Western Iconic Mediterranean cruise 2/24

[Speechpath]

We are going on our first Viking cruise and our first visit to the Mediterranean during February, 2024. Any advice about the weather in general (temperate, windy, rough seas, rainy, etc), clothes to pack and what to expect when in those ports. Thanks! 

[Peregrina651]

Welcome!

 

You have gone to MyVikingJourney.com, opened your account, added you cruise and booked you shore excursions, right? Even the included tours should be reserved in advance. You can do this up to 8 days before departing. BTW, everything on MVJ will be deleted by the time you board the ship.  Make copies of anything there that you want to save for future reference before you leave home.

 

Winter along the Med is like winter in D.C. but perhaps a smidgen warmer. You need a winter coat and you need to keep your feet warm when you are out and about -- hats and gloves, too. It is not like doing the Caribbean in winter. At the same time, you can get temps into the 60s, so layers are helpful. Rain even snow are possible, just as are bright, sunny days.

 

I wouldn't waste space trying to pack shorts; I believe you have zeros days at sea and it will never be warm enough to tour in them.  Yes to bathing suits, nonetheless, especially if you are planning on checking out the spa facilities (free to all guests; changing room and lockers included).

 

Seas, like weather, are unpredictable. Never leave home without seasickness remedies.

 

The ports. Viking runs free shuttle buses in most of the ports.How far they take you depends on the port. Someone started a thread about them. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2984008-mediterranean-ports-with-viking-shuttles/?do=getNewComment

 

This is a start. Others will jump in with more information and to fill the holes I'm sure I left.

[SantaFe1]

1 hour ago, Speechpath said:

We are going on our first Viking cruise and our first visit to the Mediterranean during February, 2024. Any advice about the weather in general (temperate, windy, rough seas, rainy, etc), clothes to pack and what to expect when in those ports. Thanks! 

We did a similar Med. trip last Feb-March.  We got everything.  In Greece and Turkey in mid-Feb it was beautiful and in the 70s every day.  We took pictures one day in Crete where you could see snow on the mountains and then when we got back to the ship, they were doing a regatta near where we were docked.  We ate outside and watched it.  Then after Sicily and Naples, when we got into the Mediterranean proper is was freezing.  They had had snow the day before we were in Marseilles.  Snow three days before we were in Barcelona.  Rain and sleet all the time.  I canceled some outdoor excursions and we did wine tastings and cooking in a Tuscan castle.

So, as Peregrina says, you never know.  But I was glad for my boots.  Wish I had brought a packable parka. I froze in Barcelona!

[Speechpath]

Wow! Thanks for such an accurate and detailed response! Yes, we booked our shore excursions and dinner reservations the first day we could. I was hoping the weather would be warmer than DC as it’s super cold and overcast right now. I appreciate knowing about the coat, gloves & hat. I bought compression socks to go on the plane and well as when on excursions. 
 

How cold is the ship in the evening? Do you typically wear your warmer clothes onboard?  
 

Thanks so much for being so helpful! We’ve watched a lot of Viking videos as well as some YouTube videos but hadn’t seen much about the weather or clothing suggestions during the off-season! 

[Speechpath]

Thanks, Santa Fe! I never imagined snow or sleet along the Mediterranean! Good advice about boots. I hope I have enough room in my luggage. Any other clothing suggestions?

[Peregrina651]

24 minutes ago, Speechpath said:

Wow! Thanks for such an accurate and detailed response! Yes, we booked our shore excursions and dinner reservations the first day we could. I was hoping the weather would be warmer than DC as it’s super cold and overcast right now. I appreciate knowing about the coat, gloves & hat. I bought compression socks to go on the plane and well as when on excursions. 
 

How cold is the ship in the evening? Do you typically wear your warmer clothes onboard?  
 

Thanks so much for being so helpful! We’ve watched a lot of Viking videos as well as some YouTube videos but hadn’t seen much about the weather or clothing suggestions during the off-season! 

 

On board the ship wear what you would wear at home during the winter.  Bring an extra layer with you in the evening in case it is cooler than you like.   

[OneSixtyToOne]

20 minutes ago, Speechpath said:

Thanks, Santa Fe! I never imagined snow or sleet along the Mediterranean! Good advice about boots. I hope I have enough room in my luggage. Any other clothing suggestions?

When we docked in Naples last February, Mt. Vesuvius was covered in snow. It was cold and rainy at Pompeii. Bring a good raincoat.

Edited January 29 by OneSixtyToOne

[SantaFe1]

I tend to keep my packing lists, so I just looked this up.  Both my husband and I took several sweaters.  We took long sleeve polo and knit shirts.  Very few short sleeve polos etc.  I am always cold on the ship.  I took a cardigan and several shawls, which I wear at night.  Be sure to pack a good rain coat.  And just keep an eye on the weather.  We use Luggage Forward, so I had to send the big suitcases two weeks in advance.  If I could have checked closer to the time, I definitely would have packed/worn parkas.  Especially since we had to wear them in the car to the airport, and then just left them in the car. You can always just wear your boots, which is what we both did.  

[Speechpath]

What a beautiful picture of Mt Vesuvius! Never imagined snow there either! 
 

Does anyone have any recommendations or experiences in the various ports along the Western Mediterranean cruise? Are the ports crowded and are the shops open in February? Thanks again for responding! 

[Peregrina651]

OP is doing  Barcelona to Rome.

 

I don't pack my boots, I wear them on the plane.  Besides the fact that we take only carry-on luggage (so limited space), we never know what the weather will be like in our driveway. I'm a fan of sheepskin and wool for winter warmth. My boots are faux Uggs, low cut, and they great for all weather except the rain.  I bring a cashmere cardigan for warmth without bulk, especially in the suitcase.   There are free launderettes on the ship as well a laundry service, and we take advantage of both. 

 

Yes, shops are open.  You are going to major cities that never roll up the sidewalks. February is not school vacation time in Europe, so not a lot of vacationing families to deal with but still none of sights will be tourist-free.

 

In Marseilles we never got into the city. We took the tour to Aix-en-Provence.  Most enjoyable.

 

No interest in Monaco. We took the 100 bus to Nice and back.  New Years day. Museums closed. Walked along the water to the Old Town.  Lounged in an outdoor cafe sipping hot beverage and soaking up the sun. Delightfully French.

 

Livorno. Got ourselves to Florence and back.  Lovely day.  Not our first visit to the city so no real agenda. We did buy tickets to the Uffizi in advance and then ran a few errands (limoncello filled chocolates for our daughter).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SantaFe1]

6 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

Yes, shops are open.  You are going to major cities that never roll up the sidewalks. February is not school vacation time in Europe, so not a lot of vacationing families to deal with but still none of sights will be tourist-free.

In the cities, yes, the shops are open.  But on our cruise, we missed some of the main ports due to weather.  For example, we only had one day in Livorno/Florence rather than two.  We didn’t get to Monaco.  Some of the little towns and villages that we visited instead had shops closed for the season.  

[CCWineLover]

1 hour ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

When we docked in Naples last February, Mt. Vesuvius was covered in snow. It was cold and rainy at Pompeii. Bring a good raincoat.

Wow!  Joe - we'll be there in 3 weeks - hoping we get as beautiful a view!!

[OneSixtyToOne]

6 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

No interest in Monaco

Monaco was one of our favorite stops. We loved it.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2927474-almost-live-viking-sky-mediterranean-odyssey-april-2023/?do=findComment&comment=65245954

 

[SantaFe1]

I’m glad you got to go.  We have had so many friends say it is a place to skip, so we weren’t disappointed.  

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

Monaco was one of our favorite stops. We loved it.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2927474-almost-live-viking-sky-mediterranean-odyssey-april-2023/?do=findComment&comment=65245954

 

 

See, that's the joy of this place. You get a lot of different points of view and then you weigh the pros and cons and maybe figure out what is right for you.

[Speechpath]

Excellent advice! We’re so grateful for all the advice and explanations we’re being provided by the group! We really appreciate all the tips and wonderful memories! Please know we love hearing as much from the group about Mediterranean ports as the group cares to offer! We’re  really fascinated by so many different perspectives! Thanks! 

[Murt22]

On 1/29/2024 at 2:30 PM, Peregrina651 said:

Got ourselves to Florence and back

How did you do this? We don't have our excursion list yet, but we will be in Livorno on a Mon/Tues so museums closed on Monday, so thought we might want to book our own tix on Tues. Thanks

[Peregrina651]

We got ourselves to Florence and  back by train.  There are direct trains and trains where you have to change trains.  We made sure to take direct trains.  Look the schedule  on Trenitalia.com. We did it on day one in Livorno; getting back before sailaway was not an issue.  

 

We took the Viking shuttle into town and then cab to the station. On the way to the station, the cabby offer us flat rate to drive us to Florence for the say.  The 3 others in the cab took him up on the offer.  I do don't remember the price but it was 6 years ago and price have gone up since the pandemic. 

 

If you aren't going to find a cab to take you to Florence, don't bother with the shuttle. Take a cab from the dock directly to the station. It will save you time.  

 

Return train should get you back to Livorno station at least 45 min before back on board time.  We had a bit of a wait for a cab when we returned to the station.  We would have been panicking had we the back on board time to deal with.  

 

Finally, we bought our tickets from the agent in the station.  I wrote down what I wanted and handed the paper to the agent.  

 

 

[Murt22]

Thanks for the detailed info. If we want to go inside the museums, we would have to do it on sail away day which adds a layer of risk. I need to do more research on what we really want to do. I do appreciate the answer.

[Peregrina651]

You could consider an overnight in Florence (for which you need to clear your absence with the cruiseline). Head to Florence on Monday (https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-museums/open-on-mondays.html); there is still plenty that is open. On Tuesday, you can do the Uffizzi or the Academia in the morning ( provided tickets are available) before taking the train back to Livorno -- you won't really have time to do more than one. Aim for the first time slot of the day.

[Speechpath]

We just returned from a fabulous Viking Western Mediterranean cruise with a 3 day extension at a Villa in Tuscany (arranged through Viking). I would highly recommend the extension at Villa il Poggiale! It is a stunning 14th century villa right in the heart of Tuscany with panoramic views that are just breathtaking in every direction. We were able to take fantastic tours of several nearby cities including Tuscany, Lucca. Florence, Livorno and more. The guides were great and easy to understand. Daniel was the most interesting and knowledgeable guide who was kind, patient, helpful and humorous! The food at the Villa was excellent and all homemade including fresh fruit tarts, biscotti, and cheesecake topped with fresh berries! I would highly  recommend this extension through Viking. Unforgettable! 

[OneSixtyToOne]

22 minutes ago, Speechpath said:

We just returned from a fabulous Viking Western Mediterranean cruise with a 3 day extension at a Villa in Tuscany (arranged through Viking). I would highly recommend the extension at Villa il Poggiale! It is a stunning 14th century villa right in the heart of Tuscany with panoramic views that are just breathtaking in every direction. We were able to take fantastic tours of several nearby cities including Tuscany, Lucca. Florence, Livorno and more. The guides were great and easy to understand. Daniel was the most interesting and knowledgeable guide who was kind, patient, helpful and humorous! The food at the Villa was excellent and all homemade including fresh fruit tarts, biscotti, and cheesecake topped with fresh berries! I would highly  recommend this extension through Viking. Unforgettable! 

We took the Viking Tuscany extension last year. It was one of our favorite places to stay. We had the room in the villa that opened onto the courtyard. Here is the writeup, starting at post 66:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2906353-almost-live-viking-sky-journey-to-antiquities-jan-2023/?do=findComment&comment=64733283