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On 5/31/2019 at 7:15 PM, ShipsandDipper said:

Transport from Seward to Anchorage seems pricey however you do it.  

 

We rented a car from Hertz (only option for Seward to Anchorage) and were able to leave our luggage in the trunk all day while we were in Seward.  I asked at the Hertz counter if Seward had any issues with theft from cars (been reading about other places where you don't dare leave luggage in a car, even the trunk), and was assured it does not.  

i'm debating between the car rental option (`$350) or seeing the Kenai Fjords with an airport transfer ($224 per person)

Hello! We're disembarking from Seward and won't be departing Anchorage until 11pm. Is there a place we can store our luggage in Seward so we can explore the town? Any recommendations on transportation to the airport?

Thanks!

Yes, that is why I said *older* child, not both.

If the above doesn't work out, there's also the Dine and Play option for your older child. They feeds the kids right away, and then counselors come to take them to the Oceaneer Club.

You must go to Skipper's Canteen in the Magic Kingdom. It is my new favorite inside the parks. It is a sit down place, but the service was quick.

One other thing to keep in mind-- on your WDW day, Cabanas is open for dinner at 10pm. It was a godsend for us because we only had a snack at our normal dinner time since we were so busy at the parks.

We're big fans of the Palo brunch. Palo dinner isn't all that exciting for us, and the food isn't that much better than the MDR. However, the brunch offerings are so good! I feel like we get our money's worth even with me as a vegetarian. The cheese and breads are super high quality, and nothing in the MDR comes close to it. The waffle with apples and calzones are surprisingly good, and our absolute favorite item is the red onion focaccia.

We were in 5148. I didn't notice the noise at all. However, the smell of the popcorn from the theater was too much to resist! :p

Is anyone using Alla tours for St. Petersburg? I'm getting a little nervous using them now after receiving an email saying they could no longer do early entrance to the Hermitage and hydrofoil ride. I know Alla has received great reviews in the past, but I'm losing confidence in them now. Any other companies I should check out?

We would like to purchase wine in Warnemunde to bring back on the ship. Does anyone know of a wine shop close by the port?

Have you considered Lucca? It's a short train ride away and very charming. You can walk or bike around the city on top of its walls. It wasn't too crowded which is saying something for August in Italy.

We were in Cartagena for three days last June. It felt very safe, more so than some European cities we've been to. Since you'll be out in broad daylight, no worries!

 

As someone else asked, do taxis regularly serve the train station? I wonder if a taxi can drop us at the ship or will they get stopped at the gate. Are they even willing to take passengers on such a short trip?

We were at this port in August 2016. We walked from the port gate to the train station after taking a short shuttle from the ship. The walk took under 20 minutes.

On our way back, we took a taxi due to time constraints. We tried to order a taxi to wait for us, but we were told they hang out at the train station which was true. Not all drivers are allowed through the port gates, but ours was. We paid 20 euro which is overpriced, but we were very tight on time.

I would encourage you to visit the fortress in Cartagena. I've been to El Morro in PR as well, but I found the history in Colombia to be much more fascinating. I'd also suggest walking into the neighborhood next to the walled city called Getsemani to get a good sense of the locals. There's also a fantastic restaurant called Caffe Lunatico that serves lunch. It was by far the best meal of our 12 day Colombia trip.

You will save a ton of money if you do transport on your own. We spent less than 13 euro for round trip train tickets.

There's a shuttle bus that will take you to the port gates. From there, it's an easy walk to the train station, about 15-20 minutes.

We took the train to the Trastevere station and then caught a quick tram that dropped us off in front of Campo Di Fiori. From there, we walked to Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, Trevi fountain, Spanish Steps and Vittorio Emanuele. We had amazing granita di caffe at Caffee tazza d'oro and a fabulous meal at Roscioli. We also walked through the Jewish Ghetto and the Trastevere neighborhood where we bought a couple bottles of wine to bring back to the ship.

We did experience a train delay that almost made us miss our boat. Allow at least 2.5 hours prior to all aboard time for travel time.

I think that price is in line with what we paid this summer. We had a top tier guide recommended by Rick Steves with a PhD in Art History so we paid appx 100 euro/hr which included private transportation.

We have good luck on the Disney Magic last month. We were told general boarding for the tender would start around 9:30, but it was available at 8:30. The excursion people who got priority boarded very efficiently!

We did this last month, and it was just fine time-wise. It does involve a few steps.

1. Free shuttle from the ship to the Livorno city center

2. Bus to train station. Buy bus ticket for 1.20 euro at newstand

3. Train to Lucca. It usually connects in Pisa but sometimes Viareggio. Buy ticket at kiosk.

4. Arrive in Lucca. Do the reverse for the return journey

You can absolutely get a taxi from the civitavecchia train station, and it can take you directly to your ship.

I unfortunately know this because we almost got left behind when our train was severely delayed in Rome. Some other passengers on our train called the local taxi company, and they told us the taxis would be waiting out front. They wouldn't reserve one for us. We made it with 10 minutes to spare!

Not all taxi drivers have a pass that allows them to go through the port gates so it's important to check.

My husband and I did those same ports except Provence earlier this month on the Disney Magic. We didn't book any excursions with the cruise line because we prefer exploring on our own. You end up seeing less when you're with a big group. Here's what we did:

Naples- I splurged on a private guide and driver because seeing Pompeii and the archaeological museum was extremely important to me. We were driven in a large van so with a group it would be more more affordable.

Rome- We took the train into the Trastevere station and walked all over the city starting from Campo di Fiore. We walked all over and saw lots of sights like the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain.

Livorno- We skipped Pisa and Florence and spent time in Lucca, a charming city where we walked the old city walls. We used the train to get there.

Cannes- We took the train to Nice and checked out the flower market and other sites in the old town. We finished with an afternoon on the beach.

Giolitti was my favorite gelato place in Rome. You can even get it topped with a little cream if you like. Sant' Eustachio had my favorite cappuccino and chocolate covered espresso beans. I'll be visiting both next week.

As for bruschetta pronunciation, the hard "k" is correct for ch in Italian. I can't stand it when people say broos-CHet-ta. It's just like you don't say CHE-anti when you order a glass Chianti.

Most of the taxis are tiny sedans that barely fit four passengers. You might want to consider a private car hire if you need a minivan for the wheelchairs.

The old city is the walled part. It's a short distance from where your ship will be docked. Just tell your cab driver "el centro", and he'll take you to the entrance of the old city. You will be in front of the large clock tower that you can walk through to access the walls.

What a cool idea for your mom!

We will have a day in Rome during our August cruise, and we are going to take it easy and enjoy "La dolce vita." I've been to Rome before, but my husband has not. I don't feel like I can do the incredible city justice by trying to rush through any sites during the high season. Instead, we're taking the train to Trastavere and walking to the Pantheon area and Campo di Fiori. I already have lunch reservations so we can have cacio e pepe, and I'm going to introduce my husband to my favorite espresso and gelato places nearby. We love walking around cities and getting a little lost while enjoying the scenery.

I echo all the recommendations for Rick Steves' books. They are incredibly helpful.

I'm in the same situation, and I decided to go to Lucca instead to see something new. I would love to see Florence and CT again, but I'd want to go off season like I did before. So much more peaceful.

We are facing similar circumstances before our Disney cruise next month. I was hoping that we could drop our bags off at the cruise terminal, but I was told by Disney that it was not possible. From what I've seen, there are not left luggage facilities at the cruise terminals.

The solution I found was http://www.bagsandgo.com. For 10 euro a bag, you can drop off luggage at the airport and have it sent to you at the cruise terminal at an arranged time.

I was thinking of taking a taxi to Plaza Catalunya, but for 5.90 euro, the Aerobus can take us there. You can buy tickets with a credit card at the airport, and the bus has wifi. I heard a taxi is around 30-35 euros so for a bigger group, that might make more sense.

We will walk Las Ramblas, eat lunch and shop at the previously mentioned Boqueria before taking a taxi to the cruise terminal.