European Travel Tips and Practical Advice

Here are some recommendations and tips to help travelers to Europe prepare their trips & enjoy them safely.

Ø  Currency:  For our British Isles trip: Euros are used in Amsterdam, Ireland (except for Northern Ireland),  and Belgium.  British Pounds (pound sterling, GBP) are used in Northern Ireland (Belfast), Scotland, and Liverpool.  In Guernsey (St. Peter Port), the currency is the Guernsey Pound, but they will accept the British Pound there. (Tip: If you exchange currency for the Guernsey Pound, it will likely not be accepted anywhere except Guernsey).   Ken and I generally get some Euros before leaving home, but we also use ATMs in Europe (where the exchange rate is better).  American Express cards are not as widely accepted as they are in the U.S., but Visa and MasterCard are accepted almost everywhere.  Be sure to have a four digit PIN number.  Most ATMs in Europe, as well as subway token dispensers, require a credit/debit card with an embedded chip. Make sure that you travel with a credit card that has a chip.

Ø  Notify your credit card company that you will be in Europe & which countries you will be visiting.

Ø  Make copies of your passports and credit cards. Leave one copy with family or friends. Take a photo with your cell phone for your records.

Ø  Pickpockets are common throughout Europe, especially in tourist areas.  Do not keep a wallet in your back pocket; wear a secure money holder. 

Ø  Toilets: In Europe the bathrooms (or WCs aka water closets) can be a challenge. Always have a few coins of local currency with you, as you may be charged for the privilege of using the WC.  Of course, my favorite option is to locate a cafe, pub, trattoria, or bistro and stop for a glass of local wine, beer, or caffe & then there is no charge for the WC!  You may find a toilet seat or you may find a trough type toilet that you are supposed to squat over. If you are lucky, you will find toilet paper, but often as not, you must provide your own. I always carry a small pouch of Kleenex with me for this purpose. Once you complete your business, it can be a challenge figuring out how to flush the toilet. You may have to push, pull or wiggle any type of handle you can find within arm’s (or leg’s) reach.

Ø  Check with your insurance company to make sure your medical insurance covers out of country expenses.

Ø  Internet service:  Internet cafes are inexpensive & easy to locate.  Wi-Fi is generally available at McDonald’s restaurants worldwide.

Ø  Cell phone:  if you plan to use one, check with your provider regarding international calls.   We purchased an international cell phone online from Mobal. The cost of an international phone is as low a $29 and there are no further fees or charges unless you make or receive calls.  Note that some of the Mobal phones will not work within the U.S. and calling rates are reasonable. 

Ø  Clothing:  Comfortable shoes are a must.  You could walk a lot and there are many cobblestone streets throughout Europe.  In cathedrals, knees & shoulders should be covered; open-toe shoes and sandals are fine.  I pack a light weight shawl in my backpack. 

Ø  Baggage Allowance:  Check with your airline; most airlines allow each passenger one personal item (such as a purse),  one carry-on, and one checked bag of up to 50 pounds. 

Ø  Packing:  What to wear for the overseas flight?  Be comfortable as what you wear will also be your jammies for the night!  Wear layers so that when you arrive at your destination you can be comfy there too!  (Your hotel room may not be ready).  Wear shoes that are easy to remove when going through airport security.  I generally take a large purse as well as a backpack for my carryon, in addition to my large lightweight piece of luggage to check.  Be sure to pack your medications, jewelry, airline tickets, passports, camera & accessories, laptop, Ipad, and other valuables in your purse or carry-on.  Take a book to read and eyeglasses; don’t forget your sunglasses!    Mark your checked luggage well with colored tape, ribbon, etc. so that you can easily identify it & be sure that your name & address information is on the bag. Don’t take good jewelry; it’s fun to purchase locally made jewelry as souvenirs.
  

Electricity

Your stateroom will have 110/220AC outlets; so you won't need any adapters while onboard.

In hotels:  Bathroom sockets are usually for razors only. In Europe, most voltage is 220-240, whereas the common voltage in the United States is 110. Therefore, you will want to bring a converter with you to prevent burning out your personal items or tripping the circuit. A converter is an electronic device designed to reduce 220 volts to 110 volts for small electrical items (hairdryers, irons, phones, etc.). You will also need an adapter to enable your American plug to fit into a foreign outlet. You may need to switch your adapter when changing countries (electrical outlets vary throughout Europe). Adapter and/or converter kits that include a range of plugs can be purchased at electrical supply stores. Kits can also be found at most Wal-Mart, Target, etc. stores.

Remember “The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”
St. Augustine

Dublin Private Tour Info

Dublin, Ireland:  I found this tour highly recommended on Tripadvisor and booked it!  When we last visited Dublin, we did "it on our own", via the hop-on hop-off bus tour.  It was a nice tour and we stayed on for the entire loop to get an overview of this vibrant city.  So, this time, I want to get a more in-depth view by taking a private walking tour.  Denny's tour meets my criteria of a bit of history, culture, food, beer, and music with a private guide for a 5 to 6  hour  walking tour.  Here's the description:

Denny’s DublinTours:  Don’t just see Dublin; be a part of it!

Denny’s description of our tour:

We´ll start with some sightseeing at 10:30 am, we´ll visit Dublin City Hall, Dublin Castle and the old city walls we´ll meet the famous Molly Malone. That´ll be about an hour or an hour so it´ll be time for a pint of Guinness. I´ll take you to one of Dublin´s authentic pubs where you´ll get a lesson on how to prepare a pint of Guinness. It´s a little bit of science and a little bit of magic, then everyone can go behind the bar and pour their own pint. 

Then we´ll visit Trinity College, Grafton Street and take a stroll through the Temple Bar area where there are dozens of pubs packed close together. Most of these pubs cater wholly to the tourist market and aren´t very authentic but there are 1 or 2 local gems there which we´ll visit and get lunch in. We´ll aim for lunch at about 1:30.

After lunch there is one more part of the tour. We´ll head across the river to the O´Connell Street area and follow the footsteps of the 1916 rebellion (2016 being the centenary year this is a must) we´ll meet Daniel O´Connell and learn about Catholic Emancipation, the potato famine and the eventual founding of the Irish Republic. Probably another hour for this and it´ll be high time for another pint and some Irish music. We offer cultural workshops in traditional Irish dancing, playing the bodhran (ancient Irish drum) and traditional ballad singing. So after your day in Dublin you´ll basically BE Irish. 

This itinerary would take us up until about 4/4:30pm which would make a fantastic day in Dublin and give you a couple hours before you head back to the ship for some souvenirs, or maybe more Guinness ;) 

This full itinerary would come to €59 per person. And this includes a welcome pint of Guinness for everybody. 

Here's a link to a recent Tripadvisor review from summer 2015.