first cruise to mediterranean, and this site is a great help!!:)

[CathyCruises]

Hank

my dh and i are independent travelers too, one of the best parts of a trip for us is the research, november will be our first cruise to mediterranean, and this site is a great help!!:)

 

 

What ship/date do you sail? We are on 11/1 Summit!

 

Cathy

[flvaca]

Hi:

 

Have you been to Ephesus? can you advice me how to arrive from Izmir to Ephesus by our own?? someone in this thread has done it?

 

thank you!!

 

Maria

[derby4]

Amazing! After 2 1/2 years this thread continues to survive which I guess just shows that there are still a few who want to do things on their own. Regarding the previous post, yes, we have been in Turkey several times (will be back again in April) and really enjoy the country and its very warm people. Istanbul can easily be done on your own, if you do some homework, get yourself a guide book, and if you have some "street smarts." Much of your plans would depend on how much you like to walk. We enjoy walking from the ship into town, but that is a good 30 minute walk that takes you over the Galata Bridge with its wonderful views of the harbor (Golden Horn) and the city. The primary sites would be Topkapi Palace (actually a large compound with multiple buildings), the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and of course the Covered Bazaar (Grand Bazaar). The first three are within a reasonable walking distance of each other, and its a bit of a hike through the city to get to the Covered Bazaar (this has about 5000 stalls). As an alternative to walking, you can always grab a taxi, but make sure they run the meter. The taxis will often try to cheat you, so just be alert. You also need to check the days of the week that you are in port, because most things are closed at least one day a week. The Covered Bazaar closes early on Saturdays, and is closed on Sunday. Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays (sometimes the cruise ship tours can get in on the closed day). The Blue Mosque is closed during prayer times. You should check my info on the web as it gets close to your trip.

 

Some have raised the issue of safety and politics. Turkey is 99% Muslim, but most of the Turks are something akin to secular Muslims and this is a pretty western thinking country where women have long had equal rights, the right to vote, dress in western clothes, etc. Our personal experience has been that the Turks have always been very warm, polite, friendly to Americans, and very entreprenaural (my wife once spent 1 1/2 hours bargaining for a tiny prayer rug in the covered bazaar). Many Turks speak English. Turkey is also a NATA ally, and has been a very good friend of America. However, like any country, they do have their problems and this does concern some visitors. However, we have only had good experiences in Istanbul, Izmir and Kusadasi, and we have spent hours walking by ourselves in those cities. Or course they do have some pickpockets (often children) so take care of your valuables.

 

Hank

We just did the galaxy eastern med and had no problems doing places on our own. WE went with the philosophy of "don't try and do too much". The advise and directions given on here and other boards were just spot on. In Istanbul the tram is really easy and we felt really safe.

One trip token is 1:40 YTL. The ATM at the exit to the port was out of order but there is another at the bank across the street. We went in on the first afternoon and got off at SultanAhmet for hagia, grand bazaar, blue mosque, cistern. Returned to ship for late dinner. The next mornign went in again and got off at the stop before for Topkapi, did the Harem first and then met the people on the ships tour at the main palace. They were given 40 mins to see it. WE spent 3 1/2 hours total there!!! WE did not have time to walk back to the ship but we did get off the tram at the BRidge, walk the path under the bridge and then get another tram back to the ship. BTW- Topkapi for sure(cannot comment on the other sites) does accept credit cards as well as Turkish Lira- if you get in the right line!

[Ardy53]

Hank

my dh and i are independent travelers too, one of the best parts of a trip for us is the research, november will be our first cruise to mediterranean, and this site is a great help!!:)

 

We got back from our 12-night Venice to Barcelona cruise on Celebrity Summit a month ago and did all the ports on our own, barring the last day in Barcelona where we took the ships tour for 4 hours before being dropped at the airport. Just that short tour confirmed for us that we had done the correct thing elsewhere.

 

We also subscribe to the "don't try and do everything" philosophy. Although we researched all the ports thoroughly, we made no plans for any of them ahead of time. Often we would sit down at breakfast with new friends and decide what we all wanted to do together.

 

There are details of each of the ports that we did in my review below.

 

Regards

 

Roy

[poohnpiglet]

Ardy53 (Roy & Val) -- I have just read nearly ALL of your long review and looked at some of the pics of the CC album. It was great! Thanks for a whole slew of good tips.

 

Regards,

P&P

[franu]

Hank, I have always enjoyed your posts and respected your views. Your encouragement to strike out on our own is all that some people need. It certainly hasn't hurt me.

 

Hank, for the sake of the seniors on these boards having trouble reading the messages, please write with smaller paragraphs as it limits my reading without those spaces.

 

Keep giving us the benefit of your wisdom. BTW do you have experience with Norway that you can impart.

Fran

[Taxguy7]

I enjoy monitoring this board and reading everyone's advice. A few years ago I used to contribute lots of help here for those who wanted advice on how to do any of the European ports on their own (we have been to most of these places multiple times). I stopped most of my help because I got tired of being flamed by others who insisted that the only way to do anything is on an organized tour (this is true for some folks). However, given the very high price of tours (the low value dollar does not help) I am surprised to see almost everyone resigned to tours. Western Europe is pretty easy to navigate on your own although it helps to do some homework. The advantage of being on your own is you avoid the "cattle like" mentality of some tours, get to do what you want when you want with who you want, and usually you will save money. In fact, on a 12 day Med cruise you can easily save over $1000 (or more) by doing things independent of tours. The down side of independent travel is that you do need to do your pre-trip homework,, but to some of us that is part of the fun. My main problem with most tours is that they try to crowd too much "touring" into a short period of time without giving you a chance to see the real Europe. A lot of the joy of visiting some cities (Rome, Paris, etc) is spending time at an outdoor cafe enjoying local cuisine, wine and people watching (this is how many Europeans enjoy themselves). Personally, when in Rome I would quickly give-up seeing some site in order to have time for lunch or a snack at one of the cafes in the Piazza Navona. But, I guess this is where the "different strokes for different folks" saying reigns surpreme.

 

Hank

 

Exactly!:) :cool:

We have friends who went as bridge directors, so didn't have to pay for very expensive cruises. He said they had been to Spain! I asked him how he liked the gazpacho and she replied "Oh we went back to the ship for lunch at their 5 star restuarant!:confused: Another friend and I agree they didn't see anything or anywhere!

DW and I spent 2 weeks with DD and family on the Costa Azule, and have spent a couple of days in Barcelona. You haven't 'been' anywhere unless you smell the smells, taste the food and watch the people.:cool:

1 day is a very short time, but we like to find an open-air restaurant and have a local beer while we watch what's going on. On a small island in Greece we bought fruit off a small boat at the dock. Two boats were the greengrocers for the town! There was a small market nearby, and I saw a woman buy 6 eggs; she brought her own plastic carton so she wouldn't have to carry them in an old newspaper.

[Xoe]

I've posted my own query too, but will add one here. A spur-of-the-moment just-booked cruise on Wind Spirit Nov.1-8, Barcelona to Lisbon, has these ports:

 

Cartagena, Spain

Almeria, Spain

Gibralter

Cadiz, Spain

Portimao, Portugal

 

After Barcelona (only an overnight there -- fortunately I've been there before), all these places are new to me. Any suggestions for do-it-yourself adventures that will work for a solo traveler will be appreciated. I love to walk and explore on my own; my Spanish has dwindled to nearly nothing, and I know no Portuguese. I've used private guides recommended on these boards in the past and found them marvelous.

 

Thanks!

[Gmama084]

I just booked a cruise for my honeymoon - RCI - Barcelona, Valencia, Palma, Marseilles, Nice, Florence, and Rome + 3 days in hotel in Rome.

 

We really love doing things "on our own". Can you give us some suggestions on how to get around the cities. Are there any good private tour companies that you can recommend?

We were thinking of taking a train/bus form Nice to Monaco. Any suggestions on which one is better? Is it worth it? Should we just stick around in Nice?

 

Also, any suggestions on a reasonably priced hotel in downtown Rome. We want to be in the walking distance of all the sightseeing and also have private facilities as they call it. We are not very picky about quality of the rooms, etc.

 

We have tried ship excursions before on our cruise to Carribbean, and realized that it was not our thing. We prefer to enjoy things at our own pace, rather than in a group of 50+. I don't mean this in any offensive manner, it's just a personal preference.

 

All suggestions would be GREATLY! appreciated. Please help. Thank You in advance!:D

[Hlitner]

I must admit to being shocked to see this thread today. It's hard to believe I started this thing more than 2 years ago and it still lives. To the prior poster (Gmama) we do wish you a very happy and long marriage...not to mention a great honeymoon. There are private tour companies for anyplace in Europe, and if you like tours and want to spend the money there are many options. A good idea is to look on the Cruise Critic Roll Call thread for your particular cruise where you should be able to find others who want to share private tours.

 

However, when I started this thread my intent was to encourage folks (who are willing and have a little spriit of adventure) to go off on their own with not tours, no big groups, etc. Barcelona is a very easy city to do on your own with the help of a decent guide book, some Euros, and a map (hopefully in the guide book). As to Palma, there are places you can go on your own, or you can simply turn your day into a beach day since Majorca has some excellent sandy beaches (rare in Europe). In all your other ports (and Rome) it's very possible to do things on your own, see what your want, and save lots of money. It's just a matter of doing your pre-trip homework (the internet and a few hours reading at a large bookstore should do the trick) plus a decent guide book should serve you well.

 

As to getting around in cities, in many cities such as Rome and Barcelona there is excellent public transportation (buses and subways) that can get your around cheaply and fast. But, the best way to really explore cities is on your feet There are also Hop On Hop Off (HOHO) buses in most cities where you pay one fee and than can use the bus service all day (these buses usually go to all the major sites).

 

Regarding your Nice question (yes, Nice is really nice) we personally like Nice and could care less if we ever return to Monte Carlo (will be docked there again next month). But, the train between those cities is much faster than the bus...with the only hassle being that Monte Carlo's train station is a bit far from the best parts of town (you can use a local bus to save time over a long walk). If you do really want to go to Monte Carlo, check on-line for the time of the Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Palace and the visiting hours.

 

Regarding Marseille, do some reading and decide if you want to just spend your day in Marseille (easy to do on your own) or would prefer to go into Provence (there are good train connections to Aix en Provence). If you really want to explore Provence in more depth you will need to find a decent private tour (try that roll call board) or even rent your own car (I hesitate to recommend this option for a first-time visitor).

 

As to Rome hotels, since there are so many and as many opinions I do not recommend hotels. However, keep in mind that Rome has an excellent subway system, so if your hotel is near the subway it may serve you well. If you decide to use the usual web sites for hotels (Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity) also take a look at Venere.com which is popular with many Europeans and sometimes has better prices.

 

You can get lots of help on this Med board by asking for info on specific places (it helps to put the place in your topic). You also should take advantage of the cruise critic search feature (I think it works these days) and that will give you tons of info on any of your ports

 

Hank

[Girly_Girl]

I enjoy monitoring this board and reading everyone's advice. A few years ago I used to contribute lots of help here for those who wanted advice on how to do any of the European ports on their own (we have been to most of these places multiple times). I stopped most of my help because I got tired of being flamed by others who insisted that the only way to do anything is on an organized tour (this is true for some folks). However, given the very high price of tours (the low value dollar does not help) I am surprised to see almost everyone resigned to tours. Western Europe is pretty easy to navigate on your own although it helps to do some homework. The advantage of being on your own is you avoid the "cattle like" mentality of some tours, get to do what you want when you want with who you want, and usually you will save money. In fact, on a 12 day Med cruise you can easily save over $1000 (or more) by doing things independent of tours. The down side of independent travel is that you do need to do your pre-trip homework,, but to some of us that is part of the fun. My main problem with most tours is that they try to crowd too much "touring" into a short period of time without giving you a chance to see the real Europe. A lot of the joy of visiting some cities (Rome, Paris, etc) is spending time at an outdoor cafe enjoying local cuisine, wine and people watching (this is how many Europeans enjoy themselves). Personally, when in Rome I would quickly give-up seeing some site in order to have time for lunch or a snack at one of the cafes in the Piazza Navona. But, I guess this is where the "different strokes for different folks" saying reigns surpreme.

 

Hank

 

 

Hank,

 

You are two for two for two with me. I largely agree. Many are apt to pay some outrageous prices for tours and will likely miss the true flavor of the city. I don't need to visit a European location and see EVERY site. I would much rather do the must sees followed by a great lunch in a great spot. When in Rome, my favorite experience of all was eating in the Piazza and visiting the Fountain of Trevi. I loved that more than waiting on the long lines at the Vatican to be hurded like cattle and not so much as be able to take a picture. While I am still happy I went, our entire trip was a wine tour and I was thoroughly exhausted by the end of the trip. Between visiting the wineries and touring the areas we visited, it was just too much to fit in. My most memorable moments was simply strolling the streets and taking in the flavor of the people and culture. While it is nice to sightsee, it is equally important to just enjoy the experience of being someplace else.

 

G

[dalgirl]

As to getting around in cities, in many cities such as Rome and Barcelona there is excellent public transportation (buses and subways) that can get your around cheaply and fast. But, the best way to really explore cities is on your feet There are also Hop On Hop Off (HOHO) buses in most cities where you pay one fee and than can use the bus service all day (these buses usually go to all the major sites).

 

Hank

 

DH likes the idea of doing Rome without a guide (he is cheap), but I want to make sure I see the highlights. We have traveled on our own in many cities, including Europe, and plan to do so in Barcelona, train to Pompeii, etc on our first cruise to Europe. The one day thing in Rome is my problem. I have never been to Rome, I want to see all the major sites, including Vatican City and the museum, but am not sure if I can make my train back to port in time (we will be in port 7am to 7pm.) I need my confidence tweeked:) I am very organized - does anyone have a plan that they used? Any insightful hints on doing this? I know we can always go back, but..... you never know. Also, if we miss the boat I figure we will stay in Rome, take an early train to Florence and catch up with the boat the next day - I always have a contigency:D

[goose&mav]

Hi,

I am a big DIY'er. I've travelled to Belgium, Spain, Turkey with a girlfriend and since back then we were on a small budget, we took public transportation everywhere. Being from NYC, it wasn't a big deal and people were actually quite helpful.

 

I am now taking my first cruise with my DH who hasn't travelled beyond to Mexico. But we're game for "doing it on our own".

 

We are landing in Athens in late October and plan to take the express bus to our hotel in the Plaka area. By the time we get to the hotel and settle in, I believe it will be 2pm. We need to embark on our cruise the next day, plan to be at the ship by 2pm (leaves at 4pm). So, we have that 1st afternoon and the next morning to see the sights.

 

For those of you who have been to Athens, should we do the Acropolis that afternoon or the next AM. Will we have enough time the next morning to enjoy it? (I am still debating about whether to take a taxi or the metro to the port. We specifically chose our hotel for it's convenient location near the Syntagma metro area).

 

We really want to see the National Archeological museum, so that may be a better option for that 1st afternoon as I am concerned the Acropolis museum and sites may be closing at 3pm.

 

What do you guys suggest? :)

[AmoMondo]

Hank, I'm really glad someone resurrected this thread otherwise I would never have spotted it. You are a man after my own heart. I loathe organized excursions - I'm just too independent and also I think they focus too much on seeing the sights and not feeling the place and atmosphere.

 

I noticed that you mentioned Aix en provence is easy to do by train from marseille, can you tell me roughly how long the journey takes?

 

Also have you ever called at palermo? I'm doing the W med again in about 7 weeks and am in research mode but am not having a lot of luck with ideas for Palermo.

 

Thank you

[MadisonBay]

What is there to see or do in Civitavecchia?

 

Last year on our TA, I took my DH & DD to Rome on the train. They were fine until I ran them ragged through Rome ending with an 'Amazing Race' type run through the Vatican Museum and St Peters. (I was a crazy woman!!!) Then we stood all on the train all the way back to Civ!

 

Needless to say, DH will not venture into Rome this year on our TA. It was my fault because I tried to see too much in one day.

 

So we're landing in Civitavecchia for 12 hours on April 30. My research hasn't turned up anything. One site suggested staying on the ship. That seems to be a waste of time in Italy.

 

Do you have any suggestions? May 1 is a holiday. Will this be a problem?

 

Thanks.

 

PS Hank you provide such a wonderful service to all us 'research junkies.' Thank you.