Cruiserbarbie

On our first visit we rented a scouter and went around the island. Stopped a remote beach and found a piece of broken tree and a large shell. Attached the shell the wooden tree and it is fabulous piece I hang on my fence.

They revamped the site.

Go to the city you are interested in, go to overview and 1/3 of the way down is weather and plug in your dates.

Just what I mentioned above: Read "MIni Jade Review" she has 3 yr old toddlers and with what she's said, you probably can really relate.

I started to answer you while in bed and lost it all, so starting again. I looked at the few cruises that NCL had to see where you might be going. We took Adriatic/Med for 19 days in Oct/Nov 2014 and between various other cruises and land trips have been to all ports on the cruises I looked at. We are 65 and although we lived overseas and traveled with our son, he was 7+ when we took our trips, so older than your kiddos.

Saw you are Aussies and we have taken enough european cruises to know how you need to make the most of your travel money and time when leaving Australia.

Weather: Oct/Nov weather was incredible. 65-75 and on a 30 day trip we had one rainy day (Toulon). I use fodor.com/destination and on the right side is weather for your travel period. It was spot on. We only travel with one airline size carryon each, so have to make the most of it for at least 2-3 scenarios (pool/beach, dining and sightseeing).

That said:

My thoughts- check out the ports, will the ship dock right there or is it outside the port city. Venice is great, Athens is a train ride. What about the places of interest? Ephesus: no shade, long trip from port, steep site, ancient pathways may be difficult for the kids especially 3 yr old. You might want to check forums for traveling with kids and see if you get some different perspectives. Is 14 day cruise plus additional travel too much for kids? Split: on our bucket list to see The Palace and I then took the bus to Trogir but Split will be fairly easy.

Hours at port: can you do the highlights at a port with the kids and then come back to the ship, drop them off and you return to either continue more sightseeing or moonlight stroll, romantic dinner?

Will you have a stroller? Will you be coming back to Europe again when the kids are older, or do you want to do everything now, no matter how young?

I mention these thoughts as my husband can really only last a few hours on a trip and we mainly just cruise now. So I plan the highlights for the AM until no later than 1 and our last trip we left the ship at 8am almost every day. He then went back to ship and I continued on, hitting something new, retracing my steps to now linger at a lovely spot or hitting the market. So I equate my hubby with your kids!

We also bring international phones with us since we do split up.

Hope this helps. Your kids are very lucky.

Did it last March 2014.

Falmouth; absolutely nothing there, so recommend some type of tour

GC: took city bus to almost the end of 7 mile beach and walked back. Delightful.

Cozumel: have been about 7 times as cruises out of Galveston always stop there. Tulum great, renting a scooters and driving island is OK but roads are very bumpy, market and cemetery are interesting.

You can go to the bottom of the page and search for Jade hints (2 pages come up), Jade secrets (3 pages) Jade tips (20 pages) and you hopefully find what you are looking for. You could also go to the pages on the other ships in the Jade class for tips, hints and secrets.

How are the Taxi fare prices calculated in Barcelona? Are the taxi fares calculated by person or by taxi? What are the supplements?

A: All taxi fares are calculated by taxi. The only exception is for van taxis where there is an additional supplement of €2.10 per person above 4 passengers. The majority of Barcelona official taxis (including van taxis) are licensed to carry a maximum of 4 passengers. However some van taxis have a special license to carry up to 6 passengers. If you require a taxi that can carry 6 passengers it is best to call a taxi firm directly to request one. Alternatively at the airport you can request the taxi attendant to find you a taxi with a license of 6 passengers. You may have a longer wait since only around 10% of taxis are licensed to carry 6 passengers.

The approximate rate for Barcelona taxis is €1.03 / km (from 08:00 - 20:00) and €1.30 / km (from 20:00 - 08:00).

There is a minimum fee of €2.10 when you get in the cab.

Supplements to the final meter price are added due to the following factors.

1. BCN airport pick up or drop off ( €4.20 ) with a minimum possible fare of €20.00.

2. pick up or drop off at the Barcelona Cruise terminal ( €4.20 ).

4. pickup or drop off at a transport station e.g. Estacio Sants rail station, Franca station, or Nord bus station. (€2.10).

All taxis have a minimum fare of €7.00.

There is no additional charge for a passengers carrying bags either in the cab or in the boot.

7k from station to port, 20E without tip.

Public transport: metro about 2E and 2-3 for bus from Columbus statue to port.

25E (20E plus tip) vs 4-5E or 10E if 2 people are your options. Might depend on luggage.

We disembarked Barcelona to Columbus statue and it cost us 30E. Public transport does not start until 8am so walking, taxi or NCL bus were only options. Did not know about the early morning surcharge, so learn from us and make sure you know all the surcharges.

Took the cruise on Jade b2b in Oct/Nov that hit some of those same ports. It doesn't much matter for that cruise.

Venice: unfortunately we left at 6pm in Oct in the dark so virtually nothing in Venice was lit, very disappointing. But if you leave Venice in daylight you want to be on the port or left side of the ship for St. Mark's but a starboard view is just as nice.

Ephesus and Dubrovnik and Athens are nowhere near where the ship docks.

Split: the Palace is near the port but not distinctive enough to see from the ship.

Fab sites, enjoy!

We were there in Oct. Took the bus right outside the port. Did need kunars for the bus. Don't remember how we got them.

NCL bus $15each, cab 10E and bus 15 kunar ($3).

We are going in Feb. I have info to send to MD of the ship we are sailing on. "I would like to request a table for 2 in the MDR.

name:

Booking #

Number of guests (appears redundant)

Room #

Dining time:

Sail date:

Or go to MDR as soon as you board and speak to MD.

We also just booked the Freedom for February 2016!

FYI--4 ways to leave the port area:

1) by taxi about 20-30E to around Chris Columbus statue

2) 3E, if I remember from Oct, for the public bus but it does not start running until 8am. Goes to Chris Columbus statue.

3) ship shuttle. Need to pay and let NCL know. I believe 10E each to Columbus statue.

4) walking. OK if rolling luggage but probably 25-30 minutes to Columbus status

Tuna in pouches

meals to go lunches that kids bring for lunch at school (red & Yellow boxes can't remember name) but has crackers, lunch meat, cheese, etc.

sliced apples in bags with carmel dip

pkged meats, canned sausage

single serving fruit from dairy section,

applesauce, jello, pudding in single serving sizes usually 4-6 to a box

Quaker Oats big breakfast bar

We left jade in Civita Nov 12 after 19 days with one airline size carryon each. Ship arrived at 5am and we had departure from ship beginning at 6am for those that could carry their own bags off.

Pax ideas of their ability to move "carryon" bags included a disabled pax with 2 very large roller bags, about 150 pax with massive size roller bags, etc.

Bags get put off ship directly to a large building within a 30 feet of the ship. That is the first priority, so that early walk off pax are not allowed off the ship until all those bags are delivered to the building. NCL does not want walk off pax traveling the narrow area where the crew is moving the bags from the ship to the building.

We were ready to leave the ship at 6am. Pax crowded departure area, pax could not get off elevator as area became soooooooo crowded, so all elevators became inoperable, then pax were incapable of moving their large and numerous luggage, and it was drizzling and gangplank there is also a little bit steep.

All pax goodwill and camaraderie was left at breakfast buffet. Just FYI.

Wow! Thanks very much. Hubby loves to cruise, and after many world travels and overseas living, does not want to fly anymore. So, may just take one ship every couple of months and see for ourselves but really appreciate the feedback. Sounds like we can't go wrong on any of them. Regards.

Going to be doing a cruise out of Galveston in 2016. Have taken all the cruises previously (ports) but the Freedom, Liberty and Magic (ships) will be new for us, so am choosing cruise based on the ship and not the ports.

Anyone better than the others? Newly remodeled? etc. I generally book a year ahead, so for me this is not to early to get some feedback. Thanks.

Just thought of a funny, not so funny story about my ATM card. In Alexandria, Egypt train station to get money to pay for ticket to Cairo, card got stuck in ATM machine. Fortunately, I had a nail file and plastic knife and was able to grip it out (sweating bullets). Only thing lost was missing the train, but scary if I wouldn't have been able to get the card out!

On Jade in Oct and docked in Le Seyne. A neighbor coincidentially took the same cruise in July and docked in Le Seyne.

We wanted to go the Market in Le Seyne, so we took the bus into town from outside the port (a little too far to walk and not that interesting). NCL had complimentary ferry shuttle from the ship dock in Le Syene to Toulon. We paid 1E each, I think, for the ferry from Le Seyne (town) to Toulon. So either way very easy

We did b2b in Oct on Med/Adriatic cruise in Oct but kept the same cabin. We received a sticker that we had to put on that notified staff we were b2b. This allowed early exiting off the ship and access to ship differently than newly arriving pax.

I think you would be better served contact your booking agent or NCL directly for your particular situation.

I agree with all of above but wondered how long you would be gone. For a week? are you taking ship's tours? how much do you think you'll need? If all land costs are taken care of except for souveniers or gelato, I'd take it out all at once and not fool around with finding and transacting with ATMs.

We were on NCL Jade Oct 23/Nov 12 for Med/Adriatic cruise.

Answer to your question is no and yes!

If you can manage your luggage:

Buy a bus token in the train station at Civitavecchia. Exit the train station and turn right, walk about 30 feet and there will be the bus stop. The bus starts at the train station and ends at the port bus stop. From the port bus stop you will board the complimentary NCL shuttle.

As an aside, we were at the port 2011 or 2012 on another cruise line and we hopped off the ship and walked about 1000 yards to the train station. I don't know whether they made adjustments to the port or ship's size depend where they dock, but NCL Jade docked farther away from town.

Is your trip RT Civitavecchia? Our ship docked at 5am, we got off about 6-7am, and it was drizzling. Shuttle to port bus stop no problem, but bus to train does not start running until 8am and there were no cabs. We got a gypsy cab for 20E. Ciao

No new thoughts from those above really but just thought I'd add my 2cents.

Have been to all the ports by one means or another and just off Jade from Adriatic/Med cruise in Nov.

I think you received lots of great advice. I go for Allure. Posters are correct about the Greek isles and although would be the same (islands) it is far west on your map option so could you see yourself going in that direction in the future. And yes, the ports on the NCL are varied and fabulous, you can do it on a land tour.

What do the kids say?

Well, all over the ship costs/prices are in US$ but of course you know that you don't actually use currency/dollars. You use your ship's card which is tied to your credit card and your charges are posted on a daily basis.

We just cruised on the Jade, Oct 23-Nov 12, Adriatic and Med cruise and of course, these are just my observations: Dinners and shows: well there is the buffet so you can eat generally from 530pm on and then go to the show which are generally 730 and 930. Or there are the MDR which have seatings at various times generally starting at 530.

On this cruise as it was long and during school, and mainly middle age and older versus 20's and 30's, it appeared cruisers ate early. When we left the MDR after a 530pm meal at about 645pm, no lines. You can make reservations and there is a board showing reservation times and lights indicating occupancy. I made reservations through NCL before we left the US.

Breeze on: we usually arrive right at the designated boarding time or about a half hour before. No matter the length of the trip we only have one airline approved carryon each, so either no problem carrying it around or depositing it in room and unpacking and settling in. The Jade departed Venice at 6pm, and we got on board around 2pm to see as much as Venice as possible. A lot of times rooms are not ready until a certain time, so you could have a meal in the buffet or MDR and then head to the deck, tour the ship, etc.

Indian food: well there is a fixed menu for the MDRs, and I believe after we were on our cruise, the menus changed. We are definitely not adventuresome eaters, so don't believe there is definite ethnic food on the MDR menus. I don't know how you would order very specific food in the MDR. Now I did notice ethnic food in the buffet. If a big concern press TA for very specific details, how to get Indian food in MDR, ask her to contact NCL for specifics, have her get the new menus, etc.

Frankly did not really read other comments. We cruised the Oct/Nov 2104 Jade Med cruise and I remember distinctly that although the time changed in one of the port/country we were in, we did not change our clocks since I believe it was going to change again. So:

1) Ship's time, ship's time, ship's time.

2) Notice will be on TV, newsletter, announced, and sign at the exit to the ship. Follow ship's time.

3) Ask before you exit if you still have questions. Ship's time.