PLEASE HELP!! - Questions about Mediterranean Cruises

[will773]

NCL has this for a 12 day, and they do it in reverse also. I almost considered it for this year but it will be my husband's first cruise so I figured 7days was better: Barcelona, Spain, Provence (Toulon), France, Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy, Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy, Naples, Italy, Mykonos, Greece, Istanbul, Turkey, Ephesus (Izmir), Turkey, Athens (Piraeus), Greece, Venice, Italy

 

Thanks, we are looking forward to it. We will spend our one year anniversary there.

 

Europe is totally new for him and I've only been to Rome so this trip is going to be pretty awesome.

 

Sounds like an awesome trip! Can't wait to see the other Med cruises that Royal will release.

[tddragoon]

We have about two weeks max too and we were dead set on Itay, so what we've decided is to do a 7 night cruise out of Civitavecchia then spend a week on land. So there's something else for you to consider!

[nyyhoneybee]

Sounds like an awesome trip! Can't wait to see the other Med cruises that Royal will release.

 

I really wanted to do RCI but they were almost double the price for a balcony (DH wanted it) and I wouldn't do it. Esp because we saw the Haven area that NCL offers.

[will773]

I really wanted to do RCI but they were almost double the price for a balcony (DH wanted it) and I wouldn't do it. Esp because we saw the Haven area that NCL offers.

 

Yea I know. It sucks that RCI is so much more expensive! I really should start looking around. I really like that Carnival itinerary... :rolleyes:

[will773]

We have about two weeks max too and we were dead set on Itay, so what we've decided is to do a 7 night cruise out of Civitavecchia then spend a week on land. So there's something else for you to consider!

 

That's definitely something else we should consider. This trip will take forever to plan! :eek:

[onevacationlover]

I certainly recommend the 10 day med cruise, we took out out of Venice. It had all the ports I most wanted to see plus we stayed 4 days pre-cruise in Venice:)

[akcruz]

I know you sound you have been to Paris but to give you another option we did 2 weeks last summer with my 21 and 16 year olds where we flew into London, did the chunnel to Paris, then the night train to Rome where we got on the Navigator to Sicily (one of our favorites), Athens, Kusadasi Turkey and Crete, then stayed in Rome for a few more days. We chose Navigator since it had sea days to decompress, not a port every day. My 21 year old DD loved it, my 16 year old DS tired of the ruins a bit but now raves about the trip. It was tiring but we had a wonderful time. Bottom line mix it up with a few days in a desirable port city before and/or after a week long cruise. It's the best of both worlds. And yes it took almost a year of planning to get it all squared away but well worth it!

[will773]

I know you sound you have been to Paris but to give you another option we did 2 weeks last summer with my 21 and 16 year olds where we flew into London, did the chunnel to Paris, then the night train to Rome where we got on the Navigator to Sicily (one of our favorites), Athens, Kusadasi Turkey and Crete, then stayed in Rome for a few more days. We chose Navigator since it had sea days to decompress, not a port every day. My 21 year old DD loved it, my 16 year old DS tired of the ruins a bit but now raves about the trip. It was tiring but we had a wonderful time. Bottom line mix it up with a few days in a desirable port city before and/or after a week long cruise. It's the best of both worlds. And yes it took almost a year of planning to get it all squared away but well worth it!

 

That sounds like a great idea! I think we would all love to go to London, so if the Independence or Adventure itineraries prove too expensive, I could definitely see spending a couple of days in London and then taking the train or flying to Barcelona or Rome and getting on the cruise there. There are so many options, but this seems like the best way to do it!

 

*Edit: also, not to sound like a ship snob, but me and my parents have all been on the Navigator twice (I've only been on 4 RC cruises), and my sister has once, so it's not like we wouldn't choose the Navigator, but we would like to try a new ship if possible.

[will773]

Another question about the ship:

 

I know that the Med itineraries are generally lacking in sea says, but will I actually want to do anything on sea days? I love all of the amenities that the big ships offer, but with such a port-intensive itinerary, will I just want to relax for the sea days?

[dagored]

Another question about the ship:

 

I know that the Med itineraries are generally lacking in sea says, but will I actually want to do anything on sea days? I love all of the amenities that the big ships offer, but with such a port-intensive itinerary, will I just want to relax for the sea days?

 

Yes. Check the link in my sig and go to Mediterranean cruise. We did the 12 days out of Barcelona. Excellent cruise. You are off the ship 8 hours or more and really don't stand around much. We did private tours in Italy and Greece.

 

Go to Ports os call - find Mediterranean - read the other people's reccomendations on tours.

[Paulxyz2004]

I haven't seen any 12 nighters from Rome. Are there any?

 

I don´t know about 2013, but I´m sailing out Civitavecchia on a 12 nighter on Mariner this year.

 

I agree on what others have said, if you have 2 weeks, I would probably mix a land and sea trip. I wouldn´t spend two weeks in a single city. I´d combine pre- and post cruise land triup with a cruise.

 

As for Radiance and missing Promenade, I don´t miss it at all, but I´ve heard a few people onboard Radiance class cruises missing it. To me the Promenade isn´t anything else than a wide hallway to get from point A to B:o I don´t need the shops and bars lined up, I´m equally fine with reaching them just by the way of regular hallways, but that´s just me.

 

As for activitiesduring sea days. Well especially on port intensive itineraries I just want to relax on sea days, but then again I might be different, as I just love TA´s with many sea days in a row and still do nothing but relax on those days. I´m pretty sure you are different in that aspect;)

[surreymum]

We have twice sailed on Brilliance out of Barcelona. The sail IN to Venice on the Italian itinerary is second to none and wouldn't quite be the same as a sail OUT on a cruise departing from Venice. The city gradually comes closer and closer as you sail directly up the grand canal and next to St Mark's square. There are proposals to stop this route as ships get bigger due to the risk of damage to St.Marks so go while you still can.

A cruise will give you an overview of a few places. If you take private tours you will get to see plenty. In Italy we used a company called romeinlimo who were absolutely fabulous. We saw twice as much as those on the ships tours in Rome and had a day that my children still talk about years later. We also used them for a drive along the Amalfi coast and wish we had used them in Florence.

Whatever you choose I'm sure you will all have a fantastic time.

[Wendy-Europe]

Hi

 

a cruise is a wonderful idea - maybe one of the 12 day itineraries starting from Rome - are a good choice! Easter Med. could be perfect: Athens, Ephesus, Naples... (Pompeji is great, Herculaneum too... and have the chance to compare to Ephesus - great opportunity!)

 

So you can visit ancient sites and modern cities....

 

Wendy

[ollienbertsmum]

That is an awesome itinerary! And it's on the new ship!

 

Barcelona, Spain

At sea

Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy

Rome (Civitaveccia), Italy

Naples, Italy (for Capri & Pompeii)

At sea

Mykonos, Greece

Istanbul, Turkey

Kusadasi, Turkey (for Ephesus)

Athens (Piraeus), Greece

At sea

Venice, Italy

Venice, Itay

 

However, starting at $2,300 pp for an inside cabin...it's probably a budget buster. :rolleyes:

 

I would want to start saving now :)

 

To start and end the cruise in a different city makes the flight more expensive, but it does add to the enjoyment of the cruise, especially if you have flown the Atlantic. Seeing Europe from a cruise ship is so different to seeing on a land trip, by exploring two different cities before and after your cruise you can have the best of both worlds (but of course the cost goes up even more).

 

Have fun planning.

[troutfisherman]

One short blast means 'I am changing course to starboard.'

Two short blasts mean 'I am changing course to port.'

Three short blasts mean 'I am operating astern.'

Two prolonged blasts followed by one short blast to mean 'I intend to overtake you on your starboard side';

Two prolonged blasts followed by two short blasts to mean 'I intend to over-take you on your port side.'

A long blast every two minutes is used when operating in fog."

 

You nearly always get the 'operating astern' when the ship is reversing out of any quayside.

[shemp2000]

1. Is a cruise the right thing to do? My viewpoint is that we would get to stay on the ship and visit many different countries and just get a taste of what Europe is like, without having to be stuck in one city. My mom seems to think the other way, so we're not so sure what we want to do yet.

 

You are right. One day you are in Venice, followed by Athens, Rome, Lisbon, etc., etc, A great way to sample alot of the Med.

 

3. If we decide to do a cruise, which would you recommend? Eastern/Western Med, Greek Isles? I personally LOVE the Independence Italian Med itinerary, but that might be a bit too long/expensive for us. There are also several 12 nighters this year that are appealing as well, but I guess I'll have to wait for the next couple of weeks for the itineraries to come out for next summer.

 

I suggest Eastern with a lot of Italy. At least 12day. Remember your airfare will run at least $1200 each. We got lucky and found something for $750 this summer, but I would plan for the $1200 or more

 

4. Is it really all about the ports? I always hear that people say Med cruises are all about the ports and that the ship doesn't really matter. I have only been on Royal's mega ships, and I feel as though I would miss having all of the amenities, but would consider doing a Radiance class ship for the med. Would it really be that big of a deal?

 

It is mostly about the ports in Europe.

 

5. If it really isn't all about the ships, then would it be a culture shock to try Carnival? They have their itineraries up for next summer and there is an awesome 12 nighter out of Barcelona, but the fact that it's on Carnival makes me shiver a little. My parents have taken a few Carnival cruises, and think it's fine, but even my mom seemed a little disappointed after I told her that it was on Carnival.

 

We have done RCCL, Princess, Oceania, and Norwegan. I think your parents would be happy with any of those. You and your sister would not want Oceania.

 

6. I think I already know the answer to this, but I'll ask anyway. Say a cruise leaves from Barcelona or Rome, would most activities take place in Spanish or Italian? I would think no, but just double-checking.

 

All in English.

[akcruz]

That sounds like a great idea! I think we would all love to go to London, so if the Independence or Adventure itineraries prove too expensive, I could definitely see spending a couple of days in London and then taking the train or flying to Barcelona or Rome and getting on the cruise there. There are so many options, but this seems like the best way to do it!

 

*Edit: also, not to sound like a ship snob, but me and my parents have all been on the Navigator twice (I've only been on 4 RC cruises), and my sister has once, so it's not like we wouldn't choose the Navigator, but we would like to try a new ship if possible.

 

No worries about having been on Nav before. We had been on Mariner twice and leary as they are almost the same. I will say, however, the ship is the least important aspect of the trip. Port days are long and start early so you wont do a lot on board. We purposely did not do a Freedom class as we knew it would be a battle with my son since he would want to be doing all the ship stuff and be tired and whiny on tours. As it was it was tiugh getting him back early at night to get enough sleep.

 

One other comment, all shows, announcements etc are in English, however we had more than half our ship Italians so EVERYTHING was repeated in Italian. Made it all a lot longer.

[TiredOl6]

Your questions have been pretty much answered so I am just going to add our 2 cents.

 

We did the 12 night on RCCL Brilliance of the Seas out of Barcelona in 2010. We turned it into 17 nights with 4 nights before and 1 night after in Barcelona.

 

• The itenerary was perfect with stops in Villafranche (short train ride to Monte Carlo or Nice), Livorno (Florence is a must see - visit the Acadamia and see the 'David"), Civitavecchia (Rome in a day was a pleasant surprise we did a lot including the Vatican), Kusadashi (go to Ephesus and make sure to visit the Terrace Houses), Santorini (Oia is one or the prettiest places on earth), Athens (great stop), and Naples (we went to Pompeii (amazing) and the Amalfi Coast including Positano).
  
• Spend the $$ and take small group tours if possible. You will see and do so much more. We did Monte Carlo on our own via the train, a driver guide for Tuscanny and Florence, a driver guide as well as a special Vatican guide in Rome, did a larger group tour of Ephesus in Turkey, rented a car and did Santorini (Oia and the beach) on our own, got a driver guide and special half day Accropolis and historic sights guide in Athens, and a driver guide and a special guide for Pompeii while in Naples. Not cheap but all well worth the $$. NO waiting in lines, drove right to sights where large groups in buses often had to walk 15 - 20 minutes each way to get to because the bus was to big to get close and not at all for some places like Positaon, personalized tour with no waiting on large group etc.
  
• It is all about the ports you will be TIRED after a full day of touring in port in the summer heat. We spent a lot of time in the pool/jacuzzi and dined at a more leisurly pace than we normally do on a Caribbean cruise - just needed the time to relax and get ready for the next day.
  
• If at all possible go early. We LOVED the extra time in Barcelona pre-cruise and it allowed us to adjust from jet lag. It is a beautiful city with a LOT to do and see. Other options might be to go to London, Paris (not my personal favorite), or Germany (one of my personal favorites) to tour for a few days then take a rental car or the train to your port. Remember, the distances in Europe are relatively shorter than you are used to in the States. You can do and see a lot in a few day/
  
• We found that by staying an extra day the difference in air fare (more expensive returning on the day the ship got back into port) paid for the extra night in the hotel.
  

Whatever you decide to do, you will have a great time and with just a little prior planning you will see and do more than you believe possible.

 

Hope this helps!!

 

Tiredol6

[co2stay]

I agree with others as that is what we are doing. We are doing the 7 night on the Liberty in and out of Barcelona with 2 days precruise, 1 day post cruise, then training through France - combining land and sea. Since you have 2 weeks, that is a great option. We are taking 3 weeks and never even have taken a 2 week travel vacation before.

 

I also agree that the airfare is so expensive for just the 7 night port heavy cruise. We only get one sea day and I am a bit disappointed by that and since I am old (HAHA) will feel the need to just relax and read!

[will773]

Thanks everyone for all of your answers! I'm really leaning more and more towards a 12 nighter on a Radiance class ship! If only they would just release their schedules!!!!! :mad:

 

Another side rant: I am hoping that airfares are artificially high this summer due to the Olympics being in London. That could be totally wrong, but I'm hoping that next year they will be a little better.

[johnb0529]

 

1. Is a cruise the right thing to do? My viewpoint is that we would get to stay on the ship and visit many different countries and just get a taste of what Europe is like, without having to be stuck in one city. My mom seems to think the other way, so we're not so sure what we want to do yet. You are both correct. We have done 3 Med Cruises and several land vacations. I actually prefer the Cruise the first time we visit someplace because you get a good taste for different cities/cultures and can later return to the ones you really love. But if you don't like a place, you are only there a few hours. Plus you are not packing/unpacking every couple days.

 

2. If we don't do a cruise, what cities would you recommend for a family that has never really been to Europe before? We can probably take out Paris, as both me and my sister have been there at least once, but where else should we go? Should we just go to once city and stay there the whole time, or should we go to a couple of different cities? Too many to list. Rome is my favorite city, but London is great! Not a huge fan of Athens for more than a day. Istanbul was also pretty amazing! But, best advice, if on land, don't try to cover too many cities. Multiple cities on land is a lot of work, by ship its easy!

 

3. If we decide to do a cruise, which would you recommend? Eastern/Western Med, Greek Isles? I personally LOVE the Independence Italian Med itinerary, but that might be a bit too long/expensive for us. There are also several 12 nighters this year that are appealing as well, but I guess I'll have to wait for the next couple of weeks for the itineraries to come out for next summer.I think or favorite was Rome to Venice, with 10 ports along the 12 days around the boot of Italy. We were able to hit Italy, France, Morocco, Malta, Greece, Croatia and Kotor! But we also loved Greece, Turkey and Egypt (not that I would recommend Egypt right now!)

 

4. Is it really all about the ports? I always hear that people say Med cruises are all about the ports and that the ship doesn't really matter. I have only been on Royal's mega ships, and I feel as though I would miss having all of the amenities, but would consider doing a Radiance class ship for the med. Would it really be that big of a deal? While i think you need to like the ship you are on, we have done 3 different types of ships on the Med and loved all 3 trips, because it is about the ports! We have been on a small ship (600),Medium (2,000), and Large (3,000) and loved them all

 

5. If it really isn't all about the ships, then would it be a culture shock to try Carnival? They have their itineraries up for next summer and there is an awesome 12 nighter out of Barcelona, but the fact that it's on Carnival makes me shiver a little. My parents have taken a few Carnival cruises, and think it's fine, but even my mom seemed a little disappointed after I told her that it was on Carnival. I have never sailed Carnival, but from what i know, it's not my style.

 

6. I think I already know the answer to this, but I'll ask anyway. Say a cruise leaves from Barcelona or Rome, would most activities take place in Spanish or Italian? I would think no, but just double-checking. If on one of the Cruiselines marketed primarily to Americans (Carnival, Celebrity, Princess, RCL, etc) it will be primarily in english. Only if you book a European line will the primary language be Italian or Spanish.

 

7. Kind of similar to the last question; are the activities onboard generally the same as Caribbean sailings? Do they still do things such as Quest and the Love and Marriage show or the belly flop contest. I'm sure they do trivia and things like that, but I honestly have no idea.Yes, same Cruise Directors and onboard activities follow the same formula. Sometimes food is a little regionalized depending on the line.

 

8. This is a totally random question, but do ships blow their horns in the Mediterranean!? I've watched tons of videos and I can't seem to find any where there are ships blowing their horns! Not like it would be a blow (pardon the pun :p ) to our vacation, but I'm just curious. Ours have, but cannot recall the timing/frequency, except for entering a couple foggy ports

 

Sorry for all the writing, but thank you in advance for any answers that I can get!

 

And for your airfare question, probably more related to fuel/oil prices at the moment. We are flying into London after the Olympics and airfare was really high. Plus, there shouldn't be an impact on airfare into Rome or Barcelona due to Olympics.

 

Enjoy no matter what you select! You will have a great time!

[will773]

And for your airfare question, probably more related to fuel/oil prices at the moment. We are flying into London after the Olympics and airfare was really high. Plus, there shouldn't be an impact on airfare into Rome or Barcelona due to Olympics.

 

Enjoy no matter what you select! You will have a great time!

 

Thanks for your answers! I'm anxiously awaiting for Royal to release their Med schedules for next year. Carnival and NCL have already done so, so I need Royal's!

[Sea rabbit]

Hi

We did the Italian Med on IOS last year. Was fantastic. Never done carribean so not sure of differences on ship but they do the belly flop etc. Ships did blow their horns sometimes. There was plenty to do onboard during sea days (we were celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary so might have different ideas of exciting than you!) Although we live in England we have never visited the places we went to last year and it gave us a great taste of places we would like to visit for a longer trip next time. We did find the port days very tiring as tried to see everything especially in Florence and Rome but we have booked for this year so I think that demonstrates how much we enjoyed it.

Enjoy whatever you decide to do. x:)

[will773]

Hi

We did the Italian Med on IOS last year. Was fantastic. Never done carribean so not sure of differences on ship but they do the belly flop etc. Ships did blow their horns sometimes. There was plenty to do onboard during sea days (we were celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary so might have different ideas of exciting than you!) Although we live in England we have never visited the places we went to last year and it gave us a great taste of places we would like to visit for a longer trip next time. We did find the port days very tiring as tried to see everything especially in Florence and Rome but we have booked for this year so I think that demonstrates how much we enjoyed it.

Enjoy whatever you decide to do. x:)

 

This is really my favorite one! I hope that this will work out because it goes to so many different countries rather than such a heavy focus on Italy.

[hubofhockey]

Thanks everyone for all of your answers! I'm really leaning more and more towards a 12 nighter on a Radiance class ship! If only they would just release their schedules!!!!! :mad:

 

Another side rant: I am hoping that airfares are artificially high this summer due to the Olympics being in London. That could be totally wrong, but I'm hoping that next year they will be a little better.

 

Air to Europe is always higher in the summer. It's not just the Olympics.