Spirit/Europe suggestions

[avamarie98]

We just booked our first European cruise, going on the Spirit on Oct 12. We have taken 14 cruises so far but all to the Caribbean or Alaska. I felt comfortable packing and knowing what to expect on those cruises.

 

I know this cruise will be different in many ways and I am looking for some general hints and tips so I will be prepared. I will have to pack carefully as the dh is only allowing me one suitcase.

 

Are there any hints or tips to make packing and travelling to Europe easier? I am even dreading the 9 hour flight:(

[tmackel]

We did this cruise last Sept and enjoyed every minute of it. Trip of a lifetime. Here a few tips we found to be helpful.

 

Tips:

· Take the time to plan your vacation (three ring binders with a file for each day).

· Plan and book your tours privately for each stop. Ship tours cost about $199 per person, 3X’s as much as our private tours (don’t worry you won’t miss the ship).

· Book tour guides before your trip, the money is worth the experience.

· Spend a few days in Barcelona before your cruise and in Venice after your cruise.

· Purchase site tickets in advance (Familia la Sagrida Church, Arrcadia Museum, Coliseum, and Vatican)

· Do your own tours in Barcelona, Toulon, Mykonos, Istanbul, and Venice (all very easy to get around).

· Purchase your Euro’s before you leave (don’t waste your time looking for cash machines)

[avamarie98]

Tmackel

How many Euros would you estimate we will need? Did you find a secure way to carry them given the horror stories about pickpockets? I have a cross body bag I hope will work for me.

 

I am just starting to look at the excursions being organized on my roll call. Have one booked in Toulon so far.

[GEORGET]

Justoff this ship, had a great time.

Barcelona , be careful as pickpockets are here and Naples espesially around the Rambles.

taxi from airport to ship is a fixed cost of 39 euro.

boarding is easy and the dutyfreeshop is after security, some people hid bottles in there walk on as it was not checked again this time. it is up to you.

there is 10% added to any purchases including even if you have prepaid drinks package etc.

This extra was inposed until 11.30 pm.

twice they offered fill the Laundry bag for $19.99.

Liverno easy to DIY Pisa but book a trip for Florence

Rome a lot do this by train, but the new drop off Shuttle bus is a long way from the station and the traffic can be horrendous. would reccomend a tour.

Naples easy to Diy pompy and capri .

ship docks in the centre of town, but dont wear any jewellery and watch out for bag snatchers. the local train taked you to pompeii herculania and sorrento.

Mycanos, just get off and relax in this resort and look out for Pedro the 30 year old pelican.

istanbul, watch the ship approach the docks and listen to the calls to pray.

they will take dollars but a few lira will help for small purchases and haggle. take a tour as plenty to see, cover up if visiting a mosque.

kusadasi ship docks in town ephesus a must see.

Athens cheapest duty free (was) and there are three different HO HO buses out side the dock terminal, just walk out and keep to the left through the empty car park and at its entrance the buses pull in. do not buy from the tacky men as you will be conned.

20 euro price, yellow seems best but check return times.

Venice you must see the approach to venice, if fit you can walk to the centre. reccommend the secret tour of the Doges palace.

time of year, this can be cool and if unlucky wet. pack accordingly.

hope it helps j

[Sauer-kraut]

Shorts and capris that will multi-function with several different tops. Wear stuff more than once. Rinse out undies in the sink and hang in the shower. GOOD walking shoes!! Cobbles are terrible for bad knees and you won't get enough support in a flip flop!

 

You can do 2 weeks in a carry-on size suitcase! Since its NCL no need to bring dress up clothes. It will still be very warm (if you are doing the Mediterranean).

 

As for the flight .... drink lots of water, bring ear plugs and eye mask. I use my personal carry on item as a foot rest to elevate feet. I found the best compression socks from Smartwool for my trip to Madrid this April and they helped out a lot! I won't fly without compressions socks any more.

 

Try and sleep..... if you can swing it start adjusting your sleep patterns 2 weeks before you leave....go to bed about 6 pm and going to bed an hour earlier every couple of days. IF you have to work this is nigh on impossible.

[CanadaTraveller]

If you do spend time in Barcelona, that is where I got most of my Euros for the trip. Banking machines are very available. Ho Ho bus is excellent to get your bearings and if you are there for a while, you can use the subway there after. For men, keep your wallet and phone in front pockets, women, purse in front. There are pickpockets, but never had a problem.

 

If you spend time in Venice, tour of Doge's palace is amazing. I had read that one of the best things to do is get lost in Venice. So we did. One afternoon to evening spent just wandering the streets, finding a restaurant here, bar there, and gelato everywhere. Water taxis are expensive, but transit boats are not and they are plentiful. We spent a few days in Venice, and then caught the high speed train to Rome for another week of touring. In Rome, when it was a port stop, we did the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel so we could avoid lines when we returned to Rome. We did do the NCL tour and it was well organized. When we returned at the end of the cruise, we spent a week getting lost in the city and wandering into museums we came across. It was a once in a lifetime trip, and while in Italy, we wanted to see as much as possible.

 

If you feel confident, Istanbul could easily be done on your own, by using the tram service. The Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Hippodrome and the Grand Bazaar are all close, and though we did do a tour, I would have preferred it on our own (first cruise, so did tours in most ports). The port is just across the bridge from all the historical attractions. Once you get back to the ship, find a relaxing spot, looking over the Bosphorus, and just watch the ballet of ferries. It is fascinating.

 

Have a great time. I have been to Europe before, but loved doing it on a cruise ship. It was so busy and relaxing (how does that happen?) And it got me hooked on cruising.

[avamarie98]

These are exactly the types of suggestions I was looking for. The more research and reading I do the better prepared and less anxious I will feel. I want to be able to relax and enjoy this trip. Thank you all so much for the information! Final payment is in a week and then starts the countdown!!:)

[FrugalMother99]

We just booked our first European cruise, going on the Spirit on Oct 12. We have taken 14 cruises so far but all to the Caribbean or Alaska. I felt comfortable packing and knowing what to expect on those cruises.

 

I know this cruise will be different in many ways and I am looking for some general hints and tips so I will be prepared. I will have to pack carefully as the dh is only allowing me one suitcase.

 

Are there any hints or tips to make packing and travelling to Europe easier? I am even dreading the 9 hour flight:(

 

We just returned from the Venice-Barcelona route. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2237057&highlight=spirit

To echo some of the responses you've received:

PLAN ... know what you want to see/do, whether via tours or DIY. We decided to take semi-private tours because we wanted the expertise of local guides to explain what we were seeing. If DIY, purchase tickets in advance because lines can be long (at least in June/July).

TOURING ... the days are long (& hot in June/July) & there is a lot of walking & climbing of stairs. Bring a bottle of water, sunscreen, hat/visor, wipes/hand sanitizer.

PACKING ... there were 3 of us & we each brought a rolling suitcase & a small carry-on bag for our 16 day trip. I packed so we were able to mix/match & wear each item twice. The ship offers a fill-a-bag service for $20 twice during the cruise. We used this once for underwear/socks/stained clothing. If you fold the items flat, you'd be amazed how much you can fit into this paper bag.

SHOES...wear what you own that is comfortable, but rubber/hard-sole shoes are best because of the cobble stones & slippery marble steps.

CHURCHES/MOSQUES ... most will require you to cover your head or shoulders or knees. Some will provide coverings, but I brought along a pashmina scarf that I tied to my purse.

SAFETY...for men: purchase a hidden pocket that attaches to a belt & slides under your pants, for women: a cross-body bag with zippers should be fine.

EUROS...the amount you need will be dependent upon what, if any, tours you take. All our tours required cash payment, so we needed 1500 euros for 3 people. Otherwise, most other purchases were made with credit cards.

AIRPLANE: our flight departed DC @ 6 pm & landed in Germany @ 8 am ... I maybe got 1/2 hour of sleep! Bring earplugs, eye mask, or sleep aids if you want to sleep. We took a nap when we arrived Venice & didn't experience jet lag. Going home ... took me days to get over jet lag!

VAT ... I could be wrong, but I believe this only applies to the Barcelona-Venice route.

[flapbreaker]

VAT ... I could be wrong, but I believe this only applies to the Barcelona-Venice route.

 

Can someone explain what this means? I assume some form of TAX but is this just while in Barcelona or 10% the whole cruise? That would suck and if true should of been disclosed by NCL.

[Bocadude85]

Can someone explain what this means? I assume some form of TAX but is this just while in Barcelona or 10% the whole cruise? That would suck and if true should of been disclosed by NCL.

 

The VAT is charged while in Barcelona. Since the cruise visits a non EU country(Turkey) the VAT is not charged during the whole cruise. The VAT may be charged while in some of the other EU ports however. If it was I do not remember which ports it was.

[keg01512]

We went on this cruise last October. It was a fantastic time with a fantastic itinerary.

 

This is what we did:

-got euros at airport in Barcelona, DON'T do this, I believe we got gipped!! But this was our first time in Europe and we didn't have any euros to pay for anything so we did this. You live and you learn I guess. We did use ATM's for the rest of the trip, just bring a debit card. Make sure you call all of your Credit card companys and your banks to let them know where you will be and what dates!

-I use a crossbody bag to keep stuff like our tickets, my phone, chapstick, germx and other things. I did keep about 40 or so euros in the bag but I had a bra bag that connects to your bra and a belt clip that connects to your pants and goes inside your pants with the rest of our money. My hubby had a backpack with a lock on it and a belt bag that went around his waist. All found on Amazon! We never had any issues with pickpocketers. I was very nervous in Venice though! There were a ton of people and people trying to give you roses and such. Walk away and fast from these people! Just be aware of your surroundings and you will be fine!

-We arranged for a car to pick us up at the airport in Barcelona but they did not show up nor could we get in touch with them. $70 down the drain...oh well was not going to let it ruin our honeymoon! We took a cab, no problem.

-We stayed at Hotel Jazz in Barcelona which was a very nice updated hotel. The room was big enough for us 2 and was a good place to rest. The front desk spoke english as well. We also bought our tickets to Sagrada Familia ahead of time online! Good idea!

- We took all of the tours through NCL for Mykonos, Rome, Naples, Athens, Pisa, Istanbul, and Ephesus. All were great with the exception of Istanbul. Honestly you can do this city on your own! We did a 4*4 tour in Mykonos which was amazing and the wine/tower of pisa tour in Pisa which I highlighy recommend!! Everyone enjoyed themselves on this tour. Lots and lots of wine and GREAT food!! We did Rome on your own which was basically just a bus taking you to Rome and dropping you off then bringing you back to the ship. Rome is too great of a city to see in one day and I felt it was a complete waste of a day and we did not see much on our own. Unless you have a great plan for Rome, Do a tour! Ephesus has the greatest shopping right at the port!! Very friendly people too!

-We stayed in an aft suite and it was absolutely amazing. Every single port we docked at we had the best views from our balcony!!

- We are from Louisiana so we figured it would at least be a little cooler in October in Europe. We packed jackets and sweaters and very little summer items. Well it ended up being 90-100 degrees everyday except for the day in Venice. It was HOTT and I only brought 2 pairs of shorts! Make sure you pack both just in case. Also we went on this trip with one large checked suitcase and each a backpack and were fine with the amount of clothes. I believe there are 2 laundry days so just wash your clothes and you will be fine!

 

Seriously have no complaints about this trip at all. Was the time of our lives! Enjoy yourselves!!

[CarolinaMamma]

Packing

 

I did 3 European cruises, and have lived in Europe twice. One important thing to know is that Europeans only wear sports clothes for actual sports, so if you are walking around in jogging shoes and sweat pants, you will look like a slob to them and be a target to pick pockets.

 

I took a comfortable pair of Clarks shoes and a couple pairs of black travel-knit pants, which are very lightweight and comfortable and do not need ironing, and a few tops that could be dressed up or down, and some scarves to change things up a bit. I always pick a color scheme for my trips so that I can get by with one handbag, one larger tote bag, 2 cardigans (you may need them at night in Oct.) and max 2 pairs of shoes that go with everything I bring. That way I can make lots of different outfits with the same clothes. Bring a lightweight pack able rain shell, which, over a sweater, will give you all the warmth you need. And keep in mind that in churches and mosques, you cannot wear shorts or sleeveless shirts.

 

NCL will have one day when they do a "bag of laundry" special, and you should take advantage of that.

 

Shore excursions in Europe are expensive, but worth it. Do your research and you can get good private tours for less than what the ship charges. I highly recommend the Rick Steves Mediterranean Cruise Ports book. It gives you all the information you need to know about the logistics of getting from the ship into town, and has some excellent recommendations for private tours. If you are looking for a recommendation for a specific port, let me know.

 

You will love the Spirit. It is a really unique ship with lots of deck space because of the terraced decks on the back. That was my favorite place to sit and watch the sail away, and we ate breakfast there every morning.

 

Enjoy your trip!

[avamarie98]

Great information. I printed out the packing and tour suggestions from everyone. I was wondering whether to bring sneaks or my Clarks. And how I was going to pack. I always overpack as we usually drive to the port. Not this time! I have a list of stuff to get, like a cross body bag and money belt for DH. Will try to get some Euros before we go too.

 

Thanks everyone for the insights. I need all the help I can get.

[CarolinaMamma]

For Venice, look up reviews of

"Row Venice" and "A Friend in Venice" on Trip advisor. We enjoyed those very much.

[tmackel]

Here's a great website with a lot of info and maps and it's FREE!

 

Hope this help!

 

http://www.tomsportguides.com/portguides.html

[avamarie98]

tmackel - that is an amazing website. I saved it to read through when I am not at work...

carolinamama - I will read up on those reviews of Venice because so far that is the only port I haven't even thought about. I don't know why.

I love the packing tips too. We are platinum so I think we can get a laundry done for free on the ship. I haven't ever used it since I always over pack.

 

I normally do all the planning and organizing but I am going to get DH involved as there is just much information to go through. He is actually much more excited about Europe than the Caribbean.