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Dubrovnik: June Experience, Tips, Visuals, Fun!


TLCOhio
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Just back from RCI's Voyager of the Seas, and want to say thanks Terry for your advice. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Dubrovnik!! Best surprise of the entire cruise. I could go there for vacation and just stay a couple of weeks!

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Terry, we'll be in Kotor in November. I would be very happy to read your comments on that port.. Please, where can I find them? Miriam

 

inettrvlr: Great Pictures Terry' date=' are you a professional photographer? What kind of camera do you use? YOur pictures are so clear and crisp. [/quote']

 

Queenzena: Just back from RCI's Voyager of the Seas' date=' and want to say thanks Terry for your advice. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Dubrovnik!! Best surprise of the entire cruise. I could go there for vacation and just stay a couple of weeks! [/quote']

 

Appreciate the follow-ups and nice comments. Here's more info:

 

1. For Miriam, the Kotor details on what we did there and how are at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439193

Lots of pictures from Montenegro. Very nice area that is doing well along its coast in attracting lots of tourists, etc. It's an attractive area that is developing well. Lots of interesting history and architecture there.

 

2. I don't make my living as a photographer, but I've done lots of things over the years in these visuals areas, including working for a newspaper, doing many TV commercials, print literature, travel pictures, etc. Practice does help. You can do to this posting and see more details on my photo tips/secrets, etc.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=977864

My camera is a Nikon D3100. Not high-end, heavy or costly. Two of the quick "secrets" are having a SLR camera with several lenses to give better angles/looks AND only showing people "the good ones". Sharing only the "best of the best" pictures means that others are more impressed and not bored with just average or boring visuals. Also, today's technology makes it easier . . . to straighten pictures, adjust the cropping, fix color balance, brighten the visual, etc. I usually take my MackBook Pro laptop along, downloading and checking the pictures as I travel, etc. That helps to know what I'm getting and improve my "focus" as I travel in such great, scenic places. Playing with the pictures on the flight back while I listen to the "tunes" on my computer also helps pass the time quicker. Many laptops also have great programs to put these pictures into nice “slide shows” with various great visuals tools to add titles, do dissolves, etc.

 

3. Seeing Dubrovnik and Kotor was a key reason for picking this cruise. We were super happy with how things worked out so well and exceeded our high expectations.

 

Keep the great question rolling. Don’t be shy and feel free to comment and/or ask any questions of interest.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Just back from a June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. These postings are now at 21,773 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2011, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 46,691 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

Appreciate those who have “tuned in” for these two posts.

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Appreciate the follow-ups and nice comments. Here's more info:

 

1. For Miriam, the Kotor details on what we did there and how are at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439193

Lots of pictures from Montenegro. Very nice area that is doing well along its coast in attracting lots of tourists, etc. It's an attractive area that is developing well. Lots of interesting history and architecture there.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

.

 

Thanks Terry

 

It helps a LOT!

 

Miriam

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Terry-great pictures. For the few hours you were there you did a great job skimming the main areas. That's probably all that can be done without a local guide to show you the back streets that have the gems and to give you explanations of what you saw, like The Green Men in the bell tower and the actual name of the place where the people were jumping into the sea. Yes, you can see all the things, but learning about what you see can only be achieved with a LOT of reading or having the benefit of a local resident to explain in the short time you have.

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Terry-great pictures. For the few hours you were there you did a great job skimming the main areas. That's probably all that can be done without a local guide to show you the back streets that have the gems and to give you explanations of what you saw, like The Green Men in the bell tower and the actual name of the place where the people were jumping into the sea. Yes, you can see all the things, but learning about what you see can only be achieved with a LOT of reading or having the benefit of a local resident to explain in the short time you have.

 

THANKS, Miriam and Sunbeams, for the nice comments! We had double good luck on our day in Dubrovnik with both nice, not too hot weather, plus being the only cruise ship in port that day. If it were 90 degrees AND 6,000 folks crowding the town from cruise ships, it would have been a different experience.

 

In many ways, Dubrovnik is fairly "compact" and manageable as it is not a large, large city as you encounter in Rome, Barcelona, Naples, etc. That size of the walled city, plus doing lots of advance reading and prep, helps much to enjoy and experience what is there. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

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Hi Terry,

We will be stopping in Dubrovnik on our upcoming trip on the Jade. Your pictures have really got us excited to visit this beautiful city!

What was the cost of the wall walk, and did they take Euros, or only local currency? Did you use much local currency, or will Euros get you by there?

Thanks!

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Hi Terry, We will be stopping in Dubrovnik on our upcoming trip on the Jade. Your pictures have really got us excited to visit this beautiful city! What was the cost of the wall walk, and did they take Euros, or only local currency? Did you use much local currency, or will Euros get you by there? Thanks!

 

Hi, to our Canada neighbor. Hope love Dubrovnik as much as we did on our visit there.

 

For the wall walk, I paid for it with my credit card. I went back and checked. It cost $13.38 for me on my MasterCard. There, they only take the local currency or a credit card. Euros won't work there. On the walk, there was a little stand along the route and I paid two euro (the posted price) for a wonderfully cold bottle of water that was really needed along that walk. We did not get any local currency for Dubrovnik, paid for the cab rides (both ways) with euros at the posted prices, put lunch on our credit card, etc. Hope this helps!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Just back from a June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. These postings are now at 23,332 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2011, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 47,088 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

Appreciate those who have “tuned in” for these two posts. Don’t be shy and feel free to comment and/or ask any questions of interest.

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Thanks so much for your response Terry. We hadn't even considered using a credit card rather than taking out local currency at an ATM.

 

What cruise is next on your list?

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Thanks so much for your response Terry. We hadn't even considered using a credit card rather than taking out local currency at an ATM. What cruise is next on your list?

 

What's next? We were just down in Charlottesville, Va., visiting our first grandchild this past weekend. Nearly ten months old, nearly ready to walk, etc. Fun!!! We want to do the New Zealand-Australia cruise next, but that would need to be in the January-March period. We'll have to wait a year or so until my wife retires from school work to allow that trip, plus getting the checking account built back up. We have now visited twenty two different countries in Europe after last month adding Croatia and Montenegro to our listing there. Want to see Lisbon and more in France. Plus, China and SE Asia, Holylands, etc. Open to being adopted by a rich person and/or hired as a travel photographer.

 

THANKS! Enjoy your cruise and Dubrovnik! Terry in Ohio

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What's next? We were just down in Charlottesville, Va., visiting our first grandchild this past weekend. Nearly ten months old, nearly ready to walk, etc. Fun!!! We want to do the New Zealand-Australia cruise next, but that would need to be in the January-March period. We'll have to wait a year or so until my wife retires from school work to allow that trip, plus getting the checking account built back up. We have now visited twenty two different countries in Europe after last month adding Croatia and Montenegro to our listing there. Want to see Lisbon and more in France. Plus, China and SE Asia, Holylands, etc. Open to being adopted by a rich person and/or hired as a travel photographer.

 

THANKS! Enjoy your cruise and Dubrovnik! Terry in Ohio

 

Your pictures are great Terry! We leave next week for our cruise and will be in Dubrovnik on the 8th. Unfortunately we are not as lucky as you were and it will be quite busy that day.

 

I agree with you about being adopted or hired to take pictures all over the world. Wouldn't that be the life. Although in my case it is my husband who is the photographer......... but I have graciously volunteered to be his 'porter or bag boy' and carry his equipment etc. for him wherever he might go!!

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Your pictures are great Terry! We leave next week for our cruise and will be in Dubrovnik on the 8th. Unfortunately we are not as lucky as you were and it will be quite busy that day. I agree with you about being adopted or hired to take pictures all over the world. Wouldn't that be the life. Although in my case it is my husband who is the photographer ......... but I have graciously volunteered to be his 'porter or bag boy' and carry his equipment etc. for him wherever he might go!!

 

Enjoy your upcoming cruise and visit to Dubrovnik. Hope things go well. Right now for the next few days, the temperatures in Dubrovnik are looking to be in the low 80's. That would be decent. When it is both crowded and hot, that great city is not as much fun.

 

YES, I am still waiting for that being adopted and/or hired as a travel photographer to happen. Being a 'porter or bag boy' would also be a good gig to do and see more of the world. We have visited and loved Victoria, British Columbia. Vancouver is on our future wish list to visit. Look forward to seeing much more in western Canada.

 

THANKS for the nice comments on the pictures! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Just back from a June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. These postings are now at 25,451 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

Edited by TLCOhio
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Hi Terry,

I am from Youngstown, but moved with my family to Los Angeles as a teenager. I hate to say it, but it was over 30 years ago.

 

Did you stop in Split? Our upcoming cruise stops in Dubrovnik, Split, Athens and Izmir. Any other enticing photos would be great.

 

Carie

Hi Carie

I'm (clearly:)) not Terry but made these from Dubrovnik

and Athens in 2009

 

All the best, Tony

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We also had dinner at the Komarda restaurant thanks to the recommendation of Carol. We went ahead and tried the homemade wine which was very delicious and different. We were a family of 4 and tried all different dishes and shared them. It was a dining adventure. After you leave the restaurant, near the taxi stand, is a small grocery store. We bought some delicious fig-orange jam as a gift for a friend, and also bought bottles of soda for our room fridge. It is quite interesting to discover the differences between our American products and products in other country's grocery stores. Check it out!

FYI When you are in the vicinity of this area, you are also near the Cable Car.

wwb

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Hi Carie. I'm (clearly:)) not Terry but made these from Dubrovnik and Athens in 2009. All the best, Tony

 

drdance: Terry in Ohio - thank you so much for sharing. Great information and pictures. We sail October 10th' date=' and are very excited about the Adriatic - Greek Island itin. [/quote']

 

Tony does a very nice job on his videos and historic information about these great places. Well done! Brings back nice memories!

 

Have fun on your October cruise. Keep reading and preparing with items from these boards and the various travel books. Don't be shy with any follow-up questions.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Just back from a June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. These postings are now at 27,209 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

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  • 5 months later...
Thank you for posting these pictures! We will be there this July and love your idea about taking a taxi straight off the boat! Thank you.

 

Welcome to these Cruise Critic boards. Lots of great ideas and people are here and they are happy to help. Don't be shy!! The only "dumb" question is the one you don't ask. Keep researching and planning. It is very helpful. In many of these great ports you have many, many options. As you ask questions for the future, tell folks about your personal interests, needs, travel style, past Europe experiences, etc. That helps us make better suggestions to fit your exact interests/needs.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 57,524 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

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  • 1 month later...

Hello Terry,

 

After reading your posts and looking at all the photos, it's given me some great ideas of what to do here in Dubrovnik. I was wondering how long did the walking tour around the city walls take? We were planning to do that in the morning.

 

And then take the cable car ride up to the mountain top in the afternoon. Is there many places to see up there? And is the restaurant Komarda also up there, or is it located near the city walls??

 

I am not sure if we will do the cab ride, as we are 6 people in our group, unless we can get a minivan to fit us all together. If so, we could do that in the afternoon too.

 

Thanks for sharing your ideas,

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Hello Terry, After reading your posts and looking at all the photos, it's given me some great ideas of what to do here in Dubrovnik. I was wondering how long did the walking tour around the city walls take? We were planning to do that in the morning. And then take the cable car ride up to the mountain top in the afternoon. Is there many places to see up there? And is the restaurant Komarda also up there, or is it located near the city walls?? I am not sure if we will do the cab ride, as we are 6 people in our group, unless we can get a minivan to fit us all together. If so, we could do that in the afternoon too. Thanks for sharing your ideas,

 

Hi, Joanne! Appreciate your follow-up, added info and comments. Much for your plan/schedule can and will depend on your weather that day, number of cruise ships in port that day, etc. We were lucky with perfect weather (not too hot) and being the only cruise ship in port that day. Not crowded or jammed for us. Super wonderful!!!! Be flexible, having BOTH a Plan A and Plan B. This town is great, but when crowded and hot, things can be more challenging to make work ideally.

 

With a group of six, I still think that Panorama cab ride works so well to give you an "introduction" to the city, its history, key sights, answer questions, etc. That way you don't have to take the time to ride up with the cable car, wait in line to go up or down, etc. Plus, you'll still need to have transportation from the docking/ship area to the main walled city. This cab ride does all three, well.

 

The Restaurant Komarda is located just east of the historic harbor area, outside of that gate that is totally opposite from the Pile Gate where most enter this historic city. On walking the wall, you could the full distance all of the way around. BUT, I just did the south loop that overlooks the main sea areas. That took me about an hour. You could see more, but I think that loop/part I did gives you the best of the best for great treat.

 

Reactions and any added questions?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 65,398 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

Edited by TLCOhio
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Hello Terry,

 

After reading your posts and looking at all the photos, it's given me some great ideas of what to do here in Dubrovnik. I was wondering how long did the walking tour around the city walls take? We were planning to do that in the morning.

 

And then take the cable car ride up to the mountain top in the afternoon. Is there many places to see up there? And is the restaurant Komarda also up there, or is it located near the city walls??

 

I am not sure if we will do the cab ride, as we are 6 people in our group, unless we can get a minivan to fit us all together. If so, we could do that in the afternoon too.

 

Thanks for sharing your ideas,

Many cruise ships will offer a shuttle service into the old town, the drop off point will be the Pile Brsalje (Square) often referred to as the Pile Gate by guests. You may want to check with your cruise line if they are doing a shuttle and cost.

The city wall main entrance, which is called Spas, is located just in front of the Onofrio fountain inside the old town just after you have walked under the arch after entering from the actual Pile gate. Walking only the sea side should take about one hour with stops for photos along the way, you can exit the wall either at the Maritime Museum or at the Ploce exit which is 200 meters further. I prefer the views from the sea side of the wall and it is the least difficult part to walk.

You may want to consider taking a taxi directly to the cable car entrance, but it is doubtful you will find a mini van waiting at the docks. I personally would not miss riding the cable car to the top of Mr. Srd, the views are breathtaking of the old town and surrounding areas. There is a small cafe at the top, not necessarily a good choice for lunch perhaps a drink would suffice. Most importantly Dubrovnik has made a small museum dedicated to the 1991 Homeland War located in the fortress which was built by Napoleon during the Austrian Hungarian rule.

Dubrovnik has two main entrances into the old town. Pile which is located on the far western side and Ploce which is at the far eastern side. It is the Ploce area where you will use to located the cable car station and the restaurant you are asking about.

The best part of visiting Dubrovnik is walking inside of the city wall, which we call the old town and the side streets off the Stradun (main promenade). There you will find many shops and cafes and some of our historical sites such as the Rupe Museum which should not be missed. Your choices will depend on the weather and total cruise passenger count on your arrival date.

Enjoy your time here, I certainly do.

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Many cruise ships will offer a shuttle service into the old town, the drop off point will be the Pile Brsalje (Square) often referred to as the Pile Gate by guests. You may want to check with your cruise line if they are doing a shuttle and cost.

The city wall main entrance, which is called Spas, is located just in front of the Onofrio fountain inside the old town just after you have walked under the arch after entering from the actual Pile gate. Walking only the sea side should take about one hour with stops for photos along the way, you can exit the wall either at the Maritime Museum or at the Ploce exit which is 200 meters further. I prefer the views from the sea side of the wall and it is the least difficult part to walk.

You may want to consider taking a taxi directly to the cable car entrance, but it is doubtful you will find a mini van waiting at the docks. I personally would not miss riding the cable car to the top of Mr. Srd, the views are breathtaking of the old town and surrounding areas. There is a small cafe at the top, not necessarily a good choice for lunch perhaps a drink would suffice. Most importantly Dubrovnik has made a small museum dedicated to the 1991 Homeland War located in the fortress which was built by Napoleon during the Austrian Hungarian rule.

Dubrovnik has two main entrances into the old town. Pile which is located on the far western side and Ploce which is at the far eastern side. It is the Ploce area where you will use to located the cable car station and the restaurant you are asking about.

The best part of visiting Dubrovnik is walking inside of the city wall, which we call the old town and the side streets off the Stradun (main promenade). There you will find many shops and cafes and some of our historical sites such as the Rupe Museum which should not be missed. Your choices will depend on the weather and total cruise passenger count on your arrival date.

Enjoy your time here, I certainly do.

 

Thanks Dubrovniktravellady. Your posts are always very helpful!

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Hi Terry. Your photos are so beautiful. We are going to be in Dubrovnik (Silhouette cruise) in July. Do you remember if any taxis would hold 5 people ( we are a party of 3 adults and 2 young children). Thanks!

 

Appreciate the nice comments from our South Africa friend. There were four of us, including two men of about 6'2". It worked fine for us, but it was a little tight. Much would depend on the age and size of the two children. Maybe. Maybe not. The good news is that you are not going long, long distances. Fairly short distances. Several stops were made during our Panoramic Tour. Most of the cabs, as I recall were about the same size. Not super big, but not tiny. We were very happy and enjoyed the experience so much. It was a wonderful start for a great visit to this charming, historic town.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 65,579 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

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