Live from the 05/25 Liberty of the Seas Western Mediterannean

[Smiley4]

Just back from the Rome port and posting live from the ship before dinner. If anyone has any questions in regards to my cruise etc. Please post them now and I will try to answer as many of them as I can.

 

I wish I had this opportunity before I departed for this cruise from Barcelona.

 

Thanks

[KirkNC]

Look forward to your updates!

[Smiley4]

Dining times are 6 30 and 9 pm for deck 3, Rembrandt dining room and 7 and 9 30 pm for deck 4 Michelangelo Dining Room, deck 5 is my time dining.

 

A surprise to me was the 21% VAT tax applied to everything purchased onboard other than food and beverage. Food and beverage has a 10% tax applied. It's a European cruise thing.

 

Booking process quite simple in Barcelona. At the port and on the ship within 10 minutes. Because this is a 2 port embark/disembark cruise it cuts down the wait times and lines dramatically.

 

Very port intensive cruise. Very easy to undercut the cruise line excursion prices by booking your own train tickets and doing the exact same excursions on your own. You also beat the crowds to the sites as the trains are much faster than the buses. Rail Europe does everything in English and can help with any train tickets you wish to purchase prior to flying to Europe. Used the trains in all of the ports. Very easy, cheap and time efficient.

 

Not many gamblers on this cruise. The casino is empty most nights. The weather has been amazing. Saturday Night Fever was excellent. The Zooks, a 1960's Beatles type band as the headliner was excellent as well. The ice skating show was great too.

 

Anything else you want to know, just ask.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Very cool information. We're booked on Allure next year on the same route.

 

Interested in your insights into the individual ports and their "great to see" excursion highlights.

 

The train idea in Rome is likely a good option, but then the question comes up "how do you get around to the various locations in Rome itself after getting off the train?"...

 

Our choice to book this specific cruise itinerary was indeed based on both the great ship and intriguing destination ports.

 

Appreciate your information.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

One other question...

 

Since the ships leave port on this itinerary at 8pm in many cases (and earlier in 2 ports)...what time do most of the excursions end?

 

It seems more planning is needed for the evening shows and dinner times with people getting back to the ship later in the day than other destination ports. That's not a problem...rather...just something to plan for.

 

Thanks.

[Smiley4]

In Rome, we took the train from the Civitavecchia port to the Roma St Pietro station. Then it's a short walk to the Vatican and Sistine chapel, Trevi fountain and Spanish steps. We then took a cab to the Colisseum. Everything is real close and the train cost 9 euros each way. MUCH cheaper than the cruise option. We pre booked everything through Rail Europe prior to departure. We bought 2nd class tickets so they weren't train specific. You could take any train that day so if you decided to leave later, start earlier etc it wasn't a problem.

 

In Rome, train time each way about 45 minutes, I'd see what I discussed before, in La Spezia I'd go to the tower in Pisa and visit the various onsite museums then train back to cinque terra. Easily doable in a day. Pre book your climbing tickets if you wish to climb the tower, 18 floors, 188 steps. Train tickets each way were 7 euros and the train took an hour and 20 minutes. In Villefrance, I'd recommend taking the train to Monaco, train time 15 minutes, and seeing the palace, the changing of the guard and the famous Monte Carlo Casino and all the high dollar cars parked in the area. Train each way was 7 euros. We got off in Marseilles but didn't do anything specific so no recommendation there. In Naples, we're scheduled to train to Pompeii then hike the volcano, train time 30 minutes and 7 euros.

 

This cruise is in port 5 consecutive days. Marseilles is 9 am to 6 30 pm and the other 4 are 7 am to 7 pm. Be back by 6 30. Show times are adjusted for the later dining times. We ordered the room service breakfast each morning and checked the 6 30 am to 7 am block, the first option available, and that was our wake up call and we were off the ship by 7 30 each morning.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

In Rome, we took the train from the Civitavecchia port to the Roma St Pietro station. Then it's a short walk to the Vatican and Sistine chapel, Trevi fountain and Spanish steps. We then took a cab to the Colisseum. Everything is real close and the train cost 9 euros each way. MUCH cheaper than the cruise option. We pre booked everything through Rail Europe prior to departure. We bought 2nd class tickets so they weren't train specific. You could take any train that day so if you decided to leave later, start earlier etc it wasn't a problem.

 

In Rome, train time each way about 45 minutes, I'd see what I discussed before, in La Spezia I'd go to the tower in Pisa and visit the various onsite museums then train back to cinque terra. Easily doable in a day. Pre book your climbing tickets if you wish to climb the tower, 18 floors, 188 steps. Train tickets each way were 7 euros and the train took an hour and 20 minutes. In Villefrance, I'd recommend taking the train to Monaco, train time 15 minutes, and seeing the palace, the changing of the guard and the famous Monte Carlo Casino and all the high dollar cars parked in the area. Train each way was 7 euros. We got off in Marseilles but didn't do anything specific so no recommendation there. In Naples, we're scheduled to train to Pompeii then hike the volcano, train time 30 minutes and 7 euros.

 

This cruise is in port 5 consecutive days. Marseilles is 9 am to 6 30 pm and the other 4 are 7 am to 7 pm. Be back by 6 30. Show times are adjusted for the later dining times. We ordered the room service breakfast each morning and checked the 6 30 am to 7 am block, the first option available, and that was our wake up call and we were off the ship by 7 30 each morning.

Fantastic information!!!!

 

 

Thank you so much. :):):)

[Frankmac]

We are embarking on Sunday week, 8th June. I'm hoping that Dave Curtis is playing in the Schooner bar. I've been told he starts on 1st June. Have you heard, or can you find out if this is true or not? Thanks

[rockyrigatony]

Hi Smiley,

We'll be doing this cruise in early October and found your comments so far terrific. Keep them coming.

The excursions really add up quickly for 2 people so I'm happy to hear there are more affordable alternatives. So far I've liked the description of these two:

 

• Monaco & Monte Carlo at the Nice stop
  
• Capri w/out lunch at the Naples stop
  

Did you do (or plan to do) either? Comments? Not sure what to do in other ports. Hence my questions:

 

 

• Does the ship dock close enough to the port or do we need to take a tender to go on land?
  
• In some ports is there enough to interest us if we just want to walk around & lunch on our own where the ship docks rather than take an excursion?
  

 

It's been a long time since we've cruised and both were in the Caribbean. Our European travels have all been land-based so far. This will be our first European cruise and we're very excited.

[Danish]

We are embarking on Sunday week, 8th June. I'm hoping that Dave Curtis is playing in the Schooner bar. I've been told he starts on 1st June. Have you heard, or can you find out if this is true or not? Thanks

 

Dave Curtis is amazing - could do a cruise just because of him (well could do a cruise at anytime, but he is really something special)

[amandac]

Thank you!! We are sailing on this trip on June 19 out of Rome and I can't wait to go! Do you have information on which nights are formal nights? I'm sure I will think of more. Don't feel like you need to reply while on your trip! I can wait til you get home if it's difficult to get to the threads from the ship.

[toptoff]

Great report, we go on the 8th June, same itinerary. Is the station at Civitavecchia far from the port. My Mum is close to 80 and Im worried a long walk in the heat will be a problem.

 

Any help appreciated.

[LBumb]

good report

[tuleia]

Thanks for your generous offer to provide information about this itinerary.

 

My question specifically relates to the tender port of Villefranche.

 

Would appreciate receiving information … and any helpful hints … about the tender procedure.

 

At what time does the tender process begin?

 

Are there 2 tender stations … one for those on a ship’s excursion … AND … another one for everyone else?

 

We are a party of 8 going on a private shore excursion and intending to meet our guide on the dock at 7:30 A.M. Would this be doable??????

 

Thanks for your help!

[postmanmac]

On this ship on 15th June have been studying the ports and was wondering what you did in Marseille did you take ships shuttle in to town & if so how much is it thank you

[tidygirl]

We are a family of 6 going in Sept so interested in your report!

Did you book your tickets to the Vatican etc through Rail Europe or just the train tickets? What times did you schedule? Can you just purchase the tickets when you get off the ship? What time did you actually catch a train into Rome?

I'm thinking if you catch the earliest train possible you will beat the crowds?

What time did you head back to the ship? When do they consider rush hour as they say it's sometimes difficult to get on the trains?

Sorry lots of questions but trying to get this big trip planned out!

[Frankmac]

Great report, we go on the 8th June, same itinerary. Is the station at Civitavecchia far from the port. My Mum is close to 80 and Im worried a long walk in the heat will be a problem.

 

Any help appreciated.

 

I was on this cruise last year and also go again on 8th. As I recall the walk fron the ship to the train station is about three quarters of a mile or so. A nice walk but not sure if its suitable for your mum.

[toptoff]

Thanks Frank.

 

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

[Smiley4]

Dave Curtis is here now. He boarded yesterday in Rome so you're good to go. I listened to him last night and he had the place rocking.

 

I did Monaco and Monte Carlo in Nice via the train and did the ships hiking excursion in Naples, Pompeii and Mt Vesuvius. Breathtaking views but a hard, hard climb and your shoes will be ruined. I also went and had pizza at Da Michele, about a mile from the ship or 10 euros if you want a cab. Fantastic and highly recommended. If Julia Roberts eats there then I can too :). Supposedly the birthplace of pizza. Large pizza 5 euros, soda 2 euros. Can't beat that. The only tender port is Villefrance and they begin tendering between 7 and 7 30. The excursion people go first but whomever was mixing in with them and going right away. They tender from the bow and the aft. Easy and smooth process. 7 30 is cutting it close though. Honestly, other than Naples there's nothing right by any of the ports. You have to leave the port area for there to be anything to see. Most ports require the ships shuttle just to leave the port and then you can do whatever after that. In fact, Naples was the only non tender port that didn't require a shuttle to leave the port area.

 

This is a Sunday to Sunday cruise and the formal nights are Monday and Friday, which is tonight for me. The Friday night formal night is a white formal night for whatever that means :). In Civitavecchia you have to take the ships shuttle to leave the port to get to the taxi, excursion area. It would be too chaotic for an 80 year old to meet around there. Taxi drivers, bus drivers, excursion drivers everywhere. Google and pick a place near by, cafe etc and meet her there.

 

In Civitavecchia, I got the 7 44 am train into Rome. The train starts there so it's completely empty and getting a seat is effortless. It takes about 45 minutes to the st pietro station. Get off there instead of Roma Termini to save time and have less crowds. The earlier you board the train the better. Buy 2nd class tickets which are good for the day so you can take any train you want and aren't stuck to a schedule. You can by day of or online. They don't sell out. I was at the Vatican by 9 and on my way back by 3. No problem getting seats either way. I bought all my train tickets online through rail europe and had them in hand prior to coming to Europe. I bought Vatican tickets online as well and tickets to climb the Leaning tower in Pisa.

 

I put out the room service breakfast door hangar thing every night and marked the 6 30 am to 7 am time slot, which is first. Breakfast came each morning by 6 40 and I used that as my wake up call. I ate, dressed and headed out. I tried to leave as soon as we were allowed, to beat the rush. Remember there are 6 to 8 ships in every port and they're all doing what you're doing. The earlier the better.

 

I think I answered everything in the below questions. It's an amazing trip, especially if you've never been before.

[postmanmac]

Had you to pay for ships shuttle out of the port area & if so how much thank you for all the information great help in planning

[Smiley4]

No the ship shuttles were free from the ship to the port entrance and back from the port entrance to the ship. After that is where/when you need to make your own arrangements. Marseilles-free, Villefranche-tender, Florence-free, Rome-free and Naples you can walk right off.

[madra2112]

No the ship shuttles were free from the ship to the port entrance and back from the port entrance to the ship. After that is where/when you need to make your own arrangements. Marseilles-free, Villefranche-tender, Florence-free, Rome-free and Naples you can walk right off.

 

I'm delighted to hear this, because they were charging $6 each way for shuttles in the past!

[tidygirl]

We were actually kind of planning on doing Pompeii and the hike up Mt Vesuvious on our trip. Would you definitely recommend the ships excursion or if you went back would you do it on your own? It sounded like it wouldn't be too difficult but not sure if for the price we should just go through the ship. i normally prefer to go on our own so we can take our time on the things we prefer but if you weren't rushed may consider this option. Why were your shoes ruined? Did you have on sneakers or sandals?

[Badger-Badger]

Thank you for your report! We will be boarding this same cruise in Barcelona on June 19th and your information has been helpful - especially the shuttle information and report regarding Villefranche.

 

I have a question regarding the dining and clothing. Because we are going to be in Spain pre-cruise and then staying again for a longer stay post-cruise we are trying to severely limit our luggage (we are a family of 4 and every bit adds up quickly when you are moving around from place to place via different forms of transport). How formal is the dress in the main dining on both the formal and non-formal nights?

 

And how is the food in Windjammer, generally speaking (I understand this is quite subjective)? We have early dining and with the port schedule being what it is I expect we will be having a few meals in the WJ rather than trying to get back onboard. I am wondering if I should see if there is any MTD still available since I know I would likely fall asleep during dinner if I tried the late seating! But if the WJ is decent I have no worries :)

 

Thanks for you reply if you get the chance!

[stevest1]

Once you take the port shuttle--in Marseille--where does it let you off? Right at the bus stop?

 

And the formal nights--is everyone wearing a sport coat or suit--or are some people just in shift and tie?

 

thanks

 

ps how was the food really?