edinburgher

As already mentioned, the port area is in Piraeus, not in the city proper, which is where you will find the streets which make up "the Plaka". and surrounds, with plenty restaurants to choose from. Try browsing eg Tripadvisor for restaurants suggestions and ideas as you can use the filters to narrow down the selection to those of most interest to you. Or simply look at restaurants as you walk around as menus will be displayed outside. And if a restaurant is busy with other diners, that too can be an indication of popularity. And do note that Piraeus is a large port, not really "a harbour". and very busy along its full length with numerous ferries and cruise ships coming and going. I don't think you would even get a glimpse of water from dry land.

Ideally not in the hottest summer months when the heat can be unbearable and some of the outdoor monuments and sites close during the hottest hours of the day. Maybe best to consider early or later in the shoulder seasons.

There is a tour which would easily fit your timescale. It is the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon tourwhich is a longer tour therefore unsuited to those with more limited time in Reykjavik. We have never had enough time on our Reykjavik port calls to take this tour, but have been tempted by the positive reviews and images of it. Should we have longer on a future visit we would be signing up for it, but only with the actual operator, not a third party seller. This one and the Golden Circle Tour would fill your time with quite unique experiences..

From my olden days of working for an intl airline, if they let you board then they're 'responsible' for you. If you're not allowed in that country then they have to bring you back to the US. and pay the costs, which is why I mentioned that paperwork required but not presented means no boarding, no excuses.

No each to his/her own, and fair to say that not everyone has an interest in other countries, exploring their culture, history, language, cuisine etc, For us, exploring many countries of the world has been a great joy, but we like to be safe too..

clo, the quote above was mine, not lenquixote66 whose reply to that was a brief "no" We never again will step foot on any ship sailing to an number of Central/Latin American/Caribbean countries due to the high personal risk in so many ports. MoBay and Ocho Rios aside, disappointimngly, on St Lucia we were exploring Castries on foot, when two local ladies approached us and told us that we should not be in the area we were in as "it wasn't a good place for tourists to be", and they kindly walked with us a couple of blocks "to the safe tourist area" closer to the market where there was a police presence. S. America we very much enjoyed first time around so booked another a couple of years later despite the horrendously long journeys for us. Only in Rio (3 days) and Lima (2 days) were there safety issues and we got around those by booking private tours. Did you not enjoy Alaska? Again we visited twice, admittedly only 4 weeks total, but I don't think we were disappointed on any one of these days ashore and had no concerns whatsoever about personal safely.

I don't know which ones you were happy to wander around in as you didn't say., but there are so many of them considered to have a risk to personal safety, despite the geographical boundaries being blurred between Central, Latin and S America that in some ports there are warnings posted at dockside. To name but a small number, although there are a number of others, Colon, Belize, Honduras, Haiti, Ecuador, several Mexican ports. Maybe other members would add their own? If you are based in the USA, check your State Dept website for safety info.

Any hotel on or close to Plaza Catalunya would give you easy access to the airport buses, metro, HOHOS, public buses and taxis, and within a few minutes walk of the Gothic Quarter and la Rambla both which you would explore on foot. Hotels in that location are a favourite with cruise passengers as they make sightseeing easy.. As for sightseeing suggestions, you need to do your own research/homework to help you decide which sights/attractions are of interest to you, not to others, and which might best fit your very short time there as you only have 2 days max and in Barcelona that will pass in a blink.. if you have an interest in la Sagrada Familia, or anything else Gaudi related, and these are important to you, you might want to focus on these. OTOH should you have no interest in anything Gaudi you can focus on other sights which interest you personally. There are so so many past threads about Barcelona, plus all the other websites found online which can give you ideas, plus guidebooks, YouTube etc to help you decide. This current thread might be helpful to read.as the OP is also short on time. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/3022387-barcelona-disembark-day-tours/#comment-67753636 And here is another "sticky/pinned" thread from the top of the Spain and portugal Board, another FAQ like the "sticky" given you in post #3 And here are past threads containing the word Barcelona, as I assume from your question that you have not yourself aleady searched for them? Choose which to read from these https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=barcelona&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=465 Or narrow the search by using words which would act as a filter, eg la Sagrada Familia or Gothic Quarter or whatever. And here is another "sticky/pinned" thread, the same idea as the one in post #3. from the very top of the Spain and Portugal Board."Stickies/pinned" threads are there for FAQs and for reference so do not move up or down the pages but stay at the top of the boards and always worth checking for any. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2976917-transport-in-barcelona-taxi-metro-bus-etc-to-the-city-port-and-airport-all-information-and-questions/page/5/#comment-67730280 Enjoy Barcelona, a wonderful city to explore.😀 .

As your question is specific to RC, in addition to this thread, consider cross posting on the RC Board where RC passengers who may have previously taken this tour would be more likely to see it and reply.

Indeed the OP did, but it wasn't the OP who made the remark that "There is so much to see in North America,South America and Latin America.". see post #11.

Post #18 on this thread, the topic of which which has no bearing whatsoever on it.😉 https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2995349-pax/#comment-67026532 We look forward to seeing it when it goes on permanent display here in the National Museum of Scotland,Edinburgh, once the loan period to the British Museum ends. That is one fabulous object!! We googled it and discovered it is made of wood and painted leather, and incredibly well preserved. Totally understand why it was the showstopper for you. For us, one of our personal showstoppers was the (not Roman) Mycenaean body armour on display in the Archaeological Museum in Nafplio. When we visited Berlin on a one week city break, we spend almost a full 2 of those days in three different museums with the best Greek and Roman exhibits, the museums being one of the main reasons for us choosing Berlin over a different city.The first of those two days was intense as we were in two of those museums the entire day, only stepping out briefly for a snack lunch, but we later admitted we "slightly" overdid it. What a pity you never got to visit Leptis Magna or Sabratha(although Ephesus is on a par with Sabratha)Simply walking through the entrance to Leptis was one of those "pinch me I must be dreaming" moments for us.

Hmmm Latin America only if it is considered safe to leave the ship as some port calls came with strong personal safety recommendations, and despite having travelled many countries of the world and mostly been independent sightseeing, we really didn't enjoy these port calls and felt quite uncomfortable and on edge at all times when off the ship, as we also did in both Mobay and Ocho Rios. And I personally think that that Asia (which we love and have visited a good number of times) and Europe would be worth visiting even if only one time each. Are you not even the tiniest bit curious?

Friend currently onboard Volendam (the one who sent the Misc Qaqortoq updates) sailed through PK/C Sund a few days ago.

Not personally aware,no, but curious where you yourself heard or read about them?

Too late for today, but for future reference, consider posting on the "pinned" Palma, Majorca thread at the top of this Spain/Portugal Board. which rogerb monitors. This one https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2697012-palma-de-mallorca-diy-new/page/27/#comment-67607092

My thoughts too. Why do you think you would need an actual tour operator? This is one of the easiest DIY visits you can do from Livorno. And even easier if you only want photos and don't want to pre- book and pay to climb the tower. If only a "photos op" you could even combine Pisa with a visit to nearby Lucca, a nearby Tuscan gem on the same train line. Pisa and Pisa/Lucca are popular DIY trips with cruise passengers on Livorno port calls.

You may not get as many suggestions as you would like, as la Spezia itself is not a "destination"port, but a "gateway" port as the starting point for some of the regions most attractive/interesting towns, and it is not really a "tourist" town either as it appears to have little to offer. Many many past threads you could read to give you some ideas, but I have copied/pasted here a post I submitted some time ago which you may find an interesting read. QUOTE Thinking you could do better than staying in la Spezia, as it is more of a "gateway" port than a "destination" port. If you have not already found this past thread when you searched for "la Spezia" in past threads I think you will find this an interesting read as it is full of suggestions and info. You only need ignore the reference to driving in the subject line as it isn't that at all. See what you think. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2911139-la-spezia-anything-to-do-within-a-short-drive/#comment-64723978 END QUOTE Closest option would be Portovenere a favourite with many and mentioned a number of times on the above link, info and images can also be found online. If public buses do not run on Sundays you could take a taxi the short distance.

Read the tour description very carefully for any reference to timings, distance, whatever, basically any clues. And as with all tour descriptions," read between the lines".

As above. Overlord are probably the most recommended on these boards. So popular are they that you need to book well ahead to secure them for your date. There should be many reviews of their tours to be found online if you internet search. You could probably find fellow passengers from your sailing Roll Call to make up the numbers for this small group tour, or maybe one of the others has already arranged a tour with them and looking for others like yourself to join.

and we still have a poster which we bought at the Fondation Maecht and had framed once home😀 .Lovely to still have these memories is it not? We combined a visit to the Fondation with the Chapelle Matisse when visiting Vence and St Paul de Vence. Hank, have you already visited the above? And leave space in your luggage for not one but two parachutes as "Mrs Hank" won't want to be the only one of you without one.😁

I think you piggy backed the wrong thread here as the OP is asking about Palma Majorca and you are asking about Barcelona. You should start your own thread for best replies, but before doing so, have you read Tripadvisor reviews and hotel booking site reviews for the Leonardo Royal?

VV As you prefer to not take shorex, especially over longer distances, you could consider a visit to Jerez instead as it is much closer than Seville and you could DIY this really quite easily from Cadiz as both trains and public buses run that route regularly and both are to be found close to where the ships dock, trains to the left, buses to the right. If you read the usual online info for Jerez, you may find a few things to interest you, even more so if you have a taste for sherry as the words Jerez and sherry are uually to be found in the same sentence. There are sherry bodegas there should you want a tour, but it isn't obligatory. Another option would be to visit El Puerto de Santa Maria, very very close to Cadiz, maybe a maximum of 10 miles or less, but smaller and different. Trains and public buses serve the route, but we went both ways using the little ferry boat which shuttles between Cadiz and EPSM on a regular timetable. It leaves from very close to where your ship will dock and deposits you quayside at EPSM. It too has sherry bodegas, and sherry vinegar, Osborne being perhaps the better known, but also Gonzalez Biaz (Tio Pepe) There isn't a great deal of interest otherwise but good enough for a stroll around and a sherry bodega-or two and being as close as it is, a very easy DIY trip. The usual tourist info websites will tell you more. Third option is to stay in Cadiz. The waterfront walk which skirts around the old town is a very pleasant activity on a nice weather day as there are sea views and little parks and gardens all along the route, and little cafes for drinks or ice creams. (instead of crossing from the port to the old town, turn right and follow the walkway) On our last visit we took a public bus (you could take a taxi) much further along to Parque Genovese, a larger park which we explored (info online) before walking all the way back to the port. Should you choose to do so, you could cut into the historic centre at any number of points.

The images on tripadvisor reviews would show you the interiors of both.. Tripadvisor reviews of both actually have tens of thousands of images you can view. They are indeed very close to each other so perhaps location would help you decide.Is one more conveniently located than the other other for transport or a taxi, or would one be a better fit for your other plans that morning? Or better for your hotel location to collect luggage? Or being that close to each other, maybe you could find time for one interior and exterior visit and one exterior only visit. Or spend less time inside each and scoot around both, because when might you have another opportunity?

A favourite with cruise pax as you dock centrally, there are a number of sights to visit and the town is attractive and as it is very easy to DIY there is really no need for an excursion. I think this past thread would give you all the ideas and info you might need. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2860877-alesund-in-7-hours-help/#comment-63424351

Your Trogir experience was a very different experience from ours. When we visited Trogir, the narrow streets were so crowded we could barely move through them without almost pushing our way through at times and could see very little. That was a morning and the crowds appeared to be visitors on land trips having come off their coaches. It was so bad we left after a much shorter time than we had planned.