Monaco or Marseille?

[cruisingforsix]

Hi, i am looking at afew meditteranean cruisesfor next year and wanted some opinions on ports. There are two itineraries that i'm looking at one does croatia and monaco and one goes to marseille and the balearic islands. I may have those backwards,shouldhave written it down. Just wanted to get some information as this will be our first trip to europe. they both go to venice which was the main port i wanted to be included on the cruise. Thanks

[TLCOhio]

Hi, i am looking at afew meditteranean cruisesfor next year and wanted some opinions on ports. There are two itineraries that i'm looking at one does croatia and monaco and one goes to marseille and the balearic islands. I may have those backwards,shouldhave written it down. Just wanted to get some information as this will be our first trip to europe. they both go to venice which was the main port i wanted to be included on the cruise. Thanks

 

Good and interesting options. There are, as always, "trade-offs" to consider. Marseilles is not that great as a stop by itself in my book. More blue-collar and a "port-industrial" place. But, Marseilles is close to some great, nearby places in Provence, at Aix, etc., etc. Monaco has lots of interesting and nearby options, including Eze, etc. Part of the question might be about how you consider countryside vs. city options/priorities. Croatia is high on our "go there next" list of super places. There are some interesting places in the Balearic Islands. Tell us more on your past Europe experiences, along with your personal and travel interests. Then, with more detailed information from you, we can make better, more specific suggestions on what best fits your needs and interests.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[moyaroo]

The up side of the one is Croatia either Split or Dubrovnik are exceptional stops and let you be ahead of some of your friends on the been there. I don't care much for the cote D'Azur myself, even though I adore France.

 

Which brings us to Marseille! As Terry said not a lot (go to Notre Dame de la Garde and see the city from on high have lunch at the old port) but you can get to Avignon, Aix en Provence and Arles from there (add Pont Du Gard, NImes, St Remy and Le Baux en Provence and you will see how dificult a choice this is.

 

First time to Europe? Go for Marseille, Second or more Croatia. But you can't go wrong.

Ship choice might be the deal maker.

[TLCOhio]

The up side of the one is Croatia either Split or Dubrovnik are exceptional stops and let you be ahead of some of your friends on the been there. I don't care much for the cote D'Azur myself, even though I adore France. Which brings us to Marseille! As Terry said not a lot (go to Notre Dame de la Garde and see the city from on high have lunch at the old port) but you can get to Avignon, Aix en Provence and Arles from there (add Pont Du Gard, NImes, St Remy and Le Baux en Provence and you will see how dificult a choice this is. First time to Europe? Go for Marseille, Second or more Croatia. But you can't go wrong. Ship choice might be the deal maker.

 

Lots of good thoughts and wisdom, including the ship choice question, from Moyaroo. Here are some notes to consider on certain of the many great options in Provence. It's hard to narrow down there to only one or two priorities.

 

AVIGNON is "one of the great art cities of France". Its old part of town has the Papal Palace, seat of Popes 1309-1377, street musicians perform near palace; art museum in Place du Palais open Wednesday through Monday, population of 87,000, town is on Rhone River. Once the religious, political and financial capital, Avignon is today a cultural capital and plays host annually in July to the largest festival of live theatre in the world. It has some of the best example of Gothic architecture in Europe.

 

AIX-EN-PROVENCE (population of 125,000) with Cezanne's studio on the road to Entremont; university town founded 122 B.C. as first Roman settlement in Gaul, near thermal springs, dining at Gu et Fils. An elegant and beautiful town, the visitor will enjoy discovering its ‘thousand fountains’ as he or she roams through its labyrinth of narrow streets. Aix-en-Provence is also renowned worldwide for its unique classical music festival.

 

Car travel to such nearby areas as ARLES, highest priority area city with Roman ruins, including 20,000 seat arena where bull fights are held in the summer; founded 49 B.C. by Julius Caesar, population of 52,000, Van Gogh's former home. Tarascon has its 15th century castle. LES BAUX is a very neat medieval village with great views that has no major population now, but tourist flock to soak up its history and great views. You should dine right near there at L'Oustau de Beaumaniere for ONE OF THE BEST MEALS YOU CAN HAVE IN FRANCE (lunch is more affordable).

 

This website gives some excellent info on the area, plus this excellent Michelin two-star rated dining place:

http://www.relaischateaux.com/en/search-book/hotel-restaurant/oustau/region

 

NIMES was settled 121 B.C. and has a population of 140,000. Around the time of Julius Caesar, Nimes was a bustling city on the strategic Via Domitia linking Rome to Iberia/Spain. Nimes's arena, temple and nearby aqueduct are among the best-preserved in all of the former empire. Cars are banished from the compact old city dotted with other ruins, enhancing the feel of yesteryear. The Maison Carre is an almost impossibly pristine Roman temple.

 

ST. REMY has its Roman ruins, a population of 9000 and is the setting of world-famous literature. Saint-Remy is one of the most representative of Provençal towns and allows the visitor to appreciate the true charm of this oft-celebrated region of the country. It comes as no surprise that Saint Remy, like Cannes or Saint Tropez, is a destination for many well-known personalities. This Gallo-Roman village is on the plains 20 km south of Avignon. Residents more recent than the Romans include Dr. Schweitzer, Dr. Nostradamus and Van Gogh. The picturesque, old village is protected by the circular 14th-century wall which is lined by its protective circle of buildings. Its dolphin fountain is located in the shaded square in front of a 16th century old convent. This is a busy, active village, with a good selection of restaurants and hotels for the traveller. Among the shops are a few with some regional pottery, including some beautiful sunflower plates influenced by Van Gogh. The road between St. Remy and the autoroute (at Cavaillon, 17 km to the east) is a scenic drive out of the past: the road is lined by plane trees.

 

PONT DU GARD (Roman aqueduct/bridge) to the west of Avignon is a must see with its well-preserved history and beautiful setting. Saturday AM market at Uzes near Pont du Gard can be totally charming and wonderful.

 

Below are a couple photo samples as "previews" for what can be enjoyed. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

In the heart of Provence, this is the famed Roman-built Pont du Gard. It's an amazing engineer accomplishment:

 

 

 

 

 

Along the scenic southern French coast west of Cannes:

 

 

 

Here is a view of Monaco with famed hotel and part of the Casino with the scenic mountains also shown:

 

 

 

This shot shows more of the gardens at the top of Eze and also this shot offers great views along the coast:

 

 

 

Here’s a sampling of the fun at a market day in Provence:

 

[Hlitner]

Both Monaco and Marseille are excellent ports (more for their regions rather than the port cities) and you can have fun with either stop. Dubrovnik is a very good cruise stop and we would favor it over any of the Balearic islands (although we do like Minorca which unfortunately is not included on most cruises). The times (and days of the week) in ports should also be a consideration. Sundays (and Mondays in Italy) find many shops and some tourist attractions closed.

 

Hank

[Cruise Junky]

Terry, you're killing me!! Stop it! ;)

 

Hank, did you see Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations on Provence? A lot was shot in St. Remy.

[cruisingforsix]

Thanks everybody , great information and pictures. Provence looks wonderful. The main thing for me was i did not want to miss Venice and both of these cruises are in Venice overnight. Iwas also shooting for one with a greek island .Iam trying to squeeze a little bit of everything into one cruise, or as much as i can since this will be our first time in Europe.

[Hlitner]

Terry, you're killing me!! Stop it! ;)

 

Hank, did you see Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations on Provence? A lot was shot in St. Remy.

 

No, we haven't seen that episode although we do enjoy his show. We will keep an eye open for that Provence episode.

 

Hank

[TLCOhio]

Thanks everybody , great information and pictures. Provence looks wonderful. The main thing for me was i did not want to miss Venice and both of these cruises are in Venice overnight. Iwas also shooting for one with a greek island .Iam trying to squeeze a little bit of everything into one cruise, or as much as i can since this will be our first time in Europe.

 

Agree that Venice is a super, not-to-missed place for your first visit to Europe. Here's the key "words of wisdom". You cannot see it "ALL" or even half of it on your first trip and/or first cruise. Europe is a lot bigger and more diverse than what it seems on a paper map. Lots of cities, countries, history, geography, cultures, etc.

 

A key question is: what and how do you want to "ENJOY" and "EXPERIENCE" things in France, Italy, etc.? Rush-rush and gulp it down like soda pop or beer . . . OR . . . sip and savor the moment like fine wine, doing people watching, sensing an enjoyment of life and the humanity, the architecture, history and charm? It's your choice. I just wanted to make sure you understand your many, many options and timing trade-offs.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[cruisingforsix]

Iknow we can't "see it all " ,but if i'm spending 13 hours in a plane i am going to squeeze in as much as i can. Thanks i felt the same way about Venice ,even though i've never been. Ithink we are going to try and do a 12 night to see a few more places . There was only one 7 day cruise that came close to the itinerary that i was looking for.

[John Bull]

I'd put Monaco top of my list. Easy to reach by train if your port is actually further along the french coast (cruiselines sometimes quote misleading itineraries), and the town is reasonably compact, though hilly in places. You can tour the town in as little as 1 minute 14.439 secs with the right tour driver.:D

 

I wouldn't put Marseilles at the bottom of my list.

Because it wouldn't be on my list at all.

Yes, you can explore Provence - but you can do so from any port along that coast.

 

Never been to Croatia, but it's high on my list for the future. Beautiful, I'm told.

Your alternative of the Balearics (guessing it's Palma, Majorca) is Spain's playground and, like the Mediterranean costas, has become rather over-developed with bars, hotels & urbanisations for holiday-makers, retirees & second-homes.

If your itinerary doesn't include another Spansh port it should be low on your list.

If you do have a Spanish mainland call, then the Balearics should fall off your list entirely.

 

You've pre-empted my final thought. I wouldn't fly to the States, Caribbean etc for just 7 days. If it's worth heading our way then the same applies and, as Terry's comment re diversity, even more so.

 

Have fun choosin', have fun cruisin'

 

John Bull

[cruisingforsix]

So much to decide on. The one 12 night does leave out of Barcelona and has the overnight in Venice. Their is also a 9 night that leaves out of venice and ends up in Barcelona. We were wondering if the flights are more expensive if your arrival and departure is out of a different city. That is something else we need to look at. When the ship is docked overnight in a port are there rules about being back on the ship by a certain time at night or do you just have to make it before it leaves. I have come to the conclusion that with cruising, the longer the better ,no matter where you are going.The time just goes to fast.

[John Bull]

So much to decide on. The one 12 night does leave out of Barcelona and has the overnight in Venice. Their is also a 9 night that leaves out of venice and ends up in Barcelona. We were wondering if the flights are more expensive if your arrival and departure is out of a different city. That is something else we need to look at. When the ship is docked overnight in a port are there rules about being back on the ship by a certain time at night or do you just have to make it before it leaves. I have come to the conclusion that with cruising, the longer the better ,no matter where you are going.The time just goes to fast.

 

Bingo.:)

Possibly the biggest drawback to cruising is the limited time in each port - their timetable, not yours. The nine-nighter Venice/Barcelona means that you can spend a few days in those cities pre/post cruise - you'd be wise to fly to the ship at least a day early anyway in case you were delayed.

Dare I suggest Barca itself is only worth a day, but there's places beyond such as Girona or the Costa Brava, or even Andorra.

Flying back from a different airport - I've seen threads on these pages which suggest it's not an expensive deal. Hopefully Hank or Terry others will know the score, or you can ask on the Ask A Cruise Question board.

 

Generally, when your ship overnites at the quayside in a western country like Italy, you can leave/join the ship at any time day or night, the gangway will be permanently manned. The exceptions may be tendered ports (the captain may not want the boats out in the dark) and any restrictions imposed by the port authorities - I don't think this is the case with Venice but don't take that as gospel.

You can even stay ashore at a hotel overnite. Since the ship is going nowhere I very much doubt you're even required to inform them, though it would certainly be a courtesy to reception staff, your steward, waiter & any dining sharers.

 

JB

for every question I help you to solve, I aim to present you with at least two more questions :D

[moyaroo]

in general open jaw tickets to europe are no more expensive than rt to the more expensive city and often cheaper. Since one needs not backtrack it is always the preferred way to go as backtracking is never free.

[clmom]

Hi, i am looking at afew meditteranean cruisesfor next year and wanted some opinions on ports. There are two itineraries that i'm looking at one does croatia and monaco and one goes to marseille and the balearic islands. I may have those backwards,shouldhave written it down. Just wanted to get some information as this will be our first trip to europe. they both go to venice which was the main port i wanted to be included on the cruise. Thanks

Our first cruise was on the Pacific Princess to the Med in 2008. We have been to Europe several times so our list of "must haves" maybe are a little different than yours. We wanted to go to unique ports we would probably never have the opportunity to see if we did a land tour. Venice was also very high on our list. When considering itineraries, look at the ports where you arrive and how far the "city" is...ie. Rome, Florence, Berlin, etc are all several hours by ground transportation from the port. On our cruise we went to places like Malta, Corsica, Montenegro, Croatia, Ravenna...wonderful places that we would never have seen otherwise. We loved our ship (670 pax), loved the itinerary (12 nights, only 1 sea day) and we are now hooked on cruising!!

[schoolinmy3]

So much to decide on. The one 12 night does leave out of Barcelona and has the overnight in Venice. Their is also a 9 night that leaves out of venice and ends up in Barcelona. We were wondering if the flights are more expensive if your arrival and departure is out of a different city. That is something else we need to look at. When the ship is docked overnight in a port are there rules about being back on the ship by a certain time at night or do you just have to make it before it leaves. I have come to the conclusion that with cruising, the longer the better ,no matter where you are going.The time just goes to fast.

 

No, flights are not necessarily more expensive if you have different arrival and departure cities. We are flying into Rome and back home from London in May. This was actually cheaper than a round trip to and from Rome for us. You do need to be back on the ship at least 1/2 hour before departure. There will be signs indicating the time as you leave the ship. Also, make sure your watch is set to the ship's time and not local time (if may be different). We chose the cruise from Rome to London as my son wanted to see a variety of cultures.

Diane