southerngirl8

We were going to stay at the Hotel Continental but they didn't have any balcony rooms available prior to our October 1st sailing. Maybe next time. Instead, we're staying closer to the airport at the Hotel FrontAir Congress. It has free airport shuttles, a shuttle to downtown and one to the pier. I haven't seen any bad reviews on it other than people saying that there are not many amenities. But, like I said, we aren't looking for amenities. We want a bed to sleep in and access to Barcelona during the day.

The Hotel Colon was SO AMAZING- I would have traded in my last Med. Cruise for a week in that hotel. Amazing top floor terrace that was bigger than my hotel room overlooking the Plaza. This hotel is worth it! Especially since I got a free upgrade! This time staying in the Gaudi Hotel.

True and they may have to come up with someplace totally different for Vista even if it's a sea day, but this itinerary change with HAL's Prinsendam is the first card that Carnival Corp. has shown as far as the "Turkey topic" goes. I think it does show that they are concerned at this point. Lets see what happens going forward. One of the wonderful things about cruising is that the powers that be are able to make quick changes to itineraries in order to keep everyone safe.

Back in Aug/Sept. when there were lots of issues in Turkey- some cruise lines were canceling their stops in Turkey while others were not. My co-worker did go to her port of call- which was Kusadasi. At that time, mostly over nights were canceled and they would go into the port for the day only. I believe Celebrity was the line that canceled the most stops in Turkey during this time. There were no issues and my co-worker did go to Ephesus and had a great day. She said everyone was a bit more aware of what could happen, and some chose not to go into port for the day. Most of the cancellations were one specific week/or cruise at a time and not a complete "cancellation of ALL stops in Turkey" until further notice. I hope this is the case with the Vista.... I am on the May 24th sailing and still would love to be able to go to Turkey.

We had a similar thing happen straight after booking. First they said it was a carnival problem. When it would not let me in after they said it would be fixed I kick up a stink.

Turns out the issue was not a glitch more that carnival don't allow access until they have passengers deposits. Ours missed that weeks payment from the TA to carnival. Once they had it I had access.

 

I'm not sure you will be able to talk to carnival direct if booked through a TA. The rules I think are different here in the UK. You can try but be prepared in case they say call your TA.

 

If it was me I'd go back the TA and make them chase it up and get them to tell you what the issue is, it could be deposit related. But you've been booked a few weeks so I'd be hoping it's not.

 

I have say the check in is not well set up for UK bookings, part of it said something about leaving from the US. Prior to the cruise. I put and then it asked for a US address.

Can't fill one in as going from the UK.

So I had to put yes. Seemed stupid and not well set up for UK cruisers.

 

Hope it's sorted soon for all of you.

When I checked in online, it wanted a US address for me too. I called my carnival person and he said that is a Carnival glitch and yes you have to put in a US address. As my 2 nephews are from the US that are on the cruise with me, I used one of their addresses.

I wonder how Carnival would handle it if construction were to be delayed? Would they just cancel the first cruise or would they push everything back based on how much more time is needed? Someone should ask John Heald :)

http://o.canada.com/travel/ports-and-bows/cruise-newsmaker-for-today-carnival#.VtjFk5SNykg.email

This article from Monday- Feb. 29, 2016 - they are putting the final touches on the Vista now!

I had someone recommend this company in Pisa/Florence. Has anyone had any experience with them. Their website and general info looks great.

I have heard of them- I have booked an transport with them. Sarah is very nice. Rome in Limo referred me to Sarah as Janey did not offer the transport I wanted in Messina. My transport will be in May - but all responses are timely and professional

I am booked on the Vista for the May 24th sailing and I have a question about potentially booking shore excursions on board and receiving a discount. I sailed with my family aboard the Sunshine a few years ago in Europe and when we boarded they were offering shore excursion packages at a savings. I believe if you booked some of the highlighted excursions and you booked a certain number then you received a savings. I am wondering if you think this will still be the offer or if I should be looking at booking them ahead of time, which is my usual practice. Thanks for any help!!

Hi Neighbor! You should check out our thread on the Carnival Cruise Lines Roll call under the vista. Here is the link http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157018

Lots of info on tours and such

Time for new luggage prior to our Nov 2016 Vista cruise. Want something lightweight (now that we're only allowed 50 lbs) Have done some research and can say I'm confused. Asking for real life reviews and recommendations

I bought my nephew his first real luggage of his very own specifically for our May cruise on the Vista. I got a Delsey brand "light 360 spinner" has a 10 year warranty. The luggage itself has the weight listed. He loves it and has flown 2 x cross country so far- Vancouver to NC then NC to Vancouver and back, looks like new. If you are flying "international" for one the Med. Cruises - you get 70 lbs per suitcase. I got it at a smoking hot sale price - Originally $360 Canadian - paid $85 Canadian

Hi-

I have done a Med. Cruise in 2013 and am doing my 2nd in the Vista in May- Athens to Barcelona.

In Naples and Florence, I have done tours with Rome in Limo. They are AMAZING! I would recommend them. In Naples I did the tour to Possitano, Sorrento and Pompeii. If you have kids it would not be too "historical" and boring for them. In Pompeii you are there about 2 hours and as it is all outside, they can run off energy! In Florence a RIL would be great too. As you have 8 people in your family you could do a tour with just your family.

In Malta and Rhodes I would suggest you do it yourself. In Malta the HOHO bus is very easy and doable.

In Rome- depends on what you want to do. If you plan on the Vatican, it may be too much for the very young kids and they would not really appreciate it. The Vatican can be very crowded. Rome is a city where you also can do it on your own, but the HOHO bus is not recommended. There are basically 3 ways to get from the Port into Rome. You could either do full tour- with RIL again, do a private transfer into Rome with the tour company or take the train. The train is cheaper but you don't get quite as long in Rome for the day. If you go on your own, get a good map and you can do it on your own.

In Messina, the kids may enjoy a tour to Mt Etna and yes RIL again.

Hope you enjoy!

My friend cruised in Sept. thru Istanbul on a different cruise line that canceled their over nights in Istanbul only, but did dock their as for the day. She felt safe in Istanbul.

As Carnival is going to Izmir, which is no where near either Syria or Istanbul, there should be no issue. There is violence worldwide, much of it never makes the news. You can choose to live in a bubble and never travel for the fear of something that may happen, or you can travel the world, be mindful of where you are going as a tourist. Educate yourself on the places you plan to visit as to their culture and respect their culture and their way of life. If you do plan to go to Turkey, please be mindful that tank tops and shorts are not "acceptable" clothing options in some locations. Also, women should plan to have a scarf with you in case you go to religious site to cover your head (if you don't they have "reusable" scarfs available which I personally would not want to use.

I know that power strips with surge protectors are prohibited, to prevent possible damage to the ship's electrical system, and a potential fire, should a surge occur. But, should a surge occur, if you don't have a surge protector, what protects your electronic items ( e-readers, iPads, laptops, etc.) from potential damage? I have yet to find a power strip or device with USB ports that does not have a surge protector. Your knowledge and factual information would be greatly appreciated.

Travel RockStar™ Battery Pack + Charger + Surge by Belkin

BST301tt

$59.99

I got the SurgePlus, USB Swival charger for $29.99 also by Belkin. I got it at best buy. and are approved for cruise ships

Hi

 

Our friends and us booked a guaranteed outside cabin each on Carnival Legend for a 9 night cruise round Pacific Islands sailing 17th Feb. We both booked on same day (last August) and paid the same price, in full, at time of booking. We were allocated our cabin 1231 about 6 weeks ago, an ocean view cabin near midship which is fine. Our friends were allocated their cabin only last week, (cabin 5166) obstructed balcony. This will be our 5th Carnival cruise which is good going, as Carnival have only been in Australia for about 3 years. On our last cruise, there were a grand total of 21 people at the special past passenger meet the Captain/free drinks event so that gives you an idea of how few people have had a chance to build up loyalty points yet. This is our friends first Carnival cruise so I was surprised that they got an upgrade and we didn't. Happy for them, but a teeny weeny bit jealous as we are the loyal customers and they aren't. Any idea what determines who gets an upgrade and who doesn't? Is it just the luck of the draw?

It is the luck of the draw! I am booked on first Carnival cruise on the Vista May 24th, I booked an inside cabin and have gotten upgrades from Deck 2 to 4 to 6 all inside cabins and got a call last week and got an amazing upgrade to Deck 8 WITH a balcony!!! My girlfriend has cruised on Carnival many times and no upgrade for her.

Has anyone been bumped from their chosen cabin besides me? I had an OV booked with 2 picture windows on the side of the boat and have now been moved to the rear of the boat.

 

No emails received either by my TA or me.

 

If you are booked in a Family Harbour OV you might want to check your booking.:eek:

 

One lucky family on my sailing has had their two cabins upgraded to balconies.

I have been moved 4 times as upgades on my cabin. I started out in a cabin on Deck 2 and now am on Deck 8! I did get a phone call last week offering me an upgrade from an interior cabin to a balcony for an amazing one time fee-I jumped on that! I would simply call your PVP and have a chat!

There is a shuttle from Vancouver to Seattle -not related to a cruise company- called Quick Shuttle, here is their schedule and link. You can pre-book your reservation. http://www.quickcoach.com/schedule.htm

I have used them in the past. As the cruise ship terminal is downtown (Canada Place Pier), use that as your pick up point.

@BaseballMomof4 you mentioned pre-booking tickets on a fast train to Rome from the port. How do we find information on this?

Here is the link for the fast train in Rome: http://www.smartcruisetours.com/

We have a wonderful trip coming up in Apr il and hoping to get some advice for places to go and see and best way of getting around.

 

CIVITAVECCHIA we are thinking of Rome by train. Is the station near the port? Best place to get off? Obviously we have little time (Probably from 8.30 to 18.00 away from the ship)

 

Any help appreciated on where to go once there and journey we need to take.

You can take the "fast train" in from the port into Rome, St. Peters Station. It runs only days that a cruise ship is in port and is for cruise passengers. It is 17 euro a person r/trip. It leaves at 9:30 am arrives in Rome at 10:10 and departs at 4:30 (or 4:40) to get you back to the ship on time. I have used this on my last cruise and will use it again in May.

You can buy your ticket on line early if you want. I did and printed it out and was done. Stress free and economical.

Thank you so much!

Just found this thread!

I did not see anyone posting info about the tour group I found in Izmir- I found a tour company that will do a tour to Ephesus from Izmir. There are quite a few tours to pick from, depending on what you want to see. I chose the 'relax tour of Ephesus" as I can stay as long as I want to in Ephesus and see exactly what I want. I want to spend equal time in Izmir. Tour company is "ephesusshuttle". Worth a look!

In Messina, if you are not interested in seeing Mt. Etna, there is a train that will take you to Taormina. A co-worker was just there in Sept. and loved it. Cost is like 4 euro a person each way. Taormina is easy to walk around on your own.

Last time in Barcelona, I stayed at the Hotel Colon. Was AMAZING hotel!!!!It is centrally located and a great hotel. It is a bit pricey, but I got a free upgrade from their sister hotel, Regente Colon, which is a bit cheaper and right next door.

My flight for this cruise I was able to get a 20 hour layover in Paris. Since it is a normal layover I get 20 hours in Paris at no extra airfare cost! Can't wait! I love Paris, my last visit was in 1984, I spend New Years eve there (1985). I will plan on packing my carry on accordingly so I don't have to get my "big" suitcase but just let it be checked all the way thru.

I am trying to book for Feb/Mar 2017 and everything looks to be sold out.

Really?

but looking on the deck plans this ship has very few cabins for 3-4 people.

 

am i missing something?

I booked a room for 3. However, when you look at my booking it says it is a cabin for "2". But if you go and look at the actual cabin- it has 2 single beds and a pull down bunk.

Hello there,

 

I am planning to book Carnival vista, Athena - Barcelona on July 2016. This will be my third cruise, first two were on NCL Jewel and Epic.

 

This time it will be family cruise with lots of kids between ages of 3-17 and young adults 18-21, along with parents in late 70s.

 

I liked the Epic, but I have a feeling that service on NCL is one level up from Carnival, I hope I am wrong because I don't want a downgrade in service level. I appreciate a feedback from cruisers who tried both lines.

 

I checked some videos online for Carnival Breeze and Magic, ships look very crowded especially in the Lido buffet, is that the case for Carnival?

 

About the Havana Cabana pool, it is not clear to me but it seems it is private for Havana cabins until 5pm, is that correct? if yes, does this mean that after 5pm pool will still be open and for all people? And if one group of our family is booked in Havana cabin, can all members of the group access the Havana pool from this cabin or the crew will prevent this? I am worried about the public pools to be extra full and thinking that if booking one Havana cabin, that will give the whole group access to this less crowded Havana pool.

 

I would really appreciate if someone tried both Epic and latest Carnival ship and give me his/her opinion about both

 

-Mahdi

I am going on my first Carnival cruise in May on the Vista. My only other cruise was on the Epic, I did a Med. Cruise in May 2013. One reason why I personally loved NCL and the Epic in particular, was the solo cabins. I am 50 and single. I don't want to have to find a friend or pay double occupancy. I really loved the "Freestyle" cruising. You can dine anytime you want, where ever you want. After being in port all day long, I don't want to have to rush back to the ship, just to go and eat. On the Vista I chose the "dine anytime option". I am bringing my 2 nephews ( 20 and 22 at sailing) since there are no Solo cabins.

On the Epic, I did dine solo and never felt "alone" or was a bother to the wait staff.

I also think you have to be open minded, as each Company does things a bit different. You would not expect a Marriott hotel to be exactly like a Hilton. Or a resort in Mexico to be exactly like a resort in Jamaica run by a different company. Know there will be differences and if something stands out as a huge inconvenience to you, and that is a deal breaker, than pick the cruise line you personally prefer. After all, everyone has their own opinion and will like one cruise line for a specific reason. If I ever do another cruise where I am not taking my nephews or niece, I will be on a NCL ship in a Solo Cabin.

I think all cruise lines nowadays have to be fairly equal - with so much social media, internet and websites such as CC, if one company was THAT much sub-standard than the others, that company would quickly sink like the Titanic.

I have used Rome in Limo on my last cruise and was amazing. I have booked another cruise for May 24, 2016 and will be using Rome in Limo again. I am taking my nephews this time for their first cruise.

Our driver/guide was amazing. He brought us Champagne and we stopped along the Amalfi coast with the Med. Sea in the background drinking Champagne. I have booked another cruise and have booked 2 tours again with Rome in Limo.

plan on arriving 3-4 days before cruise. better to stay in city centre or Glyfada, or any other beach area and take transport to city????? Staying in city doesn't really sound appealing to me but I may be wrong - thoughts?? suggestions please.

My friend and I are both stay in the Plakka Area at the Plakka hotel. We will be there 2 nights pre-cruise

I need to buy one way ticket from FLL-YYZ after TA cruise.

 

I have been watching the fares using ITA and found some flight costs that I prefer to take are cheaper in USD than CAD even considering exchange rate.

 

I have USD CC (and USD). Can I buy tickets in USD even I am a resident of Canada? If I use Air Canada site, it automatically goes to CAD fare page. I tried to do dummy booking at a US site, then they require a US telephone number. Will they reject my CAD telephone No?

 

Any Canadian bought USD tickets to come back to Canada without any problem?

yes you can, I do it all the time. simply book from what ever web site you want and make sure you are on the .com version, not the .ca version of the website!! I do this all the time with orbitz.com

For those that have cruised out of Europe before and have flown home the same day as debarkation, can you share your outbound flight times?

 

My family & I are all trying to fly the same airline (traveling from different states) so that we can hook up state side (Charlotte Airport - layover) and be on the same flight to & from Barcelona together.

 

Because of this, it looks like we will be traveling American Airlines BUT the cheapest (and realistic?) outbound departure time from Barcelona is 1045am. Is that too early or cutting it close? Any input would be appreciated. :)

on my last Med cruise in 2013, I left the same day from Barcelona- I had a flight around 2pm. I was in no hurry to leave but the ship was very anxious for me to leave. They want you off as early as possible. My suggestion would be to take your luggage off with you in the morning and you can leave pretty early from the ship. I would suggest you leave as soon as you dock and head straight for the airport. The que for the cab will be the longest line up. I think you can inform the ship of your early flight.

I am hoping that I am in the right spot! If not, someone give me proper directions... We are from Ohio and just spent two weeks in August in Japan!My husband and I have not cruised since 1984. We chose the NCL land/cruise of Rome and the Mediterranean. I have made reservations for dinner on the ship and now am spending too much time obsessing over excursions. I have been lurking in the forums and am intrigued by I found that a group had formed for a Naples/Pompeii tour and joined that group. I guess I am "too chicken" to start a group...The two other excursions that I feel are necessary are the Florence/Pisa one and Barcelona. I am hoping some of you, my veteran travelers, can lead me in the right direction. My husband and I are in good health ( in other words we can walk 2-3 miles comfortably)and try to get the most bang for our buck.

 

Kathy B

I was on the Epic in May 2013 out of Barcelona. It was amazing. In Naples, I would recommend getting into a small tour with Rome in Limo. If someone on your roll call has room, grab it. You can go to the RIL website and join their tour. A group of 8 is the perfect size. You can do Pompeii, Positano, and Sorrento. You will have plenty of time to walk and shop and see the city without the crowd of the cruise tour.

No tour required in Barcelona. Get a book and map. Very easy to cab from the port to the Catherdral Plaza area and use that as your starting point and walk the city.

We did Marseille on our cruise and very easy to walk. Cab to the Old Port and wonder the streets. Take the train to the La Petite Notre Dome.

In Palma de Majorca, very easy to walk off the boat. Go to the "right" down to the old port area.

Wonder the streets of Rome too.

Be mindful of your surroundings and you will be fine. Avoid 'backpacks" as pick pockets love them. Barcelona is huge for pick pockets. Having said that, I was comfortable in the city alone at night.

The French restaurant on the ship is AMAZING!!!!

Me and my friend wanted to go cruising in the Mediterranean next May. We are really exited. However we found several problems while looking up cruises.

 

a) Firstly it turns out that there are age restrictions*! (We will both be 19 by then) Now I did some research and I found that different companies have different policies. However it looks like some companies allow 18+ to cruise alone. Can anyone please confirm my results? Especially Royal Caribbean, they have awesome cruises it seems.

*we are NOT looking for US or Caribbean departures. ONLY Mediterranean

 

 

• Age restrictions
  Carnival:
  21+
  Royal Caribbean
  18+ in europe
  
  Holland America
  18-21: Parent/guardian; letter of constent
  Disney
  18+ no Europe cruises
  
  MSC
  18+: With responsible adult over the age of 21
  Norwegian Cruise Line
  18+: With responsible adult over the age of 21
  Costa
  18-21: Parent/guardian; letter of constent
  Cunard
  18+
  Celebrity
  18+: With responsible adult over the age of 21
  Croisières de France
  18+ ???
  Princess
  18+: With responsible adult over the age of 21
   
  

 

b) The reason we want to cruise is because its a cheap way to get around. Europe is often expensive, and if you are saving money in one way you are loosing it in another. Cruise provides food, lodging and transportation. All for about $100-120 a day if we are lucky! Now question is, is it really that cheap? Are there any hidden fees? I heard about tipping, and pricey shore tours and not-free restaurants and pricey alcohol drinks. Is there anything else that we need to pay for? and how can we avoid paying too much for all of that?

 

c) The cruises we are looking up have a few sea days. What can do on a cruise ship that's free?

 

d) Our primary goal is seeing the Mediterranean (historic) cities. Whats on the boat is really just a bonus and a secondary concern. As long as they get us where we want to go on time, the food is free, there is something to drink (juice soda we don't care), the bed is clean and we have a nice bathroom with bearable shower almost anything is a go. Should we be aware of any nasty surprises? We don't want to end up cruising for the sake of the cruising.

 

E) the weather in May. Is it good for Mediterranean cruise? Can we swim (i don't need shower-warm water I'm Canadian)? I would like to take only the barest essentials e.g. a la backpacking. Is it possible for May weather? Shorts, jeans, dress, jacket (how warm?), sweater, swimsuit (do we even need that in may?) 6 shirts, blouse, cardigan, sneakers, sandals, sarong (for catholic churches).

 

F) These are probably the ports we are maybe hopefully visiting:

Barcelona, Spain

Nice (Villefranche), France

Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy

Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

Naples (Capri), Italy

Venice, Italy

Zadar, Croatia

Kotor, Montenegro

 

Should we know anything particular about them? How far are these ports from touristic city center? I know Rome is pretty far away, how about others?

We might want to take a city tour or two with the cruise line if the places are not easily accessible. Which cities are easier (cheaper) to explore alone and which are easier (safer) to stick with the cruise tour?

 

g) Last but not least: dress code. I don't have a cocktail dress (only evening) for "formal wear" nights and I don't want to drag one all the way from Canada. Is it possible to eat somewhere on the ship without dressing up, or maybe getting room service? Also how fancy is "smart casual" is a regular dress good enough?

 

I realize it's a lot of questions, but if you could at least answer one or two I would be terribly grateful!

 

Thank you SO MUCH!!!

I did my first (and so far only Cruise) May 2013- I did a Med. cruise on NCL epic. My ports included: Barcelona, Naples, Rome, Florence, Marseilles, Palma de Majorca. I am doing my 2nd Med Cruise May 2016 for 10 nites, adding Athens, Izmir, Rhodes, Malta and Sicily and not going Majorca.

The weather was great 16-20C most days for the highs. T-shirts and shorts perfect for the day. As you will be buying stuff, and as you do get a free checked bag on an international flight, you may as well pack a regular size suitcase and not worry.

Depending on the cruise line you take will depend on if you can consume booze. Booze is not free on the cruise.

Each day in port you will be responsible for own food/drinks. You can do tours, but not mandatory in ports. Some are easy to do on your own.

In Rome, you take the 'fast train" in from the Port to St Peters Station, easy to do and reasonable price.

I got my Med Cruise at a smoking hot deal, Carnival Vista May 24th sailing- $835 per person for 3 people, 10 nite sailing. You can do great deals if you look. The airfare can be more than the cruise. It was for both of mine.

A cruise is an easy and great way to see lots of places in a short amount of time. You don't get a lot of time in each port.

If you are going to do the cruise, plan on spending the money, not worth nickle and diming your trip after you spend the money for the cruise and airfare. Plan early, pay early and have your trip paid off before you go. I booked both of mine about a year or so in advance. My May 2016 cruise is paid off, 1 of 3 airline tickets paid off, 2 nites hotel in Athens paid off, gratuities paid off. You can do it reasonably if you plan.

This site has lots of help and advice.