holidayqueen47

I have just had an updated invoice as I have added on some extra things (cruise booked Jan 2018) and it says service charges are included but then says they are mandatory.  Booked in UK for Med cruise.  

Hi, I was considering it before our cruise and when I phoned the man I spoke to said the exchange rate was whatever the exchange rate that day was, think was 1.28 dollar to the pound when I googled it and that's what he quoted. That was beginning of July, so looking on currency converter just now its 1.30 dollars to the pound. He did seem to search on google for the current rate whilst I was on the phone. I didn't actually buy it in the end but hopefully he was correct with his info.

Seeing this as an option for transport to Rome and back to port. I believe it is 19 euros pp for roundtrip. Last info I can find is from 2015.

Hi believe from my research that the trip is actually with civitatours and they and Tuscany bus sell tickets for this. We were going to book before we went but decided to try for the train as would get to Rome earlier. The Civitatours/Smartours bus leaves at 9.30am. When we got to the station we could get to Rome but the metro in Rome was on strike so we made our way back to cruise terminal and booked then with Civitatours for the Panorama tour. The people doing the 19euros get dropped off in Rome and then have a designated meeting point for journey back later in day. The Panoramic tour includes getting off at different places (Vatican for about 1.5hrs, back on bus for a tour, off at Colosseum for about 20 minutes, back on bus and then off at Trevi fountain and you get about 2 hours free time to go to Pantheon, Piazza Navona etc and make your way back to a designated meeting point for the return bus. The Classical you have the guide that is on the bus with everyone but the guide will stay with you at the Vatican and walk you presume highlighting things from trevi fountain to Pantheon etc back to bus. Everyone is given a map on the bus with highlighted routes (I believe even the people just doing the 19 euros return) We felt we got to see a lot of Rome in a short time and were back in plently of time for the ship. We didn't actually depart Civitavecchia until about 9.40 as they try to sell as many seats to people coming off the ship as they can. Hope this helps

Hi

Did you go to the MDR using MT or traditional?

Was the MDR full ?

Thank you

 

 

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Went to MDR every night and had my time dining. Did make reservations for varying times each night but didn't always work out that they suited so sometimes were earlier or a bit later but always were seated straight away at same table. There didn't seem to be much of a queue either for non reservations. The ship was also full as there was signs saying no upgrades available due to ship being full. The tables were mostly occupied most nights

Does anyone know the shows on the current Western Med cruises out of Barcelona? We are travelling on 13 August. Thanks

Welcome show staring Peter and Ildiko, Fourever (Vocal group) Marquee, once upon a time, ice show freedon-ice.com, magician (can't remember his name think he was Spanish), farewell show with Jaz Danion ,juggler. Was on Freedom last week

I compared the Tuscany Bus and Civitatours excursions and they are indeed similar. The discriptions are almost copies and the price is the same. I read a few bad reviews of Civitatours which makes me a bit suspicious, but I read you had a good time with them. Thanks for your reply.

 

These are the two tours, btw:

http://www.tuscanybus.com/en/classical-tour-rome/

http://www.civitatours.com/en/tours/classical-rome-full-day/

I was going to book it with smart cruise tours before we went on the cruise and then after some research found that they and Tuscany bus act as agents for civitatours so are indeed all the same tour. Think someone has posted a review on Tuscany bus or civitatours saying they paid to go with Tuscany bus but was civitatours when they got there. They have agents in yellow tshirts touting their business when you arrive off shuttle bus at drop off so if they have places you can always just book it on the day as we did. We found it good much much cheaper than the ship tours and got to see a lot of Rome, hope this helps

Hi we came back from Med cruise on Sunday. I believe Tuscany bus sells tickets on behalf of Civitatours. We were going to get the train and got to the station but the metro in Rome itself was on strike so went back to terminal and booked with civitatours. We were going to do the Classical with the guide all the time but I don't think they had other English tourists wanting the full classical so only offered the Panoramic tour. The bus left about 9.40 after they try to get as much business as they can. Tour guide was good and they gave out maps on bus and information. We paid 20 euros extra for the skip the line St Peter's Basilica. Regretted a bit when we got there as the security lines didn't seem too long and were moving quickly but that might have been due to metro being on strike, anyway we had already paid the extra and after waiting for about five/ten minutes went through security and then had to wait about five minutes for a guide. The guide was very good for St Peter's but we didn't get the full hours with her as had to go back to meeting point. Believe if you are doing the classical tour you are with the bus guide the whole time but to be honest we were with her most of the time anyway. We then had a bus tour around rome seeing some highlights. Stopped at the Colisseum for about 15 minutes to take pics. More bus tour of rome and then got off at Trevi fountain and had about an hour and a half to walk to Pantheon, Piazza Navona etc and meet at an arranged meeting place for bus back to ship. I felt the tour gave us a good overview of rome and we saw many sights which whet our appetite for a return.

Thanks.

Meant to say he is from Italy. It was our first cruise but seemed very good

Hello.

Do you know the name of the Cruise Director on your sailing?

Michele Scarpato

For anyone else who is interested. We are just back and visited Pisa. We were going to get the train but as we were walking through the terminal there were a few companies selling tours and we opted to go with one. Can't remember the name but it cost 30 euros an adult and 10 euros a child up to age 16. It included a quick drive up to a viewing point for Cinque terre over the first town. Drove to Pisa and got on the mini train to take us by the leaning tower. Had approx. two hours free at Pisa. On way back drove to the marble quarries of carrara and had wine tasting (this was only at a shop selling souvenirs and had taste of one wine and some bread and cheese/meat.) There was also a guide on the bus that gave out some information. Think fate had played a part that day as that evening the Captain announced that they were waiting for people as there had been problems with the trains and then announced that he was leaving and some people hadn't returned on time. All in all the trip was okay for what it was and we got to see a bit more than just Pisa

Hey,

Could somebody on Freedom find out who the pianist is on the ship?

Thank you so much!

Off Freedom yesterday. Pianist in Schooner bar was Richard Rubin (didn't get to see him) and some nights a female pianist and female violinist The Mellfluous Duo

Hi just back from the Freedom of the Seas last night. We had my time dining and I had made reservations for each night (different times each night) but some nights we turned up earlier or later and were quickly shown to our table. They seem to like to keep you to the same table and waitors each night if possible which was great as our waitors were fantastic. I have some of the show times which were

First night one show at 8pm

All other nights two shows which differed depending on night. Don't have the cruise compass for 2,3 and 4 but day 5 shows were 7.30pm and 9.30pm, day 6 7.45 and 9.45pm, day 7.45 and 9.45pm. From memory some shows were 8.00 something and know there was at least one or two 10.45pm as our dining time for some was 8.45pm and we were fine for the late shows. There were cruise compass posted earlier on and our shows weren't exactly the same time for all so whether they will stay the same now. Must say there was never much of a queue for my time dining even if you hadn't prebooked time and the ship was full. Hope this helps

Thanks for review. We are going on Sunday and very excited

Great trip review thanks. Do you have to book for the ice skating or just turn up to participate?

Would be great if you could post the rest of the compasses somewhere altogether, thanks. Also our first cruise but with kids as well so trying to work out dining times etc to tie in with activities. Thanks again

That's great thanks, looking forward to reading the rest of your review

Day 1: One show 8pm. Welcome Aboard Showtime

Day 2: Two shows. 8.45pm for main seating dinner guests and 10.45pm for second seating. Marquee.

Day 3: Two shows. 7.30pm for second seating dinner and 9.30pm for main seating dinner. Comedy magic show.

Day 4: One show (repeated the following night) 8.45pm. "Fourever". Also two shows of Freedom Ice 7.45pm and 9.45pm

Day 5: Fourever at 10.45pm and Ice Show at 8.15pm

Day 6: Two shows. 7.30pm and 9.30pm Once Upon A Time.

Day 7: Two shows. 7.45pm and 9.45pm. Farewell Variety Showtime featuring Jaz Danion

That's brilliant thanks

Thanks Waterlegs. Do you know if the show times where the same each night and if so what times they were? Thanks

Thanks so much for these.

Hi would you be able to post a picture of the cruise compass to see what time welcome shows etc are, thanks so much. Enjoying so far and making me excited for ours in July.

Looking forward to it as doing same later on in the year. Any possibility you could post the cruise compasses, thanks

Am also interested as on Freedom out of Barcelona later on. Would be good to see show times etc. Have read they are later in the evening when in the med.