Harmony - Rome embarkation AND Kids' Cruise Compasses??

[Trixie21]

Hi there can you please give some advice regarding the shore excursion....mostly planning to self explore the ports except naples.

 

 

Have you been to any of these ports before or is this your first time at all of them? Have you something organised at Naples?

 

 

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[Moulshree]

No its my first time except rome...but we are staying there two days after the cruise. For naples I have booked a pompeii and amalfi private tour. Just wanted to know if it's ok to self explore the rest given the time restrictions.

[Trixie21]

No its my first time except rome...but we are staying there two days after the cruise. For naples I have booked a pompeii and amalfi private tour. Just wanted to know if it's ok to self explore the rest given the time restrictions.

 

 

Barcelona - very easy to self explore. There is a shuttle bus running which takes you up to the centre of the city. The Hop on hop off bus system works well in Barcelona - there are 2 routes - one ticket allows you access to both routes but realistically you probably only have time for one and I would choose the one with sagrada famila on it - if I were to recommend getting off anywhere on the hoho routes it would be the sagrada famila church and park guell - both in the same route.

 

Marseille - a shuttle bus also operates to the town but I think it is quite expensive. We did an inexpensive 4 hour ship tour to aix - a beautiful traditional French town about 50mins drive from Marseille and had 2 hours free time in it. I haven't personally been around Marseilles myself but I have been told it is quite an industrial city and not very "scenic".

 

La spezia - the town itself is again easily reachable by shuttle bus and has quite a nice centre and harbour for a stroll around. Alternatively you have access to Pisa and Florence and cinque terre. Pisa is quite close but again we used an inexpensive ship tour which took you there , gave you some info along the way and gave you an hours free time to see the tower etc. If you want to climb the tower you will need longer. Florence is a long drive away and best done by a ship tour to ensure you are back on time. The ship waited a little time after its scheduled departure because some ship tours did not make it back on time. I have no experience of cinque terre but I believe it is a full day tour and can be done on your own.

 

Palma - easily done on your own - again a shuttle bus will take you to the centre and comes and goes frequently throughout the day.

 

Hope this helps - this can be an exhausting itinerary - we did it a few years ago so spent more time on the ship this time around - harmony has lots to offer!

 

 

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[dani negreanu]

Marseille - a shuttle bus also operates to the town but I think it is quite expensive.

When we were on Allure, there was also a free shuttle to town supplied by the city of Marseille. It necessitated a 15 min walk through a well designated path through the port. We took it, since the RC shuttle was 23$ pp:mad:

In the "old city" we boarded the "petit train" to the Basilica.

Palma - easily done on your own - again a shuttle bus will take you to the centre and comes and goes frequently throughout the day.

 

Again, a shuttle was supplied by the city of Palma - 5 Euro pp return, very convenient, and it ran continuously:)

[Moulshree]

Again, a shuttle was supplied by the city of Palma - 5 Euro pp return, very convenient, and it ran continuously:)

 

Thanks a lot it was really helpful...:)

[livinginyellow]

Question - my online check in says I can board at 11am and when I called RCI they said they won't even begin accepting CHECKINS until 2:30pm. What!? I'm embarking at Rome, but the ship isn't leaving until 8pm...did anyone else have this?

[Trixie21]

We arrived at 10.30am (had an online 11am slot) and were boarded for 11am - and some were boarded before us. Sounds like whoever you were talking to didn't know what they were talking about.

 

 

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[KiwiGal117]

We arrived at 10.30am (had an online 11am slot) and were boarded for 11am - and some were boarded before us. Sounds like whoever you were talking to didn't know what they were talking about.

 

 

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I think they try to discourage early boarding ahead of time but if you show up they aren't going to stop you.

 

 

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[livinginyellow]

I think they try to discourage early boarding ahead of time but if you show up they aren't going to stop you.

 

 

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Hmmm. I actually called TWICE and both times they said, "we will let you show up to the pier at 11, but no one can board before 2:30pm" I'm traveling with my MIL and FIL and my fiancé's cancer stricken aunt and a seven year old, so now I'm nervous about arriving earlier than 2:30, but of course we all want o get on the ship earlier if we can....ugh! Not sure what to do. Don't want to make them all sit around if avoidable

[Trixie21]

Hmmm. I actually called TWICE and both times they said, "we will let you show up to the pier at 11, but no one can board before 2:30pm" I'm traveling with my MIL and FIL and my fiancé's cancer stricken aunt and a seven year old, so now I'm nervous about arriving earlier than 2:30, but of course we all want o get on the ship earlier if we can....ugh! Not sure what to do. Don't want to make them all sit around if avoidable

 

 

I would think that by 2.30pm the majority of passengers embarking at rome would have shown up. This would mean if they weren't boarding anyone before then the would have potentially 1200 people waiting to board ( and I can tell you now there definitely is not room in that checkin terminal for 1200 people ) . It would be utter chaos. The point of staggered checkin times is to make the boarding process efficient. What they are saying to you makes no kind of sense. I would turn up around 11.00am as it states on your online checkin. If there was a specific reason on your sailing that boarding could not take place before 2.30pm they would email to inform you.

 

 

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[KiwiGal117]

Hmmm. I actually called TWICE and both times they said, "we will let you show up to the pier at 11, but no one can board before 2:30pm" I'm traveling with my MIL and FIL and my fiancé's cancer stricken aunt and a seven year old, so now I'm nervous about arriving earlier than 2:30, but of course we all want o get on the ship earlier if we can....ugh! Not sure what to do. Don't want to make them all sit around if avoidable

 

I realize it could vary from cruise to cruise, but I'm happy to report back to you after we board and let you know what our experience is. I don't think the people at the call centre know what each and every port is doing. As cabins open at 1:00, their answer seems suspect.

[KiwiGal117]

repeated response... sorry!

Edited July 29, 2016 by KiwiGal117
Answered an earlier question - already answered!