texancruzer

They are a thing of the past.

Not to everyone :cool:

We have done a bunch of Celebrity (all in the Europe/Med area and always dress formal for what used to be called formal night. I think people dress more on the longer European and Asian type cruises..... rather than Caribbean etc. ones.

We are on the Constellatiion (previously only on Solstice class) March 18 - Abu Dhabi to Singapore (via Oman, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand) We plan to dress formally for formal nights, Husband has blue tux, black tux and white tux jacket so he mixes it up a bit and I wear long dresses or very dressy cocktail dresses.

But - that said - many men opt for a nice suit and tie. It's really your choice.

I have a whole group coming. Looking for suggestions re: on shore excursions.

Alex

What ports are you visiting ? What interests you ? History, food, beautiful sites, shopping?

Please provide more info for better responses

We have done Med numerous times..... have some private tour companies in most ports I can recommend highly ..... We like all of the above so always try to get a good mix of all of it ;)

Sorry to hear this about Egypt Air. We flew JFK to Cairo and back when we did a 15 day land tour before the January uprising (we went the November before) and the flight was awesome. Almost brand new plane, good food, comfortable seats and right on time. Actually one of the best flights we have ever done - and we've flown quite a bit to Europe, Morocco etc. I think the economic situation since the unrest there has affected everything regarding the tourist trade. Sad - wonderful country to visit - warm friendly people - very poor but very proud.

We too have been 3 times to this amazing city……

BEST TIP - Do not miss the Basilica Cistern ! It is right across from Hagia Sophia so very doable along with Blue Mosque and Grand Bazaar. It is a real gem ! I would also skip Topkapi Palace. We did it our second trip and it was only so-so for me……. the Spice Bazaar is interesting but the Grand Bazaar was like DisneyWorld to me :D The history, the sights and sounds….. and shopping. Is it touristy ? Yep but if you head deeper in there are some VERY interesting streets ! Have fun and enjoy Istanbul !

We have spent numerous days in Rome both pre and post cruise on 5 different Med cruises. (We always cruise out of Rome if possible) and can never-ever get enough of it !!!!!

We ended one cruise in Venice and overnighted AND spent one extra night before flying home. It was plenty. Venice didn't do much for us. Nice to have been but getting around felt like a hassle…..

Florence is wonderful - felt like your favorite warm sweater (weird I know but thats how it felt to me) Very friendly accommodating city. We did not get to spend near enough time there on a one day cruise stop visit….. but will go back !

Naples itself only held our attention for the Archeological museum…… instead we prefer to head outta town to Pompeii and the Amalfi coast. Probably one of the most beautiful places I have ever been (along with Egypts Nile River etc)

As to your question - I personally feel you are moving around too much. Part of the allure of Italy is to take some time and slow it down. Stroll the streets not march from point A to point B to see the sights. Sit down and have a glass of Proseco or a gelato and people watch. It took us 2 trips to "get this" and now we always make time to enjoy the "dolce vita" :D I know it is easy to want to "see it all" but you are doing yourself a disservice not to slow down and enjoy.

Will you share who you used for your tour?

 

I think Granduca is where we ate last year.

Sure……. here is a link

http://www.sicilylimousineservice.com/sicily/index.asp

We were picked up in Messina, drove to Castelmola (above Taormina) and were the first and almost only ones there !!!!! Beautiful pictures with no one else in them ;)

We then went down to Taormina and were dropped off at one end and picked up at the other end of the main pedestrian street. Our driver was quite engaging and not only gave us history but also insight into life in Sicily both past and present.

We enjoyed Granduca - the food was very good and the views - priceless !

Have you read any "foodie" books by Marlena De Blasi. My favourites are "A Thousand Days in Venice" and "A Thousand Days in Tuscany". Quick reads, in the style of memoirs/cookbooks. You will want to eat at her table, meet her friends and possibly move to her village when you turn the last page.

I have read them…… loved them.

Well, I may not be the foodie that some are here but I do like good food. My Mom was a gourmet cook and I love to cook also. I get lazy at home sometimes and then we go out :o

But at the same time I know something that tastes good - that said we had a wonderful pizza in Venice - well not exactly Venice but Murano. Little hole in the wall place.

We have eaten at some smaller out of the way family owned places and enjoyed our meal. But also had a bad experience at one. Food was pretty much inedible. We have also had some stupendous local food served from those dreaded "tourist traps on the large piazzas" LOL The ones that aren't supposed to have "real" Italian food.

And last but not least we ate at La Tagliata ….. big disappointment. The food was so-so but the service was horrible. They were so busy serving the large tour groups (yes it has become a tourist trap restaurant) that the two of us sat at a back table didn't get served very well. Even our guide came in to see what was taking so long and ended up in the kitchen telling them we weren't happy.

We had a really good meal at Granduca in Taormina - awesome views too.

So I agree that generalizations such as "only eat in family owned where the locals go places" and "stay away from the tourist traps on the large piazzas" type of suggestions aren't always best.

Just my opinion.

We love Italy, the people, the food and everything about it….. can't stay away ;)

If you leave the main tourist drag and walk up to the church (which was closed when we were there) you see still authentic village life. And the touristy part is not too bad. After all, we enjoyed drinking fresh-squeezed pomegranate juice for 1 Euro per glass. Yes, this is touristy, but is it bad?

After all, we found it a rewarding trip. And we had time for it, anyway.

We too walked up past the main square area …… truly an authentic village life experience….. I have some wonderful pictures. The view is very nice from up there too. The only caveat was coming down :eek: A bit steep and bumpy/rocky. But I made it !

If you start in Rome won't you still get the big sail away in Barcelona being that the cruise isn't over with yet?

 

 

I'd go with Rome as I personally feel like it's a more interesting place and takes more time to explore.

Agree - with cruises that embark in multiple ports it doesn't matter which port you get on at - it is still a sail away for those who just got on :D

As I posted on another thread….we were there last May (2015) and it was a mess then. Lots of construction and we had to berth wayyyyyy down from the port exit. Not going to repost the whole story but there were numerous issues both getting OUT and getting back in.

I can see how they would cancel some sailings…. hopefully they will resume when the port is in a better condition. It is one of our favorite ports - amazing place !

Well....not sure I would ever describe myself as a "carefree" traveler -- as I meticulously research and study every detail. :D

And, dear Cynthia, that is exactly why we all ask you for advice :)

We also had the pleasure of meeting Stefano in person…… alas not for a tour but for our transfer from our hotel in Rome to the port.

Even so, he was charming, professional and he so loves what he does ! He stopped on the way at a beautiful area that overlooks the whole of Rome and proceeded to give us some wonderful tidbits of information that we had not previously known…… you can tell he loves his city and sharing it with others.

We have always used this company and will continue to do so in the future (we have our next trip to Rome - our 6th - for next Sept. - Cant wait :D

Read the last few posts with interest…… and perhaps I would have agreed a bit more wholeheartedly with Cruisemom IF I hadn't been on a train in France just days before the attack last summer. While I wasnt on THE train it could have just as easily been MY train. Just my daughter and I traveling (with a tour group) but still a bit unnerving to say the least.

I have always been one with the philosophy that I would not let the situation that we are faced with now stop me from traveling. And it won't. But it will alter a bit HOW I do it.

We were in Athens just a bit after the BIG demonstrations in Syntagma Square…. we altered our plans by using the ship "on your own" tour to get in town and back to the ship. ( we had used the metro before so knew how to do it) It cut our time down but we didn't know if the public transport would be striking or what.

We were in Istanbul last spring…… we took the tram in our first day and while there were crowds galore (a local holiday) we enjoyed the main things we wanted our kids to see (this was our 3rd trip there). But on the second day (we overnighted) we stayed on the ship due to some other issues (not violent) that could have caused serious problems getting back on time.

Egypt we did with a tour (15 days) and while visiting all the major sites we had an armed guard with us as well as a machine gun on the back of the Nile cruise ship while on the 7 days up and back trip. We did not go alone into towns but rather our awesome guide accommodated us by taking us in even when not on a tour. He knew everyone, everyone knew him and he was careful to take us where HE felt we were safe. It was an amazing trip and we are still friends with him on FB.

I think everyone has their comfort zone. Some will chose to stay home, some will travel carefree (come what may attitude) and others will still travel but perhaps in a slightly different way to feel comfortable. It really is a personal choice and sometimes "comfort" is more important than "cost".

Rome, Rome, Rome - hands down…….. we have done 5 Med cruises and have always cruised out of Rome (with most ending in Rome !) All except one. There are a few "repositioning cruises" from time to time. These are cruises that begin in one port and end in another.

Our first Med cruise we started in Rome - did a 9 day cruise - and then got off in Barcelona. We spent 2 nights in Rome before and 1 night in Barcelona after.

Next year we are doing another repositioning cruise. We begin in Amsterdam (2 nights pre cruise) and end in Rome. So we get to see a bunch of new ports but still get our Rome "fix" with 2 nights post cruise at the end :D

So if your schedule is flexible - look around for a repositioning cruise and you get the best of both worlds.

Next time you need to go to Capri. :D (I promise you can shop there, and it's got a mix of great scenery, ruins, even good restaurants....!)

Yeah, we were going to DIY to Capri the trip I got sick……. everyone on the ship was coughing and sneezing so, of course, I would get it :( I was in a Nyquil haze so we decided to skip the ferry ride to Capri and stay in Naples instead. We headed to the museum and had some yummy pizza and then I went back to the ship for a nap :eek: It really was the smart thing to do.

I WILL get there someday - but not our next trip as we don't go to Naples area.

I disagree with those who say pick one and just do it. Especially if it is your first visit to the area.

We normally dock in Naples and have done Pompeii and the Amalfi coast with a private tour company 4 times out of the 5 visits we have been to Naples (1 visit we did not do a tour - I had a bad cold so we stayed in Naples and went to the museum)

It is very doable. Is your time limited in each village - a bit. But for your first visit its nice to experience all 3 (Ravello, Amalfi and Positano) as they are each very different !!! We usually take the ferry back from Sorrento to Naples afterwards and it was cheap and easy too !!!!

A good tour company will be able to help you plan your time and make sure you get back to the ship on time…… we always use APTours. Awesome company.

Whatever you do - you will love this area. It is stunningly beautiful :)

I will add if you are claustrophobic the Scavi might not be for you.

I was a bit concerned as I do not like caves/tight places but this didn't seem to bother me. Yes there are a few "tight" areas but it is well lit and was so interesting I didn't seem to have a problem :D It is always a bit chilly down there so bring a sweater/jacket. No big bags/purses and YES book early. Only 15 people in each tour and not all are English so it limits your options……

The history is fascinating ……

The Baths of Caracalla are one of my favs too. Very parklike and peaceful. Many mosaics still intact but sad to say - left open to the elements. I have always said I would like to picnic here :)

Ostia Antica is huge, well preserved but I agree it is too far and a bit difficult to get to. We visited while staying one night post cruise in Ostia.

If you don't want to head back to St. Peters on this trip, there are plenty of other excellent choices in Rome, depending on your interests. Just a few ideas:

 

Borghese Gallery -- Baroque and Renaissance art displayed in a beautiful setting.

 

 

Several more great sights in the area near the Colosseum: The Capitoline Museum (wonderful Roman sculpture), the Basilica of San Clemente (historic church built on three levels at three different time periods), Palatine Hill, Baths of Caracalla.

 

 

There's also the Via Appia and the catacombs there.

 

 

I could go on and on -- just taking a walk around the Centro Storico and looking at the piazzas, visiting the occasional church is a worthwhile day in Rome.

Right on Cynthia…… after 5+ visits (multiple days each time- pre and post cruise) to Rome we are still finding new stuff to do….. My best fantasy would be to spend a month there (or more :D )

I recently read there is a jai alai fronton in Bilbao. We will be there early next September and would LOVE to go see a true Basque jai alai game !!!!

Hoping someone from the area or someone who has visited here can give me more info (i.e.: an English website or other) where I can find out game schedules etc……

I love to watch this game (used to go in Florida) ……. anybody ????

Off topic - but I can recommend a wonderful restaurant….. right on the main tourist street about halfway between gates there is a place called Granduca. You have to go down stairs but once you do it opens up into a beautiful enclosed terrace with stunning views of the coast. We had pizzas and strombolis…… excellent ! We stopped later down the street for some really fresh - really great cannoli. We did a private tour from Messina and enjoyed our day in Taormina/Castelmola ! Relaxing and fun !

Off topic……but Madrid is a definite "stay away from" on our list of connections coming home from Europe.

That underground tram is a nightmare ! Last time we went thru there (July 2015) the escalators stopped and the place was a mad house. The security was very tight (which is a good thing) but going thru it numerous times (3 I think) almost caused us to miss our flight ……. at the gate they even had us recheck our passports and we had to show our checked bag stickers and they called down to be sure our luggage was approved to go onboard. I like security but it was one line after another after another……..etc.

We were just there last May 2015 on Celebrity Silhouette. This was our 3rd visit to Istanbul so we were familiar with the port area.

There was construction going on then and the port area was a mess. We were there with 3 other ships. 2 large ones and one small one. When we exited the ship we had to walk FOREVER to one building where EVERYONE was exiting the dock. They had a turnstile system that was new and you had to swipe your sea pass as you went through. Only thing is - 2 out of 3 didn't work. If your sea pass made the little light turn red you were not allowed to exit the port.

Everyone who was not allowed out had to either 1) go back to the ship for a new sea pass (the non-Celebrity cruisers) or 2) to a window to have the sea pass validated (the Celebrity cruisers only). Now, bear in mind that there were thousands involved in this process in a very small area. I believe there were 2 turnstiles. Lots of pushing, shoving and yelling. Especially when some of a group were allowed thru and 1 person was not (in my case my sea pass did not work) One lady was frantic as her kids went thru and she could not….

Luckily I was very close to the window and went thru fairly quickly….. others did not. They finally resorted to using a hand held gun thing to scan the cards……..

As we all know, construction in many foreign countries can be chaotic and take way longer than they should…….

I can easily see how construction could limit the number of ships and that with the situation in the area could cause them to pull out for a period of time.

So maybe it is …. or maybe it isn't.

Just received notification from Celebrity that our October cruise and all from April through October will be skipping Istanbul. the changes are as follows:

Overnight in Athens and stopping in Bodrum Turkey. They added Crete, Greece and took away a sea day. So we gained a port. I have never been to Istanbul and the reason was " this change made by brand leadership"

 

I hope everyone in my group understands and stays with the cruise.

Just received the same message for my August cruise. While I am disappointed, I am fine with the other ports. Never been to the Eastern Med so I am fine with wherever we end up!

While I would be unhappy to lose Istanbul (we have been 3 times on Celebrity) I would be happy with the substitute of Crete. You did not say which port (we stopped at Souda Port (Chania) on two Celebrity cruises and enjoyed both our days there ALOT. Crete is a stunningly beautiful island and the people are friendly. We did a private tour and enjoyed Chania and its harbor but truly loved getting out into the countryside !!!!!