I am a single mother cruising the med with two children on RCL. I need info on getting off at various ports; what to do etc. We start in Barcelona,to Nice,Florence,Rome Naples,Venice &Corfu Also are there good programs for older kids as well as some for single adults? Thank you.

How old are your kids and what are your interests and theirs? It is hard to recommend what to do in a port as everyone has different likes and dislikes....

I have cruise the Med 3 times--and the first was the most intensive for sightseeing--museums etc...
For that info, it is best to buy a GOOD guide book of Europe and research what is available in each city that you may be interested in.....and then look at the cruise excursions unless you want to do them on your own...

Now, being older, I LOVE to shop--so that is my main priority when I hit fun ports--along with a 1/2 day of some interesting sightseeing......

So..........What are you interested in so we can help you?

thank you for answering. the children are 11 and 14 and i usually drag them to museums and SHOPPING!!! It's also my pasttime and my work. Is there ship trasportation or do you take taxis when you dock? Are the shore excursions worth the price or should you just go on your own? I am grateful for any info. Thanks again

I was in the middle of a long reply and the computer just ate it.
I will repost it later but in the meantime see my report about our Med cruise with my kids who were the same ages as yours at http://messages.cruisecritic.com/2/O...p;m=7033095932
You can email me at [email protected]

Phoenix50--

Barcelona is doeable without a ships excursion-You just walk off ship and go straight into town- to see architecture and shop and see the markets- If you want specific museums, the cruise line usually offers a 1/2 day sighteeing to the museums you are interested in...

Nice- I always do on my own- just walk or taxi into town...

Florence- I take the cruise ships EXCURSION BUS directly into town and go on my own from there and meet back up with the bus-If you dock in LIVORNO ( the normal place to get to Florence- ) it is a 2 HR drive to FLORENCE....
OR you can link up with another couple and take a taxi--but be aware, if YOU are late, the ship leaves without you and you have to link up with it later on your own nickel.....

Buy your tkts ahead of time for the Academia or Uffizi Gallery in Florence--this can be done online....

BUY Jewelery on the Ponte Vecchio in FLorence- Best place I have found is a store called S. Vagggi-- on the end of the Bridge closest to the DUOMO side of the Ponte Vecchio....Ask for Roberto , the owner, to help you...

Pisa , to me, was a waste of time ....

Rome- I would do a ship's excursion- and not a train- as trains in Italy have a tendency to go on strike at a moment's notice and then you would be stuck.....

Naples- if you are overniting in Naples ( our ship did)- you can rent a car and drive down the Amalfi coast and stop in Sorrento and Positano) or you can do the ship's excursion to Capri and see the Blue Grotto....

Venice- DEFINITELY on your own= No need for any excursion-

Corfu- Never been there...


GET a GREAT guidebook and PLAN the places you want to see-- You do not need the ship's excursion in many instances as the towns are definitely able to be walked into --with the EXCEPTION of Naples- WHile NAPLES is a town you CAN walk into, it is also the most prolific town for pickpockets and bag snatching...

Wear NO jewelery in towns- leave on ship in safe--Keep only guide books in a shoulder bag----
Wear money belt UNDER your clothes...

You are going to have a BLAST -
We have done the Med 3 times and I LOVE it...and would go back again in a heartbeat!!! ENJOY!!!

Andy, Thank you so much for your reply. You were so helpful. The ships offer so many excursions and they are so expensive, i just didn't know which ones to take. Any references on a good overall guide book instead of the seperate ones offered for each individual country? Also do you think there will be any other single parents
with teenagers? Thanks again!

Yes- You will be able to see other single parents with teenagers-
I do NOT know who you booked your cruise thru, but a travel agent can make sure to request you at another table with other singles with kids---
And IF you hate your table, just go to the maitre de the following am and ask to change your table- it is done all the time....

Guide books to look at:
Fodors ( for ALL of Europe)

Take some time and go to Borders N Books or Barnes and Nobles on a Saturday and see which book on ALL OF EUROPE appeals to you.....Look at Fodor's Europe, Frommer's Europe and if it is still in print, Fielding's Guide to Europe.....

The guide books will highlight what you need to see in each city...

What I normally do is Xerox the things I am interested in and carry the Xeroxes with me... AS I finish with a particular city, I toss the pages in the garbage..hence, no HEAVY travel guide to ever carry around...

The research is some of the best part of this trip--deciding what YOU want to see...they all come with a small map of each city that you can also Xerox and carry with you.....

Have a blast!!

Phoenix50-

I forgot to tell you-

Post these same questions on both www.cruisecritic.com and also
www.cruiseenvy.com

Some other people may have certain guides that they used in various cities...

Also you can link up with another couple and share a CAB to take you around the various cities- EXCEPT ROME and FLORENCE---

IF you take a Cab to Florence, share with another couple-and pay the cabbie on the RETURN portion of your trip....
Also set all prices BEFORE you get in the cab and make sure they speak English....

Phoenix50- I forgot to tell you-

Make sure you get LATE seating for the cruise- that way you do NOT have to rush back to the ship for dinner at 630pm---

Late seating is 815-830pm and a lot of the seniors eat at the early seating....

This is just a heads up....

Thanks for all your help. we'll hit the bookstore this weekend. I particularily like the shopping tip for jewelry in Florence! If you think of anymore info, please email me. P>S. What's the weather the first two weeks of July? Alanna

Alanna - WHAT is your email ?
I can send you tons of stuff-

Andy

Thanks again Andy, who needs a bookstore when i have you!!!My grateful email is [email protected]. Hope to hear from you. Alanna

I think it is better to go for the earlier sitting for dinner if you have children if they don't want to miss out in the youth activities.
I am taking my 14 yr old son on the Splendour of the Seas on the 5th July (granny coming to).I am a first time cruiser and have found there is a lot of really good sites and people on them who will help.
My son didn't show too much excitement about the ports,he is looking forward to the ship activities.I did find recently info on the Blue Grotto in Capri which caught his attention.Shopping and museums do not appeal to him!!
Good luck with your trip and try the Cruisecritic site that someone suggested I found the answers to most of my queries on it.
Happy cruising.