Joanne G.

It sounds reasonable. Check out if other ships will be in port the same day, and if so, how many and what time are they sailing. That will give you an idea of how many people will be lining up for the cable cars. We were lucky - only our ship in port that day. Late October, you might also be lucky. The cable car ride is short, and I presume the tenders will going back and forth continuously for the short ride to the ship. There is the option of walking down instead of taking the cable cars, but the reported donkey poop made that distinctly unappealing to us! Have a great time. Santorini is off-the-charts beautiful. You can't take a bad picture there LOL.

I get your thinking. As I make plans for my upcoming European cruises, I am clearly facing the big limitation of cruising - not enough time in port, especially with tendering and for someone like myself who is nervous about using local public transportation in unfamiliar, non-English speaking cities. Unless I am sure I can walk to a city center, which is uncommon, I tend to book a ship-sponsored excursion. The excursions may not be exactly how I would want to spend my time, and they add considerable cost to my vacation, pretty much negating the conventional wisdom that a cruise is a good value vacation. That being said, I am looking forward to my European cruises this year and have more booked for next year. Overall it suits me for places I would like to see but don't have a desire for a multi-day land visit. I have become realistic about budgeting for the cost of excursions, and I fully understand the risks of missing a port. Sadly, it has happened to me - still trying to get to Bruges! I did the same thing for Edinburgh - booked a ridiculously expensive "on your own" excursion simply to have priority getting off the ship, even though a public bus is available for a fraction of the cost. I hope your excursion in Santorini is like one a friend and I did years ago - excursion in the morning and time on our own in the afternoon, returning to the ship by the cable car. Sorry, I wandered off the subject of the OP's question. As experienced European cruisers, they know all these issues. I can't answer regarding the Carnival experience in Europe or a specific Carnival ship - other to say if they are looking at this year, the Pride is due for drydock before starting the season, though none of know exactly what will be done. I hope elaine5 comes back to tell us what they decided.

If you had to do only one, I also would go with Glendalough and Wicklow, especially a full day tour that includes more places than the half-day tour I took. I make this recommendation since you expressed a little disappointment in what Bru Na Boinne is actually like. The ruins of the monastery, shown very briefly in the Rick Steves video, has more to appreciate visually than the tombs, and depending on the time you have, you could take a hike to one or both of the nearby lakes. The surrounding countryside is picturesque.

Regarding excursions, NCL's policy is such an annoyance, and I haven't encountered it on other lines. If you are on a roll call, either here on CC or another site, you could try asking others who do not have excursions booked what they can see for a given port.

I did tours to both Bru Na Boinne and to the Glendalough/Wicklow area on a land vacation in Dublin last year. I found the tombs at Bru Na Boinne to be fascinating, definitely a unique experience. Yes, you can enter one of them, through a passageway so narrow that you have to leave bags and purses in a locker before entering. While inside, the effect of the sun shining in on the winter solstice is simulated. Our guide was a retired archeology professor, and his knowledge greatly enhanced the visit. If you are interested in ancient cultures and mysteries, and you get a good guide to provide background information, the visit will likely be memorable. The nearby Hill of Tara may initially just look like a big empty field, but a good guide will point out the features and tell the stories about why this was such an important place in Ireland's ancient history. The ruins of the 10th-12th century St. Kevin's monastery in Glendalough were also interesting. On my tour, the driver gave us background information while on the road, and then we were free to wander the monastery site on our own. The Wicklow Mountain area that we went through to and from the site was beautiful, though unfortunately we had an overcast, rainy day. And the rainy weather kept me from taking the walk from the monastery ruins to the two nearby lakes. Full day Wicklow Mountain tours include other stops that my half-day tour didn't, so I can't comment on those. I would recommend either tour, as long as you are genuinely interested in this type of experience. An acquaintance said of her visit to Ireland that she got tired of seeing "piles of rocks." That made me laugh, but it made me realize not everyone finds these ancient sites as evocative as I do. Rick Steves did a show that includes both these sites. https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/video/tv-show/dublin

I jumped on a July, 2025 itinerary on the Dawn around Ireland. That's an uncommon itinerary, and after a land vacation in Dublin and Galway last year, I am excited about seeing those places, again plus other parts of the country. ☘️ It's pricy, and I cruise solo, so I passed on a balcony. Sure, it's a long way off, but I could book it with only $125 down. Low deposits make it easier to commit. At the time I booked it last December, NCL was the only one of the major lines to have 2025 European itineraries out.

Like pink845, I used to feel more comfortable with a certain amount of local currency on vacation. On my first post-covid overseas vacations last year to London and Ireland, I took along several hundred £'s and €'s. I soon realized most merchants preferred or actually required tap-and-go credit cards. I had to change with the times. I was able to use up some currency towards my hotel bills and for cab rides (sadly missing out on rewards points). For my upcoming European cruises, I will have only a tiny amount of local currency, so that I can obtain coins if I need them for a pay public toilet. I didn't see one of those that accepts cards. 😲 And maybe for tipping tour guides, too. I have a land vacation in Paris this spring. Can anyone confirm that I will find Paris as cashless as London, Dublin, and Galway? Thanks.

"Unbelievably complicated" to tap a transit card rather than tap a credit card or phone? Not for me. What would be unbelievably complicated, to me, would be dropping my phone or losing my credit card in a large, jostling crowd on the tube, in the station, or on a bus. With what I spent on my London vacation, the £5 (last year's cost) was a drop in the bucket and well worth the convenience. And, at least as of last August, it was not at all true that "everyone else" uses a credit card. I saw many, many Oyster cards in use. And as long as mine opened the turnstiles, I wouldn't care if I was the only person using one LOL. This reminds me of the frequent discussion on these boards about whether to leave your passport in the cabin safe (protected from loss or theft) or carry it with you in port (important if you need ID for some reason or miss the ship). There is no right answer. We all do what we are most comfortable with. I love London and will use my Oyster card during my pre-and-post cruise stays this year. I wish everyone else a great visit in London, however you choose to get around. 😀

That is such an annoyance. On my last booked NCL cruise - which ended up being a covid cancelation - people were asking each other on the roll call to see what excursions may have become available that they were unable to see.

Excursions booked in advance are refundable. So I keep checking even after booking in case something becomes available that appeals to me more. (But always read the fine print about refunds as terms could change at any time or could vary based on sailing or excursion.)

One more thing to consider - probably not unique to Carnival - is that excursions in Europe can be expensive, from about $70 for a short city tour on up to over $200 and more depending on the activity. I had sticker shock booking mine - and I’m a solo, not paying for a family! Of course there are options besides ship-sponsored excursions. But for those who like the comfort level of ship excursions, budget accordingly!

I recently canceled an excursion for my September cruise when one I liked better became available. I had paid for it along with several others with a combination of OBC and credit card. I got an acknowledgment of the cancellation within a day or so, and a credit on my credit card within a week, along with the return of the OBC portion to my account. I also canceled an excursion for one of my July cruises almost immediately after booking because I accidentally chose the wrong time of the 2 options. I tried getting it changed over the phone, but I had to cancel and rebook. I got an immediate confirmation of the cancellation, and a nearly immediate credit on my credit card. I have never used gift cards, so I don’t know anything about that process. But given how long ago you canceled, it seems you should follow up rather than waiting longer. Good luck!

Very true, but for me, excursion options are important, and Carnival's options for my 2023 cruises have been somewhat of a disappointment. Refer to my post in the "Carnival Legend 2024 Itineraries Announced" thread for details. My basis of comparison is from a 14-day NCL British Isles cruise that was ultimately a covid cancelation but for which I had already booked from among multiple appealing excursion choices, from a past Celebrity Mediterranean cruise, from a Princess Scandanavian cruise, and from a 2024 Celebrity Mediterranean cruise for which I can already see excursion options. Clearly, this is not a factor for those who prefer independent tours or exploration on their own.

I believe Carnival's slight presence in Europe is reflected in the excursion choices. I have 3 Carnival cruises in Europe this year, and for my 21-day B2B in July, there are still no excursions at all offered for 3 of the ports. For other ports, there may be as few as 3 options. I will find something to do in the ports with no or only unappealing options, and I will have a great time. But excursion options are a big part of my planning, and I have been a little disappointed for my 2023 cruises. Despite Carnival's prices being an excellent value, I will not be canceling the European cruises I booked on other lines for 2024 -including one to the Norway fjords. 😀 I am hoping that other lines with more experience in Europe will have more options. Actually, for a Celebrity cruise, I was able to review excursion options for that specific cruise before committing to the cruise. And now that I have booked the cruise, I can book excursions for Sept 2024 while still waiting to see if Carnival will come up with anything for some of the ports in July 2023. After my 2023 cruises, I plan on writing reviews on Carnival's site about the excursions I took. There weren't many reviews when I was making my choices. I hope to be able to provide useful information for others as they make their decisions. I hope everyone finds a great itinerary and has a wonderful cruise! And as soon as you see an excursion you like, book it! Carnival just posted big price increases for mine, and I saved a lot by booking them early. They are refundable if you change your mind.

Thank you for the reminder that heat is a factor. My Mediterranean cruise is in early September next year, which is still summer. So, I do need to be prepared for heat (lots of water and a hat) as well as the walking distance (appropriate shoes). I booked this as a solo, thinking I might invite someone to join me, but now I know to make these issues clear to any potential travel partner. By the way, I love that Celebrity makes excursion options available for review so far in advance - and even before booking, as that helped me commit to this particular cruise.

Wow! I have booked most of my excursions for my three 2023 European cruises. Every single one is now more expensive, with increases ranging from 10% to 37%, most around 22%. And I thought they were expensive when I booked! Even the bus transfer from Victoria to Dover is more. I am still debating about some options in Copenhagen, but with the new prices, I think I will just take a local bus or tram into the city to explore on my own.

I have a 12-day Northern European cruise on Carnival this coming July, followed by a 9-day British Isles itinerary. I am disappointed that as of this morning, there are no excursions whatsoever offered for 3 of the ports on these 2 cruises. I would consider private tours or using public transportation into city, but my first choice for convenience in unfamiliar ports is a ship-sponsored excursion, or even just a shuttle into town. I can't finalize my plans when I don't know if Carnival will offer anything for Nynashamn (for Stockholm but about 36 miles away), Tallinn in Estonia, or Portree in Scotland. The lack of excursion choices in these 3 ports, along with what @Eli_6has said about Carnival's tender process, led me to give up on waiting to see what itineraries, if any, Carnival will have in Europe next year. I booked NCL with a friend for N Europe, Norway fjords on Royal Caribbean with another friend, and the Mediterranean on Celebrity solo. I have been on many enjoyable Carnival cruises in the Caribbean, and I find them a good value. But I don't think Carnival will be my first choice for Europe in the future. Despite my current frustrations, I know I will find something to do in every port, and I expect to have a good time, first time on a ship since before covid. For those considering Carnival in Europe, just do lots of research in advance - which are tender ports - and do you have any status that will get you on an early tender - where exactly is the port in relation to the places you want to see (see Nynashamn/Stockholm above), and how comfortable are you making independent plans if excursion options are few or none.

A few years ago, I climbed the pyramid at the Xunantunich Mayan ruins in Belize. The steps were steep, narrow, worn smooth from age, and there was nothing to hold on to. Yet some women attempted it in flip flops or stylish sandals. I had on my unstylish senior citizen shoes, which is what I will be wearing on the Mediterranean excursions. 🙂

Thank you all for your input. The excursions in question include a few of the Cinque Terre villages (walking within them, which I expect to be hilly, but not walking between them), Nice and Eze, Florence from Livorno, and Pompeii. The descriptions mentioned walking distances of 1 - 3 miles, which isn't strenuous to me. On vacations last year in Ireland and London, I walked up to 11 miles a day sightseeing, so it appears I will be fine - with appropriate shoes, definitely. Thankfully, I didn't see an upper age limit on any of the excursions.

I have been looking at excursions for my 2024 Mediterranean cruise on the Equinox. Most of those that interest me are labeled "strenuous", though the description mentions only walking - maybe on cobblestones, maybe some steps, maybe an incline though not hiking up a mountain LOL. Knowing my fitness level, I will pass on other excursions labeled strenuous, such as the biking and kayaking options. It seems odd to classify a walking tour of a city the same as those athletic activities. I am a senior citizen with no mobility issues. I would not want to sightsee only from a bus window, but I won't want to get in over my head, either. Can I feel confident taking these "strenuous" excursions?

A friend and I took a Celebrity excursion to Portofino from Genoa on the Galaxy back in 2005. Transportation was by boat, and upon arrival, we were free to explore on our own for a few hours. It was a very pleasant day. As it was so long ago, I don't remember the cost, but I can confirm that it is doable, if Celebrity chooses to offer it.

I have a ticket to tour the royal yacht, so it is open to the public. I didn't think about using the excursion as simply a way to get ashore early, but @BlerkOne, that's a good idea. I might just do that. Or I may use it for the transportation into the city center but look into public transportation or a taxi back to the ship in order to have more time in port. I have to do more research on the city and the distances.

I am not sure what you mean. The excursion is transportation into Edinburgh and return transportation to the tender port for return to the ship, the time ashore to be spent however one wishes. So, I am taking the excursion.

@Eli_6, thank you for sharing your experiences. You convinced me to buy the "Edinburgh on your own" excursion for the sole purpose of getting off the ship early. I will then find my own way to the Royal Yacht Britannia, which is my main plan for Edinburgh. Annoyingly, the excursion's return to the ship is sooner than I would like given our departure time, but I don't have any priority on Carnival, so without the excursion, I would be among the last to get on a tender.

Oh dear, I am on what sounds like that same British Isles itinerary after my Scandanavian one. Thanks for the warning. Was Portree in Scotland one of your ports? Carnival currently is offering no excursions for that port, and it looks like a pretty small town, not one where there will be a line of minibuses for private tours. Well, flights and hotels are booked, and I am anxious to be on a ship for the first time since 2019. I will make the best of it. It does seem like Europe just isn't Carnival's strong point.