Italy ports and rules

[FunkyMunkies]

Hi does anyone know if you are allowed as a UK passenger on NCL to leave the ship alone in Italian ports or is it only allowed on an NCL organised excursion...TIA 

[SpainAlien]

No, only on organised "bubble" excursions, it doesn't matter what nationality you are 

[podgeandrodge]

So on Epic, after leaving Barcelona and seeing Majorca, you can't even set foot off the ship (even on the pier) for Sardinia (?), Civitavechia, Naples, or Livorno.  Then a day at sea, and back at Barcelona.   

 

Awful shame you can't just step off the ship for a few minutes, not particularly interested in excursions as been there before, but stuck on ship as a result.  Aggh!

 

[DCGuy64]

Yeah, that's how it has to be for now. However, I'm surprised that you think "been there before" somehow exhausts the possibilities. I've been to Rome at least a dozen times and I can assure you I've far from exhausted the possibilities. Perhaps the Epic has an excursion you haven't thought of before. Heck, I'd take an excursion to all of the places you mentioned (even if I'd been there before) just to "set foot off the ship." We had a lovely time in two Italian ports last month on MSC. Given all that's happened over the past 18 months, there's no way I'd go all the way to Italy and stay on the ship.

However, I do sympathize with you because it feels limiting to have to be on an excursion just to see the country. Blame the Italian government, it's their silly rule...

[Yinster]

26 minutes ago, podgeandrodge said:

So on Epic, after leaving Barcelona and seeing Majorca, you can't even set foot off the ship (even on the pier) for Sardinia (?), Civitavechia, Naples, or Livorno.  Then a day at sea, and back at Barcelona.   

 

Awful shame you can't just step off the ship for a few minutes, not particularly interested in excursions as been there before, but stuck on ship as a result.  Aggh!

 

Yes for now that's the Italian's rule.

 

It's your choice if you stay home or go

It's your choice whether you decide to do the ship's excursion.

It's your choice what attitude you have you if you do cruise.

 

No one is forcing you to go and you can rebook or get a full refund depending on when your cruise is. 

[podgeandrodge]

31 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Yeah, that's how it has to be for now. However, I'm surprised that you think "been there before" somehow exhausts the possibilities. I've been to Rome at least a dozen times and I can assure you I've far from exhausted the possibilities. Perhaps the Epic has an excursion you haven't thought of before. Heck, I'd take an excursion to all of the places you mentioned (even if I'd been there before) just to "set foot off the ship." We had a lovely time in two Italian ports last month on MSC. Given all that's happened over the past 18 months, there's no way I'd go all the way to Italy and stay on the ship.

However, I do sympathize with you because it feels limiting to have to be on an excursion just to see the country. Blame the Italian government, it's their silly rule...

Ahh you're correct of course, but this particular cruise is not with my wife, but with a mate, and will likely be a booze filled cruise, rather than sightseeing.  So it's really just that it won't be worth going on an excursion, but would be nice to think you could get off the ship even if just around the pier.

[podgeandrodge]

15 minutes ago, Yinster said:

Yes for now that's the Italian's rule.

 

It's your choice if you stay home or go

It's your choice whether you decide to do the ship's excursion.

It's your choice what attitude you have you if you do cruise.

 

No one is forcing you to go and you can rebook or get a full refund depending on when your cruise is. 

Thanks for that.  I had no idea that it was my choice if I stayed at home or went on the cruise.  Neither did I realise it was up to me whether to do an excursion, or what attitude I should have.  There was me thinking I was being forced to go.  Thanks for explaining!

[Huntingdon1701]

4 minutes ago, podgeandrodge said:

Thanks for that.  I had no idea that it was my choice if I stayed at home or went on the cruise.  Neither did I realise it was up to me whether to do an excursion, or what attitude I should have.  There was me thinking I was being forced to go.  Thanks for explaining!

You were certainly doing a good impression of that. Perhaps you don't realise what you are saying?

 

You can step ashore at all of those ports, if you take an excursion. If you don't want to then you stay on the ship. 

[DCGuy64]

7 minutes ago, podgeandrodge said:

Ahh you're correct of course, but this particular cruise is not with my wife, but with a mate, and will likely be a booze filled cruise, rather than sightseeing.  So it's really just that it won't be worth going on an excursion, but would be nice to think you could get off the ship even if just around the pier.

Ah, I got it, then. Well if it's booze you want, then absolutely stay on the ship. Or consider a land-based holiday in Spain and drink all the vermouth and sherry you can muster. 😁

[podgeandrodge]

Just now, Huntingdon1701 said:

You were certainly doing a good impression of that. Perhaps you don't realise what you are saying?

 

You can step ashore at all of those ports, if you take an excursion. If you don't want to then you stay on the ship. 

Really?

 

I stated that you can't even set foot off the ship (even on the pier) for the Italian countries, that there would be a day at sea, and then back at Barcelona.   I stated that it was a shame that you CAN'T just step off the ship.

 

Tell me where I did a good job of suggesting I didn't know whether it was my choice to stay at home or to do an excursion!  Quite happy on checking at your suggestion that I might not have realised what I was saying, that I did indeed.  But thanks for chipping in!

 

[freaky_82]

I would also like to be able to shop at the pier, get a gelato and go back on the ship.

But it seems that isn't going to happen this time around. 

 

[toddw2u]

Folks, this thread reminds me of a text message that isn't received as intended, because inflection and tone can't be easily discerned.

 

I too am disapointed that the only option for leaving the ship is an NCL excursion, not really my thing.  However, after the last 18+ months, i'm just really grateful to have the opportunity to go on an actual vacation.  

 

Perhaps we can all try and show a little grace and understanding to each other, and yes, have a really great time?

[podgeandrodge]

Yes, well spoken toddw2u, I will adopt that position!

[zdcatc12]

On 9/16/2021 at 2:24 PM, FunkyMunkies said:

Hi does anyone know if you are allowed as a UK passenger on NCL to leave the ship alone in Italian ports or is it only allowed on an NCL organised excursion...TIA 

Just got off the Epic. Yes this is enforced, i.e. an NCL excursion only to get off the ship. However, in the Naples excursions we were given about 90 minutes of free time to explore Sorrento and Napoli on our own (I believe that those were the two), and other Naples excursions were the same. However, at Sardinia and LIvorno, the guides were strict about not allowing anyone on their own and we had no free time other than in Florence where we could shop in a square where we were in sight of the guide. Not sure why the rules were different in Southern Italy.

 

 I am not sure about the Rome excursions, as we boarded there.

[toddw2u]

Just disembarked the Epic yesterday in Civi.  IN Naples we did the Spacca Napoli tour.  The tour consisted of a bus drive around the city which was informative as well as a walk down the Spacca Napoli to a pizzeria for folded pizza.  If you have ever been to Napoli, specifically the Spacca Napoli, it is a crazy, crowded ancient street.  We really enjoyed it, but there was no chance of maintaining a bubble in that environment.

 

In Livorno, we did the Tuscan countryside and wine tasting.  A bubble was enforced quite strictly, as the tour consisted of a visit to a winery about 30 minutes from the port, where tables were set up socially distanced and wine and some cheese and salami were served by 2 masked winery employees.  The wine was very good as was the olive oil (we had a case of each shipped home).

 

 

[anyman]

9 minutes ago, toddw2u said:

Just disembarked the Epic yesterday in Civi.  IN Naples we did the Spacca Napoli tour.  The tour consisted of a bus drive around the city which was informative as well as a walk down the Spacca Napoli to a pizzeria for folded pizza.  If you have ever been to Napoli, specifically the Spacca Napoli, it is a crazy, crowded ancient street.  We really enjoyed it, but there was no chance of maintaining a bubble in that environment.

 

In Livorno, we did the Tuscan countryside and wine tasting.  A bubble was enforced quite strictly, as the tour consisted of a visit to a winery about 30 minutes from the port, where tables were set up socially distanced and wine and some cheese and salami were served by 2 masked winery employees.  The wine was very good as was the olive oil (we had a case of each shipped home).

 

 

 

thanks for your comments.. We also have the Tuscan Wine tour scheduled and we are really looking forward to it.

[toddw2u]

3 hours ago, anyman said:

 

thanks for your comments.. We also have the Tuscan Wine tour scheduled and we are really looking forward to it.

If you like wine, I'd also highly recommend the Cagliari wine tour.  The winery was absolutely beautiful.  On the way back to the ship, they brought us to one of the "rocks" of Cagliari, which afforded a spectacular view of the city on one side, and the wildlife refuge on the other, where the pink flamingos nest.  Our guide, Fabio was entertaining and informative.

[pghflyer]

Yikes didn't realize the bubble requirement, this explains why I was seeing such tempting prices for these this fall. Yeah no thanks.  That Epic transatlantic from Rome to NYC is one of the cheapest per-night things showing up on my screen right now but really nervous to risk having to bubble every port across Europe.

[numberguy]

20 minutes ago, pghflyer said:

Yikes didn't realize the bubble requirement, this explains why I was seeing such tempting prices for these this fall. Yeah no thanks.  That Epic transatlantic from Rome to NYC is one of the cheapest per-night things showing up on my screen right now but really nervous to risk having to bubble every port across Europe.

I think (and don't quote me on this) that Italy is the only country enforcing cruise line bubble excursions.  So, unless I'm mistaken (and I very well could be), you'd be fine in other countries' ports.

 

--Michael

[podgeandrodge]

1 hour ago, pghflyer said:

Yikes didn't realize the bubble requirement, this explains why I was seeing such tempting prices for these this fall. Yeah no thanks.  That Epic transatlantic from Rome to NYC is one of the cheapest per-night things showing up on my screen right now but really nervous to risk having to bubble every port across Europe.

Just off Epic (19th to 26th Sept from Barcelona).  Great trip.  Italy is only country imposing bubble.  Not sure why when EU citizens can travel freely with vaccine pass, why it's different getting off the ship.  But anyway, Florence Pisa trip was great, we were allowed walk around freely for 20 mins.  Cagliari was a bit more of a bubble.  Didn't do Naples.   Majorca totally free to wander.

[anyman]

4 hours ago, toddw2u said:

If you like wine, I'd also highly recommend the Cagliari wine tour.  The winery was absolutely beautiful.  On the way back to the ship, they brought us to one of the "rocks" of Cagliari, which afforded a spectacular view of the city on one side, and the wildlife refuge on the other, where the pink flamingos nest.  Our guide, Fabio was entertaining and informative.

 

This is the only one available for us on the Getaway:

Countryside & Wine Tasting

Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy

After a relaxing scenic ride through the lush Tuscan countryside, you’ll arrive at the estate of one of the area’s renowned wine cellars. You’ll tour the winer ...

[toddw2u]

Spain was completely open for cruisers to disembark and explore on their own.

[DCGuy64]

1 hour ago, toddw2u said:

Spain was completely open for cruisers to disembark and explore on their own.

So were Greece and Croatia, when we were there last month. 

[sneakypetes]

On 9/30/2021 at 11:44 AM, toddw2u said:

Just disembarked the Epic yesterday in Civi.  IN Naples we did the Spacca Napoli tour.  The tour consisted of a bus drive around the city which was informative as well as a walk down the Spacca Napoli to a pizzeria for folded pizza.  If you have ever been to Napoli, specifically the Spacca Napoli, it is a crazy, crowded ancient street.  We really enjoyed it, but there was no chance of maintaining a bubble in that environment.

 

In Livorno, we did the Tuscan countryside and wine tasting.  A bubble was enforced quite strictly, as the tour consisted of a visit to a winery about 30 minutes from the port, where tables were set up socially distanced and wine and some cheese and salami were served by 2 masked winery employees.  The wine was very good as was the olive oil (we had a case of each shipped home).

 

 

We’re doing the transatlantic on the Getaway 12/5. Can you tell me if you’d recommend the Countryside & wine tasting tour? Were you allowed to walk around the winery or get a tour of the vineyards at all? Do you remember the name of the winery? Thanks!