First Time Europe Cruisers

[Dthorne1]

Hello Everyone:

My wife and I are finally going to go on the Western Mediterranean cruise leaving out of Barcelona on Oct 16th. We are diamond members and have a few questions.

 

1) We are flying from MYR - CLT - London - Barcelona.

Do we go through customs in both London & Barcelona? Or only in Barcelona?

 

2) Has anyone ever done the private tours at any of the ports in Italy? (Viator, Royal Caribbeans Exclusive Tours, ETC? Are they worth it? Any recommendations?

 

Thanks

Dusty

[Clarea]

With regard to private tours in Italy, you may also want to spend some time looking at the Italy Ports of Call forum:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=595

[patreke]

Hello Everyone:

My wife and I are finally going to go on the Western Mediterranean cruise leaving out of Barcelona on Oct 16th. We are diamond members and have a few questions.

 

1) We are flying from MYR - CLT - London - Barcelona.

Do we go through customs in both London & Barcelona? Or only in Barcelona?

 

2) Has anyone ever done the private tours at any of the ports in Italy? (Viator, Royal Caribbeans Exclusive Tours, ETC? Are they worth it? Any recommendations?

 

Thanks

Dusty

 

Not sure what ports in Italy you are looking at but we have had great success with Rome in Limo. Your roll call will hopefully have others looking for people to fill seats on private tours. We have always found that to be a great resource as well.

Edited March 28, 2016 by patreke

[Hoopster95]

Hello Everyone:

My wife and I are finally going to go on the Western Mediterranean cruise leaving out of Barcelona on Oct 16th. We are diamond members and have a few questions.

 

1) We are flying from MYR - CLT - London - Barcelona.

Do we go through customs in both London & Barcelona? Or only in Barcelona?

 

2) Has anyone ever done the private tours at any of the ports in Italy? (Viator, Royal Caribbeans Exclusive Tours, ETC? Are they worth it? Any recommendations?

 

Thanks

Dusty

 

You should go through customs in London only. And if changing terminals, that takes a whole lot of time!!!... Heathrow is brutal for lines through security. I had 1.5hr layover and just barely made connection through all the various lines.

 

Re excursions.... Definitely need a tour for Livorno and Rome. Various tour companies to research on line. If you book Rome in Limo from Civitavecchia expect to pay hundreds each, not cheap. If you take train to/from Rome it's much less expensive but since you've never been this could be really intimidating for any newbie. Just expect to pay big dollars for your tours to have the convenience and security. RCL Europe excursions are astronomically expensive. The bottom line is private excursions ... And especially in Europe I found... Are so much better than RCL excursions and You see so much more as well.

 

For Naples I recommend ATP Tours. Chk their website

Venice is do it yourself all the way!!!!

 

Below in my signature I have. "Serenade Med/Adriatic" review that i think could be extremely helpful for you as a first timer for Rome, Naples, Venice and Kotor. Scroll through and find the various cities.

 

By far and away your very best cruising experience in your entire life will be sailing into Venice for the first time. DO NOT stay in your balcony cabin if you have one... Get out on top deck forward. When you scroll through the review see where I enjoyed sail away from. You're gong to have an awesome cruise! :D

Edited March 28, 2016 by Hoopster95

[dunaldo]

We did a private tour bus company in Rome (there are 4-5 of them) but they are crowded. You can get on and off. Search tour excursions for any other ports you will be in. If you are interested I have 2 travel guides-Let's go Europe and Rick Steves' Europe through the back door. Both have a wealth of info. Give me your email and I'll send info.

[GMoney]

Assuming your flights are booked on the same ticket, you will go though passport control when you land in BCN.

 

When you connect in London (assuming LHR), you will remain airside and follow the purple "Flight Connection" signs. You will go through security and your passport may be checked, but you will not go through a full immigration check to connect to another international flight.

 

As mentioned, changing terminals at LHR can be time-consuming. If you're going through CLT, I'm guessing you're flying AA, so you will likely arrive at LHR T3. There's a good chance your flight to BCN leaves from T5, but you'll have to confirm. If you luck out and stay within T3, then the process will be a little shorter and easier.

 

Use this planner for more info: http://www.heathrow.com/flight-connections

Edited March 28, 2016 by GMoney

[Pipo]

You may check this forum, or ask anything related to air travel here:

 

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/u-k-ireland/1744349-first-time-europe-lhr.html

[sgmn]

The process described by GMoney is correct, as long as you have a through ticket you should be checked to final destination and will just go through security and transfer air side. If on seperate tickets your airline may just check you and your bags to London which means landing yourself and going through customs and rechecking on next flight.

Even if they don't through check you, you can still stay air side and go to the transfer desk air side as long as your bags are through checked

The minimum connection time between terminal 3 and terminal 5 is 1 and half hours but this only works if you are through checked and your inbound flight is on time !

[vickiw0318]

I have never lucked out and stayed in T3. That would be wonderful!

[George C]

Check your roll call for private tours, we have most of our excursions almost all planned with other members from roll call, I much rather do small groups of 8 or 10 people

[KirkNC]

I have never lucked out and stayed in T3. That would be wonderful!

 

We have and it is :p

[jagsfan]

I'm surprised you wouldn't have to go through customs in Barcelona, since London isn't in the European Union. I would think you be in transit through Heathrow. Or am I dreaming?

When we connected in Paris, we cleared customs there so we didn't in Barcelona.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Piggeldy]

since London isn't in the European Union

 

While they might wish they weren't... for now they are (have been a EEC member since 73).

Cameron might have announced a referendum date (June 23 2016) to to set out the legal framework for withdrawal from the European Union but for now they are stuck with us :o

[Missus Makkem]

I'm surprised you wouldn't have to go through customs in Barcelona, since London isn't in the European Union. I would think you be in transit through Heathrow. Or am I dreaming?

When we connected in Paris, we cleared customs there so we didn't in Barcelona.

 

 

Oh dear I thought the decision to not be in the European union was not happening til June 23rd, this year the things you learn on Cruise critic.

We do not use the Euro for currency as we still prefer the good old British pound.

[Keith1010]

A private tour has a lot of advantages.

 

In Italy I would use one of the private tour companies often listed on the Italy Ports of Call Board.

 

Keith