First Cruise Ideas Please

[mammasam]

Hi all,

 

We will be taking our first cruise in May. Ports of call are Palma, Olbia, Sorrento, Rome, Ajaccio and Palamos.

 

Any ideas/tips on excursions and things to do in port would be much appreciated.

 

Many Thanks

 

Sam:)

[rookery]

The queues for the Coliseum are huge. When we did Rome we went on a Thomson excursion and bypassed all the queues.

[Kamloops50]

Hi all,

 

We will be taking our first cruise in May. Ports of call are Palma, Olbia, Sorrento, Rome, Ajaccio and Palamos.

 

Any ideas/tips on excursions and things to do in port would be much appreciated.

 

Many Thanks

 

Sam:)

Being your first cruise . I would recommend using excursions from the cruise line. Especially if your first time in Europe.

[mammasam]

The queues for the Coliseum are huge. When we did Rome we went on a Thomson excursion and bypassed all the queues.

 

Hi Rookery, we are thinking of doing the 'Rome on our own' Thomson excursion. Been looking online and found that we can book tickets for the Colosseum in advance. Not sure if this will avoid the queues though.

[mammasam]

Being your first cruise . I would recommend using excursions from the cruise line. Especially if your first time in Europe.

 

Hi Kamloops50, This will be our first cruise but not our first time in europe. We dont mind venturing out on our own.

[Turbofun]

Hi all,

 

We will be taking our first cruise in May. Ports of call are Palma, Olbia, Sorrento, Rome, Ajaccio and Palamos.

 

Any ideas/tips on excursions and things to do in port would be much appreciated.

 

Many Thanks

 

Sam:)

 

There is a Ports forum here where you will find lots of info about what to do in any port and excursions available. Then just using a search engine for any port will also produce lots of info.

 

However, as said by the previous posters, for a first cruise it's probably best to use the cruiseline's excursions. It's what we did and we never had a bad excursion. Sure, on subsequent cruises we've had better excursions but that was because we had become more confident in using independent operators booked online or on the day at the port. Here review sites are useful for checking on any independent operators.

 

A first cruise is a bit like starting at a new school, so much to find out, new people to deal with, most of whom seem to be totally at ease in the surroundings such that it's easier knowing that trips ashore will be no problem for you, while you're finding your "cruise legs".

 

Whatever you decide to do, enjoy it, it's a brilliant way to see places and you only have to unpack once.

[Turbofun]

Hi Rookery, we are thinking of doing the 'Rome on our own' Thomson excursion. Been looking online and found that we can book tickets for the Colosseum in advance. Not sure if this will avoid the queues though.

 

Depends upon what else you want to see, the Thomson excursion we took had the Colosseum, the Forum, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain and a drive by the Vatican all with a guide who provided information all the time and would answer questions about Italy.

 

Mind, was tiring though with a fair bit of walking but very worthwhile for seeing the major sites.

[mammasam]

There is a Ports forum here where you will find lots of info about what to do in any port and excursions available. Then just using a search engine for any port will also produce lots of info.

 

Whatever you decide to do, enjoy it, it's a brilliant way to see places and you only have to unpack once.

 

Hi Turbofun, Thank you for your reply. I have looked endlessly on here and other websites, so much so that my head is buzzing :confused:

 

Just thought someone who had been to any of the POC would be able to give some recommendations of places to visit or not as the case may be.

 

Im sure we will have a fab time. Thanks again.

[Sheila49]

We enjoyed the Thomson trip to the Emerald Coast from Olbia.

Sorrento and Ajaccio are fine for DIY.

We also did "Rome and the Colosseum" with Thomsons, the same one Turbofun did, and yes it was tiring and hot but we saw everything we wanted to including the inside of the Colosseum.

Sorry haven't been to Palamos.

[wiltonjam]

If I remember correctly Palomas is where the ship docks right beside the town and the marina, lovely place we took a wander up into the town itself. Then sat and had a coffee on the front and watched the world go by. Sorry can't help you any more than that. :)

[k8ti]

The queues for the Coliseum are huge. When we did Rome we went on a Thomson excursion and bypassed all the queues.

Enter via the museum. We did and found our way onto the roof and into the Vatican via a lift. No queues and made the most of the day.

[joeholiday2]

For Rome the Thomsons Rome on your own is a good way of getting there if you don't want the uncertainty of missing the train back. We did it and they drop you off just around the corner from the vatican, so it's a long walk to the Colosseum if going there is important to you. There are a lot of things to see in Rome so be prepared for a lot of walking if you do it this way.

 

This is a cracking website, the best guides for cruisers around, you can download the pdf's to a phone or tablet to save printing out:

http://www.tomsportguides.com/portguides.html

 

Sorrento is nice to walk around, (get the lift up it's very steep) and you can do HOHO buses along the Amalfi coast. We were going to do this but as we docked quite late we had to watch the time and just settled with a walk around the town.

 

Ajaccio is a nice town, a good beach, again we just walked around, going up to the English woods ( shown as Bois des anglais in google maps) to get the view from high above the town.

 

You can go to Barcelona from Palamos, but you really need to do the ship excursion, you do not get a lot of time there, I would suggest saving Barca for another cruise, one that you actually dock there. Palamos is a typical Spanish seaside town, plenty of shops and a really long beach. Others may be able to tell you about the trips from there, but we just had a stroll around again.

[skioncruises]

Here is a copy of a post I made in 2013:

 

We did Rome on Your Own and had a thoroughly enjoyable day. We left the ship at approx 8.30. Had a stop on the way for a short comfort break then straight into Rome with the guide pointing out all the sites on the way. We were given a comprehensive map which we found exceptionally good and although it looked far between the sites it wasn't.

 

We arrived outside the Basilica just before 11am and were told to be back at the same point just before 5pm. Toilets were pointed out in one of the shops then we were given directions to the metro before the guide left us to our own devices. The metro was about a 7 minute walk straight up the main road. On arrival we found there were queues for the booths but there were self service machines just round the concourse. It was 2 euros each to take us back to the Colisseum but, having no change, inserted 10 euros only to find that it would not give change over 4 euros. Back to booth to find that they had no change. Someone kindly gave us change and we were on our way. When we arrived at the Colisseum it was raining so ran over the road to a little cafe for a panini and liquid refreshment. It was midday and we thought it would be a good idea to have a bite to eat and then go walkabout.

 

Rain went off so we walked round all the various sites by following the map. We found things were literally about 10 minutes or so from each other. We eventually got to the Spanish Steps with the intention of taking the metro back to our meeting point but it was just after 3pm so had plenty of time. Now, if you are in for walking here goes...

 

We walked up the Spanish Steps, turned to the left and stayed on the left hand side of the path until we were walking slightly down hill. There was a square with an obelisk in the centre so we went down the steps and had a look around. Continuing over the square we kept to the right hand side and walked up and over the bridge. We continued to walk straight down the road (popping into a shop for an ice cream) and suddenly recognised the road that we had walked up for the metro in the morning. We turned left and round the corner was the Basilica. It was only 4pm so we had a walk round the shops, had a comfort break, and spent some time in the square just soaking up the atmosphere before meeting the guide. We were quickly taken to the coach and out of the rush hour traffic back to the ship without stopping. Another party behind us got severely delayed but the ship waited for them. That's the beauty of going on an organised trip - the ship will wait.

 

Another tip, if you are interested in the Sistine Chapel I believe you can buy tickets on line before you leave the UK and it enables you to by-pass the enormous queues. Can't help with entry to the Basilica but the queues go right round the square. You can also book the Colisseum tickets in advance.

 

Hope this is not too long winded and helps.:)

Edited March 9, 2015 by skioncruises

[GaryT-UK]

If I'm doing a tour I always go with the cruise line (my preference - I know lots of people prefer to be independent) and they are usually good tours.

 

I've done both the Coliseum and Vatican tours with Thomson and they were both really good - though you probably see more of Rome on the Coliseum trip, but there's a lot more walking too.

Ajaccio was easy enough to get off and explore on my own, with a nice beach and a few shops, and you can find Napoleon's birthplace if you like that sort of thing.

Palamos is similar, nice beach again, but I've also been on the trip to the Dali Museum at Figueres, which is fantastic if you like art or Dali. I met some people who went to Barcelona from there but spent a couple of hours in traffic jams each way and had hardly any time to see it, and they were disappointed as a result.

Have a great time [emoji3]

[GaryT-UK]

Just one other tip as its your first cruise, build some quiet days or half day tours into your plans. On my first cruise I booked tours for every day, wanting to see everything, but was so busy I needed another holiday at the end of it!!

[Langtoncouple]

Every place is very do-able on your own. We have been to all ports and the only place we wished we could have explore further was Olbia. There really isn't much to do but it is a port. Maybe this is one excursion you might want to book.

[GlenLivet]

In 2013 we went on 'The Best of Costa Brava' excursion from Palamos.

 

As I recall the trip took about 5 hours and consisted of a scenic bus tour taking in Lloret De Mar , a gentle walk and guided tour of Santa Clotilde Gardens which are set in woodland, and then a stop for a stroll and lunch in Tossa de Mar, before heading back to the ship.

 

It was very enjoyable and the Costa Brava is very picturesque with a lovely mix of rugged coastline, pine forests and clear blue sea.

 

I usually choose to go on Thomson own shore excursions, and have found them to be very well organised and they run like clockwork.

[dronnygirl]

If you are used to travelling around on your own, I would definitely recommend taking the train to Rome. It's so easy and cost us 12 euros return. The trains are very reliable. So long as you get an early start and don't leave it to the last train back, you will be fine. If you are interested I can let you have a copy of our 'day out itinerary'. We saw everything we wanted and were on foot all day. We are reasonably fit 50's.

With regard to Colliseum tickets, the tickets cover both the Colliseum and the Forum. There was a queue at the Colliseum ( approx half hour) but you could get tickets straight away at the Forum which is just down the road and worth visiting.

Olbia is lovely to just wander round. There are shops and bars and a small harbour to walk around.

[GlenLivet]

Just one other tip as its your first cruise, build some quiet days or half day tours into your plans. On my first cruise I booked tours for every day, wanting to see everything, but was so busy I needed another holiday at the end of it!!

Good advice Gary T.

 

We did exactly the same on our first cruise and it can become a bit hectic going on a trip each day. On our second cruise we intentionally had a couple of 'lazy days', and found it led to a better overall holiday experience.

 

I also tend to go on half day excursions now, as an eight or ten hour day can be very tiring if it's very hot. Particularly if there is a lot of walking involved.

[mammasam]

Hi,

 

Thank you for all the replies. I really appreciate all the advice.

 

 

If you are interested I can let you have a copy of our 'day out itinerary'.

 

Hi dronnygirl, Your day out itinerary would come in really useful.

 

Thanks again

Sam

[Tarquin]

Ajaccio has a nice feel to it. Very friendly and welcoming in the few shops we went into.

 

We wish we'd gotten off the ship a little earlier as things started to quieten down from 1pm for the afternoon 'siesta'.

 

Napoleons home was in easy reach of the setting down point. We didn't go in as my missus was worried I might mention the fact he was Italian����

Edited March 11, 2015 by Tarquin

[campolady]

Palamos is a very pleasant resort just to wander round on your own. However, we have also done the Thomson Mediaeval villages tour from there (Pals etc.) which was brilliant.

 

In Ajaccio we took the HOHO bus - there are 2 routes, one goes around the town and the other along the coast. We did the one along the coast which was a lovely trip.

[dronnygirl]

Hi mammasam, Sorry it's so long but here goes...

Civitvecchia to Rome by train from cruise ship - 2013

This is an extremely easy and cheap way to see Rome on your own. The 3 main points that make this day relaxing and enjoyable are:

An early start – be in front of the cruise ship trips

Planning before you go so that you are not dithering what do when you get to Rome

Leave plenty of time for the train back to Civitavecchia as Termini is a very large station

We left the ship at 7.15 am and the shuttle bus was waiting at the bottom of the gang plank to take us the 5 minute journey out of the docks. The bus dropped us off and we walked to the right, around the corner to a kiosk where we purchased tickets to Rome. Tickets are 12 euros each for return journey or 16 euros for the non-stop faster train, however faster train was booked up. They will give you a timetable with your ticket. We took the 08.02 train and arrived at 8.55 am at Rome St. Pietro station. We got off there and walked round the corner to the Vatican. As it was early, there was only a small queue which was moving quickly. 10 minute wait and we were in St Peter’s Basilica (free of charge). Came out of Basilica and decided not to go to Sistine Chapel as you have to go through the Museum and it is a long walk. With limited time, we preferred to try to see Coliseum instead.

Walked towards Castel St Angelo and across the Pont St Angelo. We then took a left turn and walked by the riverbank to the next bridge and turned right, across the road, and we saw a sign for Piazza Navona. Followed sign into Piazza. This is a large open space with 3 fountains and lots of artists painting and plenty of cafes.

Took route out by the middle fountain and followed signs to Pantheon. Again another square with plenty of cafes. Was able to sit in Pantheon to rest our legs!

Then followed route to Trevi Fountain. Very busy square. By this time we were hungry and stopped for lunch in a cafe just off the square. Paninis 4 euros which we thought reasonable.

Moved out of square and toward the Coliseum. We came out at a large crossroad with the Coliseum straight in front. However, the forum is just across the road and it is best to purchase tickets from the Forum for both sites (12 euros) as there was only a 5 minute queue at the Forum, whereas we waited 25 minutes for tickets at the Coliseum. Walked around both.

We had seen all we wanted to see by 3pm so had an ice cream and headed for the underground station opposite the Coliseum as we wanted to take the 16.12 train from Termini back to Civitavecchia to get us back to ship by 17.30. The underground was very easy and we only waited a couple of minutes for a train – 2 stops to Termini Station.

At Termini we had to go up stairs to the main station. This is a very large station and you have to watch the notice boards to see which platform you require. Civitavecchia train was platform 28 and we could only see platforms 1-24. Saw a sign for 25-29 and followed. Then had to walk a good distance to these 4 platforms. We arrived just in time for the 15.45 train which arrived at Civitavecchia at 17.00. Leave plenty of time as this is a very large station and easy to miss signs.

We walked back from the station along the sea front which was very pleasant with cafes and ice cream places, to the shuttle bus back to the ship.

We had a fabulous and cheap day out. We did not stroll along as we wanted to fit so much in but kept walking and did all we wanted.

When we compared notes with people who had done the ships trips, they had paid £78 each and had spent a lot of time waiting for people who turned up late at rendezvous and didn’t see as much as we had.

The trains are clean and comfortable with upstairs if you want a good view. They appear to run on time. However, beware that they sometimes change the platform at the last minute e.g. when leaving Civitvecchia we were told platform 1 but as the train approached we were told platform 3 – just follow everyone else!

Would really recommend this but you will need to keep an eye on the time – don’t miss the train back. Also worth buying a pop-up map of Rome – we got one from ebay for 99p and marked where we wanted to go beforehand!

Keep the phone number of the ship with you in case of an emergency.