Which Embark Port for 1st Time Cruiser To Europe

[CALMOM]

I have wanted to cruise to or in Europe but have been over whelmed with so many choices. I was really hoping I could get some advise for a First time cruiser to Europe, I have been on cruises just not to Europe. My preferred cruise lines are Princess, RCL and Carnival. I really would like to see Rome, Monte Carlo, Mykonos & Athens. I don't know that we would do a Land Tour before or after the cruise, I have to calculate expenses, first. Could I please have some advise on my following questions:

 

1. What is the best month to go, as far as, weather and less crowded?

2. Should I Embark from a U.S. port or a Europe Port?

3. What is the better Europe port to embark for the cities I would like to

see?

4. If I fly from U.S. to Europe to embark, would the red-eye flight be O.K.?

5. Which are the cheaper airlines to fly to Europe?

6. Is a Land Tour better before or after the cruise?

7. Which city is better for the Land Tour?

8. Are the Excursions in Europe expensive or comparable to any other port?

9. Would you suggest ship sponsored excursions rather then independent?

10. Europe cruises, are balconies recommended, we usually get one?

11. Which Europe ports do you think are not worth stopping at?

 

I have so many questions but I don't want to bore or burden CC Members.

Thank you so much, my DH & I will be celebrating our 25th in a little over a year, and this would be the perfect gift to each other. If you have any other advise, I so, welcome it, thank you.

[chipmaster]

European cruise is all about the Ports. There is NO one answer for your many questions. Matter of fact each one of your questions could fill a thread with 20 posts.

 

Best thing is to read thru the threads here and figure out what works for you, what you want to see, how you want to travel etc.

 

Happy planning

 

 

 

I have wanted to cruise to or in Europe but have been over whelmed with so many choices. I was really hoping I could get some advise for a First time cruiser to Europe, I have been on cruises just not to Europe. My preferred cruise lines are Princess, RCL and Carnival. I really would like to see Rome, Monte Carlo, Mykonos & Athens. I don't know that we would do a Land Tour before or after the cruise, I have to calculate expenses, first. Could I please have some advise on my following questions:

 

1. What is the best month to go, as far as, weather and less crowded?

2. Should I Embark from a U.S. port or a Europe Port?

3. What is the better Europe port to embark for the cities I would like to

see?

4. If I fly from U.S. to Europe to embark, would the red-eye flight be O.K.?

5. Which are the cheaper airlines to fly to Europe?

6. Is a Land Tour better before or after the cruise?

7. Which city is better for the Land Tour?

8. Are the Excursions in Europe expensive or comparable to any other port?

9. Would you suggest ship sponsored excursions rather then independent?

10. Europe cruises, are balconies recommended, we usually get one?

11. Which Europe ports do you think are not worth stopping at?

 

I have so many questions but I don't want to bore or burden CC Members.

Thank you so much, my DH & I will be celebrating our 25th in a little over a year, and this would be the perfect gift to each other. If you have any other advise, I so, welcome it, thank you.

[euro cruiser]

You've crammed a lot of questions into one post; you may need to create different threads to get answers to all of them, but I'll take a shot.

 

1. What is the best month to go, as far as, weather and less crowded?

Lots of different options here. July and August cruises in Europe will be loaded with children, both North American and European, and that wouldn't be my idea of an ideal situation for an anniversary cruise. Those months are also beastly hot. Personally, I think May, early June, September and early October are all lovely.

 

2. Should I Embark from a U.S. port or a Europe Port?

This depends on how much time you have available. Repositioning cruises can be great bargains, but there are time considerations. Also, you've still got airfare to return home, as the ship won't come back until the end of the season.

 

 

3. What is the better Europe port to embark for the cities I would like to see?

From a flight standpoint, you'll have more options from Rome or Athens. (Are there cruises that depart from Monte Carlo or Mykonos?) Actually, Monte Carlo seems like an outlier in your list; it will be easier to find a cruise that encompasses the other three, Monte Carlo might make your task a tad more difficult.

 

 

4. If I fly from U.S. to Europe to embark, would the red-eye flight be O.K.?

For most destinations, an overnight flight will be your only option.

 

 

5. Which are the cheaper airlines to fly to Europe?

Like flights here, it will vary based on date, market demand, etc. There are low cost lines within Europe, but they have the same difficulties that low cost airlines have here; you get a bargain, but there are some risks and discomforts that come along with it.

 

To see the range of options and prices, spend some time on this site, which shows you everything possible (you have to limit the variables or you wind up with 20 pages of flights to look through). I prefer this site over ones like Expedia, Travelocity, Kayak, etc., because this one does not sell any tickets and has no reason to bias the results: www.itasoftware.com. You don't need to join to use it, just sign in as a guest and click on "search airfares using QPX."

 

 

6. Is a Land Tour better before or after the cruise?

Most people will advise you to fly in ahead of your cruise, just in case there are flight delays, so you don't miss the cruise. The potential for problems grows as the distance and number of connections increases. Also, having your land tour prior to your cruise allows you to adjust to the time change before hitting the water.

 

 

7. Which city is better for the Land Tour?

I am completely biased here: Rome. It has everything: history, art, incredible food and wine, and a compact historical center that's easy to get around. However, if you find that it's difficult to come up with a cruise that goes to all of your target cities, you could pick the cruise that meets most of your goals and do a land tour to the location you won't visit on the cruise.

 

 

8. Are the Excursions in Europe expensive or comparable to any other port?

As I've only done excursions in Europe (and relatively few of them, I'm a "DIY" kind of person myself), I can't offer a comparison. The web sites for the cruise lines can provide information on these trips.

 

 

9. Would you suggest ship sponsored excursions rather then independent?

As I said above, I'm a DIYer, but I realize that my way can be daunting for those in Europe for the first time, especially for a one day port visit. I suggest joining the Cruise Critic roll call for your cruise once you select it, and looking for travel partners with whom to share private excursions. That way you get the best of both worlds, the personal attention of the private tour and the shared cost of the big ship sponsored trips.

 

 

10. Europe cruises, are balconies recommended, we usually get one?

Absolutely!

 

 

11. Which Europe ports do you think are not worth stopping at?

That really depends on your interests. For example, I was not a big fan of Cannes, because it's mostly about the beach and shopping, neither of which interested me.

[cynbar]

For our first European cruise, we chose a round trip out of Barcelona that stopped at Rome, Florence, Naples (for Pompeii and the Amalfi coast), Malta and Nice, France. Barcelona is a lovely city and well worth the 2 extra nights we spent there. For airfare, we started early and watched the prices, mainly on kayak.com. When they came down, we booked directly with the airline. I think you absolutely want to fly in a day or two early, to see the sights as well as avoid missing your ship, and it also allows you to adjust to the time difference. Re the ports, yes, we found excursions (and just about everything) to be more expensive than on other cruises we had been on. Join your roll call, you may be able to arrange private tours with people you meet there to cut costs (it's usually a set price for up to 10 or so, so quite expensive for a couple.) Some cruisers do the ports on their own, taking the train to Rome for instance, but we weren't comfortable with that for our first trip. Our cruise line did offer transportation-only excursions that dropped us off in the city center in Rome and Florence, for less than the price of a full tour, so we did that. We did have a balcony and used it all the time, so I would recommend that, even on a port intensive cruise. I also recommend avoiding the main summer months, it will be cooler and less crowded in the spring and fall. Good luck planning your cruise, we are going again this May and doing the Eastern Med this time.

[-Lew-]

1. What is the best month to go, as far as, weather and less crowded?

We find the September/October timeframe suits us best. The weather is very nice and crowds don't seem to be a problem at all.

 

2. Should I Embark from a U.S. port or a Europe Port?

If you leave from a US port, you're talking an embarkation in May or early June. Crowds in Europe will be a consideration at that time of year.

 

3. What is the better Europe port to embark for the cities I would like to

see?

We did a 12-day Barcelona → Venice cruise in 2007 and had a fantastic time. It covers the ports you want to visit as-well-as Istanbul...a fantastic city.

 

Barcelona is a beautiful city and easy to get to. Airport to your hotel and hotel to the port are easy. Plan to spend a few days there prior to your cruise...it's one of our favorite cities in Europe. On the other end, Venice is another wonderful port of call. On Princess you'll most probably overnight there. Plan to spend additional time there also.

 

9. Would you suggest ship sponsored excursions rather then independent?

We usually do a combination. Join the Roll Call for your cruise. Most likely, others will be putting together private tours you can join if you wish.

 

10. Europe cruises, are balconies recommended, we usually get one?

We happen to like a balcony cabin. Having said that, I don't think it's as necessary to have one on a European cruise as a Caribbean cruise. Most days you're going to be off this ship...not sunning on the balcony. Also, many European ports don't offer much to look at IMHO.

 

11. Which Europe ports do you think are not worth stopping at?

Can't think of one...

 

A European cruise is quite different from what you are accustomed to in Caribbean cruises. They are very port intensive...you'll be getting up early to catch your excursion and returning late to the ship. If you've never been to Europe, there will be a learning curve...again, arrive early in your embarkation city.

 

Most of all...have a wonderful cruise!!

 

Lew

[cruisemom42]

I have wanted to cruise to or in Europe but have been over whelmed with so many choices. I was really hoping I could get some advise for a First time cruiser to Europe, I have been on cruises just not to Europe. My preferred cruise lines are Princess, RCL and Carnival. I really would like to see Rome, Monte Carlo, Mykonos & Athens. I don't know that we would do a Land Tour before or after the cruise, I have to calculate expenses, first. Could I please have some advise on my following questions:

 

1. What is the best month to go, as far as, weather and less crowded?

 

Peak season in Europe is June-August, when it is also very hot (August is generally the most crowded and hottest). If you can travel in the spring or fall, you'll find fewer crowds and cooler weather. I don't mind the weather being a bit cooler as I'm a sightseer and not a beachgoer in Europe, so I prefer April to early May or October-November. The earlier/later you go in the season, the better rates you'll find on both cruises and airfare, generally speaking.

2. Should I Embark from a U.S. port or a Europe Port?

 

Depends how much time you have. If you do a transatlantic, you have to count on 5-6 days at sea. I have limited vacation time, and I'd rather spend it in Europe and not at sea, but others feel differently. I'd also choose to embark in Europe for another reason -- you can (and should) plan to stay a few extra days before and/or after your cruise. Most cruises begin or end in cities where it's worth spending the extra time sightseeing. You can't see all there is to see in ports like Rome, Venice, Barcelona, etc in a day.

3. What is the better Europe port to embark for the cities I would like to

see?

 

Again, tough to answer. You mention that you want to see both Monte Carlo (which is in the Western Med) and Mykonos (which is in the Eastern Med). You may have to look hard to find a cruise that has both ports. I think Princess does have an itinerary (called Grand Mediterranean) that does both ports. It sails from Rome to Barcelona and vice versa.

4. If I fly from U.S. to Europe to embark, would the red-eye flight be O.K.?

 

Most flights from the US to Europe are overnight. You won't have a lot of choice here, unfortunately. You should definitely plan to fly in one day at a bare minimum before your cruise. If you want to see anything in your embarkation city, you'll need 2-3 days.

5. Which are the cheaper airlines to fly to Europe?

 

There's no single answer here. As mentioned above, flights are cheaper in the shoulder seasons, and you can look for specials. Since you have time, you might look into getting a credit card that gives you Frequent Flyer miles for whatever airline is based near you. Through charges and promotions, you may be able to accumulate enough points to pay for at least one ticket.

6. Is a Land Tour better before or after the cruise?

 

Not sure what you mean by "Land Tour" -- I generally try to spend some time in Europe on my own either before or after a cruise. (Preferably both :)) Med cruises are generally pretty nonstop, so some prefer to spend time before the cruise, thinking they'll be more exhausted after.

7. Which city is better for the Land Tour?

 

If you're looking to spend time in one city, I would recommend Rome hands-down. It's easy to get around, safe, has more things than you can see in a week (or a month), good food, and many folks speak English. It's an easy introduction to Europe and not too intimidating for someone who hasn't been there before. Barcelona is a fun city to visit but just doesn't have the draw of Rome.

8. Are the Excursions in Europe expensive or comparable to any other port?

 

Excursions in Europe are quite expensive. For a full day ship excursion (full-day because you often have to take because the sights you want to see are an hour or more from port), expect to pay in the range of $200 per person. Many people arrange private tours on their roll calls -- advantages being a smaller group and -- if you get enough participants -- it's less expensive per person. In a lot of ports you can sightsee on your own. Mykonos is a prime example. You can take the ship shuttle or just walk into town and enjoy the twisting streets, the windmills, the views, etc.

9. Would you suggest ship sponsored excursions rather then independent?

 

Depends a lot on your comfort level. For me, I'd never take a ship excursion if there were any reasonable alternative. I prefer DIY and I feel comfortable doing it that way. But I've traveled a lot and feel pretty confident in my own ability to navigate public transportation, do research on what I want to visit, etc. On the other hands, my parents (also well traveled) almost always take ship-sponsored tours as they have an almost paralyzing fear of missing the ship.

I will say that I did a few ship tours when I cruised the Med/Egypt with my mom in 2006, and the tours that we did take were very well run. The only beefs I had were with the cost and the "mandatory" shopping stops. The guides, overall, were excellent.

10. Europe cruises, are balconies recommended, we usually get one?

 

Highly personal decision. I'd rather cruise with an oceanview or even inside cabin if it meant I was able to travel more often or spend the money I'd save on staying another 3-4 days after the cruise. For example, on the June 10 Princess itinerary that I just cancelled, a balcony was $900 per person more than an oceanview cabin. We booked oceanview and I was planning to use the $1800 to pay for our pre- and post-cruise hotels and meals.

11. Which Europe ports do you think are not worth stopping at?

 

I think almost all European ports have something to offer, unlike the Caribbean and Mexico (if that's where you've cruised previously). However, some are a little less appealing to me personally -- those without much ancient history. I'd have to put Corfu in that category. Can't really think of any others off the top of my head.

 

I have so many questions but I don't want to bore or burden CC Members.

Thank you so much, my DH & I will be celebrating our 25th in a little over a year, and this would be the perfect gift to each other. If you have any other advise, I so, welcome it, thank you.

 

See my responses above.

[tomko2]

I have wanted to cruise to or in Europe but have been over whelmed with so many choices. I was really hoping I could get some advise for a First time cruiser to Europe, I have been on cruises just not to Europe. My preferred cruise lines are Princess, RCL and Carnival. I really would like to see Rome, Monte Carlo, Mykonos & Athens. I don't know that we would do a Land Tour before or after the cruise, I have to calculate expenses, first. Could I please have some advise on my following questions:

 

1. What is the best month to go, as far as, weather and less crowded?

We went in late August on both our 12 night Med. cruises and it suited us perfectly; weather was hot but not humid and it wasn't crowded; ship had less children.

2. Should I Embark from a U.S. port or a Europe Port?

European port.

3. What is the better Europe port to embark for the cities I would like to

see?

We embarked in Rome for 1st cruise and spent 6 nights pre/post cruise in Rome. Embarked in Barcelona for 2nd and spent 2 nights pre cruise there and 2 nights post-cruise in Mainz, Germany.

It really depends on which itinerary suits you the best. If you want more time in Athens then choose a cruise that begins or ends there.

4. If I fly from U.S. to Europe to embark, would the red-eye flight be O.K.?

Both our flights left in the early evening. When you get there freshen up and go sightseeing for a few hours then go for a nap and by evening you will be ready to go again.

5. Which are the cheaper airlines to fly to Europe?

We used points for both. Use one of the major travel sights to get rates for the various airlines. Do watch out for long layovers which can be exhausting.

6. Is a Land Tour better before or after the cruise?

I would say pre-cruise is better; you adrenaline is going and your energy is up.

7. Which city is better for the Land Tour?

Sorry, can't help.

8. Are the Excursions in Europe expensive or comparable to any other port?

Distance to the sights is what drives up the cost of European excursions. We did a lot of reading and research before our cruises so we could narrow done exactly what we wanted to see and do.

9. Would you suggest ship sponsored excursions rather then independent?

In certain places I would definitely recommend using ship sponsored excursions, e.g. Egypt. It depends how far from the ship you will be and if there is any possibility of not getting back to the ship on time. By choosing the cruise line excursion you don't have to worry if something goes wrong. Also, we found the ship excursion buses to be very comfortable whereas some private excursions you could be sitting in the back of a van with little suspension.

10. Europe cruises, are balconies recommended, we usually get one?

We had aft balconies and would recommend them; lots to see as you arrive in ports and you can be getting ready as you watch the scenery.

11. Which Europe ports do you think are not worth stopping at?

The only port we were not fussy about was Limassol.

I have so many questions but I don't want to bore or burden CC Members.

Thank you so much, my DH & I will be celebrating our 25th in a little over a year, and this would be the perfect gift to each other. If you have any other advise, I so, welcome it, thank you.

 

An European cruise would be an awesome way to celebrate your anniversary. My DH celebrated his 60th last August so I emailed the Hotel Mgr. in advance and they provided a bottle of Cava and a lovely cake! I had the cabin decorated for his 58 B'day on the Legend; and his Mother sent wine to the cabin last summer.

Photos in the link below of both cruises.

We found reading other CCers reviews to be a great source of information. Here are ours:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=33168

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=57957

[-Lew-]

Here's the Princess Grand Mediterranean Barcelona to Venice 12 Day cruise. It also operates Venice to Barcelona. It appears to cover the ports of call you want to visit.

 

Lew

 

1 Barcelona, Spain

 

2 Monte Carlo, Monaco

 

3 Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy

 

4 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

 

5 Naples/Capri, Italy

 

6 At Sea

 

7 Mykonos, Greece

 

8 Istanbul, Turkey

 

9 Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey

 

10 Athens (Piraeus), Greece

 

11 At Sea

 

12 Venice, Italy

 

13 Venice, Italy

[cruisemom42]

Here's the Princess Grand Mediterranean Barcelona to Venice 12 Day cruise. It also operates Venice to Barcelona. It appears to cover the ports of call you want to visit.

 

Lew

1 Barcelona, Spain

 

2 Monte Carlo, Monaco

 

3 Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy

 

4 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

 

5 Naples/Capri, Italy

 

6 At Sea

 

7 Mykonos, Greece

 

8 Istanbul, Turkey

 

9 Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey

 

10 Athens (Piraeus), Greece

 

11 At Sea

 

12 Venice, Italy

 

13 Venice, Italy

 

Lew, thanks for posting. I'd mixed up Rome with Venice, but that is the itinerary I was thinking of for the OP.

[CALMOM]

You've crammed a lot of questions into one post; you may need to create different threads to get answers to all of them, but I'll take a shot.

 

 

Lots of different options here. July and August cruises in Europe will be loaded with children, both North American and European, and that wouldn't be my idea of an ideal situation for an anniversary cruise. Those months are also beastly hot. Personally, I think May, early June, September and early October are all lovely.

 

This depends on how much time you have available. Repositioning cruises can be great bargains, but there are time considerations. Also, you've still got airfare to return home, as the ship won't come back until the end of the season.

 

 

From a flight standpoint, you'll have more options from Rome or Athens. (Are there cruises that depart from Monte Carlo or Mykonos?) Actually, Monte Carlo seems like an outlier in your list; it will be easier to find a cruise that encompasses the other three, Monte Carlo might make your task a tad more difficult.

 

 

 

For most destinations, an overnight flight will be your only option.

 

 

 

Like flights here, it will vary based on date, market demand, etc. There are low cost lines within Europe, but they have the same difficulties that low cost airlines have here; you get a bargain, but there are some risks and discomforts that come along with it.

 

To see the range of options and prices, spend some time on this site, which shows you everything possible (you have to limit the variables or you wind up with 20 pages of flights to look through). I prefer this site over ones like Expedia, Travelocity, Kayak, etc., because this one does not sell any tickets and has no reason to bias the results: www.itasoftware.com. You don't need to join to use it, just sign in as a guest and click on "search airfares using QPX."

 

 

 

Most people will advise you to fly in ahead of your cruise, just in case there are flight delays, so you don't miss the cruise. The potential for problems grows as the distance and number of connections increases. Also, having your land tour prior to your cruise allows you to adjust to the time change before hitting the water.

 

 

 

I am completely biased here: Rome. It has everything: history, art, incredible food and wine, and a compact historical center that's easy to get around. However, if you find that it's difficult to come up with a cruise that goes to all of your target cities, you could pick the cruise that meets most of your goals and do a land tour to the location you won't visit on the cruise.

 

 

As I've only done excursions in Europe (and relatively few of them, I'm a "DIY" kind of person myself), I can't offer a comparison. The web sites for the cruise lines can provide information on these trips.

 

 

As I said above, I'm a DIYer, but I realize that my way can be daunting for those in Europe for the first time, especially for a one day port visit. I suggest joining the Cruise Critic roll call for your cruise once you select it, and looking for travel partners with whom to share private excursions. That way you get the best of both worlds, the personal attention of the private tour and the shared cost of the big ship sponsored trips.

 

 

Absolutely!

 

 

That really depends on your interests. For example, I was not a big fan of Cannes, because it's mostly about the beach and shopping, neither of which interested me.

 

Euro Cruiser, thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. This gives me a base to work from.

[CALMOM]

Thank you so much Lew, Cruisemom42 & Tomko2 for your feedback. Tomko2, I loved your reviews and pics, picture are so helpful, I am a visually type person. I especially loved your first class flight, that would be so great and comfortable especially since my DH is a bigger man. Yes Lew, this was an itinerary I was considering.

 

I know I listed several questions, I just thought it might be easier then listing several postings, since some of my questions related to each other.

 

Thank you everyone who has responded, I know I have my homework cut out for me, but at least I have a good start base.

[hubofhockey]

Here's the Princess Grand Mediterranean Barcelona to Venice 12 Day cruise. It also operates Venice to Barcelona. It appears to cover the ports of call you want to visit.

 

Lew

1 Barcelona, Spain

 

2 Monte Carlo, Monaco

 

3 Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy

 

4 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

 

5 Naples/Capri, Italy

 

6 At Sea

 

7 Mykonos, Greece

 

8 Istanbul, Turkey

 

9 Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey

 

10 Athens (Piraeus), Greece

 

11 At Sea

 

12 Venice, Italy

 

13 Venice, Italy

 

I am doing that in reverse order on the Fourth of July. Our kids will be away at Summer camp and it was either that two weeks or two weeks in August. Sound like I got the lesser of two evils. :eek:

 

 

I picked it because we don't get a chance to get away too much and England has been about it for me in Europe. It will be my first chance to see so many places I really want to see. Perhaps Istanbul is the most intriguing to me. For OP, who knows? As others have said, it would be an unending thread in itself. This itinerary, especially on a new ship like the Ruby Princess, is not cheap. I figured that I would spend a little more because this is not something I do every day or even every decade.

[tomko2]

Thank you so much Lew, Cruisemom42 & Tomko2 for your feedback. Tomko2, I loved your reviews and pics, picture are so helpful, I am a visually type person. I especially loved your first class flight, that would be so great and comfortable especially since my DH is a bigger man. Yes Lew, this was an itinerary I was considering.

 

I know I listed several questions, I just thought it might be easier then listing several postings, since some of my questions related to each other.

 

Thank you everyone who has responded, I know I have my homework cut out for me, but at least I have a good start base.

 

 

You are most welcome; I am visual as well and often search Webshots for cabin or destination photos.

You probably know that the itineraries for next summer are either out or will be out soon. The earlier you book the better chance you will have of getting the cabin you want. We actually had two bookings on the Brilliance of the Seas from Barcelona (one in June the other late August) because we wanted the corner aft cabin but we were too early to book our flights using points. Once we got our flights we cancelled one booking and moved the deposit to another cruise. :)

(I also let my fellow CCers on the Roll Call know that I was releasing a corner aft cabin).

Good luck and happy cruising.

Kathy:)

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I My preferred cruise lines are Princess, RCL and Carnival. I really would like to see Rome, Monte Carlo, Mykonos & Athens. I don't know that we would do a Land Tour before or after the cruise, I have to calculate expenses, first. Could I please have some advise on my following questions:

 

1. What is the best month to go, as far as, weather and less crowded?

May-early June, or September-early October

2. Should I Embark from a U.S. port or a Europe Port?

Europe, unless you want a long sea trip first

3. What is the better Europe port to embark for the cities I would like to

see?

Rome, although Athens would be good too.

4. If I fly from U.S. to Europe to embark, would the red-eye flight be O.K.?

Not in my opinion. Try to get there at least a day before, or in the case of Rome, several days. Arriving the day of the cruise is also a little risky, you never know with airlines these days.

6. Is a Land Tour better before or after the cruise?

A pre-cruise has the advantage of giving you time to adjust to the time difference, otherwise it doesn't make much difference

7. Which city is better for the Land Tour?

I would say Rome, but depends on length and what you want--if you want to spend time kicking back on a Greek island, then Athens.

10. Europe cruises, are balconies recommended, we usually get one?

On a port-intensive trip I would say just get a window and save your money for excursions.

11. Which Europe ports do you think are not worth stopping at?

Monte Carlo is over-rated as far as I'm concerned. Very pretty, and if you can get a trip out to the surrounding area, then definitely worth it.

 

Happy Anniversary!

[-Lew-]

 

I am doing that in reverse order on the Fourth of July.

 

It will be my first chance to see so many places I really want to see. Perhaps Istanbul is the most intriguing to me.

 

This itinerary, especially on a new ship like the Ruby Princess, is not cheap. I figured that I would spend a little more because this is not something I do every day or even every decade.

First...you're going to have a fantastic time!! Yes, it's a lot of money, but money well spent.

 

Do yourself a big, big favor and fly into Venice a few days early so you can decompress from your flight and immerse yourselves into Europe before you embark. You're paying for the flight...a few nights in a hotel in one of the great cities of the world will add so much to your vacation.

 

The above goes for Barcelona also. Stay a few days there before you fly home. There is so much to see and do in that beautiful city, it would be a shame to go straight to the airport after you disembark.

 

Istanbul was one of my favorite ports of call. It's a beautiful city...and the people are so friendly. Be sure to go to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar. You can easily walk between the three after being transported from the pier to the area of the bazaar.

 

Enjoy your cruise...

 

Lew

[chipmaster]

This is one of the better lineups on a great line too. I looked at a lot of options two years ago and didn't find a better line up that hit so many major ports/attractions. Plus you get two ports to linger in for a few extra days ( Barcelona and Venice ).

 

Here's the Princess Grand Mediterranean Barcelona to Venice 12 Day cruise. It also operates Venice to Barcelona. It appears to cover the ports of call you want to visit.

 

Lew

1 Barcelona, Spain

 

2 Monte Carlo, Monaco

 

3 Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy

 

4 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

 

5 Naples/Capri, Italy

 

6 At Sea

 

7 Mykonos, Greece

 

8 Istanbul, Turkey

 

9 Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey

 

10 Athens (Piraeus), Greece

 

11 At Sea

 

12 Venice, Italy

 

13 Venice, Italy

[roxyvm]

I just got back from my 2nd Med. cruise and must say if you have the time, spend a couple of days in Rome. We used Miles & Miles and am delighted to tell you they are the best we've ever used. They definately take the stress out of sight seeing. Miles & Miles also offers tours in other regions of Italy. Check out there website at www.toursofrome.it. Roberto and Caron have done it right, and you will feel like the your the only tourist they have ever worked with. All the TLC you could ask for.:)

[CALMOM]

I am doing that in reverse order on the Fourth of July. Our kids will be away at Summer camp and it was either that two weeks or two weeks in August. Sound like I got the lesser of two evils. :eek:

 

 

I picked it because we don't get a chance to get away too much and England has been about it for me in Europe. It will be my first chance to see so many places I really want to see. Perhaps Istanbul is the most intriguing to me. For OP, who knows? As others have said, it would be an unending thread in itself. This itinerary, especially on a new ship like the Ruby Princess, is not cheap. I figured that I would spend a little more because this is not something I do every day or even every decade.

 

Yes, my DH said he is also very interested in Istanbul too. I figured this cruise would probably be our most expensive cruise yet. However, we usually take our grown kids and so our coming up Alaska Cruise with fare, flight, excursions, etc will run us about $24K, so I'm use to expensive cruises:o

[CALMOM]

Happy Anniversary!

 

 

Thank you very much :)

[CALMOM]

This is one of the better lineups on a great line too. I looked at a lot of options two years ago and didn't find a better line up that hit so many major ports/attractions. Plus you get two ports to linger in for a few extra days ( Barcelona and Venice ).

 

I agree, it looks like a perfect Itinerary, I guess I need to find out how soon I can book then start doing my homework on the rest. Of course, this homework is fun for me and really gets me excited for the upcoming cruise. Thank you for you advise and thoughts.

[CALMOM]

I just got back from my 2nd Med. cruise and must say if you have the time, spend a couple of days in Rome. We used Miles & Miles and am delighted to tell you they are the best we've ever used. They definately take the stress out of sight seeing. Miles & Miles also offers tours in other regions of Italy. Check out there website at www.toursofrome.it. Roberto and Caron have done it right, and you will feel like the your the only tourist they have ever worked with. All the TLC you could ask for.:)

 

Thank you Roxyvm, I will definitely check them out. I don't think I am comfortable with DIY, my first time to Europe. I know it will cost me more using a tour company or a ship excursion but a great piece of mind in exchange.

[CALMOM]

I would like to take the time to say Thank you to all that have posted a response or that will. I love cruising and to be honest if it wasn't for a cruise ship, I doubt I would of seen or will see different countries. A cruise ship offers all the comforts of home and allows a person to see several places in a very short amount of time.

 

I have wanted to go to Europe for quite some time but was a little intimated. I have always relied on the CC for honest and most accurate information. If you ask a TA, Tour Company or Vendor, they have a financial interest in my vacation and that's about it.

 

Thank you again, I'm sure I will have plenty more questions.