Paradise in Palawan

I WANT TO VISIT PALAWAN! THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE ON EARTH, BEAUTIFUL UNSPOILED BEACHES & MOST OF ALL I WANT TO SHOW TO MY CANADIAN HUSBAND THE HIDDEN GEMS OF THE PHILIPPINES...

August 2009 - Barcelona/Venice trip and our Mediterranean cruise

August 2009 - It was time for our long-awaited trip to Barcelona and our Mediterranean cruise! It would be our first trip to Europe and we were very excited and had done a lot of preparation. Instead of describing our (mis)adventures, we decided to post some tips about where we went and how we got there, both for ourselves (for future trips) and for anyone reading this who is considering a trip to Europe but isn't sure about what it's like.

The flight to Barcelona:

The flight was OK, but it was made better by bringing along a few things that helped us. If you are going on a long flight for the first time, you might want to bring some of these with you:

1) A bottle of water or two - they do provide water and pop on the plane, however on long international flights they don't come by very often, especially when people are sleeping. It really helps to have your own personal supply to get you through the flight without having to buzz the flight attendants every couple hours, or ask for three or four glasses of water at one time that will perilously sit on your tray. Keep in mind (for those that don't know by now) that you can't bring any water bottles past security, so you'll have to buy this water when you are at your gate waiting. Almost all airports (if not all in this day and age) will have stores in the gate area where you can buy snacks, water, magazines, etc.
2) A pair of earphones - some flights give out earphones for free (for watching the movies or listening to their music), some will but charge for them, and most times either way you have to wait until they decide to distribute them which can be a couple hours into the flight. Although some airlines will have special jacks that only work with their earphones, bring yours anyway just in case, so you can start watching movies right after they take off.
3) A pair of earplugs and a sleeping mask that will cover your eyes - most stores that sell luggage will sell these items. They are cheap and come in handy. Every long flight I've ever been on has a crying baby, loud passengers, kids, flight attendants that come by every little while and talk, and sometimes the lights are too bright in the plane (although they usually turn off most lights at one point). Makes it very hard to sleep without these items
4) A travel pillow, or a small pillow from home - If I'm sitting on the aisle I don't usually use one but if I'm by a window it's very handy to use as you can lean against the window relatively comfortably.
5) Some stomach pills (ie Pepto Bismol) and pain reliever (ie Tylenol). Airplane food isn't very good and can cause an upset stomach, and if you have a headache on the flight it will make the flight even longer.
6) Snacks - this is a great idea, because not only is airplane food not that good, you usually get only one meal, two if you are lucky, and they are rather small. So bring along a sandwich and some munchies just in case you don't like the meal or you get hungry in between meals. You don't have to bring the whole supermarket, just a couple sandwiches and a bag of chips or two.
7) A couple of pens - if you have to travel internationally, you will most likely have to fill out a customs/immigration form, and sometimes (but not always) the airline distributes the form on the airplane before you land. You don't have to fill it out on the plane, but if you have a pen handy it will save you a ton of time since once you land you'll be able to get in line at customs ahead of everyone who has to stop to fill out the form.
8) Some cash in the currency of the airline you're taking (ie USD on an American airline, CAD on a Canadian one) - this isn't a must, but sometimes the airline will offer items such as alchohol or food (much better than the standard food they provide) for a bit of cash. A lot of times they'll accept credit cards, but it doesn't hurt to have a bit of cash just in case. Also, you might want to have some anyway should you need to tip a porter (if you use one for carrying your luggage) once you land.

Barcelona:

Barcelona is a great city, it's safe, clean, and most people are very friendly and helpful. However, it's very different from a North American city, and it took us a couple days to get used to it. The biggest difference between Barcelona and a Canadian or American city is that not many people speak English. This might seem obvious, but it doesn't really hit until you are actually here. Communication can be very difficult, and you have to use a lot of non-verbal communication like pointing at menus, making numbers with your fingers, and saying the names of landmarks without flowery language (ie "Sagrada Familia?" as opposed to "Excuse me, can you please tell me how I can get to Sagrada Familia?"). Even most taxi drivers do not speak English, so you might want to show them a map of where you are going, say your hotel name and address, or the name of the landmark you want to go. It might seem a bit rude to you to do this, but unfortunately unless you know the local language, you have no choice. I find that if you smile and say "gracias" (thank you) after, most people here will understand that you don't speak their language and will try and help. Also, people in Barcelona don't speak Spanish - they speak a dialect called Catalan. It's a mixture of a few languages like Spanish and French, so if you take a Spanish course to prepare for Barcelona, you might communicate a bit better then most people but you still will have some issues communicating. Having said all that, if you are in the tourist areas (most major landmarks and "Las Ramblas"), most of the staff at the hotels, restaurants, stores, and landmarks will speak English.

Another major difference are mealtimes. Breakfast times aren't that different, but lunches tend to be a bit later (after 12), and dinner doesn't start at most restaurants until after 9:00! Again, if you are in a tourist area you might encounter "normal" meal times, but a lot of the best food comes from the non-tourist areas. The food itself is also very different. Breakfasts are usually tapas (hot/cold appetizers), lunches are fish, paella (a rice dish which is delicious and comes in many varieties) and other meats, and most meals are rather greasy, with a lot of olive oil. Combined with the heat in summer, this can make your stomach a bit queasy. Also if you are a vegatarian your choices will be very limited - there are salads available but not many - people in Barcelona love fish and meat. This might be a bit obvious, but anytime you eat in a tourist area, the price of a meal will go up. And if you go to a fancy restaurant in a tourist area, you are going to pay twice as much as you should. It's nice to have a nice meal in a fancy Barcelona restaurant, but I would advise to only do this once or twice during your stay or it'll cost you an arm or a leg. There are tons of small cafe's and restaurants everywhere outside the tourist areas and you can just sit outside and order tapas,drinks, and even full meals at a fraction of the cost of a fancy restaurant, and the food is just as good. For example, on our first night we met a friend for dinner and he took us to a small cafe where we sat outside and ordered several drinks and four or five dishes, and it only cost 27 Euros (about 40 Canadian dollars!). On another night, we went to a more upscale restaurant near "Las Ramblas", and ordered only two dishes and three drinks. It cost 56 Euros (about 85 Canadian dollars!). The food itself was very similar, as was the service, so don't "judge a book by its cover" and give a smaller "non-touristy" place a try! Speaking of service at meals, you'll find that you have to call for the waiter/waitress a lot more than in North America, and if you don't ask for the bill after, you'll find yourself sitting at an empty table for a LONG time. I don't think it's because the servers are rude here, it's more because the culture is more laid back and they just don't want to disturb you. I've noticed that you can sit at a table and just have a drink for a long time and no waiter will give you dirty looks or push you to leave.

In terms of getting around Barcelona, you have a few options:

1) Walking - Barcelona is a large city, with the tourist landmarks at different spots in the city, so you won't be able to walk to every single place in Barcelona or you'll be walking for a long time! However, you'll find that a lot of landmarks are fairly close together at different spots of the city, so once you get to that specific part of the city (with one of the options below), it's very easy to walk within that area. If you are walking there during the summer, be sure to be carrying a bottle of water with you as you'll need to keep yourself hydrated - even the locals carry around bottled water. If you find yourself without one, no worries, you will be able to buy one from any restaurant or store, even a pharmacy... just ask for "agua". Unless you are at a tourist spot, a small bottle of water should cost you about 1.2 Euros, at a major tourist spot it may cost as much as 3 Euros. Walking in Barcelona is very safe, as crime is very low. You may want to wear a money belt tucked beneath your pants to prevent being pickpocketed but otherwise walking is great in Barcelona.

2) Drive - we didn't choose this option, so I'm not sure how much renting a car costs, but from what we saw traffic isn't too bad in Barcelona, and there appeared to be a lot of public parking lots in the city (not sure of the cost though). The only thing of note is that there appears to be a lot of one-way streets and roundabouts in Barcelona so I'd imagine driving there would take some getting used to. I would think it would be possible though without too many issues. You may want to check on using your driver's licence there however, as I'm not sure how that would work.

3). The public bus/subway system - this was the method of travel we chose for getting to the major landmarks in Barcelona, and I must say it was VERY easy. The Barcelona subway system, or "Metro" as it's called, is very well mapped out, with signage everywhere, and many subway employees (wearing red shirts and dark pants to identify themselves) around to help with questions (almost all of them speak English). The system is divided into "zones". You can purchase single-journey tickets, or something called a "T-10" which is a ticket valid for 10 journeys (more economical but it is only for one "zone"). If you are going to be in Barcelona for more than two or three days and planning on using the subway or bus for getting around, the best thing to do is to buy a "Barcelona card" online and pick it up at the airport (or tourist information centers throughout the city) once you arrive (you just print out your "voucher" after you purchase it online and bring it with you). You can buy a Barcelona card valid for a certain number of days (you choose the length, obviously the longer validity you choose the higher the cost), and you need one card per person. Here's why it's worth it:
a) While the card is valid (ie a 4 day card is good for 4 days), you can use it for UNLIMITED travel on the Metro subway/bus system. Because we used the Metro several times a day, it almost paid for itself after our 5 day card expired. One note on the subway system - the trains themselves are air conditioned and quite comfortable, however the tunnels and subway platforms are NOT, and it can be stifling. Luckily trains come every few minutes there so you won't have to wait long during the day.
b) You can show your card at a lot of landmarks and museums and receive significant discounts - since you'll likely be visiting Barcelona to see the landmarks anyway, this is a major benefit. You'll get anywhere from 5%-20% off the entry fee to these locations, and a few are even free! Don't worry, when you pick up your card at the airport you'll get a map of Barcelona (including a map of the Metro subway system) and a paperback guide of the places listing their location, description, hours of operation, and the discount you'll get. Because we visited a lot of landmarks during our four days, I'm sure that these discounts along with the unlimited travel made the card pay for itself and then some.

If you do pick up the card at the airport, it's located in Terminal 2. The airport workers are very friendly, just ask one of them (or someone in an information booth if you see one) where the tourist information booth is located. For us, we arrived in Terminal 1 and just had to take a free shuttle (large green bus which had room for our luggage although we had to carry it on) to Terminal 2 - a short 5 minute bus ride. Once you have your Barcelona card, I cannot stress enough the convenience and savings it will provide you. I highly recommend it!

4) Taxis - Although this can be an expensive option compared to walking or the Barcelona card if you use taxis for every single trip you take in Barcelona, they are very reasonable if you use them here and there. For example, we took a taxi from the airport to our hotel located near La Familia Sagrada, and the cost with 3 large pieces of luggage and a small piece of luggage was only 27 Euros. It was actually 21 Euros but a small surcharge applies for the baggage you bring. A taxi from our hotel to the cruise port was only 18 Euros, including the luggage surcharge. A taxi between two major intersections (not side streets but major streets) cost only 4 Euros (with no luggage). They are also metered so you don't have to worry about haggling over what the fare will be. They do accept major credit cards officially, however just to be sure, you might want to flash the taxi driver your credit card before he starts driving and ask if you can use it to pay (just in case) My point of this paragraph is you probably don't want to take taxis everywhere as it does add up, but if you find yourself far from your hotel and you're too tired or hot to walk or take the Metro back, just grab a taxi. Taxis are EVERYWHERE in Barcelona and we never had to wait more then 5 minutes on the street to hail one. They are black with yellow trim, and if you see one that's free it will have a small lit green light on top with a sign inside that says "LIBRE" (meaning "Free" - not in cost but in terms of availability!). Remember my note from earlier - taxi drivers are very friendly however very very few speak English, so be sure to give them an address or hotel name or show them a map of where you want to go.

5) Turista bus or "Hop on hop off" or "HOHO" bus - this is a special bus (not included with a Barcelona card) that you can use to travel between major tourist landmarks - they just do a loop. We did not use this bus but we know a bit about it. You buy a one day or two day pass (I believe it's 21 Euros for one day and obviously more for two days). You can buy your pass online before you travel. You can board the bus (not sure of pickup locations so you may have to walk or take a taxi to one) and they drive you to various landmarks. You can "hop off" at any one of them and when you're finished, wait where you were dropped off and then when the next Turista bus shows up, "hop on" and go to the next landmark. I imagine that this would be the best option if you only want to visit the landmarks and don't care about the "non-tourist" areas, since you don't have to worry about making your way to landmarks and fumbling with maps. The only problem we had about this option is you're limited to just going to the landmarks and you'd have to find your own way to other places in the city. Also, if you are in Barcelona on business you'd definitely not choose this option - unless your business would take you to only the major tourist landmarks!

To get the true flavour of Barcelona, I'd recommend getting a Barcelona card (for each person in your travelling party) and using the subway system and walking to get around. It's a safe and beautiful city to travel in with a lot of "hidden treasures" that you'll never see on the "HOHO" bus or a tour bus, or even driving around. Even if you get lost for a bit, take it all in and enjoy - you will never be too far from a Metro station and taxis are aplenty.

Another major thing to note about Barcelona is the times the shops are open. If you're in a tourist area, you won't notice much difference. However if you are in a "non-tourist" area, you'll notice that most shops are closed on Sunday, and from Monday-Saturday are closed from about 1 or 2 to about 4 or 5 in the afternoon. If you're planning to do a lot of shopping during these times it can be a major roadblock so you will want to be aware of this and shop at other times otherwise stick to the tourist areas.

In terms of attire, you'll want to wear clothing that allows you to blend in with the locals and not "stick out like a sore thumb" as a tourist. By doing this, you'll avoid people staring at you, and possibly avoid being pick pocketed (although you still have to be vigilant no matter what and wearing a money belt is a good idea). Things to avoid wearing on the street are beach attire like swimwear, and other skimpy clothes. Polo shirts or nice t-shirts (with no loud designs or lettering) with long shorts (below the knees) work for guys, and for ladies as I mentioned avoid skimpy clothes like "short shorts" or swimwear. Don't get me wrong, you won't be arrested or refused service in a store or anything for not "blending in", but you'll be stared at and possibly attract the attention of pick pocketers or other unsavoury characters like street vendors trying to sell you cheap items.

Some notes about visiting major landmarks in Barcelona:

1) Get there EARLY, as in when they first open (most open around 9 AM) - lines for major tourist attractions (such as Casa Mila or La Sagrada Familia) can be LONG and you don't want to waste half your day waiting in line. If you are one of the first ones into a place you'll be able to view it without battling the hordes of tourists.
2) If you are visiting a place of worship like the Cathedral in the Barrio Gothic (Gothic Quarter), remember that you'll need to wear appropriate clothing. No shoulders or sleeveless shirts allowed, and no shorts ending above the knees will be allowed. You don't need to wear a tuxedo or evening gown to get in, but you will have to dress in a t-shirt or polo shirt with long shorts or slacks (for guys) and the same or skirts covering the shoulders and knees (for ladies).
3) Some of the museums do not allow flash photography, so turn your flash off and be discreet when snapping photos!

Some tips for picking a hotel:

1) If you want to surf the internet in your hotel, but sure to check that your hotel offers internet access. Even if it claims to have "wireless" internet access, bring along an ethernet or whatever wire you use with your computer to connect to the internet - just in case the wireless doesn't work.
2) Make SURE that your hotel offers private bathrooms in your stateroom. A lot of hotels in Europe have shared bathrooms, meaning you will have to share your bathroom with another room or even the entire floor!
3) If your flight arrives in Barcelona before your hotel's check-in time and you don't want to lug around your luggage all day, ask your hotel if they can store your luggage before you check-in. Similarly, when you are leaving Barcelona and your flight departs after the hotel's check-out time, ask your hotel if they can store your luggage after you check out and you can just pick it up before going to the airport. Many hotels in Barcelona have a luggage room and will agree to do this for you, but ask before you book!
4) Make SURE that your hotel room is air conditioned! A lot of hotels only offer air conditioning in common areas like the lobby. If you don't care about air conditioning but want to open a window to get some air in your room, make sure your room has windows that open
5) If you don't want to have to deal with street noise at night, do NOT book a hotel in the tourist area - specifically "Las Ramblas". Sure, these are great hotels, but they are not only pricey, you will have to listen to the noise of thousands of tourists on the street right outside your window each night. Not really a good thing if you are trying to sleep. Better to book a hotel close to the tourist area but not IN the tourist area. There are tons of hotels in Barcelona, so take your time, do your research on a site like hotels.com, and don't book "at the last minute" and make a bad choice.

A final note on hotels - rooms tend to be smaller than in North America and in many hotels you need to stick your room keycard into a slot on the wall to activate the room's electricity and air conditioning. But overall if you do your homework you can get a good hotel room at a reasonable price. If you don't, you'll either overpay by a large amount or get a poor quality room.

Our favourite landmarks

We saw a lot of good places in Barcelona, and what is "the best place" is really a matter of personal taste. Having said that, we'd highly recommend these spots:
1) Las Ramblas - the "hub" of the tourist area, it's a long street with tons of shopping and restaurants (pricey but good and they speak English). At the end of the street (by the water) there is a large monument which can be a great photo opportunity, and for only 2.75 Euros you can take a tiny elevator into a small observation deck for some great photos from the the top of the monument (it's a VERY small indoor room but the views are great)
2) Casa Mila (La Pedrera) - this is one of the buildings designed by the famous architect Gaudi. It's about 10-15 Euros to get in, and the lines are long (get there at about 9 AM when it opens) but it's worth it. Very unique and beautiful - be sure to visit the roof for some amazing photos!
3) The Magic Fountain - on Thursdays and Fridays at about 9 PM there is a free outdoor show in the huge fountain area. The water of the fountain pulsates to the beat of music, accompanied by bright lights of every colour. The show lasts about 60 minutes and is attended by thousands. People are laughing, taking photos, dancing, and everyone is happy. This was by far the highlight of our trip. People from every part of the world come here, and if everyone in the world acted as people do here, there would be no war. It is truly a place for the citizens of the world and the happiness is almost overwhelming.

There are also some "honourable mentions", such as visiting the nearby town of Sitges (you will need to take a train from the Espanya station which is not included with the Barcelona card but is 5.6 Euros round trip per person), La Sagrada Familia, Poble Espanyol, the Parc Montjuic (where the magic fountain is), the Olympic Stadium, the Magic Castle (Casa Montjuic), and the Barrio Gothic (Gothic Quarter) and the Cathedral. There's also many other great spots which can't be listed here. Just get out there and explore!

14 night cruise - Barcelona to Venice

We decided to head to the cruise ship terminal on Friday,August 14. Earlier that day, we had checked out of our hotel and asked them to hold our luggage, to which they agreed (remember my tip about picking a hotel that will do this). We returned to our hotel to pick up our luggage and took a taxi to the cruise terminal. It only cost 17 Euros and the taxi dropped us off right in front of the terminal entrance. No hassling with dragging our luggage to a bus terminal or train station or walking down the street. It was very convenient and affordable, and I would highly recommend doing this for anyone in Barcelona going from a hotel to the terminal.

There's nothing like approaching your ship for the first time and realizing how big and beautiful it is. This was our fifth cruise and we are still in awe at the cruise ships. One thing we'd highly recommend is when you book your cruise either online or through a travel agent, you visit the website of the cruise company (ie Celebrity, NCL, Princess, etc) and complete the online check-in process. After you book your cruise, you'll receive your reservation# and other information relating to your cruise. You'll use this information during the online check-in process, and you'll also need other information such as your passport (passport#, expiry date, etc). Once you complete this process, you can print everything and you'll need to bring it with you to the cruise terminal. You'll need to enter this information for every person in your travelling party. You also have an option during this process to enter a credit card # (one for the whole party or separate cards for each person), as the ships have a "cashless" system which I'll explain in a bit. When you get to the terminal, you'll give your luggage to a porter who will have them delivered to your stateroom later that day, and if you don't have luggage tags listing your cabin number, the porter can give blank tags to you and then take your luggage after writing your cabin number on them. From there, you proceed inside the terminal and are directed to a large check in desk with a lot of customer service agents. If you completed the online check-in process you can skip the long lines and go to a special desk of desks where you just present your check in documentation (that you printed from the online check in process), show your passport and credit card (or credit cards). They give you some documentation including a plastic card (the size of a credit card) to each member of your party. These cards have each person's name on it and they serve three purposes:

1) The card is your room key to enter your stateroom
2) The card is used as your identification card and you will need it when leaving the ship and returning to the ship in a port city
3) The card is used to purchase goods and services on the ship. Cruise ships use a "cashless" system, and almost anything you buy on board you will purchase with this card. The only place you'll use cash would be the casino and exchanging currency, and on some ships (but not all), buying postage and laundry services.

On your first night, you can usually dine in the main dining room in the same attire you arrived wearing to the ship. The reason is sometimes people don't receive their luggage (with their clothing) until later that evening. Ships have different standards for attire, but in general you need to wear skirts or long pants and sweaters or blouses for ladies and business shirts and long pants for the men. Certain nights (as listed in the daily program you'll get in your room from your ship daily) are formal nights, where ladies have to wear gowns or cocktail dresses or pant suits, and men have to wear suits or tuxedos or dinner jackets and long pants. In general, there is only one formal night for every four or five nights on the ship. If you only have one or two formal outfits, not to worry, the ship will offer dry cleaning and pressing services - it's a bit pricey but a lot less than buying another suit or formal dress you'll only wear once. Of course, every ship offers a buffet each night where you can dress in shorts and t-shirts so you can totally skip the main restaurant if you like. Or you can just skip the formal nights. It's totally up to you.

Also, on the first night, you'll have to participate in an emergency drill. It's mandatory for every cruise line and this is the only time on your cruise where you'll be mandated to attend an activity. It usually takes under 30 minutes and once it's done, you're free to do whatever you like. The drill occurs a couple hours before the ship leaves port, and it involves your party putting on your lifejackets (located in the closet of your stateroom) and going to your "muster station" or emergency meeting point. Your "muster station" might be listed on your plastic card issued to you, or perhaps on the map on the inside of your stateroom door. If you're not sure, just ask any crew member where your muster station is. At the time of the drill an announcement over the public address system will be made, and you'll go to your muster station and a crew member will take your names and/or cabin numbers. From there, you'll be led to a lifeboat and forced to stand in a tight group (it can be a bit uncomfortable). After a few minutes you'll be free to go.

Finally, on the first night, you'll meet your stateroom attendants. There's usually a team of two people, and they will clean your room each day and assist you with any questions you have relating to your stateroom. They work very hard and make things so easy for you. They work like magic - no matter how messy you leave your room, they will make it spotless when you return to your room that night to go to bed. I don't know how they do it but they always manage it.

During the cruise, you'll either have either "fixed" dinner seatings, which means you will dine at the same time everyday and at the same table, or "open" dinner seating, meaning you can dine anywhere in the main restaurant and at any time during the restaurant's dinner hours. Some cruise lines use "open" seating, some use "fixed" seating. If your cruise line has "fixed" seating, you'll find your seating time and table number on a card in your stateroom the first day. Just present this card in the restaurant and you'll be led to your table. If you skip the main restaurant the first night, no worries, any staff member in the restaurant would be delighted to lead you to your table on subsequent nights if you give them your card. Breakfasts and lunches are always "open" seating in the main restaurant on any cruise line. And of course, for any meal, you can always skip the main restaurant and use the buffet. The food at the buffet generally is less fancy, however the advantage is you don't have to "dress up" to eat there. Most cruise lines also have at least one "specialty" restaurant (some have more than one), where for a small charge ($10-$30 per person depending on the restaurant) you can eat there. Service in these specialty restaurants tend to be very formal and the food fantastic, so I'd highly recommend dining there at least once per cruise. Of course, these restaurants would require reservations (either by calling them the day before or visiting them the day before) and have a dress code, usually similar to the "non-formal" attire I described earlier.

Of course, all the ships have amenities like a shopping area (for liquor, clothes, and jewellery), a pool, whirlpools, an exercise room, many bars, a casino, a spa, and many many other amenities. Some are free (pool, exercise room, whirlpools), some are not (bar, casino, spa), but all of them are fantastic and you should at least have a look at all of them during the cruise. All ships also have beautifully decorated areas that make for great photos, such as on the open decks, the grand foyer, and several common areas. During days where your ship is not in a port city and is at sea, take advantage of these days and relax and enjoy exploring the ship! Also, everyday the ship offers activities as listed in the program you'll find each night in your stateroom (listing the next days activities), so if a port city isn't for you, or it's a sea day, you can participate in them! Some are free, some are not, and any pricing will always be listed. In general, I don't go to these activities as I like to relax on sea days and go into port on port days, but "to each his own" and some of these activities might interest you. There is always a large variety of activities throughout each day (and evening). Not to mention the entertainment - each evening the ship will put on two shows - the same show but one is early evening, the other 2-3 hours later (so people who eat during the early show can catch the late show and vice versa). The shows are always free and feature a variety of performers each night - singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, etc. If possible you should catch these shows - they are great.

A few pointers on things to bring:

1) If you are going to be in a hot climate, buy a few large bottles of water to use in port cities. The ship is air conditioned, but walking outside in the port cities is hot and water on the ship is expensive (up to $4 USD per bottle!)
2) If you are going to be in a cold climate, bring a jacket, gloves and hat (ie if you are visiting Alaska)
3) Toothpaste and toothbrushes, after shave, deodorant, aspirins, stomach/nausea pills, and shampoo/conditioner/soap (provided in the ship, but you can bring your own if you're specific). The ship generally sell these (its all dependent on what ship, though). Of course, soap and towels and bathrobes will be provided.
4) Cash - you won't need it on the ship usually but you'll want to have some when you visit the port cities. It's better to have some in advance rather than waste some of your day in a port city hunting for an ATM. Your ship will have an ATM machine, however as you probably know, there will be a service fee charged by your bank, so why not bring some cash beforehand?
5) If you have one, a Visa or Mastercard - you'll use these in the port cities. Of course, be sure to let your credit card company know in advance of the dates you'll be travelling and where you'll be, and that the cruise line you'll be using will be placing a charge to your card (whichever one you used during the online check in process) to settle your shipboard account at the end of the cruise.
6) Check if your ship has self-serve laundry facilities and irons and ironing boards (some do, some don't). If your ship doesn't, try and bring some detergent in a small plastic bag that you can use to clean your delicates (ie underwear) rather than have them laundered on the ship (which can be a bit pricey especially with a big travelling party). You can also have your suits/special formal clothing ironed at home before coming on the ship for those ships which don't provide irons and ironing boards.

A few pointers on the amenities on the ship:

1) Pool - they have lots of towels at the pool, and the pool is usually open from early in the morning to mid-evening (ie 7 AM - 8 PM). One note about the hot tubs - I tend to avoid them since they are a breeding ground for germs
2) Shops - they are usually open all day during "sea days" (where the ship is not in a port city), and when in a port city they're open in the mornings and then in the evenings only. If you're looking to get a good deal, check the shops each day or evening and watch for special sales like "2 for 1" or "50% off". Try not to buy stuff that's not on sale because the shops usually have a few sales each cruise (especially for jewellery).
3) Casino - you have to be of a certain age to enter (varies based on cruise line). The casino is usually open all day on "sea days" but generally is not open while in a port city. They usually, however, open after the ship leaves the port city. So if you're a gambler and the ship's in a port city, you'll have to wait for the late afternoon or evening to gamble... and if the ship is in a port city overnight, oh well, there's always tomorrow.
4) Photography store - people will be snapping photos of you on embarkation day, when you leave the ship at each port, and on the "formal" nights. They then sell the photos in the photo store (usually it's where the rest of the stores are), and display all the photos on a big wall so you may have to hunt a bit to find yours. One word of warning - THESE PHOTOS ARE EXPENSIVE! I would recommend that you buy only a couple photos that you really like and just have a ship staff member (ie waiter, bartender) or a friend take the other photos of you using your own camera. The photography store's photos look beautiful and yours won't be as fancy, but you're on a cruise ship - how bad could your own photos be? Plus you'll save a ton of money taking your own.
5) Internet packages - yes you will be able to surf the internet on the ship. Usually you have to go to a common area (internet cafe, grand foyer, lounge) to surf as it probably won't work from your stateroom, although if you ask a staff member in the internet cafe they can help you set things up so you can use your laptop and not just the computers located in the internet cafe - it is possible, just ask for help! One tip I can give you is figure out how much you plan to use the internet on the cruise, as the ships have various internet packages you can buy. Obviously, the more minutes you buy, the more it will cost you, however the less per minute it will cost you. For example, you would buy 50 minutes for $30, which is 60 cents/minute, or you can buy 100 minutes for $50, which is only 50 cents per minute. Usually you can buy a pay as you go plan but the per-minute rate is very high, like 65 cents a minute. So if you have a good idea how much you'll be using the internet, you can buy the most economical package. In general, if you buy a package and you use all your minutes and still want to surf a lot more, buy another package and don't use the per minute rate! This isn't a life or death thing, but choosing the right package can save you a bit of money.
6) Port & Shopping Guide - every ship has a "port and shopping guide" or a "port specialist" or someone called something similar. These fine folks will hold seminars on the best jewellery to buy and which stores to shop at. They can be a huge help if you want to find out about where the shopping areas are or even where good restaurants are (ie the tourist areas as opposed to the bad part of town). However, keep in mind that the stores they specifically tell you to shop at pay the cruise line a promotional fee, so the shopping guide is FORCED to point you to these places. I would ask them general questions about what areas to go to, but then go to other stores as well as the ones they recommend. Don't get me wrong, they aren't going to send you to a store that tries to scam you with low quality items, but you'll most likely be sent to a store with sky-high prices that claim to have the "best" prices. Check out their stores, but just keep my advice in the back of your head and don't be afraid to shop around.
7) Ship tours - OK this one is VERY important. The ship will push their own tours at you HARD, and say they make everything in a port city easy and worry free. Yes, this statement is true - everything is done for you. BUT - tours arranged through the ship cost DOUBLE (sometimes TRIPLE) the same tours that can be taken from private tour companies that are usually waiting for you at the pier, who try and sell their tours to passengers without plans. The cruise lines will tell you "don't use private tours" - don't listen, they are just trying to scare you into paying more for their tours. My advice to you is, go to www.cruisecritic.com and sign up (it's free, and no I am not affiliated with that website, I just have used it in the past and it's great). Go to the message boards and search for private tours in the port cities you're going to. Ask if there are tour companies waiting for passengers as they get off the ship. Start researching a few months before you leave that way you get your answers. You will be answered by regular people like you that have been to those port cities and know what things are like there. If there are tour companies waiting for you at the pier, just get off the ship and pick one. If you're told there won't be, research private tour companies in that port city and try and arrange a private tour for the day you'll be in that city. Usually you can even share the tour with people on your cruise (you can connect with them through cruisecritic.com, I have done this before) to lower the cost per person. Do NOT be fooled by the ship into buying their incredibly overpriced tours.

Having said that, there is only one advantage to taking a tour arranged by the ship, a very legitimate one. If you are on a tour arranged by the ship, and for some reason the tour is delayed and can't make it back to the ship before it departs, the ship will not leave until that tour arrives - you won't be left behind. However, on a private tour, if you arrive to the ship too late, it won't wait for you and you will have to pay your way to the next port city to meet the ship. So common sense prevails here - if you take a private tour, make sure the tour company brings you back to the ship at least 2-3 hours before the ship leaves - don't "cut it close". I've taken several private tours and have never had a problem missing the ship.

As for doing things yourself and renting a car or taking buses/trains around a port city to save money, I would strongly advise against it unless you are truly adventurous or are very familiar with the city. If you're neither of those, do yourself a big favour and let someone else show you around. You'll be much more relaxed, you won't spend half your day getting lost and staring at maps/bus and train schedules and wandering around confused. Take it from me, there's NOTHING wrong with saving money, but ask yourself this - will I really have fun arranging my own tour and risk getting totally lost for half the day? If you are willing to take that risk, go for it! If not, a private tour or even a ship tour (if you don't mind spending the money) is the way to go.

Ports of call
Below are the ports of call we visited:

1) Villefranche, France - This is a small port city near Nice and Monte Carlo. We didn't dock here, rather we had to take "tenders" or small boats to the shore. If you plan on going ashore here from the ship, I'd strongly recommend asking the ship's customer service people to issue you a "tender ticket" (perhaps the day before you arrive) so you could get off the ship first. Basically, the "tender tickets" are numbered, and you can only get off the ship when your number is called, although eventually an "open tender" is called where everyone can leave at any time - by that time though everything will get crowded and the lines for the tenders can be long. We decided to explore the area ourselves without taking a tour. We decided to take a train to Nice, and then a bus to Eze Village and then to Monaco. When we left the port, we turned right immediately and after about a 10 minute walk along the shoreline reached a set of steps on the left that led up to the train station. We bought tickets to Nice (very cheap only 3 Euros per person), which you can buy via either Euro coins or a major credit card (you will need a valid PIN number so ask your credit card company before you travel). After asking the train station employee which platform to stand on (there was one for each direction) we caught the train and it was a short 20 minute ride to Nice. From Nice, we walked to the bus station - it was a LONG walk and we had to ask for directions several times. We basically had to walk out of the train station, turn left, then turn right at the first big street (the one with the tram cars and rails). After a long 30 minute walk we made it to the street before the ocean, and turned left. After another 5 minute walk, we saw the bus station on the left hand side. We asked an employee where to stand for the bus, and it arrived after awhile. We boarded the bus, and you buy the tickets from the bus driver directly. He then gives you change and sticks your card in a machine to validate the ticket. If you travel without a validated ticket you can get a big fine.

The bus trip to Eze Village was about 30-40 minutes, and the trip was worth it. Eze Village was a great small village with a perfume factory, a lot of shops and restaurants, and even a tourist office. After looking around for about an hour, we took a bus (# 83) from Eze Village to Monaco, again buying the ticket from the bus driver, who validated it. I believe the ticket was 1 Euro per person. We arrived in Monaco about 30 minutes later, and even armed with a map we found it very confusing. We did find our bearings after awhile, and saw some major sights like the prince's palace, the casinos, the cathedral, and the aquatic museum. From there, we walked to the train station in the downtown area (wasn't a long walk from most of the tourist landmarks) and bought a ticket (I believe it was 2.8 Euros per person) back to Villefranche. The trip back took about 40 minutes and from there we just walked back to the ship, as we arrived at the same train station we left from that morning. Even though we did this on our own, I would recommend taking a private tour as the train/bus travel was confusing, and we lost some time once in Monaco getting our bearings.

2) Florence, Italy - we took a private tour, and visited one of the vineyards in Tuscany and saw many great sights including churches, cathedrals, squares, and of course the famous "Leaning Tower of Pisa". Actually, the tower isn't as big as we thought. All cathedrals have "bell towers" and this was just one of them, except for the fact of course that it was "leaning" due to it being built under loose soil for a foundation. Overall, Florence is a great place with lots of places to see or just "people watch". I would strongly recommend a private tour as it's a big place, and unless you are familiar with it, you'll get lost.

3) Rome, Italy - we took a private tour today. The ship actually docked in a city called Citivecchia, which was just over an hour's drive to Rome. Once we get there, Rome had so many fantastic things to see, I'd recommend staying there for at least three or four days in order to take it all in. If you can only stay one day, perhaps visit only three or four sites, as you'll NEVER have enough time to see everything. Vatican City was fantastic, although we only had two hours and we could have spent a day or two alone there. Other great sights there were the Trevi Fountain, the Parthenon, the Forum (although we didn't see it), and the "Wedding Cake". We saw the "Spanish steps" although we weren't too impressed. Unless you are very familiar with Rome, I wouldn't try it on your own, especially if you only have one day!

4) Naples, Italy - we took a private tour today. We visited the beautiful Amalfi coast and Pompeii, which was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. If you choose to visit Pompeii, I would HIGHLY recommend getting your private tour company in advance to hire a private tour guide in Pompeii. Otherwise, you'll just wander around Pompeii lost as it is HUGE and filled with ruins you'll have no idea about unless a guide is with you. Our private Pompeii guide (separate from our private tour driver for the day) cost us 100 Euros and for the 2 hour tour was worth every Euro. It was so informative and fun. We had 8 people on the tour so it came out to only 12.5 Euros per person. Naples is another port that unless you are very familiar with the city, you'll want to take a private tour. Another note - although we didn't visit the center of Naples, I heard from many people including two private tour guides that Naples is a tough city and crime is bad there, so if you venture in on your own, be sure to wear a money belt and don't wear a lot of "bling" like rings and necklaces.

5) Santorini, Greece - this was by far the most beautiful city on the cruise. For this port, we didn't dock, we "tendered", so you may want to follow the same advice I gave to Villfranche (see above). Once you leave the ship, you will need to get up a VERY steep hill into the capital city of Fira. To do this you can either take a cable car (which is about a 5 minute trip and costs 4 Euro per person), ride a donkey up a long set of steps (not sure how much the donkey ride is but it must be cheap), or simply walk up the steps (could take 30-40 minutes walk depending on how fast you are - the path is winding not to mention the donkeys & donkey poop along the way). The cable car is located to the left of where the tenders drop you off and you can clearly see the cable car lines going to the top. Try and get off the ship as soon as you can or else the lines for the cable car will be too long. If you ride the donkeys it's not too long a ride to the top, although obviously the donkeys smell pretty bad and they leave lots of smelly "presents" on the stairs. And should you walk, be sure you are ready for a long, tiring climb, with lots of donkey "presents" in your way, not to mention large donkeys climbing from behind you and descending from in front of you.

Once you're up the hill, enjoy beautiful Fira! You'll have tons of photo opportunities to take shots of the pastel-colored houses and churches and beautiful shoreline below. There are tons of shops, cafes, and restaurants, and some of them have amazing views! The people are friendly and speak very good English. I was truly amazed of this island. You can also take a bus to the other villages on Santorini. We took a taxi to Oia for 15 Euros, and on the way back we took a bus for only 1.4 Euros per person. One tip - the taxis aren't metered so be sure to negotiate your fare before you drive off. That's not to scare you though - the taxi drivers here are very friendly and informative about Santorini. Oia was even more beautiful than Fira, and a bit less crowded. There are several other villages we could have visited but didn't have time to. One note about the buses here - you enter and exit from the middle doors (not the front door), and once you are on, someone will walk down the aisle and sell you a ticket - just tell them where you want to go and yes, they can provide change. Don't worry about "validating" your ticket like you do in Villefranche, just enjoy the ride. No need for a private tour here, once you're up the hill in Fira you can spend the day walking around or board a bus to the other villages. Santorini is small and you won't get lost. Even if you do, remember almost everyone here speaks English so asking for directions should be a breeze. Enjoy this place of unbelievable beauty!

6) Athens, Greece - We took a private tour today. This city is almost like Rome in that you'll need more than one day to see everything, although you can probably do it in two days whereas Rome you'll need at least three or four days. Also, the port city is Piraeus, not Athens. It's about a 15-20 minute drive to Athens from the pier. Once in Athens, we saw the Acropolis (containing the Parthenon), the changing of the guard at the palace, the Acropolis Museum, the Temple of Zeus, the Ancient Agora, and a few other sights. I wouldn't recommend doing Athens on your own as the traffic is bad and there are a lot of confusing streets, a private tour is much better. Also, I would recommend telling your tour company that you want to see the Acropolis first, because after about 8:30 it gets BUSY and I mean you can't even take a step without bumping into someone kind of busy! Another thing, when you buy your tickets for the Acropolis (I believe about 12 Euros per person), KEEP YOUR TICKETS!!!! You will need them to visit some other sites such as the Temple of Zeus and the Ancient Agora. Without your tickets, you'll have to pay another fee to visit those sites.

7) Dubrovnik, Croatia - because the tourist area is in a small area of the city known as "Old Town", we decided to explore on our own and not take a private tour. The currency in Croatia is the Kuna, although most establishments accepted Euros. As of August 2009, 1 Euro was equal to 7 Kuna - you need to keep the conversion rate in mind as all the prices here are listed in Kuna. Once you arrive at the pier and exit the ship, you will see a building across from you - this is the bus terminal, where you can exchange some Euros into Kuna if you like and also catch the 1A or 1B bus to the "Old Town". The "Old Town" is easily distinguishable by the walls around it. You can buy a bus ticket at the terminal or at a nearby "Kiosk" (small outdoor store selling cigarettes and magazines), or even some travel agencies sell bus tickets. A fare is 8 Kuna, or I'm told if you buy a ticket from the bus driver directly, it costs 10 Kuna. One important thing to note - Euros are NOT accepted at most kiosks or on the bus, so you'll have to have a few Kuna. A good tip is to buy something at a store with your Euros and ask for change in Kuna. The bus ride to "Old Town" will take about 10-15 minutes depending on traffic.

If you prefer, you can exit the ship and look for a taxi. You will want to confirm the fare to "Old Town" before driving off, but as of August 2009 the fare from the terminal to "Old Town" was only 10 Euros, and of course you can share a taxi with other people. You will want to be one of the first to "Old Town" because it gets very busy by 9:30 in the morning, and taking pictures becomes very difficult. Once at the "Old Town", walk straight down the main street and feel free to explore the side streets, as you'll find stores and restaurants that are less busy than those on the main road. Should you wish to walk on the old city walls, it will cost you 50 Kuna per person (or 7.5 Euros are also accepted). One tip, the view from the side of the walls by the hills are much better than the side by the water, so don't enter the city walls (just on your left) after you first pass through the "Old Town" gates. Instead, go straight through the gates and walk all the way down the main street until you reach the large square and the street turns to the right. Don't turn right, instead, keep going straight and you will see the smaller road you take turn left just after you leave the square and main road. Take the smaller road and after it turns left, just look for a sign on the wall to your right in many languages saying "City Wall". It will be after an entrance to a square and small marina on your right. Enter the city wall area and buy a ticket, it opens at 8 AM and if you are one of the first ones on the wall at that entrance by the hillside, you'll see some fantastic views of the city and will have very few people to contend with when taking your photos.

One very important tip about Dubrovnik - wear comfortable rubber soled shoes (sneakers) and if you are female, do NOT wear high heels! The reason is, the streets are marble and are very uneven, and can get very slippery if wet. Without the proper shoes the stairs are a bit treacherous, especially on the city walls. Other than that, the people of Dubrovnik speak English fairly well (although I didn't find them to be overly friendly), and the "Old Town" area is surrounded by city walls so you won't get lost - and there's only one main street. I would recommend doing this one on your own, leaving early and sharing a cab from the cruise ship, walking the city walls when you get there (remember not to enter right after you get in the gates, use the other entrance), and take the bus back to the ship (1A or 1B, you can catch it just down the street from the gates (just look for the blue bus stop sign, you don't even have to cross the street).

8) Venice, Italy - There is no city like Venice in the whole world. It is a city made up of several islands, connected by bridges and canals. There are NO cars in Venice (there are on the outskirts but not in Venice itself), so there are only two ways to get around in the city - walking and taking a boat. Should you choose to walk, wear comfortable shoes because although Venice is a relatively small city (you can walk from one end to the other in about an hour), it can be confusing without a good map and a good sense of direction and you might get lost! You can get ANYWHERE in Venice on foot, as the islands that make up the city are connected by bridges. Walking is the best way to see the city, because you'll experience the real flavor of Venice. You'll see a ton of small stores, cafes, restaurants, bars, and tourist spots that you won't see from a boat. Here are some tips for seeing the city by boat and by foot.

Walking - again, the best way to see Venice is by walking. Unless you have mobility issues or small children which prevent you from taking long walks, you'll want to walk through Venice. Some things to keep in mind:
a) Buy a good map of Venice - there are a billion tiny streets and you'll get hopelessly lost without one. The smaller the map the better, as you don't want to be unfolding a huge map of Venice in the middle of the street. Once you're walking around with your map, you'll notice that Venice has squares (large open areas with shops, churches, and restaurants) in a lot of places and unless you walk down a dead end street you'll enter a square often. These squares are called "Campos" followed by the name of the square. If you locate the "Campos" you are in on your map you'll know where you are. Don't worry too much about street names as there are just way too many to keep track of.
b) Wear comfortable walking shoes - ladies, no high heels! Sneakers work in Venice. You won't be the height of fashion but you'll be able to walk for a long time. There are a lot of bridges with steps in Venice and a lot of the streets are slightly uneven
c) If you are really concerned (see my comment "a" above) about street names, most street names are displayed in the side of buildings about 10 feet above the ground. There are no street signs like in North America so don't bother looking for the metal pole with the street name, just look above you and on the side of buildings. The names of the "Campos" are also in this area. The direction to major areas such as St Mark's square (St Marco) and the Rialto bridge are marked in certain areas by yellow plaques with black arrows about 10 feet above the street and on the sides of buildings
d) If you do get lost, don't panic! Most shop owners and restaurant staff speak some English, and almost all police officers do, and everyone we encountered when asking for directions was very friendly. Just ask which way to get to where you're going or ask how to get to the nearest "Campo" (assuming you can find it on a map once you get there). Also, remember Venice is an island, so eventually you'll hit water (so you can't just wander 500 miles away)
e) Stay hydrated and wear a hat - it is HOT in Venice in summer. As you walk you'll pass a million places that sell bottled water ("Frizzale" water is carbonated, "Naturale" or "Flat" is good old bottled water), and depending on what part of the city you're in water can be very inexpensive. If you buy a bottle of water near St Mark's square or a restaurant/bar you'll pay more, so try and buy water from one of the many snack bars or variety stores you'll see.
f) Walking from St. Mark's square to Piazzale Roma (basically one end of Venice to the other) will take you about 45 minutes, if you walk at a steady pace (not stopping for shopping or pictures) and if you don't get lost. So if you're new to Venice and you're not good with maps, give yourself about 90 minutes to walk from one part of Venice to the other side as I'm sure you'll be taking a ton of pics and you'll probably get turned around a couple times.

Taking a boat - if you have mobility issues or have small children, it's probably not best to walk around Venice for hours at a time. No worries if that's the case, you have a few choices for getting around Venice by boat:
a) Water bus - these are Venice's version of city buses, only they are boats called "Vaporetto" that travel around the islands and through the Grand Canal (the "s" shaped waterway that dissects the islands). You can buy unlimited travel with a "Venice Card" (just search Google for more details as we didn't buy one), or you can buy a pass good for a day or more. If you are going to use the Vaporetto very infrequently, just buy a ticket as you need it. Keep in mind each ticket is 6.5 Euros, so this can add up! If you are going to use the Vaporetto a lot, consider a tourist pass. They give you unlimited travel on the Vaporetto for the time period purchased (with the exception of the routes Alilaguna, Clodia and Fusina but you won't need these to get around the city). Pricing is 16 Euros for a 12 hour pass, 18 Euros for a 24 hour pass, 23 Euros for a 36 hour pass, 28 Euros for a 48 hour pass, 33 Euros for a 72 hour pass, and 50 Euros for a 7 day pass.

Whichever option you take, you can bring one luggage item per person of up to 150 cm as the sum of its three dimensions. Word of advice though - the vaporetto can get pretty crowded and Venetians tend to not like it when tourists bring luggage on board. If you have luggage, consider a water taxi.

Finally, if you buy a ticket or pass from the vaporetto station (located on the water where the Vaporetto stop), be sure to validate your ticket before you board the boat (ask the ticket booth attendant how to do this, it's basically a machine nearby that you put your ticket against, electronically registering it). If you buy a pass instead of a one-time ticket, I believe you just have to validate it once but you can ask just to make sure. If you do plan on taking the vaporetto to get around Venice, buy a pass since one ticket is 6.5 Euros. Plus you can use a pass to visit the nearby islands of Murano (famous for glass making) and Burano (famous for colured houses and lace making). Just ask any ticket both attendant how to get to Burano or Murano - by the way they are separate islands so you can't walk there!

b) Water taxi - these are Venice's version of land taxis, only MUCH more expensive! You really don't want to take water taxis everywhere unless you're rich. A water taxi can cost 80 Euros (although that's not per person, that's per taxi which can hold about 10-12 people without luggage and maybe 6-8 with luggage), and if you're going to the airport by water taxi, about 105 Euros (again, not per person but per taxi). You can imagine how fast this adds up if you take a few every day! If you`re just arriving in Venice and want to get to your hotel from the airport without the hassle of taking luggage on a vaporetto, a water taxi will work, but otherwise try and not use these a lot. Be sure to negotiate the fare before getting on board.

c) Gondola - these are small boats paddled by a guy in a striped uniform that sometimes will sing as he brings you where you want to go. Generally regarded as a romantic way to see Venice, it can also be one of the most expensive, and can cost about 80 Euros for a short trip (30 mins). It might be a fun thing to do once just for the experience, but don`t use these for everyday travel. Be sure to negotiate the fare before getting on board.

d) Traghetto - these are similar to gondolas, only they are just used to cross the Grand Canal and don`t go anywhere else so it`s a short ride - remember there are only a few bridges in Venice that cross the islands, so if you don`t want to walk around to the nearest bridge take one of these. I`m not sure how much they cost so ask when you get to a traghetto, although I`ve been told that it`s only .5 Euros per person to ride. So it is a very cheap way to cross the canal, although it won`t help you with sightseeing.

If you are close (specifically if your hotel is close) to the edge of Venice where cars are used and you`re able to take your luggage over a bridge when getting into or leaving Venice, you can also ride a bus or land taxi. They won`t be able to enter Venice but they can help you arrive from the airport or take you to the airport. Again, only use these if you`re able to enter Venice or leave Venice by foot as these won`t be able to go into the islands. I believe a bus to or from the airport (I think it was the number 5 bus) was only 2.5 Euros per person (not 100% sure but I know it was cheap) and they only allowed 1 piece of luggage per person. We took a land taxi to the airport and it cost us 35 Euros - much less than a water taxi and since we had four pieces of luggage for two people we couldn`t use a land bus. Again, remember what I said about taking luggage on a Vaporetto so we couldn`t do that. If you`re not going to be close to the edge of Venice when arriving or leaving, don`t use these, just take a water taxi. Dragging your luggage through the heart of Venice for 45 minutes to 90 minutes in the hot sun on busy streets can`t be fun!

While in Venice, remember this tip when picking a restaurant - if you see a table with fine cutlery and dinnerware and wine glasses, it will be expensive. If you don`t mind paying more for a great meal, by all means have a seat and relax as surely you will be about to enjoy a great meal. If you are on a budget though, skip these places and choose the ones without fancy table settings - you`ll see a ton of pizzerias, cafes, bakeries, and snack bars, and almost all of them have great food (at about half the price of the fancy places). Here`s a good tip for saving money on food - eat as you go. What I mean by that is stop at snack bars or bakeries to buy a bottle of water and a pastry or sandwich and eat and drink as you walk, or stop at a cafe for a quick bite and drink as you sit for a few minutes to get out of the sun.

Overall, we had a great time in Europe. Although we`ve only been there once and I`m sure there are a lot more tips out there to help you on your vacation to Europe, hopefully the tips I`ve provided will help you when planning yours. Enjoy and let me know how things went!

MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE - SUMMER 2009

TO BE POSTED SOON!!

Mexican Riviera - Hello Norwegian Star

After we disembarked from Holland America's MS Veendam, we went straight to the airport to catch our flight to LA as we will be cruising to the Mexican Riviera. Mexican Riviera is the second leg of our cruise. We're stoked! This is the first time that we will be doing a back to back cruise (Alaskan Cruise & Mexican Riviera).

At noon, we took a shuttle bus from our Los Angeles hotel to our new ship, the Norwegian Star, one of Norwegian Cruise Line's newer ships. It was built in 2001, and one of the things we noticed immediately upon boarding was that the decor was much fancier than the Veendam. The main atrium was massive, containing two shops, the shore excursion office, the main customer service desk, and a coffee bar. It was also an open concept with a grand staircase and balconies looking down on the atrium from the upper floors. The colours were a rich mix of red, gold, black, and green, with a few accent colours. There were a lot of comfortable chairs and it was a big bright area. We felt welcome immediately, greeted by a friendly server with champagne and orange juice with vodka. We explored the ship after a buffet lunch, and there were many specialty restaurants and also a lot of bars. The only bad thing we experienced was a huge throng of people. It was very crowded and there was barely room to move. Our stateroom was surprisingly big for an inside cabin, and well lit. The colours were rich and the bathroom was well designed and the whole room was clean. One of the things that we noticed was a letter welcoming us to the "Latitudes" program, which was a program to reward people cruising with NCL more than once, and this was our 2nd time. We would receive several benefits, including bonus internet access minutes, the use of a private meeting room, and an invitation to an exclusive party.

After a buffet dinner accentuated by the sounds of crying babies and shouting, hungry people, we went to the shops and then up to the internet cafe on the 9th deck to purchase 100 minutes of internet access, along with 15 free minutes for being members of the "Latitudes" program. We decided to work out in the gym before the 9 PM show in the theatre, and we liked the gym because there were more excercise machines than on our previous cruise, including six elliptical trainers, whereas the Veendam had only two. After a 30 minute workout, we went to the theatre and saw a show which previewed all the acts on the ship for the coming week. The singers and dancers were better than the Veendam, the comedian was very funny, and even the cruise director was funny. There would also be a magician and gymnasts later this week, although they didn't appear in the show. We returned to the cabin after the show, showered and went to bed.

Mexican Riviera - Sea Day

Jane woke up at 8 AM to go to the Atrium to e-mail her mother, and I got up shortly after. We decided not to go to the buffet because Jane heard that it was too crowded, instead we headed to one of the main dining rooms for breakfast. We arrived at the Aqua dining room on the 7th deck, and a smiling hostess proudly announced to us (and the entire dining room) that we were not allowed to dine there because it was only for people staying in a cabin with a balcony. She almost had the crowd wave goodbye to us as we quickly left the restaurant in shame, marked with a scarlet letter "P" (for Poor) on our foreheads. Norwegian Star 1, Ladermans 0. We went downstairs to the other main dining room, Versailles, on the 6th deck, and luckily we were allowed to dine with the other lowly people.

Following our breakfast, we realized that we didn't receive a daily program in our cabin, and we needed to find out if there was a self-serve laundry like there was on the Veendam. I enquired with the front desk on the 7th deck and got a program and was told that there was no self-serve laundry, we had to use their overpriced services. Norwegian Star 2, Ladermans 0. We went to make reservations for the sushi bar that night, and was told that we could just walk in, although we later made reservations for the Asian Fusion restaurant. After a coffee from the Java Cafe on the 7th deck, we headed upstairs to the internet cafe because it was nice and quiet. We entered a contest to win 500 free minutes of internet access, and even cheated by dropping over a dozen ballets in the entry box as the internet cafe manager wasn't there at the time. Despite our efforts, we did not win the free minutes. Norwegian Star 3, Ladermans 0.

After lunch, we saw an ice carving demonstration. The person carving the 300 pound block of ice was a Filipino worker, one of the chefs. He used three different types of chisels and reduced the block of ice to about 120 pounds, and the finished product looked like a dolphin! We took some amazing pictures of it, and the lady narrating the presentation kept yelling at the kids to stop going near the loose ice and throwing it in the pool. She was getting really mad and yelling at this one kid in particular, who didn't seem to care. We then considered some shore excursions as tomorrow we would be in Cabo San Lucas, and decided to wing it and find a tour after we got off the ship. We went to the Asian Fusion restaurant for dinner, and it was so filling and delicious, from the spring rolls and the pork BBQ ribs to the noodles, lemon shrimp and the oysters, to the three kinds of creme brulee for dessert. We were served by Louis and Rhea, and they were so friendly that I gave them a commendation to the manager of all the ship's restaurants. He didn't seem to care. Norwegian Star 4, Ladermans 0. We saw a show called "Music of the Night" in the theatre that night featuring the music of Andrew Lloyd Weber, and all the singers and dancers were good, but this one lady singer had an amazing, powerful voice. We couldn't believe that she hadn't been discovered yet. You never know, one day we might see her releasing an album and we could say we saw her perform live before she got famous.

Mexican Riviera - Cabo San Lucas

After breakfast we saw the ship dock in beautiful Cabo San Lucas. We knew that all the positive things we had heard about this place were true as soon as we looked at the view. Crystal clear blue water, amazing rock formations, and a fantastic waterfront greeted us. We lined up early for tickets to the tenders (the small boats that would take us to the pier), and luckily enough we got #55 and #56, which meant we'd be on the first two boats to go ashore. It was a good decision because it meant we got first crack at the independent shore excursions that were awaiting us past the pier. In reality, they got first crack at us! We were immediately accosted upon exiting the pier with rather aggressive tour promoters. They weren't rude, but they were very pushy and kept following us around. We made a hasty retreat into some stores and began to shop for a bathing suit and some shirts and shorts. Jane bought a bathing suit, but it was hard to find any good shirts and shorts, because either they wouldn't accept credit cards or they didn't have a good selection. Our big mistake was not bringing a lot of cash, we only had enough for the shore excursion, in fact we had no cash left at all after!

The shore excursion we decided upon was a boat ride showing us the beaches, snorkelling & swimming at Lover's Beach. The boat captain showed us the rock formations, the beaches, exotic pelicans, and even a close up view of a family of sea lions! He tried to call them over but they were sleeping on a large rock and didn't come over. He then dropped us off with another couple at a beach called "Lover's Beach" for an hour of snorkeling, and provided the gear. The views were amazing, the water was very blue, the sand was very unique (made up of large salt crystals and small shells), however the water was too rough to do any decent snorkeling. There were also too many boats and water taxis around to venture too far into the water unless you were willing to risk being hit by one. We just swam for a bit in the rough waters and took some pictures. It wasn't the greatest excursion for snorkeling but the swimming and beach were great, and we got a good price on the boat tour. After coming back to the shore, we decided to do more shopping and began to walk along the pier. To our dismay, there were no good stores to buy clothes, and we were constantly (every few seconds) getting approached by vendors selling their wares (cheap shirts, trinkets, and jewellery). Some of them were even children, it was quite sad. We wanted to get some more cash as most stores didn't accept credit cards, so we found an ATM. I excitedly withdrew what I thought would be $200 USD, to my dismay it turned out to be 200 pesos (about $10 USD). We did find a good restaurant, and indulged on tropical drinks and fresh seafood. Despite being bothered by vendors and a mariachi band while we ate, it was still quite good although rather expensive for a Mexican meal (about $40 USD).

We continued to try and find a good place to buy clothes that accepted credit cards, but to no avail. After about 40 minutes of walking, we made our way back to the pier area, and finally found a store that accepted credit cards and bought some clothes, postcards, and a baseball cap. After returning back to the ship, we changed and went to dinner at the sushi bar. We saw Louis and Rhea again, and also met the two sushi chefs, who were also Filipino. We joked around with everyone while we ate, met the restaurant manager again and also the ship's executive chef (who knew Gordon Ramsay), and even had the staff get the piano player in the lounge below to play a Filipino song. We had a great time and would go back before the end of the cruise. After dinner, we went to the casino and withdrew $200 USD so that we'd have enough cash for shopping the next day (we learned our lesson today that we needed USD). In the theatre, we saw a magic show in the theatre starring Murray. He was very funny, although his tricks were kind of lame in my opinion.