vvtible

It was Alcyon Riviera Touring. They were great. I guess I could have cut down on the cost by putting it on the Roll Call boards to see if anyone wanted to share (or asking around on the ship), but we were ok to just have a private tour for just the 2 of us that day. :-) They also do tours out of Cannes, but we picked the Monaco day since it was such a long port stop.

We were on the Star Legend, not the Wind Surf, but yes, I saw bikes that could be used at some of the ports. I think they were to rent, not for free, but I didn't pay attention to the prices since we weren't interested in that. I also don't know how popular they were or if you needed to book in advance. Sorry!

Heartfelttraveler,

That's odd. Do you think it could be a mistake or an IT glitch? They multiple excursions in each port on our cruise last month, and there seemed to be a good turnout for most (if not all) excursions.

In Sanary-Sur-Mer we did a wine tasting excursion. In Portofino, there were definitely excursions planned (some got changed/canceled because we happened to be there the day of a huge Ferrari event, and the port closed early that day). In Portoferraio, we were booked on an excursion but canceled at the last minute, as we were just tired (last stop) and wanted a day to sleep a little later and relax. So in both Portofino & Portoferraio, we ended up just wandering around.

In Port Vendres, I think ours was called Perpignan and Tasting. It was fine and a good excursion for the first day of the cruise. In Cannes it was another wine tour, but I can't remember the name. At first I thought I'd be disappointed by how short they were, but I realized that it was actually perfect to tour for a few hours, then have the afternoon to either wander around town or relax on the ship.

In Monaco I had prebooked a private tour, and that was great! Definitely pricey, but worth it for us. We had an 8 hour tour, and we asked to see lots of different places. The tour went to an overlook at the top of Monaco, to an adorable little village on the outskirts of Monaco, to Eze, to Nice, to St. Paul de Vence for lunch, and also to Monaco/Monte Carlo to see the highlights there. It was a long exhausting day, but we really enjoyed having our own guide/driver for the day. It was worth the splurge, especially considering that it was like a few of the Windstar tours combined into one. I'm glad we didn't do that every day of the cruise, but it was really nice to have one day like that.

Hmm. I'm not familiar enough with Civitavecchia to answer your question for sure, but yeah, I think it was the main port. I pre-booked transport and told the company the date & ship name. They pulled right up to the ship, so they must know who docks where.

Side note: I had no idea that Windstar offered airport and city transfers at the end of our cruise in Rome. I looked all over the website and didn't see that. About halfway through the cruise, they had us fill out a form indicating our disembarkation plans, and you could sign up for transfers then. I commented that I wish I had known because I already pre-booked. They said, "Oh, well you can book it onboard." Too late. :) If you have at least 2 people it might be just as cheap or cheaper to just book a car....I was heading to the airport by myself so the car cost me more. But, it was still nice to have private transportation.

Independent travelers (those not booked on Windstar transfers or tour transfers) were supposed to disembark by 8:30. The first tour/transfer was at 7:30, I think, and they started every 15 minutes after that. They didn't tell us the times until we got that form, though. The second day I had specifically asked, and I was told 9:15, so I changed my pickup time to 9:30. I was bummed to see that it was actually 8:30. They told me it should be ok, but I felt bad about staying onboard when they were constantly making announcements that all passengers needed to disembark by 8:30. Luckily my driver showed up early, just after 9. ;)

We recently returned from a cruise. All three of the packages were offered at check-in. We debated on just getting a wine package, but in the end, got the full beverage package. Overall, we were glad we did. Sure, maybe we're heavier drinkers than we thought. ;) But we were on vacation, and we easily drank more than the $52/day per person. Occasionally we had a mimosa for breakfast (order extra bubbly in the minibar the night before, and room service OJ...bars not open that early), and then whenever we came back to the ship we had a drink or two (either lunch or afternoon if we were gone all day). Then after a nap/rest/sunning/etc/, we typically had a few drinks sitting up on deck with the crowd waiting for Sail Away, then a couple/few glasses of wine at dinner (hard to keep track, because as others said, they just kept coming to refill us). Sometimes after dinner we'd go to a performance or to the casino/bar and have another drink....or maybe back to the room for a nightcap before bed.

For us, it was nice to just order whatever we wanted and not worry about prices or about always signing receipts (although sometimes we did need to for inventory purposes). We tried some new drinks that we might not typically order if we were paying for each drink. It was also nice not to get a gigantic bill of drinks when we checked out. :D I'd have to double check the bill, but I think that the 15% service charge on drinks was included in the $52/day package, so that helped cover the cost as well. As mentioned, after the first or second day, the crew seemed to know who had the package, so we didn't even need to say anything other than to order our drinks.

Obviously it's not for everyone, but for people who do enjoy their beverages on vacation, it could be a good option.

I just booked the Yachtman's Harbors of the Rivieras Barcelona to Rome in April 2018. It looks like it is the same itinerary, just renamed. I have a few questions.

1. In Barcelona my detailed itinerary lists the port as WTC Passenger Terminal. Is this the World Trade Center where the large ships dock?

2. Did you do any pre-cruise days? Where did you stay.

3. Did Windstar open the watersports platform?

4. What was the wifi like?

5. Did you use the laundry service?

Thanks for your information.

Hi Heartfelttraveler,

We just returned from our Glitter & Glam cruise, and while I see that others have answered your questions, I figured I would as well. :)

1. No, it's not the same area as the large ships. We got a little lost (even though I had explicitly told the taxi to go to WTC North & South!) and ended up taking a couple taxis back and forth before we found the ship. At one point we were dropped off and went inside only to discover that we were in a hotel, who put us back in a taxi and sent us over to the big port where the large ships were. Turns out the ship was a 1 minute walk from the hotel! We could see it when we were driving over to the big port. So we had to go back in another taxi. I would suggest making sure you see the ship before you get dropped off. The hotel I mentioned was the Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel. It was in the middle of the building, and the WTC North & South terminals were on either side of it.

2. Yes, we had a couple days in Barcelona, as did most people on the cruise (and most had a couple days in Rome at the end). We stayed at the Renaissance. Good location, but otherwise I'm not so sure that it's worth the price.

3. We were anchored in 3 ports (Sanary Sur Mer, Cannes, & Portofino), and I believe that they had the water sports platform open all three times. I saw people kayaking and paddleboarding, but one person I talked to said the water was really, really cold (in the 60s, I believe). So I don't know that people were swimming much.

4. We didn't purchase the wifi package, so I can't help you there. We didn't have a problem finding wifi in cafes in the ports, so we just used it every now and then.

5. I agree with what the others said - the laundry package was definitely worth it! So nice to be able to rewear things and put on fresh clothes as often as we wanted. We had laundry done a few times and it was always returned the same afternoon.

If you have any other questions, just let me know!

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! It was great to hear a range of ideas. What I have decided on (so far - I may change my mind) was to book a transfer from the port to the city, drop off my friend & make sure she feels settled, then have the car company take me on to the airport. The charge for that extra leg to the airport with a little bit of waiting time is the same as a taxi, but WAY cheaper than taking two separate cars from the port. And I would normally ask the hotel to watch my bags while I grabbed a coffee or something, but it's actually an Airbnb apartment, so it's not as convenient asking them to keep the bags for just a short while. I know I will be a bit early to the airport, but hopefully I can check in and relax in the lounge or elsewhere in the airport.

Thanks Keith. I did think of that too, but I also thought it would be a lot more expensive to take two cars. And I kind of like the idea of making sure my traveling partner safely gets to her accommodation and feels comfortable heading out on her own. But I will definitely consider it!

You mentioned staying on the ship until more like 9:30. I'm a cruise newbie here. How do I know how late they will let you disembark. I thought I had read somewhere that most ships require you to be off by 9. Is that not the case? It would be great if it wasn't...we aren't morning people. :)

I was wondering if anyone more experienced could chime in with an opinion. I will be on a cruise next week that ends in Rome. I have read about the different options for getting from the port to the city or airport, and I have decided to book a private transfer (because of the luggage we'll have & to maximize sightseeing time).

Here's where I'm stuck. Our disembarkation time supposedly starts at 7 a.m., so I'm guessing we'll get off by 8 or 8:30. My traveling partner will be heading to the city center to drop her bags at her accommodation and head out for sightseeing. She isn't there long so won't want to waste a lot of time. I have a 2:30 p.m. flight out of FCO (and have been to Rome previously so am not concerned about seeing any of it while I'm there). I don't want to pay for a car to bring her to the city center AND a separate car to bring me to the airport. So I was thinking I could:

1. Ask the driver to drop me somewhere on the outskirts of Rome, where I could catch a taxi to the airport.

2. Ride all the way to the city, then head to the airport from there (either immediately, or maybe after grabbing some coffee or something depending on how much time I have)

For those of you more experienced with Rome, what would you do? Or can you suggest a better option? It's hard to my to gauge my timings. I don't want to spend a fortune, but to be honest, I value convenience over cost. :)

Thanks!

Thanks! I guess I don't need to worry then. :-)

I am booked on a cruise out of Barcelona in a few weeks. I read somewhere on another thread that people double check their port terminal before leaving the hotel. My documents from Windstar just say "WTC PASSENGER TERMINAL NORTH AND SOUTH." Does anyone know if there is a way to double check right before a sailing? Or maybe Windstar doesn't really change terminals?

I was also concerned that I didn't know if it would be north or south, but looking at a port map, it looks like they are side by side, so maybe it doesn't matter?

Thanks!

Another laundry question....the package is per cabin, not per person, correct? Thanks!

Vvtible - a question you may be able to answer now - what airline are you flying?

We usually fly Delta non-stop when we can. I am considering United for this trip.

Thanks.

Royal Jordanian. ;) We're not coming straight from North America.

I can't answer any of your questions now....but maybe in a month after my cruise. ;)

The night in Monaco for us was the deck BBQ.

Interesting! I hadn't even thought of that as a possiblity. I guess I just assumed they wouldn't do it that night since people might stay in town, but yes, I can imagine that it's really beautiful there. It's just too bad they can't tell you ahead of time which night the BBQ will be (I already asked). That would help with planning.

Thanks to both of you for the helpful information! I thought I had read about a couple of the smaller ports that there wasn't much to do in the immediate area, so I hadn't really considered just wandering around. But now maybe I will. :-)

As for the full day in Monaco (we depart that night at 11:59), do you happen to remember if most people came back before dinner, or if they stayed out and spent the evening in the city? I'm trying to decide if I want to make dinner reservations on shore, or just stay on the ship in the evening. On the one hand, it seems like a waste of money to dine at a nice restaurant in Monte Carlo when it's free on the ship....but it also seems like a waste to not to take advantage of the one night of the whole cruise when we're departing late.

Thanks!

Great, thank you for replying! The private event in Portofino is the same as on our trip, so that info was helpful. I was trying to confirm that it departs from the land and not from the ship, but it sounds like it does. Do you happen to remember what time it started or how long it lasted? I have emailed and called, but they keep saying they don't have the time for the special event....which makes it harder to plan our day. ;) There is a 3 hour excursion that begins at noon, so it can't begin before 3:00, but I didn't know if they would really have those two things back to back.

Here are some more questions if you have time:

1. Were there any ports you remember that were ideal for just walking around vs. ports that were really best for a planned excursion (b/c there's nothing to do in the area)?

2. Any excursions you particularly recommend?

3. We are anchoring in Portofino & Sanary-Sur-Mer. How was the system for getting everyone onto shore? Chaotic or relaxed? Lol. I'm wondering how much time we need to allow. For example, the itinerary says we are in Portofino beginning at 9:00, but realistically, what time do you think we will actually be on land?

4. Also in Portofino, did you happen to hear any feedback from other guests about the boat ride excursion (to a couple nearby villages) or the lunch excursion to the fancy hotel....if they had those same ones when you went?

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide! I appreciate it.

Has anyone here been on the G&G cruise? I have a few questions about excursions and the special event, and would love some insight! :-)

The itinerary sent to me when I booked says we are berthed there. But being new at this, I don't know how accurate that is or how often it changes. ;)

We'll be in Monaco.

We go back and forth between "but we paid for the meal on board" and "but I want something local". We had a late departure out of Rhodes, and I'd say 3/4 of the ship streamed off to have dinner on shore and we wish we had. Until midnight isn't really an issue - dine late at 8:00 and if dining at a nice place you'll be back at the ship by 11 at the earliest.

Oh, I actually never thought about getting back off the ship for dinner! I was just thinking....8:00 a.m. until midnight is a long day to be out and about. But that's definitely something else to consider - coming back after our tour to relax before heading back out for dinner. I guess if the ship is at a dock (this one is supposed to be), that's pretty easy, huh?

Candles, there are no bad times, but we just sort of prefer midcruise. The first night just seems busy with other things, and the last night we're already focused on packing up etc. It will be closed on BBQ night, so no chance of booking that by mistake. I also keep track if we know we have a long tour day and might avoid that since we'll just want a quick meal. The only hint I have is that if you book for an early night you *might* be able to snag a second night later if they aren't booked. No quarantee, but it might work.

We usually like Candles when we're in port as sometimes it can get breezy at sea. I usually check the weather forecast for the length of the cruise and try to plan accordingly. Also try to go on nights that we haven't done an 8 hour tour during the day. Also is age related. When you're young and full of energy it may not matter.

Thanks to both of you! Lots of great suggestions. I'm still going back and forth about trying to book on the one night when we are in port late...not sure if we'll want to stay out all evening, or if it will be better to just get back on board and enjoy dinner with a view of the city. I wonder what in the world people even DO in a city until the midnight departure! Lol.

Thanks again. We'll actually be boarding in Barcelona, so milepig, that description was very helpful! I was asking about the beverage package days because I thought the price was per day (around $110 or $115, I think). I understand that you have to buy the package for the whole cruise, but I was wondering if they charge $110 dollars for that last day when you're off the boat by 9 a.m. But looking at the itinerary again, it's labeled as a 7 day cruise, but that last day would actually be the 8th day....so I'm thinking that it's not actually included in the package price? Maybe the $110ish dollars x 7?

While I'm on a role with questions, here's another one. :D You mentioned getting best reservations at Candles....how do you know which are the "best" reservations? Is it based on if it's early/late in the cruise, the port for that day, the reservation time, specific seats, etc?

Thanks in advance for any tips!

Great! Thanks for the info and explanation of how that first afternoon will go...I was wondering. So if 1:00 is the start time for boarding, is there usually a huge line of people waiting to get on right at 1, or do people tend to trickle in throughout the morning? I guess I'm wondering if it's worth it to get there even earlier than 1:00 or not.

On another note...we are planning to purchase the beverage package. I'm assuming the first (boarding) partial day counts as a "day," but not the last day (disembarkation day). Is that correct?

Cruise newbie here, which explains why I need to ask this question. :) (By the way, I have learned so much from reading this forum, so thanks to everyone for posting such great info on here!)

I booked a Windstar cruise and the invoice says "all aboard" at 1:00, with a 5:00 departure. Does that mean 1:00 is when we can start boarding, or does that mean that they want everyone on board no later than 1:00? (And if it's the latter, how do you know what time you can actually get on?)

Thanks!