Med Cruise May 2012

[puttforpar]

We are taking a 12 day cruise on the Med this coming May on HAL. The cruise starts in Venice and ends in Barcelona. Just joined this site and this is my first posting. Can you offer tips that you found especially valuable? We are interested in shore excursions so any info on this topic would be appreciated. Thank you.

[kazu]

We are taking a 12 day cruise on the Med this coming May on HAL. The cruise starts in Venice and ends in Barcelona. Just joined this site and this is my first posting. Can you offer tips that you found especially valuable? We are interested in shore excursions so any info on this topic would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

Welcome to cruise critic - this is a great cruise and you are going to have a blast. Join your roll call - just tab down to roll calls and holland america after and look for your ship. You will find your roll call - all kinds of people going on your cruise and some probably looking to share private tours;)

 

As well, take a look at the ports board - just go to the Boards page again and tab down to the ports board - there are a ton of people that will help as well as a ton of posts that will probably help you already.

 

Enjoy your cruise - it's a very nice one:)

[Valley Girl of VA]

We did all of our excursions this past fall on our Med cruise through our Roll Call. Suggest you try there and the Ports of Call.

[RMLincoln]

We are taking a 12 day cruise on the Med this coming May on HAL. The cruise starts in Venice and ends in Barcelona. Just joined this site and this is my first posting. Can you offer tips that you found especially valuable? We are interested in shore excursions so any info on this topic would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

Spend extra time in Venice if you can, a couple of days wouldn't be too much. It's easy to get around on the vaparettos (water buses). You can buy the tickets ahead of time on line, print your voucher, take it to the ticket booth when you arrive and they give you a pass good for however long you bought it for. Very easy. So much to do there. Art, hiistory, architecture, glass, music! You can add the museum option to the vaporetto pass for just a few euros and then have access to all the museums (all of which have no extra charge for the bathrooms! Public bathrooms may charge 1.5 euros per use. )

 

Don't try to do too much in Rome, it can be overwhelming. But do have a plan. Walking is good there if you can, or taxi and walking combination. You can try for a private tour but I owuldn't recommend the Hop on Hop off buses becasue you'll spend too much time waiting for the next bus. We reserved a time on-line before we left home for the Vatican Museum to see the Sistine Chapel - essential because the line can be hours long to get in, so not very doable on a cruise port of call schedule without a reservation.

 

Study up with a good guide book such as Rick Steves or other.

 

Eat gelato! ;) Perfecto! m--

 

Oh, and Welcome to Cruise Critic!

[puttforpar]

Thank you for all these suggestions. I have to figure out how to get on a roll call and I also appreciate the tip about getting a reservation for the Vatican.

[numbersix]

Thank you for all these suggestions. I have to figure out how to get on a roll call and I also appreciate the tip about getting a reservation for the Vatican.

 

Ok--I'll help.

 

1) Roll Call: Cruise Critic>>Boards>>"Roll Calls">>Cruise Line>>Ship>>find your cruise>>click, and you're on! The roll calls can be a great way to connect with people on your cruise, and share ideas, and maybe hook up to share private excursions, et cetera.

 

2) Vatican--by this I assume you mean the Vatican Museums? Just go to the site, and ticket info is right there. By going through the musems, you finish at the Sistine Chapel, and then exit into the Basilica, thereby saving time in that line. Do reserve ahead--the lines can be horrendous!

 

http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/MV_Home.html

 

And don't miss the gelato in Rome, and Florence, too, if you're going!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Kevin

[SwissMyst]

We are taking a 12 day cruise on the Med this coming May on HAL. The cruise starts in Venice and ends in Barcelona. Just joined this site and this is my first posting. Can you offer tips that you found especially valuable? We are interested in shore excursions so any info on this topic would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

Welcome, which ship will you be taking. You are hitting two wonderful and easy access cities at the beginning and the end. Hope you can add a few days on either or both ends of your trip. Should be a great tour.

 

There is a fascinating book called "The Middle Sea" (Norwich) which is a history of the Mediterranean Sea from its geologic beginnings to its era as the master of succeeding European civilizations, all within reach of the this remarkable inland sea. There is hardly a port in this whole area that is not a worthy stop. Best wishes to you and enjoy it to its fullest.

 

May is a very pretty time to be in this area- spring green and lots of flowers. This is the time the brilliant red poppies come out.