CountessP

I know this has been discussed before, but as much as I Google, I can't find Flybus from cruise ship terminal to KEF.

I know you have to connect via BSI terminal in REK, but I can't find a way of making a reservation inclusive of connection.

Everything I find shows at a rate of about $150+ for two.  Can anyone enlighten me or send a link where I can book this transfer of supposedly about $35 pp?  I presently have NCL transfer but would like to further investigate my options.  Thanks in advance.

I agree about Flybus being a good idea, if you have a bit more time. I have a tight connection, so I like the idea of making NCL responsible!!  They accepted the booking, knowing my flight info, so if there is a screw up, I have someone with whom to share the blame.  It's also less stressful for me. That's worth the extra few bucks!  

check out Venture Ashore.  If the ship does not dock, they refund your money, or so it says.

Regarding tenders, they accommodate the ship's schedule, so if the ship tenders, they should adjust their schedule accordingly.  That's what I'm assuming!

I am on NCL and they told me you need 5 hours.  Our ship arrives at 4AM, my flight is at 9:40AM.  I booked the transport via NCL.  They have my flight info and approved the transport request so I am confident the 5 hours is enough time.  More importantly, I booked NCL transport (75pp) because I am told getting a taxi can be challenging since here are far more passengers than taxis available.  Hope that helps in your decision making.

Thanks. I have been on Azamara. And I agree that they have goog evening shows. This time we are on Oceania, the ticket needs to be purchased which is why l am questioning.  

Does anyone know anything about the venue?  I  hear it's a great show but I also hear that unless you are in the 1st few rows, it's hard to see.

I am under 5 ft tall.  I cannot compete with the average European/American with regard to height. I don't want to pay $150 for a ticket and then not be able to see the show.  Hoping someone has info.  Thanks!

Offering this info in case some of you, like us, added Siem Reap (Angkor Wat) to your Asia cruise.  We did and it was a fabulous addition.

Want to give a thumbs up to our tour guide, Bunthin, We added 3 days to our cruise, flew from Singapore to Siem Reap, and it was a well worth side trip.  He takes care of all, including picking you up at airport.  bunthin2002@yahoo.com.

Home - Phezulu Safari Park

Want to recommend this park for your stop in Durban.  For some reason it was not offered as a ship tour for us, although your ship may offer it.  We Ubered over, which is a VERY safe and affordable way to travel in S. Africa.  And it's a beautiful drive as the park is nestled in the 1000 Hills area.  Tribal Dance, mini game drive & Reptile exhibit including crocodile feeding.  So glad we did it on our own.  FYI, next day we ubered to Victoria Street Market.  What fun.  Again, safe and affordable.  Made the overnight stop very enjoyable at a fraction of the price compared to anything offered via the ship.

We just got back from Azamara cruise with Maputo stop.

YES, they arranged for the visa.  $50 pp.  They gather the passports of those that want to get off the ship and when you get it back, it's got this lovely Visa stamp in it.  You don't even get your passport back to disembark the ship when you get to Maputo.  That's done with your cabin key card.  So, it's easy as can be, no worries.   

We ended up doing a FREE walking tour, which you can easily find & book online.  Totally worth it.  If fact, the same guy through whom we arranged the tour handed us off to a colleague and guided the ship excursion tour.  Same tour, his was shorter and more expensive.

It's a nice walking tour which I highly recommend.  Fort, train station, plazas, several parks, and you do learn a lot of history. We did miss the beach, so if you want the beaches, which I hear are beautiful, this is not the tour you want.

City & Township Tour - Traveloma Tours & Safaris

Highly recommend this company.  We had the pleasure of having the owner, Thobela, as our guide.

It is obvious he is passionate about his city.  East London is small, but very interesting.

Museum surprisingly good, he drove us through all parts of the city, places we would never have gone on our own, even into an herbal medicine shop, and of course, to Nahoon Beach, which is beautiful to walk.  Too cold to swim but got my feet wet.

Definitely a good option over ship tour.

Just returned from an Azamara cruise, which was really wonderful, but their cruises are rather expensive.

For Port Elizabeth, would like to highly recommend both Lizl & Mike, contacts below:

Lizl Nieuwoudt

African Aspects Tours, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

www.africanaspectstours.co.za

Mike Andrews; mjca@mweb.co.za

Through LIzl, we booked the Harbour cruise with Stampede, and Addo Elephant Park  with private car. Far less expensive than through the cruise ship. 

More intimate, with added perks. Mike even added an extra park and city driving tour since we were overnighting in port.

Harbour cruise was day 2, and we even participated in a turtle release.  Was one of the best excursion decisions we made!

Lots of tours but wondering about doing it on our own, taxi from port.

Admission fees without tours are considerably less and seem to offer the same experience.

Any thoughts?  I assume getting a taxi from port should be fairly easy and affordable.

Thanks in advance! 

Thank you Ioerie.  Alot of what you say makes sense.  I'll look for a tour, someone established in the area.  

Thank you, John, for the tour recommendations.  I'm talking to them!

Loads of tours to the Elephant Pk.  Am having trouble finding any to Penguin Island, except with ship.  May have to do that. 

Do you know how the penquin colony in Cape Town compares to this one?  I was planning to go there as well.  Maybe don't need to do both?

We will be in Port Elizabeth overnight.  Wondering about doing this attractions on our own.

I get the impression we can take a taxi there and then hire a car/jeep with driver to take us through park?

Or perhaps better to hire someone at the dock?  I believe that the ship tours are unreasonably expensive compared to the cost of doing it on our own.

Also, since we are there overnight, and I read on their website that the "safari" takes about 2 hours, any nearby attractions that we can combine.  Thinking about the St Croix Penguin Colony but can't find anything online. Don't know how far it may be from PE.

Any info/help appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

Sounds like we won't have trouble finding it.  

Thanks so much to everyone providing info.

Can anyone tell me the address for Cape Town Cruise ship terminal,

or direct me to website with info.  I tried on Azamara, and couldn't find it.

Calling them is a nightmare! Thanks in advance.

Thanks so much to both of you.  Based on previous experience, and based on the many options shown in schedule, I think we will wait until we get there, still purchasing 2 days before.  Good tip re luggage.  We are hoping to do just carry-on although I am not sure that will happen.  We are traveling with Azamara so I will call to find out if they can provide transport from train.  They are affiliated with RCL so maybe!

We are flying into Milan, 2 days early, and plan to take a train to Ravenna morning of cruise departure.  I see there are several options and we do not have to be on cruise ship until early evening.  I am wondering if best to purchase train ticket ahead of time or just wait, see what they have, and book then.  My experience in the past has been to wait and purchase there.  But of course, that was years ago. And then cab to cruise ship?  Appreciate info or insight.  Thanks!

Livorno port of call for 12 hours.  Would it be wise to just wait until we get there and negotiate a private driver?  I am guessing there are cars there available to tourists getting off the ship.  Just thinking out loud!  That's been the case in the past for us, but it's been years, and it wasn't Italy. Thanks! 

Once again, not being completely happy with tours offered by ship, wondering if we are just better off  with a list of "must sees" and a cab.

Any suggestions?

Thanks so much for your suggestion.  The information I've gathered tells me we are docking in Positano or Amalfi itself, on the Amalfi coast.  I believe we are tendering.  I am having trouble finding private transport out of one of these towns.  

A personal friend told me his favorite city was Sorrento, but many others have commented like you, that the smaller cities are much nicer, so I will probably abandon the thought of including Sorrento since it's so out of the way. And I do want to go to Ravello, which I believe is the other direction. I'm starting to think I may have to book a ship cruise or just go for a cab when I get there.  Although I do hear there is bus transport between these small towns.

I am looking for a tour that allows us a bit of time at Mt Etna (maybe the cable ride with a walking tour) as well as time in Taormina.

Cruise ship does not offer anything like this. It seems to me that this should be possible within a 9 hr period.  Any suggestions?

Appreciate the help, thanks!

We are coming into Amalfi itself, Seabourn Encore, in August.  Would like a driving tour that takes us to all towns mentioned.

I cannot find a tour that does this.  Perhaps a taxi at the port?

Any suggestions to offer?  Thanks in advance.

Greetings to all!  Can anyone suggest a hotel for 2 nights, in or near the city of Sydney, so we don't need a car.  Perhaps with transportion to the airport.  HAL is offering a package that's $800.  I guess that includes transfers, but are they really that expensive? Suggestions or recommendations appreciated.  I would like to stay under $200 (USD) a night.  Thanks!

I don't see any recent thread regarding time to complete Cuba immigration and exchanging money.

I'm envisioning 1000 people getting off the cruise ship at the same time. I'm sure they've gotten efficient at doing it quickly, but can anyone give me an idea of how long this takes?

Our cruise ship gets in at 8AM. If we get off pretty quickly, should we be ready to tour by 10AM?