edinburgher

A plan B may not be an option at all. Would need to check with thecruiseline what would happen were you to arrive too late to board. I think (but do not actually know) It is all about the manifest. For this reason, if you are not on the manifest, would you actually be able to board at the next port of call wherever that may be. Actually "checking in" and being officially noted onthe manifest is not the same as a passenger who IS on it, misses the ship at a port and can reboard at any other port along the way, at their own cost of course. There is also the question of the muster. Since the Cosa Concordia tragedy, ships cannot sail until all pax have attended. If you have not attended due to missing the ship at the embarkation port, would you be allowed to board in a different port. SO, two questions to ask your cruiseline. Personally I would not cut it that close unless on a cruiseline charter flight or cruiseline transfer.

Which area were you thinking of visiting? There are a few possibilities from Marseille. Have you googled somehing like "wine tasting tours from Marseille"? A number of results appear with a selection to choose from. And have you tried asking on your Roll Call if anyone has already arranged one and looking for others to share, alternatively you could ask if anyone would be interested in joining a small private tour should you yourself arrange one. Finally, this very recent thread could be helpful for you to read. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2939304-provence-wine-tours/#comment-65425010

we also took the public bus in both directions from town, (not from WC). We spent longer there than we had thought we would and enjoyed it.

Normandy is too expensive. It isn't at all clear why you think "Normandy is too expensive" and without that info it is difficult for other members to suggest cheaper options. Nor did you give an approx pp figure which you are thinking would be a more affordable uption for you.. As already emntioned above, the lowest cost would be to simply leave the ship and spend time exploring le Havre on foot. Having said that, it isn't the most interesting town to visit as le Havre is more of a "Gateway port" than a "destination port" in its own right and was mostly rebuilt after WW11. It does have beaches if the weather is good and that option may not cost much.. There are a good number of options you could consider, including Monet'ts Garden at Giverney, Honfleur, train to Rouen a little under an hour away, (think Joan of Arc) and also a public bus to Etretat for walks along the Alabaster cliffs which I can recommend but only on a good weather day. .A step by step guide to an easy and inexpensive Honfleur DIY option. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2929793-le-havre-to-honfleur-an-easy-day-visit/#comment-65173042

I think your thread could have been worded in a different way as you mention two differnt tower experiences in your two posts, the first of these being" RUN UP THE TOWER AND BACK" followed by a trip to CT, and due to that description of your proposed tower visit, members replied explaining some of the challenges you could expect which could upset your plans for the day, and suggesting options which would work better logistically and make better use of your time.. But you have now mentioned a second tower experience,which is "my teens want to SEE the Tower" and this is an entirely different option. which, had it been known initially, would have produced different replies. And you had a few suggestions to visit Lucca which would not have been made had it been known you had already done so and would know about the train line between Pisa and Lucca, their proximity to each other, and how lovely Lucca is. Porto Venere could be a good choice but short if that would suit, but I still recommend you also look at a joint Santa Margherita/Portofino option.

In agreement with others that this is not the best plan, in part as the two locations are in entirely different directions from la Spezia. Your other complication will be trying to obtain tickets ahead of time to actually go up the tower. Even should you be successful, you will have a designated time to collect your tickets on the day and to do the climb, and that timing may not fit with your plans. Pisa would be much easier if coupled with Lucca as they are on the same line and quite close to each other. it would be quite easy to take your photos of the tower before continuing on to Lucca which is a Tuscan gem and a really delightful town in which to spend a few hours. It is popular for a reason.There will be many images and much info to be found online. OTOH, from la Spezia you have a few other options. We had a wonderful day exploring Santa Margherita Ligure and pretty Portofino. CT is a FAQ and there are many many previous threads which you would find helpful to read if you have not already done so. Go to the main Italy Ports forum, not to any individual thread, and input either la Spezia or Cinq Terre in turn into the empty search box under your username, then hit the little spy glass. All previous threads and replies containing that word will appear in the results ready for you to read and you can learn a lot by doing this. I would also pull up past threads containing the words Portofino and Santa Margherita.This thread would be an example and a good starting point. Ignore the references to driving as it moves on from there. There are many many more to be found. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2911139-la-spezia-anything-to-do-within-a-short-drive/#comment-64723978 Portofino and SML (again do search for many others) https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2933815-portofino/#comment-65282461

When we visited, there was one of these little trains by the port and anyone could use it. I expect it is less expensive than using it as part of a shorex. And the local tourist office staff were giving out free walking routes of the town which pax could use to follow the route at their own pace. This we did and found it very helpful. It wasn't the most interesting port on our itinerary , only sort of "average" but better than some.

How far is LEGOLAND® Billund Resort from Wilhelmsburg, Hamburg, Germany OP. just wanting to point out that Wilhelmsburg, Hamburg is only a suburb of Hamburg, so you are really looking from Hamburg Germany to Billund Resort which is actually in Denmark, not Germany, not that it might make much difference anyway as there is free movement within EU and Schengen countries ones you are within the Schengen zone. But do note that public buses and trains will take longer than 3 hours driving. You can internet search distances and transport options quite easily to help you decide.

You are talking about a Disney ship so there are likely to be many children onboard especially so on itineraries which fall within school holidays. And remember that August is the main summer vacation month right across Europe with millions on the move, so a sailing falling within a European school vacation period could attract multiple families of several nationalities.Scottish holidays are mostly taken in July as schools finish the term towards or at the end of, June and the new academic year begins around mid-August. But many cruiselines have introduced more "family friendly" ships with multiple clubs and activities geared towards families, and I think, but do not know for sure as we are past that stage, that UK families will be attracted to ships which have more onboard activities for their kids rather than looking for theme parks ashore. And many UK families will not be too interested in visiting theme parks at destination ports anyway as there are a number of them not only in many parts of the UK which can be visited for one day or for longer, but also on mainland Europe which they can combine with their summer beach vacations or as mini breaks. There is also Disneyland Paris just outside Paris, a destination in its own right and popular for short breaks of a few days rather than for only a few hours, unless of course you happen to live close enough to make a few hours worthwhile. And many families will visit Florida theme parks, again for a week or two weeks to make the most of the longer flights and higer cost.

It is indeed huge, and with little shade it can be exhausting on a hot weather day so you may find that 2 or 3 hours are enough.

Additional info here. Find your ship and date then the info https://www.cruiseforth.com/content/ship/ for info on the bus timings, google" Lothian buses cruiselink 99" BTW, No criticism as is a fairly common error, but in Scotland it is WHISKY not Whiskey.

Hi, unsure which switch you have as your thread title is Alesund to Godoy but you also mention changing from Olden to Alesund. Assuming you are going to Alesund, this thread would be a helpful read should you be undecided about the island trip and wanting to consider a different option.. https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2826391-alesund-norway/#comment-62526938 As you are currently onboard likely with patchy internet, you could save time and read only posts 5, 9 and 18 which explain how to get to the huge outdoor museum at Sunnmore, less than 10 minutes by public bus from Alesund. You could spend anything from a few hours to at least a half day day there and can move around it at your own pace.There may be shorex offered but it is super easy to DIY it at minimal cost. There will be much info about Sunnmore online if you get an opportunity to search.

Indeed, although Service's works are about the Yukon and not Alaska. Gardyloo, thank you for correcting my bad, but for anyone taking the White Pass and Yukon route out of Skagway, his works are very descriptive of the harsh reality of life in this beautiful but unforgiving landscape, and I do think worth a few minutes of anyone's time.

In common with many other popular cities across Europe, in recent years Barcelona has been experiencing "over tourism issues", which bring difficulties for residents. and for a few years now local authorities have been introducing new rules for short term accommodation suppliers, in particular Airbnb in an effort to reduce tourist numbers. Some room only rentals have been banned and apartments are required to be licensed, but some which are not are still advertised through booking platforms. If you plan to rent in Barcelona, you are expected to check that the accommodation is legally licensed. My understanding (perhaps wrong) is that there is also talk about possibly reducing the number of cruise ship calls and some lines have been using Tarragona instead.

Italy tours...Best of Provence or Marseilles,Aix,Cassis? Both tours offer some great sightseeing and both should give you a lovely day out, but as they offer different experiences the decision is a matter of personal choice according to your interests. Read the descripion of each carefully and look online for images of each location on the tours, also read online reviews. And if you are several persons in a small group, put it to the vote because in all honesty I don't think you could go wrong with either.

I would also like to recommend reading some of the poems by Robert Service.

We have visited several times but not on a Sunday. Having said that, the following will still apply. You will actually have a spectacular sail-in to Valletta and out again too, as you arrive and depart the Grand Harbour. If this your first visit, be out on deck early to enjoy it to the max. I would rank this arrival as one of our top 3 favourites but others may disagree.So spectacular is it, that boat tours of the Grand Harbour are offered locally, but you will experience most of it from your cruise ship for free. For magnificent views of the Grand Harbour from on high, take a right as you exit the port, walk along until you see the entrance to the lift on the opposite side, take the lift up (was 1euro pp, free to come down) to the Baarrakka Gardens at street level. There will be internet reviews of the gardens. The views really are magnificent . Exiting the gardens you will already be in the heart of the city and can stroll around with much to see along the way as this city is very historic and in addition to historical features there are a number of viewpoints of areas which are different from the views from B gardens.Check opening times of any site/sight you want to visit but the Grand Masterr's Palace should be open. You could also take either a public bus or a taxi the fairly short ride to Marsaxlokk, a pretty fishing village with wonderfully coloured fishing boats, and one of the most famous villages on Malta. There will be images and info online to tempt you.There is a smaller craft market around the port most days, which we have seen, but on Sundays my understanding is that there is a much larger market with a variety of fish, fruit, veg and other non food items. You could check online for info. Spending time in the gardens, exploring the city and visiting Marsaxlokk should give you a full day of diverse sighseeing without needing to leave the city. Decide what you would like to visit in Valletta and check opening hours. BTW, Malta isn't reknown for its beaches with the better ones to be found on the islands of Gozo and Comino although I believe there may be a few on the north side of the island, but you could internet search for any closer to Valetta..

PS as too late to edit. I would also ask staff if there is a direct bus from the hotel to Tronchetto.

Before buying, I want to make sure that what it covers actually includes what we are looking for Cannot comment on the ins and outs of the pass, but wanted to make a comment about its usage. Looking at your plans you will have 3 bus journeys, although it isn't clear how many tickets you might need to get from the hotel to Tronchetto on the day of your transfer, so maybe 4 will be needed. Bus tickets are inexpensive unless they have increased from the 2 euros or thereabouts single journey fares of the past. That would total approx 6 euros per person, depending on the Tronchetto tickets. And realistically, how many vaporettis will you ride on a one day visit? For sure you would want to ride the Grand Canal route , but unless you are heading out to some of the other islands such as Murano or Burano, (and with only one day you likely would not have time for that).that may be your one and only vaporetto as Venice is really a walking city and you will probably spend most of your day doing just that. It is a joy to explore on foot and relatively compact. For shorter distances the often crowded vaporetti are not the best option, walking can be a faster option, and you will see much more on foot. A single ride vaporetto ticket will be under 10euros pp so 10 euros plus approx 6 euros pp is 16 euros, which is less than your 25 euro pp 24 hour pass.That would give a potential cost of around 32 euros for two persons, leaving you a saving of 18 euros for two which you could use to buy snacks or drinks during the day. Venice is quite expensive for visitors so any saving would be helpful. I am therefore suggesting you cost bus fares and a single ride vaporetto ticket for comparison.before buying the pass. Of course if you want more than one vaporetto ride you would be cheaper with the pass if it covers your several trips. Semi planning your day could help you decide, but do wear footwear which has good soles for walking, especially if it rains. Can anyone confirm this will be able to get us back & forth to the hotel? You have a confirmed booking. It is not unreasonable to contact the hotel staff and ask them. Also ask about bus routes from and back to the hotel and the cost of single use tickets. Whatever you decide, do not forget to validate transport tickets in the machines or you could be fined.

Fos port is actually quite a long way from the city centre, Guesstimate maybe 5 or 6 miles or even a little more, but the port itself is huge and you may be docked further from the gate than you might expect .I did a quick google of the meeting up location and it is next to the Vieux Port so that is a positive as it is close to where ship shuttles usually drop off. The negative is that you gave no indication of your meeting time so impossible for anyone to advise if you will make it on time or not. My reply to this similar but slightly different question can be found here and you may find it helpful to read. https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2940080-marseille-port-royal-to-mucem/#comment-65439735

Anyone knows how easy it is to get into La Rochelle from the Cruise ship The port is actually called la Pallice and is a few kilometers from la Rochelle. If there are any taxis you could consider that option, and other pax may want to share with you, although I believe there is also now a public bus from outside the port gate which runs to the big central square Place de Verdun close to old town, market, harbour etc.. Never having used the bus, I suggest you internet search for info.

True of some but not all Hank, in the same way that not all American accents are perfectly understandable either.

What have you done there when it will be cooler and perhaps overcast or even rainy? You will simply have to layer up and get out there and do whatever sightseeing you planned as there is no point in staying onboard. Pack appropriate clothing and footwear. Expect many business to be closed as owners take a break after a long tourist season,and transport will likely have switched to a winter timetable so do check if planning to use public transport.

And more likely to speak english if your french language skills are not up to communicating with a driver who may have no english and only speaks french! Speaking from experience, I can say with all honesty that a "true" Marseillan accent is not the easiest to follow!

Booked at tour that wants us to meet at Mucem Most cruise lines will run shuttle buses from Fos port to somewhere around the Vieux Port and....MUCEM, so if your cruise line offers this, it would put you in close proximity to MUCEM, or around a max 5 minute walk away. If you are early you could explore some of the below or the Vieux Port while you wait. Shuttle buses back to Fos will usually leave from the same spot where you were dropped on arrival. MUCEM is located across from the Cathedral of Marseille which is also worth a visit and one of the entrances to le Panier area ( one of the oldest areas of Marseille) is next to the Cathedral, just to the right as you face the entrance. An alternative would be to take a taxi from the port to to Joliette, a transport hub where you could take a metro or a public bus to somewhere around MUCEM/Vieux Port/cathedral. You would need to check online metro and bus routes and stations/stops for the info as I cannot help with that.