Live from the Regal - July 2-23 - Med Cruise - R/T Barcelona

[Esprit]

Hi Ken 

I hope you don’t mind if I hijack your thread now and then.

We have been on board since 1.30 pm after an uneventful flight but Immigration at Rome airport was a nightmare. Huge queues!

Hope you enjoyed your excursion.

 

[Esprit]

There are no bar stools at the Outriggers so I have decamped to the Mermaids Tail bar👌🍺🍺

[Denmal]

11 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

We have arrived in Civitavecchia. Today we’re going on the PCL Ultimate Vatican Behind the Scenes excursion which hopefully will be very interesting. 
 

I am very interested in how you liked the tour...we have it planned in November..  also did they say why no c19 test between cruises ?  Did  that rule change ?  We are doing an 11 day med in Nov and then a 15 day Transatlantic and thought we would have to test in-between legs...  thanks for any info

[js1357]

31 minutes ago, Denmal said:

I am very interested in how you liked the tour...we have it planned in November..  also did they say why no c19 test between cruises ?  Did  that rule change ?  We are doing an 11 day med in Nov and then a 15 day Transatlantic and thought we would have to test in-between legs...  thanks for any info

I think the Princess rule today is that if the last leg is a trans-ocean, you have to test.  I guess they don't want to risk several days at sea with a bunch of positives.

[PacnGoNow]

18 minutes ago, js1357 said:

I think the Princess rule today is that if the last leg is a trans-ocean, you have to test.  I guess they don't want to risk several days at sea with a bunch of positives.

Yes, correct and no hospital in the middle of the ocean, if needed.

[dickinson]

Beautiful pictures.  May I ask though what you saw "behind the scenes"?  The pictures you posted seemed similar to my regular excursion to the Vatican a few years ago.

[Ken the cruiser]

Tonight after another tasty dinner in CC Dining, although I would recommend avoiding the Mahi Mahi unless unless you like it tough, we went to see a new comedian Rikki Jay who very funny!

 

 

Afterwards we went to see the I’ll Take Trivia for $100 Game Show in Princess Live. 
 

[Ken the cruiser]

Day 9 - July 10 - Naples

 

 

[Ken the cruiser]

Out of curiosity as we are now sailing towards Naples and it’s 10 pm, I thought I’d run a speed test to see what impact 3,200 passengers, approximately 700 more than last cruise, would have on internet speeds. I have to say it’s running a little slower, but useable if you’re just checking email, posting to CC and playing online games that require minimal internet interaction.

 

 

[Ken the cruiser]

4 hours ago, Esprit said:

Hi Ken 

I hope you don’t mind if I hijack your thread now and then.

We have been on board since 1.30 pm after an uneventful flight but Immigration at Rome airport was a nightmare. Huge queues!

Hope you enjoyed your excursion.

 

Welcome aboard! We had a great excursion, especially when we were able to find shade in the 92F while we were finding things to see in our 3 hours of “on our own time” after the Behind the Scenes portion of the excursion was done.

Edited July 9, 2022 by Ken the cruiser

[Ken the cruiser]

3 hours ago, Denmal said:

I am very interested in how you liked the tour...we have it planned in November..  also did they say why no c19 test between cruises ?  Did  that rule change ?  We are doing an 11 day med in Nov and then a 15 day Transatlantic and thought we would have to test in-between legs...  thanks for any info

 

1 hour ago, dickinson said:

Beautiful pictures.  May I ask though what you saw "behind the scenes"?  The pictures you posted seemed similar to my regular excursion to the Vatican a few years ago.

 

See post 249 for pictures and brief details. But overall, we enjoyed walking around the Vatican gardens outside before we entered the Museum (see first grouping of pictures in post 249), especially with our small group of 14 passengers.
 

Once we entered the museum, it was a very long hallway with a variety of art and sculptures (see the second grouping of pictures in post 249), both along the walls and ceilings before we entered the Sistine Chapel. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take pictures in the Sistine Chapel. However, I will say it was not what I expected with regards to the variety of Michelangelo paintings that we saw covering the walls and ceilings, and I will leave it at that.

 

Then we headed over to St Peter’s Basilica and were furthered wowed by all that we saw. See the third grouping of pictures in post #249. We spent about an hour in there, then that part of the excursion was over.
 

See post #250 for pictures from our 3 hours of “On Our Own” time, which we initially thought included lunch from the way the excursion “stopping for lunch”details read. Silly us. Unfortunately, we didn’t bring enough money for lunch, so we just walked around the area looking at old architecture and bridges until we found a nice shady park at the end of the street to hang out at until is was time to meet up and head for the bus. But all in all, we had a very memorable time! 😁

 

[Ken the cruiser]

4 hours ago, Denmal said:

 also did they say why no c19 test between cruises ?  Did  that rule change ?  We are doing an 11 day med in Nov and then a 15 day Transatlantic and thought we would have to test in-between legs...  thanks for any info

In answer to your other questions. I believe some have answer the B2B C19 testing requirement. Here’s what it says on the Princess site in the Before You Sail section.

 

UPDATED: Will I be able to book multiple cruises, back-to-back?

Yes, guests can book back-to-back voyages, subject to availability.

Guests ages five and above on back-to-back voyages will need to take a complimentary rapid antigen test within two days of the following voyage, where the following voyage includes a transocean voyage or full Panama Canal transit and the itinerary is 10 days or more.

Guests who test positive for COVID-19 will be denied boarding on the next voyage, together with their family members and close contacts who are not fully vaccinated. If you, your family members, travel companions or other close contacts are suspected of having COVID-19, you are entitled to a 100% Future Cruise Credit (FCC).

We will closely monitor guidance from government and health authorities and will adapt and evolve this policy accordingly.

 

https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/frequently-asked-questions/us-cruises/

Edited July 9, 2022 by Ken the cruiser

[dickinson]

@Ken the cruiserThanks!  I forgot that you posted some pictures of the gardens at the Vatican.

[karabear15]

Ken,

Have you noticed if there are ATM's around in port or do the restaurants accept credit cards? I know this could seem like a silly question for most, but we've never been across the pond so we are trying to make sure we are able to eat 😄 without having to travel with hundreds in euros.

 

Thanks!

[LACruiser88]

1 hour ago, karabear15 said:

Ken,

Have you noticed if there are ATM's around in port or do the restaurants accept credit cards? I know this could seem like a silly question for most, but we've never been across the pond so we are trying to make sure we are able to eat 😄 without having to travel with hundreds in euros.

 

Thanks!

Restaurants throughout Europe take credit cards.  They don't always take our preferred Amex, but they almost always take Visa.  We do travel with euros in case you run into a small family operation that does not take credit cards.

 

Btw, the best exchange rate you'll ever get is through using your credit card.  But, you need to check that your credit card(s) do not charge a foreign transaction fee.  Our Platinum Amex nor our Merrill Lynch Visa charge a foreign transaction fee.

 

Also, currently the euro is selling at $1.02.  It would make sense to purchase some euros now thru your bank for your trip.

Edited July 10, 2022 by LACruiser88

[kml246]

3 hours ago, LACruiser88 said:

Btw, the best exchange rate you'll ever get is through using your credit card.  But, you need to check that your credit card(s) do not charge a foreign transaction fee.  Our Platinum Amex nor our Merrill Lynch Visa charge a foreign transaction fee.

 

Just to clarify, that's the exchange rate when you charge something. If you want to take out Euros from and ATM, make sure you use a debit card (preferably without fees). Using a credit card in an ATM will count as a cash advance and charge a fee plus interest from day one. 

 

If you are purchasing something in a foreign country, as @LACruiser88 stated, use a card that doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee AND, most important, make sure they process the charge in the local currency. Even if they offer, DO NOT let them process the charge in your home currency. Your credit card company will always give you a better conversion rate than the merchant will. 

 

Kevin

[Alanr204]

14 hours ago, AF-1 said:

The town of Lucca looks very nice

 

Lucca is amazing. tuscanybus.com has a very inexpensive tour to there from Livorno, stopping in Pisa on the way back. 

[Carnevale]

5 hours ago, karabear15 said:

Ken,

Have you noticed if there are ATM's around in port or do the restaurants accept credit cards? I know this could seem like a silly question for most, but we've never been across the pond so we are trying to make sure we are able to eat 😄 without having to travel with hundreds in euros.

 

Thanks!

We were in Italy in May and found that having our Visa on Apple Pay worked very well….often better than the tap feature although I have no idea why (when tap wasn’t responding we would try Apple Pay and it worked every time).

[Ken the cruiser]

We have arrived in Naples. But after 3 long early morning excursions in a row, we have decided to stay on the ship today and go on a Naples excursion on our next leg.

 

[Ken the cruiser]

8 hours ago, karabear15 said:

Ken,

Have you noticed if there are ATM's around in port or do the restaurants accept credit cards? I know this could seem like a silly question for most, but we've never been across the pond so we are trying to make sure we are able to eat 😄 without having to travel with hundreds in euros.

 

Thanks!

I apologize, but I have no idea. However, I would imagine you can get euros at Guest Services. Maybe someone following this thread may have a better insight on your questions regarding once you’re ashore.

 

Update: Like @LACruiser88 😂

Edited July 10, 2022 by Ken the cruiser

[caribill]

15 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

We’re back from our Behind the Scenes tour of the Vatican, which was well worth the extra expensive.

 

All on all it was a great all day excursion!

 

 

Thanks for the report.

 

For those who will be in Rome pre- or post-cruise, you can have the same experience at a much lower cost than the Princess tour.

 

Just go online and book the Vatican Museum in advance at a selected time. When it is your time, you can enter without waiting on the long tourist line. You can also book visiting the gardens in advance.

 

I do not know if the Princess tour included a knowledgeable guide leading the group and explaining everything that was seen in the museum and gardens, but a guide would be extra if you booked the Museum on your own.

[caribill]

4 hours ago, kml246 said:

 

Just to clarify, that's the exchange rate when you charge something. If you want to take out Euros from and ATM, make sure you use a debit card (preferably without fees). Using a credit card in an ATM will count as a cash advance and charge a fee plus interest from day one. 

 

If you are purchasing something in a foreign country, as @LACruiser88 stated, use a card that doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee AND, most important, make sure they process the charge in the local currency. Even if they offer, DO NOT let them process the charge in your home currency. Your credit card company will always give you a better conversion rate than the merchant will. 

 

 

 

And that is very, very important.

 

By the way, if you do have the charge processed in your home currency, there will still be a foreign transaction fee added by your card company unless it is a card which does not have such a fee.

 

Also if you are using a debit card to get the local currency again make sure to select the transaction to be in the local currency.

 

Other cards that do not have a foreign transaction fee include those issued by CapitalOne. You really get the current official exchange rate with those cards and there is no annual fee on most of them.

[caribill]

53 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

I apologize, but I have no idea. However, I would imagine you can get euros at Guest Services.

 

 

Whether at the Guest Services desk or using an onboard currency exchange machine, Princess will give a very poor foreign exchange rate and add a fee in addition. Including the fee, you could easily lose 10% of the value of your money when doing a currency exchange on a Princess ship.

[Gaznjo]

1 minute ago, caribill said:

 

Whether at the Guest Services desk or using an onboard currency exchange machine, Princess will give a very poor foreign exchange rate and add a fee in addition. Including the fee, you could easily lose 10% of the value of your money when doing a currency exchange on a Princess ship.

 Don’t get money from the ship the exchange would be terrible….  Nearly every port is in Euros…. We take a mixture of cash and we have our non fee credit card and yes always have it charged in local currency….  We also have an account that we can put. A couple of thousand in and use at an atm… again fee free. 
 

[Ken the cruiser]

Here is a more favorable picture of Naples from the aft as well as one of the Celebrity Beyond that cost $1.3 billion to build parked next to us.