Cartagena

[DamianG]

With your children in mind Cartagena seems a much more suitable port with no shuttle bus requirement to get there which also means you can quickly get back on board if you need to. 

If you break off the main thoroughfare Calle Real and head towards the military compound Arsenal de Cartagena you will find a small square surrounded by some nice, less busy restaurants and a small set of climbing frames and typical park attractions for the kids. It’s a few years back since we’ve been but hopefully won’t have changed too much.

Edited August 14, 2023 by DamianG

[Stokie33]

Our first cruise on independence of the seas called here and we didn’t have the drinks package, my dad who used in spend the winters the other side of the mountains from Cartagena told us to go to Nam Nams, San Miguel was €1 luckily it was a straight route back to the ship, and managed not to go into the underground car park which was where I was used to him parking the car, 

Cartagena is lovely and caters for all taste’s, nice restaurants, historic areas and shopping

[TMSA]

8 minutes ago, DamianG said:

With your children Cartagena in mind seems a much more suitable port with no shuttle bus requirement to get there which also means you can quickly get back on board if you need to. 

If you break off the main thoroughfare Calle Real and head towards the military compound Arsenal de Cartagena you will find a small square surrounded by some nice, less busy restaurants and a small set of climbing frames and typical park attractions for the kids. It’s a few years back since we’ve been but hopefully won’t have changed too much.

Thank you, I've been reading your live review, finding it very interesting. Typical that i read your Marseille posts when i get told I'm not going!

[TMSA]

14 minutes ago, Ardennais said:

Cartagena is lovely. Cartagena in Colombia is also great! 

Colombia came up first on Google maps but my geography wasn't quite that bad to think it was our port

[heatherb1958]

46 minutes ago, Ardennais said:

Cartagena is lovely. Cartagena in Colombia is also great! 

 

AGREE! Been to both . 

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Ardennais said:

Cartagena is lovely. Cartagena in Colombia is also great! 

....and P&O regularly confuse them, which can make the itinerary map interesting.

[zap99]

3 hours ago, TMSA said:

And Portugal actually. Trying to think if i have seen one in France...

There's one at the start of the causeway to mont St Michelle.  Plastic cows.🐄🐄

[zap99]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

....and P&O regularly confuse them, which can make the itinerary map interesting.

A British Isles NCL cruise stops in Newhaven.  They mean Scotland, but the dot on the map is next to Brighton.

[Fionboard]

Not keen on Marseilles. Last year Toulon was substituted. Was so glad as Toulon is much nicer. Cartagena is lovely 

[July morning]

Ardennais, We've been to both of them as well 😂

[TMSA]

45 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

Not keen on Marseilles. Last year Toulon was substituted. Was so glad as Toulon is much nicer. Cartagena is lovely 

Toulon would have been nice as the whole cruise is Spain now, which is fine, but nice to go to more than one country.

[Sheep Flavour]

On 8/14/2023 at 6:18 PM, TMSA said:

Our Arvia Marseille stop for K318 has been replaced with Cartagena due to the Rugby World Cup. I was really looking forward to Marseille as I went on holiday there about 7 years ago and wanted to return. I haven't heard of Cartagena. Have we done well with the replacement, as I am presuming its not a regular P&O port, or have we been done over? 🙃

I will also be on that cruise. Had the same email Monday.

 

mines a large red wine please 😂

[Fionboard]

Cruise terminal in Colombia is the best. Full of parrots and monkeys behaving badly. Very entertaining. 

[carlmm]

Another Cartagena question:

I will be in Cartagena on Monday, 25th September. This is, well, a Monday and according to the above provided links to museums and sights already mid- seasonwhich implies that all these places will be closed on Mondays.

Any hints and tips what to do and see? 

[JimmyVWine]

On 8/16/2023 at 1:38 PM, carlmm said:

Another Cartagena question:

I will be in Cartagena on Monday, 25th September. This is, well, a Monday and according to the above provided links to museums and sights already mid- season which implies that all these places will be closed on Mondays.

Any hints and tips what to do and see? 

I too will be visiting Cartagena on a Monday, though not until next year.  My research led me to this site:

https://puertodeculturas.cartagena.es/agenda.asp

You can put in your specific date to see what is open and what the hours will be.  It was suggested to me that on days when large cruise ships are in town on Mondays, the major attractions operate, but on a more limited basis.  Using the calendar feature on this site, it appears that all of the sites will be open for some period of time when you arrive on the 25th.

[carlmm]

3 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

I too will be visiting Cartagena on a Monday, though not until next year.  My research led me to this site:

https://puertodeculturas.cartagena.es/agenda.asp

You can put in your specific date to see what is open and what the hours will be.  It was suggested to me that on days when large cruise ships are in town on Mondays, the major attractions operate, but on a more limited basis.  Using the calendar feature on this site, it appears that all of the sites will be open for some period of time when you arrive on the 25th.

Great information. Thank you.