Adriatic 2021

[Louisa.uk]

Hi Everyone

 I know its a long time away.

 My travelling companion and I have booked the week long Adriatic cruise from Corfu next May (2021) on the Discovery 2 with a weeks stay on the island once the cruise is over.

We are really excited about it as it is the first ever cruise for both of us.

We go to Corfu on holiday every year around this time of year so we know the what the weather will be like and can navigate our way around the island with ease.

 But the cruise is completely new to us and we would like to ask the cruise critic wealth of knowledge for some pointers of what we can expect once on board and on our way.

A few questions we would like to ask are.

Can we expect it to be friendly and sociable or do people for the most part keep themselves to themselves?

Will we be able to relax at least some of the time at this time of year or is it likely to be loud and chaotic?

Are the staff friendly and attentive?

Is the food of a good quality?

Do people generally make an effort on "dress to impress" night?

Average age of passengers on board?

Are shore excursions expensive and are they worth it or do most people do their own thing at the ports of call?

Any other hints and tips you can offer will be greatly appreciated.

 

Happy cruising

 

Louisa

Edited February 15, 2020 by Louisa.uk

[Pensioncruiser]

Hi and welcome to the world of cruising you will find at the majority of passengers are very friendly, we think more so than land based, relaxing is up to you we find we could do with a holiday when it's over as we do late nights and early mornings🙄 staff are usually very good and will do anything for you , dress to impress we find most cruisers are smart I wear a tux but others will disagree, the dress code is displayed each night, average age we are retired but lots of younger people are onboard nowadays. Would recommended you go with the cruise excursions as its your first cruise because the ship will go without you if you are late back and we have seen it happen😕

Enjoy cruising is great😎

Edited February 15, 2020 by Pensioncruiser

[kruzseeka]

As far as doing your own thing is concerned, whilst i would agree with Pensioncruiser that for your first cruise, often it is reassuring to go with a ship's excursion, it really depends on the port. But good advice to bear in mind regarding the need to be aware of getting back to the ship in good time and that the ship will wait for it's own excursions if delayed.

Many Adriatic ports are worth exploring yourself and easy to do so.  If it's your first visit, there is often plenty to see and do without venturing further afield.  Dubrovnik, Split, Venice, Koper, Kotor are all easily explored on your own - especially if you are able to walk without a problem.  

Cruising is exciting, researching your ports and planning what to do us all part of the anticipation.  Let us know which ports you are visiting and I'm sure plenty of specific advice and ideas will be forthcoming.  

[Louisa.uk]

Thank you Pensioncruiser & kruzseeka for your replies.

 

Pensioncruiser.

We are in our 50's so have no problem with socialising with either younger or older though we do tend to steer towards the older age range.

 I am happy to hear that you make an effort for dress to impress night as that is what I also intend to do and it's good to know that I won't stick out to much.

The advice about the shore excursions is valuable and slightly scary as well, we wouldn't want to get left behind so we will certainly be taking that piece of advice with us.

 

Kruzseeker.

We will be visiting the ports you have mentioned.

We are foodies and would like to try some of the local delicacies especially in Croatia, Slovenia and Montenegro. so hope there will be somewhere in which the locals would go to eat within walking distance of the port.

  We also like local architecture and whilst I understand that all of these places (Corfu included) have a distinct Venetian feel to them I am sure there must be some stand out buildings in each city.

 I like (Love) shopping as well, so hopefully they will also be nearby.

 

Thank you both for taking the time to read and reply to my questions, any more hints and tips maybe some about life onboard will be most welcome

 

Happy Cruising

 

Louisa

 

[kruzseeka]

OK - here goes, but of course my advice is coloured by our own interests but anywhere where it is possible to DiY easily, that would be our option.  As you like the idea of trying the local fare, exploring independently gives you the time and freedom to select somewhere you fancy to stop also to determine the balance between walking around/exploring and eating, drinking and people watching.  It's frustrating being herded in a group when you really want to linger longer although we do go on excursions where it's not so easy or practical to do it independently - it's just what's most expedient and it's true to say guides can be very informative on a tour.

 

Dubrovnik

Over the years it has become increasingly busy - often quite a lot of ships in port mean the Old Town is heaving!  One thing I like to do before travel us to check out which other ships are in port and their arrival/departure times which gives you an idea of the pressure on the infrastructure.  Try this site:  cruisetimetables.com

https://www.cruisetimetables.com/cruises-to-dubrovnik-croatia.html

I've just selected Dubrovnik. If you choose the date you are there it will list which ship's are there and their arr/dep times.  It's not definitive but gives an idea. 

I think it's definitely worth heading for the cable car for the iconic views of the city.  You may have a ship's shuttle or take a taxi from the port to the Old Town - both would drop you by Pile Gate the entrance to the Old Town - same area to pick up a taxi for the return.  I'd not attempt walking - it's quite a hike from the port- time better spent exploring imo. 

 

For the cable car, skirt the walls to the left of Pile Gate - it's not far. It's a good idea to download a tourist map before you go though - often they are available dockside from Tourist Offices but i like the reassurance of having an idea where i have to go.  The Google Earth little man walking the route is useful too as you know landmarks to look out for.

 

Best advice - get off early.  Long queues soon develop. There's a beautifully located cafe at the top where you get amazing views.  We used a credit card for both the cable car and cafe. We enjoy the relaxed atmosphere up there.  If you have checked when other ship's are in, i often find the American ship's leave early (mid afternoon) so the Old Town may well be a bit quieter then although still be prepared for it to be busy.  Walking the walls is another very popular and rewarding thing to do here.  

But so much to see there's absolutely no need to go on an organised tour.  

 

Split

Another interesting port - you can walk in from the port (easy walk and you can see where you are aiming for) or if tendered you are dropped even closer to the centre. There's a lovely palm tree lined promenade with loads of cafes but the tour de force is Diocletian's Palace which is more like a town within the town.  Fascinating to explore - no charge.  Again for a first visit, it's got plenty to explore.

 

Venice

Well, my all time favourite.  If you're able to walk you can walk in.  Follow the signs in the port to the People Mover.  €1.5 to get to Piazzale Roma (worth it as it's a fair detour to get over the bridge by the main road).  Once at P.Roma you have a choice - follow the signs at first floor level to Rialto/ San Marco.  You'll get lost but not really - all signs take you to the tourist hotspots but the canals along the way (the equivalent of the back streets!) are fabulous and give a real feel of Venice.  Takes about 45mins to the Rialto then 15? mins more to S. Marco.

 

If you don't want to walk all the way in (we've done it both ways so quite doable and no fear of being left behind as long as you give yourselves plenty of time to get back, no issue of transport letting you down!) my top recommendation is to go to the vaporetto ticket office at P. Roma (look left as you leave the People Mover station) across the road beyond the bus station.  Buy a ticket to go to St Mark's.  Check the line you need and keep checking - there's an employee usually at the stop so just ask to be sure you're at the right place.  They have electronic destination boards so just check one of the stops is S. Marco.  The stops just like bus stops but be sure you get the one going to S Mark's via the Grand Canal - Rialto will be one if the stops mentioned.  It was €7.50 last time we were there but it's a 45 minute journey taking you under the Rialto Bridge, past all the Palaces which you can't see other than from the water.  It's an excursion in it's own right!  Absolutely magical.  You can get the vaporetto back or just wander back looking for the signs back to P. Roma. 

 

Don't be diverted to taking the water bus from the port to S. Mark's.  They often sell tickets on board BUT and it's a big but - that goes down the Guidecca Canal which you have just sailed down on your way into the city!  You need the vaporetto (Lines 1 or 2 - do check though) as the whole purpose is to go the length of the Grand Canal - a highlight of the city sights.

 

Be warned about the extortionate prices for coffee on S. Mark's Square - though you might want to do it for the experience. Just away from the Square you'll find cafes with more reasonable prices.  We like to walk from S. Marco to the Accademia Bridge - over to the other side to the Guidecca Canal which you will have sailed down on your arrival to the city.  We go via S. Stephano Square where there are nice cafes.  On the Guidecca Canal (turn left when you hit the canal from Accademia) and look for Nico's.  Fantastic and very reasonable ice creams also there's an outside decking at the edge of the water and Sprizters there were only €3.50 about 18 months ago.  It's just by the Zattere vaporetto stop.  

 

It's worth having a map - I have one of those PopUp maps for Venice which has done me very good service.  As long as you can find the main Squares, Churches to use as landmarks you can work out which way you need to go even if you don't know the 'street' names.

 

Last bit of advice for Venice do not miss the Sail-in and Sail-out.  (I'm assuming you are docking in Venice otherwise advice on walking in may not be appropriate! 😁)  It's fantastic gliding into the city - not to be missed.

 

Kotor and Koper 

Both lovely little towns.  Again don't miss the sail in to Kotor down the Fjord.  Beautiful.  We've just spent time strolling and finding nice cafes in both and enjoyed exploring somewhere new.

 

Hope you enjoy your cruise.  It's a fantastic itinerary and for a first cruise, i can't imagine you finding it anything less than fabulous. 😊

 

 

 

[edinburgher]

We do a mix of DIY, private touring and shorex depending on the complexity of what we want to do in each port.

 

Have a look at website whatsinport (there are others such as cruisemapper, shorebee etc) which is our "go to" site for info on where you dock, attractions, transport, sometimes printable maps and Google maps, and usually with links to a cruise calendar as it is helpful to know how many ships are in the port each day.

 

For Venice a great site is europe for visitors venice. Massive amount of info on Venice, transportation, cruise terminals etc. The more you look the more you find. I cannot recommend it enough.

 

Tripadvisor for each place is also excellent.

 

If you go to the top of the page here on CC and hit RESEARCH you can use the drop down to click Destinations. Although not every destination is listed, most are.

 

And check the PORTS OF CALL EUROPE boards for each country where there  is all sorts of info to be found, and where you can ask any specific questions you might have after you researched each.

 

To avoid having to scroll through multiple pages looking for threads for each destination,  learn to use the SEARCH facility on each board. You will get all previous threads for each place in the results. You can read these and learn a lot from them.

 

This site is a wonderful source of info once you take time to learn how to get the best from it.

 

Above suggested as cruising is very different from a land holiday.  With time short it is best to have some idea before you leave home of what you will do in each port, including transport, opening hours etc.

 

Enjoy

 

 

Edited February 16, 2020 by edinburgher

[Louisa.uk]

Pensioncruiser, Kruzseeka and Edinburgher.

Wow!!

 What can I say but a huge thank you to you all for your very informative replies.

We are now even more excited about going on our first cruise and are wishing we didn't have to wait so long.

Unfortunately I have a very poorly mum so it is not a convenient time to plan to go this year.

 we are using your collective information to research more and I must say having a lot of fun in doing so.

You are obviously very knowledgeable people and we appreciate you sharing it with us.

 If you have any tips on life onboard , etiquette, do's and don'ts, hints and tips and anything else you can think of we would very much appreciate that as well.

 Once again thank you all very much

 

Louisa

[Pensioncruiser]

No really dos or donts onboard, if you like dressing for dinner just no vests or sandles for men in the MDR, they have a trip round the ship on the first day for newbies which I would recommend as they give you loads of info as it's your first time. Just don't worry and enjoy I am certain you will. Our first cruise was as yours, cruise and stay but we were bored on the stay section🙄that was a long while ago now and we still find something new and some new friends. 😎

[kruzseeka]

You're very welcome.  The research is part of the pleasure of travelling!

 

A few random thoughts:

Packing - I like to dress for dinner - not necessarily OTT but as I would for a nice meal out.  I find that a couple of pairs of nice trousers/capri pants go a long way if you have several mix and match tops for each pair.  Saves a lot of extra packing and weight for a fly cruise.  Lightweight possibly floaty type tops are especially good because they don't crease.

A wrap is often useful in the evening as the air con can sometimes be chilly especially early evening in the theatre before it warms up when lots of people are in there.  

You'll be amazed by how much walking you do if you're anything like us - we get off to explore and are often surprised by how much ground we cover so some comfortable shoes/trainers/sandals are a must - at least for me.

Do go to see the shows - they are very good and certainly for us make a focus of the evening.

Don't be fazed by concerns about what cruising will be like.   Everything does fall into place as soon as you arrive in port.  There are Tui staff to direct you and once registered and on board (your ship's card is scanned when boarding or leaving the ship - it also acts as your 'credit' card on board for any purchases as the ship is cashless) you will be directed to your cabin.

Other passengers are very friendly and will offer advice and suggestions if you ask.  We've done a fair bit of cruising but still enjoy listening to others' experiences at various ports.  You can get lots of ideas if not for this trip, for future ones.

Take a photocopy of your passport or your driving licence with you.  Some ports require you to actually have your passport on shore but others just require photo ID in which case we take our driving licences as losing those would be less problematic than losing our passports.  If nothing is required, we still take our passport photocopies with us in case of any problems and we need identification.  Good idea too to take a note of the ship's phone number and the Port Agent's telephone  (will be in your daily newspaper) off the ship with you in case of emergencies.

On arrival in your cabin you will find information there telling you everything which is happening on board.  Each evening there will be a 'Newspaper' delivered to your cabin with the next day's activities.  Worth reading it carefully and highlighting anything you want to go to - talks, shows etc to help plan your day - especially on a sea day.

And we also always take some small bottles of Boots Antiviral foam which we can put in a pocket or bag to use on and off the ship.  Observe the hygiene recommendations on board, frequent hand washing,  sanitise on entering the dining rooms (they're very good at prompting everyone) and using your own bathroom is often suggested as a means of reducing the chances of picking up infections.  A bit of a 'downer' to consider these things but being aware and sensible can only help.

We use a Credit Card fairly extensively on cruises.  Halifax Clarity is particularly good as at ATMs there are no transaction charges and they give you a near perfect exchange rate - better than you can get on the High Street.  On an Adriatic cruise where you can be visiting countries with different currencies we find the credit card is accepted widely even in cafes (we always ask though before ordering to be sure) and avoids taking amounts of different currencies  (how much of each?).  We take a relatively small amount of Euros in cash as a back-up though.  I think Nationwide do a card with similar benefits - check Martin Lewis' site for the up to date advice.

Well all I can think of for now.  Hope it helps. 🙂

 

 

Edited February 17, 2020 by kruzseeka

[kruzseeka]

Just noticed you asked about excursion prices.  That's not easy to answer as they vary according to a number of things: 

Location - Norway/ Iceland for example are expensive - so excursions can typically be almost twice as much as cheaper parts of the world.  But for your itinerary perhaps £30 ish for a half day tour (without any frills) or £50+ for longer trips.  Sometimes a transfer to a town or resort can be quite cheap where it is in fact just a coach ride there and back leaving you to spend your time as you wish.  Some trips eg involving such as a helicopter ride or a small group more personalised excursion will of course be very much more expensive.

A full day excursion may include lunch which of course will be reflected by a higher cost.  They will tell you in the description - it will be a case of 'lunch is provided at.........'  or ' you will have time to find somewhere for lunch' ie at your expense.

Entrance fees?   Does the trip include entry to a historical site or attraction which of course would be factored into costs.

Any activity which would incur costs to them eg gondola ride, cable car ride - clearly would affect trip prices. 

 

You will be able to view examples of some excursions on offer under the details of each destination of your cruise.  As this stage they are likely to be just a few representative examples with descriptions but no prices.   Nearer your departure a full range plus costs will be available to book in advance should you wish - or wait until you are on board. 

 

But if there is something you really want to do and the excursion is the way you want to do it, then it may be worth booking in advance as excursions can sell out as they may be limited by numbers.  It can be useful looking at the tours though as it may give you ideas of what you want to target at a given destination or you may think the excursion is a 'must do'. 

Having said that, as I said before, I'd probably settle for DiY if the ports are new to you as they are accessible and have plenty to see. 

So many decisions!  Still you have plenty of time to gather information and make some informed choices.  I've planned and planned what to do at a particular port  then gone to the destination talk and heard or seen something which changed my mind!  (You may have ports every day so they may not do a presentation in the theatre so in which case it might be on your tv).  Enjoy your research,! 🙂