Cruisingmarmi

Just now, yakcruiser said:

It is very simple to catch the train to Trieste. It is an easy walk if you don't have any mobility issues or a crazy amount of luggage. Also it is very safe in Trieste. Or if you choose to take a taxi it will cost you around 10 Euros.

Thanks so much! That's what we'll do! 

2 hours ago, kjquilts said:

Sorry ..... we did the very long tender day into Venice on our Star cruise in April.  There is separate thread about it so won't go into it here.  We flew into Venice two days early and then took the train to Trieste morning of the cruise.  We dearly loved Venice and want to go back.

 

It figures that on NCL website the itinerary for this cruise is still being sold as the original itinerary..... no pop up saying itinerary has been changed.

 

We plan to be in Venice 2 days prior to our cruise leaving Nov 1 from Trieste. We are planning to take the train also. Do you have any information or hints to help? We're thinking of walking from the train station to the port if the weather is agreeable. Is that a good idea? It looks like a short distance if it would be safe and easy to find. Thanks in advance for any advice! 

2 minutes ago, ggTexasGal said:

On our 11/28/23 - 12/9/23 cruise, the drop-off was Lotus Garden (Deck 7 Mid).

Thank you so much! We will head there first thing after boarding! It's a great option to be free of bags for several hours! 

Where is the onboard drop- off for carry on bags to be stored until our cabin is ready? We've seen this option on other NCL ships. It's so nice not to have to keep up with bags for several hours. Thanks for any information. 

12 minutes ago, KforKitty said:

There’s the Furnace Restaurant (La Fornace) a short walk away towards Colonna which was good.  Also, just along the Riva Longa from the Hyatt, there’s a seafood restaurant with a outside lagoonside terrace that I can’t remember the name of.

 

Catherine 

Thank you! I'll make note of these. 

3 minutes ago, lisaatric said:

We stayed there too and found it very convenient.  The vaporetto practically drops you in the lobby and they will get you to the airport free of charge. It’s definitely very quiet in Murano at night. Not a ton of restaurant choices but we enjoyed the peace!  

Did you find a good restaurant you can recommend? We may look for dinner there. It doesn't have to be a fancy dinner...just good Italian food...reasonably priced. 

3 minutes ago, Suwar18 said:

Cool, what made you choose the hotel? 

We read great reviews of the hotel. We plan to take the ship's transfer to the airport. We've already made a reservation for the hotel boat to pick us up from there. They'll also offer free transport to the airport when we fly home. I've tried to research the different vaporetto stops for the quickest transport between Venice and Murano. We actually plan to go for the day to Venice, not going back and forth between islands. Hoping this plan works out like we plan! 

Enjoy your cruise and time there! We leave Southampton on Oct 14..

5 hours ago, Suwar18 said:

The Hyatt in Murano has an airport shuttle. That's why I chose it. My cruise leaves from Trieste. Rome2Rio shows car services from Murano to Trieste. Being a newbie, I really can use advice from experienced travelers 

We're staying there for 2 nights post cruise

26 minutes ago, mchell810 said:

 

Yes, we did get out of the car for the city tour.  There was a viewing point up near the stadium and other stops were we could get out including Park Park Guell. 

Thanks! 

On 12/4/2022 at 7:24 PM, mchell810 said:

I have recommended SDT several times on these board and have had mostly positive experiences with them; nevertheless,  I feel I need to post about the mixed service I received last month especially  bc when I gave this feedback SDT offered me a discount on a future tour and asked me directly not to post my experience on social media.  That act seemed like a red flag to me:  I can't help but wonder how many other less-than-stellar reviews have been suppressed in this manner. Overall we were happy with our tours; however, there were some hiccups. 

 

For our Barcelona City tour the driver guide was knowledgeable and friendly.  I was disappointed in that he didn't bring us directly to the entrance for Sagrada Familia -- as had been promised.  As a result, we had to find the right line on our own through the crowds. 

 

We had planned another tour with SDT to Monserrat, but we never met the numbers for a small group.  The SDT rep offered us a private tour (for twice the price) which we turned down.  Then, just 2 days later he suddenly said he had another couple interested so the small group tour was back on, so I cancelled the booking I had made with the cruise line.  Just one week later -- 2 days before our tour -- the rep emailed to say the other couple dropped out and he could only do the tour as a private tour at that higher price.  Yes, it's possible the other couple dropped out, but it all felt too coincidental to me.  I refused the private tour (again) and luckily was able to book the tour with the cruise line as soon as we boarded. 

 

Finally, we had a private tour from Seville to Cordoba.  For this, we had excellent service from SDT.  The driver waited patiently when our ship was late in docking; his car was immaculate and the ride to/from Cordoba was very smooth.  Once in Cordoba the guide was very pleasant and knowledgeable.  He made a point of ensuring we visited all the things I had mentioned when organizing the tour.  This day was everything we wanted; SDT delivered beautifully.

 

Bottom line: I still recommend SDT, but I would NOT say they are flawless.  When setting up tours for this trip I only looked at SDT, next time I am in Spain I am likely to explore what other companies have to offer as well.

 

Do you get out of the vehicle on the Barcelona City Tour a lot, or is it a lot of 'drive by' sight seeing? I like to be able to see and take pictures, which is hard to do through a window. 

2 minutes ago, yakcruiser said:

I was on the Star in April and we docked away from town. The best way into town is to turn left when you exit the terminal and walk 500 feet or so and catch the City Boat which drops you off in the center of town. I do not believe any of the larger cruise ships dock in town but I could be wrong.

Thank you so much for this information! I've tried to search in so many ways to find out precisely where the Dawn docks in each port! I  read about the city boat and it sounds much better than a shuttle or bus option. 

Thanks again for your help!  

Does anyone know which pier in Ibiza this ship uses? We are going this fall. Apparently some ships dock close to Ibiza town and others are a bus/shuttle ride away. Thanks for any help!

On 7/28/2023 at 4:10 PM, wind010706 said:

Are you all going to be there with the NCL Getaway cruise Oct 12? We are hoping to go into Soulac-sur Mer. 

We're on the NCL Dawn. Also hoping to go to Soulac sur Mer. Would love to know if NCL offers a shuttle to the bus station. 

4 minutes ago, geekgrrle said:

 

I'm going to be there for the Oct 12 sailing as well. I have been having a terrible time trying to find an excursion to Bordeaux.

 

I was reading that you can't even walk out or around the Le Verdon port due to restrictions and that there are no taxis. I'm crossing my fingers that NCL has arranged some sort of shuttle at the very least.

Worst case I stay on the boat and make it a spa day I guess 🙂 I might tear up a little about not going to Bordeaux though.

 

https://www.whatsinport.com/Le-Verdon-sur-Mer.htm 

I agree. There seems to be no way for a DIY day without a shuttle. 

If we book an excursion through NCL and cancel it, are we refunded the costs, or is it applied to our onboard credit? We would prefer a refund. Thanks in advance for any help! 

On 5/17/2023 at 8:01 AM, edinburgher said:

There were queues for the cable car, anyone going there from a cruise ship would be best to get a taxi from the port.  

 

Or public bus route #8 runs to/from  the cable car from the road outside the port (Gruz) gates.

Edinburgh,

We will be in Dubrovnik on Sun, 12 Nov from 7a-4p.

Would you recommend go up the cable car first to see the views before walking around Old Town?  Thank you for the bus #8 information. That will help tremendously! 

3 hours ago, marazul said:

 

Yes. Take the train.  There are two or three trains each hour depending on the time of day.  These are regional TER commuter trains and you buy tickets at the station. No reservations are needed.  All trains that go through Cannes will go to Nice and on.  You can't get lost.  The ride takes 30 minutes. The trains stop at Antibes before getting to Nice if you also would like to visit there.  The first Nice station is Nice St. Augustin. Don't get out there.  The next station is the main station for Nice.  You can also go on to Monaco if you wish.  

 

Look at google maps for the walking route from the port to the train station in Cannes and also from the Nice station to the Flower Market. 

Thank you SO much! 

On 7/11/2023 at 8:10 PM, marazul said:

I lived near Cannes for a few years and I am a beach person. However, the end of September is pushing it weather wise.  Beach facilities start closing down and the water is getting cold. 

 

There is a tiny and lovely wine area just above Nice.  It is called Bellet. 

 

For a beautiful relaxing day, rent a car and head up to Saint Roman de Bellet and visit the handful of wineries that comprise the smallest (and one of the oldest) appelation controlée in France. 

 

The main vineyards are Château de Bellet and Château de Crémat and they can be visited.

 

https://vindenice.com/home/

 

belletwine.com

 

Marazul, 

Since you are familiar with Cannes, is there an economical way to get to Nice without renting a car? I've tried to book with a tour company we used last to see "The Best of the French Riviera". We may be happy to just spend some time in Nice and Cannes. Thanks in advance for any help you can give. 

On 6/19/2023 at 3:45 PM, sandinmyshoes said:

We took a transatlantic and I'd like to share my notes from successful sights in each of the ports.  These were collected from a number of sights including Cruise Critic.  I hope these give you a good starting point for planning your port day as well.

 

To get to city center from the ship:

30 min walk minimum; ship shuttle (not always free); taxi €8

 

Easily walkable city center

 

- sightseeing bus “Bee Le Havre” (leaves from a point on the square across from the “volcano”) - 50 minute La Havre city highlights tour (they were not running the local city tour the day we were there unfortunately); it also has a tour route to Honfluer

 

- There is a pretty seaside promenade; walk from the city center along “Ave Foch” to get there; at the gate shaped buildings turn LEFT; walk toward St Joseph’s Church (go inside; it’s surprisingly breathtaking) and then walk toward the sea

 

- small but beautiful church on “Rue de Paris” called Cathedral Notre Dame (has lovely stone groin vault ceilings); the sidewalks along this street are mostly covered, so its good if it is a rainy day

 

- Le Halles (the halls) is a covered market with some bakeries, a grocery store & interesting vendors by the “Volcano” (closed 1-3pm); - - -Boulangerie Maison Portier makes good bread, sandwiches, pastries & is across from the market if you want a quick bite. (I bought a "lemon frappe" Lindt chocolate bar in the grocery store at this market and looked for it in each port stop afterwards to no avail.  It was splendid if you like the combo of chocolate and lemon cream and can not be found in my local stores or on Amazon.)

 

Thanks so much! We're going to Honfleur, but hope to have some time before or after to see some of LeHavre. This is most helpful!

21 hours ago, DougandMatt said:

Has anyone successfully gone from the cruise port to the ferry port?   Does NCL have a shuttle to the ferry port?   Websites say it is at least a 75 minute walk and doesn't appear to be any taxi's.   That is likely 75 minutes each way and wouldn't be out of the question since we are in port for 12 hours but would like to plan and see if this is doable or worth it at all.   

 

I'm trying to find a solution for this also. I posted on an NCL forum to see if anyone knows if a ship shuttle is offered.

I have searched the France Ports...Le Verndon... board and no one knows if NCL offers transportation...only a shore excursion to Bordeaux.

Thanks!

Does anyone know if NCL offers a shuttle to Soulac Sur Mer? Apparently there's no transportation options near the port of Le Verndon, and the bus/train/ferry stations are too far to walk. Any help will be appreciated!

21 hours ago, euro cruiser said:

From the port to Messina Centrale train station is an easy, short walk of about 1 km/three-quarters of a mile.

 

You can now purchase one ticket from Trenitalia that includes both the train and the bus up to Taormina.  Simply enter Taormina Centro as your destination and you'll get both.  The trip takes between and hour and a quarter and two hours, depending on the connection timing.  For example, there is a train at 9:15 that arrives to the center of Taormina at 10:28, the trip costs 6,30 euro.

Thank YOU, euro cruiser! This is what we'll do! 

I'd like to take the train from Messina to Taormina for the day on 10 Nov. 

We took an NCL tour last year "Taormina On Your Own", but it isn't offered this year. It basically was a bus ride there, about 3 hours of free time, then the return trip to the port.  

I've read that you can take a train, then get a bus up the hill to Taormina. Has anyone done this successfully? 

I realize we'd also have to get from the port to the train station. I'm hoping to get details of the logistics of doing this. Thanks in advance for any help?