edinburgher

Should you not rent a car and the shuttle buses not work for you, taxi drivers will be used to transferring visitors to the garden and should easily understand the english version "The garden of Claud Monet" easily enough. Same for the return. The train station should also be easily understood, Vernon train station please, but you could write down(or be able to access) the equivalent in french should you prefer to show a driver. Le jardin de Claude Monet à Giverny svp. la gare du Verdon svp, or to avoid any doubt, la Gare SNCF du Vernon svp.(as including the phrase "gare SNCF" makes it clear that it is the train station you want to go to). The bus station is" la gare routiere"😀 Should there be both a bus and a train station in Verdon, asking for "la gare" would likely have the driver ask for clarification which of the two you want to go to.

It isn't clear what you mean by "walk it". Do you mean walk AROUND Antalya or walk TO Antalya? I ask as the cruise terminal is several miles from the older part of town, (includes the sea front and old harbour and probably the area you would find the most attractive). This would not be a comfortable walk at the best of times, more so on a hot day and should not really be attempted.. If your ship has no shuttle bus, you might want to consider a taxi, and you may be able to find others to share with you either from your Roll Call or at the dock as you all disembark for your day there. You could also check on your Roll Call if any fellow passengers have arranged a private tour which might interest you, and are looking for others to share. If you have not already read past threads, there are only a very very few containing the word Antalya, but one or two might be helpful to read. These https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=antalya&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=149 You could also check eg Tripadvisor and others which appear when you google "Antalya Tourist Information" or "side trips from Antalya" or "beaches of Antalya" or similar, depending on your interests. and to learn more about the cruise terminal and its location, try googling eg "port of Antalya".

Past threads about Cartagena which you can browse for information, also the usual official local Tourism website which has already been given above, Tripadvisor, YouTube, Frommer's, Fodors, Lonely Planet, Rick Steves and anything else which appears when you google eg "Cartagena Spain tourist information" (include SPAIN as there is more than one Cartagena in the world) Check opening times and days for sights/attractions which interest you on their own websites. You dock opposite the town centre so you only need cross the road and you are there. Very easy to walk around as most of it is even ground, although wear good walking shoes as there is a lot of marble which can get slippery.. Cartagena is a working town in addition to being a tourist town so it won't close entirely at the end of the season, so Spanish shopping hours should be what they would normally be in Spain. Google is your best friend.😀 Past threads https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=cartagena&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=465

ALL of us and ALL of them? Really?

Not sure if this is helpful or not, but when we did a shorex to Delos, we went directly from the ship using ship tenders and returned to the ship the same way. Then we went ashore. Maybe, just maybe they operate the same way?

I think you already asked about these ports back in early March and were given a number of useful replies, including a recommendation to join any Roll Call for your sailing and to read past threads, to which you were given links for each. The first three of your ports(four if your Montenegro is Kotor) are all easy DIYwith some pre-trip homework, Corfu, you might want to consider a taxi tour as these are popular on this scenic island and you could share the cost with others, perhaps from your Roll Call? Should you decide to do one, best to pre-arrange and not leave it to chance at the dock. Do check your Roll Call as others may have already arranged one and are looking for others like yourselves to share with them. As JB has already pointed out, you can easily and quickly find past threads on all of them by using the SEARCH tool under your user name. You can then decide which to read and many will have lots of info and tips for the easiest and cheapest DIY sightseeing.. One thing to add about the search tool. Do not go to an individual thread, stay on the main forum to carry out your search.

Are you on a Canal du Midi itinerary?

Monaco also has a famous harbour stuffed with luxury yachts, parks and gardens, and the usual selection of museums.

The majority of visitors and cruise passengers who port there will not be into gambling either, but will find many other attractions to occupy them for a day.

No tour is actually needed for Nice if you do a little pre-trip homework before you go to help you decide what to see and do here which matches your personal interests. On a tour you will be taken to wherever the tour guide has been instructed to take you. Direct trains between Cannes and Nice, no need to change anywhere, journery time a little under an hour. As for Monaco/Monte Carlo, there are only two or three casinos there, and the only one which tourists might be aware of or come across during their time there would be the historic and very famous Casino de Monte Carlo with its gardens, the exterior of which many visitors like to view and take pictures of, otherwise no other opportunity to gamble that I am aware of.(unless others know better) Although small the city has several sights and attractions including an old Town, the Royal Palace, the Oceanographic Museum, and the Cathedral where the tombs of Princess Grace and her husband Prince Ranier are to be found. Again, reading about MC might help you decide so read eg the Official Monaco Tourist Information website, Tripadvisor, YouTube, Rick Steves and any other online or guidebook options to help you decide whether you might enjoy a day there or not. And read shorex descriptions even should you not want to book one as they will give you an indication of sightseeing options. And past threads, the same for Nice. Although there are direct trains, it is a longer journey from Cannes than the one to Nice.

Sorry that none of my suggestions were any help at all as I expected that at least one would be successful. As it is still a little early in the cruising season for this part of the world, maybe not too many members have already visited this year. Cruise calls to Katakolon should increase over the next couple of months and you might get more up-to-date information then.

Some suggestions. You could always ask terminal staff on arrival as there may some circumstances when normally available free WiFi is not available that particular day. Ask any of the crew as they know absolutely everywhere that free WiFi is available as they themselves will use it. Most coffee houses and others will have free WiFi for customers to whom they will give an access password, so for the price of a coffee or a burger or another small purchase you should find accessing WiFi quite easy.

Volos to Meteora is too far for a short port day, you will need to find something else to do which is more local. there should be lots of online info, you only need look for it in the usual places. Begin with something like "Volos Tourist Information", Tripadvisor, YouTube, Rick Steves and others, also read past threads. Choose from these: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=volos&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=463 Kusadasi as others have already mentioned is a super easy DIY port as Ephesus is only a short distance and there should be tours and/or taxis at the port. At Ephesus, in addition to the main site, you or your guide if you have one should buy tickets for the terrace houses as these are not included in the general admission ticket. (at least in the past they were not, but post pandemic times have seen changes in all sorts of places.) The terrace houses were where the elite lived and definitely worth a visit.

You could try either contacting the company direct via their website if it is possible, or consider contacting the visitkatakolon Tourist Information Office because they should be local and be able to answer your question. There really isnt anything much in Katakolon, and having visited Olympia on our first visit an walking this one street town, on our second we mostly stayed onboard catching up with some laundry, editing photos from the trip so far, and otherwise enjoying a welcome restful day on a quite busy itinerary.

As already mentioned, Captains will usually turn the ship around at some glaciers. Having said that, on Alaskan itineraries it is common to spend more time on deck for views forward or on both sides. A balcony on whichever side will restrict your viewing to one side only unless you have an aft facing one. And on our Alaskan itineraries with HAL, the bow areas which are normally closed to passengers were opened up to give passengers more access to best viewing in especially scenic areas, Glacier Bay as an example. If on deck, it is good to position yourselves near a doorway as it is then easier to move from one side to the other depending on scenery, or whale sightings, or whatever, as some passengers on outdoor decks keep a close eye on water movement and will call out if whales are spotted and you may not hear anything when sitting on your balcony.☹️

The journey to the futuristic area is really quite short, and I would expect that for a party of 2 (if you are indeed 2) two tickets for the nearby public bus or the short taxi ride with 2 sharing would be less costly than 2 shuttle tickets, especially if you don't intend to only shuttle between the terminal and the futuristic area. If you venture further the shuttle may be of no further use to you, meaning it would only be an expensive one way ride.

Two cabins means double the storage space and TWO bathrooms instead of one!😀

Pound sterling notes are also made of plastic/polymer Be aware that while Gibraltar issued notes and coins are worth the same as pounds sterling, they are ONLY valid in Gibraltar, so try to use only plastic there to avoid being left with any local coins or notes which would have no value anywhere else..

Nobody disputed that it was not, however it is not the only currency which is legal tender on some islands, and several members pointed out an obvious error to avoid confusion for future cruise passengers visiting any of the French Overseas Departments.

Ideally you want to spend your sightseeing time doing and seeing only the sights which are of interest to you personally, not those of interest to others as everyone has different interests, although this means you doing some pre-trip homework. Suggesting that if you have not already done so, you read past threads for ideas and information. And try googling eg "(name of city/town) Tourist Information" as these local Tourist Information websites are usually a good starting point. And eg Tripadvisor, YouTube, Frommer's, Fodors, Lonely Planet, Rick Steves and any others which appear when you google as suggested above and maybe borrow guide books from a local library? Cadiz has much to offer without trailing for hours to and from Seville, but that will be your decision. Cadiz is super easy to DIY should you stay there. Unless you are comfortable using public transport in Spain, and happy with the travel distances for independent travel, this is where you would consider an excursion.Making this kind of decision is why you need to plan your days to your own interests. A Coruna is the port call for Santiago de Compostela and should you have little interest in religion, you might want different ideas. Cartagena is compact and easily explored independently. Malaga you might want to spend some time looking at as there are many many options but easy to DIY. Past threads to get you started. Choose which you want to read from these Malaga https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=malaga&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=465 la (aLso A )Coruna https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=a coruna&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=465 Cadiz https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=cadiz&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=465 Seville https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=seville&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=465 Cartagena. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=cartagena&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=465 And do look at shorex even should you not want to book one as they will usually describe the highlights and what could be possible within your port timings.

Which to bring largely depends on which countries you will visit and you give no clue. If several have the euro as their legal tender, it would be convenient to have a small amount for really small purchases from traders such as ice cream vendors, or for use in some public toilets or on public transport which do not accept debit or credit cards, otherwise credit and debit cards are widely accepted. if you will visit any UK ports, the legal currency here is the £ sterling, not the euro, and again, a small amount could be useful.

May or may not work for you as there are a number of streets in Edinburgh which HOHOS cannot drive along. This applies especially in the Old Town, and depending on your arrival date, as an example, if on any date in August, large sections of the Royal Mile/High Street are closed to all traffic,as much of it becomes pedestrian only during the Festivals which take place throughout August. If your visit is in August, and actually at all other times, the best way to enjoy the Royal Mile/High Street is on foot.😀

Mystery solved. Martinique and Guadeloupe formally adopted the euro as their legal currency on January 1st 2002 as did other French Overseas Territories including the French half of St Maarten, Guiana and Reunion, meaning that lenquixote66, should you return at any time in the future, you might want to have some euros with you or use only credit cards.

Should you want a tour or would prefer a taxi instead of the X99, go to https://www.cruiseforth.com/, click "find my ship" then select "getting around" and click on S Queensferry. There you will find contact info for taxis. And reading past threads can give lots of info and suggestions for your short time in the city. If you have not already done so, choose which of these past Edinburgh threads to read. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=edinburgh&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=148

Martinique is a French overseas territory and as JB has already explained above, the official currency is the euro. Guadeloupe is the same. It may be that you were paying small independent traders such as those roadside, beachside or in markets with small amounts of US$ cash which they accepted , but I think that if you were trying to pay in regular stores or paying for car rental or similar purchases they would not have been accepted.