marazul

The Domus Aurea also requires tickets. It is fascinating and there is a really cool virtual reality tour as part of the visit.

We may be talking about two different things. I was referring to the long line at St Peter's basilica, not to the Vatican museum. As cruisemom and I said before, the line to enter the VM with a timed ticket moves right along. They say to arrive 15 minutes before your timed ticket and that works. There are no timed tickets or any kind of tickets to St Peter's. It is free admission but you have to stand in line for security. That was the line we decided to skip because of the heat. There were no lines for our early VM tour.

Good luck with the basilica. Last month we took a taxi to St Peter's after our early Vatican tour. We got there before 11. The line to get in went two-thirds around the square. We left. It was moving, but it was miserably hot. It would have been nice to visit again, but not in that heat. I still would advice you to try it. It might be better later in the day or on the day you visit. Have an alternate plan if the line seems to be too long and too slow. Maybe Trastevere or the Forum. Many options.

It should be less crowded in October. The "Breakfast at the museum" option starts a little later, but you still have a tour with lesser crowds. Consider the "Extra time" tours where you go to the chapel after it closes to other tours and then you have happy hour at the Vatican. Check to see if it is offered on the dates you are there.

A current broker's statement showing the shares. Blackout everything else, take a photo and email it to Seabourn.

You skip the line by purchasing your tickets ahead of time. There is a line to purchase tickets and a security line for people with tickets. The guards handle the people who have timed admissions. It doesn’t matter where you bought them. Don't confuse skip the line with early admission. Those are the tours I described in post #5 above. If you take one of the "prime experience" tours, there will be practically nobody waiting to get in when they open the doors at 7:30. We arrived at 7:10 and we were the first in line in one of the busiest weekends of the summer.

Also, don't forget that the first Sunday of the month is free admission to museums in Italy so no tickets are sold for that day and the lines are worse. So, plan ahead if you are going to be there on a first Sunday.

Yes, there is lot to do in Aix especially if you stay there. However, the OP's husband seems to like more variety. To the OP, look for local tour operators like Provence Amazing Tours, instead of using a tour consolidator.

Hydra is the closest island to Athens. Take the ferry. You can also take short flights to other islands. Santorini and Mykonos are 30-40 minutes away. Rhodes 1 hour. Lots of choices - Paros, Naxos, Mylos, etc. Go to aegeanair.com. They also have package deals. I prefer to fly to Athens and take an afternoon flight to the island. Then fly back to Athens a couple of days before the cruise. Or else, go after the cruise, but it may require an overnight stay if you have a morning flight back home.

Let me offer a suggestion for those who want to visit Santorini without dealing with the donkeys or cable car. Option 1: Go on a cruise that does NOT include Santorini. Fly in to Athens three or four days before the cruise and switch to a local flight to Santorini (40 minute flight). Stay in Santorini for a couple of nights. Rent a car, or the the bus or taxis to tour. Really enjoy the island. Fly to Athens the afternoon before your cruise. Hotel that night. Acropolis (if you haven't before) in the morning. Cruise in the afternoon. Option 2: Go on a cruise that does NOT include Santorini. Go to the airport at the end of the cruise and fly to Santorini. Spend as long as you like there. Fly back to Athens and fly home. You may need an overnight in Athens or by the airport. Aegean airlines has about 6 to 8 flights to Santorini each day. The prices start around $60-70 each way. aegeanair.com Ferries are an option, but the schedules don't really match with ship embarkation and disembarkation times very well. Plus they take several hours - the fastest is 5 hours. Way longer than the flight and the ride to or from the airport together.

Take the longer tour. You will have enough time in Aix. Cassis is perfect for a leisurely lunch at the port. Most restaurants will still be open in October and it is a beautiful spot. Great seafood too. Notre Dame de la Garde is very interesting with great views from the terrace. And six hours in Aix will provoke a lot of whining...

I don't think it makes much difference in which weekday you pick.

There are items you can order both at breakfast and lunch in the Colonnade. There are small menus at each table with the a la carte items. The waiters serve your plates in the kitchen, not the buffet line.

You are in the right website. "Guided tour for individuals" is the regular tour and 8 am is the first of the day. The crowds will be less, but it will be crowded. "Prime experience" is the real early admission. It includes breakfast after the tour. BTW, it is a very good breakfast. "Breakfast at the museum" is the next early admission. You have breakfast first and then take the tour ahead of the "guided tour for individuals." Both the "Prime" and "Breakfast" tours have a VIP option where your group of 1 to 10 people have their own guide. Last month we took the Prime VIP tour for the 4 of us and it was outstanding. By the time we finished breakfast the museum was really crowded. There is also an "Extra time" tour where you tour in the afternoon after the Sistine Chapel closes to the public and it includes a "happy hour" afterwards. It is not offered every day of the week. Change dates if you have the time or the interest. When in the website, click on "more info" for each tour to get the exact details.

We were on the Ovation last August and this June. We were never approached for the upsell either at TK or the Restaurant. We did ask for the premium wine list a few times. Pre-covid we did experience the upsell a few times at TK. I see nothing wrong with being offered the wine list, but any upselI pressure is out of line.

FYI - the current price of regular gas in Italy today is 2 euros/liter, which comes to about $7.60 per US gallon. Yes, book with the transfer companies directly, not through booking or other consolidator. You don't need to pay for their commission in addition to the gas prices.

Mention the number of bags too. Good luck.

I am also looking forward to your next "odyssey."

It is the same on all ships. The waiters come first and take your beverage order. Most people then get up and go get the buffet. If you are still at the table when the waiter comes back they will ask you for your order. There is also a small menu on each table with the plated specials at both breakfast and lunch.

Prices on the website would refer to 4 adults. Why don't you send them an email and tell them exactly what your situation is? You might get an adjusted price.

The child belongs to the OP's friends, not to the OP. This year the summer temps in Europe have been in the high 90sF or more. And the same the last few years. We have lived in Europe and traveled extensively when the kids were small. We have also gone back with small grandkids that age. A lot of beaches, a lot of bored kids looking at ruins, a lot of little kid stuff - a few meltdowns. We loved it and adapted, but none of those trips would qualify as an adult first time ever trip of a lifetime. KiddieKruzer is right. Set everyone's expectations of the cruise from the beginning: together on the ship, but independent on land. You can tour on your own while the parents tour in child appropriate excursions. It is your trip. Set your own program with places and things you want to see and do. Your friends and child would be happier with shorter excursions and going back early to the pool or staying at a beach. You can all meet afterwards to compare notes and have dinner. If some day you go back with a small child, you will have a lot of good pointers on what to do.

Don't limit yourselves to the "standards" - moussaka, saganaki, dolmades. There is a lot more to Greek cookery than what is found in US restaurants. Each island has local specialties that you can add to your meal as appetizers or to try as main courses. For example, Santorini is famous for its tomato fritters (tomatokeftedes). Do a little research on the internet, such as "Mykonos food specialties." For wine, you can order a carafe or a half carafe of local wine. Your choices are bound to be "white" or "red," but they will be drinkable and inexpensive. You can always order by the bottle if you want to upgrade. Good local beers are Mythos and Alfa. Don't bother with a food tour. It would be a waste of time and money.

Go on their website. There are transfers with tours. They will let you know the time you should get picked up.

Any chance you can stay in Barcelona for a couple of nights after you disembark? It would be a shame not to see more and enjoy the city. Montserrat is a beautiful place, but you must really plan to come or stay longer.

No. They just buy the ticket for you, point you to the line and charge you a lot more. Make sure the Vatican site tours you buy say early admission.