Med Cruisers...Let's Discuss Planning!(Updated Tour Info, Links & BCN Info on Page 1)

[MrsScooby]

Well, we used www.hotwire.com for a hotel in Rome. It was inexpensive because it was off the beaten path. It was a four star hotel and probably deserve five stars. I can't remember the name!! Still, www.hotwire.com always comes through for me; I trust their star ratings, and I am always pleased with the hotel and the price.

Thanks

This hotel was highly rated on Trip Advisor and theyare also off the beaten path
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187791-d1739663-Reviews-Palm_Gallery_Hotel-Rome_Lazio.html

The reviews for the service are very good. Could this have been where you stayed ?

 

[lilpooh108]

Get off at the Vatican Stop first when going to Rome and coming home I was advised to get on the train at Tremini (main station) to make sure we got a seat. We were there early, we got a seat, but there wasn't even any room to stand the train was chock a block. Make sure you are on the 4.00 one at the latest in case of delays. Our train was delayed around an hour on our visit. I am sure we just walked to the boat on the return.

Thanks for all the info! For the train, do you know if you happened to be on the "commuter" train or something? I've been reading about it and apparently there are different types of trains. I wasn't sure if ALL of them are this crowded, or not.

For the Tube in London, do children need to show ID or anything to ride free. My kids are only 1 and 4.

I thought I read somewhere that at some age, kids need to have an ID for the Oyster card. We are skipping the Oyster card and only plan on buying the 1-day Travelcard each day that we're there. Thanks!

In other words, can my kids just be carried through the turnstile or do I need to stop by a ticket window and get some kind of pass?

 

[lilpooh108]

We did all of our ports on our own in 2011. My trip report is in my blog linked below. If you go to July and August 2011 you'll find it pretty easily.

But I see a lot of questions about La Spezia. We went to Pisa and then Vernazza that day. Here is a link to that particular day. I learned a trick beforehand about where to get off on the train for Pisa to make walking to the tower easier and it was seriously one of the best tips of the trip. However, be sure to purchase your roundtrip tickets in La Spezia

http://thefairygodblogger.blogspot.com/2011/07/day-11-la-spezia-to-pisa-to-cinque.html

I also want to add that we managed to do Capri through lunch, then Sorrento very briefly then Pompeii. It was a very long day (two hydrofoils, two trains and a shuttle thing). We were wiped, but I was so glad we did it!

Thanks! That gives me perspective. The hydrofoil plus a day of traveling will be too much for our group. Guess we'll have to skip Capri this time.

 

[lilpooh108]

We plan to do Pisa and Lucca on our own. From what I've read,the train is very easy to use out of the La Spezia port and I'm sure there will be many DIS cruisers on it heading to Pisa.

The Lucca stop is on the way, but I plan to go to Pisa first and look around, take the obligatory photo with the tower and get back on the train heading back the direction of the ship, but get off at Lucca and rent bikes for the day.

I have 11 and 13 yr olds so the bikes sound much more fun for them than Disney's 2 hr walking tour. Lucca's Guinigi Tower is said to have a great view and is less of a hassle to climb than Pisa so we will do that in Lucca and hopefully find some little pizza places, gelato, and take some photos of stray cats. I think my 11 yr old is more interested in the stray animals than the any of the architecture or history so I hope we actually spot one.

Then it's back on the train to the ship. Fingers crossed it goes as smoothly as I am envisioning it in my head!

Bellinus and Kikids,

Thanks for this info. Lucca is sounding like a great plan

 

[bellelinus]

Thanks for all the info! For the train, do you know if you happened to be on the "commuter" train or something? I've been reading about it and apparently there are different types of trains. I wasn't sure if ALL of them are this crowded, or not.

For the Tube in London, do children need to show ID or anything to ride free. My kids are only 1 and 4.

I thought I read somewhere that at some age, kids need to have an ID for the Oyster card. We are skipping the Oyster card and only plan on buying the 1-day Travelcard each day that we're there. Thanks!

In other words, can my kids just be carried through the turnstile or do I need to stop by a ticket window and get some kind of pass?

At your kids' ages, they can just be carried through the turnstiles - see more info here:

http://www.visitlondon.com/travelle...d-london/kids-travel-free-on-london-transport

 

[lilpooh108]

At your kids' ages, they can just be carried through the turnstiles - see more info here:

http://www.visitlondon.com/travelle...d-london/kids-travel-free-on-london-transport

Perfect, thanks. You guys are all so awesome

 

[Four Swampers]

Thanks

This hotel was highly rated on Trip Advisor and theyare also off the beaten path
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187791-d1739663-Reviews-Palm_Gallery_Hotel-Rome_Lazio.html

The reviews for the service are very good. Could this have been where you stayed ?

Alright, you piqued my curiosity! My curiosity about where I stayed. None of my photos included the hotel. In my daily email journal home (2010, remember), I just said "the hotel." Google maps of the area did not initially help. I did remember that direction we walked from the train station to the hotel. I also remembered the direction we walked from the hotel to the metro, but I could not remember the metro station. Then I found a journal entry that we went to view the tallest obelisk in Rome, located in Piazza di San Giovanni, JUST PAST OUR SUBWAY STOP!!! So by triangulating the San Giovanni subway station with the train station and the rough area of our hotel on google maps, I found it! We stayed at Hotel Eurostars Roma Aeterna. Great hotel.

And now I found the pizza place nearby! Holy Mackerel! This pizza place was awesome. We got there about 5:30 one evening. The whole inside and outside was empty. Not one patron. About 120 empty seats. We asked for a table; when the waiter said he would talk with the manager, I laughed out loud, thinking it was a joke. It wasn't. They discussed and pondered for a couple minutes, then decided we could have two seats at an outside table far at the end. A few minutes later, they turned away another couple. Fifteen minutes later, there were over 100 people dining. No group more than six people. Completely off the beaten path, not a tourist destination in sight, not in any guidebooks. This place is the real deal locals' favorite pizzeria, and we stumbled on it by accident. Here it is: Pizzeria Fiaschetteria Al grottino. Located at Via Orvieto 6.

Also, if you were to walk the 1 to 2 miles from the train station to the hotel, roughly following a trolley line, and ducking under a highway, you would see a bakery with no name and the wall covered with graffiti. You should really grab a pastry from here.

 

[Four Swampers]

Rats! I just discovered that the Uffizi Museum and the Academia (which houses Michelangelo's "David") are closed on Mondays! And the Greek Isles DCL cruise ports at La Spezia on Monday! Rats.

 

[lilpooh108]

Rats! I just discovered that the Uffizi Museum and the Academia (which houses Michelangelo's "David") are closed on Mondays! And the Greek Isles DCL cruise ports at La Spezia on Monday! Rats.

I don't know the exact dates, but alot of the excursions have date restrictions due to local holidays, etc.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Rats! I just discovered that the Uffizi Museum and the Academia (which houses Michelangelo's "David") are closed on Mondays! And the Greek Isles DCL cruise ports at La Spezia on Monday! Rats.

 

[Stitchie13]

This is a great thread I don't have tips of my own as I am a first time cruiser to the Med but I shall follow along

 

[kaseyC]

If you are doing a pre or post cruise stay in Barcelona and you are Soccer fans or players, make time to tour Camp Nou the home of the FC Barcelona team.

http://www.fcbarcelona.com/club

My DH as well as my 3 DDs all love and play soccer and it was one of the highlights of our pre-cruise stay in Barcelona. The Camp Nou Experience is very interactive, interesting and fun. The official store carried some cool and very unique items.

 

[LisaHK]

If you are doing a pre or post cruise stay in Barcelona and you are Soccer fans or players, make time to tour Camp Nou the home of the FC Barcelona team.

http://www.fcbarcelona.com/club

My DH as well as my 3 DDs all love and play soccer and it was one of the highlights of our pre-cruise stay in Barcelona. The Camp Nou Experience is very interactive, interesting and fun. The official store carried some cool and very unique items.

My husband and three boys are really looking forward to visiting Camp Nou.

 

[LisaHK]

At your kids' ages, they can just be carried through the turnstiles - see more info here:

http://www.visitlondon.com/travelle...d-london/kids-travel-free-on-london-transport

There is nearly always a wider turnstile gate either on the far right or left which is for use by people with luggage or travelling with children and/or strollers.

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

Here are a couple of links that helped me out in planning.

Capri Hydrofoils and Ferrys: http://www.mediterranean-cruise-ports-easy.com/capri-ferry.html

Barcelona with kids: http://www.travelforkids.com/Funtodo/Spain/barcelona.htm

Hope this helps someone!

 

[CBEB]

Here are a couple of links that helped me out in planning.

Capri Hydrofoils and Ferrys: http://www.mediterranean-cruise-ports-easy.com/capri-ferry.html

Barcelona with kids: http://www.travelforkids.com/Funtodo/Spain/barcelona.htm

Hope this helps someone!

Thanks!! We plan to spend a few days in Barcelona ahead of our cruise. The Travel with Kids link gave us some great ideas!

 

[MrsScooby]

Alright, you piqued my curiosity! My curiosity about where I stayed. None of my photos included the hotel. In my daily email journal home (2010, remember), I just said "the hotel." Google maps of the area did not initially help. I did remember that direction we walked from the train station to the hotel. I also remembered the direction we walked from the hotel to the metro, but I could not remember the metro station. Then I found a journal entry that we went to view the tallest obelisk in Rome, located in Piazza di San Giovanni, JUST PAST OUR SUBWAY STOP!!! So by triangulating the San Giovanni subway station with the train station and the rough area of our hotel on google maps, I found it! We stayed at Hotel Eurostars Roma Aeterna. Great hotel.

And now I found the pizza place nearby! Holy Mackerel! This pizza place was awesome. We got there about 5:30 one evening. The whole inside and outside was empty. Not one patron. About 120 empty seats. We asked for a table; when the waiter said he would talk with the manager, I laughed out loud, thinking it was a joke. It wasn't. They discussed and pondered for a couple minutes, then decided we could have two seats at an outside table far at the end. A few minutes later, they turned away another couple. Fifteen minutes later, there were over 100 people dining. No group more than six people. Completely off the beaten path, not a tourist destination in sight, not in any guidebooks. This place is the real deal locals' favorite pizzeria, and we stumbled on it by accident. Here it is: Pizzeria Fiaschetteria Al grottino. Located at Via Orvieto 6.

Also, if you were to walk the 1 to 2 miles from the train station to the hotel, roughly following a trolley line, and ducking under a highway, you would see a bakery with no name and the wall covered with graffiti. You should really grab a pastry from here.

Impressive detective work
Funny thing is that I usually don't have a problem coming up with the name of a hotel I stayed at (credit card history or email reservation confirmation are what I usually use to backtrack). It is the restaurant names that I have a hard time with
We think we'll remember the name of a restaurant and we almost never do. I have taken to taking a picture of something about the restaurant when I really like it and want to be able to recommend it to people.

Gotta save your info for future reference

Have to say I am something of a pizza snob having been born and raised in Long Island New York. People have warned me that the pizza in Italy is different from what I am used to. Something about Italians using fresh mozzarella instead of the dried mozzarella that we use and that making it necessary to use a fork and knife to eat it.
How did the pizza compare for you ?

Rats! I just discovered that the Uffizi Museum and the Academia (which houses Michelangelo's "David") are closed on Mondays! And the Greek Isles DCL cruise ports at La Spezia on Monday! Rats.

Oh I hear you
We have a similar problem on our cruise. We will have problems visiting the vatican in Rome and the co-cathedral in Malta because we arrive on Sundays.
I just console myself with the fact that it leaves us more time for others sites and also requires a trip back to catch what we missed

Here are a couple of links that helped me out in planning.

Capri Hydrofoils and Ferrys: http://www.mediterranean-cruise-ports-easy.com/capri-ferry.html

Barcelona with kids: http://www.travelforkids.com/Funtodo/Spain/barcelona.htm

Hope this helps someone!

Cool
Thanks

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Impressive detective work
Funny thing is that I usually don't have a problem coming up with the name of a hotel I stayed at (credit card history or email reservation confirmation are what I usually use to backtrack). It is the restaurant names that I have a hard time with
We think we'll remember the name of a restaurant and we almost never do. I have taken to taking a picture of something about the restaurant when I really like it and want to be able to recommend it to people.

Gotta save your info for future reference

Have to say I am something of a pizza snob having been born and raised in Long Island New York. People have warned me that the pizza in Italy is different from what I am used to. Something about Italians using fresh mozzarella instead of the dried mozzarella that we use and that making it necessary to use a fork and knife to eat it.
How did the pizza compare for you ?


Oh I hear you
We have a similar problem on our cruise. We will have problems visiting the vatican in Rome and the co-cathedral in Malta because we arrive on Sundays.
I just console myself with the fact that it leaves us more time for others sites and also requires a trip back to catch what we missed



Cool
Thanks

I know what you mean. I once had pizza in Naples and thought it was awful. The sauce was very thin, like tomato soup, which made the crust all wet & mushy. There was very little cheese on it too. What a disappointment.
Maybe pizza was created in Naples, but we perfected it for sure!

 

[bellelinus]

Have to say I am something of a pizza snob having been born and raised in Long Island New York. People have warned me that the pizza in Italy is different from what I am used to. Something about Italians using fresh mozzarella instead of the dried mozzarella that we use and that making it necessary to use a fork and knife to eat it.
How did the pizza compare for you ?

Hi Laurie!!!!
I can tell you that Italian pizza is nothing like New York pizza . . . it is virtually never cut into slices, you eat it with a fork and knife. The crust is very, very thin, and the sauce is runny. There is less cheese on it than a New York slice. That all being said, I like it - it's just different. If you have ever been to Eataly in Chelsea in NYC, they have very authentic Italian pizza there, as does another place in Hell's Kitchen, Don Antonio (the only other one of those is in Naples).

 

[Four Swampers]

Hi Laurie!!!!
I can tell you that Italian pizza is nothing like New York pizza . . . it is virtually never cut into slices, you eat it with a fork and knife. The crust is very, very thin, and the sauce is runny. There is less cheese on it than a New York slice. That all being said, I like it - it's just different. If you have ever been to Eataly in Chelsea in NYC, they have very authentic Italian pizza there, as does another place in Hell's Kitchen, Don Antonio (the only other one of those is in Naples).

I agree with this! If you must have pizza a certain way, then you may not like pizza in Italy. If you approach it from a standpoint of trying new flavors and textures, you may well like it. I liked it, but I like pretty much any pizza.