Which Ports are Skippable with Least Regret

[Nancyewhite01]

Hi Folks,

 

My partner and I are taking our son on a cruise to Italy/Croatia in July of 2024 on the Celebrity Constellation. It's port-intensive and I have a chronic illness that may limit my ability to do everything. I have a lifelong dream of seeing Pompeii so that's a must. Otherwise, I'm looking for opinions on which of these I can sit-out or visit for a very short duration with a minimal sense of FOMO and loss. 

 

The ports:

• Florence/Pisa
• Portofino
• Sicily/Messina
• Brindisi
• Dubrovnik
• Kotor
• Split

 

I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

 

[marazul]

@Nancyewhite01

The beauty of Kotor is the long sail in and out one of the most fabulous bays (technically a fjord) in the Med. You can enjoy that from the deck (best) or your balcony.  There are some good excursions out of Kotor, but I would rank them as of less interest than those of your other ports.  The town of Kotor itself is very small and well worth looking around.  If you feel ok during the day just get out for a short walk in the very scenic town.  And enjoy the sail out.

 

The same could be said about Portofino (without the long sail in)  unless you choose to go to Cinqueterre.  Portofino is even smaller than Kotor and you could also plan to tender in for a stroll around if you feel like it.

Edited December 2, 2023 by marazul

[CruiserBruce]

I guess everyone but me knows what "FOMO" means.

 

Many of your ports are easily walkable with little effort. Messina, Kotor, Split, to a lessor degree, Dubrovnik, so the amount of effort you put in can vary.

 

Haven't been to Portofino or Brindisi.

[euro cruiser]

I can only offer perspective on the Italy ports.

 

Florence/Pisa:  Florence requires about a 90 minute bus ride each way from the port, and once there it will be literally shoulder-to-shoulder people and beastly hot.   You could instead go to Pisa and Lucca, which are much closer to the port.  Each will still be crowded but not like the crush of Florence.

 

Portofino:  To me this is primarily a shopping and eating stop.  This would be a good one to limit, perhaps head in just for a leisurely lunch on land and then back to the ship.

 

Messina:  Most folks head right for Taormina or Mt. Etna from here.  In July I would opt for Etna, it will be marginally (and I do mean marginally) cooler as the altitude where the road ends (Rifugio Sapienza) is quite a bit higher than sea level.  If you're tired you can sit and have something to drink while your family explore or you can ride up the cable car with them.  Taormina is another shopping and eating location that will be, like Florence, shoulder-to-shoulder with other tourists.

 

Brindisi:  The port city itself doesn't have a whole lot to recommend it, but within a relatively short distance you can get to Lecce, which is relatively flat or Ostuni, which is quite hilly.

 

[Nancyewhite01]

CruiserBruce

19 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

I guess everyone but me knows what "FOMO" means.

 

Many of your ports are easily walkable with little effort. Messina, Kotor, Split, to a lessor degree, Dubrovnik, so the amount of effort you put in can vary.

 

Haven't been to Portofino or Brindisi.

FOMO = Fear of Missing Out!

[Langoustine]

Brindisi. That's about it, I'm afraid.

[SailingHigher]

On our Celebrity Beyond trip during September 2022, we were unable to visit Florence and Lucca due to high winds. It was a shame even though our surprise stop in Rome was great fun. Some dear friends recently spent a week in Lucca and they won't stop talking about what a good time it was. Their photos support their claims.

 

We also docked in the pretty port of Messina right next to a gorgeous clipper ship. We greatly enjoyed our half day excursion to Taormina. The weather was hot and the crowds were awful, so we fled to a second-story restaurant to escape. We were the only customers in the place. Two waiters fawned over us and served a fantastic meal. Our entertainment was watching the shoppers jostle for souvenirs while we sipped wine and laughed.  If you want a taste of Taormina luxury, check out the latest season of "White Lotus" on MAX. Most scenes take place in a beautiful hotel not far from our lunch spot.

 

Edited December 8, 2023 by SailingHigher
typo

[lisiamc]

I notice you mentioned that you’re understandably keen to visit Pompeii. I’m guessing that your port list must also include Naples? Pompeii is a somewhat strenuous excursion, in my view, generally hot, with lots of uneven paving stones and lots of stepping up and down to cross streets. You might want to research private guides to take you around the highlights in a way that’s more accessible than the standard tour, so that you can get the most enjoyment out of it without totally wearing yourself out. You might also plan a more restful day for the following port, which sounds like it will be Messina.

[Mar1987]

I would skip Brindisi as a city visit itself unless you take a ride to Ostuni, similar to a greek village,  worth the visit.

[Hlitner]

If you have never been, all those ports have merit.  But if you must, skip Brindisi.  Also keep in mind that there is no law that says you must take long day excursions or run yourself ragged in each port.  For example, one can walk around Kotor and enjoy the walled town for a few hours and than return to the ship...early.  Or, instead of doing a lot of things, explore Kotor on your own and than stop for a relaxing lunch, drink or snack at a restaurant or cafe.  Dubrovnik can also be handled similar to Kotor although you do need a little extra time to get from the port to town (via bus, taxi, or a long walk).

 

Hank

[stacycakes1]

I think we are on the same cruise!  We set sail on Connie July 15th. So far we have the following plans.  We are traveling with our 10-year-old and want to see as much as we can, but also want to relax and live "La Vida Dolce" 🙂  We also might throw a beach day in when we are in Split or Dubrovnik as I am finding beautiful choices not far from port. 

 

The ports:

• Florence/Pisa - We have a private tour book with a stop in Pisa (quick trip to the top), Lucca, and a stop at a winery on the way back to port (booked through Rome in Limo)
• Portofino - We are doing the same as recommended above, a little stroll, shopping and lunch
• Sicily/Messina - We have a private tour booked that includes a trip to the top of Mt. Etna in a gondola, lunch at a local restaurant and winery, and shopping and sightseeing in Taormina.
• Brindisi - We will still get off the ship and check things out, but Brindisi seems like a good day for a break. If you are on the same cruise as we are, it is 1/2 way through the itinerary and we are stopping there on a Sunday so a lot will closed that day.
• Dubrovnik - We plan on a beach day here or in split.  You have to walk through the old town to get to them so of course we plan on meandering slowly to and from the beach, but that is our ultimate goal.  There are a few that are walking distance so I haven't chosen which one yet.  Here is a great link with info if you are also interested 6 Best Dubrovnik Beaches - Jetsetting Fools
• Kotor - CAT CITY!  We are going to the cat museum here, shopping, eating, and petting a few stray cats.  Definitely a city where you can be more leisurely about things.
• Split - We might also go to the beach on this day and walk around the city.  There is a fort you can climb up to, not sure we will attempt that, but maybe a little way up for a nice view.

[AtlAlyson]

44 minutes ago, stacycakes1 said:

I think we are on the same cruise!  We set sail on Connie July 15th. So far we have the following plans.  We are traveling with our 10-year-old and want to see as much as we can, but also want to relax and live "La Vida Dolce" 🙂  We also might throw a beach day in when we are in Split or Dubrovnik as I am finding beautiful choices not far from port. 

 

The ports:

• Florence/Pisa - We have a private tour book with a stop in Pisa (quick trip to the top), Lucca, and a stop at a winery on the way back to port (booked through Rome in Limo)
• Portofino - We are doing the same as recommended above, a little stroll, shopping and lunch
• Sicily/Messina - We have a private tour booked that includes a trip to the top of Mt. Etna in a gondola, lunch at a local restaurant and winery, and shopping and sightseeing in Taormina.
• Brindisi - We will still get off the ship and check things out, but Brindisi seems like a good day for a break. If you are on the same cruise as we are, it is 1/2 way through the itinerary and we are stopping there on a Sunday so a lot will closed that day.
• Dubrovnik - We plan on a beach day here or in split.  You have to walk through the old town to get to them so of course we plan on meandering slowly to and from the beach, but that is our ultimate goal.  There are a few that are walking distance so I haven't chosen which one yet.  Here is a great link with info if you are also interested 6 Best Dubrovnik Beaches - Jetsetting Fools
• Kotor - CAT CITY!  We are going to the cat museum here, shopping, eating, and petting a few stray cats.  Definitely a city where you can be more leisurely about things.
• Split - We might also go to the beach on this day and walk around the city.  There is a fort you can climb up to, not sure we will attempt that, but maybe a little way up for a nice view.

Stacy this looks awesome! We will be some of the similar tours. Can I ask who you are using for the private tour in Messina?

[cruisemom42]

47 minutes ago, stacycakes1 said:

• about things.
• Split - We might also go to the beach on this day and walk around the city.  There is a fort you can climb up to, not sure we will attempt that, but maybe a little way up for a nice view.

I don’t think there is a fort in Split. Split itself — at least the old walled city — is built within the remains of a Roman emperor’s palace.

 

Maybe you are thinking of Kotor; there is a palace there with quite a climb.

[Karysa]

I think that some of your ports could be enjoyed in 1/2 a day. Look into the cable car in Dubrovnik. Kotor is beautiful and the town is lovely even for a short visit. You might find it more restful to sleep in and avoid the morning rush at the buffet and start your day a little later. I am not familiar with all of your ports but I would suggest that you skip just walking around in Messina and instead take a tour to Taormina as the ride and town are beautiful.

[stacycakes1]

12 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

I don’t think there is a fort in Split. Split itself — at least the old walled city — is built within the remains of a Roman emperor’s palace.

 

Maybe you are thinking of Kotor; there is a palace there with quite a climb.

Ah yes! Mixed the two up. You are correct 🙂

[stacycakes1]

12 hours ago, AtlAlyson said:

Stacy this looks awesome! We will be some of the similar tours. Can I ask who you are using for the private tour in Messina?

Hi there! So I forgot to add a stop in my list in Naples. We also have a tour set up there to sorrento and positano with a pizza making class in the middle for lunch.
 

That tour and the two others are all booked through Rome in Limo  https://www.romeinlimo.com. We used them last time we were in Italy for our honeymoon and they are FABULOUS! VIP access to everything, we didn’t wait in a single line, even in July. When we went to see the David, the line was 4 hours long with a ticket. We thought we wouldn’t get in. 5 minutes later our driver was escorting us past security through a little side door and bam, there’s the David. It was so cool.

 

Anyway, all of our tours with them were stellar and they have a great deal right now. If you book 3 port excursions with them and pay upfront through zello by end of February, you get a 20% discount. This is great right now also because the euro is down and you can guarantee the price is even with the US dollar.
 

So basically, for my family of 3, we spent less on private luxury tours in a limo sedan (no group and we can change the itinerary to whatever we want) than if I had booked a tour through the ship with 40 others on a bus. Can’t beat that!

Edited January 14 by stacycakes1

[euro cruiser]

3 hours ago, stacycakes1 said:

So basically, for my family of 3, we spent less on private luxury tours in a limo sedan (no group and we can change the itinerary to whatever we want) than if I had booked a tour through the ship with 40 others on a bus. Can’t beat that!

 

True, if these are your only two choices, but DIY is also a possibility for a lot less money.  You do trade off some of the priority access, however.  That said, with a little up-front research it's possible to avoid lines in many places.  

[stacycakes1]

1 hour ago, euro cruiser said:

 

True, if these are your only two choices, but DIY is also a possibility for a lot less money.  You do trade off some of the priority access, however.  That said, with a little up-front research it's possible to avoid lines in many places.  

Oh, totally agree, DIY is the best, but we have 10 total stops on this itinerary, if you include starting in Rome and ending in Venice, so we’re doing most on our own. I chose to do tours in these 3 ports because everything I want to see is far from the port and we are short on time. I could choose to do a cruise excursion that uses “fear of not getting back to the ship” as a reason to charge ridiculous prices for these port days, or pay less and have my own private driver and car take me wherever I please with a back to ship guarantee. they have a fleet of cars out every day and easily can send another car to get us if anything were to happen. I get you though, nothing like exploring and adventure all on your own.