Newly Engaged - First Cruise - help!

[Marrekk]

My Fiance and I are taking our first ever cruise through the Mediterranean this coming September.

 

We are going on the HAL and were hoping some of the more experienced people here could assist us with "Do's and Dont's" etc.

 

Our stops include: Portland, England; A Coruna, Spain; Leixoes (Porto) Portugal; Lisbon, Portugal; Huelva (Seville) Spain; Gibralter, British Territory; Malage, Spain; Cartagena, Spain; Civitavecchia, Italy

 

Couple of questions we've been able to think of proactively:

 

1. Should we book an excursion for each location? If not, where should we leave ourselves open?
   
2. Are there any handy books or phone apps you can recommend to help with language barriers?
   
3. How long we should expect to get on/off the ship at the ports? Speaking in general terms, not specific to each port.
   

 

We've already booked excursions everywhere but: A Coruna, Leixoes, Huelva, Cartagena, and Rome. Should we leave these places for open exploring? This is our first ever cruise anywhere so we aren't sure what exactly to expect.

 

I appreciate any feedback provided, thanks in advance and have a great day!

 

Travis

[CruiserBruce]

1. You really don't HAVE to book excursions anywhere. Essentially, any port can be done on your own, or via private excursion. All it takes is research. It sounds like you don't have much experience traveling outside the US, so taking a ship excursion helps with that.

 

2. English is very widely spoken in Europe. Have been to Europe over 20 times. I can count on one hand the number of times I couldn't communicate with an European resident.

 

3. Any docking port (except the one at the end of your cruise) you will be able to get off comfortably within 30 minutes. Tendering ports is a whole different ball game. Allow an hour, if you are on your own.

Edited July 20, 2016 by CruiserBruce

[cb at sea]

Get a guidebook on your ports...decide what things are important for you to see...then decide HOW to do it! Many things are easy to do on your own...research is key!

 

As far as getting off the ship...if you're docked, you simply walk off when they open the doors! If it's a tendered port, then allow about 1/2 hour after the 1st tender....there's generally no need to rush off the ship...and many do NOT rush off! The tenders run all day long!

[Marrekk]

Get a guidebook on your ports...decide what things are important for you to see...then decide HOW to do it! Many things are easy to do on your own...research is key!

 

As far as getting off the ship...if you're docked, you simply walk off when they open the doors! If it's a tendered port, then allow about 1/2 hour after the 1st tender....there's generally no need to rush off the ship...and many do NOT rush off! The tenders run all day long!

 

This is great info, thank you so much!

[BeagleOne]

Take a look at the ports of call board, and your cruise roll call; you should find some useful info there.

 

Congratulations!

[jocap]

The ship will dock close to the town centre in A Coruna; you walk between buildings to a main road where there's a bus to the Hercules Tower (No 4?) It's a peninsula, so you can walk round the promenade, or cut through the town centre to the beach along the peninsula... look at Google street, which walks all the way round.

Lisbon- it depends where you dock, but there may be a shuttle bus. An interesting sail-in; pleasant city with a Moorish castle and old trams. Sailing under the bridge is an experience! ;)

Gibraltar- there will be many taxis and mini buses at the port, if you wish to go up to the top of the rock. Don't feed the apes, and watch your bags and cameras- they do steal...:eek:

Malaga is magnificent, with a new cruise terminal, which means taking the shuttle bus round the docks. There is a town beach close to the ship, if you walk past the lighthouse along the dock. the town is full of interesting shops; museums and a great cathedral.

Cartagena - you moor almost in the town. It's walkable on the level from there. Marine museum near the ship; Roman amphitheatre not far away. The tourist board at the docks suggest taking a taxi which has a CD in English, around the sights. The main street is attractive.

Civi is an hour from Rome- if you wish to travel there, there will be ample cruise tours, or else you take the shuttle to the gate, then walk 15 mins to the railwaysstation and take a train. The port offers open air cafes by the dock, and a small town beach, plus there's an old castle at the port gates, but I've not been inside.

[Marrekk]

The ship will dock close to the town centre in A Coruna; you walk between buildings to a main road where there's a bus to the Hercules Tower (No 4?) It's a peninsula, so you can walk round the promenade, or cut through the town centre to the beach along the peninsula... look at Google street, which walks all the way round.

Lisbon- it depends where you dock, but there may be a shuttle bus. An interesting sail-in; pleasant city with a Moorish castle and old trams. Sailing under the bridge is an experience! ;)

Gibraltar- there will be many taxis and mini buses at the port, if you wish to go up to the top of the rock. Don't feed the apes, and watch your bags and cameras- they do steal...:eek:

Malaga is magnificent, with a new cruise terminal, which means taking the shuttle bus round the docks. There is a town beach close to the ship, if you walk past the lighthouse along the dock. the town is full of interesting shops; museums and a great cathedral.

Cartagena - you moor almost in the town. It's walkable on the level from there. Marine museum near the ship; Roman amphitheatre not far away. The tourist board at the docks suggest taking a taxi which has a CD in English, around the sights. The main street is attractive.

Civi is an hour from Rome- if you wish to travel there, there will be ample cruise tours, or else you take the shuttle to the gate, then walk 15 mins to the railwaysstation and take a train. The port offers open air cafes by the dock, and a small town beach, plus there's an old castle at the port gates, but I've not been inside.

 

This is such great info! Thank you so much!

[ratbin]

Be forewarned, however, about the trains in Rome! The scheduled departure and arrival times are wildly at odds with actual clock times.

My husband was headed back to the ship with what he thought was adequate time. Train 30 - 40 minutes late. Much running, sweating and bad language.

He DID make it back to the ship but it wasn't pretty.

[jocap]

Just a quick add- there's not many public toilets around in the Med- you go into a bar/café... but look for MacDonalds, because for a coffee at around €1- ish, you can use clean facilities. There's a very handy one near the port gates at Civitavecchia, which is useful if you've had to walk from the train and are waiting for the port shuttle bus. :D

[phillygirl63]

You should go to the ROLL CALL forum and find your cruise. There is a good chance that others on your cruise are forming groups for private excursions. I'm not familiar with all of the ports you mentioned, except Rome. For Rome, I would highly recommend that you have a private tour, which will allow you to get the most out of your day there. There is just too much to see on your own, especially when it is your first time.

 

There is an app called Google Translate.

[swaddy]

If using McDonald's in England or on continent you might have to get an access c ode for the toilets It is sometimes printed on the receipt when you buy a drink, sometimes you need to ask a server. It's to ensure customer use only.. Most cafes and bars will allow you to use toilets.

[NorthernLite]

I would read up on Lisbon and Gibraltar and then do them on your own. Gibraltar is a very easy walk and there are plenty of taxis for a rip up to the apes or a newer air tram up to the summit. Lisbon has a good bus system so if you don't tie up next to a stop the shuttle the other port provides will get you to one.

 

Check with your Roll Call about a possible group private excursion to Rome. With the new mayor in Rome any strikes over pay freezes hit rail but not taxis or private tour cars. Don'the forget to keep your ship card and passport or ID on you off the ship. You need them to get into the pot and onto the ship again.