First Time, Sky Princess.

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

12 minutes ago, memoak said:

We also do not wear jewelry or carry wallets or purses. I still think it is hilarious that people wear their lanyard with medallion or excursion tag after the excursion is over. These things just label you as a target

And you don't think we look like targets without the lanyard? 

[memoak]

16 minutes ago, Snaxmuppet said:

And you don't think we look like targets without the lanyard? 

No I don’t. I wear jeans and T shirts that don’t show American symbols. I have traveled all over North and South America and Europe and have often been often been questioned by tourists who think we are local. We don’t go to tourist bars or restaurants 

[Guest Cable3232]

And back to the "1st time cruising" topic, not the life-defining "passport or no passport" discussion. 

 

When we did our first time cruising, which was around the North Med, we stayed on the ship. We had travelled around Europe and treated the cruise as a sampler that we could return to later (in life) and explore.

We would have had to pay big money for some of the views from the ship, so we just chilled and enjoyed them as the Med life happened around us.

 

We also don't like mass/bus excursions because we are shuffled around at someone else's pace.

 

You are in for a treat. 😊

 

FYI - the port of "Rome" is the port of Civitavecchia, which is 1+ hours away. 

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

7 hours ago, memoak said:

No I don’t. I wear jeans and T shirts that don’t show American symbols. I have traveled all over North and South America and Europe and have often been often been questioned by tourists who think we are local. We don’t go to tourist bars or restaurants 

Again, we have differing opinions.

Nice to hear your views though 🙂 

 

[jerrib]

Okay, I can't vouch for the accuracy of this statement, but I have read it many times over the years from many sources. This - It is apparently standard procedure on cruise ships that when a person fails to report back when the ship is prepared to sail, staff is directed to their cabin and passports are removed from the safe, brought down and turned over to the port agent on shore.  Some have reported that sometimes even their medication has been brought down with it.  So if you are unfortunately left behind your first course of action should be to contact the port agent for your documents. 

     We never take our passports ashore so I sure hope this is good info.

[memoak]

4 minutes ago, jerrib said:

Okay, I can't vouch for the accuracy of this statement, but I have read it many times over the years from many sources. This - It is apparently standard procedure on cruise ships that when a person fails to report back when the ship is prepared to sail, staff is directed to their cabin and passports are removed from the safe, brought down and turned over to the port agent on shore.  Some have reported that sometimes even their medication has been brought down with it.  So if you are unfortunately left behind your first course of action should be to contact the port agent for your documents. 

     We never take our passports ashore so I sure hope this is good info.

You are spot on

[devonuk]

22 hours ago, memoak said:

No I don’t. I wear jeans and T shirts that don’t show American symbols. I have traveled all over North and South America and Europe and have often been often been questioned by tourists who think we are local. We don’t go to tourist bars or restaurants 

Us Brits can spot you guys from across the pond a mile off 😉

[memoak]

1 hour ago, devonuk said:

Us Brits can spot you guys from across the pond a mile off 😉

Are you the ones with the shorts and dark socks up to your calves ?

[Seemecruise]

Just off the Sky in February. Our favorite spot was Bellini’s, listen to music in Piazza, grab a snack from International Cafe. In buffet around 3 pm everyday the afternoon tea sandwiches and scones show up, get some goodies, your tea and a table with a view. The Rock Opera was great, be sure to get there early for a seat, it filled up fast. There are so many things to see and do. Enjoy your cruise!

[devonuk]

5 hours ago, memoak said:

Are you the ones with the shorts and dark socks up to your calves ?

Only when playing football, sorry I meant soccer 😇

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

17 hours ago, jerrib said:

Okay, I can't vouch for the accuracy of this statement, but I have read it many times over the years from many sources. This - It is apparently standard procedure on cruise ships that when a person fails to report back when the ship is prepared to sail, staff is directed to their cabin and passports are removed from the safe, brought down and turned over to the port agent on shore.  Some have reported that sometimes even their medication has been brought down with it.  So if you are unfortunately left behind your first course of action should be to contact the port agent for your documents. 

     We never take our passports ashore so I sure hope this is good info.

I have heard that this happens too but I'd rather not rely of it actually happening. If I am stuck ashore I prefer to have my passport with me. I do accept that it is more risky but I believe that the risk is acceptable for me 🙂 

[Hilly1972]

All

One relatable question, has anyone used the parking at Southampton ? If so which could you recommend for the duration of the stay 

[Flo71]

On 3/22/2024 at 7:34 PM, karatemom2 said:

Congratulations to your wife on her 50th, and what an amazing way to celebrate!! You will love the Sky - it is a beautiful ship with so many lovely amenities. We did a similar Med cruise on the Sky last September - not all the same ports, but several in common.

 

In terms of shipboard activities, there will be a daily schedule that you can use to guide your interests. If you enjoy poolside time, it should be nice and warm for you. There will also likely be some other young people in your daughter's age group that she might enjoy meeting.

 

Since this is a celebration cruise - maybe your wife and daughter would enjoy some spa services - massage, pedicure, manicure. My daughter and I have done that together and it is always fun.

 

The Catch would be a great choice for a nice dinner for your wife's birthday - very special!!

 

In terms of the ports, I can share a few things we did at some of the ports you have in common with our cruise last year.

 

Livorno - We booked a private small group tour with EU Italy that picked us up at the port - we stopped first at the Leaning Tower of Pisa and had about an hour there, and then proceeded to Florence for a brief guided tour and then time on our own to explore. They arranged advance reservations and tickets to see the Statue of David, which was immensely helpful to bypass the lines. I would highly recommend them.

 

Barcelona - we did this day on our own as taxi service was so easy to use there. We caught a taxi from the ship first thing in the morning and headed to the Gothic Quarter and spent the entire morning their walking the streets, touring the Cathedral, and stopping for a Tapas lunch with a generous pitcher of Sangria. We then caught a taxi to Sagrada Familia for our pre-booked 2 p.m. entry and spent a couple of hours there - stunning!! Easy to catch a taxi back to the ship at the end of the day with a little added tour around the city that we requested.

 

Alghero, Sardinia - We did something pretty unique here that didn't seem to be on the radar for most of our fellow cruise passengers. There is an amazing sea cave just off the coast - Neptune's Grotto (Grotto di Nettuno). It is spectacular and there are ferries that run back and forth to the cave from the dock directly where your tenders let you off at the base of the old town. It was jaw droppingly beautiful - like a natural cathedral. We did that first thing in the morning and then still had time for lunch at a street side cafe and a walk around the old town - be sure to check out the beautiful red coral jewelry.

 

Civitavecchia for Rome - this was the one place we splurged on an expensive Princess tour because we wanted to see as much as possible and not be worried about getting back to the ship - we booked the full day tour that included a tour of the Colosseum, Forum and archeological sites, Basilica of St. Peter in Chains, and lastly St. Peter's Square and the Vatican. It was a Sunday, so the Museum wasn't open, but we were able to tour St. Peter's Basilica and actually see service being held and hear the choir. It was worth every penny to make the absolute most of our day in Rome. 

 

Hope you find some of these suggestions helpful and that you enjoy an amazing cruise!!

Can I ask how physical the cave trip was in Alghero? Thanks

[Lady Arwen]

13 hours ago, devonuk said:

Us Brits can spot you guys from across the pond a mile off 😉

So true!  My husband is a Brit,  although he’s lived in Canada for decades.  He’s a very well dressed man (no shorts with knee socks lol) and can spot an American and a fellow Brit right away.  Uncanny how you gentlemen are able to do that!  

[nasa1974]

@Hilly1972 Welcome to cruise critic.

If you haven't, I would suggest you post on the Roll Call thread for you ship and sailing date. You will meet others that will be sailing with you and get an idea what others are doing.

Take Five is a nice place to visit for some good music and a drink. The drink cart is interesting. If it's warm enough the retreat pool is relaxing and quiet.

With this being your first cruise, it may seem overwhelming but take your time to explore the ship and find your own favorite spot. Sometimes port days are best for exploring the ship because most everyone is ashore. Congratulations on celebrating your wife's 50th. First time cruising you want to try and see everything. That can become very hectic and sometimes confusing. My advice would be to keep it simple, relax and have a good time.

[memoak]

9 hours ago, devonuk said:

Only when playing football, sorry I meant soccer 😇

I am a Liverpool fan and my wife likes Man City

[karatemom2]

3 hours ago, Flo71 said:

Can I ask how physical the cave trip was in Alghero? Thanks

 

It wasn’t terribly difficult. The ferry drops you right at the entrance and the course through the cave is well guided with ropes or bars as hand holds on both sides of the path. There are some stairs and uneven areas so while you don’t have to be in top physical shape you do need pretty good mobility. It is not walker or wheelchair friendly, but anyone with normal physical capability shouldn’t find it too challenging. 
 

Here is a link with more info and a couple of the photos we took. 
 

https://grottadinettuno.it

 

[Guest Cable3232]

5 hours ago, Hilly1972 said:

All

One relatable question, has anyone used the parking at Southampton ? If so which could you recommend for the duration of the stay 

The parking for Princess in Southampton is through CPS (a budget version of meet & greet with offsite parking, most likely), and there are others around, but none of them makes sense to us.

 

We normally book with Holiday Inn on M27, which includes a room and parking (for 5 or 8 days, then £10 per day after that). They arrange a taxi to/from the port, and it is sometimes cheaper than CPS. 

 

Other options are available, but as your cruise is in August, you might be a little late to the party for certain options, as they say.

 

If you driving down, then staying the night before would make sense.

 

 

[Guest Cable3232]

One other thing as your first time cruise, something fun... Cruise ducks  (Google it).

 

Me and wife love them and normally put 10-15 ducks out every cruise.

[swjumbo]

Yay. Back on topic. The passport do’s and dont’s were getting too much for me.

Cruise with Ben and David’s you tube channel has the Sky on it. Paul and Carole love to travel have recently been in a mini suite and it does look nice.

We’ve cruised many times but our first on Princess in a few weeks. 
Very excited too.

[Guest Cable3232]

1 hour ago, swjumbo said:

Yay. Back on topic. The passport do’s and dont’s were getting too much for me.

Cruise with Ben and David’s you tube channel has the Sky on it. Paul and Carole love to travel have recently been in a mini suite and it does look nice.

We’ve cruised many times but our first on Princess in a few weeks. 
Very excited too.

We booked a Mini-Suite (Reverse Collection) in Oct on Sky. We can't wait either.

 

But in the meantime, we are off to Fjords (again) with a different cruise company.

[Hlitner]

On 3/22/2024 at 8:43 PM, Snaxmuppet said:

And you don't think we look like targets without the lanyard? 

That is your choice.  If you want to look like a cruiser it is not difficult.  If you make the choice to try and blend-in that is also possible.  We live in Puerto Vallarta for a few months a year and have a terrific view of part of the "Malecon" from our condo balcony.  DW will often look down and have some fun picking out the cruisers :).  Many do stick out because of how they dress, carrying fanny packs (bum packs for those of you in the UK), their shoes, etc.  

 

Does it matter if you look like a cruiser?  We agree with those who say it makes folks more of a "target" for both pick pockets and local businesses who may charge "special prices" for cruisers.  In Mexico some of us say that there are 3 prices, 1. the price paid by locals.  2. The price paid by "gringos" or "gringo pricing" and 3. The price paid by cruisers.  In fact, when I hire a taxi in Puerto Vallarta I will ask the driver his/her price and if it is too high might say, "I am not a cruise ship passenger!"  Suddenly the 300 Peso price becomes 150 :).

 

Hank

[Bobs mum]

I use CPS and find it really easy. It is more expensive than other options but as I travel solo I always go for the easiest option!

definitely drive down the night before as it is a long drive, I usually stay just outside Southampton and get to the port for about 11- 11.30ish. Don’t leave it too late as the queue will be really long for parking. 
CPS is really easy though, you just drive up and get your luggage out of the car then hand your keys over and trot off on your way!

The port is really large but you will have been told which dock you are at and it is really well signposted.

Best part is when you see the ship for the 1st time as you are driving into the port! Still takes my breath away 💕💕

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

1 hour ago, Bobs mum said:

I use CPS and find it really easy. It is more expensive than other options but as I travel solo I always go for the easiest option!

definitely drive down the night before as it is a long drive, I usually stay just outside Southampton and get to the port for about 11- 11.30ish. Don’t leave it too late as the queue will be really long for parking. 
CPS is really easy though, you just drive up and get your luggage out of the car then hand your keys over and trot off on your way!

The port is really large but you will have been told which dock you are at and it is really well signposted.

Best part is when you see the ship for the 1st time as you are driving into the port! Still takes my breath away 💕💕

CPS is good but it books up a long time before the cruise so you have to book early. Our next cruise (end April) we booked late last year and CPS was fully booked.

[Thrak]

I always look like a tourist. I carry a small backpack slung over one shoulder. It carries anything my wife may buy as well as a water bottle, napkins (there has been need of emergence TP on shore when none was available), band aids, etc. I'm certain it marks me as a tourist. Such is life. My wife doesn't wear any flashy jewelry or anything of that sort. I don't wear my good watch on shore and my wallet is in my front pocket where it's fairly difficult to access. I speak with a definite US accent (one of many accents in the US) and don't speak Catalan, Spanish, Norwegian, Dutch, French, etc. nor can I read signs, menus, etc. in languages other than English. Even if someone is blind I will be branded as a tourist as soon as I speak.

Edited March 24 by Thrak