Excursion Headache

[chirpy007]

Im on the Ventura in March.....Vigo, Lisbon,Brest and Le Verdon. I have been all through the excursions but as we are taking a 14 year old with us none of the P & O ones really appeal.

 

If we just hit the ports blind we will find enough to keep us amused for a good few hours or are there some must does.

 

Many thanks

[Laticfanatic617]

Im on the Ventura in March.....Vigo, Lisbon,Brest and Le Verdon. I have been all through the excursions but as we are taking a 14 year old with us none of the P & O ones really appeal.

 

If we just hit the ports blind we will find enough to keep us amused for a good few hours or are there some must does.

 

Many thanks

 

 

or alternately get across to the roll-call and see if others are in the same 'boat' as to speak... they may want to share a taxi for the day and you get to see a bit more of the 'real' place.... we did it in tortola in november...a great day out and cheaper (lots) than the company ones!!

 

 

ps..... went to brest when i was in the RAF...nice place... a military port with lots of seafood places to eat out in

[chirpy007]

Thanks :D

[snikrup]

Im on the Ventura in March.....Vigo, Lisbon,Brest and Le Verdon. I have been all through the excursions but as we are taking a 14 year old with us none of the P & O ones really appeal.

 

If we just hit the ports blind we will find enough to keep us amused for a good few hours or are there some must does.

 

Many thanks

 

Hmm,

 

Vigo - depends when you arrive - I always seemed to arrive on a Sunday and when I was in Vigo in March, it rained!! If you arrive on a Sunday there is not a lot to do. There is a shopping centre close to where you dock but a lot of the shops are shut (though Burger King are open!!). There is a beautiful hot chocolate shop in Vigo. It is pure melted chocolate - sickly but divine! You also get a lot of doughnutty things for free! If it is sunny, there is a bus, close to the dock which will take you to a beach. If you like shopping, head down the same street you enter as you leave the dock, pass the dodgy leather sale people and the first street you can, turn right. You will head up hill about three blocks before you will be in the main shopping area.

 

Lisbon - Plenty to do without a tour - if you like shopping, the shuttle bus will stop in the main shopping area. You can have a walk through the gate and up the main shopping street where you will see the an old street elevator. It is worth a trip, because the views over Lisbon are amazing! You can also take in a tram ride from where you get off the bus. It is fairly cheap and allows you to tour the city. Word of warning though - watch your bags carefully, and also be aware of people who approach you (usually offering drugs).

 

Brest - Hmm, not my favourite place. The shuttle bus has many stops however and you will be able to see the maritime museum, the gardens or the aquarium (which is offered on one excursion).

 

Le Verdon - never been but guess this is a substitute for La Rochelle - every time we went to La Rochelle the French seemed to be striking and we were stranded on board!!

 

Best of luck!

[chirpy007]

Thanks so much for the info. It will be a Sunday when we arrive in Vigo :( Never mind it might be sunny :D

[tom_uk]

We had a great day in Vigo in October - sunny & warm but not too hot. We set off to walk up to the old castle at the very top of the town. This was quite a climb, though pleasant - we found routes as much off the busy roads as possible - and we found that the old castle has been turned into a delightful park & garden. We spent a delightful hour or so wandering around and relaxing in the sunshine. Some great views over the town and the river. Then the sailaway was good as well - we had a starboard balcony cabin and the views onto the south side of the river valley as we exited were excellent.

 

In Lisbon we did a walking tour excursion which again we very much enjoyed. Unfortunately we got very wet in Lisbon - the heavens really opened and we got soaked. But by 5pm the rain had stopped, the sky had cleared and we sailed out under the bridge in bright sunshine.

 

Good ports of call, both of them: I'm looking forward to going back. Here are links to my blogs of those days:

Lisbon: http://tomtotley.wordpress.com/2008/10/07/ventura-cruise-lisbon/

Vigo: http://tomtotley.wordpress.com/2008/10/08/ventura-cruise-vigo/

[LibraLass41]

Lisbon will probably be the hightlightof your cruise...the sail-in under the 25th April bridge is great, well worth getting up early to see...I have a Canaries album, that I have set at the Lisbon arrival photo here:

CLICK LINK:

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/AuroraPartyCruiseSueV/1stCruiseCanariesOnArcadiaMay06#5113825348096492530

 

Once you dock , there should be free shuttle bus into the city gates, as mentioned above. Here you could buy tickets for the old trams tour around the city (which pando do as a tour but dearer!) Photos of the old elevator mentioned here too.

Do try a 'lisbon tart':D they are very deep filled custard tarts in flaky pastry not shortcruise like ours, and miles better...they were a euro each which was about 65p when we went , but getting towards a £1 now, but are fab with a good filter coffee!

[chirpy007]

Thanks Sue, off to have a look. I hate custard tarts ;) but my husband loves them so he will be well pleased.

[chirpy007]

Great pictures, thanks again :D