What Makes an Enjoyable Port

Here is a question for everyone.

What makes a port attractive - one that would cause you to definitely
book a cruise that included it? [As opposed to a port that you know
that you won't even get off the ship]

Would it be one that you have visited before by land?
Would it be one that you have visited before by ship?
Or would it be one that you have never been to?

Or would it be the activities that you have done or expect to do that
would make it a desirable port of call?

On 4/4/10 8:27 AM, wrote:

Here is a question for everyone.

What makes a port attractive - one that would cause you to definitely
book a cruise that included it? [As opposed to a port that you know
that you won't even get off the ship]

Would it be one that you have visited before by land?
Would it be one that you have visited before by ship?
Or would it be one that you have never been to?

Or would it be the activities that you have done or expect to do that
would make it a desirable port of call?



Good question. And as I think about it... sometimes it's just a matter
of circumstances. Or luck. Or simply the weather.

Take for instance... our Norway sailing.

We had reservations for a boat ride in the town of Stavanger to go up
along the Fjord to see Pulpit Rock, but they overbooked the boat and
forced us to wait until another boat could be found a few hours later.
It was raining. We later felt rushed. I had high expectations... and
we had an overall a yucky day.

In Geiranger, one of the most beautiful places on earth, it was cloudy
and drizzling. Mountains were in the rain clouds. No point going to
the top when it's totally clouded in. Again high expectations, and
again a yucky day.

In Trondheim, I had no idea what to expect... and the weather was great.
We found a neat old time bridge (like an old Troll Bridge), a
beautiful old cathedral, a museum right next door, and an art museum
across the street. Walking the streets was fun and we had a local beer
in the town square. Plus I bought a pair of narrow, European looking
eye glass frames from a shop. Low expectations... but ended up with a
really fun day.

Tromso, way north of the Arctic Circle, was also a day of no
expectations, having never been there before, and it's not a place like
Paris or Rome where you go with high expectations simply because of what
it is. We again had great weather, and had a very nice day.

At the North Cape, we had an 80 degree day about as far north as you can
go... totally cool (or should I say warm...). The globe monument,
according to some in our group, was a bit "touristy", but then so is the
Eiffel Tower. At Honnigsvag, the town where the ship anchored, we
grabbed a local beer at a local hang out. It was a fun and memorable
day for me.

In Flam, we did the train ride through the mountains, and then walked
around the area, over hills, along the streams and waterfalls, on a
beautiful day. We probably hiked most of the afternoon. That was a day
of high expectations, and it turned out a great day.

In Bergen, our last stop, we had a lovely day but the ship sailed in the
very early afternoon. So the morning was very rushed instead of relaxed.

So I guess a lot of it has to do with weather. Also an activity you
like to do. I still recall my day golfing in Dublin a few years ago.
Same with golfing in Bermuda on multiple occasions. A great place to
snorkel (St. John, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Bermuda) is always a
highlight. A beautiful city like Copenhagen. Or the museums and
palaces in St. Petersburg. Walking the cobblestone streets of
Edinburgh, past places right out of a Harry Potter movie.

And sometimes it might not even BE a port... just sailing past the
location where Titanic rests while on the QM2 was memorable. Or sailing
into New York Harbor early in the morning. Like our ancestors did many
decades ago. That was emotional, knowing my Mom and Grand Parents came
to the US from Europe on the Ille de France.

But I guess lastly, being at a particular place with friends and family
always makes it more special and more enjoyable.

--Tom

The lack of things that make a port call not enjoyable, i.e.:

People yelling asking Taxi, Taxi, when you have already told the other
Taxi Hawkers that you don't want a taxi.

People selling, begging or otherwise bothering disembarking passengers.

Pickpocket, robbers, rip-offs and other criminals

Local police who will do anything to harass tourists and will do nothing
to make the locals behave.

Tourists spend more money when they are not bothered at all, or they
will lock up their wallets and go back on the ship spending nothing.

While the offending ports are usually found in the Caribbean, Africa,
and the Mediterranean, not all ports in these regions have this problem.

Even ports and cities in Florida allow begging and selling on the
medians of the roads and sign twirlers all over the shopping streets
that certainly lower the value of the tourist destinations.

Fortunately, cruise lines and destinations are wise to build private
port facilities in Roatan, Grand Turk,, Falmouth,, Costa Maya and at the
private islands where the passenger can relax unbothered and unmolested.

Gadget

wrote in message
...

Here is a question for everyone.

What makes a port attractive - one that would cause you to definitely
book a cruise that included it? [As opposed to a port that you know
that you won't even get off the ship]

Would it be one that you have visited before by land?
Would it be one that you have visited before by ship?
Or would it be one that you have never been to?

Or would it be the activities that you have done or expect to do that
would make it a desirable port of call?


Hi,

The problem isn't really identifying the ports, it's prioritizing and then
living long enough. (Dreams don't need money, so I'll assume I have
enough). There are so many sexy places in the world that I have dreamed of
most of my life, how do I rank them? Paris, Rome, Athens, Egypt, Australia,
South Pacific, The Riviera, St. Petersburg, the list goes on. I've been
fortunate enough to get to a lot of my "places", but there are many I won't
make. That's ok, you always need that next dream to wait and wish for. I
guess my next wish would be a repeat, going back to Morea, Bora Bora and
Tahiti. The South Seas have always been special to me. I would fish, watch
sunsets and buy black and gold pearls, among other things. The best part is
the long boat ride to get there and back.

Harry Cooper

On Sun, 04 Apr 2010 09:45:26 -0400, Tom K
wrote:

On 4/4/10 8:27 AM, wrote:

Here is a question for everyone.

What makes a port attractive - one that would cause you to definitely
book a cruise that included it? [As opposed to a port that you know
that you won't even get off the ship]

Would it be one that you have visited before by land?
Would it be one that you have visited before by ship?
Or would it be one that you have never been to?

Or would it be the activities that you have done or expect to do that
would make it a desirable port of call?



Good question. And as I think about it... sometimes it's just a matter
of circumstances. Or luck. Or simply the weather.

So that was what made the ports enjoyable on the first visit. What
ones would you book again or what ones would you take one itinerary
over another just because a specific port was on it.

For instance, I would always pick a cruise that went to Bermuda over
one that did not. The same for Tortola. And if I were booking a
Baltic cruise, I would want one that had Tallinn because I'd like to
go back there.

Take for instance... our Norway sailing.

We had reservations for a boat ride in the town of Stavanger to go up
along the Fjord to see Pulpit Rock, but they overbooked the boat and
forced us to wait until another boat could be found a few hours later.
It was raining. We later felt rushed. I had high expectations... and
we had an overall a yucky day.

In Geiranger, one of the most beautiful places on earth, it was cloudy
and drizzling. Mountains were in the rain clouds. No point going to
the top when it's totally clouded in. Again high expectations, and
again a yucky day.

In Trondheim, I had no idea what to expect... and the weather was great.
We found a neat old time bridge (like an old Troll Bridge), a
beautiful old cathedral, a museum right next door, and an art museum
across the street. Walking the streets was fun and we had a local beer
in the town square. Plus I bought a pair of narrow, European looking
eye glass frames from a shop. Low expectations... but ended up with a
really fun day.

Tromso, way north of the Arctic Circle, was also a day of no
expectations, having never been there before, and it's not a place like
Paris or Rome where you go with high expectations simply because of what
it is. We again had great weather, and had a very nice day.

At the North Cape, we had an 80 degree day about as far north as you can
go... totally cool (or should I say warm...). The globe monument,
according to some in our group, was a bit "touristy", but then so is the
Eiffel Tower. At Honnigsvag, the town where the ship anchored, we
grabbed a local beer at a local hang out. It was a fun and memorable
day for me.

In Flam, we did the train ride through the mountains, and then walked
around the area, over hills, along the streams and waterfalls, on a
beautiful day. We probably hiked most of the afternoon. That was a day
of high expectations, and it turned out a great day.

In Bergen, our last stop, we had a lovely day but the ship sailed in the
very early afternoon. So the morning was very rushed instead of relaxed.

So I guess a lot of it has to do with weather. Also an activity you
like to do. I still recall my day golfing in Dublin a few years ago.
Same with golfing in Bermuda on multiple occasions. A great place to
snorkel (St. John, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Bermuda) is always a
highlight. A beautiful city like Copenhagen. Or the museums and
palaces in St. Petersburg. Walking the cobblestone streets of
Edinburgh, past places right out of a Harry Potter movie.

And sometimes it might not even BE a port... just sailing past the
location where Titanic rests while on the QM2 was memorable. Or sailing
into New York Harbor early in the morning. Like our ancestors did many
decades ago. That was emotional, knowing my Mom and Grand Parents came
to the US from Europe on the Ille de France.

But I guess lastly, being at a particular place with friends and family
always makes it more special and more enjoyable.

--Tom

On 4/4/2010 8:33 PM, John Sisker wrote:
To us, the worst place to seek advice if from those on the pier with
their hand out.

We've had great advice from volunteers on the piers, in tents or handing
out maps and folders, in ports like Bar Harbor, Charlottetown, Astoria,
Akureyri, Queensferry, Belfast, Alesund, Auckland and Christchurch.
Frequently, with a group of four people or more you can get great
private tours for less than half the typical excursion price without
wasting time on forced souvenir shop stops. The typical taxi driver
waiting on the pier in many places like these is a decent, knowledgeable
person.

Would book a cruise to egypt in a heart beat,would really love to go
back there,andalso would book a cruise that went to pompai,with a full
day there.





cruise lover(~~~~~)






..

What makes a port attractive - one that would cause you to
definitely
book a cruise that included it? [As opposed to a port that you
know
that you won't even get off the ship]

Would it be one that you have visited before by land?
Would it be one that you have visited before by ship?
Or would it be one that you have never been to?

Or would it be the activities that you have done or expect to do
that
would make it a desirable port of call?


The first thing that springs to mind is how we visit the port. Is
it tender or dock? With a scooter to wrestle, that means a lot.
I also consider what we find ashore in terms of accessibility?
Are there sidewalks and curb cuts for the scooter?

Another factor involves what merchant activities are ashore near
the access point. With all due respect, I don't care if I ever
see a Diamond's Internations, Tanzanite International or other
multi-port retailer. That's all they a little if anything not
found in any city in the country. We aren't into Tanzanite,
diamonds, jewels, jewelery, designer clothes/luggage etc. We do
enjoy buying little examples of local crafts. Our recent shore
excursion in Honduras was an example of a "good" port. The ship
was docked with a low slope to the ramp. We could roll ashore
without assistance. The facilities were new and while there were
taxis willing to take folk to "see the countryside," about all we
wanted to do was explore the straw market.

It was inside, in a new accessible building and there was a small
band with "native" dancers for entertainment. There were a few
places selling water, soda, beer and drinks, but there were 200 or
more stalls selling hand made or locally made things like place
mats, belts etc.

There were no beggars, no shadowy people, it was clean and seemed
to be as safe as possible. You could go exploring from any number
of stalls for diving, tram line, sightseeing etc. with pickup and
drop off right by the ship.

We also like private islands for these reasons.

Turn offs in any port are long, wet tender rides, lack of
accessibility to shore and lack of accessibility ashore. I never
liked some Mexican ports where it was a given fact that the cab
ride "to the beach" might be $5pp, but the return would be $10pp
and would even increase more the later you waited. I don't like a
rip-off or to feel at the mercy of the locals. I don't like being
approached by aggressive vendors, like I encountered in Trinidad
Tobago, either. When I say "No," to a vendor, I don't want the
item placed in my pocket, my hand grabbed and the item placed in
it or to have my path blocked or to be herded "to the shortcut to
the bus." I don't like a cab driver offering to sell me drugs or
to take me to a house of negotiable affection. (Gosh, I just
described the cabs in Las Vegas grin).

Above all, I like to have the feeling (right or wrong) that I'm
safe and welcome in a port, that Mrs. Nonny can get around on her
scooter, and that we will be treated fairly by the merchants and
cab drivers.

--
Nonny
Suppose you were an idiot.
And suppose you were a member
of Congress.... But then I repeat myself.'

-Mark Twain
..

On 4/4/10 3:34 PM, wrote:


So that was what made the ports enjoyable on the first visit. What
ones would you book again or what ones would you take one itinerary
over another just because a specific port was on it.

For instance, I would always pick a cruise that went to Bermuda over
one that did not. The same for Tortola. And if I were booking a
Baltic cruise, I would want one that had Tallinn because I'd like to
go back there.

I don't think I've visited many places in Europe that I wouldn't go back
to again in a heart beat. One exception might be Belfast (not much
going on). Wasn't crazy about Helsinki either. All the other Baltics
ports were great. As were all the Norway ports on the Fjord side.

Any Caribbean/Bermuda port that had either good snorkeling, good
beaches, good golf, or good local beer.... and I can be PRETTY happy.
About the only places in the Caribbean area on my "don't care to go
back" are Trinidad, Aruba, St. Kitts, Nassau, and Key West.

--Tom

Tom K wrote:
On 4/4/10 3:34 PM, wrote:


So that was what made the ports enjoyable on the first visit. What
ones would you book again or what ones would you take one itinerary
over another just because a specific port was on it.

For instance, I would always pick a cruise that went to Bermuda over
one that did not. The same for Tortola. And if I were booking a
Baltic cruise, I would want one that had Tallinn because I'd like to
go back there.

I don't think I've visited many places in Europe that I wouldn't go back
to again in a heart beat. One exception might be Belfast (not much
going on). Wasn't crazy about Helsinki either. All the other Baltics
ports were great. As were all the Norway ports on the Fjord side.

Any Caribbean/Bermuda port that had either good snorkeling, good
beaches, good golf, or good local beer.... and I can be PRETTY happy.
About the only places in the Caribbean area on my "don't care to go
back" are Trinidad, Aruba, St. Kitts, Nassau, and Key West.

--Tom


Hi Tom,

Why not Key West?

Just curious.

Clay