edinburgher

Is it absolutely essential that you join a guided tour? I ask as we paid for entry during the regular hours and were handed an audio guide with our tickets. it was actually quite a detailed audio guide and we didn't think we missed anything we would have wanted to know. If they still offer this option, doing this would mean you could visit at a time which suits your plans for the day.😀

There are a number of past threads with the word PORTLAND in them. If you have not already searched for and read some, choose from these as you may find some helpful info and/or suggestions. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=portland&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=148

As others have already pointed out, reading is a necessary evil especially so if you are starting from nothing. Some basics to get you started: How many days will you have available including travel days? This will determine whether you can do only one way, usually 7 days, or a round trip of 14 , or even two separate directions of 7 days each with a stay somewhere inbetween. Would you want cruise only or would you want to add a land tour? And if adding a land tour your number of available days becomes important. Most will sail from either Seattle or Vancouver. Would one be a better match for flights from your home or would either work for you? Would one of them cost a good deal more than the other or are costs similar? Once you can answer these basic questions you can move on to cruiselines and itineraries. The two with most experience and generally considered to be amongst the best in Alaska are Holland America and Princess who generally have good docking locations and port times, in addition to having a generous allocation of permits to sail Glacier Bay which many consider a "must see" in Alaska.. Note that NCL in Alaska have very mixed reviews and a bit of a reputation for inconvenient port times, and in eg Ketchikan they dock several miles outside of town at Ward Cove instead of in Ketchikan itself which means using shuttle buses. And they don't have many sailings to Glacier Bay. You have plenty of time to read read and read more until you have a better idea of what might suit your interests, available time and budget.😀 And prepare to be shocked to some extent, as Alaska excursions are far more costly than those in the Caribbean although it isn't necessary to take the most expensive in every port, as it is possible to explore independently with only the occasional big spend along the way for those experiences which make Alaska truly special.

I am actually of the same mind. The idea of staying in Marseille may not conjure up thoughts of "the perfect day", but there are a number of good reasons to at least consider it, even more so if anyone has mobility challenges as most of the following suggestions can be undertaken on the flat ground around the Vieux Port, itself one of the top city "sights", and from alongside, the "trickier with mobility issues options" are achieved by simply stepping onto transport. The are short boat trips to the offshore islands including the Chateau d'If (think Count of Monte Cristo) and depending on the time of year, longer boat trips to the Calanques of Cassis. As for getting around this city, hilly in parts, again alongside the Vieux Port, there are HOHOs and one of those little tourist trains which chugs around and which can take you all the way up to the Basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde for the best city views. As long as whoever has mobility issues can walk the short distance from the cruise line shuttle bus stop to the Vieux Port,(and back again for the return to ship) as you can read, there are a number of sightseeing options some of which might appeal to you,, and of course there are also many restaurants and shopping opportunities close to the Vieux Port. Here is a copy/paste of info I have given previously. ignore this semi-quote which was my error. Cruise shuttles usually run all the way to an area very close to the Vieux Port, Fort St Jean or MUCEM, same location for the return to ship. Once in the area of the Vieux Port there are a number of sightseeing options within the immediate vicinity. It is easy to spend time around the Vieux Port, itself worth a visit in its own right And if already in the area next to the Vieux Port, you could wander into the historic Fort St Jean,at one end of the VP, part of which is free entry. From here you can cross a footbridge to the ultra modern MUCEM complex.on the waterside which is worth visiting. (as an aside, your shuttle bus may drop off and pick up from here or close to it) It is mostly outdoors with walkways and terraces, and some lovely views of the Vieux Port, Notre Dame de la Garde and the Med. It is a public space and can be enjoyed free of charge by anyone whether local or visitor unless you choose to enter any of the paying exhibitions. There are seating areas, and cafes and restaurants and it is a lovely place to stroll or sit whilst admiring the views of both city and sea. And from there you will be able to see the huge Cathedral de la Major a 5 minute walk away across the road. one of the largest cathedrals in France, Iit merits a short visit and has free entry. There are also short boat trips on offer from the Vieux Port going to the Chateau d'If (think Count of Monte Cristo) and a couple of other tiny islands, and longer ones to the Calanques of Cassis. And one of those little tourist trains which chugs around and it goes up to the Basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde for the wonderful views, and a couple of HOHOS. The little train and HOHOS leave from alongside the VP close to the historic building with the flags outside which is actually the Hotel de Ville. Also a few museums close by too. . And the shopping is excellent. These suggestions would be the easiest to do given their very close proximity to each other, but at the same time offer a number of quite varied sights/attractions Do read about the city and include the official Marseille Tourist Information website which I think is excellent (click for english version), Marvellous Provence, Tripadvisor and others, Past threads, many of which will have info and ideas in them. Choose from these. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=marseille&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=462 As an aside, I would avoid le Panier neighbourhood as some of the streets are on inclines and some have steps. And I think your day would already be filled with the earlier suggestions. lots of online info waiting to be found. Google is your best friend.

it really is very easy to DIY in Valencia so go for it!😀

You would be better asking about out MSC shuttle buses on the MSC Board. They will most likely run to a location in the OldTown and be payable. This one https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/forum/49-msc-cruises/ There have been a number of changes to Valencia Port in recent years due to expansion and investment and my understanding is that works may not be completed until later in 2025 so the situation on the ground may or may not still be "fluid" when you visit..As far as I am aware, free port buses are provided to transport passengers from the outer berths to the terminal building. Smaller ships dock close to it, larger ships further from it. Ship shuttle buses aside, there should be taxis, but it is also very easy to take a public bus from close to the terminal building to either the Old Town or to the Modernistic Arts/Sciences area. (they lie in opposite directions) The bus stops used to be opposite each other in a side street across the road from the terminal building and there was a painted line to follow, but things may have changed so ask.. Staff at the terminal Tourist Info desk were very helpful with maps, public transport info etc but all of this can easily be found online as can the top sights, and browsing them will help you decide which appeal most to your personal interests. Valencia is flat which makes sightseeing easy on the legs and in the Old Town most of the sights are in close or very close proximity to each other. With a day ticket you could easily bus to the Arts/Sciences area then bus from there to the Old Town then bus back to the port from there. We have visited twice and DIYed each time.It is all be very easy and doable with some pre-trip homework. We liked Valencia a lot as it has not yet become too "touristy" and had a nicer balance between working town and tourist town then eg Barcelona.. Some of the past CC threads with the word Valencia in them. As some will have useful info, choose which to read from these https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/search/?q=valencia&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=465

For anyone who prefers not to walk up or downhill and who likes to have everything on their doorstep, I stand by my recommendation in post #7 that the flat ground and central Baixa District is more convenient for every form of transport all more or less on the doorstep, and with a multitude of restaurants, bars, cafes, supermarkets etc in the immediate area, really everything you might need for a short stay.. In addition to the Praca da Figueira area, in close proximity, other streets such as Rua Augusta, Rua da Prata.

That is because it is promoted on websites and in guidebooks as a "tourist must do", unlike all the other routes where it is perfectly possible to experience a vintage tram without it only having tourists aboard and being crowded..

In Bilboa, cruiselines will usually offer a ship shuttle service (for a fee) and it will drop off and pick up next to the Historic Centre. Leixaos for Porto. Although many passengers will use the nearby metro station to get into the historic City and the waterfront port houses area at Vila Nova da Gaia, there will be a few who prefer a taxi. This just to advise you that at this port call there is the option of the Metro.. Portimao. A somewhat underwhelming town albeit with lovely beaches. I would highly recommend you use your taxi to drive the short 15/20 minute drive from the docking area to visit pretty ALVOR. There are a few past threads which mention Alvor and Portimao and additional info and images can be found on the usual onlinetourist information websites. Alvor https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=alvor&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=465 Portimao https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=portimao&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=465

As we were going to be on the move between Malaga, Granada, Ronda and Malaga again,( with an additional short few hours in Fuengirola to walk the promenade on a Sunday) and would be using a mix of trains, buses and the airport twice, we opted for the Barcelo Malaga which actually has an entrance inside the main train station and is only a few hundred metres from the bus station. We used the airport bus to reach the bus station then simply walked the few hundred metres to the hotel and it probably didn't take more than 5-10 minutes max. The hotel was very good. Should you have a longing to relive a part of your childhood again if only for a few minutes, it somewhat bizarrely had an adult metal slide inside which connected two of the public floors, one of which was the main lobby. Returning to the airport we again walked the very short distance from the hotel/train station to the bus station for the airport bus.

Sorry, not into beaches, more into culture, history, sights which are unique to Cyprus, not beaches which can be found anywhere in the world. Cyprus has many many beaches all around the island. All you need do is google something like "Limassol beaches" or similar if you have not already done so and you will probably be spoiled for choice. After choosing whichever appeals most to you, google to find how to get there.

And most importantly, should you find one, remember to check if they can source Alhambra entry tickets for you which would fit your port timings and the Alhambra arrival timings. Tickets can sell out a few months in advance and no timed entry tickets mean no entry. Even with tickets, if arriving late for your alloted time slot, you would have to wait until a different group had spaces for you and you would not know how long you would have to wait. You would be better taking an official shorex or avoiding any private operator who cannot bundle your transport and entry tickets together. Buying timed entry tickets yourself would mean you have no way of knowing how long the Malaga to Alhambra journey might take.

I think you are not yet fully understanding how the search tool works because THERE IS NO LUCK INVOLVED On this board, a search for past threads containing the word "split" was requested and the results did indeed include threads containing that word. Unfortunately the word "split" is not only a city name but has other meanings which are not necessarily relevant to the city name, but the search tool did not know that and tossed these out alongside the ones containing thecity name. Had you searched with a different word, such as Dubrovnik, which has no other meaning, probably all of the results would have been relevant as there is no alternative use for the word Dubrovnik. You have been a member for 13 years, but even so, spending some time learning how to fully understand the available functions would bring rewards. These are some of the subjects which you may or may not yet know how to use and would be a good starting point. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/859-need-help-using-the-forums-check-here/

2011 Israel #19 Posted 2 hours ago Unless you have another idea of searching, my "Split" search yielded 99% results of "split beds/split accounts/split meal", etc. Is there a way to search with a capital letter only??? Thanks, My post #2 explains how to use the CC Search tool which is quick and easy (above copied from it) so I don't understand how you are using it to get such results. Or maybe you are simply googling the internet without stating Split Croatia ? The only additional info to add is that when you use the CC search tool under your username, stay on the general board without going to an individual thread. It is such a quick and easy way of searching boards for all your ports, as it brings up results in seconds. and you can use it on cruiseline boards too. EG, if you are sailing Princess and want info on eg laundry, you can go to the Princess board and enter laundry into the search box and results containing the word laundry will appear.. I quickly searched Split just now and there are now 127 results https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=split&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=149

Absolutely no need for that. Sintra is the #1 Lisbon side trip due to it being so easy to get there. Only 30 minutes on the train . .On exiting the train station in Sintra, use bus#434 outside to get you around Sintra. It is like a HOHO as it follows a circular route and stops at the main sights. https://www.sintra-portugal.com/guides/sintra-bus-434.html https://lisbonlisboaportugal.com/lisbon-tour/Lisbon-day-trips.html As your child is 5 years old, try googling something like "Lisbon for kids" (or similar ) for suggestions. And the website mntioned above is an excellent source of reference for all things Lisbon as it is the Official Lisbon Tourist information website,.so if short on research time, go to it first. as that one and Tripadvisor may be all you need although here are many other websites to be found when you google eg "Lisbon Tourist Information". https://www.visitlisboa.com/en There are also many many past threads. Choose which to read from these https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=lisbon&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=465

In these circumstances, it may be prudent to plan either official shorex or DIY exploration rather than private tours if cancellation Tcs and Cs with private tour operators would mean anything less than a full refund. Of course, that assumes you know which would be your substitute ports! love2cruise1953, As this is important news for members with Portugese port calls in November, please consider cross posting it on the Spain and Portugal forum where members would be more likely to see it. (although the Mods may themselves move it) This one https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/465-spain-and-portugal-ports/

My own take on that is that the photographer was more at fault than the family, especially if he/she was local and new the challenges those shots would create. He/she should have arranged a different, quieter location eslsewhere on the island.

More expensive than Venice.

In recent years, Santorini (and Mykonos to an extent) have gone from being eagerly anticipated visits to visits which fill prospective cruise passengers with trepidation. My understanding is that Sun Princess pulled out of a few calls this summer due to the negative experience of their guests when there are too many ships in on the same day leading to long wait lines for the cable car and overcrowding in Thira and Oia.. And of course they actually do want their passengers to enjoy port calls. The proposed new rules may cause some to rethink their dates and either miss completely or go when on dates when fewer ships are expected.. I blame the increase in the number of ship calls, also the sheer size of them as they carry several thousand passengers. We only called there twice, but we noticed the difference in numbers and the longer cable car lines between the first and the second visit only a few short years later. Unlikely to return, but should we, we would probably stay onboard.😉

Both are ancient historic cities so not much will be "new". In addition to watching your videos, if you have not already searched for and read past threads for both, you might find some of these offer useful info. Dubrovnik https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=dubrovnik&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=149 Split. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=split&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=149

Not our problem indeed! But not all of that 500 will be waiting for tenders as a good proportion of them will be waiting in line for the cable car.

You should look at the Lisbon Airport website which has a section on "how to get to/from the airport" (I think almost every international airport in the world has this)listing all the options including taxis, metro, public bus, airport shuttle bus etc. and looking at the options should help you decide. As for where to stay, given the steepness of some of the Lisbon streets, as already mentioned above, I recommend you look for one in the Baixa area which is mostly flat and convenient for metro, buses and airport shuttle. Anywhere around Rua Augusta, Rua da Prata, Praca do Comercio, Praça da Figueira would be good as well as convient for the porting locations..

Having given your question some thought, Ihinking that you forgot, or did not know, that ship calls to Santorini are staggered, meaning they do not all arrive and depart at the same times. They arrive and depart at different times of the dayfrom early morning up until very late evening, meaning those which arrive early morning may leave around mid afternoon or early evening and those arriving mid afternoon may leave quite late in the evening. Those on more typical day timings might arrive mid morning and leave late pm or very early evening. As a result, tenders from some of the various ships will usually be running almost continuously throughout the day, with passengers from one or two ships being taken ashore and passengers from a different one or two returning to their ships depending on their timings.

Viking Ocean, Azamara, Oceania, Holland America. would all be good starting points.

There appears to be some changes to the Honduras entry requirements as this very recent thread on the UK cruisers board is another example. Whether it would be helpful or not for you to read it I do not know, although there may be one or two little leads or clues to be found which might help or at least point you in the right direction https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/3021696-honduras-visa-requirements-uk-citizens/