Jump to content

Same Old Ports


Eglesbrech
 Share

Recommended Posts

But David that is my point we are long time passengers now with 40+ Cruises and we can still find new ports. So it can be done.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Maybe I should have emphasised “worthwhile”. There is often good reason why a port has not been visited before that only becomes apparent when you step ashore.

 

DAVID.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe I should have emphasised “worthwhile”. There is often good reason why a port has not been visited before that only becomes apparent when you step ashore.

 

 

 

DAVID.

 

 

 

Depends on your definition of worthwhile, we have enjoyed all of the ‘new ports’ we have been to in the past year or so.

 

Belfast, Stornaway, Kirkwall, Lerwick, 3 in Iceland Santorini, Mykonos, Heraklion, Toulon, Salerno, Portoferraio on Elba, Oslo, Ceuta.

 

I think that is a fair list and very few would come into the category of not being worth a visit.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is the reason I find the statement ‘Same old ports’ a bit disingenuous. We having cruised quite a lot, are still finding Cruises with new ports on and not just the odd one or two. 15 in the last year or so and 13 to come. Remembering we only Cruise from Southampton so Ocena in the Middle East is out for us.

 

The new ports are there, you just have to look.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have met people who have complained about a particular port - Dominica comes to mind - saying what a dreadful port and why had we stopped there. It then materialised that all they had done was walk around the port area. Dominica is one of those islands (before the awful destruction it endured in the recent hurricane) where you have to go into the island to realise what a lovely place it is - and hopefully will be again. On another cruise a couple new to cruising were on our table on a fly cruise to the Caribbean. All they did at every port was walk around the port area until the wife put her foot down. She said she was fed up with coming down to dinner and hearing what everyone else had done and seen during the day. Her husband looked most uncomfortable. At the next stop she made him get a taxi and do a tour of the island, can't remember which one, and in the evening she was so much happier and full of what she had seen. Her husband did have the grace to admit that she had been right and they did need to do more than walk around the port area. So some ports may look awful where the ship docks but usually there is something interesting to see.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having been to Vigo 14 times in 40 cruises does get a bit tiring! Lisbon comes second at 11, and we will be there again in December! so now we often tend to stay on the ship in these cases. Like Dai, we can only cruise from the UK, for health reasons, flying is out, and we can only get cover for certain parts of Europe. We now tend to do UK based holidays, or Eurostar into the closer areas of the continent.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would also say that whilst we have only done 7 cruises we have been to Rome 4 times, Lisbon three and yes Vigo 3 times I do agree it is what you make of your visit. When on P&O excursions, we have always been impressed with the agents that they use who are very knowledgable of the local areas. In Geiranger this year we had a really interesting young guy who kept us entertained all day and really made the trip for us, apart from the obvious beautiful scenery.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the problems for me is that I prefer the smaller ships, which are mostly adult-only. P&O seem to increasingly be using these for a lot of longer duration cruises. I would be quite happy with that but the costs of sailing solo make longer cruises pretty prohibitive due to the cost.

Edited by Britboys
typo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like Dai we have done over 40 cruises. We now consider it a bonus to have one or two new ports but have had at least one new port on each of the last 5 cruises. We are unfortunately restricted to Southampton round trips now due to health problems but regardless of how many times we have visited a port we always manage to find something that we haven't seen before. We rarely do the tours now but in most ports there are interesting sights if you do your homework before you go. Every place you visit is what you make of it, we need to remember that we are fortunate to be able to visit these places some people will never have the chance to travel.:):)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It does really depend on what you make of a port. We weren't really looking forward to Naples as last time we were there we took the train to Herculaneum and didn't want to do that again. So I just googled Naples. We visited the Royal Palace, just a short walk from the ship. It was amazing and huge. Came out and had a really good coffee in a place that was obviously very well know and the inside was worth a look as well. After that we did a tour of the opera house, which was just stunning. Whole thing cost about 12 Euros and 5 for the coffee. A very good day.

 

We used a private company for a bus into Rome. 19 Euros, whereas the ship tour was £51!!

 

We had a few new ports, El Ferrol, Ciudadella, Olbia, Palamos. Just hope Oriana stays as we would be struggling if she went. We have sailed with Fred, but I do feel the passsengers are a lot older (or seem so cos they are all sleeping everywhere) . I might add that we are 79 and 70 but like to be up and doing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with Jean, there's still plenty to discover at the "same old ports." Since introducing our young son to cruising we've found the lovely beach and promenade just a 10 minute taxi or bus ride from the port in Vigo, the zoo and aquarium in Lisbon, fantastic pizza and a family friendly water polo club and lido in Civitavecchia, Parque Maritimo (lido) in Santa Cruz de Tenerife etc. All done on our own without excursions and very affordable, it's just a matter of doing your homework beforehand (easier than ever these days with Google etc.).

As for the comments about passengers just getting off the ship and walking around the port area, it's a scientific fact that no matter what time you disembark the ship for some time ashore there will always be someone coming the other way getting back on (even early morning)! :D

Damian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last year we chose a cruise on Oriana because it was going somewhere different - St.Nazaire. Personally I thought it was a great port as was fascinated by the German U Boat pens, finding out about the St.Nazaire raids (and it does have a lovely beach) and having a chance to look at the shipbuilding - we saw MSC Meraviglia about to launch and an enormous Royal Carribean being built. Also the Ocean Liner attraction was really high quality and very interesting. And because it was a maiden call we were made to feel really welcome and had the full fire boat send off. But back on board Oriana all we heard was moans that the whole place was a concrete dump and why on earth had we stopped there.

 

So I do have sympathy with P & O on this one, try to add somewhere different and everyone complains.

 

 

Wow, I would LOVE to visit St Nazaire. My Great Uncle was second in Command on HMS Campbeltown, the destroyer used for the raid on the dock gate. I must keep an eye out for itineraries which include St Nazaire.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with Jean, there's still plenty to discover at the "same old ports." Since introducing our young son to cruising we've found the lovely beach and promenade just a 10 minute taxi or bus ride from the port in Vigo, the zoo and aquarium in Lisbon, fantastic pizza and a family friendly water polo club and lido in Civitavecchia, Parque Maritimo (lido) in Santa Cruz de Tenerife etc. All done on our own without excursions and very affordable, it's just a matter of doing your homework beforehand (easier than ever these days with Google etc.).

As for the comments about passengers just getting off the ship and walking around the port area, it's a scientific fact that no matter what time you disembark the ship for some time ashore there will always be someone coming the other way getting back on (even early morning)! :D

Damian

 

Hee hee, you're right there. We got off in one port at 9.15 and there were folk already coming back. They couldn't possibly have given it even a try!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hee hee, you're right there. We got off in one port at 9.15 and there were folk already coming back. They couldn't possibly have given it even a try!

I have seen that when we get off the ship at 10 am.

P&O are not the only cruise line i have seen that though.

Sailing from Southampton for up to 7 nights does give a limited choice of ports to visit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hee hee, you're right there. We got off in one port at 9.15 and there were folk already coming back. They couldn't possibly have given it even a try!

 

We could have been seen once doing this... we got off early in Barbados last Christmas, it was our first port after the transatlantic, we got off as soon as we could. Went for a wonderful walk along the quiet beach next to the very out of the way port. Came back to the ship as others were still only just getting off... Freshened up and got straight back off again for our morning tour... (then in the afternoon we walked into and through the town. Luckily Aurora moved to the town port late pm, so it was a quick walk back to her.

 

Did they all think we’d not given it a try? Maybe, but they were wrong! Don’t judge everyone going back to the ship early...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We could have been seen once doing this... we got off early in Barbados last Christmas, it was our first port after the transatlantic, we got off as soon as we could. Went for a wonderful walk along the quiet beach next to the very out of the way port. Came back to the ship as others were still only just getting off... Freshened up and got straight back off again for our morning tour... (then in the afternoon we walked into and through the town. Luckily Aurora moved to the town port late pm, so it was a quick walk back to her.

 

Did they all think we’d not given it a try? Maybe, but they were wrong! Don’t judge everyone going back to the ship early...

 

Excellent, that's really making the most of port time! Not something I'd thought of to be honest and whilst I definitely try not to judge people you've certainly given me a new perspective!

All the best

Damian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is the reason I find the statement ‘Same old ports’ a bit disingenuous. We having cruised quite a lot, are still finding Cruises with new ports on and not just the odd one or two. 15 in the last year or so and 13 to come. Remembering we only Cruise from Southampton so Ocena in the Middle East is out for us.

 

The new ports are there, you just have to look.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Sorry Dai, I am not being not disingenuous. I gave up counting my cruises after I reached 100 so I am genuinely struggling to find anything I have not done several times before. There is the odd one but precious few.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry Dai, I am not being not disingenuous. I gave up counting my cruises after I reached 100 so I am genuinely struggling to find anything I have not done several times before. There is the odd one but precious few.

 

 

 

Well with that many done it is hardly surprising that you are having difficulty finding new ones.

 

What annoys me is when people say this when a new brochure comes out and they have done only a handful of Cruises.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry Dai, I am not being not disingenuous. I gave up counting my cruises after I reached 100 so I am genuinely struggling to find anything I have not done several times before. There is the odd one but precious few.

I am not too bothered about new ports, as my wife is a wheelchair user I prefer ports which are easily accessible with lots of level promenades and plenty of cafes for a relaxing coffee or beer.

However I would like more ports, 2019 summer school holiday Med 14 nighters are now down to only 6 ports, which compares very unfavourably with RCI's 8 nights on similar Med cruises from Southampton'

We have just returned from an RCI 14 night Canaries cruise which crammed in 9 ports, several of which included late evening departures giving exceptionally long times in port compared to P&O, and the food was as good as P&O whilst the service was much better. Make you think where best to spend your cruise pound.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well with that many done it is hardly surprising that you are having difficulty finding new ones.

 

What annoys me is when people say this when a new brochure comes out and they have done only a handful of Cruises.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

I agree. For the first 20 years or so there was always something new to do. Years ago there were actually many more ports to visit but with the situation in the world recently it has actually reduced the options.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am not too bothered about new ports, as my wife is a wheelchair user I prefer ports which are easily accessible with lots of level promenades and plenty of cafes for a relaxing coffee or beer.

However I would like more ports, 2019 summer school holiday Med 14 nighters are now down to only 6 ports, which compares very unfavourably with RCI's 8 nights on similar Med cruises from Southampton'

We have just returned from an RCI 14 night Canaries cruise which crammed in 9 ports, several of which included late evening departures giving exceptionally long times in port compared to P&O, and the food was as good as P&O whilst the service was much better. Make you think where best to spend your cruise pound.

 

I have never been particulalrly loyal to one company, as I have said on here before. We have cruised with numerous different lines over the years to find different ports, food, entertainment etc (some lines don't even exist anymore) and yes some offer more ports and longer stays.

 

I do prefer leaving from the Uk if possible or if I have to fly, from a local airport.

 

Finding accessible ports must be even more difficult for you if you are looking for something new.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like Dai we have done over 40 cruises. We now consider it a bonus to have one or two new ports but have had at least one new port on each of the last 5 cruises. We are unfortunately restricted to Southampton round trips now due to health problems but regardless of how many times we have visited a port we always manage to find something that we haven't seen before. We rarely do the tours now but in most ports there are interesting sights if you do your homework before you go. Every place you visit is what you make of it, we need to remember that we are fortunate to be able to visit these places some people will never have the chance to travel.:):)

Very true.

Sorry to hear about your health issues but good you can enjoy cruising from Southampton.

Graham.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It does really depend on what you make of a port. We weren't really looking forward to Naples as last time we were there we took the train to Herculaneum and didn't want to do that again. So I just googled Naples. We visited the Royal Palace, just a short walk from the ship. It was amazing and huge. Came out and had a really good coffee in a place that was obviously very well know and the inside was worth a look as well. After that we did a tour of the opera house, which was just stunning. Whole thing cost about 12 Euros and 5 for the coffee. A very good day.

 

We used a private company for a bus into Rome. 19 Euros, whereas the ship tour was £51!!

 

We had a few new ports, El Ferrol, Ciudadella, Olbia, Palamos. Just hope Oriana stays as we would be struggling if she went. We have sailed with Fred, but I do feel the passsengers are a lot older (or seem so cos they are all sleeping everywhere) . I might add that we are 79 and 70 but like to be up and doing.

Thats great you can still enjoy new places.

We have been to Naples several times and have had a cruise tour once and got a taxi another time to Sorrento.

Last time we walked around Naples but it seemed to have gone downhill and we bought nothing so we had a walk around the terminal and found a super leather shop that made their own leather clothes and Pauline bought herself three different coloured leather jackets at really good prices.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well with that many done it is hardly surprising that you are having difficulty finding new ones.

 

What annoys me is when people say this when a new brochure comes out and they have done only a handful of Cruises.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I agree,we have done 45 cruises and 5 DFDS from NShields before that and still find new things in ports.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am not too bothered about new ports, as my wife is a wheelchair user I prefer ports which are easily accessible with lots of level promenades and plenty of cafes for a relaxing coffee or beer.

However I would like more ports, 2019 summer school holiday Med 14 nighters are now down to only 6 ports, which compares very unfavourably with RCI's 8 nights on similar Med cruises from Southampton'

We have just returned from an RCI 14 night Canaries cruise which crammed in 9 ports, several of which included late evening departures giving exceptionally long times in port compared to P&O, and the food was as good as P&O whilst the service was much better. Make you think where best to spend your cruise pound.

We did a 15 night Caribbean cruise several years ago on Crown Princess out of San Juan and we had 12 wonderful ports of call.

We also took my mother in law on 6 cruises after father in law died in 2008 and she was in a wheelchair,the last one was on Ventura in 2012 for her 90th birthday so i have a very good understanding what its like with a wheelchair.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...