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Grand Mediterranean May 6-May 18, very long review

Disnyfan2

By Disnyfan2,
in Princess Cruises

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Disnyfan2

Disnyfan2

Posted
Posted

First of all, let me thank you all so much on Cruise Critic. This website has been a wealth of information. Since this was only my second cruise and first with Princess, I did not feel so much like a rookie. I knew what to expect from everyone answering all my questions, even the silly ones. This site was so helpful and Rick Steve's cruise book, which I highly recommend. It is worth its weight in gold. This review is just my observations as a person new to Princess and new to cruising. I choose this cruise particularly for its itinerary and for its date. Had to check some things off the bucket list, so to speak. Would I do it again? Yes! Would I try to do everything I did this past time? No!

 

Because of my work schedule, we flew into Barcelona the day of embarkation. I know this is not recommended but it could not be helped. Our direct flight from Atlanta went smoothly and we landed in Barcelona on time that morning, which allowed enough time for a city tour with Hola! Barcelona tours. It was a great tour in the limited time we had. They met us at the airport, drove us around town and dropped us off right in front of the ship. We saw a number of Gaudi sites, Park Guell, Olympic stadium and they arranged for the skip the line tour of Sagrada Familia(check), so awesome. Once we arrived at the muster drill that night, however, we were dead on our feet.

 

The Ruby princess is a beautiful ship. I found the layout easy to get around and the furnishings very nice. We were on Dolphin deck, D709. It is a mini suite. We choose this room 1) to have a tub 2) not to have noise from Club Fusion 3) to be close to the elevators. In hindsight, would have chose a room more mid ship. Getting on and off the ship seemed to occur in the aft and mid aft regions. So after a long day of walking, the hallway back to the room seemed very long. The room was very nice, despite the open balcony. Our room steward , John, was very thoughtful and friendly. I do not know if they ran out of egg crates or got rid of them because he couldn't find one for my bed, so he improvised by placing a comforter underneath the sheet and that was doable. Our open balcony had it pros and cons. During the day, people can look down on you but I bypassed that with a travel umbrella you can hook to your lawn chair. At night, this type of balcony really opens up the night sky which did not disappoint. We had great weather for most of the cruise. The tub was also a delight at the end of a long day. I did feel a lot of movement in our room: forwards, backwards, sideways. It didn't bother me but it was noticeable.

 

We mostly ate our meals at the Horizon Court buffet which always had a good selection of foods for dinner. The food was good. Better than expected considering it was a buffet trying to satisfy a thousand people. A couple of nights dishes that were served in the MDR were also served in the buffet, so we didn't dress up very much. The few times we did go into the MDR, our servers were generally nice and attentive. Our first meal, in Michelangelo dining room, Herman , our waiter, arranged for a half size fettuccini alfredo cheese bowl when I did not want a whole. Thanks for the tip. The bowl was very good. My second time having the pasta, I asked for a whole one and still didn't get the cheese bowl, so make sure you ask for it. Our second time eating in the MDR, we were in Da Vinci. It was our first sea day and I wanted to celebrate my birthday that day. Our server, Alona, was having a trial with someone at our table. Poor thing, she was so flustered and this person made dinner really uncomfortable. We did managed some good conversation but everyone was rushed to leave. So I did not get my birthday cake or song which Alona felt so bad about. I told her she was not to blame and not to worry but I was greeted with not only my birthday cake but also an extra plate of cookies in our room that night. And, the cookies were really good. Room service brought milk and we went to bed satisfied. Our third meal was nothing special. The server could have cared less that we were there. Unfortunately, we did not try any of the specialty restaurants. Tried to get Mom to go for Mother's Day, she didn't want to.

The pizza is a must, very good. I wasn't impressed with the international cafe, so only ate there once. Veggie burgers and fries from the grill were a great midday snack.

 

The cruise director's staff did a great job keeping people entertained. The games were very funny and silly and something to look forward to in the evening. Mom did win one game of bingo, $150, which we gave back to the ship playing more bingo. The staff did this murder mystery show one time that was so comical. My head was hurting I laugh so hard and the participants were known by their stage names for the rest of the cruise. Comedian Tom Drake was a riot, somewhat offensive but funny no less. Comedian, Al Katz, also performed. The stage production, "Stardust", I must have sat in the sleeping section. Every time I woke up, I found everyone around me asleep as well. "Once Upon a Dream" was imaginative and whimsical, very good.

 

Getting to the ports, I will probably never see as much of culture and history at one time in my entire life but it was all worth it. Unless noted other, we were toured with a private company. Barcelona was described above. Monte Carlo, we did on our own. We were lucky because the ship actually docked instead of having everyone tender. This gave us a chance to hike up the back stairs (very beautiful route) to Monaco-Ville in time to see the changing of the guard at the Prince's Palace. I am sure it is not like Buckingham Palace but it was still something great to see. It was easy to catch the bus to Monte Carlo once we figured out how to get down the hill. I would recommend the route we took. The hill to the bus stop seemed treacherous for those coming up. Monte Carlo was cool. Of course, we marveled at all the expensive cars in front of the casino(check), which was beautiful. We decided to walk back to the ship which took about 30-40 minutes. It gave us a chance to walk the Grand Prix Circuit which they were setting up for and to see some of the yachts up close. The other half live really nice.

 

Pisa (check)was a big tourist trap. Florence was very busy. The ride into town was beautiful and it gave us a chance to get some great shots of Florence's skyline, if you can call it that. Seeing THE David (check)! I believe we lucked out again. Despite the long line outside the Academia, it wasn't crowded inside. Got a chance to really see things. Santa Croce was cool, not busy and beautiful. One is our party did climb to the top of the Duomo but found it very claustrophobic.

 

Rome wasn't built in a day nor should it be seen in a day. By the time we were finish the bed was definitely calling. Got to see the coliseum (check), toss a coin in Trevi Fountain (check), Pantheon (check), climb the Spanish steps (check), Sistine Chapel(check), and the Pieta(check). The last one almost didn't happen. Our tour guide thought the line for St Peters would be too long for us to wait and get back in time. Again, luck or by the power of God, the line was very small. So he gave us fifteen minutes to run around the square. Unfortunately, most of my pictures are blurring due to me running and snapping at the same time.

 

Naples was good. Did on our own because I did want to rush through Pompeii.(double check) We met a couple from LA who rode the bus and train with us, very easy. Got lost in Pompeii but who was rushing. Had a margherita pizza at a restaurant right across from the port, it was very good, the price seemed reasonable.

 

The first sea day was officially catch upon sleep day because I am so tired day.

 

Mykonos was next and by this time, I felt like I was on vacation. It was a leisure day. Taking time to visit shops, eat lunch, swim in Aegean(check) and take pictures. Simply beautiful.

 

Istanbul, this was the first day were the weather was not nice, highly overcast. Again, luck, we only felt a few sprinkles. Blue Mosque(check), Hagia Sofia(check) , Topkapi Palace and its harem(check). The only bad thing was that we were there on a Sunday so the Grand Bazaar was closed. The spice market was nice but missed checking off the Bazaar.

By this time we were starting to get overwhelmed by all the churches and museums but continued to press on.

 

Kusadasi. Mom decided to pass on this tour. House of Virgin Mary was a shrine to the Virgin Mary. Ephesus was very interesting. The terrace houses were a treat minus the stairs. We were made to sit though a rug demo but no aggression to buy anything and got free Turkish coffee and tea. Our knowable guide was awesome considering that she was 6 months pregnant climbing over those cobblestones and stairs. Gulsun Doganca was awesome.

 

Athens. We actually did Princess's Acropolis/city drive tour in the am. The Acropolis(check) was very interesting. The walk up was actually not hard at all, they made frequent stops to explain things. The city drive was a waste of time. They moved so fast you were lucky to see things much less take a picture. It was different being in a large group after having private tours but I did not feel lost. Plus, It was nice to be back on board with no one else was around. We ate pizza, watch Mutts for the first time, which was cool. Saw "The Vow". Our second time with Mutts came the next evening. It was very cold and breezy. On days like this get there early so you can have 3 or 4 blankets. Saw Mission Impossible 4.

 

The second sea day was again catch up day. Packing. Laundry. The ship's machine were good, large capacity. Thought there was going to be a line to use on sea days but both times we were able to walk in and walk out with our things.

 

Venice. We were very relax in Venice. Took the people mover to the Piazza Rome and just walk to St Mark's Square. We couldn't get lost. There were signs everywhere telling you where to go. If there wasn't, we just followed the people. We actually found a Disney Store. FINALLY. I thought I was going to see all the Mediterranean without getting a t-shirt with Mickey Mouse on it.

 

Disembarkation morning was easy. We did Princess transfers to the airport so we could take our time and have breakfast. The trouble started when we got to the airport. What a travesty. Mom said all the relaxation she got went up in smoke waiting in line to get our bags checked. There was no order, only one person was checking IDs up front and two people running the counter. We were in line for 1.5 hours trying to check bags. We were sure that we were going to miss our flight. One thing I will note about traveling Europe. They are sticklers for the weight restriction for carry-ons. Mom got zinged for 75 Euros for being overweight on her carry-on bag. The checked bag was okay. The rest of our travels was uneventful.

 

Seeing as I was more detailed than I thought, Princess seems like a good brand to go with. The cruisers were respectful and mature for the most part. Expected with an older crowd. The furnishings and decor was not over the top but elegant and relaxing. The crew was very nice and helpful and always said hello. We could always find something to do. The food was good. Our agent was also nice, she has already called to see how we much we enjoyed ourselves.

 

I really have no complaints about our trip. We got there safely and on time and got home the same. We had awesome weather. We really enjoyed ourselves and met loads of people. I actually was holding a strangers smelly socks in my hands and had a man wearing my shoes at one point. Don't ask. This trip has gotten me hooked on cruising. Although we were always watching the clock, it was nice to know that we would sleep in the same bed every night, not having to repack every few days and to know where the next meal was coming from. So Princess has a new customer and it was nice to get a gold card at the end.:cool:

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caber

caber

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Thanks for your review. It was very interesting, especially as we board in 3 weeks in Barcelona.

 

One question - What time was your muster drill?

 

I am asking this as we are trying to arrange to meet up with other people on the first night.

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BratDet

BratDet

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to read a current review of the trip I booked this week...

 

THANK YOU!!! for taking the time!!

 

What kind of shoes did you wear with all the walking?

Sandals, sneaks, or shoes? (Trying to weed out choices cause of all the luggage weight limits!)

What worked for you?

 

Thanks!

 

Bernadette

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lovevacadays

lovevacadays

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Thank you for your review. So nice to hear you had a great cruise. You have made me even more excited for my first cruise in Europe next year.

 

I have a question regarding your tour with Hola Barcelona - where did they take you, how was lunch handles, how would you rate the tour?

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rdsqrl

rdsqrl

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to read a current review of the trip I booked this week...

 

THANK YOU!!! for taking the time!!

 

What kind of shoes did you wear with all the walking?

Sandals, sneaks, or shoes? (Trying to weed out choices cause of all the luggage weight limits!)

What worked for you?

 

Thanks!

 

Bernadette

In case the OP doesn't come back, I'll tell you that on my many trips to Europe with tons of walking, I wear the same shoes I wear all the time at home -- docksiders. No socks (I hate socks; my feet get hot and claustrophic). So, if you're a sneaker person at home, wear sneakers; if you're a docksider person at home, wear them. I wouldn't wear sandals mainly because in crowds, I don't want to worry about someone stepping on my toe. And it's far more comfortable to wear actual shoes when doing a lot of walking. Just make sure to break them in thoroughly if you have a new pair!! Good luck.

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disnyfan

disnyfan

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Note my original screen name. I could not remember my login info when I got back so I had to reregister. My IPad remembers this. To answer posted questions, I wore both sandals and sneakers. It depended on the port. Sneakers for Pompeii and Ephesus because of the dust and grit. I wore Ecco sandals that I have had for a few years. Would go private tours in a heartbeat. That seems to be the general consensus of most of the people I talked to. Our guide with Hola! Barcelona was awesome. Ellie spoke great English. I thought she was American at first. She went with us everywhere, mostly along the streets of Barcelona checking out Gaudi sites. She went with us into Park Guell and the Sagrada Familia. Our tour was changed a bit because we went inside the church. I am sorry I cannot name the Ephesus tour company(***********), it keeps getting block. The other tours were arranged by people we met in our roll call. They were Rome in Limo.

 

And Disneyworld is my favorite vacation destination.

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Tedferg

Tedferg

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We did the same cruise and also only our second cruise. I echo everything Disneyfan said with the exception of Marco Polo airport - just luck I suppose. We stayed until Sunday and had an 8:40 departure. Check in was a breeze and we had a nice breakfast while we waited for our gate to open. One carry on overweight so they checked it with no charge.

 

We did Princess Livorno to Cinque Terre - great. Roll call trips in Athens and Istanbul plus private tours in Naples / Amalfi 'Aldos Limos' and 'Ephesus Shuttle' in Kusadasi. All very good.

 

One special note - we were wakened around 4:30 Sunday morning by the earthquake near Bologna !

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KruisingMarina

KruisingMarina

Posted
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Note my original screen name. I could not remember my login info when I got back so I had to reregister. My IPad remembers this. To answer posted questions, I wore both sandals and sneakers. It depended on the port. Sneakers for Pompeii and Ephesus because of the dust and grit. I wore Ecco sandals that I have had for a few years. Would go private tours in a heartbeat. That seems to be the general consensus of most of the people I talked to. Our guide with Hola! Barcelona was awesome. Ellie spoke great English. I thought she was American at first. She went with us everywhere, mostly along the streets of Barcelona checking out Gaudi sites. She went with us into Park Guell and the Sagrada Familia. Our tour was changed a bit because we went inside the church. I am sorry I cannot name the Ephesus tour company(***********), it keeps getting block. The other tours were arranged by people we met in our roll call. They were Rome in Limo.

 

And Disneyworld is my favorite vacation destination.

 

 

Thank you so much for the review Disneyfan!

 

I will be doing the same itinerary on June 23, 2012 and can't wait!

 

I do have a question or two please:)

 

1. We are party of 4, and decided that each one of us will bring a carryon bag to avoid check in problems. My question is what was the requirement for the weight for the carryon for Mom, as she was penalized for overweight. We will be taking a flight from Paris to Barcelona and I think that may be become an issue. Or does it depend on the airline company you fly with?

 

2. I am planning on doing some laundry onboard. Did you take any soap/detergent or they had it for sale.

 

3. Should I bring shampoo, conditioner, spray, meds, etc, or they provide in the room?

 

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you,

 

Marina

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CraftyEC

CraftyEC

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Not the OP but a traveller in Europe! The weight allowance for carry one luggage does indeed vary (considerably) from airline to airline, and isn't necessarily better on a traditional rather than a budget airline (apart, of course, from the dreaded Ryanair, one of the lines which weighs AND measures your hand luggage at check in, and again at the gate in case you bought anything in the departure lounge, and you can only have ONE piece of hand luggage, so no grip plus handbag (pocket book) - seriously draconian and income-generating policy)

So, I would suggest you look on the website for the airline(s) you will be flying, and read carefully, as sometimes the allowances vary from area to area!

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disnyfan

disnyfan

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Hi Tedferg,

 

Glad you made home okay. Considered it a blessing to be home when the earthquakes hit. We flew Air France coming back

 

I believe the weight restriction was 22 kilos or 50 lbs but do check. It wasn't the ticket agent who stopped me. We had a connecting flight in Paris and we had to go through security again. It was the security agent who stopped me at that time. I was just lucky that I didn't paid the second checked bag at the counter. I don't think the agent realized.

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