Hlitner

I have another thought! Since quite a few folks are telling me that O cookies suck, this creates a personal dilemma. Like Cookie Monster, I do enjoy a decent cookie. So now I face the awful dilemma of spending 35 days on the Vista without a decent cookie. This should not happen to any man! Since we embark from Miami, where there are plenty of decent bakeries, I wonder if I can bring aboard a supply of good cookies without being charged a "cookie fee." What say you? Hank

With all due respect to Flatbush Flyer, it seems to me that a "premium cruise line" should be able to bake premium cookies! End of discussion 🙂

On this topic I am very outspoken (what else is new). There is simply no comparison. To us, Sorrento is just the main city near the Amalfi Coast (where our hotel owner friends take their kids to buy school supplies) and where most of the lower cost land tours stop for the night (there are many tourist class hotels). Positano is a very special town, still popular with some jet setters, and built along the face of a very steep hill/cliff. When we stay on the Amalfi Coast we normally book a place in the small village of Praiano which is only a few kilometers from Positano. Even when we spend a week on the coast it is unlikely we would every go to Sorrento which we think holds little charm when compared to the towns that are truly on the "Amalfi Coast." In fact, Sorrento is not even on the Amalfi Coast! As to places to see on the Amalfi Coast, in terms of towns we would rank in order of charm/preference 1. Positano, 2. Ravello, and 3. Amalfi. You might get some argument about the order of #s 2 and 3, but nobody would argue about #1. Hank

There is no easy answer. With Santorini you have two major problems. 1. How long until you can get off your ship and onto a tender? This varies by cruise line and weather/sea conditions. and 2. Once you do get ashore the only way up to Fira (where you will meet your tour) is by cablecar or donkey. The cable car lines can range from a few minutes to over an hour! That line depends on how many ships are in port, and how many get ashore around the same time. The cable car can only move 600 persons per hour (in each direction). As to how your NCL cruise handles to day...that can also vary, Sometimes the ships will stop close to Athinios so they can tender the folks on the ship excursions, and than move a couple of miles to the anchorage of Skala (the small pier below Fira) so they can tender everyone else. But we have also been on some cruises where they simply go directly to the anchorage area and simply have a much longer tender ride to Athinios for the cruise ship excursions. On Santorini, all the ships use shore-based local tenders which are much larger than the typical tenders carried by cruise ships. Hank Hank

What you say applies to most of the world (except for small islands). Cruisers are very limited in what they can see because of both time constraints and geography. Once met some folks who happened to ask us "what is your favorite city in New Zealand." Without any hesitation both DW and I replied "Queenstown." The person who had asked was surprised and mentioned that you cannot go to Queenstown on a cruise (it is too far from the nearest port). We explained that we had spent weeks driving the country (both North and South Islands) and many of the best places were not accessible by cruise ship. It is no different in Europe. Try going to Krakow, Poland (we really like this city) on an Ocean Cruise. or how about going up the Swiss Alps to a place like Jungfrau (cannot be done on any Ocean Cruise). We have enjoyed Dublin during the day and night (we have stayed there a few days). And there are plenty of other places that become magical AFTER all the cruisers and daytrippers are long gone. San Gimignano, Italy is often packed with tourists during the day. But late at night, when the streets are empty and the eerie glow of the old fashioned street lights throw off all kinds of shadows, it is truly spectacular. Cruisers will never see this unless they spend some nights on land. And than there are all the fabulous restaurants around the world that are not accessible to cruisers unless they do an overnight! Hank

We have cruised on over 65 different ships (of 16 cruise lines) and the problem with a shortage of Lido seating is an issue on nearly all the so-called mass market lines. It becomes acute during sea days because there are many cruisers who simply sit in the Lido most of the day and use the tables to play games, socialize, etc. As the OP mentioned, some cruise lines have tried to deal with this by putting small signs on the tables. A few lines handle it by simply closing the Lido a few hours a day. But on most lines, the staff are reluctant to ask folks to leave, so the problem persists. Hank

Have no clue to Australia (haven't been there in a few years). But it has become the norm throughout Europe, Mexico, Central America, and probably other places we have not visited in a few years. Interestingly, we were recently in Japan and did not see an issue other than many of their ATMs still do not work with foreign ATM cards. I noticed that if you Google "Dynamic Currency Conversion scam" it brings up some very good explanations. It seems like many legitimate travel sties are now warning folks about this scam...which is supported by most of the legitimate bank (because they make a hefty profit). Hank

What they are talking about is known as "Dynamic Currency Conversion" and you can Google the term to learn about why some folks, including me, call it legalized theft. This is different than the normal ATM/bank fees. In fact, DCC can cost you up to 10% vs converting currency at the normal international rate of exchange. With DCC, the ATM machine (and some credit card machines) will present you with a specific conversion rate and give you the option to accept or decline. Accepting is always a bad option and get you a lousy conversion rate. Declining will allow the transaction to go through in the local currency and it will alter be converted within the international banking system at a much more favorable rate. Hank

If you are traveling as a single, we can understand the reluctance to use a private transfer or taxi. DW and I have had good luck using the CC Roll Call boards to find 1 2 couples (we like to limit it to 6 people) to share transfers in Rome (have done it from the port to the airport and the port to the city). We have never tried to put together a small group for a transfer from the city to the port since that does become more complicated. But it might be worth a try. A group of 6 costs about 35 Euros per person, which is an excellent value. Hank

Perhaps we should talk a little about this for those that have little first hand knowledge of Rome. Yes, you can take a train between Rome and Civitavecchia. But keep in mind you must first get to one of the train stations (Termini or St Pietro are options in Rome), drag your luggage some distance through the station, get your own luggage on the train (which can be crowded), find a place to put your luggage and than keep in under constant surveillance (there are luggage thieves), get the luggage off the train, through the station (which may involve steps at Civitavecchia, and to either a shuttle bus or to a taxi (if you can find a taxi). We have often used the train, but not with luggage! By the way, if you are talking the train to or from Termini (the main Rome train station) you might consider that the track used for Civitavecchia is a very long (seems like a mile) way from the main entrance. There is a closer side entrance (if open) but you do need to know where to go. And I am not sure if there is a way to buy a ticket (if you don't have one) using that "secret" side entrance. As to using Princess shuttle buses, keep in mind that they may have more than one pick-up point (if starting in Rome) or drop off (if ending in Rome) so it can take time. Consider that a private transfer (or even a taxi) gets you relatively quickly from Point A to Point B! As to stairs, there are stairs (and they are steep) at Civitavecchia. I am not sure of the status of an elevator (we have been to the station when there was no operating elevator) which means you will need to get your luggage down a long flight of steep steps, through an underground tunnel, and than up a similar set of steep steps...just to get from the track to the terminal. Perhaps somebody who has recently (last few months) been to Civitavecchia can say if there is now a working elevator. Lets be clear that it is easy to get between Civitavecchia and Rome via taxi/private transfer! There is no shortage of taxis (especially in Rome) and either Romeinlimo.com or romecabs.com (both reliable companies) can provide pre booked transfers. Hank

As a frequent European traveler (sea and land) I am sometimes shocked to see threads with absurd topics. We would suggest that anyone going to Europe with such questions (as Messina to Palermo) simply look at a map! It is about a 2 1/2 hour drive (each way) between the two cities, and that assumes little traffic, no road construction, and no accidents. I have actually driven the route (with a rental) car and it took just over 3 hours (one way) because of some construction. I doubt if you will ever find a cruise that includes an excursion between Messina and Palermo. It there was such an excursion it would likely be cancelled for lack of bookings! My advice to the OP (and the answer to their question) is that if you want to see Palermo either book a cruise that actually stops in Palermo (a relatively common cruise port) or just fly to Italy and make your way to Palermo. As to Palermo, it is not on our list of favorite places, but we will admit that a visit to the Capucin Catacombs is a real hoot. Hank

From what port? In many ports, it is just a simple matter to grab your luggage and hop in a taxi. Hank

Just a quiet day in quaint Alaska with 9000 of our cruise friends? Like many here on CC we love to cruise. Perhaps it is just me, but ports like Juneau should not be swelled with 9000 cruisers. Almost enough to make me an overtourism activist. Hank

We have taken the hydrofoil/jetboats from Molo Beverello (twice) with no problems. Completely agree with Euro Cruiser that there is no reason to buy tickets in advance. Just get off your ship as early as possible, walk over to the ferry port, buy tickets on the next high speed boat, and away you go. \\ However! Keep in mind that there are only a limited number of boats moving between Naples and Ischia. So definitely check the schedule and make sure there is a return boat that gets you back to Naples in plenty of time. I will confess that when taking boats to places like Ischia or Procida, there is a "Plan B" in the back of my mind. Plan B is what we would do if for some unseen reason, we could not get back to Naples in time for ship. Ferries can break down, and unexpected weather can cause infrequent cancellations. When we have done Ischia and Procida, it was on cruises where getting to the next port was relatively easy. While we have never had to actually invoke "Plan B" this is part of the basic planning that goes with DIY. Hank

This is the dilemma of the cruiser who does not do much land travel. What folks see on a cruise is too often the worst of a place...or at least at the worst time. Santorini is a charming island (especially if you stay in one of the small expensive inns in Oia) that is quite wonderful when there are few or no cruise ships at the island. Folks that fly-in or arrive by ferry will likely never even see the donkeys or the cable car...other than from a distance. When you stay on the island you get to have those lazy dinners, spend hours in wineries, hot days on Red Beach (or the other beaches), etc. It is the same at many other cruise ports that do not even come to life until after the ships are gone! DW and I had been to Florence, Italy on 5 or 6 port days and were not huge fans of the city. It is only when we decided to spend a few days in Florence, while on an extended driving trip, that we developed a love for that city that went beyond the usual tourist spots and museums. Consider that many of the most interesting and best restaurants do not even open until about 7pm (after all the cruise ship folks are long gone). And strolling along the Arno river, in the evening, is one of our favorite activities in this city. We could fill pages with places that are quite different from what cruisers/day trippers, may think. Even a touristy city like Venice can be enchanting in the evenings when the day trippers are gone. In the Caribbean, we only learned to like St Maarten/St Martin when we spent a week in a condo at Grand Case. Prior to the major hurricane, that town was full of world-class chef-owned restaurants...most of which did not open until dinner time. We also learned to avoid places like Orient Bay and Phillipsburg on the days when there were cruise ships in port (weekends are often cruise ship free). On those busy cruise days we would often drive over to Friars Bay Beach, and than hike through the jungle to the very quiet Happy Bay Beach...that has seldom been visited by any cruiser. One suggestion we have for many fellow cruisers is to expand your horizons, embrace DIY port days, and go to the places not frequented by large tour groups. They do exist :). Hank

Many posters on CC assume that everyone just cruises in the Caribbean and/or Alaska. But, there is a lot more to cruising than the Caribbean islands (we still enjoy cruises in those waters), so we try to expand the thinking. I think a majority of North American cruisers start their cruising life with a short Caribbean cruise, but many will eventually expand their horizons to Europe, Asia, SA, etc. We like to point out that you can cruise to, and around, all 7 continents. The "credit card machine is out of order" comment happens everywhere. I believe that many times it is just an excuse not to take credit cards (which can be expensive to the merchant) and other times it is true. Most credit card machines (around the world) now link directly to networks via WiFi or Cellular connections and these things do go down! Caribbean crusiers need to understand that when they do eventually move beyond that area (often to Europe) that many of the "rules" do change. Hank

OMG, bialys? Very hard to find the real thing outside of the NYC area. Even when we go to our usual NYC bagel factory (Ess-a-bagel) I have never seen a bialy. Hank

You do realize there is more to the world than the Caribbean? In fact there are about 180 countries NOT in the Caribbean :). Just got back from Japan, Taiwan and Korea where the US Dollar was about as useful as Rubles in the USA. And your US currency is almost worthless in most of Europe, Africa, Asia, South America (Ecuador is an exception). As to using credit cards in Europe, it works most places in Northern Europe but are not as universally accepted in the south and parts of Eastern Europe. And if I had a dollar for every time the we have heard "our credit card machine is not working" we would have a thick wallet. Hank

We have driven up Teide (with rental cars) twice and enjoyed the trip (one time we drove above the clouds). As to the Cable Car, the two times we drove the cable car station it was closed due to high winds. And we agree with the other poster that it can quite chilly when you get near the top where temperatures can easily be 40 degrees colder than at sea level. Hank

Yep. Most hotels have a Concierge Desk where you can arrange for a private transfer company. Otherwise, the Doorman will simply get you a taxi, Some may disagree, but I think the private transfer companies are somewhat overrated (even though we have used a couple) when compared to just grabbing a taxi If you do want to look at some car services, online, we can recommend Stefano's Rome Cabs (romecabs.com) or RomeinLimo.com. Hank

The OP might want to check their credit card benefits (for the card they used to purchase the cruise) to see if there are any trip cancelation/interruption benefits. Some cards (especially the higher end cards like the Chase Sapphire cards) have some insurance built into the benefits. Hank

We live in Puerto Vallarta, for part of the year, and deal with tipping issues on a daily basis. I come at this from the point of view of an American who calls Mexico his 2nd home and has a lot of respect for the hard working locals. As a general rule, Mexicans do expect tips and often depend on tipping to make a living. When it comes to eating venues and bars we are always generous (and overly generous when we like the folks/service). A few extra pesos or dollars will not change my life, but it can be very important to the Mexicans who depend on the tourist industry. In restaurants we will usually tip 15-20% (although during the bad COVID years we were more generous). We are also generous with bar waiters who give us decent service. The waiters who work at beach bars are very poorly paid and depend on tips to survive. As to taxis, that is a more difficult question. The Mexican culture does not call for tipping taxi drivers (many Mexican give little or no tips when they use a taxi) but the drivers are happy to accept tips. Drivers do expect tips from "gringos" and that is just the way it is! When a driver is honest with us (charges close to the appropriate fare) we are often quite generous with a tip. But when a driver charges us "gringo prices" we are not very happy and show it!

Been there :). DW was a teacher which also limited our travel time. In our younger days, we spent many Julys sweating our way through Europe. Hank

As very independent travelers/cruisers we have learned to never expect (or depend on porters) in Europe. At the ports, there are luggage drop off areas (generally outside the terminal just like in the USA) where they do have port workers who will take your luggage and get it onto the ship. When you debark, the workers will also get the luggage off the ship and have it piled at a pick-up point (in or near the terminal or pier). But getting help beyond those points is not the norm. I take this discussion to the next level which is land travel. One reason (among many) that we prefer to have a rental car in Europe, as opposed to using trains, is because of luggage logistics. With a car, we simply pile our luggage in the car and do our own thing. With trains, you are generally on your own to get luggage through huge train stations, onto the trains, and either on a luggage rack (if there is one) or piled somewhere (often at the end of the cars). Some of the trains involve a step (or two) and that can be a problem for DW (who is usually pulling a large suitcase). We are still healthy and strong enough to handle all the luggage, but at some point (likely in our 80s) we can see it becoming a real hassle. Hank

You are overthinking. In many ways, the weather in southern Italy (including Rome) is similar to what you get in Charlotte. So once you are in the summer, it can hot (in Rome it can become miserably hot because of the geography of the city). As to crowds, you are talking about a city with a population of around 3 million, and tourists add to crowds. Some would say the "tourist season" begins around Holy Week and extends to early October. Our own experience is that Rome is always crowded with tourists at the more popular sites. DW and I prefer to travel in Italy during May or October (some would call this the shoulder seasons) but I don't think that makes a lot of difference in major cities like Rome and Florence. Hank