edinburgher

We hope to include this excursion. I have emailed the company to find out more about it. And another vote for staying on the ship as we too enjoyed wonderful sunset views from the open upper deck. In addition, (presumably because of the late sailing) a local dance and music group came onboard and performed around the pool deck so we got to enjoy both the performance and the sunset..

Harters and Azalize As a plan B, you could consider e-mailing the port direct and ask where you ship will dock. And that failing you could try e-mailing the Tourist Info Office as they should be able to find out. Azalice, at the time we docked in the city (we had previously docked at Bassens on our first visit and had to take a ship shorex, rare for us) Azamara were doing the Azamazing Evenings and our event took place at the Palais de la Bourse in Place de la Bourse. So close were we docked that no transportation was required, we all strolled along in just a few minutes. Hank, we had a French pilot for the river passage, but not as eventful a passage as your own arrival. It appeared to be pretty straightforward, at least as far as pax were aware.

I'm struggling to find that. Would you have a link, please? I just googled official port of Bordeaux website and up it popped. https://www.cruise-bordeaux.com/fr/

Welcome to CC (again) I replied to your Cadiz questions a little while ago, and much of that reply will apply to your Cagliari questions. Cruise ships dock quite centrally in the city. I would add that it is definitelyy worth taking a bus from the stop which is around a 5 minute walk from the dock, up to the highest point of the city then walk down, as otherwise it is a very long and very steep uphill walk. i found bus routes and numbers online. There is much info online,. Try Tripadvisor and others, also the local tourist info office website, but also check websites such as whatsinport (much more than its name suggest so do look) and others. There have also been several previous threads and posts about Cagliari here on CC. To find them, go to the Italy forum (this one, but not to your own thread) and into the SEARCH box (under your user name), input Cagliari then select ON THIS FORUM from the drop down, then hit the little magnifying glass and all past threads containing that word will appear ready for you to read. This one to start you off but there are others: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2854829-cagliari-sardinia/#comment-63275677 If you are as yet unfamiliar with CC it is worth spending time learning how to get the most from the site also learning the short cuts. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/859-need-help-using-the-forums-check-here/

Welcome to CC Cruise ships dock in the city centre and for further afield, the train station is only a few minutes walk away. The main square(and buses) is only a couple of minutes away across the street.It is a really nice city to explore and in addition to the usual cathedral, churches, museums etc, the walk around the outside of the city is very pleasant as it runs alongside the sea and has many small parks and gardens along the way. Others may disagree, but IMHO I don't think it is worth using the HOHO buses as they mostly only run around the outside as most of Cadiz is pedestrianised and more suited to walking. There is much info online,. Try Tripadvisor and others, also the local tourist info office website, but also check websites such as whatsinport (much more than its name suggest so do look) and others. There have also been many previous threads and posts about Cadiz here on CC. To find them, go to the Spain forum (this one, but not to your own thread) and into the SEARCH box (under your user name), input Cadiz then select ON THIS FORUM from the drop down, then hit the little magnifying glass and all past threads containing that word will appear ready for you to read. If you are as yet unfamiliar with CC it is worth spending time learning how to get the most from the site also learning the short cuts. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/859-need-help-using-the-forums-check-here/

When we were onboard an Azamara ship, we docked in a fabulous location right in the heart of the city alongside the promenade and close to a public transport hub beside the big park, so should you do the same, I don't think you would have an issue with finding a taxi. You could look at the cruise ship schedule on the official port of Bordeaux website to check which of the docking locations will apply to your sailing.

Cheers, the beer is good in Estonia, If now in Scandinavia, I don't suppose you will be buying as many shoreside beers.

I remembered contributing to a thread on the same topic not too long ago. You could use the SEARCH facility on these Italian boards to read any previous threads, but this is a starter: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2786266-florence-carrara/#comment-62990210 You may decide thay, with so little time in Florence, your time could be better used elsewhere.

And cheers! back to you Tring/Barbara. Lovely that you are currently onboard and hopefully enjoying some "new to you" ports. With SPB dropped, there are new port opportunities in the Baltic although Tallin was always a popular port. Our friends will be pleased about the tonic water as they find most places they visit do not stock it. Would be wonderful if you could answer some of the other q's too should you have some down time and without going to too much trouble. Really disappointed that Fred are still as rigid with their food offering times. Last time we sailed we completed a questionaire which focused heavily on dining times, fixed sittings, having the same table companions throughout, etc. and we know that several of the pax on our sailing were like ourselves, and would have preferred more flexibility. but it appears that nothing has changed. Their dining inflexibility does actually put us off sailing Fred. so we only occasionally book for an interesting itinerary as we prefer to dine at times which suit us and with whomever we please, or the two of us alone. And as we are used to cruising with international cruise lines, we enjoy going ashore and returning onboard to find we can have a snack or a late lunchl at that time.. And although we don't mind the buffet in the evening (The one on Balmoral is rather nice and the food was good) we would also like to be waited on occasionally. If Marella/Tui can do it, why can Fred not follow suit? I think your name is familiar. Have you sailed Azamara? We only did 4 with them,(all on Quest) then prices rocketed and we looked elsewhere.

They have another question. if anyone can help. Is it possible to take onboard a few soft drinks and/or mixers at the embarkation port? They won't have a drinks package and will buy gin at the bars but have a preferred tonic water brand (Slimline FT) for their g and t's.

I didn't realise that Julymorning so thank you. Will just be patient then as they don't sail until the beginning of August.

Good that you are already on your RC for this sailing as that would be your best way of joining one already arranged by someone else or asking if others would be interested in joining your own tour. As Taormina and Mt Etna are very popular tours from Messina, I think your chances are high.

As already suggested, if you have not already done so, join the Roll Call for your cruise. On there you can ask the same question about names and look for others to join with you. It is also possible you may find that someone on the Roll Call has already organised a tour and is looking for others( like yourselve)s to make up numbers. if you do not know what a Roll Call is, read here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2594924-what-is-a-roll-call-everything-you-need-to-know/

We last sailed Balmoral pre-Covid in June 2018 and post Covid there may have been a few changes. We have friends booked for an August 2022 Iceland cruise who will be new to Fred and to Balmoral, and although I have been able to find our own past info, there are still a few questions they have and if you have answers that would be much appreciated, as the last couple of years appear to have wiped our memories of some details as 2018 is feeling more like ancient history.. Are there still 2 self-service laundries on Decks 9 and 3? Are they free or is there a charge?. Use own laundry powder or is it supplied? Is there a retractable drying line in the canin shower cubicles? Is there still a library next to the Bookmark Cafe? And is there a free steam room or sauna, or both? If so, separate male/female or mixed? And are they still as rigid with meal times? ( Thinking of port days,going ashore and coming back on board), does lunch still end at around 2pm with nothing more available until afternoon tea time(which I think used to be around 3pm or 3-30pm) Thanks in advance for any replies. So much has changed since cruising restarted that I am unsure if my past info is still current. .

same question(with answers) on this current thread: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2853640-venice-bus-station-to-train-station/#comment-63242852

Thanks euro cruiser. Interesting link. It appears that the shared taxi option may no longer be a possibility, perhaps due to lack of business for the drivers during the pandemic. As visitor numbers increase, there may still be some at the station, but a bit risky if there are none as the buses may have sold out for the preferred time. Looking at the website link, it also appears that the bus transfer may be the better option as Vesuvius tickets can be supplied by them and they now need to be bought before arrival at the ticket office. Lindancer, there are Trip advisor reviews for both Vesuvius crater and for the bus company. Lots of helpful info on the pros and cons if you read them. It is actually quite an experience to walk around the crater rim and to peer down inside it, especially if one has visited Pompeii and/or Herculaneum before Vesuvius,meaning that the story also has a start and a finish.

Iinternet searched "port of Maloy" andamonmgst other results, up popped a description from the Hurtigruten UK website.(Norway ports) Wary of copyright,and CC rules which mean copy/paste cannot be used, I suggest you do the same and read what it says. Briefly, one of the biggest facilities in Norway for processing and exporting fish, also has lighthouses and a famous Rock shaped like a mushroom.

Should you decide to visit Herculaneum, the other great thing to do there is to go up Mt Vesuvius. it is the same train stop. When we went, there were shared taxis outside Herculaneum Scavi train station, which drove up to the Vesuvius car park, gave you time to go up to the crater on foot and return to the car park, then drive you back down to the train station, where we paid. We asked the driver to stop on the way down for a photo op as the views of Naples were staggering from there. It should be easy enough to find out if the taxis still offer that service from the station by going online. Do not pay the driver until you are back at the train station. And if you decide to do this, when you exit the train station, look up, and if you can see the top of Vesuvius go there first. If it is hidden in cloud,walk the few minutes to Herculaneum first in the hope the cloud will clear later. Thinking that your grandson and yourselves would love this easy DIY trip. Pompeii has pros and cons, as does Herculanem. P. is huge and merits a long if somewhat tiring day. H is more compact but also more built up so easier to imagine more of the homes and shops. And a half day is enough time to see it all. We returned there in 2018 or therabouts, having first visited many years previously, and found that, in the intervening years more areas had been excavated and opened to the public.

The "on your own" will likely drop you off and give you a"meet back here" time, otherwise your time is your own to go wherever YOU want to go. The other two may include a lunch stop which couldeasily use up an hour or so of your already short time there, but on your own you could pick up a snack/sandwich and a drink and eat quite quickly. The other two actual tours take you places you already visited on previous trips, or take you places you have little interest in. Really it is your decision to make. tony s has offered one solution.

You can walk up to Santa Barbara Castle There is also an elevator which has a small charge, but much easier than walking uphill especially if it is hot. Entrance at steeet level along the waterfront.

We did the opposite to work around opening hours. We walked into Heraklion to the museum, visited, then took a public bus to Knossos from Heraklion centre.. Leaving there, we took another public bus which actually routed within a couple of minutes walk of the port. The driver told us when we reached the closest bus stop to the port. There should be info online about bus routes, otherwise try Heraklion Tourist Office.

Both of the above merit consideration, but Honfleur is an easy enough DIY option should you choose that option and super attractive to visit. Many previous threads and posts about the logistics of getting to/from Honfleur, simply use the search box to bring them all up. And others on your Roll Call may also want to go there and to share a taxi with you. You might enjoy that more than an organised tour. On another visit we took the train to Rouen, also worthy of a visit, and on our final visit to LH we explored the Alabaster Coast, but Honfleur is a perfect "first time" visit should you have no connection to the D Day battles.

Sorry We did not go to cinque terre so I do not know the answer to that, but I think SM(Liguria) has only one train station, la Spezia more than one, although I do know the main one there is la S/ Centrale. You would need to check that online but there must be lots of info on "how to get to cinque terre from la S". We very much enjoyed both Santa Margherita and Portofino. There will be threads on both which you can find using the CC Search facility, and will be also for cinque terre. For best reslts spell carefully. eg it is Santa MARGHERITA not Santa MARHERITA. Info and images on all of them online to help you decide, but whichever you choose will be good anyway.

And should you decide against this plan, you could consider this one: Take the train from la Spezia to Santa Margherita, a very attractive town and from there you can catch the ferry for the crossing (just a few minutes) over to Portofino. Although you could walk, taxi or perhaps even take a bus (I do not know about buses) between the two, the ferry ride gives super scenic views of both Santa Margherita and Portofino. Both places are attractive to visit (google both online) or even use the CC search facility on this Italian forum to find previous threads which mention either or both. All you need to do is go to the empty search box under your user name, input either Santa Margherits or Portofino then click "on this forum" from the dropdown underneath the box, hit the little magnifying glass and all previous threads with that name in them will be produced and you can read them at leisure. The same principal applies for CinqueTerre. Enjoy whatever you decide to do.

Compromise by taking one suitcase between you plus the two bags. You don't need to fill the suitcase, just pack what you want to take which doesn't fit the backpacks. We have tried packing only one weekend size bag for each of us on 7 day city (not cruise) trips but it wasn't terribly successful so when cutting back now, we take one suitcase to share and a small weekend size bag each and that does. A typical 14 night or longer cruise would have us with one suitcase and one carry on each. We have done 3 cruises up to 30 days and didn't need more than that then either. We did a 7 night city break to Madrid with only the two small bags (and they are small) the following month we did a 7 night Berlin trip and added the suitcase so we could take the things we missed having with us on the previous trip. We found that the small weekend siz bags were just too small, although your backpacks sound as if they are larger. We can put in the suitcase things like liquids including toiletries (banned from carry ons) and spare shoes, folding mini umbrellas, 2 or 3 books, lightweight dressing gowns /robes (we had definitely missed these and they are not always supplied). and a spare lightweight jacket each as weather can change. Really it depends on where we are going and the kind of typical weather in that location. if hot, can add sandals, sun lotion, after sun lotion etc and need access to a washer as clothing needs more frequent changing. The no liquids rule means with only carry ons, one of the first things you would need to do is go out shopping.-and who wants to do that? We have our own preferred brands and prefer having them with us rather than having to buy whatever is available locally, assuming we can read the labels that is.