gazpacho

I use "Visitacity" for our DIY days: https://www.visitacity.com/en/barcelona/itinerary-by-day/1

You can use their suggested planner, remove or add to it or completely create your own. You can tinker with timings to create the perfect day out. You then get a PDF of the plan .... and its all free !

One of our DIY excursions will take us to Monaco. We will be walking the F1 circuit (in July ... yes I know it will not resemble the track) and then from La Rascasse will make our way to the Princes Top Cars Collection (10/15 mins walk). From there we wish to go up to Jardin Exotique Garden, but this is where google maps and other websites do not seem to help.

So, does anyone know the best/easiest/quickest route (walking/Public Transport) from the Top Cars Collection Museum to the Jardin Exotique Gardens ?

From the Gardens, we will be heading back to the train station.

Cheers

We disembark Explorer on 14th July :0(

Me and my husband have booked Highlights of the Mediterranean departing 1st September 2018.

I'm interested to see others reviews of this ship new to the fleet after the refurbishment. Hope they're good.

We are on Explorer from 30/06/18 through to 15/07/18, taking in Cosmopolitan Classics & Highlights Of The Med. Lots of planning for the Ports already done, so just need to see how she looks after the refurb now. We will certainly write a review and post photos !

"Guests that frequented the Lido Buffet and pool and Liberties bar at the rear of the ship were generally not up to the standards you would expect on a cruise"

And what "standards" would you expect from guests who book a cruise ? Maybe you should suggest the cruise operators send out a "profiling questionnaire" prior to booking

Found this whilst scouring the internet. No date on it, so not sure how accurate it would be in 2018:

Thomson Cruises Alcohol Policy

Bringing Booze Onboard

Bringingliquor on board at embarkation: Passengers can bring liquor on board atembarkation.

Bringingwine or Champagne on board: Passengers can bring wine or Champagne on board.

Purchasingliquor in port: It'sallowed.

Purchasingliquor in ships' duty-free shop: Passengers can purchase liquor in the duty-freeshops and take it back to their cabin.

Free Drink Caveat

Sparklingwine, select cocktails and wine are offered free of charge on formal night.

Beer Onboard

Draft: John Smiths, Heineken andStrongbow depending on suppliers and the location of the ship.

Bottled: Becks, Budweiser, Guinness andCorona, plus a selection of ales including London Pride, Newcastle Brown Ale.

Specialty Bars

None.

You also have to be available for safety drill they will inform you of the time when you board.

 

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ahhhhh I had not factored that in ............... Thanks Pensioncruiser

I've used Shareashoreexcursion a few times and it works great. Here's the link for Italy ports:

 

http://www.shareashoreexcursioninitaly.com

Cheers Aquahound

Yes you will be bussed to the port/ ship from airport.You will go through the usual procedures,check in luggage,security check etc

 

Your can spend all day on the ship if you want( time to explore)and use all the facilities or you can get off the ship and do whatever you want.Mind and be back in plenty of time for departure ;p

 

With passengers arriving at all different times never had an issue with the buffet being overly busy

 

Enjoy

Thanks for that Jim.

It looks like we will be arriving at Palma Cruise Port at around 11:00 on Embarkation Day, but he ship does not leave until 22:00. We will be bussed in to the port from the airport by Thomson.

As this is our first cruise, we do not really know what to expect or what happens on Embarkation Day.

Would we spend the whole of that time on the ship ? Could we have a quick wander round the Museum of San Carlos, which is very close to the port ?

I have read that the buffet on Embarkation Day is always busy and the advice is to book one of the specialty restaurants. Do Thomson allow us to do this prior to Embarkation Day ?

A loosely planned day, would include check in, a few hours on ship, a walk to the Museum of San Carlos for a couple of hours and then return to the ship late afternoon/early evening to freshen up and head for dinner .....

Any advice (as always) greatly received.

We are planning a Pompeii & Vesuvius excursion from Naples excursion when we are in Naples for the day.

The cruise ship price per person for this excursion is £72pp and the only other operator I have seen so far to take in both locations is Viator, which is £80pp.

Does anyone have other operators they could recommend ?

Cheers

Let me recommend that you post your question on the Italy Ports Of Call Board where these types of questions come up often and you will be given other tour guides recommendations.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=-1&f=595

 

Keith

Thanks for that .... will do

We are planning a Pompeii & Vesuvius excursion from Naples excursion when we are in Naples for the day.

The cruise ship price per person for this excursion is £72pp and the only other operator I have seen so far to take in both is Viator, which is £80pp.

Does anyone have other operators they could recommend ?

Cheers

Flip Flops for lounging around the pool

Deck of cards to go with that nightcap on the cabin balcony as the sun goes down

A good book/magazine (or several on a tablet)

Good selection of music on mobile device (and don't forget earphones) when relaxing on the deck

Binoculars to take in the sights as you cruise by the coasts

(if you intend to purchase wine/alcohol from the ports of call for consumption in your cabin) plastic wine glasses

Thanks again for coming to my rescue. Your answers are very much appreciated. Will also take on board booking a speciality restaurant on the change over day too !

Further to my post about our "mid cruise/ change over" day in Palma a few days ago, I have another question (if anyone can help)

We are on Marella Explorer for two weeks doing the "Cosmopolitan Classics & Highlights of Mediterranean" Cruises.

On day 8 we are in port at Palma from 06:30 and do not leave until 22:30. Would we need to check back in for the second week (we have booked the same cabin for both weeks), or can we stay away from what would be a busy afternoon dockside and return to the ship during the evening as we would at any of the ports during the cruise ?

Thanks for all your responses and advice.

We will go with the Soller train and Port De Soller first thing, then spend the afternoon / evening in Palma before boarding back on Explorer for the second week

I have done an organised ship's excursion from Palma to Soller on the train and it was a pretty long half-day tour. The train journey itself is an hour each way. The Caves of Drach are right on the other side of the Island (Soller is on the West coast and Drach the East). As you have a long day there, it probably is possible but I am not sure how you would organise it. If you do the Soller Train independently, you need to get from the ship to the rail station on the northern side of Palma City Centre. Soller is a nice little place to browse, shop and eat in.

 

Should you decide not to go to the Caves, you can always get the old Tram down from Soller to Port de Soller. See http://trendesoller.com/en/home/ for details.

 

Whatever you do, have a great day.

Thanks very much for that Andrew. Soller has the No1 spot, so we will be doing that no matter what. Would just be nice if we could include the caves ..... decisions decisions !!!

We are on Explorer when it is docked in Palma between the hours of 06:30 & 22:00 midway through the 14 day cruise.

We are looking at visiting Drach Caves and hopefully taking a trip on the Soller Train during our time on Mallorca if possible.

How feasible is it to do both these in one day ? and which way round would you advise, if it is possible.

Cheers

Not wanting to be accused of trying to teach my grannie how to sook eggs - but remember and pack a corkscrew in your main luggage !!!

 

I've goofed up on that one before - mind you, corked bottles seem to be fewer and fewer these days, except in the more expensive ranges.

Always one in the suitcase ... and as we often used to forget, we have one cable tied in the case as a permanent fixture

It's the same check as at the airport Inc the xray😀

 

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Thank again for your reply

Agreed Dave - we've never seen that restriction imposed. However, wasn't there a brief period a couple of years ago on the Dream in the Caribbean when there was a clamp down there ?

 

A failed experiment ?

 

 

I wouldn't go asking on the ship for obvious reasons - I suggest buying a bottle of wine at the airport, (or on arrival, though opportunities might be few and far between) and putting it in your hand luggage, then wait and see. I reckon there'll be no dramas on boarding - and you'll be good to go for a repeat performance.

 

 

You can buy booze on your outward flight and carry it on to the ship - that is allowed under Ts&Cs.

 

One word of caution - don't try taking on multiple bottles, the security staff will see that as taking the proverbial Mick and will have to be seen to be taking action. The only time I've seen booze taken from a passenger was a fella carrying on a large selection of bottles in a bag from a named duty free store - that was on another line who publicised a no alcohol policy, but were less than energetic at enforcement................until the above wiseguy was having a laugh.

 

 

No issues with snack foods

Thanks for that .... one bottle per port would be plenty !

20.3 might be in the terms and conditions but I have never heard of it actually happening.. Maybe they are making preparations to follow what most other cruise lines now do.

Will check with reception when on the ship.

Are passengers physically searched when boarding at each port ?

And of course you can take drinks from the bars back to your cabin - I always enjoy a Martini whilst getting ready for the evening.

We would just like to try some of the local wines or offerings from some of the ports. If its not clear and/or is a bit dodgy, we will have to go with that Martini !!!

Thanks for that .... I may ask when on the ship, to be sure !

20.3. The Carrier and/or its servants and/or agents will confiscate all alcohol brought on-board by passengers, with the exception of alcohol purchased on the outbound flight to the ship – proof of purchase will be required. Alcohol that is confiscated will be returned to passengers at the end of the cruise.