All Things Mediterranean Thread

[wantocruisemore]

Thought I would start a thread devoted to everything for those who are cruising or have cruised the Mediterranean. I figured there's some unique issues and questions with Med cruises and it would be helpful to have a source to go to. The ports of call are great for the individual ports, but this is meant to sort of encompass questions about Med cruises in general.

 

I'll go first. Lots of questions.

 

Do people dress more formally on Med cruises? Are the formal nights more formal or will a suit and cocktail dress be fine? What about for the casual nights? Could I get away with a skort for dinner (shorts that have a skirt completely going around so that to someone looking it appears to be a skirt)?

 

What about in the ports? Do people dress up more?

 

Embarkation - I know that each port offers it's own challenges, but any particular advice for Civitavecchia would be helpful. Such as how early to port, best boarding time, etc. Description of process would be helpful.

 

For Debarkation, if ship docks at 5am what is the best time to arrange for private transport to pick up to head to airport. Is 11:05 am too early for flight out of Rome on debarkation day?

 

What type of documentation is required to go off ship? Necessary to always carry passports? Anyplace to get them stamped for each country you visit or do they do that anyway when you get off at each country?

 

I understand menus are the same as other 7 day cruises. Any special food recommendations?

 

It's been a long time since I was in the Mediterranean and we are really looking forward to this trip. Have private tours arranged for all stops so far but one.

 

Any replies would be helpful. With spring approaching hopefully we will get alot of information on those going.

[mo&fran]

I will provide my experience flying to Rome, in our case for a T/A cruise.

We flew in an Alitalia B777 from JFK, Getting luggage took forever since a lot of passengers were connecting to other flights, so their luggage was handled first, before passengers whose final destination was Rome. Since we were not sailing that day, it was not an issue.

[jandsmom]

Thanks for starting this thread!

 

I actually thought I read somewhere that the ship holds your passports. I couldn't see getting off in a foreign country without one! What happens if you miss the ship after an excursion?

 

Someone out there please correct me if I'm wrong!;)

[wantocruisemore]

I will provide my experience flying to Rome, in our case for a T/A cruise.

We flew in an Alitalia B777 from JFK, Getting luggage took forever since a lot of passengers were connecting to other flights, so their luggage was handled first, before passengers whose final destination was Rome. Since we were not sailing that day, it was not an issue.

 

 

THANKS! This is exactly the type of information I was hoping for. Since we're staying several days pre-cruise this will not be an issue for us, but for those who are flying into Europe and embarking the same day, this is a helpful reminder that flying to Europe is not as smooth as just catching a plane to, for example, Miami to cruise.

[misty57]

I am looking at a Holy Land Cruise for next year. I believe the ship is the Mariner which would be nice ( Voyager class are out favorite). Has anyone booked a trip like this with a precruise stay through the cruise line? I am ok with booking online but would have no idea what to do as far as accomodations or excursions.

[wantocruisemore]

Anyone know why this thread got moved from the Royal Carib. section???

 

My intention when starting the thread was to focus on RCCL Med cruises and practices regarding RCCL.

 

Now it appears to have been moved to a section where few people frequent and I had never even visited before.:confused:

[LHT28]

Why not jut go to the Mediterranean forums?

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=603

[Coolcruise02]

I actually thought I read somewhere that the ship holds your passports. I couldn't see getting off in a foreign country without one! What happens if you miss the ship after an excursion? Someone out there please correct me if I'm wrong!;)

 

We have been on 2 MED cruises and our passports were taken on both! It depends on what ports you are stopping at. At some ports they gave it back to go ashore and then you had to turn it back in, others they did not give it back to us. Make a photo copy of your passport to carry with you!

[6rugrats]

1. Suits and cocktail dresses will be fine for formal night.

 

2. You will see all kinds of things worn in Europe. If you don't want to stand out, leave the backwards baseball caps, fanny packs, shorts, T-shirts with sayings on them, and white trainers at home. Black is always a very popular color. In summer, linen is great. Make sure that knees and shoulders are covered while visiting churches in Italy.

 

3. Not quite sure what you are asking. It's the same as boarding anyplace else.

 

4. IMO, that's absolutely too early. Everyone on the ship has to clear immigration. You have to get through the traffic to the airport, and FCO is a real zoo.

 

5. You usually hand your passports over at boarding and get them back at the end of the cruise. They will only be stamped at your arrival airport. There aren't a bunch of different stamps in the EU; they are all just a black box and are boring. I've only needed my passport once while off the ship in Europe, to get an instant rebate of VAT. A copy worked just fine. You need nothing to get off the ship, and just your sign and sail card to get back on.

 

6. Unclear what you are asking

[LHT28]

Thanks for starting this thread!

 

I actually thought I read somewhere that the ship holds your passports. I couldn't see getting off in a foreign country without one! What happens if you miss the ship after an excursion?

 

Someone out there please correct me if I'm wrong!;)

It depends on the port if you need your passport or not

 

Take the port agent's info with you they will leave your passport with them if you miss the ship

The trick is NOT to miss the ship ;)

[6rugrats]

I am looking at a Holy Land Cruise for next year. I believe the ship is the Mariner which would be nice ( Voyager class are out favorite). Has anyone booked a trip like this with a precruise stay through the cruise line? I am ok with booking online but would have no idea what to do as far as accomodations or excursions.

 

No, never booked a precruise stay with the cruiseline, as the prices are absolutely outrageous. Go to the Ports of Call section of this webpage for specific questions, or try tripadvisor.com, especially for accomodation questions/research.

[ROCruiser]

If you are calling ports in Greece, they will collect the passports on the ship and give you a receipt. After the last Greek port, they will return the passports to everyone. I always carry a photo copy of our passports just in case. Yes, take a copy of your dailies with all the information of the port agent.

[cruisemom42]

I think that -- since you never mentioned RCCL anywhere in your post -- the mod probably assumed that you truly meant "general" Med questions.

 

If you click on the red triangle at the top right corner of your post, you can send a message to the mods; you can ask that they move it back to RCCL and explain why..... sometimes they will do it.

 

On the other hand, I'd hardly say that "few" people frequent this board just because you don't visit it. :rolleyes:

[wantocruisemore]

Does anyone know where there's a list with the ports that will collect your passports and ones where they don't? My only other Med cruise was years ago and since I was traveling with a student group they kept our passports throughout.

 

Also, didn't post this at the individual ports of call for Europe because most of the info seeking was pertaining to RCCL cruises for Med ports in general, not limited to particular countries. I love the ports of call section and have used it quite frequently to find out info on private tours etc. It just didn't seem appropriate for this thread.

 

And regarding boarding for Civitavecchia, I understand you get to the port, check in, then have to be bused somewhere else for check in again. Perhaps I have the wrong idea, but understood it more complex than just the normal check-in. I will be traveling with an elderly grandmother and a disabled child, so trying to plan ahead.

 

Regarding food, I did not know if the ship's tended to buy alot locally and hence certain items tasted fresher; or, if all the food is shipped in frozen to comply with the menus and then certain items don't taste as good.

[euro cruiser]

On RCCL, the passengers will be primarily Americans (even on a Med cruise) so expect everything to be catering to American tastes, and expect dress to be very American (that is, more on the casual side).

[kitty9]

Ive done 5 Med cruises, on various lines so maybe I can add some insight.

 

Passports will be taken depending on the cruise line and/or itinerary. Some lines take them, regardless of itinerary and some don't. From my experience, the countries that required the ship to take passports were Turkey, Greece and Russia. The ONLY country where you're required to carry your passport off the ship is Russia. They are strict with this. You will have your passport returned for the time you're in port, and you will have to return it before sailing.

 

As for not wanting to leave the ship without the passport, I always carry a color copy of the information page. According to the US State Department website, that will get you a replacement passport. I have first hand experience with that as my cousin had his stolen in Rome and he got his passport replaced with the color copy. Actually, the embassy person said they would have done the same because I could have vouched for his citizenship and that is another way to get an emergency passport.

 

As for visas, this has been my experience. If you do things on your own in Russia, you need an individual visa. But if you take a ship tour, or tour with a government approved agency, they will handle your visa. In Turkey, if your cruise starts or ends in Turkey, you need an individual visa, which you can buy at the airport. If you're just stopping in Turkey, you're considered "in transit" so you don't need a visa.

 

If the ship keeps your passport, they "may" stamp them, but otherwise, they don't do passport stamps anymore.

 

DRESS. I didn't see any dress differences in my Med cruises. Formal nights meant a suit for the men and a dressy outfit for the women. When in port, if you're touring churches or mosques, you need long pants and tops with sleeves. They are strict on this. I have a long, swirly cotton skirt that I wear with a nice top, and find that much cooler than pants. In this political climate, I would stay away from anything that screams "I'm an American". No matter your political feelings, Americans might not be looked on as the greatest thing on earth.

 

FLIGHTS. You need to be at DaVinci 3 hours before your flight. It's probably the most insane airport in terms of crowds, lines, security checks and the rest. That means, if your flight is at 11am, you need to be off the ship by 6:30, because it's about 90 minutes from Rome, maybe a bit less if traffic is decent.

[cruisemom42]

Passports will be taken depending on the cruise line and/or itinerary. Some lines take them, regardless of itinerary and some don't. From my experience, the countries that required the ship to take passports were Turkey, Greece and Russia. The ONLY country where you're required to carry your passport off the ship is Russia. They are strict with this. You will have your passport returned for the time you're in port, and you will have to return it before sailing.

 

 

Not true. You are also required to have it with you in Egypt, in Israel, and in Japan (although that's not in the Med ...... but then again, neither is Russia!)

[aohkay]

Thought I would start a thread devoted to everything for those who are cruising or have cruised the Mediterranean. I figured there's some unique issues and questions with Med cruises and it would be helpful to have a source to go to. The ports of call are great for the individual ports, but this is meant to sort of encompass questions about Med cruises in general.

 

I'll go first. Lots of questions.

 

Do people dress more formally on Med cruises? Are the formal nights more formal or will a suit and cocktail dress be fine? What about for the casual nights? Could I get away with a skort for dinner (shorts that have a skirt completely going around so that to someone looking it appears to be a skirt)?

 

What about in the ports? Do people dress up more?

 

Embarkation - I know that each port offers it's own challenges, but any particular advice for Civitavecchia would be helpful. Such as how early to port, best boarding time, etc. Description of process would be helpful.

 

For Debarkation, if ship docks at 5am what is the best time to arrange for private transport to pick up to head to airport. Is 11:05 am too early for flight out of Rome on debarkation day?

 

What type of documentation is required to go off ship? Necessary to always carry passports? Anyplace to get them stamped for each country you visit or do they do that anyway when you get off at each country?

I understand menus are the same as other 7 day cruises. Any special food recommendations?

 

It's been a long time since I was in the Mediterranean and we are really looking forward to this trip. Have private tours arranged for all stops so far but one.

 

Any replies would be helpful. With spring approaching hopefully we will get alot of information on those going.

 

1. I didn't find people dressed more formally at all...if anything a little less formal due to the heat. (We went in August.)

 

2. No, cruisers didn't seem to dress up for port, although the locals always seem smartly dressed.

 

3. Embarkation at this port would be like embarkation at any other port.

 

4. Our flight left Rome at 11:05 AM. We disembarked at 7:30 AM and prearranged a taxi with 4 other cruisers. Cost of the taxi to the airport was 28E each. We arrived at the airport at 9:45 AM. However, our flight was to Athens, so we didn't need to be at the airport any earlier than this. If you are flying International, you may want to take a latter flight.

 

5. Oceania took our passports upon embarkation and only returned them to us the day of disembarkation. We only needed to keep our Oceania ID card in order to re-board. Our ports were: Lisbon, Tangier, Cadiz, Malaga, Alicante, Ibiza, Barcelona, Saint-Tropez, Cannes, Monte Carlo, Portofino, Livorno, Rome.

 

6. Most cruise lines have the same type of food and something to satisfy all of our needs/ wants. :)

 

7. You will have a wonderful time...I love the Med.

[euro cruiser]

FLIGHTS. You need to be at DaVinci 3 hours before your flight. It's probably the most insane airport in terms of crowds, lines, security checks and the rest. That means, if your flight is at 11am, you need to be off the ship by 6:30, because it's about 90 minutes from Rome, maybe a bit less if traffic is decent.

:D Rome is the worst, at least until you fly out of Budapest, or Cairo (even before the recent problems, the airport in Cairo was a nightmare), or Nairobi, or Beijing.

 

90 minutes is a good outside estimate for travel between the cruise port at Civitavecchia and the Rome airport (FCO); early in the morning professional drivers will make the trip in less than an hour.

[kitty9]

Not true. You are also required to have it with you in Egypt, in Israel, and in Japan (although that's not in the Med ...... but then again, neither is Russia!)

 

I said "from my experience", and since I've not been to Egypt or Israel on cruises, I therefore did not include that in my post. I'm not going to post about something with which I have no experience.

 

As for Russia, you can get there via a Med cruise, to the Black Sea ports. So it's not just St Petersburg where a cruise ship might visit.

[EGG]

The collection of passports may have to do with the itinerary and the last country the ship stopped at. We were on a RCL cruise that stopped at Morocco and the next port was Corsica, France. They collected passports only from the people from non EU countries at dinnertime the evening before the Corsica stop, and gave them back stamped the next evening. I've been to Villefrance several times and they never collected passports.

[cruisemom42]

I said "from my experience", and since I've not been to Egypt or Israel on cruises, I therefore did not include that in my post. I'm not going to post about something with which I have no experience.

 

As for Russia, you can get there via a Med cruise, to the Black Sea ports. So it's not just St Petersburg where a cruise ship might visit.

 

Sorry, seemed like a blanket statement to me when I read it, and others could also misinterpret it.

 

Sure you can get to Russia from the Med, but then it's not a Med cruise, it's a Black Sea cruise. Nor would it be pertinent on an "all things Mediterranean" thread. After all, you can get to the Caribbean from the Med too.

[kitty9]

Sorry, seemed like a blanket statement to me when I read it, and others could also misinterpret it.

 

Sure you can get to Russia from the Med, but then it's not a Med cruise, it's a Black Sea cruise. Nor would it be pertinent on an "all things Mediterranean" thread. After all, you can get to the Caribbean from the Med too.

 

Yes, you can do a cruise that starts in the Med and includes the Black Sea stops. I've done one, so it's possible depending on the cruise line The cruise started in Nice, went to Florence, Rome, Malta, Sardinia, Capri and then onto the Black Sea ports. So, what do you call that kind of cruise? You won't find it on the mass markets, but the luxury lines and some local Euro based cruise lines certainly can start in a Med port, visit a number of Med ports, and go to the Black Sea. Heck, if you want to get technical, not even ports like Venice, Dubrovnik or Istanbul are in the Med. But, most consider cruises in both Eastern and Western Europe to be in the Med "area". So, lets not get too technical on what constitutes the Med.

[cruisemom42]

Yes, you can do a cruise that starts in the Med and includes the Black Sea stops. I've done one, so it's possible depending on the cruise line The cruise started in Nice, went to Florence, Rome, Malta, Sardinia, Capri and then onto the Black Sea ports. So, what do you call that kind of cruise? You won't find it on the mass markets, but the luxury lines and some local Euro based cruise lines certainly can start in a Med port, visit a number of Med ports, and go to the Black Sea. Heck, if you want to get technical, not even ports like Venice, Dubrovnik or Istanbul are in the Med. But, most consider cruises in both Eastern and Western Europe to be in the Med "area". So, lets not get too technical on what constitutes the Med.

 

 

Well, in my experience, that kind of cruise is generally called something like "The Mediterranean and Black Seas".

 

You can spin it how you like, but the Adriatic and Aegean Seas are considered subdivisions of the Mediterranean Sea. The Black Sea is not. See below, section on subdivisions; also, bordering countries.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Sea

 

Egypt and Israel are on the Mediterranean. Japan (as I noted) and Russia are not. :cool:

[KansasCityTBone]

"For Debarkation, if ship docks at 5am what is the best time to arrange for private transport to pick up to head to airport. Is 11:05 am too early for flight out of Rome on debarkation day?"

 

Just remember you need to be 2 hours early at the airport. Often times the ship doesn't arrive on time. I don't want to scare you, but there is a slight chance.

 

Often times you can get off the ship 1st if you can carry all your bags off yourself. You should have ALOT of bags in the Med, though.

 

I would say if the ship arrives on time and you're the very last to leave the ship you will be ok.