Just got off Magnifica

[AmoMondo]

We are sailing on April 24 and have booked a suite. I find conflicting information about whether Magnifica has a 'Yacht Club" like some other MSC ships. Does anyone know? Or has anyone stayed in a suite?

Many thanks.

 

I've stayed in suite on 3 different ships (all Lirica Class) mut not on the magnifica. It has normal suites and Yacht Club ones. the reason I know there is a Yacht Club is because I was invited to stay in one of the YC cabins for the Southhampton pre christening launch but was unable to get time off work.

[diecastaussie]

Hi Diecastaussie

 

i was interested in your comments about Lisbon. I'll be calling there in a few weeks. is the HoHo bus stop close to where the port shuttle drops you off? I have been to Lisbon before for a few days and mainly got around by tram and metro that time. However in a limited time it will probably be more convenient to just use the HoHo to have arefresher of all the main sites. i presume it went to the castle (that is the one place I did not get around to on my last trip)

 

Thanks

 

Hi AmoMondo,

 

The Port of Lisbon shuttle bus dropped us at the HoHo Red Bus pickup point. If I remember correctly we switched to the Blue bus route along the way in order to get to the castle.

Enjoy your visit.:)

[AmoMondo]

Hi AmoMondo,

 

The Port of Lisbon shuttle bus dropped us at the HoHo Red Bus pickup point. If I remember correctly we switched to the Blue bus route along the way in order to get to the castle.

Enjoy your visit.:)

 

Thank you

[Capricruiser]

For Summer66: Yacht Club areas are only on the Fantasia and the Splendida.

[buggins0402]

Hi Diecastaussie

 

i was interested in your comments about Lisbon. I'll be calling there in a few weeks. is the HoHo bus stop close to where the port shuttle drops you off? I have been to Lisbon before for a few days and mainly got around by tram and metro that time. However in a limited time it will probably be more convenient to just use the HoHo to have arefresher of all the main sites. i presume it went to the castle (that is the one place I did not get around to on my last trip)

 

Thanks

 

The famous Tram 28 also winds it's way up there. Here's the Tripadvisor link

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g189158-d262792-Reviews-Tram_28-Lisbon_Estremadura.html

[woodofpine]

poet123,hi

Please,i asked the same question so many times but no answer:(,can u tell me what ports are formal nights,it means to me to know ahead of time,thank u for the info on dubrovnik and bari,still katakolon ,what did you do there?i don t want to take the ship tour to get to olympia.Thank you.

 

Sailed Magnifica 3/27...

 

Bari (was Palm Sunday) we walked from the pier into Barivecchia (old town) and visited Basilica San Nichola, then Cath. San Sabino, then walked to the Fortress. All these sights are easily walked from the pier and in close proximity. The little street running between the Basilica and Cathedral has cute little shops (not fancy - but 'real local' - real good value), adjacent streets had women drying pasta on screens... doing their Sunday 'thing'. It was fun, genuine, fairly non-touristy Italy. We walked out to a square at the edge of the old town where a number of nice reastaurants were located and had lunch then walked back to the ship.

 

Katakolon: We rented car(s) from Katakolo Rent a Car just off the pier at the end of the village main street, then drove up to Olympia. The agency was efficient and a good value (45eu - 60eu with gas and insurance for a vehicle holding 4/5). The drive is easy and the Olympia site and museum shouldn't be missed. Contact diplasd@rentacarkatakolo.gr

 

Dubrovnik: We pre-arranged a private guide, 'walked the walls' and the old town, then had a little (excellent) seafood lunch by the old harbor. The line hits pax 10eu for bus shuttle (7.5/kids) but a cab will haul 4 for 10eu each way. We cabbed. The ship harbor approach and exit is very scenic. Dubrovnik is very pretty all way around.

 

Izmir: Some of our group did a ship tour of Ephesus/Mary's House. Having done that, some (me) walked to Kamiralti Bazaar and strolled-shopped then cabbed back. I'd cab it both ways in retrospect (10eu each way per cab).

 

Istanbul: Did it with a good tour book on our own. The modern tram passes a half block from the port then crosses Galata Bridge to stops fronting the Spice Bazaar, Topkapi, Sultanahmet Square (Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia) and Grand Bazaar - from where we walked through the old town back to the Spice Bazaar and tram (1.5TL or $1 per ride). A fantastic day (if you do your homework); suggest DK Eyewitness Istanbul guide book. Note: do Topkapi first, as soon as it opens (even loiter the outer courtyard with ticket) because it quickly gets overrun.

 

Have fun!:)

[eliopia]

Sailed Magnifica 3/27...

 

Bari (was Palm Sunday) we walked from the pier into Barivecchia (old town) and visited Basilica San Nichola, then Cath. San Sabino, then walked to the Fortress. All these sights are easily walked from the pier and in close proximity. The little street running between the Basilica and Cathedral has cute little shops (not fancy - but 'real local' - real good value), adjacent streets had women drying pasta on screens... doing their Sunday 'thing'. It was fun, genuine, fairly non-touristy Italy. We walked out to a square at the edge of the old town where a number of nice reastaurants were located and had lunch then walked back to the ship.

 

Katakolon: We rented car(s) from Katakolo Rent a Car just off the pier at the end of the village main street, then drove up to Olympia. The agency was efficient and a good value (45eu - 60eu with gas and insurance for a vehicle holding 4/5). The drive is easy and the Olympia site and museum shouldn't be missed. Contact diplasd@rentacarkatakolo.gr

 

Dubrovnik: We pre-arranged a private guide, 'walked the walls' and the old town, then had a little (excellent) seafood lunch by the old harbor. The line hits pax 10eu for bus shuttle (7.5/kids) but a cab will haul 4 for 10eu each way. We cabbed. The ship harbor approach and exit is very scenic. Dubrovnik is very pretty all way around.

 

Izmir: Some of our group did a ship tour of Ephesus/Mary's House. Having done that, some (me) walked to Kamiralti Bazaar and strolled-shopped then cabbed back. I'd cab it both ways in retrospect (10eu each way per cab).

 

Istanbul: Did it with a good tour book on our own. The modern tram passes a half block from the port then crosses Galata Bridge to stops fronting the Spice Bazaar, Topkapi, Sultanahmet Square (Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia) and Grand Bazaar - from where we walked through the old town back to the Spice Bazaar and tram (1.5TL or $1 per ride). A fantastic day (if you do your homework); suggest DK Eyewitness Istanbul guide book. Note: do Topkapi first, as soon as it opens (even loiter the outer courtyard with ticket) because it quickly gets overrun.

 

Have fun!:)

Thank you woodofpine ,that was very helpful,especially for bari ,i wasn t very sure of what to do or will it be fun.

In katakolon did you reserve in advance?

Dubrovnik,do you still remember where you had your lunch?i love seafood.

As for istanbul,this is our embarkation port,so we are spending 2 more days at the end of cruise,and it is an easy city to tour.

[woodofpine]

Thank you woodofpine ,that was very helpful,especially for bari ,i wasn t very sure of what to do or will it be fun.

In katakolon did you reserve in advance?

Dubrovnik,do you still remember where you had your lunch?i love seafood.

As for istanbul,this is our embarkation port,so we are spending 2 more days at the end of cruise,and it is an easy city to tour.

 

We noted people embarking/disembarking Istanbul (as well as Bari); that aspect makes MSC still reminescent - sort of hybrid - of older sailing/cruising days.

 

Anyway... your questions. Katakolo Rent a Car... Yes we reserved and it is recommended since the quantity of vehicles is limited. They were initially very tardy in responding to e-mail, but that may have been due to the early almost pre-season date of our sailing. But if they don't respond, don't give up! (Actually, as I recollect, their credit card machine was down also - so we paid cash, but it was otherwise a quick efficient operation and the vehicles were in good condition.)

 

Dubrovnik. The entry is the Pile Gate and a taxi stand is located there. There are two entries to 'the walls', one just after entering the old town at this gate. The ticket office for the walls can be talked into taking euro but they prefer local cash (there are ATMs fairly abundant near the port and elsewhere); the main street proceeds from here across the small old town to a square that the old harbor is on the back of. This is a small place. There is basically a single (mainly outdoor) restaurant there that is apparently well liked by locals and tourists both. Not cheap - but reasonably priced for steamed mussels, oysters, etc.; I had a great octopus salad, very pretty setting. Our guide suggested some restaurants on the street a block to the left when you come in (parallel to the main street) as being more local and lower priced (due to lower rents) as opposed to ones in the church square over the other way. Also recommended were some of the shops on streets perpendicular to and off the main drag as less pricey. Dubrovnik was very 'cute' and scenic IMHO; however, we were the only ship in port and they can get many - too many - during the summer so it can get overrun. On that note, the seafood restaurant was not a quick preparation place so I'd recommend it for those that just want to take it in leisurely time wise.

 

Have fun!

[drblue]

Hello Woodofpine,

Thank you for posting some info on your activities at specific ports. It is very useful.

[summer66]

Many thanks to woodofpine for port recommendations. We emailed the car rental place in Katakolon, heard back after a few days, and walked off the ship and virtually into the car. We paid 45 euros plus on the way back from Olympia, put 10 euros worth of gas in the car. It was a simple arrangement, easily carried out, and Olympia was a real highlight of our trip.

 

We thought the food was very good to excellent on the ship, the service outstanding and a lack of English was no problem at all. Our waiter was far more fluent than on our last Cunard cruise, and the food was as good and far more interesting. We experienced no pushing - at elevators or elsewhere - and yes, the Italians who were in the great majority of passengers, are lively and expressive and smoke a lot, but it's part of the reason Italy is one of our favorite countries - we don't go to Europe to be surrounded by Americans - why would we be looking for that on an European cruise..

 

There are lots of kids, even in a week when there weren't any school vacations for Europeans. If kids, Europeans, and a lively atmosphere aren't your thing, you probably won't like MSC - we loved it.

[summer66]

It's true that our category 13 suite didn't come with any extras except a bigger room. Next time we will look for a balcony cabin on the stern - these were lovely and seemed to be in the quietest part of the ship.