Who else is looking forward to the Med in 2007?

[Host Karen]

DH and I took our first cruise to the Mediterranean on Brilliance of the Seas in June 2005. We did the Greek Isles itinerary, although we spent several days trying to decide between that and the Venice itinerary. We already have our cruise planned for this year, so we are looking forward to returning to the Med in June 2007, this time to visit Venice. The next big decision is whether to sail Celebrity's Millennium or Royal Caribbean (preferrably Brilliance again). That will be followed by decisions on what to do in the ports we visited last time and how many extra days we might be able to spend on each end of the trip.

 

Are you anxiously awaiting the release of the Med schedules for 2007? If so, which itinerary are you most interested in and which ports do you most want to visit? Which cruiseline have you chosen or are you on the fence like we are? If you are returning to the Med, are there any places you want to revisit or do you want to see new places only?

 

Maybe we can get our fix here while we await our opportunities to book a cruise!!

[KCTeach]

I too am trying to decide on which cruise to take. My DH and I are taking a Med. Cruise in July 07. I would love to spend time in Venice. Other than that it is all open. I need to know which ship and which balcony cabin. I'm open to Princess, Royal Caribbean and Carnival just get me to the Med.

KCTeach

[gr8memories]

I too am trying to decide on which cruise to take. My DH and I are taking a Med. Cruise in July 07. I would love to spend time in Venice. Other than that it is all open. I need to know which ship and which balcony cabin. I'm open to Princess, Royal Caribbean and Carnival just get me to the Med.

KCTeach

 

I am anxiously awaiting pricing from Royal Caribbean and Celebrity for their cruises going to Rome, Venice, Naples, etc. in June 2007. Carnival's Freedom is available for booking now. Their cruise departs from and returns to Rome. Venice is one of the ports. The itinerary and pricing was good but I would prefer to visit Rome as a port stop since we just can't add the extra time to tour Rome before or after the cruise.

 

Sue

[mozfoz]

We already have our cruise planned for this year, so we are looking forward to returning to the Med in June 2007, this time to visit Venice.

 

Similiar to you, we also are booked for a cruise this year (with kids), but are looking forward to a 2007 Med. cruise (no kids), preferably out of Venice. Actually looking to do minimal cruise days (7-10), with added land days, in Venice. Looking at RCCL, as most of Princess are 12 dayers. :D

[Host Karen]

mozfoz, I don't know what RCCL's itineraries will look like but I thought most of them last year originated from Barcelona roundtrip and were 7 or 12-nighters. The plus side is flying roundtrip from one city (which is what we did) but the downside is only one day in Venice. The Celebrity itinerary starts in Barcelona or Venice and ends in the opposing city, with an overnight in Venice. That is what is attracting me so far, although a stay in Santorini until 11 p.m. (so we wouldn't miss sunset in Oia this time) would be an added bonus.

 

Karen

[jst4fun715]

DH and I are hoping to do a Med cruise in fall of 2007. I want to do RCI again and would love to do the Brilliance. I like the itinerary in and out of Barcelona as we have friends who have a home near Alicante and we'd like to stay with them for a few days too. I've read that RCI will be releasing their Med schedules on 20 April....anxiously awaiting!

[eileen & jay]

Will be doing the Sept. 10, 2007 Millennium's Barcelona to Venice cruise. Looking forward to booking once Celebrity releases prices. Will be taking our 2 young adult children with us for my 60th birthday celebration.:)

[darrencantwait]

Karen -- did you notice the October Millenium sailings...now they're 14 nights with a stop in Istanbul! Woohoo! I think that's what we're doing. We're waiting for the prices to open so we can transfer our phantom booking over.

[syndyj]

I am really liking the Celebrity Millinnium cruise that departs from Venice on the 23rd of September. There are overnights in Venice, Turkey and Rome!!

 

When does pricing become available fot the Celebrity?

[Host Karen]

The release dates of Royal Caribbean's itineraries (beyond Navigator) and the booking dates for the already announced Navigator and Celebrity sailings is unconfirmed. April 20 has been bandied about as "the date," but the person I spoke with at Celebrity wasn't certain when the prices would be available nor when the itineraries could be booked. There's certain to be lots of competition for the most sought after cabins, but it will be interesting to compare the prices. We paid $2150 per person for a balcony cabin on Brilliance, but I would be surprised if we saw prices like that again. By the time the ship sailed, the cabin fares had more than doubled, and I think the Med is even more popular now than when we booked it back in 2004.

 

How are the prices on the lines that are open for booking for 2007?

 

Forgot to note that work issues limit our freedom to travel to certain times of the year, so despite how terrific some of the fall itineraries sound, we can't sail then. That extended overnight itinerary sounds great, though, darrencantwait. We'll have to stick with June for now, and perhaps we'll sail with eileen & jay!

 

Karen

[gr8memories]

"How are the prices on the lines that are open for booking for 2007?"

 

Carnival gave me the following pricing on the June 30, 2007 sailing of their new ship, Freedom. This is a 12 night cruise from Rome.

(Prices are per person and include taxes and port charges)

 

Inside: 1870.01 for 1st & 2nd passengers; 1000.01 for 3rd & 4th

Oceanview: 2150.01 for 1st & 2nd; 1030.01 for 3rd & 4th

Balcony: 2600.01 for 1st & 2nd; 1130.01 for 3rd & 4th

 

Sue

[Soccerfan]

Hi everyone,

 

We are booked to take the Carnival Liberty next month with our 2 teenage daughters and friends with their 2 teenage daughters to the Med.

 

Fabulous itinerary leaving from Rome, 12 nights. Cruise focuses mostly on touring Italy with a sample of Croatia, Spain and France. Can't wait as I have read great reviews.

 

We have also booked for the April 19th 2007 tour of the Eastern Med leaving from Rome and going to the Greek Isles, Turkey and some of Italy on the new boat Carnival Freedom. This one is for us big people only, (4 couples) no DD's allowed this time :D

 

The costs start at $1,099.00 for a 4a cabin. This is the group rate advertised on Cruise critic boards. Fabulous value, it would be hard to beat that!

 

If anyone is interested the itinerary and prices for the April 19th 07 cruise can be found on the Carnival Freedom Roll Calls section of cruise critic. There are also other dates and group rates posted there to. (I'm not one of the group organizers)

 

Thanks for all your tips on Venice, we'll be there for 1.5 days in May. Will use tips posted here.

[rich_cathybrock]

My DH and I were looking at Holland - they have late October saillings in the Western Med that makes stops at Haifa, Ashdod and Cairo via Alexandria - if you are into religious or ancient history the itinerarys sound spectacular!

 

Thing is, we are still so concerned about safety. I remember the Sbarros bombing not too long ago in Haifa and the ports in Israel were abandoned by all the major lines until very recently. We are by no means skittish about travel - we went to Istanbul on Sept. 30 2001, and had our two teenage kids in tow - guess some folks would say it was dumb, but I live and work in NY and was darned if I was going to let those creeps disrupt my life.

 

Anyone else been to those ports or planning to? Be interested in your take on travel there at this time.

[Host Karen]

Wow, the Freedom prices aren't too bad. It will be interesting to see how Royal Caribbean and Celebrity compare. Does Holland America or Princess have their 2007 prices up yet? I hear Disney is coming into the mix in 2007 as well.

 

Karen

[gr8memories]

Wow, the Freedom prices aren't too bad. It will be interesting to see how Royal Caribbean and Celebrity compare. Does Holland America or Princess have their 2007 prices up yet? I hear Disney is coming into the mix in 2007 as well.

 

Karen

 

The Disney prices are very expensive but that is no surprise. You can price a cruise at www.disneycruise.com. I ruled it out because it does not go to Venice, it is only 10 nights, and the price is ridiculous. I am hoping for good pricing from Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. With the addition of Disney and the new Princess ship in 2007, that's a lot of new competition in the region!

 

Sue

[ZitzBear]

We booked the Royal Princess - Holy Land: Athens to Rome cruise for 6/1/2007. We have never traveled in Europe and look forward to all of the helpful information we can get on Cruise Critic. This is going to be the trip of a lifetime for us!

[MVPinBoynton]

We did the Brilliance Med cruise in 2003 and have just booked the Grand Princess Venice to Rome on 5/26/07. We were so disapointed in 2003 after the war started and Ephesus was cancelled and replaced with Malta. We loved Malta, but really wanted to visit Ephesus. We will hopefully finally get there next year. We will also get to spend a few days in Venice and Rome at both ends. What a wonderful way to cruise.

[ShoeChick]

We're booked Royal Princess. August 24th. Can't wait to go back to the Med. We did Millennium in 2005.

[flyaway]

We're going with the CC group on the 9/22/07 Carnival Freedom! The price is just so good, and I like that the itinerary has three port calls each in Italy and Greece. The only down side is the overnight in Citavecchia, but I'm hoping to find some sort of Italian countryside excursion to do on that next-to-last day of the cruise and then do Rome post-cruise.

[mozfoz]

mozfoz, I don't know what RCCL's itineraries will look like but I thought most of them last year originated from Barcelona roundtrip and were 7 or 12-nighters. Karen

 

I was hoping for a repeat intinerary of the Splendor of the Seas in and out of Venice, its a 7 dayer. The duration and ports are perfect for us, though I would prefer newer ship for 2007.

[pearlaz]

We are booked on a 10 day with Oceania in Oct 2007 sailing from Athens to Venice with stops in Greek Isles, Sarande, Kotor and Dubrovnik. Liked this because the ports are a little more interesting that the usual offerings. Prices aren't too bad but of course that is subjective. Booked so far in advance so we have time to save for it. Oceania just opened the bookings thru Nov 2007.

[Blssflsea]

We are booked on Royal Princess... August 24, 2007. Can't wait to get back to the med and seeing some more unique ports.

[Longin2cruise]

A friend & I are doing the 4/19/07 CC group cruise on Carnival Freedom. Prices are just too good to pass up. It may be a little early in the season for the best weather, but we're going & having fun, regardless.

[Host Karen]

I noticed today that the European itineraries for Celebrity have been removed from the site. I assume this is temporary. Maybe they are getting ready to list the cabin fares?? Royal Caribbean added Splendour's Europe itineraries in the past day. It looks like booking time is getting closer.

 

Karen

[ehogan]

We are booked on the Carnival Freedom, March 14. I'm a bit nervous about the fact that it will be the inaugaral and it might be a bit cold, but in checking out the temperature differences between April and March, there is not too much of a spread. One huge plus is that I don't believe any other ships are sailing in March and there will be fewer crowds in port.

 

We were on the Brilliance in May, 2005 and the temperature in Rome was over 80 each of the 7 days we were there, so I am trying to avoid that as well.

 

Can't wait - the Med. is fantastic!