Just back from Med cruise - a few observations

[mousey]

I am not sure how my husband was ever able to leave the house looking decent before I met him :D

Also, it is funny how once my son turned 13, I became the MOST embarassing person on EARTH!

 

 

I totally relate.:D Today I was driving my DS and his friend to the pool. There was a guy in front of me on the canyon road going 30 in a 50 mph zone. So, I said, "OMG what a turttle, could he possibly go any slower?" The DS says, "Mom you're embarssing me, :eek: why are you talking to a car?"" Go figure!!!!!;)

 

By the way, I got the Pumas, got myself a hoody that is not Roxy. So I'm set for my Alaska cruise!;)

[HappyHolidaymaker]

I find Birkenstocks madrids really comfortable and tend to wear them whenever I can in the summer. I have taken them on every cruise I have been on and have worn them on all sort of trips (Both in Europe and Caribbean). Also have some silver ones that are nice on a casual evening . Honestly have never had any other shoes as comfortable and have converted a couple of friends who are now fans!

[sandij]

We were in the Med in May and it is indeed a lot of walking and a lot of walking on cobblestone roads and walkways. I took two pair of walking sandles, a Naturalizer that did very well even wet and a pair of Sketcher sandle type that also did very well. I have a heel problem but never had much pain and still enjoyed myself thoughly. I picked these two sandles because they looked good with capris.

[white_rose]

As a rheumatoid Arthritis sufferer with quite painful toes I can highly recommend Fly Flots. I`m not sure if they are available in the US but if you are shopping in Italy you will get them there. The factory is near Lake Garda. I have about 12 pairs. They make sandals, shoes and clogs and the footbed moulds itself around your feet making them really comfortable.

[Lois R]

As a rheumatoid Arthritis sufferer with quite painful toes I can highly recommend Fly Flots. I`m not sure if they are available in the US but if you are shopping in Italy you will get them there. The factory is near Lake Garda. I have about 12 pairs. They make sandals, shoes and clogs and the footbed moulds itself around your feet making them really comfortable.

 

Hi:) I own 3 or 4 pair of Fly Flots and I love them:D. I have a pair

of clogs from them and 2 pair of sandals..or maybe 3:eek:

You are so correct about the footbed. The clogs are

just soooooooo comfortable!!!!! LOVE THEM:)

So definitely yes, they are available here in the states!

[marcyjane]

Great information on shoes. I'm going next summer so this gives me time to look and find good walking shoes.

Off the shoe subject what about clothes for August on a Mediterranean Cruise for 12 days. For those of you who have taken cruises to like St. Thomas, Grand Cayman etc. did you take anything different than you would on one of the Caribbean cruises. I have lots of clothes that I only worn a couple of times and didn't know if they would be ok for Mediterranean. And oh my how to pack for 12 + days.

Will be visiting Barcelona, Rome, Florence,Venice, Monte Carlo, and parts of Greece on Holland America Oosterdam.

Thanks for any input I know I have over a year yet, but that gives me plenty of time to watch and shop for bargains on shoes and clothes.

Thanks,

Marcy

[cookingchick]

Off the shoe subject what about clothes for August on a Mediterranean Cruise for 12 days.

 

I did a Med cruise last August. It will be hot. For the cities, I wore lightweight skirts and/or capris with tank tops and tissue weight long sleeve sweaters to layer so my shoulders would be covered for the churches. I wore my Born walking sandals with everything and I also wore a broad brimmed straw hat with chin strap (saved my face from getting scorched). We did a lot of ruins as well (Pompeii, Ephesus, Acropolis) and I wore shorts for those excursions. We spent a day pre-cruise in Barcelona and while in town I wore capris but the day we embarked we wore shorts and got off the ship and walked around the waterfront...lots of people in shorts and bathing attire going to the beaches.

 

On ship you should probably get a lot of use out of your Caribbean cruise attire...I didn't see much difference in dress while cruising. Some people dressed the same way in port, but I like to kick it up a notch when I'm in the city so I lean towards nice summer skirts.

[marcyjane]

Cookingchick, thank you so much. Hoping I would be able to get some more use out of the things I purchased for this year.

Thanks so much:)

Marcy

[cookingchick]

Cookingchick, thank you so much. Hoping I would be able to get some more use out of the things I purchased for this year.

 

Thanks so much:)

 

Marcy

 

You're quite welcome. You'll have a fabulous time...it's so different than Caribbean cruising...I really want to go again sometime.

[tothemall&beyond]

This is the question I ask myself for each cruise. There is only so much room and weight allowance now if you have to fly.

 

Usually, the sneakers are what I wear to travel to the ship, whether by air or otherwise. They are essential if I want to work out or walk laps on the ship.

 

But for my most recent cruise in May to Alaska (Denali, Anchorage, other Alaska ports), Vancouver & Seattle, I ditched the sneakers in favor of ecru "patent-like", waterproof, thinsulate-lined Sperry Topsiders, and a pair of Kenneth Cole suede & sherpa "mucklucks" with a sneaker-type sole. For the most part, it was a good decision. The only time where my feet started to smart a little was post-cruise in Vancouver where we literally walked almost the entire city for about 8 hours the first day and 10 hours the next day, followed by 12 hours the third day in Seattle before catching our red-eye home. All 3 days, I was wearing just the Topsiders which are a little heavy, so my feet were very tired when we boarded the plane.

 

For Caribbean cruises, if I know I am not going to work out, I will sometimes opt for an extra pair of fashion Birkenstocks (yes, they do have a lot of really cute ones) instead of sneakers. I injured my ankle badly a few years ago, and have had two surgeries on it. I find that the Birks provide good arch support while allowing my "puppies" to breathe. And we never seem to do a ton of walking in Caribbean ports.

 

My next planned cruise (so far) is a 14 day December Medit./Transatlantic for which I will definitely take some form of light athletic shoe. My New Balance sneakers are fairly light, but there are some Mephistos, Sketchers and Easy Spirits that may do just as well and be more multi-purpose and fashion-forward.

 

Have fun.

[tothemall&beyond]

Great information on shoes. I'm going next summer so this gives me time to look and find good walking shoes.

 

Off the shoe subject what about clothes for August on a Mediterranean Cruise for 12 days. For those of you who have taken cruises to like St. Thomas, Grand Cayman etc. did you take anything different than you would on one of the Caribbean cruises. I have lots of clothes that I only worn a couple of times and didn't know if they would be ok for Mediterranean. And oh my how to pack for 12 + days.

Will be visiting Barcelona, Rome, Florence,Venice, Monte Carlo, and parts of Greece on Holland America Oosterdam.

 

Thanks for any input I know I have over a year yet, but that gives me plenty of time to watch and shop for bargains on shoes and clothes.

 

Thanks,

Marcy

 

Marcy,

 

I live in South Florida, and have been to Rome, Florence and Venice in the summer several times (not yet to Nice or Barcelona, but climate is the same) and have taken many Caribbean/Central American cruises, so I can speak with authority about the climate you will encounter. It will be very hot and uncomfortably humid!!! Be prepared to sweat.

 

First, take a battery-operated fan with you. When you're standing in lines for attractions, you'll be much more comfortable. Brookstone sells a really good one for less than $20. I use it almost every day to help with "my own personal summers" while also living in the tropics.

 

Take clothes that breathe and will wash & dry easily, both while wearing them and in your cabin's bathroom. Does Holland America have laundromats on board? If so, it's totally worth a few hrs somewhere midcruise to wash some things in lieu of toting double the amount and paying the airlines for the "privilege" to do so. That's one of the things I love about Princess and wish Celebrity had - laundry facilities.

 

Now as to what to pack: Sleeveless &/or short sleeved tees/polos with capris, khakis, cargos will be great for most places. But do take at least one light-weight daytime cardigan and/or pashmina for the churches you'll be entering. For instance, you can not have bare shoulders or knees (ie. no shorts) in the Vatican. That is the rule in many European churches.

 

I find that solid, neutral slacks & capris (tan, white, olive, even black or navy - if it's lightweight cotton) work best and are more flexible than patterns. Pair them with brights and pastels. Again, even here, solids are more flexible. One or two sundresses (if you wear dresses) can go day-to-night with the addition of a pashmina or cute cardigan, and here is where florals or prints work well.

 

Do NOT take jeans. If it rains, they won't dry out for days because of the humidity. Same if you sweat. And because they're heavy, they will make you sweat - even more so if they have Spandex in them. And you can't ever wear them into the dining room at night, whereas you can always wear a pair of khaki slacks on casual nights. You want your clothes to be able to multi-purpose and pull double-duty as much as possible.

 

Avoid clothes containing spandex for daytime as much as possible. It's like wearing a plastic baggy on your body in this climate. Light, breathable, natural fibers in light layers is the best way to go. Old Navy's clearance racks can be your best friend for finding bargains on these.

 

Hope this helps.

[marcyjane]

tothemall&beyond,

Thanks so much for the good information.

cookingchick, where to you get the tissue weight sweaters and what brand or store would I look for them.

Thanks,

Marcy

[tothemall&beyond]

tothemall&beyond,

Thanks so much for the good information.

 

cookingchick, where to you get the tissue weight sweaters and what brand or store would I look for them.

 

Thanks,

Marcy

 

Marcy,

 

I have good good luck finding lightweight or tissueweight cotton or cotton-blend cardigans and polos at Ann Taylor/Ann Taylor Loft and GAP/Old Navy/Banana Republic. Check out their sale and clearance racks. Target's clearance racks often have little gems, too.

 

Nancy

[marcyjane]

Thanks, I'll start looking now and put them back for next summer's cruise. I should be able to find them will all the sales going.

Thanks so much!!:D

Marcy

[mousey]

I was so inspired by this thread that I went out shopping today!:D I got a great pair of comfortable walking shoes (Aerosoles). They are the 'MaryJane" type. I got a pair of footless tights to wear under my jeans to keep me warm (we cruise to Alaska in 3 wks. :) ). I also bought a beautiful navy blue satin blouse (its so pretty:p ), and a pair of navy blue (denim colored) cotton/linen blend, cropped pants. All for $80!:D Shopped at TJ Maxx! Gotta love that place!:D

[CateW]

We just returned from the Med - 14 days Venice to Barcelona. This trip was extremely port intensive - 13 ports in 14 days. It was particulary hot and sticky in Amalfi, Ravello, Sorrento, Capri, Monte Carlo,Portafino, Elba, Marseille and Barcelona. Forget jeans and long pants for excursions, it's way to warm. I would strongly suggest cotton dresses or skirts and tops. I wore both in the warmest places and was much cooler than wearing anything else. The no shorts rule and sleeveless tops in the Vatican and other temples/churches has seemed to fall by the way side. We saw a lot of people not dressed appropriately for these venues, but hey, I'm not knocking that, people can wear what they want, this is merely an observation. I also saw a lot of sneakers, I brought them as well, but only for they gym. To each his own. For excursions, I would stress - cotton is cool and breaths, I would stay away from anything synthetic or clingy, especially in summer. BTW, we saw most men in capri's and sandals as well as shorts.

[Lois R]

I was so inspired by this thread that I went out shopping today!:D I got a great pair of comfortable walking shoes (Aerosoles). They are the 'MaryJane" type. I got a pair of footless tights to wear under my jeans to keep me warm (we cruise to Alaska in 3 wks. :) ). I also bought a beautiful navy blue satin blouse (its so pretty:p ), and a pair of navy blue (denim colored) cotton/linen blend, cropped pants. All for $80!:D Shopped at TJ Maxx! Gotta love that place!:D

 

Hi Mousey:) we have an Aerosoles store near me. I remember

when they opened and how pleasantly surprised I was! They

are not "your Grandmother's Aerosoles anymore"!

They offer some cute, cute styles, whether a sandal, walking shoe

or dress shoe!

[marcyjane]

We just returned from the Med - 14 days Venice to Barcelona. This trip was extremely port intensive - 13 ports in 14 days. It was particulary hot and sticky in Amalfi, Ravello, Sorrento, Capri, Monte Carlo,Portafino, Elba, Marseille and Barcelona. Forget jeans and long pants for excursions, it's way to warm. I would strongly suggest cotton dresses or skirts and tops. I wore both in the warmest places and was much cooler than wearing anything else. The no shorts rule and sleeveless tops in the Vatican and other temples/churches has seemed to fall by the way side. We saw a lot of people not dressed appropriately for these venues, but hey, I'm not knocking that, people can wear what they want, this is merely an observation. I also saw a lot of sneakers, I brought them as well, but only for they gym. To each his own. For excursions, I would stress - cotton is cool and breaths, I would stay away from anything synthetic or clingy, especially in summer. BTW, we saw most men in capri's and sandals as well as shorts.

 

Thanks so much for your suggestions on clothes. I will be going next summer 2009.

What type of shoes did you wear on your excursions. Is sneakers, tennis shoes not worn much in Europe. What type of shoes did you wear for support and lots of walking on your excursions.

Also are capris ok to visit the churches and temples and I read on the boards somewhere you need to take a white blouse to cover your arms.

 

Thanks,

Marcy

[Host Star]

Thanks so much for your suggestions on clothes. I will be going next summer 2009.

What type of shoes did you wear on your excursions. Is sneakers, tennis shoes not worn much in Europe. What type of shoes did you wear for support and lots of walking on your excursions.

Also are capris ok to visit the churches and temples and I read on the boards somewhere you need to take a white blouse to cover your arms.

 

Thanks,

Marcy

 

I word sandals with a nice thick rubber sole on the hot days during all day tours and my feet were cool and comfy.. on cooler days I wore tennis shoes but found the sandals to be much more comfortable.. everyone wears what is the most comfort for them, expecially on all day excursions...most prevelant were tennis shoes and sandals..

capris are fine for churches and temples . . you justneed something to cover your shoulders, not your arms.. short sleeves are fine, just no tank tops...

[marcyjane]

Host Star, thank you so much you really eased my mind, so I want have to go purchase a lot of different things from what I have now.

My have plenty of tennis shoes, but will have to start a search now for some sort of sandals that will be comfortable while most store are have big sales now.

Due you have any suggestion on brand or style.

Thanks

Marcy