MSC Divina form Civitavecchia 2018

[GOLDENBONNY]

After two weeks of planing and thinking I finally booked our next Europe cruise. On Divina again :') I think this ship is hunting me :D . Really wanted to go back to Venice but flights schedule did not work.

I hope to get some good advises what to do best without spending a fortune

Rome- planing to stay 3 days before cruise - where to stay and where to eat .don't mind to go B&B or apartment

Palermo excursion or just walk around?

Cagliari

Palma de Mallorca ?

Valencia

Marseille-here my DH refuse to leave the ship. Is is really that bad and unsafe?

Genoa-

Anything special in those ports out of tourist truck? So far I just want to book Scavi tour in Vatican . any other tour will e better to see Vatican and avoid crowds?

[Beamafar]

GB - I think the year is wrong in your title; shouldn't it read 2019?

 

We stayed in a wonderful hotel for one night - Hotel Artemide in Rome. On a lovely street with many stores, very friendly staff and a short walk to the Trevi fountain. We had a lovely evening in Enoteca Barberini which we passed on the way to the fountain - great food and some live music from a guy on a guitar who we had a bit of a laugh with. Lots of places to eat around the fountain, too.

 

 

I was given the following advice from a fellow poster for Palma (though I didn't get a chance to do any of it!):

Bea ... Taxi from ship to Soller train, taxi back to ship from Soller Train ... simples ....

We went for a short break to Majorca on the first Ryanair flight from Liverpool a few years back and did the Soller train, its a bit odd at first because it travels through the streets with cars alongside. There is also an underground cave on the other side of the island called the Caves of Drach, link below. This place is also very good though i doubt you could do both in the same stop.

http://www.cuevasdeldrach.com/?lang=en

We don't usually get off in Marseille, though I believe a visit to Aix en Provence is nice and I'm considering it on our next cruise in a few weeks time.

I enjoyed doing the hop-on hop-off in Genoa. It picks up quite close to the terminal.

I can't speak for your other ports as I haven't been to them.

[sanbixby]

We did the Scavi tour - amazing! But you will not find out until closer to your date if you get it. It is limited number of peopleeach day so send your dates of availability and number of people now.

 

We also did a private tour of the Vatican. It was 5hrs with an expat who took us everywhere and explained tons. It was crowded but we enjoyed having one guide to talk just to us. Climb to the top of the dome. The view is breathtaking.

 

Trevi fountain after dinner is lovely to see everyone so relaxed and hear the native tongue and eat some gelato. (Best gelato was right at the entrance of one of the streets by the Trevi. I keep trying to find something to match but alas nothing has. I have my fingers crossed for our upcoming cruise.)

 

If you wander around, you will discover hidden gems in every corner. Just remember, if you see something you like while wandering, buy it because trying to find the place again is like finding a needle in a haystack.

 

Also Via Conditti is the high end shopping street and worth a stroll just to see the fabulous window displays (if you have time).

[GOLDENBONNY]

GB - I think the year is wrong in your title; shouldn't it read 2019?

 

We stayed in a wonderful hotel for one night - Hotel Artemide in Rome. On a lovely street with many stores, very friendly staff and a short walk to the Trevi fountain. We had a lovely evening in Enoteca Barberini which we passed on the way to the fountain - great food and some live music from a guy on a guitar who we had a bit of a laugh with. Lots of places to eat around the fountain, too.

 

 

I was given the following advice from a fellow poster for Palma (though I didn't get a chance to do any of it!):

Bea ... Taxi from ship to Soller train, taxi back to ship from Soller Train ... simples ....

We went for a short break to Majorca on the first Ryanair flight from Liverpool a few years back and did the Soller train, its a bit odd at first because it travels through the streets with cars alongside. There is also an underground cave on the other side of the island called the Caves of Drach, link below. This place is also very good though i doubt you could do both in the same stop.

http://www.cuevasdeldrach.com/?lang=en

We don't usually get off in Marseille, though I believe a visit to Aix en Provence is nice and I'm considering it on our next cruise in a few weeks time.

I enjoyed doing the hop-on hop-off in Genoa. It picks up quite close to the terminal.

I can't speak for your other ports as I haven't been to them.

 

 

2019 why? :o Divina is in Europe May 2018 (at least its says on my booking LOL ) Thank you for your helpful tips.

[sidari]

GB ... The Train to Soller is a great journey as is the Tram from Soller to the small port and back, you stop at the top of the mountain at a platform before the train winds its way down and around it into Soller.

 

The Caves of Drac are also worth a visit and for the boat ride inside, we went there by train and then bus.

 

Cagliari is a nice place and they have a bus tour, not brilliant but passed an hour or two although we were there the day after Xmas a few years ago on our Costa cruise, they had a market as you came out of the port, further up the road are the shops and a large Castle and museum plus a Roman amphitheatre.

 

Bea ... we were also on that very same flight out of Liverpool ... :D stepped off the plane and it started raining! got to the hotel we should have been in to be told we had been moved across the road.

We went down to get food to the restaurant and it was full of police officers who were there getting ready for the start of the season.

The place also had bike riders staying who were training for the Tour de France.

[GOLDENBONNY]

We did the Scavi tour - amazing! But you will not find out until closer to your date if you get it. It is limited number of peopleeach day so send your dates of availability and number of people now.

 

Not gonna happen min. age 15 and our DD is only 10

 

We also did a private tour of the Vatican. It was 5hrs with an expat who took us everywhere and explained tons. It was crowded but we enjoyed having one guide to talk just to us. Climb to the top of the dome. The view is breathtaking.

Who did you used and how much it was?

 

Trevi fountain after dinner is lovely to see everyone so relaxed and hear the native tongue and eat some gelato. (Best gelato was right at the entrance of one of the streets by the Trevi. I keep trying to find something to match but alas nothing has. I have my fingers crossed for our upcoming cruise.)

 

If you wander around, you will discover hidden gems in every corner. Just remember, if you see something you like while wandering, buy it because trying to find the place again is like finding a needle in a haystack.

 

I know I learned it on our last cruise:loudcry:

 

Also Via Conditti is the high end shopping street and worth a stroll just to see the fabulous window displays (if you have time).

shopping and my husband don't go together ;p

[Beamafar]

Dave .................... I was quoting you!!!! I thought I'd edited out the Ryanair flight bit!! I'd saved the info you gave me so just pasted it here.

 

GoldenBonny ................... sorry, I forgot that Divina is spending Summer 2018 in the Med. I even tried to book her repo back from Miami next March - doh!!! Unfortunately the cabin category I wanted was sold out.

[sanbixby]

shopping and my husband don't go together ;p

 

I will check the tour company name when I get home.

[Hami1966]

Hi - don't miss Marseille, just go to the old port, grab a seat in a harbour side cafe and watch the world go by whilst eating some fabulous seafood. The open top bus or the petit train give some fantastic views too. Why would you want to miss it? Enjoy your trip, I'm looking for a Med cruise to take my 80year old mum on next year and I'm thinking about this too. Need an easy trip as her mobility isn't great and she won't use any walking aids or chairs!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[CruiseIreland]

Hi Godenbonny. In the thread below, a review of a cruise on Splendida, from post 11 on, l detail our port stops on your itinerary. Hope you find it useful.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=53437529#post53437529

[GOLDENBONNY]

Hi Godenbonny. In the thread below, a review of a cruise on Splendida, from post 11 on, l detail our port stops on your itinerary. Hope you find it useful.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=53437529#post53437529

 

Thank you.

[GOLDENBONNY]

Great! No Scavi tour for us because min age 15 and no Soller train because we dock at 15: 00 :* . Looking for "Vatican full day by train" anyone done this tour ?

[saphir]

After two weeks of planing and thinking I finally booked our next Europe cruise. On Divina again :') I think this ship is hunting me :D . Really wanted to go back to Venice but flights schedule did not work.

I hope to get some good advises what to do best without spending a fortune

Rome- planing to stay 3 days before cruise - where to stay and where to eat .don't mind to go B&B or apartment

Palermo excursion or just walk around?

Cagliari

Palma de Mallorca ?

Valencia

Marseille-here my DH refuse to leave the ship. Is is really that bad and unsafe?

Genoa-

Anything special in those ports out of tourist truck? So far I just want to book Scavi tour in Vatican . any other tour will e better to see Vatican and avoid crowds?

 

 

We were in Marseille last September. We walk around the ole port and eat there. Very safe. It was beautiful. We do Scavi tour. Wonderful!

[GOLDENBONNY]

We were in Marseille last September. We walk around the ole port and eat there. Very safe. It was beautiful. We do Scavi tour. Wonderful!

 

Is Old Port where ship dock or you have to walk? Is there Duty free shops or any shops? My DH Armangac drinker any chance we can find it around port?

[CruiseIreland]

In Marseille, MSC docked well away from the port entrance. They charge about €14 pp for a shuttle to the Vieux Port, as mentioned by Saphir. Alternatively, there are taxis right beside the ship. The free shuttle is a good 15 minute walk from that berth, in the heat, follow the green line. This free shuttle drops you at the port gate. Vieux Port is about a 20 minute walk along the water, quite pleasant and you pass the Muceu de Mediterranean, and fort St. Jean. From Vieux Port, you can catch the petit train which takes you up to Notre Dame de la Garde. Or, you walk across the square opposite the port gate and take the steps down into the metro. The metro can take you to St. Charles train station. We caught the bus from there to Aix en Provence. Lovely town, worth the visit.