cheffip Posted May 27, 2009 #1 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Hi all I just booked Celebrity Century for a seven day cruise ex-Barcelona.:) I have a special fondness for this class of ship and had a great solo on Galaxy in February. First time on a Mediterranean cruise however. My other five cruises were Caribbean so if anyone has any advice for cruising solo in Europe please let me know. And Lois, if you read this, I know you have been on Century more recently than me. Any special tips?;) -Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Lois R Posted May 28, 2009 #2 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Hi allI just booked Celebrity Century for a seven day cruise ex-Barcelona.:) I have a special fondness for this class of ship and had a great solo on Galaxy in February. First time on a Mediterranean cruise however. My other five cruises were Caribbean so if anyone has any advice for cruising solo in Europe please let me know. And Lois, if you read this, I know you have been on Century more recently than me. Any special tips?;) -Phil Hi Phil:) when are you going? I will do that itinerary one day. Its on my wish list. I have never done the Med or Europe...siggghh... one day..... Yes, I definitely suggest eating in Murano's one evening:D It is so worth the 30 bucks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheffip Posted May 28, 2009 Author #3 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Hi Phil:) when are you going? I will do that itinerary one day.Its on my wish list. I have never done the Med or Europe...siggghh... one day..... Yes, I definitely suggest eating in Murano's one evening:D It is so worth the 30 bucks! Hi Lois :) I'm on the September 26 departure. A nice time for the Med...smaller crowds but still warm and sunny most of the time. Good idea about Murano's...I didn't try it last time...thought I would feel self-conscious being solo there. Obviously you enjoyed it:D -Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Lois R Posted May 28, 2009 #4 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Hi Lois :)I'm on the September 26 departure. A nice time for the Med...smaller crowds but still warm and sunny most of the time. Good idea about Murano's...I didn't try it last time...thought I would feel self-conscious being solo there. Obviously you enjoyed it:D -Phil Oh, I would have gone on my own without any hesitation as the staff in there is fabulous:D But I cannot tell a lie~I went with a longtime friend who was working on the ship. I had met her back in 2006 on Zenith and it was a surprise to see her, as I didn't know she was working on CENTURY!:D She joined me for dinner:) But honestly, I would have gone on my own had she not been able to go or if she hadn't been on the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty9 Posted May 28, 2009 #5 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Hi Phil, You're going to love the Med and your itinerary is a very good one. What's nice is that a few of your ports can be toured very easily on your own, if you're not into ship's tours. If you're going to Barcelona a day early, which I highly recommend, be sure to check out La Segrada Familia---the famous cathedral that has been under construction since the late 1800's, La Pedrera-Casa Mila---a famous building by Antonio Gaudi, Parque Guell--a beautiful park in the center of Barcelona, and finally Las Ramblas the most famous street in the city with lots of shops and cafes. In Cannes, I recommend taking the train to Monte Carlo and walking the lovely city. Make sure to see the famous casino, the Royal Palace and the cathedral where Princess Grace is buried. If you're into sea life, I highly recommend the Jacques Cousteau Aquarium. Naples and Portofino are great walking cities. Grab a map and chart out anything you want to see. Their public transit is very reliable. The ports for Florence and Rome are a great distance from the center of those cities. You can either book a private car(very expensive) or take a ship's tour. If they offer a tour that takes you to both Pisa and Florence, I highly recommend that. Florence is a beautiful city and if you take a private car, visit the Academia for the statue of David and Michelangelo's famous Prisoner's sculptures and his early versions of the Pieta. Then over to the Duomo and finally if you're into art, a walk through the Ufizzi Museum. In Rome, unfortunately you can't see everything in a few hours, so perhaps a highlights tour is the best idea. Make sure the tour includes St Peter's, The Sistine Chapel, the Pantheon, the Coliseum and Circus Maximus. It's about a 90 minute ride from the Rome port to the center of the city, depending on traffic. I've dined solo in the specialty restaurant a few times and never felt out of place. It's a wonderful experience and well worth the extra $. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheffip Posted May 28, 2009 Author #6 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Thanks Darcie...great suggestions! I'm going to do what I can on my own and use the ships tours when necessary. The Europe board has lots of good information too!:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Lois R Posted May 28, 2009 #7 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Thanks Darcie...great suggestions! I'm going to do what I can on my own and use the ships tours when necessary. The Europe board has lots of good information too!:) Hey Phil, I am going to Alaska about 2 weeks before you:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheffip Posted May 28, 2009 Author #8 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Hey Phil, I am going to Alaska about 2 weeks before you:D And you'll be on Mercury! :D Lois, I think we both a "thing" for those C-class ships. Hope they are in service for a long time to come!:) -Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Lois R Posted May 28, 2009 #9 Share Posted May 28, 2009 And you'll be on Mercury! :D Lois, I think we both a "thing" for those C-class ships. Hope they are in service for a long time to come!:)-Phil Phil, you left out .."have"....I think we both "have a thing" for those ships;) Yes, this will be my 7th time on Mercury:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheffip Posted May 29, 2009 Author #10 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Phil, you left out .."have"....I think we both "have a thing" for thoseships;) Yes, this will be my 7th time on Mercury:D Oops you are right! Typing too fast for my own good. :rolleyes: And I guess we both "had" :( a thing for Galaxy! cheers! -Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gxchan Posted May 30, 2009 #11 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Hi Phil, You're going to love the Med and your itinerary is a very good one. What's nice is that a few of your ports can be toured very easily on your own, if you're not into ship's tours. If you're going to Barcelona a day early, which I highly recommend, be sure to check out La Segrada Familia---the famous cathedral that has been under construction since the late 1800's, La Pedrera-Casa Mila---a famous building by Antonio Gaudi, Parque Guell--a beautiful park in the center of Barcelona, and finally Las Ramblas the most famous street in the city with lots of shops and cafes. In Cannes, I recommend taking the train to Monte Carlo and walking the lovely city. Make sure to see the famous casino, the Royal Palace and the cathedral where Princess Grace is buried. If you're into sea life, I highly recommend the Jacques Cousteau Aquarium. Naples and Portofino are great walking cities. Grab a map and chart out anything you want to see. Their public transit is very reliable. The ports for Florence and Rome are a great distance from the center of those cities. You can either book a private car(very expensive) or take a ship's tour. If they offer a tour that takes you to both Pisa and Florence, I highly recommend that. Florence is a beautiful city and if you take a private car, visit the Academia for the statue of David and Michelangelo's famous Prisoner's sculptures and his early versions of the Pieta. Then over to the Duomo and finally if you're into art, a walk through the Ufizzi Museum. In Rome, unfortunately you can't see everything in a few hours, so perhaps a highlights tour is the best idea. Make sure the tour includes St Peter's, The Sistine Chapel, the Pantheon, the Coliseum and Circus Maximus. It's about a 90 minute ride from the Rome port to the center of the city, depending on traffic. I've dined solo in the specialty restaurant a few times and never felt out of place. It's a wonderful experience and well worth the extra $. Darcie, Thanks for the great info! I got back from Alaska last weekend and immediately started looking for a new cruise for this summer. RCI was having an incredible sale so I booked a Med cruise on Voyager, getting the top balcony category for less than the regular per person rate for the same category!! I jumped on it so quickly I didn't think about anything else so I'm now scrambling for port and hotel info. This will be my first Med cruise and we are leaving out of Barcelona. May I ask which one you stayed at? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty9 Posted May 30, 2009 #12 Share Posted May 30, 2009 I've stayed at the Le Meridian, which is right on Las Ramblas and at the Grand Marina, which is walking distance to the cruise ship terminal. Actually, the cruise ships dock right there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gxchan Posted May 30, 2009 #13 Share Posted May 30, 2009 I've stayed at the Le Meridian, which is right on Las Ramblas and at the Grand Marina, which is walking distance to the cruise ship terminal. Actually, the cruise ships dock right there. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Lois R Posted May 30, 2009 #14 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Hi Ginnie, have a wonderful cruise:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricgato Posted May 30, 2009 #15 Share Posted May 30, 2009 I booked also the Voyager for Sept 6, my first solo cruise to Europe and looking forward to it. I'm getting a day early to BCN and booked the Continental hotel on Las Ramblas so I can explore the Gaudi's treasures. Thinking of using Romelimo tour company for private tours at ports. Ric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gxchan Posted May 30, 2009 #16 Share Posted May 30, 2009 I booked also the Voyager for Sept 6, my first solo cruise to Europe and looking forward to it. I'm getting a day early to BCN and booked the Continental hotel on Las Ramblas so I can explore the Gaudi's treasures.Thinking of using Romelimo tour company for private tours at ports. Ric Ric, I've heard very good things about the Continental, hope you enjoy it. Thanks for listing the tour company you are looking at, I'll check them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gxchan Posted May 30, 2009 #17 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Hi Ginnie, have a wonderful cruise:) Lois, I think your Alaska cruise is coming up fast, right? I hope you have great weather like we did. Juneau was a bit windy but even that was good compared to what it could have been. If your ship offers it, I would highly recommend the glacier trek in Juneau. There are three levels, a walk around, about 30 minutes on the glacier; a hike, two hours on the glacier; and the hike/ice wall climb, 3 hours on the glacier. All include a helicopter tour. I did the hike/ice wall climb, it was an incredible, once in a lifetime experience. I'm having a cruising kind of summer. Can't wait to cruise the Med and may take a Mexican cruise before the summer is over.:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
movin' on Posted May 30, 2009 #18 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Be sure to use the Bus Tourista if you have time in Barcelona. It's a great hop-on-hop-off bus. Buy the headphones and plug it into the seat - there's a continuous description of what you are passing on the bus. If something looks interesting hop off, get the next one in 30 minutes or so. It's a great deal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricgato Posted May 30, 2009 #19 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Hi Ginnie, I want to do Alaska in sept but RCI didnt have the itinerary that I was lkng for which was passing the Glacier Bay and I found only NCL was doing it round trip Seattle but I wasn't too sure about NCL so I decided to go to the Med and be loyal to royal. My question to you is if with the itinerary of the Rhapsody you were able to really see close and personal the glaciers? Thanks, Ric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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