rhiannon84

It depends on the time of day. From memory, morning Nativity and afternoon Passion, but I can’t find the source of the info!

The steps are very narrow and tight (with no handrail) on the way down, so you need a good head for heights 

9 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

I think @rhiannon84 meant the instant sachets in Britannia cabins not in the restaurant. 

Yup! Sorry it wasn’t clear. Coffee in the restaurant is good 

It's just Nescafe instant sachets in Britannia, so I order coffee via the breakfast room service card (free) as my 'alarm clock', with the plan of eating breakfast in the restaurant or off ship afterwards. You can get a coffee/juice for free with any room service food delivery. 

I'd agree, buy the shoes when you get there (nice permanent memento!) AFTER you've had a day or two walking on European pavements to judge whether you can do heels or not.

I'd suggest looking at Geox. They were my first thought for 'dressy' walkable sandals anyway, and after I checked, I found they're Italian too. 

And buy plasters and a blister gel/stick regardless (like https://www.compeed.co.uk/product/anti-blister-stick/)

I stayed at Hotel Arc La Rambla last year, it was good value for a pre-cruise night in a hotel. We had a room at the back (view was of a concrete wall, but quiet), and overall it was quiet, clean with a modern bathroom. There's vending machines in the hallways if you need a snack, and lots of space downstairs (where they serve breakfast?) to sit and wait for a taxi. We went out to breakfast, so can't comment on that. They have an adjoining cafe/bar downstairs which was good for a simple lunch. 

Less than 5 mins walk to Drassanes station, and 15mins walk to the Blue cruise bus stop - we (inc. my 65 yr old mother) did it with 2x large suitcases no problem.

It was safe walking at night out to dinner, and really conveniently placed for what we wanted to do.

I don’t think anyone else has suggested this, but do go to the lunchtime dance lessons (I’m guessing they do them on a crossing too?) as it will familiarise you with the space, some of the other less confident dancers AND it’s led by the professional dancers/dance hosts so they’ll be a friendly face in the evening too. 

The main thing I'd say about combatting jetlag is get outside, early! The UK tends to be far more grey and overcast (even in summer) than the US, so you don't get that hit of daylight to help adjust without actively seeking out the sun. 

Markeb’s suggestions are really good, especially to consider a HoHo bus or river cruise as a relaxed way to get your bearings. 
 

If it’s not already installed on your phone, you need to download Google Maps from the Apple or Android store. Then when you click on your initial (e.g. R in a red circle for me) it brings up the Settings. Offline Maps is one of those, and you just zoom in/out of the area you want. Pick the whole of central London, it uses hardly any memory and will auto delete after a year or two anyway. 

London is also enormous and packed with stuff, so I’d suggest ‘saving’ any bars, restaurants, landmarks you like the look of, in a Saved List, now. And share it with your travel companions. Then you can wander about a bit, and have a rough idea of a decent place to eat/drink without needing to use data or having to make a decision on the spot. I did that in NYC which was a lifesaver for cognitive overload!!

theres a good blog with instructions on both Saved Lists and Offline Maps here https://www.theunconventionalroute.com/google-maps-saved-places/

I thought that was the few cabins reserved for guest entertainment? I'm sure I've seen a previous thread about those ones

Yes Leonidas is great generic gift chocolate, but it’s Mary or Pierre Marcolini for the really good stuff you keep to yourself!

I don’t know RCCL’s European policy, but most cruise lines which ban taking alcohol onboard on US/Caribbean cruises allow it in Europe. So do check if that’s the case for your cruise

I can try and answer the waffle question - in general in Belgium, the best place to get one is from a metro station, small kiosk or waffle van! They’re the most authentic and most likely to be hot and freshly made. Bruges doesn’t have a metro system, but the same principle applies.  
 

I suggest the Liege version (hot, sticky with caramelised nuggets of sugar) over the Brussels version (light and flat, often stuffed with fruit or topped with cream). In Flemish that’s a Luiksewafel, in French its gaufre liegeois. 
 

You might have to do quite a bit of googling to find somewhere offering beer flights, other than Le Trappiste (which has lots on tap). 
 

Lots of Belgian beer is very strong (can be 10% abv plus) and made for drinking slowly. Also, the proper stuff is far more likely to be in bottles than on tap which complicates it further. (Thinking back, I don’t think I ever saw beer flights advertised in Brussels in the 7 years I lived there).

Many of the Trappist beers come in multiple strengths (Chimay, Duvel) and have complementary cheese brands (Rochefort, Grimbergen), so consider popping into a supermarket on the way back to the ship to make a selection for a curated balcony tasting?!

There's also iced water available in the gym. The tap water is drinkable, but nicer for having been left to settle in the bottle lid-off for a while, and then put in the fridge

A universal power adapter should be fine. Something like this https://www.currys.co.uk/products/logik-lvisit20-worldwide-to-uk-travel-adapter-10200473.html

Be careful if you choose to buy from Amazon - make sure it’s a legit supplier!

Premier Inn is a good UK-only chain (you can only book direct) and has many hotels in and around central London. https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/home.html
County Hall is a good location for example, and is fairly close to your 1000 limit.  I don’t know about non-walking tours, but regardless, the step-free Tube map might be your friend! https://content.tfl.gov.uk/step-free-tube-guide-map.pdf

https://tfl.gov.uk/transport-accessibility/

As Globaliser said, Pret will do you if you just want a sandwich, something very quick and simple. Otherwise lots of excellent pubs nearby - Two Chairmen and Red Lion are famous for their parliamentary histories (and gossip) The Phoenix near Victoria was always good for an express set lunch. Strutton Ground has a great food market and small independent cafes - there’s a great fish & chip shop but be prepared to queue if it’s a weekday lunchtime. 

To build on Pushpit's point, yes the UK has higher insurance requirements. For example, booking Bristol-Venice, had to tick twice or three times that yes I had insurance already, no I didn't need to buy additional. Same airline booking my one way Barcelona-Bristol flight, no questions at all! 

We did a great boat tour, from Nerano to Amalfi and Positano. Lots of time in Amalfi to walk around and have lunch, and time to swim and have a drink in Positano. https://www.getyourguide.co.uk/sorrento-l391/amalfi-and-positano-full-day-shared-tour-t284922/?ranking_uuid=dc189fcf-35b8-4fd8-96d2-0e6f99dcdca0

We were collected from outside our hotel in Sorrento for the 45mins drive to Nerano, and back. The provider is the local boat cooperative, so may do something similar from Amalfi. 

Choose Bruges, or Ghent, or anywhere on the coast over Brussels, especially if just for one day. Brussels is the polar opposite of Paris - great to live in, terrible for tourists! 

Orla56, see if your cruise line is offering a shuttle service. When we visited Valencia, the shuttle was to Arts & Sciences anyway. It’s a pleasant area to walk around (flat and comfortable) with museums and shady park areas. You won’t see all of Valencia by going there, but a taxi to the old centre was very cheap (less than 10 euro) if you decide to go further. 

One thing to add to the other recommendations above, Lisbon has one of the largest aquariums in Europe https://www.oceanario.pt/en which is a very child-friendly excursion to do. 

I would take the ferry or a boat tour for this. You get absolutely fantastic views of the cliff-perched houses and towns, whereas the roads are busy and wind around interminable corners - not good for anyone with even a little bit of fear or travel sickness! 
 

We did a very good tour from Nerano. Picked up in Sorrento by minibus, then small boat along the coast, and bus back to Sorrento. https://www.getyourguide.com/sorrento-l391/amalfi-and-positano-full-day-shared-tour-t284922/?ranking_uuid=3da20b79-55a5-41f0-a2f2-06d475c34b3c

Yes, Will Wagstaff does the Island Wildlife Tours http://www.islandwildlifetours.co.uk

If you’re there in high season (summer, Easter holidays) usually one of the boats in the Scilly cooperative https://www.scillyboating.co.uk will also be doing a wildlife tour. However the departure time might not fit with your tendering in (the tours can be before the usual c. 10am first boat) and may be fully booked. Best place to check what’s usually offered is their Facebook page 

Yes. There may very occasionally still be times where you swipe & sign, but that’s usually because the card chip reader isn’t working. Contactless payment is increasingly common, but there’s still limits on how much you can pay before a PIN is required.

if you have a smartphone, consider getting Apple Wallet or similar. Also, both countries use the Euro, so take some cash as well.

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/money/chip-pin-cards 

Mary is excellent, and I’d also recommend Pierre Marcolini (which you can now get outside Belgium). 

You can buy fantastic chocolate bars from the supermarkets, bakeries, and corner shops - Côte d’Or and Dolfin are particularly good. Don’t waste your money buying these brands from tourist shops, splurge on Mary or Pierre Marcolini instead!

Or the other way round, using the cruise to recuperate!!