17 hours ago, Nashna said:

I'm afraid some of those steps won't work for me, but it was great seeing this option.

Yes, there is a lot of climbing to get to the viewpoints.  It's a beautiful island, though!

Barcelona is one of my favorite cruise ports.  There is just so much to see and do!   

One of the best things to do is to explore La Rambla, Barcelona's famous pedestrian avenue.  Be sure to visit the amazing market of La Boqueria!  La Rambla has tons of shops, cafes, museums, street performers, and fabulous architecture to enjoy.

Check out the highlights of La Rambla:  La Rambla: Enjoy the Most Famous Street in Barcelona (2023)

Lisa

On 1/22/2023 at 9:41 AM, Hlitner said:

Keep in mind that Naples is a wonderful "gateway port" to many places outside of the city of Naples.  A few examples would be Capri, Ischia, Procedia, Sorrento, Pompeii, Herculaneum, the Amalfi Coast (including Positano, Amalfi and Ravello),  Caserta, and more.  Any of these places can be done on your own (using public transportation) or with a tour.   One can come to this port a dozen (or more) times and never do/see the same things.

 

I think the biggest negative of the Port of Naples is that there are too many choices :).

 

Hank

Hank, very true! 

There are many great day trips you can take from Naples.  We really had a hard time choosing!  (Personally, I wanted to go to Capri, but my hubby didn't like the idea of the ferry ride as he gets affected by mal-de-mer.)

Certainly we'll have much more to explore next time we visit Naples! 

Lisa

Hello all --

We visited Naples on a recent cruise, and this is a great port to explore on your own.  The historical center of Naples is just a couple of blocks from where the cruise ships dock.  Naples has many historic fortresses to visit (Castel Nuovo, Castel dell'Ovo), the Piazza del Plebiscito, the Royal Palace, a beautiful basilica, and more!

Here's my post on some of the great things you can see during your port day in Naples:

One Perfect Day in Naples, Italy:  Best Things to Do in Naples

Happy Travels!

Lisa

On 11/13/2022 at 7:17 AM, Anyislandwilldo said:

Wow, very detailed adventure.  Looking forward to utilizing this info on an upcoming cruise.  Thanks!!

You're welcome!  We like to just explore a port on our own, rather than taking a shore excursion.  And San Juan is perfect for this, since there are so many great attractions in such a compact area!

Lisa

On 11/12/2022 at 7:15 PM, pbinn said:

Thank you for this. This is one port we aren't going to do a big excursion. We just want to explore on our own but wanted to see the lumberjack show. Only one available through Princess was 6:30 am so I just went to their website and bought tickets myself for show a little later in the morning, then we will just walk around on our own. It looks like such an interesting little town to explore

Super!  I'm glad that I could be helpful.  Have a great time!

Lisa

19 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Your post makes it easy for me to understand why we adopted PV as our winter home over 16 years ago.  Your first picture is an example of the interaction between expat and local community and the spirit of volunteerism that permeates the PV culture.  The tile work on that bench was primarily done by volunteers who actually donated not only their time, but their money to tile quite a few places around the park in the Romantic Zone.  The Americans/Canadians (and some Europeans) that call PV "home" for part or all of the year are involved in many local projects including the support of orphanages, strong support of the local art community. etc.  Unlike some communities around the world, most in PV embrace and welcome cruisers.  Many of us discovered PV while on a cruise and now watch the ships come and go from our balconies :).

 

Hank

Thanks so much, Hank!  I didn't know that the mosaic benches were largely volunteer driven.  What a great project for beautification and civic pride and spirit!

Lisa

On 10/9/2022 at 5:55 PM, Lialovestotravel said:

Thx so much!  Leaving for a cruise out of San Juan in a few weeks and we are flying in early, so we will definitely use this see sometime sights.  Do you think it is better to pay the entry fee at the forts or tour the grounds and move on?

I depends on how much you want to see and how much time you have.  El Morro you can see a lot just from the grounds, although I'm not sure if there is much you can see at St. Christopher's Castle without paying for entry.

Have a fantastic time!

Lisa

Hello all --

If you're like me and just want to explore a cruise port rather than take a shore excursion, then you'll want to read my new post around all the great things to see in Puerto Vallarta.  This vibrant city has a spectacular oceanfront promenade (Malecón), vibrant public art, and of course the gorgeous Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe (the church with a crown!)

Best Things to Do in Puerto Vallarta: A Fun DIY Walking Tour

Happy Travels!

Lisa

On 8/28/2022 at 9:34 AM, gfkcruiser said:

When we there last, had to take cruise shuttle to terminal building. Was in a commercial port. Still the same?

Yes there was still a mini shuttle to run you from the ship to the terminal.

Happy Travels!

Lisa

Hello friends -- 

I enjoyed one of the last Alaskan cruises of the season, and had a great time exploring Ketchikan on my own.

All of the main attractions of the town were an easy walk right from the cruise dock -- see historic Creek Street, the Salmon Ladder Vista, and totem poles aplenty.

Read about all the great things to do in Ketchikan!

Best Things to Do in Ketchikan: Fun and Easy Walking Tour

Enjoy!

Lisa

8 minutes ago, Nashna said:

Thank you, Lisa.  My husband can't drink alcohol for medical reasons.  The popularity of Mocktails makes it much easier to enjoy while abstaining.  I have copied your list to bring on our January cruises.  It was sweet of you to share.

Thank you so much for your kind words!  I'm glad you found this information useful, and I hope you have a fantastic time on your cruise!

Lisa

21 hours ago, rvlandandsea said:

While we’re discussing zero proof, does anyone know if Celebrity has the Heineken 0.0. I’ve seen it on Royal Caribbean. Thanks.

 

Heineken 0.0% was on the room service menu!

Lisa

15 hours ago, LuAnn said:

Lisa...Wondering which one your thought was the most "tropical" or tasted most like a Mai Tai? Thanks!!

Hi LuAnn--

If Mai Tai is your preferred cocktail, I'd recommend trying the Peach Sangria.  I had that one twice, and the second time they put in a LOT of the peach syrup so it was a bit heavy.  But the one with less of the peach syrup and more of the pineapple juice was one of my favorites  -- and the most 'tropical' to me.

Enjoy!

Lisa

22 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

Best Mocktails…Zero-proof Drinks?? NONE!!!

 

Remember:

In Wine there is Wisdom

In Beer there is Freedom

In Whiskey there is Wonder

In Water…….there is Bacteria!!

 

den

To each their own!  

Cheers,  Lisa

27 minutes ago, ConnMom said:

Thank you for sharing, Lisa.  I will try the Sparkling Lemonade on our next cruise.  Discovering the raspberry fizz on our last cruise was a happy find, and the French Caribbean is my favorite Sunset Bar drink.  In the main dining room of the Summit in June, the menu featured a different mocktail every day, but I usually had wine with dinner, so I didn't try any of them.  One of the pleasures of cruising is trying new foods and drinks!

I usually feel a little left out since I don't drink much alcohol, so the mocktails are a bit more refined!  Cruising is a great way to see new places and try new things!  

Lisa

Hi everyone!  

I was on the Celebrity Solstice for her final Alaskan cruise of the season.  I don't drink much, but since I had the drinks package included, I decided to sample all of the fabulous mocktails on Celebrity!

Read about all of the delicious and refreshing mocktails you can enjoy on a Celebrity Cruise!

Best Celebrity Cruises Mocktails: Zero-Proof Drinks to Love

Cheers!

Lisa

Hi all, does anyone have info for what the rate is if you buy a pass for the full cruise on embarkation day?  Online is showing $118 for a solo person for a 4-night cruise (Majestic).  Will full-cruise passes be more/less/the same if booking on embarkation day?

Thanks in advance!  Lisa

5 hours ago, rockymtn2 said:

I just did this on the Equinox on Aug. 19.  How much involvement depends on the piece you make.  However with all of them you definitely have some hands on.  They even have an apparatus now for you to "blow" via a hand pump bulb.  I made the turtle paper weight and was involved in every step of the process (always guided).  I even got to rotate the glass in the oven.

Super cute!

If you are making a small piece, is it cheaper to book onboard?  Online it is currently $114 I believe..  I have seen older posts that smaller pieces are cheaper than that.

Thanks!  Lisa

On 5/24/2022 at 4:39 PM, kcmo74 said:

June 10th, I will try and report back

I have a cruise coming up on the Solstice in two weeks and am thinking of using some OBC on this.   But if it's only watching vs doing probably not worth the $120. Can you provide feedback on how much hands-on participation there was on your cruise?

Thanks,  Lisa

17 hours ago, chubbypiggy said:

How long is the walk from the cruise terminal to the historic center?  Is it an easy walk?  Will I be able to get the walking route map at the cruise terminal so I can follow the route to the historic center?

 

Thank you.

It's about a 15-20 minute walk from the cruise terminal to Plaza Machado in the historic center.  I got my map at ( or just outside) the cruise terminal.  Also they have a blue line painted on the sidewalk that you just follow to the historic center! 

Lisa

4 hours ago, SusieV said:

I'm sure it got complicated with the itinerary changes and the ship swap. The system might not be programmed to catch those kind of mistakes since the bookings were made when it was a legal itinerary.

Actually, I booked it after it was already the Pacific Coastal on the Solstice..

Lisa

14 minutes ago, SusieV said:

I believe someone on these itineraries is keeping them but they have to disembark in Victoria and then reboard the next day in Vancouver at their own expense.

 

I'd blame your TA, not Celebrity. My TA warned me back when I was looking at Sept 9 Solstice followed by Sept 16 Millennium/Sept 22 Millennium that it might be an illegal cruise. As it happens, the ship change would have made it legal, but once Celebrity swapped Solstice in for the Millennium sailings it would not have been. Fortunately we decided only to do the second and third legs so we are OK.

Good point, but I still think the Celebrity systems should have red-flagged it and not allowed the bookings in the first place.

Lisa

6 hours ago, lax19 said:

Thank you for the great walking tour ideas!

 

Here's my plan for when we are there in November.

 

Any comments or ideas?  Still need ot find some place to eat...May try Panama bakery

 

https://goo.gl/maps/mGGdengPJfhWre7J8

Looks like you'll get your 10000 steps that day!  You're adding on the extra visit to the lighthouse -- I need to do that next time!  If you intersect with the Malecon near the shield you'll see pretty much all the statues I had in the post.

You may want to swing by Plaza Machado and the theater as you head back from your last stop on the map to the cruise ship.

Usually I just explore for 4-5 hours and then head back to the ship for my meal, but the bakery sounds like a great idea.  Or you might find something that looks good at the Mercado when you visit there.

Have a great trip!   Lisa

Well -- I had been booked on this BTB pairing (Sep9 and Sep16) and after finding this information, asked my TA to verify.  She called Celebrity brought it to their attention.  Rather than send her my options, they just cancelled the second cruise (which is the one I would have preferred to keep!!)   

And they acted like they were doing me a FAVOR by giving me a refund for that one, when they are at fault for their systems allowing it.

What flabbergasts me is -- why wouldn't they have gone through ALL their bookings once this violation was identified, to proactively identify any other customers who would be impacted?  

Grrr!   Now trying to figure out what to do for the second part... when I had a been looking a month or so ago, flights from Vancouver to Phoenix were not cheap...  😞