Italian cruise

[Sylvain]

On the topic of pickpockets, I usually wear an Eddie Bauer travel blazer when we go to Europe. It looks decent, is waterproof if you get caught in a sudden rain, and has zippered pockets on the inside. I use a front pocket wallet and keep my hand in my pocket in crowds, on the subway, etc. I keep anything else zipped inside my pocket. Don't look like a victim, if they see you see them they are more likely to pick an easier target. In Paris I had a middle aged guy paying way too much attention to me and I overtly paid a lot of attention to him in return. He peeled off. I never had any problems in Spain or Italy.

https://www.eddiebauer.com/p/134078...Y3URoCrVoQAvD_BwE&sizeType=Regular&sp=1&size=

And they are on sale at the moment!

Great for travel, passports fit in the inside zippered pocket easily and don't make a bulge, it doesn't wrinkle, and the aforementioned weatherproofing. Yeah, the material and the zipper mean it's more sportswear and less dressy, but I really really like mine.

I wouldn't worry too much about pick pockets though.
You just need to use common sense and you should be fine.

One simple thing you can do is separate your important documents from your cash.

You can get one of those very cheap ($5?) money belt thingy.

Some pickpockets will observe you to see where you keep your wallet, in places like restaurants, museums, anywhere you need to take it out in public.

You can have one wallet that you use to pay for everyday stuff, with just enough money for the day.
And a second one (or that you keep in a money belt thingy) where you keep your cash for the week, passport, hotel info, plane tickets and whatnot.

Some pickpockets will also bump into you to see where you keep your wallet, as you will most likely put your hand on it to make sure it's still there.

I've been to plenty of big European cities and never had any problem.

 

[Tactically Fat]

Note - we didn't go on a cruise...

But I bought one of these when we went back to the Dominica Republic last year. https://www.amazon.com/Lutema-Diver...ocphy=9016153&hvtargid=pla-443327205025&psc=1

it was perfect for storing a few hundred $ in $20s in.

 

[JollyMon]

I wasnt worried about pick pockets too much in Italy. We did take a few precautions, such as keeping money and passports in our backpacks in an inside pocket and I normally "braid" the zipper "stringy pull things" together which makes it a bit more difficult to open.

 

[doddg]

I wasnt worried about pick pockets too much in Italy. We did take a few precautions, such as keeping money and passports in our backpacks in an inside pocket and I normally "braid" the zipper "stringy pull things" together which makes it a bit more difficult to open.

We had friends spend 3 weeks in Italy.
We actually spent the evening with them tonight talking some of their experiences & plying them with questions.
They said they felt safe everywhere except Rome, and they were on their guard.

 

[Doug B]

I've been to those four of your list. I don't know how much time you'll have at each stop, or if you're having "free time" or guided tours, but each city is quite unique and has some incredible things to see and do.

We spent a week in Barcelona. The Sagrada Familia remains the most impressive man-made structure I've ever seen. Sant Pau hospital is also something to see and is within easy walking distance. There's some nice parks on the outskirts but you may want to get driven there if you aren't used to walking the hills.

Florence has a unique feel and the food isn't what we think of as "Italian". Plenty of historical and art related things to see and do, but don't skip the open air market. IIRC, the Davinci house was there, too.

Rome, get a Roma pass. It's a little swipe card that gives you a lot of discounts and lets you in a certain number of "major" and "minor" attractions. You can skip the line and just go to the special Roma Pass gate, swipe your card, and enter. Use one of your swipes at the Colosseum. The line for people with tickets would have taken hours, there were only 3 people ahead of us for Roma Pass and we were in within a couple minutes. Huge time saver.

Naples, we stayed with a buddy of mine for a full week. Be prepared to eat a lot of pizza, maybe broken up with seafood at the docks, then more pizza. Take the bus to Pompeii if you have time. If you want to climb the trail to Mt. Vesuvius wear good shoes. Then eat more pizza. Skip the street vendor "pizzata" stuff, get real pizzas. Do some research on what it takes to get a license to sell pizza in Naples and you'll see why. Underground Naples is a fun tour. I forget the name of the big marketplace that sells a bit of everything but focuses on wood carvings, but it's worth checking out.

I spent a week in Milan and Florence. Florence is amazing.

The science museum there was outstanding. the museum that has the statue of David was worth visiting. And the big church in the center of Florence. There is an art garden high up on a hill that overlooks Florence as well. You can see the whole city. Very cool. Be sure to tour around the river that runs they town. I really liked Florence. Would like to spend a solid one weeks there to explore more.

 

[warren5421]

Remember to let your CC companies know you are going. If you don't the cards may not work. Had it happen in England once have not made that mistake again. I do one or two cruises a year and have found that an inside room is just as good as the higher priced ones. On board ships there is so much to do you are in your room to sleep or change cloths most of the time. It is dark in an inside room so take a night light if you need light at night. Leave your pen knife/pocket knife home. Ships don't like you having a knife. You will go through a metal detector every time you board the ship.

 

[doddg]

I spent a week in Milan and Florence. Florence is amazing.
The science museum there was outstanding. the museum that has the statue of David was worth visiting. And the big church in the center of Florence. There is an art garden high up on a hill that overlooks Florence as well. You can see the whole city. Very cool. Be sure to tour around the river that runs they town. I really liked Florence. Would like to spend a solid one weeks there to explore more.

I have friends that have commented on that museum & it sounds exactly what would be terrific!
One woman (20 yrs. my senior) that I've known for 30 yrs. now, who is a real "pistol" told the story how she was looking/studying the statue of David, and suddenly remarked that the phallic member looked just like her husband's.
I thought I was going to choke on my laughter: didn't see that coming!

Remember to let your CC companies know you are going. If you don't the cards may not work. Had it happen in England once have not made that mistake again. I do one or two cruises a year and have found that an inside room is just as good as the higher priced ones. On board ships there is so much to do you are in your room to sleep or change cloths most of the time. It is dark in an inside room so take a night light if you need light at night. Leave your pen knife/pocket knife home. Ships don't like you having a knife. You will go through a metal detector every time you board the ship.

Yes! I have heard about that!
Fortunately, my daughter does enough traveling that I was aware of the cc thing.
We've only been on 1 cruise, around the Caribbean for our 30th Anniversary, I think.
Never spent any time in the room, as you said.
Being a teacher, I'm well aware that a simple pen knife, like you carried as an elementary student, is now a weapon of war/death, and we teachers are not adult enough to carry one in our pocket.

 

[JettaKnight]

My idea of a good time is watching the travel channels, like Rick Steves on PBS. I record him to watch at my leisure.

If you ever get a chance to see him speak, it's well worth it. He's smart and pretty much a libertarian.


We watched his episode on Bulgaria, and it features some craftsmen in Veliko Tarnovo... we just happened to stumble into the same shop and I immediately recognized the guy! He said he gets a lot of tourist that recognize him.



We spent ten days in the EU's poorest country and never really saw any shady characters / pickpockets (believe me I looked), and nobody thought any less of us for being American. A few years ago in Latvia we were mistaken for Finns at the local sauna - I wasn't trying to hide my nationality.


At least with my CC, the exchange rates suck (added fee), so I always hit the nearest bank ATM when I get to a new country. It's fast, and the exchange rates are going to be far better than anything else. And if you bring some Euros home, then you've got some ready for when you go to Europe again.

 

[doddg]

Daughter & husband visiting from Nashville TN this holiday.
They drove their recently bought 2015 Corvette.
I told her it's IN and if the snow comes she might have to fly home and leave the 'Vette here.

Been having some good conversations about what we'll do at the different ports for tours: go independently, take group tours or find our own when we get there.
Our daughter & husband have some experience with such things so that helps.
I'm excited about seeing things in person that I have talked about and shown vids of in History & Geography classes over the last 5 different decades (1975 - 2019).
Going to sell three .22LR guns (2 revolvers & on bolt-action rifle) to help pay for this Italy cruise, with 2 more possibles on the list.
I've already trimmed down to pay for house upgrades, but I keep picking up yet another handgun here & there and recently .22LR rifles (since I discovered optics ).

I had a fellow teacher I taught with who literally every school vacation travelled somewhere with his wife visiting & taking pics and would show those in his Social Studies classes.
His wife made 3x more money with a law firm: her salary paid the bills, his salary paid for travelling: nice arrangement.

Parked in front our house. I couldn't believe they drove it up from Nashville with weather turning: kids!

 

[doddg]

I feel the pressure building with the cruise coming up in April.
Been having issues with inflammation in the left hip that I am supposed to have replaced when the pain drives me to it.
I was worried about the deterioration of the socket since the Dr. says I've been bone on bone for years now, and got a scan to make sure it isn't ready to crumble, especially when I'm oversees.
He says I'm just lucky the pain hasn't gotten unbearable yet like the right hip did before replacement: the pain cycle hasn't got as bad as the right hip yet when I'm not pushing it.
I got the go ahead to go on the cruise, though, after taking a scan of it.
Going to get a cortisone shot in the hip & Dr. prescribed some celebrex pain killers to use when I need them.

The hassle now is pre-scheduling tours.
I know I can't do an all day (or 1/2 day) rugged or active tours & need to stick with shorter, kinder & gentler leisurely tours, but I don't want to hold my wife back from going with the daughter & leave me stranded at port.
Yes, waiting till retirement to travel is coming back to bite me.
I told her I'm fine & I've seen everything in my Geography classes showing vids at school & from watching Rick Steve's PBS travel tours.
I have my own private set all of his seasons of "Europe."
You can pay alot more and do a private tours, which is an option in Rome, but I want her to go on a 7 hr. all day tour with the daughter even though I couldn't do it.

 

[doddg]

Not going to be an Italian cruise for all the obvious reasons.
Daughter & husband willing to take the offer Royal Caribbean made about doing Spain instead.
We're not.
Don't know what all the options are at this point as far as other choices & especially time frames.
It will be interesting to know how much of our monies will be able to be recovered.
Not everything is recoverable.

 

[OurDee]

Cruises are funny about knives. Main thing I have started carrying is a cane. Airlines let me carry it on. One of the best weapons and old people don't get looked at twice. You can take them with you to court too. There are courses for cane fighting. If a place stops you from taking your cane in, they provide you a loaner cane.

 

[ditcherman]

Not going to be an Italian cruise for all the obvious reasons.
Daughter & husband willing to take the offer Royal Caribbean made about doing Spain instead.
We're not.
Don't know what all the options are at this point as far as other choices & especially time frames.
It will be interesting to know how much of our monies will be able to be recovered.
Not everything is recoverable.

Im sorry to hear this but it seems the wise thing to do considering. I know you were really looking forward to this, from reading through this. Keep making plans and stay optimistic!

 

[rob63]

Not going to be an Italian cruise for all the obvious reasons.
Daughter & husband willing to take the offer Royal Caribbean made about doing Spain instead.
We're not.
Don't know what all the options are at this point as far as other choices & especially time frames.
It will be interesting to know how much of our monies will be able to be recovered.
Not everything is recoverable.

Really sorry to hear this. It was obvious you were looking forward to it. FWIW, I was on a Royal Caribbean ship that had to deter to NYC instead of going to Bermuda due to a hurricane. They first offered us coupons for half off another cruise, but changed it to a free cruise of equal value after people started posting complaints on social media.

I recently called off plans to go to Malaysia and Singapore in May for the same reason as your trip being cancelled. My wife has a business trip scheduled and I was going to go too. Her trip hasn't been called off yet, she expects it will be, but I decided I didn't want to take a chance on being quarantined in a foreign country or finding out what their health care system is like.

 

[doddg]

Im sorry to hear this but it seems the wise thing to do considering. I know you were really looking forward to this, from reading through this. Keep making plans and stay optimistic!

Really sorry to hear this. It was obvious you were looking forward to it. FWIW, I was on a Royal Caribbean ship that had to deter to NYC instead of going to Bermuda due to a hurricane. They first offered us coupons for half off another cruise, but changed it to a free cruise of equal value after people started posting complaints on social media.
I recently called off plans to go to Malaysia and Singapore in May for the same reason as your trip being cancelled. My wife has a business trip scheduled and I was going to go too. Her trip hasn't been called off yet, she expects it will be, but I decided I didn't want to take a chance on being quarantined in a foreign country or finding out what their health care system is like.

Thanks! I was only going on this trip b/c it is on my wife's bucket list, so no personal disappointment on my end.
I don't have the travel bug, unless it is to go sit in an old friend's living room out of state and just visit.
I'd have preferred a different approach to visiting Europe (rather than just Italy), but since I worked 2 jobs & through the summers my whole life, I feel like I owe the wife her "dream vacation."
My favorite vacation of recent years was an all-inclusive vacation with my daughter & husband in Cancun at the Hyatt.
Water, food, conversation, on-site local shows with nothing hurried: my idea of fun.
I don't get too impressed with seeing something in person.
I've been to the Grand Canyon twice & it was awesome, but not worth the pain of days of driving (I happened to be there on business or visiting friends), probably b/c of my decades of seeing the world on media through the decades as a Social Studies teacher.
A friend across the hall traveled EVERY school vacation & still travels retired.
I did envy his being able to show sites around the world with his picture in them, while I was showing the latest series of whatever World Geography vids that I was using.

 

[KMaC]

Not going to be an Italian cruise for all the obvious reasons.
Daughter & husband willing to take the offer Royal Caribbean made about doing Spain instead.
We're not.

Good call. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cruise-ships-coronavirus-anthony-fauci_n_5e64fd8ac5b60557280678fc

 

[doddg]

I was hoping to get 50% of our money refunded that was paid for this Italian cruise, but with "credits" for the cruise & airplane tickets & Tours, & motels in New York & Barcelona, I was afraid that wasn't going to happen.
Last week we got some more refunds that were in dispute & we ended up getting 75% of our $4500 back.
Being grateful for a loss of 25% is a definite sign of the new culture we are in.
My daughter didn't get as much refund since she is not old & sickly like us, nearly 68 & 70 yrs. old.
My wife wrote a letter about all our health issues & how we weren't going to be able to travel so the credits were of no use: it worked for some of it at least.

I have a friend who was taking his family to England this summer & he can't even get a refund from the motel where they were booked for a week.
They keep making up excuses why they can't refund, & once even replied that they are open so he can bring his family, just change the date: BUT YOU CAN'T TRAVEL.

I have actually been open to the idea of a small RV & touring the country.
I have a cousin who is a retired Dr. & he sold his practice & took his wife & mother (amazingly stlll alive) & toured the country for 2 YEARS!
They came by & visited here in Indy & I was amazed at what they were doing.
I don't think I'd last 2 months doing that.

 

[KittySlayer]

I have a friend who was taking his family to England this summer & he can't even get a refund from the motel where they were booked for a week.
They keep making up excuses why they can't refund, & once even replied that they are open so he can bring his family, just change the date: BUT YOU CAN'T TRAVEL.

That is because the motel has no cash! They spent the deposit as soon as they got it and now they have no incoming cash(*) to refund his money and are probably struggling to pay their operating expenses daily.

(*) Low occupancy plus no new cash since everyone staying is using credits.