Baggage and transportation questions.

[tammykva123]

First time traveling overseas to Europe from US.  Is it best to carry on or check baggage?  I am leaning towards carry on but would like to advice from those who have done both. 

 

When we get picked up from our flight in Nice to transfer to the pre cruise hotel in Monte Carlo, how do we find our transportation to the hotel that Regent provides?Will they have a sign? will it be a bus ?  

 

Also post cruise we are staying at the Neri in Barcelona.  We have to find our own transportation from the boat to the hotel and then the hotel to the airport the next day.  What do you all suggest ? Should we just wait and just get a taxi for both trips or find a transportation company and book before hand?

Thanks 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I answered about luggage in your other thread. If Regent is managing the flight and transfer to M-C, then yes, there will be a representative to meet you with a sign.  Yes, it will be a bus.

 

In Barcelona, taxis are easy, no problem.  Not sure how long you'll have to wait for a cab off the boat, frankly, but it probably won't be bad.  You could, if you want, ask your hotel if they can arrange a driver, but again, cabs are very easy, so I wouldn't worry.

[tammykva123]

Thank you for the advice. 

 

[jim in cleveland]

Hotel Neri is on a very narrow street. I recommend you contact the hotel for advice. Some vehicles can not get past the corner. Neri has options and will make it easy for you. 

I can't give particulars because I decided to change our hotel because we were able to use points. 

Research on Neri was VERY POSITIVE, but Starwood points were a deal breaker. -:)

Have a great trip!  We are flying to BCN on 11/9 for 3 days prior to our crossing on the Voyager.

[ernieb]

We just got off the Explorer in Barcelona. Taxis were very easy to get and the cost was reasonable. Due to the amount of luggage we had (my DW would pack 3 bags to spend a weekend at a nudist colony) we had to wait for a van and that was not a problem either.

[UUNetBill]

On 11/6/2018 at 10:54 AM, ernieb said:

...my DW would pack 3 bags to spend a weekend at a nudist colony...

Hahahahahaha!  Now THAT'S funny.

 

[orvil]

1 hour ago, UUNetBill said:

Hahahahahaha!  Now THAT'S funny.

 

Bill,  Don't be getting any ideas.

[ernieb]

What may be even funnier is that if I could get her to go to a nudist camp for a weekend, I'd be glad to carry her bags.

[Gcto]

Tammy, as you are flying with Regent Air :-), Biz class is included and thus, your luggage flies free (included might be better). 

Depending on where you are flying out, you might have one or two stops and connections and, flying to Nice, their is always the opportunity to experience the "strike francais" aka, one strike somewhere. 

We always mix and match our suitcases, both of us have some of our belongings in each of the suitcases in case one gets lost. We also try to have one set of casual clothes in our carry on, just in case. Both methods have turned out very beneficial in the past. 

 

 

[ronrick1943]

My question would be why would you want to carry your luggage on the plane.  Enjoy your trip and check it all except for what you need. Some of those airports are big, get rid of it has so as you can.

 

[Hambagahle]

On 10/29/2018 at 7:41 PM, Wendy The Wanderer said:

I answered about luggage in your other thread. If Regent is managing the flight and transfer to M-C, then yes, there will be a representative to meet you with a sign.  Yes, it will be a bus.

 

In Barcelona, taxis are easy, no problem.  Not sure how long you'll have to wait for a cab off the boat, frankly, but it probably won't be bad.  You could, if you want, ask your hotel if they can arrange a driver, but again, cabs are very easy, so I wouldn't worry.

Last time we arrived at Barcelona there were about 100 taxis lined up next to he Cruise Terminal.  No problem at all getting one.  Have Euros to pay for it though.

[Travelcat2]

What I really do not get when people only have checked in bags is what you do with liquids.  Obviously, 3 oz. of liquids will not take a person through a two week cruise.  Aside from that, are people wearing the same things every 2-3 days and using Regent's laundry to keep them clean?  In my opinion, it is much easier to check in a couple of bags.

[ronrick1943]

I agree, they have porters at most airports---why carry and moving them thur the airport.  Checking is really the best way to enjoy your vacation.  Things can happen when checking your luggage, but it's easy to deal with the very few times that may happen.  As we all get older, I don't want to work on a trip, just enjoy and let others handle things for you.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

14 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

What I really do not get when people only have checked in bags is what you do with liquids.  Obviously, 3 oz. of liquids will not take a person through a two week cruise.  Aside from that, are people wearing the same things every 2-3 days and using Regent's laundry to keep them clean?  In my opinion, it is much easier to check in a couple of bags.

 

Well when we did our 18-day on Mariner in SA, we did have one large bag that needed to be checked (and we therefore checked our other bag, a roll-aboard as well.)  And guess what,  we ended up losing that bag, albeit only for a few hours, in Guayaquil Ecuador. On that trip we had our bag of free laundry every week on that one. But we've done several two-week or more trips with just carry-ons.  3.5 ounces is a lot--enough toothpaste for several months, ditto lotions or sunscreen (standard Neutrogena sunscreen tube is 3 ounces, enough for most trips).  We can dress quite adequately, even if there's a bit of two-season travel, like our trip to Egypt (extremely hot) that included a few days in Paris in October (and therefore cold.) We had a few things laundered on the ship during the Nile cruise, and we were fine for clothing.  Granted it was fairly casual on that one.  Ditto on the Paul Gauguin, and it doesn't even have a diy laundry. 

 

I admit we'll be doing checked bags for our WC, if we make it, lol!  And of course I'll be shopping at Walgreen's before embarking in Miami to buy big containers of things like mouthwash, toothpaste and sunscreen.

Edited January 31, 2019 by Wendy The Wanderer

[Travelcat2]

I like your idea of stopping at a local store to pick up mouthwash and other items.  Since I tend to overpack,  we keep our larger liquids in our checked luggage.  I'm not familiar with 3 oz. size toothpaste tubes (3.5 oz. is over the limit) but do take a tiny tube in our carry-on bag.  We also have Nalgene bottles that we fill with liquid.  Strangely, they do not have 3 oz. containers either so I use a 2 oz. and 1 oz.   After our luggage was lost for 10 days on a Regent cruise, we definitely learned how to make do with very little.

[wcsdkqh]

Ive never had a problem with standard size of toothpaste in a carry-on.  After all, it isnt a liquid. Maybe just lucky...

 

[jeb_bud]

14 minutes ago, wcsdkqh said:

Ive never had a problem with standard size of toothpaste in a carry-on.  After all, it isnt a liquid. Maybe just lucky...

 

 

More lucky than me. I accidentally put a new tube of toothpaste in my carry on and had it confiscated. Another trip I packed a mostly used tube(definitely less than 3oz in the tube) but because the label said more they took that too. 

[wcsdkqh]

Very interesting. Perhaps I have just been lucky regarding toothpaste.  I will say that every time I go to the dentist, I am given a toothbrush and a 1oz (by weight, not liquid volume) tube of toothpaste sample. So I suppose those samples of toothpaste would always pass muster.

[Travelcat2]

You have been quite lucky.  A small of amount of liquid or toothpaste in a larger container doesn't work.  The 1 oz. toothpaste works fine.  

[Hambagahle]

You could just take a tiny tube of toothpaste and then buy a "normal" sized one in a pharmacy in a port.  The same brands tend to be available all over the world...  I really like "needing" to buy something like this as I love visiting supermarkets and pharmacies in other countries - especially the supermarkets which usually have a really local feeling to them.

[rallydave]

On 1/30/2019 at 2:39 PM, Hambagahle said:

Last time we arrived at Barcelona there were about 100 taxis lined up next to he Cruise Terminal.  No problem at all getting one.  Have Euros to pay for it though.

Can't speak to the availability of taxis on arrival as we flew in and easiest taxi que we have ever seen and as to needing Euros to pay, we took several taxis while in Barcelona and they all took credit cards which, IMHO is the absolute best way to go.

[Hambagahle]

I have never used a CC to pay for a taxi.  Always pay cash!  And since we live on the French/Italian border Euros are not a problem for us...  

[rallydave]

22 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

I have never used a CC to pay for a taxi.  Always pay cash!  And since we live on the French/Italian border Euros are not a problem for us...  

Gerry, we even used our credit card for taxi's in Switzerland as well as Spain.  It's not a problem getting currency for the country we are in.  We rarely, if ever use local currency preferring to get our points using credit along with the protection credit cards give us if problems arise.  Using cash, once you have paid there is no recourse but, the banks issuing credit cards do a great job getting charges reversed when problems invariably arise.  YMMV.

[Hambagahle]

I just cannot wrap my brain around using a CC for small amounts.  And I seriously doubt that taxis here in Martigny would take them (they might but for 10frs I doubt it!)  I don't take taxis anywhere else in Switzerland - I use public transport.  Only take them here when coming from the station with luggage!   But the point about cash not carrying any recourse with it is a good one.   That said - I don't have any CCs that give air miles etc so that isn't an issue for me.  (We don't fly enough now to worry about this!)

If you don't have local currency how do you deal with tips?   Not much need to tip here though we tip in cash when using CCs in restaurants (as I think you know!)  but in other countries people expect cash.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

On 2/3/2019 at 5:10 AM, Hambagahle said:

You could just take a tiny tube of toothpaste and then buy a "normal" sized one in a pharmacy in a port.  The same brands tend to be available all over the world...  I really like "needing" to buy something like this as I love visiting supermarkets and pharmacies in other countries - especially the supermarkets which usually have a really local feeling to them.

 

I like doing this too.  Going into a supermarket or pharmacy can be a terrific cultural experience, although sometimes you won't find any brands that are familiar.  

 

3 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

I just cannot wrap my brain around using a CC for small amounts.  And I seriously doubt that taxis here in Martigny would take them (they might but for 10frs I doubt it!)  I don't take taxis anywhere else in Switzerland - I use public transport.  Only take them here when coming from the station with luggage!   But the point about cash not carrying any recourse with it is a good one.   That said - I don't have any CCs that give air miles etc so that isn't an issue for me.  (We don't fly enough now to worry about this!)

If you don't have local currency how do you deal with tips?   Not much need to tip here though we tip in cash when using CCs in restaurants (as I think you know!)  but in other countries people expect cash.

 

I had trouble with this too, for a while.  In Canada, debit cards have been in heavy use for years; the States has now caught up.  Previously I wouldn't have used it, or a credit card, for a small purchase here in Florida or at home; now I use a credit card for them all, unless it's a dollar or two.  That way I can track what I'm frittering away my money on.

 

But I like to have small amounts of local currency for trips.  Bathrooms, small craft purchases, things like that.

 

Edited February 4, 2019 by Wendy The Wanderer