Grant2000

Hi we are on Queen Mary 2 and will have one day in Shanghai on March 26th.

Is anyone able to tell me where the ship shuttle drops passengers in the city itself. We were going to do one of the ships tours but nothing really "grabs" us so now thinking of doing the city sightseeing hop on hop off bus, but not planning to get off at many stops, and then a ferry ride on the river.

We dock early morning, and dont leave until almost midnight, so time is not an issue. I would be guessing we would plan to leave the ship about 10 am ish and return in time for dinner.

Thank you

Shanghai is an easy city to get around on foot or using public transit (metro). If you dock in the city centre (on the Bund) you can take the metro across the river to financial district and enjoy a great view from the skyscrapers. Boat tours along the river are also fun. Enjoy your trip!

http://ShanghaiChina.ca

I'd avoid Beijing in January. It's very cold in winter.

If your cruise is departing from Shanghai, I'd suggest that you spend a few days there. It's an impressive city and there is plenty to see.

http://ShanghaiChina.ca

We've just returned from a cruise of SE Asia departing from Hong Kong.

The easiest and most economical way to take the Airport Express (MRT train) from the Hong Kong Airport to Kowloon station. You then take a taxi directly to the cruise terminal. Make sure to purchase "group" tickets on the MRT, even for two people.

http://hong-kong.ca/transportation/

I don't remember seeing any sandy beaches in Corfu Town so can't speak to that.

We did, however, walk from the cruise port to Corfu Town, which took approximately 15 to 20 minutes. There is a city bus that runs from the port to the town, but it doesn't seem to run very frequently. Enjoy your trip!

http://CorfuGreece.ca

When we visited Miami last year, we took a day pass on the Hop-on Hop-off bus. They operate three separate routes.

There's lots to see in the Miami area, but many of the attractions are spread-out around Miami and Miami Beach.

http://MiamiFlorida.ca

You should try to leave Tokyo from Haneda Airport as Narita Airport is a long distance from downtown Tokyo.

http://TokyoJapan.ca/transportation/

Regardless of which airport you choose, you can now travel by commuter train between Miami Airport (MIA) and Fort Lauderdale Airport. It's quite inexpensive and the trip only takes a few minutes.

http://miamiflorida.ca/transportation/

You might want to think about hiking up the mountain directly behind Kotor. The view of Kotor and the bay from the hillside is just spectacular! http://Kotor.ca

I have been searching for a tour from Naples to Pompeii, climb Mt Vesuvius, and of Amalfi coast (or part!). Is this something that can be done first of all. We will be in port from 7AM to 8PM. I found several other combinations of a tour excursion but not this particularly. Does anyone have any recommendations for a tour company that can do this itinerary?

You could simply catch the Circumvesuviana commuter train from the basement of Naples' Cental Train Station right to Pompeii and spend the entire day exploring the ruins. There's plenty to see!

The Naples Train Station is quite a long walk from the cruise port. If you're not a walker, you could either take a taxi or city bus there. See http://NaplesItaly.ca

Have a great trip!

There will be a group of 6 of us docking in Marseille in May. What in your opinion, should we see outside of Marseille? We are considering Aix-en-Provence, Lourmarin and Roussillon. I know we don't have time for all three.

 

Also, can anyone recommend any good private tour companies for that area?

Thanks

Two towns that I love near Marseilles are Aix-en-Provence and Cassis. There's also plenty to see right in Marseilles. These city guides will help you make an informed decision:

http://travelflicks.ca/tourism/france.php

Enjoy your vacation!

Does anyone have a Royal Caribbean Port Shopping Map for Aruba? Going in June and I like to plan ahead! Thanks!

This will tell you everything you need to know:

http://aruba-island.com/cruiseport/

Enjoy your trip to Aruba. It's my favourite Caribbean island!

If you stay in downtown Richmond near YVR airport, hotels will be much less expensive. There are also plenty of restaurants nearby. Many of those Richmond hotels offer free shuttle service from the airport. Check Expedia or Hotels.com.

With so many people in your party, the cost of cabs or a minibus to the cruise terminal would be reasonable. The cheapest option, however, is to catch the Canada Line (metro) from downtown Richmond to near the cruise terminal... but it would be a 4 block walk.

If you stay in downtown Vancouver, you'll pay more but there much more to see:

http://Vancouver-Canada.ca

My DW and I will be visiting Amsterdam for 3 days prior to our cruise departure. I am considering getting I AMSTERDAM CITY CARDS for the both of us. It seems like they are worth it.

 

https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/i-am/i-amsterdam-city-card

 

What experience has anyone had with the I AMSTERDAM CARD?

I never find that those city cards are worth the money. There are always plenty of things to see in a city that are free. You should definitely pay for a canal tour, however.

This site provides a good overview of Amsterdam city attractions:

http://AmsterdamHolland.ca

What sort of transportation could we get from the zoo and from the Botanic Gardens after night tours? Are taxis available? We are staying at the Intercontinental.

 

Thanks!

I'm not sure about the Singapore Zoo, but the Singapore Metro has a stop right at the Botanical Garden. Here's some useful info about public transportation in Singapore. It also covers the cruise terminal.

http://singaporean.ca/transportation/

We will have a couple hours after our tour in the afternoon and would like to explore the town. I'm looking for suggestions of things to see or not to miss. We will be there on a Sunday if that matters.

The cruise port is located in the heart of St. John's, the capital city, so it's easy to explore the town.

On arrival, we arranged a short tour of the island with two other couples. It worked out really well and cost us USD $20 per person! We made sure to arrive back at the ship early and consequently had time to explore the town as well.

This site provides a good overview of Antigua and St. John's:

http://Antigua-Island.com

Enjoy your cruise!

New England & Canada in May?

 

I know most take a New England & Canada cruise for the added benefit of seeing the fall foliage. Fall will not work for me.

 

I’m wondering about the New England & Canada cruises that are offered in May. I know there are no guarantees when it comes to weather, but generally, what is the weather likely to be in May? Cold? Foggy? Rainy?

 

I prefer to cruise before school is out, but should I wait until June to go?

 

Thanks!

We visited Boston in May a couple of years ago and the weather was beautiful! It shouldn't be much different in Atlantic Canada and Quebec.

Here's some info on Boston that might be useful to you:

http://BostonUSA.ca

If you enjoy walking, I'd strongly suggest that you hike the "Freedom Trail".

We are doing a 4 day coastal as part 2 of a back to back , we are stopping in Santa Barbara for the day . We are not huge wine drinkers so we are looking for ideas of what to do or see , any suggestions ?

Santa Barbara is a lovely city and very pedestrian friendly. This site will give you a good overview of its top attractions:

http://SantaBarbaraUSA.ca

Enjoy your cruise and your day in Santa Barbara!

What do you do when you are in Victoria - our ship stops there from 1 til 11.

 

I'm not interested in Butchert Gardens, Orca Whale Watching, an organized city tour of any kind, or high tea. ;)

 

Any opinions about the BC Aviation Museum? (I live near Washington DC & have been to both of the Smithsonian Air & Space Museums several times.)

 

Now for the cheesy bit. I have been asked to get a Starbucks "Canada" mug. I assume that I will be able to get one in Victoria. Is there a Starbucks near the port?

 

Thanks. I can't wait to read your suggestions.

Victoria is a beautiful city and there is much to see within walking distance of the cruise port. This website provides a good overview:

http://Victoria-Canada.ca

Enjoy your vacation!

We are sailing Reflection on 25th April.

 

We are stopping in Hilton Garden Inn at airport the night before and will book a taxi to the port the following morning.

 

My question relates to our luggage, more particularly minimal handling!

 

When I have looked at taxi sites they talk of dropping you at side of ship but I assume that is on return from excursions and not on embarkation.

 

Elsewhere I see a picture of a shuttle bus that runs from port entrance to check in. The thought of handling quite a few pieces of luggage from taxi to shuttle bus and off again doesn't excite me.

 

Presumably taxis can take you to luggage drop off area? Not sure what the shuttle bus is about?

The distance from Rome's two airports to the Civitavecchia Cruise Terminal is significant by either taxi or shuttle (i.e. provided by cruise line).

The least expensive way to travel is by train, followed by a short taxi ride from Civitavecchia town to the cruise terminal (i.e. 5 minute ride). Unfortunately, this only works if you can haul your own luggage.

Here's some info on the Civitavecchia Cruise Terminal:

http://cruiseports.ca/italy/civitavecchia-cruise-terminal.html

Here is some info on Rome's two airports. You'll need to know which one you are arriving at.

http://romeitaly.ca/transportation/index.html

Enjoy your trip!

I will be sailing on Celebrity Solstice in late April. There will be stops including Honolulu, Lahaina (2 days), Kailua-Kona, and Hilo. I really need help with excursion advice, either via the ship excursions, or through an independent source. What should I do and not do? Amateur cruiser here!!

Please help me see the best of Hawaii. Any suggestions on luau, tours, restaurants, or other ideas appreciated.

There are lots of attractions located near the Honolulu Cruise Terminal that you can access by foot. You can also catch a public bus from near the cruise terminal to either Waikiki Beach or Pearl Harbor.

You might find these sites useful:

http://OahuHawaii.ca (for Honolulu and Pearl Harbor attractions)

http://WaikikiBeach.ca (for Waikiki - a nearby suburb on Honolulu)

I you want to travel elsewhere on Oahu, you should probably pay for a tour.

Enjoy your vacation!

If you are a Costco member, you can rent a car on their travel website at a very reasonable cost. We travelled from Miami Airport to Fort Lauderdale Airport in September and weren't charged a drop-off fee. The rental company also provided free shuttle service from FLL to the Fort Lauderdale Cruise Terminal. I believe the company we used was Alamo.

Regarding stuff to do around Miami, you might find this website useful:

http://miamiflorida.ca

Thanks, Grant2000. We'll do that.

 

Any experience taking the vaporetto back and forth from the port area? I assume a bit of a walk from the ship to the people mover, but at least we won't have big bags.

The closest Vaporetti dock is near the Venice bus depot and the adjacent PeopleMover terminal. This website provides lots of useful info regarding transportation services in Venice:

http://veniceitaly.ca/transportation/index.html

We're the April 12 Venice to Barcelona cruise on the Sea. Decided to arrive several days early and spend the time in Florence. I think I've figured that part out. We fly into Venice, bus from airport. Check our larger bag(s) at Left Luggage near the People Mover, take the train to Florence and back.

 

Here's where I'm not sure. We pick our bags up at Left Luggage on embarkation day. If we take the People Mover from there, can we take our bags into the Cruise Terminal to check onto the Sea? We've been told it would be best to take a taxi (car) from the bus station directly to the ship. I understand that Viking does not have a shuttle from the station or terminal? And of course we will not know how far down the ship will be docked until we get there.

 

Should add I'm looking for the easiest way to get our bags to the ship. I'm not great about hauling or rolling them for long distances, and DH cannot carry them all.

 

Once we get to the ship and have lunch, what is the easiest way to get to San Marco on our own? We have a 24 hour Vaporetto pass, but should we walk to the Tranchetto (parking lot station); or take the People Mover to the Piazzale Roma (bus station), or Ferrovia (train station)?

 

Thanks in advance!

I'd suggest that you take a taxi. The PeopleMover does not travel very far and because of the large size of the Venice Cruise Port, could leave you far from your ship.

A taxi ride would not be expensive. Enjoy your trip!