Feeling Overwhelmed!

Our cruise leaves on April 1st. This will be our first time to Europe. We depart from Barcelona and stop at Marseille, Monaco, Livorno, Rome, Naples, Crete, Athens, Zadar, and Venice. I decided not to do the ship sponsored excursions because they are SO overpriced. I got Rick Steve's guide and have been reading it non-stop for the past 2-3 days, plus reading articles online. And I'm already SUPER overwhelmed. The details of every city's transportation options, not to mention sights and restaurants are just bombarding me. How do you all deal with this? I kind of feel like I'm just spinning my wheels.

Ask away for advice

Make sure youve worked out in advance what you want to do - dont leave it until you are on the ship.

Take notes by port. What you are going to do. How to get to each location you are going to. Cost and transit time for that transport. Where it picks up and drops off.

We do this all the time, and take the notes along. Compare these directions and locations on Google Maps. Works very well for us. It just take some organized research.

Ok yeah... deep breaths. I just feel like I'm drowning in info!

I am a meticulous planner and actually enjoy the research phase of a cruise almost as much as the actual cruise itself (not quite true, but almost). My suggested approach:

1. Decide WHAT you want to do in each port first without worrying about the logistics of getting there and back. In this phase, I would look at all the ship excursions offered in each port (even if you don't buy them, they often represent what most passengers do in a port). Also use Rick Steve's book and other guide books and internet searches to decide what excites you in each port. Depending on your interests, you may choose to spread out certain things (like visits to ruins) over many ports or maybe just a couple.

2. I suggest you keep a written record of what you decide along the way. Use a paper notebook, with each port separated with a divider. Or if you prefer using a computer document, set one up so that each port is easily separated.

3. Once you have all your WHAT I WANT TO DO's identified in each port, then pick one port at a time and focus on the logistics of how you're going to pull it off. Research your transportation options and costs and write them all down. I usually write up the most likely set of information that I will use and also document some backup planning info, just in case something goes wrong. I print out web pages of info, pricing, sequence to visit things, pre-purchased tickets, train stops from origin to destination, train/bus timetables, etc.

4. Do this for all of your ports.

5. After doing all this, go back and review everything to see if you've duplicated something that might mean you want to tweak the original plan.

6. Tweak the overall plan as desired.

7. Bring the entire document/notebook/folder with you and refer to it during your cruise.

The same advice as for eating an elephant, one bite at a time.

From your list of ports Barcelona, Livorno, Rome, Naples, Athens, and Venice offer the most options to choose from, so start with one of them. It can be helpful to look at the cruise line excursions to see what is most popular, especially if this is your first time.

I create an excell spreadsheet to keep track of my trip info. Also have a lightweight binder to keep track of documents, reservation receipts, etc

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I create an excell spreadsheet to keep track of my trip info. Also have a lightweight binder to keep track of documents, reservation receipts, etc

 

 

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I second this! I use a lightweight accordion file and keep everything for each port in one of the pockets. I also put the cash I need for each tour/tip in an envelope and keep it with the documents.

When I research, I use just about every resource I can get my hands on...Cruise Critic, travel books, Trip Advisor, friends, etc. I narrow the choices down to three or four that interest me, then I send inquiries.

You might also check the roll call for your cruise. People often post tour information and arrange to share tours with other members of the roll call. We've done that quite a few times, and it's allowed us to do things that would be cost prohibitive for just two of us.

It is definitely an overwhelming process. There's so much to see and do in each port and you will not be able to see and do everything on your first Med cruise.

What would you like to see or do??

Consider how much time you have in port, if your ship docks or if it's a tendered port.

Check your roll call to see if others are looking to do shared excursions in some of your ports of call and also consider the ship's excursions or transfers to do it as a DIY

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Our cruise leaves on April 1st. This will be our first time to Europe. We depart from Barcelona and stop at Marseille, Monaco, Livorno, Rome, Naples, Crete, Athens, Zadar, and Venice. I decided not to do the ship sponsored excursions because they are SO overpriced. I got Rick Steve's guide and have been reading it non-stop for the past 2-3 days, plus reading articles online. And I'm already SUPER overwhelmed. The details of every city's transportation options, not to mention sights and restaurants are just bombarding me. How do you all deal with this? I kind of feel like I'm just spinning my wheels.

We did similar cruise last September, with many of the same ports, please join your roll call and see what others think, we did private excursions for almost all the ports with 6 to 10 people, all with fellow passengers from Roll call. Private excursions are way cheaper than ships (and better), might look at Papillion for Livorno, it was a great trip that included Pisa, Florence and a wine tasting. Rome in limo is very good for Rome. All of our excursion were under 100

Do you plan to stay for any extra nights precruise in Barcelona and postcruise in Venice. They are two of my favorite ports with lots of fun things to do without the need for structured tours.

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Do you plan to stay for any extra nights precruise in Barcelona and postcruise in Venice. They are two of my favorite ports with lots of fun things to do without the need for structured tours.

 

 

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Hate to agree with a Red Sox fan ( I am a Yankee) but loved Barcelona and Venice, Barcelona was very cheap for food and drinks , we spent 2 days there a wish we had more time, Venice is also great but not that cheap

first...what you are feeling is :confused:normal:confused: so don't stress out

second..there is such a thing called over planning down to every detail in every port which can overwhelm and takes away flexibility & being spontaneous

third...European cruises are port intensive days and after a point are exhausting

I would recommend accepting the fact that you can not do everything you want to do...cruises have always been designed to give one a "taste" of a Port so that you can decide whether you want to plan to fly back to that Port in the future to spend a few days to immerse yourself into that City...the Ports that fit that criteria plan a day that gives you a "helicopter" perspective and yet leaves you enough time to "freestyle" a few hours to discover hidden gems that you would not find in guide books...the smaller ports that you probably you would not want to fly back and spend a few days in immersion, just plan an open unstructured day

also become very engaged with your fellow shipmates pre cruise (thru this sites roll call and other social media outlets) to find common ground to share experiences outside of the structure ship excursions...however do not totally dismiss ship sponsored shore excursions...yes, they are over priced but in a large high profile Port (i.e. Athens) might be the best value for one's $$$

also don't rule out linking up your passions, hobbies, professional employment skill sets with your international counterparts in each Port you visit (i.e. if you enjoy photography reach out to a photography club in each Port)

unlike cruising in the Caribbean which is something one can do every year, cruising in Europe is more of an "event" that you may be able to do every 5 or 10 years so enjoy the experience and don't stress out over the details

Do you plan to stay for any extra nights precruise in Barcelona and postcruise in Venice. They are two of my favorite ports with lots of fun things to do without the need for structured tours.

 

 

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We have one night and part of a day before boarding in Barcelona. In Venice, we come in on April 12th. I booked two extra days there (3 nights).

I find it helpful to get hold of some travel brochures for land based trips which cover the cruise ports. They provide a good summary of the main sights to be seen in each place and I can get some idea of my priorities.

We have one night and part of a day before boarding in Barcelona. In Venice, we come in on April 12th. I booked two extra days there (3 nights).

You're off to a good start by planning those extra nights! Which hotel did you book for Barcelona? If you're not a sleep on the plane sort of person you might be very tired when you arrive. We could give you some suggestions on what to do in close proximity to your hotel to get the flavor of Barcelona. If you are arriving very early that day the HOHO bus would be a good idea.

Hate to agree with a Red Sox fan ( I am a Yankee) but loved Barcelona and Venice, Barcelona was very cheap for food and drinks , we spent 2 days there a wish we had more time, Venice is also great but not that cheap

Does it help to know that I'm a transplant from NY? :D

As Cindy has mentioned, along with the Cruise Critic boards, Trip Advisor is a great resource. You can check out their Top Things to Do in each port, check out ratings for hotels, restaurants and tour providers, and ask away on their travel forums.

I also keep a document on my computer desktop that I add to constantly. Prior to the trip, I separate it into a page for each destination and add it to my pocket file (flight info, itinerary, hotel reservatios, average temperatures, suggested restaurnats, tour reservations .....) I'd be lost without it!

I'm sure you've alradey noted that Rick Steves has some exceptional audio tours available to download from from his website. We have used them in Venice and Rome and they have been better than some private guides.

As others have said, you cannot do it all. We are returning to Venice and Rome again, prior to our May cruise and I know I'll still want to return again someday.

Our cruise leaves on April 1st. This will be our first time to Europe. We depart from Barcelona and stop at Marseille, Monaco, Livorno, Rome, Naples, Crete, Athens, Zadar, and Venice. I decided not to do the ship sponsored excursions because they are SO overpriced. I got Rick Steve's guide and have been reading it non-stop for the past 2-3 days, plus reading articles online. And I'm already SUPER overwhelmed. The details of every city's transportation options, not to mention sights and restaurants are just bombarding me. How do you all deal with this? I kind of feel like I'm just spinning my wheels.

Ship excursions not always overpriced and sometimes the only option. I would not wonder around on public transportation in Marselle for example . First decide what you want to see then how you get there. Consider safety of city and time in port.

As somebody who has traveled, independently, for over forty years we truly understand the "overwhelmed" feeling :). And that is why there are many of us here willing to help. Reading the Rick Steve's book is a great start. Your next step is to focus on what you want to see and do (looking at the cruise line tour itineraries can b e helpful. Then try to prioritize those wants because it is unlikely you can "do it all." Once you have that starting list of priorities you can then focus on the best way (transportation, what order, etc) to accomplish your wants. While public transit can be overwhelming, at first glance, it is usually not very difficult once you focus on simply getting from Point A to Point B by the most efficient means. If you ask specific questions here, such as the best way to get from Civitavecchia to the Vatican...many of us can give you detailed answers. If you need help in getting from the Port of Naples to Pompeii or perhaps Capri, the answers are here (if you use search) or we will post new answers to your specific questions. All the research and planning can actually be a lot of fun, and by the time you leave on your trip you will be well prepared.

Hank

Even if you think the ship's excursions are overpriced, they can serve a purpose. Very often they represent the places/activities that appeal to a large percentage of their clientele. Reading through the ship's excursions should provide you with some descriptions of what is possible in a port. You can then decide what you are interested in and plan how to do them on your own.

Just a contrarian point of view about cruise ship excursions. We seldom to never do a ship excursion (and we often cruise all over the world for about 100 days a year) because we simply dislike large group excursions. Yes, they are often vastly overpriced....but our bigger issue is they are overcrowded. Most ship excursions involve large groups (often 50-60) using large buses (coaches) and being led around a bit like a herd (follow the leader). While this is perfect for some folks, it is what we dislike the most about travel. If we do take an excursion/tour, we prefer joining with a small group on a private excursion where the group can customize the itinerary to their own wants. And our most favorite form of travel is to simply be alone (DW and moi) where we maintain total flexibility to do whatever we please, when we want, with whom we want. If we want to enjoy a lazy 2 hour lunch in Paris, we simply do it! If it is a rainy day in Naples, we might change our plans and spend a few hours in the wonderful Archaeological Museum. It its a gorgeous day in Rome we might sit for hours at a cafe on the Piazza Navona.

But this is truly one of those different strokes kind of issues with no right or wrong. We do suggest that taking a ship excursion because you like the itinerary and convenience is fine. But taking an excursions out of fear (often perpetuated by port lectures designed to steer you to the overpriced excursions) is not the best way to enjoy world travel. Traveling with all kinds of fears/concerns is a bit sad. Many fears/concerns can be alleviated with a little education and research.

Hank

You're off to a good start by planning those extra nights! Which hotel did you book for Barcelona? If you're not a sleep on the plane sort of person you might be very tired when you arrive. We could give you some suggestions on what to do in close proximity to your hotel to get the flavor of Barcelona. If you are arriving very early that day the HOHO bus would be a good idea.

We're staying at Sehrs Hotel del Port

Another resource when doing your pre-cruise research is Tom's Port Guides. Always has good info on ports (not all ports) including navigating public transportation in the ports in the guide. http://www.tomsportguides.com/

Another good resource is Mike's Travel Guide. http://mikestravelguide.com/

Just a contrarian point of view about cruise ship excursions. We seldom to never do a ship excursion (and we often cruise all over the world for about 100 days a year) because we simply dislike large group excursions. Yes, they are often vastly overpriced....but our bigger issue is they are overcrowded. Most ship excursions involve large groups (often 50-60) using large buses (coaches) and being led around a bit like a herd (follow the leader). While this is perfect for some folks, it is what we dislike the most about travel. If we do take an excursion/tour, we prefer joining with a small group on a private excursion where the group can customize the itinerary to their own wants. And our most favorite form of travel is to simply be alone (DW and moi) where we maintain total flexibility to do whatever we please, when we want, with whom we want. If we want to enjoy a lazy 2 hour lunch in Paris, we simply do it! If it is a rainy day in Naples, we might change our plans and spend a few hours in the wonderful Archaeological Museum. It its a gorgeous day in Rome we might sit for hours at a cafe on the Piazza Navona.

 

But this is truly one of those different strokes kind of issues with no right or wrong. We do suggest that taking a ship excursion because you like the itinerary and convenience is fine. But taking an excursions out of fear (often perpetuated by port lectures designed to steer you to the overpriced excursions) is not the best way to enjoy world travel. Traveling with all kinds of fears/concerns is a bit sad. Many fears/concerns can be alleviated with a little education and research.

 

Hank

Yes this is very much how we feel, and thus why we have decided against ship excursions. We are definitely on the "less is more" side when it comes to vacationing.