edinburgher

If your time is really limited, read online info and reviews and look at images to help you decide which would hold most appeal for you.

We took a shorex to Guimaraes and Braga on our third Porto visit as it followed quite soon after our second. We had lunch at a restaurant/cafe with wonderful views at the Bom Jesus complex in Braga

Cross posting on the RC board is where more RC passengers who have taken this tour would be more likely to see it and respond. Referring you to your similar thread. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/3022449-la-rochelle-to-bordeaux/#comment-67753818

For some of us the planning is part of the enjoyment, for others a nightmare. Sounds like a plan. You could have "a train, a plane and an automobile" combo.😁

You could ask about this on the RC forum where passengers who took this tour would be more likely to see it and respond. "Bordeaux" is really only a marketing ploy,like Florence which is Livorno, Rome which is Civi, paris which is le havre and London which is Dover or Southampton, all of which are around a good 2 hours from the actual ports. If you were hoping to include at least one wine tour or visit St Emilion, you will be disappointed as it appears you will only have time to explore Bordeaux city itself. Pleasant as it is, I personally do not feel it merits the very long journey time in exchange for such a short time exploring Bordeaux as most visitors would be focusing on wine related visits in the surrounding area. La Rochelle is actually a very nice town for a port call (actually a holiday resort) and there is more than enough to see and do in a single day without the long journey times. I think you would be pleasantly surprised once you look into what it offers. Reading some past threads might help, and if you have not already searched for and read a few, you could choose from these https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=la rochelle&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=462 .

It appears that the ice has melted sufficiently to enable port calls so hopefully you will be OK.😀

Hank the drive between Cannes and Nice is not really on la Route Napoleon. And such a short drive between Cannes and Grasse you barely scratched the surface. Next time go further to the more scenic sections and to the Gorges du Verdon.😀

Many members will have visited all of the countries you listed and probably enjoyed all of them in different ways without there being a stand out favourite.and they would have chosen them on the basis of their personal interests. The first thing you need to do for your planning is decide WHERE you want to visit as it is YOUR special time and you want to be certain you are going to the locations which interest YOU most. Once a decision is made, from that point you can look at itineraries which include the countries/port calls you want to prioritise and the cruiselines which offer them. I would not fixate on one cruiseline only,( in your case RC,) but keep an open mind because you will be firstly looking at the itinerary, ease of flights, also dates which fit your timescale, and cost too. Lots of factors to consider. And Meditteranean itineraries are usually more port intenseive with few sea days so the ship becomes of less importance. And would you want to spend some pre or post cruise days on a land trip at or near to the embarcation or disembarcation ports? And as already noted, an itinerary including northern ports such as the Norwegian fjords will be very different from one heading further south, especially when it comes to weather, crowds and scenery. Can only suggest you read read and read more to help you decide, but you do have plenty of time to plan this exciting trip. And should you decide north over south or south over north, you could always plan to cruise the other the following year.

As also advised by ollienbertsmum, you would book your SF time slot for day 2, ideally in the morning and make it your first stop of the day. Depending on the combination of tickets you book, interior and exterior viewing could easily use most of the morning, or not, depending on your interest... From your hotel in the Gothic quarter you would have nearby access to metro, public bus, or simply take a taxi directly there. Taxis in Barcelona are plentiful and reasonably priced.

Hank, have you ever driver la Route Napoleon in part or in full? If not do read about it online.You can join and/or leave at different locations without having to drive the full distance. We only drove some of it, direction south to north,detouring along the way to sightsee, including to the magnificent Gorges du Verdon, but as our time was running out,ended at .Moustiers Sainte-Marie where we overnighted before heading south again to return the rental and head to the airport.

I should have guessed that both of you would have taken this train in part or for the full run. I thought to throw it into the mix as I have never seen it mentioned here on CC, and why would it as it is not port call friendly. More years ago than I care to remember, I had cut the description from a travel feature and tucked it away as a potential future outing. My memory of having it was jogged a little before the world closed in 2020 when it popped up again in a different travel article. Some day we might even get there.....😉

Absolutely revisit and for longer as there are so many sightseeing options in the city and in the region as a whole. You could easily spend at least 7-10 days exploring along the coast and l'arriere pays. . Cruising has many disadvantages when it comes to sightseeing, insufficient time being the principal disadvantage, but one huge thing in its favour is the opportunity to have a short peek at what a town or city offers and taking a mental note about which would be worth returning to on a longer land trip, and which are "one and done"

thank you for liking the suggestion. There is a huge amount of info about the route and scenery online, and Tripadvisor reviews for "le train des Pignes" are very positive with most folks loving it. Passengers don't all go the full route, some stopping as you suggested at Entrevaux or Annot, neither of which I know anything about but there should be online info, and possibly some of the Tripadvisor reviews mention doing that.. And as absolutely everything nowadays appears to be found on YouTube, I looked, and when I searched for" le train des Pignes", several videos for viewing appeared in the results.😀

A perfect overview of the city can be experienced by using a HOHO. More than one company and more than one route offered but you can switch at certain stops from one line to the second which gives an even bigger overview of this huge, interesting and very diverse city. By simply remaining seated and staying on for the full routes you would avoid having to wait at stops to reboard should the buses be full. You could also do as some visitors do, and stay on for the first day, but plan where to actually hop off and on next day depending on which sights you have chosen to mmatch your interests.. Using the HOHO for an overview would be the most relaxing way to begin your visit. Full routes, stops and ticket info online. Staying in the Gothic area means you can simply step out and walk as it is mostly pedestrianised anyway. There is much info to be found online for the Gothic area. You could also google something like "self guided walking tour of Gothic area Barcelona" or join one of the many guided walking tours. And remember that should you choose to visit la Sagrada Familia, you need to pre-book an entry time. You can also book that with a guided tour if you would enjoy that. option. So, taxi from the ship to your hotel or closest drop off point to it. (I hope you chose a hotel on a street which is not pedestrianised) Using a HOHO, no guide needed, la Sagrada Familia if you choose the guided option, no other guide needed, and if you choose a guided walking tour of the Gothic area, no other guide needed. And past threads and posts for Barcelona contain a vast amount of info and ideas, so do look for and read a few. And you said It seems that that day must be very busy (10/20/24) What makes you think that? it is an amazing city. Enjoy.

Hank. possibility of something of interest to you in the post above (#38)

Should you want a REAL adventure, consider le Train des Pignes, a round trip scenic train journey between Nice and the historic city of Digne Les-Bains. As it is not SNCF, but operated by Chemins d Fer de Provence it leaves from a different train station in Nice. On certain dates during summer months it can be experienced with a steam engine and historic carriages. We have not personally taken this journey - yet, but having read about it in travel features over the years, have in mind to try next time we will be in Nice for more than a couple of days as our stays there have been short and we remained in the city. I just checked and it still runs with good reviews. Much info about it can be found online. It is also something that marazul and D&N might consider if it would be new to them also.And maybe Hank (HLitner) too, but as i forgot to "quote" him on this post and he isn't "following" I have had to add another post.

As already stated above, RCL do not visit Glacier Bay, one of the top, or, or possibly, THE top destinations in Alaska and for many this is one of the main reasons to cruise some of Alaska. And not at all strenous as it is several hours of some of the most spectacular scenic cruising. and really not to be missed And forSarahg0915 this is a day where no excursion is needed and thre is no additional charge.😀 Suggesting you look at cruiselines such as HAL and Princess, both of which have decades of experience Alaska cruising and both do it really well..

Even should it be free for either or both of you, you will probably have to still have it pre-travel. Once it is implemented the terms and conditions should be up-to-date.

I think you are still confusing pre-entry clearance with actual visas Visas are usually only(but not always) for those who do not meet the elegibility criteria for pre-entry clearance, such as nationals of certain countries, people with criminal records etc to give a couple of examples., but not always as some countries require most travellers to have actual visas, and some can be challenging and costly to obtain. The onus is always on the traveller to check elligibilty for entry requirements into any country other than your own and to have the correct documentation. You could begin by looking at entry requirements for your nationality for the different countries you will visit, but being aware that "rules can change" at any time so always check at least once more closer to your travel date. And before doing that, maybe research the difference betwen pre--entry clearance and a visa so that it is clear in your mind and you will know which of them, if any, you will need before travel..

Maybe so, but you will be sailing with NCL, not "all brands".😀

or from Åndalsnes, the other port from which trollstigen tours are usually offered. We did ours from Andalsnes and as it is closer to Trollstigen than Alesund, the day isn't quite as long and the cost a little lower.

sometimes the best way to go. Usual procedure is that, on arrival at the Alhambra complex, as numbers are restricted, coach passengers are split into smaller groups for the timed interior visits which are led by Alhambra staff. And sometimes free time is given for self exploration of the gardens before reboarding the coach for the return to ship. Think of the shorex as less of an excursion and more of a means of transporting you to and back from the Alhambra.

Venice is an incredibly easy and compact city to explore independently, usually on foot with the use of the occasional vaporetto for travel along the Grand Canal and out to Murano and/or Burano, with no real need for a tour and/or guide so you may not feel the need for either. With only two days in Barcelona your sightseeing time will be limited and decisions will need to be made about which sights of interest to you personally should be prioritised. Taxis and public transport in Barcelona are very good and lots of people use these, and some historic areas are pedestrian only so no point using HOHOS or any other transport there, although with two routes the HOHOS can be an excellent way to get an overview of the city. And should you want to visit la Sagrada Familia, remember to pre-book a timed entry slot. Should you decide to visit one of the towers, include that option at the same time. You can also book entry with or without a guided tour. This visit alone would use several hours of your available time if you include time admiring the exterior in adition to visiting the interior..

Probably a better chance of getting the info if you cross post on the NCL Board. This one https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/64-norwegian-cruise-line/

A Alaska is not alone in having pricey excursions. You would find high prices in a number of European countries, including Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Greenland, Iceland, and Switzerland.