Splendour questions about Med cruise

[Mazzie]

Hi, I posted this question in the RCI forum, but someone suggested I might get more answers in this one, so I'll give it a go!

 

We're booked to go on the Splendour of the Seas on 3rd Sept this year which is a 7 day med cruise starting from Barcelona and can't wait!:)

I've been looking at what excursions to do and wondered if anybody who's been on this cruise could tell me what nights the formal nights are, which ports they coincide with. We were thinking of doing an all day tour at Naples to Sorrento and Pompeii, but as we're booked on to the early seating at 6.30pm, there might not be enough time to get ready (you know what us women are like!). We are on wait list for the later seating which is what we prefer, but does anybody know the chances of getting it. Also, I have read on some reviews that there are 4 seating times, but our travel agent has only told us 6.30 and 8.30, is this correct?

 

At the port of Vilefranche is it easy to make your own way to either Nice or Cannes, is it quite close?

 

Thanks a lot for anybody's help.

[heywood]

Hi Mazzie- I cam back 11th June -the formal nights were (I'm fairly sure) Sunday and Thursday (Naples). There were 4 seatings - we were at 8.45 pm and there was one at 9.15pm - so I suppose the early ones were 6.30pm and 7.00pm. The earlier seatings in each case were in the downstairs part of the dining room.

We didn't leave Villefranche -it's beautiful and we love it - but the train is a short walk along the front and is quite frequent I believe. The resorts are quite close. As you get off the tender, you walk through the tourist office and can get all the information there. There is also a bus which is a walk uphill but takes a bit longer of course. If you have time - have a look around Villefranche. Our table companions who visited the larger resorts thought that it was far prettier - not commercialised- and more French!

Have a great cruise- we thoroughly enjoyed it. It's busy- could do with more days at sea to relax. By the way contrary to what we had read- Marseilles was quite good. We got the RCI bus and just walked around - a small local market - good atmosphere around the centre and a petit train or a tourist bust if you want to see a bit more and don't want to walk. The basilica on the hill is worth seeing. We walked- very tiring- but you can get the bus/train.

[Petoonya]

Mazzie,

I think that the likes of Pompeii and Sorrento are so spectacular that you'd kick yourself in the rear if you didn't take advantage of the tours. The dinners onboard are always nice but I would rather eat from the room service menu than skip a chance to see Pompeii. Or Sorrento. Doesn't RCI have an alternative dining option too?

 

There is so much to see from the port of Naples- Pompeii, Herculaneum, Vesuvius, the archeological museum, Capri, Sorrento the Amalfi coast drive...on and on. You'll probably decide that you have to return!

 

Best wishes.

[Mazzie]

Thanks a lot for both of your replies - very helpful.

I think we definately will go to Sorrento and Pompeii and we will probably stay in Villefranche instead of going elsewhere.

 

About the Splendour - what did you think about the ship, I know it's a bit old, but was it OK inside - the pictures look pretty good. Also, did you find that people were more dressed up on the first formal night or the second or was there not that much difference?

Any other tips or info would be good - thanks.

[heywood]

Mazzie- the ship looked great. We were really impressed. The only 'complaint' we had was that we would have liked more drinks stations (coffee, tea etc). One seemed to be broken most of the week- they would repair it and then it broke again. We were on Galaxy last year and there were more stations with more choice.

We like formal nights and both nights seemed to be about the same. After reading these boards, I expected people to be less formal but there were quite a lot of tuxedos and lounge suits. I think that women tend to dress up anyway.

[KERRY77]

We just returned from the Med cruise on June 11. The ship is awesome. Hopefully you got a stateroom with a balcony, it's absolutely well worth it. We did not attend either of the formal nights (Sunday- leaving Marseille, and Thursday- leaving Naples) mostly because we were exhausted from the offshore excursions and we had the 6:30 sitting. From what I saw I thought people were a bit more dressed up on the second night -- more glitz.

 

You will most definitely fall in love with Italy, especially Naples and its surroundings: Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast (Positano being my favorite!) It's "Postcard" beautiful. Suggest you take a private offshore excursion... it's better and much less expensive than the ship excursion.

 

I envy you... wish I could go back tomorrow! Enjoy and have fun!

[ddean52]

we are booked for brilliance/med. cruse next june and our ta booked precruse hotel stay, and everything through rcl. we are wondering which hotels rcl uses..this info. would be helpful. thanks!

deab & alice

[Mazzie]

Thanks again for your replies - it's making me even more excited about going now!

 

I've just read your reviews Superagentnyc & Kerry77 - great info.

 

I was going to book a couple of tours through RCI for Florence/Pisa and Sorrento/Naples as it worries me a bit booking private tours in case there was a problem (eg breakdown) and they didn't get you back to the ship in time!

[lucyjohnz]

We were on the Splendour on the May 28th cruise and had a great time. We were also seated at the 6:30 seating (downstairs) - our waiters were great and told us to just arrive a 7:00 each night and that wouldn't be a problem. We only missed one meal in the dining room on the night we did Villefranche - we took the train to Nice and then from Nice to Monte Carlo and then back. We got back to the ship around 8:15 and went to the buffet and found that night they had a special bar-b-que up on the pool deck - it was quite nice. We did do an afternoon tour in Marseilles the first formal night (Sunday) and barely made it back in time for the formal dinner. People seemed to dress up but not as much as they did on our Celebrity Alaska tour.

 

One thing I will say about taking the train in Villefrance - it's very cheap and very quick - round-trip tickets to Nice were around 4E each (3E to Monte Carlo) and the train ride was all of 15 minutes (I heard a taxi to Monte Carlo, 7-minute train ride cost 50E each way). However, the train is NOT like a metro with trains coming by every 15 minutes - they stop in Villefranche every hour to hour and a half and you have to be careful about the return train and make sure it stops in Villefranche - about every other train doesn't. Find the train schedule online before your cruise (I think the name is SCNT or something like that) and you won't end up waiting extra time in train stations like we did. We were not impressed with Nice - big city, lots of construction, but Monte Carlo was very clean and pretty. If we go back, I'd return to Monte Carlo to see more than just the casino, which while pretty and nice to see once, isn't worth going back to. We might also visit Cannes.

 

We had a private tour in Florence which was nice because our driver took us right up to all the sites (instead of making you walk from the tour buses). It's also cheaper than doing a ship's tour, especially if you share the tour with someone - it cost us about 80E each with tip. We did do the ship's Eternal Rome tour which was pricey at $190/pp but included the Vatical museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peters, a wonderful lunch and the Colliseum. It was VERY crowded and we really enjoyed our tour guide - I don't know that I would have wanted to try this tour on our own.

 

In Naples, we took the hydrofoil to the Isle of Capri and did the Blue Grotto - something interesting, but again, don't have to do that again. If we cruise to there again, I'd do a private tour to Pompeii and Sorrento - people we talked to about this tour raved about it.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[mgnewman11]

My wife and I and another couple are going on the Spendour 9/3/05 as well. Ron, I would appreciate your review, if that is possible.

 

Thanks

 

Mark Newman

[lang]

We were on the Splendour on the May 28th cruise and had a great time. We were also seated at the 6:30 seating (downstairs) - our waiters were great and told us to just arrive a 7:00 each night and that wouldn't be a problem. We only missed one meal in the dining room on the night we did Villefranche - we took the train to Nice and then from Nice to Monte Carlo and then back. We got back to the ship around 8:15 and went to the buffet and found that night they had a special bar-b-que up on the pool deck - it was quite nice. We did do an afternoon tour in Marseilles the first formal night (Sunday) and barely made it back in time for the formal dinner. People seemed to dress up but not as much as they did on our Celebrity Alaska tour.

 

One thing I will say about taking the train in Villefrance - it's very cheap and very quick - round-trip tickets to Nice were around 4E each (3E to Monte Carlo) and the train ride was all of 15 minutes (I heard a taxi to Monte Carlo, 7-minute train ride cost 50E each way). However, the train is NOT like a metro with trains coming by every 15 minutes - they stop in Villefranche every hour to hour and a half and you have to be careful about the return train and make sure it stops in Villefranche - about every other train doesn't. Find the train schedule online before your cruise (I think the name is SCNT or something like that) and you won't end up waiting extra time in train stations like we did. We were not impressed with Nice - big city, lots of construction, but Monte Carlo was very clean and pretty. If we go back, I'd return to Monte Carlo to see more than just the casino, which while pretty and nice to see once, isn't worth going back to. We might also visit Cannes.

 

We had a private tour in Florence which was nice because our driver took us right up to all the sites (instead of making you walk from the tour buses). It's also cheaper than doing a ship's tour, especially if you share the tour with someone - it cost us about 80E each with tip. We did do the ship's Eternal Rome tour which was pricey at $190/pp but included the Vatical museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peters, a wonderful lunch and the Colliseum. It was VERY crowded and we really enjoyed our tour guide - I don't know that I would have wanted to try this tour on our own.

 

In Naples, we took the hydrofoil to the Isle of Capri and did the Blue Grotto - something interesting, but again, don't have to do that again. If we cruise to there again, I'd do a private tour to Pompeii and Sorrento - people we talked to about this tour raved about it.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

 

which private tour did you take in Rome...can you suggest one for Florence and Naples? and what price should you expect with a group of 6. thanks

[lang]

which private tour did you take in Rome...can you suggest one for Florence and Naples

[Mazzie]

Hi Mark, I read their reviews on the review section of this site, go to "member reviews", there are several about this cruise on there.

 

Not too long to go now!:)

[Debbierpof]

I also have another question -- just how dressy is formal night? Cocktail dress okay or is long dress/gown more appropriate?

[jcanino]

I also have another question -- just how dressy is formal night? Cocktail dress okay or is long dress/gown more appropriate?

 

Both will be appropriate. Wear the cocktail dress one formal night and the long dress the other.

[KERRY77]

Innka, we were on the June 4 Med and I noticed a more formal dress code on the second night (Thursday). About tipping, we also did private tours in Florence, Rome and Naples and tipped each one (amount at your discretion and how happy you are with their service).

[TRAVELJUNKIE]

Mazzie

We've just returned. I'm sure you'll not be disappointed. In reading some reviews before we went we were a bit apprehensive - but it was an extraordinary experience. The ship is beautiful and becomes your home for the duration. We really couldn't fault it. I so envy you setting out on your experience. I do think that some people just like to complain. For certain we are planning our 2007 trip (PROBABLY ON SPLENDOUR)and like others on this thread are waiting on the brochure.

 

 

Thanks a lot for both of your replies - very helpful.

I think we definately will go to Sorrento and Pompeii and we will probably stay in Villefranche instead of going elsewhere.

 

About the Splendour - what did you think about the ship, I know it's a bit old, but was it OK inside - the pictures look pretty good. Also, did you find that people were more dressed up on the first formal night or the second or was there not that much difference?

Any other tips or info would be good - thanks.

[innka]

Innka, we were on the June 4 Med and I noticed a more formal dress code on the second night (Thursday). About tipping, we also did private tours in Florence, Rome and Naples and tipped each one (amount at your discretion and how happy you are with their service).

 

Thank you for the info. What did you wear to the Vatican?

[Mazzie]

Thanks Traveljunkie and to everyone else who's replied, helped to put my mind at rest regarding the ship after reading some mixed reviews - looks like we're in for a great time!:)

[Mazzie]

Hi Traveljunkie again, I just noticed on another thread that you did some of the ship's tours, I wondered what you thought of them?

[heywood]

Innka - I wore a dress - nice loose skirt kept me cool and had a linen bouse as a jacket to cover my shoulders/ upper arms. The main thing is to cover the knees and shoulders - maybe pack a small shawl. This also applies to men. Our guide advised the men to buy a pair of trousers (plastic??) to wear so it's best to be prepared. Several churches have people at the door to hand out pieces of cloth to drape around you if you don't want to take anything. It's a bit like being back at school with a prefect at the door.

I have just read Kerry's review - I agree entirely. We didn't have the balcony but no matter! We did however enjoy seeing Marseilles - if you get there during the morning there was a small market to see and the little train is supposed to be good value for a city tour. I must say though that we had quite a time getting the ship's shuttle bck. They weren't organised well enough and we had a very long wait in baking heat (that was the beginning of June). There were a couple of arguments with people pushing etc. They did then send two coaches for us but that was after a long wait. Hopefully they have sorted that now.

Enjoy yourself- it was wonderful. My computer desk top picture is now Splendour in the bay at Villefranche - mmmm!

[suntanzi]

I went last October, it was the best trip I have ever taken! There is a ton of info in my posts when I returned, click on my screenname, then click go to old posts by suntanzi, and look for the Oct 27 post.

 

If you miss the dinner seating the Naples night, it's the end of the week so maybe you could just go to the buffet restaurant that night. The food is not so good that I would cut short my trip to Positano and Pompeii for it! No one I know got moved in their seatings on the ship. Lots of families with children were there and they all had the early seatings. There were 4 seatings but the times were different than you think, you get a ticket when you board the ship. It was never a problem for us though and we did all day tours in every port. From Villefranche you can get to Nice easily, Cannes is quite far. We went to Eze, Monte Carlo, Nice, and St Paul de Vence with a driver that day. Make sure that you go to Monte Carlo late if you want to gamble, the casino opens at 2P I believe

 

Hi, I posted this question in the RCI forum, but someone suggested I might get more answers in this one, so I'll give it a go!

 

We're booked to go on the Splendour of the Seas on 3rd Sept this year which is a 7 day med cruise starting from Barcelona and can't wait!:)

I've been looking at what excursions to do and wondered if anybody who's been on this cruise could tell me what nights the formal nights are, which ports they coincide with. We were thinking of doing an all day tour at Naples to Sorrento and Pompeii, but as we're booked on to the early seating at 6.30pm, there might not be enough time to get ready (you know what us women are like!). We are on wait list for the later seating which is what we prefer, but does anybody know the chances of getting it. Also, I have read on some reviews that there are 4 seating times, but our travel agent has only told us 6.30 and 8.30, is this correct?

 

At the port of Vilefranche is it easy to make your own way to either Nice or Cannes, is it quite close?

 

Thanks a lot for anybody's help.

[suntanzi]

which private tour did you take in Rome...can you suggest one for Florence and Naples

 

Driverinrome.com does all of these cities, they are the best. I used 5 companies on this cruise and they were our favorite by far.

[rhopkins]

Hi Mazzie,

 

We just got back From May 28th sailing. We rented a car from Budget at Villefranche port for $163 total charge to my cc bill. We shared with another couple we met on cruise. Very easy to drive. One road to right to Monte Carlo, Eze, Monaco, Beautiful. One road the other direction to Nice. So glad we made this decision. It was beautiful and so easy. $80 a couple and so worth it. No herds of people being herded around following a flag on a stick. We stopped in Eze at a little French pastry shoppe for the most delicious pastries. We noticed the locals buying their fresh breads there. A true taste of local flavor. P.s. We didn't even need a map. Great signage.

Also, I wouldn't recommend late seating. You will have plenty of time to dress for dinner. We did the Naples, Sorento,etc. tour. It's too late for us to eat at 9:00-10:00pm and get up the next morning at 5-6 for the next 7am tour. Have fun!

[spottydog1]

Hi,

 

My husband and I along with two friends have booked thru RCI on the splendor of the seas for 10/03. I am interested in what you are saying about booking the tours through RCI. I too have heard of problems with people booking private tours and not getting back to the ship in time. Have you now booked anything with RCI for your shore excursions?

 

 

 

Thanks again for your replies - it's making me even more excited about going now!

 

I've just read your reviews Superagentnyc & Kerry77 - great info.

 

I was going to book a couple of tours through RCI for Florence/Pisa and Sorrento/Naples as it worries me a bit booking private tours in case there was a problem (eg breakdown) and they didn't get you back to the ship in time!