Multiple Questions about Mediterranean Cruise in July- Spain, France and Italy

[RIvacationgirl]

We are seasoned Caribbean cruisers, but this is our first cruise in the Mediterranean. We are curious as to what type of music is played on the ship and ports? We are used to the basic Calypso and steel drum type music on our other cruises. We were not sure if they played more classical type music?

Is there a charge to use the rest rooms in Europe? If so, how much is it?

What type of electric adapter for the plug sockets should we bring and how many?

Do you have any suggestions as to what type of headphones were the best to use for the excursions? We are told we must bring our own.

I know that you should bring some Euros with you. We are planning to use our credit card as much as possible for purchases. We are basically doing ship excursions. How many Euros should we have on hand to maneuver in the ports, or do we need them at all?

Thank you for your thoughts.

[KeithJenner]

I can only help with some of your questions.

 

Can't really help with the music. I'm not sure what you mean about the music in the ports, and I assume you are talking about music playing on the pool decks onboard, which we generally avoid.

 

There is no fixed charge for toilets. More places charge in Europe than the US. but this varies from place to place. I've never really noticed how much the charges are, when they apply, but it isn't much. I've don't recall ever being charged in places like restaurants or bars.

 

The ships are the same ones that sail in the US at other times of year. There are both US and European plug sockets. If you are asking about hotels or airports in Europe then they will be European sockets.

 

I don't do many organised excursions, but we have never had to use our own headphones. Anywhere where there have been headphones to help hear the guide we have been provided them. In some places there may be options to use an app on your phone as a guide, in which case you would use the headphones that you have for your phone.

 

If you are happy to use a card for spending (I would recommend doing so) then you don't need many Euros. We usually have about €50-100 just in case, but I usually end up taking it back home with me. Cards are accepted almost everywhere.

[Lellena]

I can help you with the question re. Restrooms only ..

Yes the majority are payable.. usually 50 cents to 1 euro ( both are coins)

Alternatively you can go into a bar ( in Italy they are different from the USA) and order an espresso and use the restrooms

Or you can go into a McDonald's,buy a bottle of water,( 1 euro) and use theirs 

[Catchum]

If you are only doing the cruise then you won't need adaptors, there will be US outlets in your cabin probably not as many as you would like but they will be there. You will want a few euros I suggest getting 50 out of an an atm at the airport and purchasing a couple of bags of candy separately to get some coins. 50 cent coins will ofen be needed for public toilets. You can easily top up your Euros from atms if you need to but most shops take cards.

 

As for tipping many on this board will tell you it is fine to tip in USD anywhere in the world. Yes the guide can take them to an exchange and convert them to euros. However if you were a guide in Orlando and I tipped you in UK Pounds because lots of brits go to Orlando and the £ is a great currency how would you feel?

 

The music will be (showing my age) disco/ pop YMCA is required under maritime law apparently. 

 

The best headphones for travelling are the disposable ones you are given on HOHO buses or used to be given on planes. If you loose them it doesn't matter.

[Asawi]

As for restroom use: If you make a purchase in a café or restaurant they will probably let you use the restroom for free. If you just walk in and ask for the restroom a one-Euro coin in hand is a nice gesture. They may or may not acceppt it or put it i a charity- or tip-jar. 

In some places it is  posted there is a fee. Usually one Euro.

Edited April 6 by Asawi

[Chocolate Teapot]

In some bars and cafes there will be a sign saying there is a charge of EUR 1 to use the toilets if you are not buying a drink, or even that toilets are only for the use of customers.

 

On the subject of card payments, smaller shops and businesses might be cash only, or a minimum spend. Also, I don't know how common chip and pin cards are in the US, but in Europe, it is normal to pay by card and put in the 4 digit code rather than signing the receipt. 

[KeithJenner]

6 minutes ago, Chocolate Teapot said:

In some bars and cafes there will be a sign saying there is a charge of EUR 1 to use the toilets if you are not buying a drink, or even that toilets are only for the use of customers.

 

On the subject of card payments, smaller shops and businesses might be cash only, or a minimum spend. Also, I don't know how common chip and pin cards are in the US, but in Europe, it is normal to pay by card and put in the 4 digit code rather than signing the receipt. 

Contactless, or Apple Pay/Android Pay or whatever, is probably the most common way of paying in most places these days,

 

I can't remember the last time I used by PIN number.

[9tee2Sea]

If I remember correctly, when in Italy, if you sit at a table and have a cappuccino, or anything else, there is a service charge for the table.  If you stand at the counter/bar, and have your Cappuccino, or what ever, there is no service charge.

[Lellena]

1 hour ago, 9tee2Sea said:

If I remember correctly, when in Italy, if you sit at a table and have a cappuccino, or anything else, there is a service charge for the table.  If you stand at the counter/bar, and have your Cappuccino, or what ever, there is no service charge.

Sometimes simply the " table menu" has higher prices that include the service fee

[PhillyTravelBug]

I think during my trip to Europe last year, I used a pay toilet (still can’t get over how improper we are in the U.S., but almost everywhere else goes for toilet) and cost about .50 cents. I was able to pay using my card. One regret I had was not bringing Euros. I felt like a jerk not having cash in hand for the tour guides.

[sharonann24]

If you are on a NCL tour they provide the headphones.  I always bring Euros because they will not accept dollars so you will have to use a credit card.  I don't really recall paying for rest rooms, particularly if you are on a NCL tour since they are pretty good about finding a gift shop, etc. that has facilities. But if you purchase a drink at a cafe you can use the rest room. Music on board ship is not really reflective of the region, just the theme of the bar/restaurant.  As was mentioned no adapters needed on board but if you are doing pre or post on land you may need one.  I bought one on Amazon when we went to Iceland. Find one that adapts to many different options.  You will love the Mediterranean in the summer, but it is hot!  Bring plenty of sunscreen!  You didn't mention the ship so entertainment does vary a bit.

[RIvacationgirl]

We are going on a private tour before embarkation the day before we board the Escape.

 

[Chocolate Teapot]

On 4/6/2024 at 9:06 PM, KeithJenner said:

Contactless, or Apple Pay/Android Pay or whatever, is probably the most common way of paying in most places these days,

 

I can't remember the last time I used by PIN number.

Certainly Contactless has become common since the pandemic, however I still sometimes get requested to add the PIN to the card reader. It might be because of the value of whatever it is I am buying. (e.g. a cup of coffee versus an expensive souvenir)

[Asawi]

24 minutes ago, Chocolate Teapot said:

Certainly Contactless has become common since the pandemic, however I still sometimes get requested to add the PIN to the card reader. It might be because of the value of whatever it is I am buying. (e.g. a cup of coffee versus an expensive souvenir)

Contactless was common in for example Spain loooong before the pandemic. They were very early adopters of "tapping the card". Wether getting asked for PIN depends on the rules of your bank/credit card company and/or the settings in the payment terminal. Usually it's an amount limit to what you can "blip" without entering PIN.

Edited April 7 by Asawi

[KeithJenner]

30 minutes ago, Chocolate Teapot said:

Certainly Contactless has become common since the pandemic, however I still sometimes get requested to add the PIN to the card reader. It might be because of the value of whatever it is I am buying. (e.g. a cup of coffee versus an expensive souvenir)

Yes, you do get asked for a PIN sometimes with contactless, but using Apple Pay (or similar I assume) avoids that. Also takes away the limit that exists with contactless.

 

 

[ppcox]

On 4/6/2024 at 7:19 PM, RIvacationgirl said:

We are seasoned Caribbean cruisers, but this is our first cruise in the Mediterranean. We are curious as to what type of music is played on the ship and ports? We are used to the basic Calypso and steel drum type music on our other cruises. We were not sure if they played more classical type music?

Is there a charge to use the rest rooms in Europe? If so, how much is it?

What type of electric adapter for the plug sockets should we bring and how many?

Do you have any suggestions as to what type of headphones were the best to use for the excursions? We are told we must bring our own.

I know that you should bring some Euros with you. We are planning to use our credit card as much as possible for purchases. We are basically doing ship excursions. How many Euros should we have on hand to maneuver in the ports, or do we need them at all?

Thank you for your thoughts.

We were in Italy recently and have been to France and Spain many times. We cruised the Eastern Med last summer on the Viva. Toilets 50cents or €1 charge or free with an attendant to tip.,You often need actual cash for those public toilets. Toilets in restaurants and bars are free if you make a small purchase just as a bottle of water or a coffee. I think Italian law requires the toilets are available to all customers.
We used our chip and pin card and Apple Pay everywhere. We still like to have some Euros for tips/toilets and just in case we want to buy something where cash is the only way to pay.

Music at the European ports just doesn’t seem such a thing as the Caribbean. I read the question and honestly couldn’t remember if there was any music. There’s hot towels and cold water and that’s it. I can’t remember any welcome back fan fare like we’ve had in the Caribbean. No adaptor needed as explained. 
Headphones that’s a personal preference if you don’t use them for anything than those ones like the HOHO buses use are a good suggestion. I use headphones on the flight to drone out to the noise and to listen to music, movies and Audiobooks so have a Bluetooth pair. They are obviously more expensive.

 

[lisabdh1]

So, this was very surprising and odd to me last spring on our cruise. Public toilets, including in restaurants, very few actual have toilet seats, like we are used to in the US. At least 4-5 places, including a nice restaurant the toilets are just toilets, no seats. Very odd. Bring tissues, public toilets usually ran out especially with large tour groups.

[RIvacationgirl]

The toilet seat comments are very interesting to me. I have never heard that there are no seats on some of the toilets!

[dexddd]

When we sailed in 2006 to Italy, toilet was just a ceramic hole on floor.

[RIvacationgirl]

This is a very unexpected development from my initial questions that I asked!

Has anyone flown out of Boston to Barcelona? Where did you stop if not non-stop flight?