# Mediterranean Cruise



## uop1497 (Jul 5, 2018)

Have anyone here ever taken a Mediterranean cruise. If so, can you please share your experience  ( which cruise line did you take your cruise, how long , which month you want on your cruise trip . Did you depart and return on the same port  and what you like  and not like about your cruise trip).

I have never been on this part of this world and need a recommendation for 7 day to 11 days long cruise and itinerary to make the best of our trip. 

There is so many cruise line which runs Mediterranean sea. but I do not know which one I should choose. I do not like to have many days at sea, and I like the idea to sleep one night and the next day the ship will dock at a new port like the Southern Caribbean cruise we took a few yeas ago. 

I do not aim for the best top luxury cruise line or cruising in one of the large ship of the world.  

I  like to fly into one port and depart at another port if it will give us the best itinerary to see different places of this part of the world.

Please share your experience / recommendation and Thank you


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## Passepartout (Jul 6, 2018)

We've taken many Med cruises. East Med= Venice to Athens & Greek islands. Istanbul to Black Sea and many ports. And Western Med- Barcelona both E & W. Monaco, Nice, FR. N.E. Italy Pisa/Florence Civitaveccia for Rome, Sorrento for Pompei, Capri. Or the other way to the Balearic Islands, Portugal, the Canaries or Azores and then across the Atlantic, or around Spain/Portugal and on to France/England.

We cruise on Celebrity for the most part. They are not the biggest, or the smallest, the food is good, the entertainment is good. Though we have also done some small ship cruises on Windstar. Most Med Cruises are April-Oct. Then the ships cross the Atlantic and run in the Caribbean.

We usually shop on www.vacationstogo.com and have an agent there who has helped us get specific cabins. Another cruise broker we've used is www.crucon.com They both have frequent sales and throw in perks. We usually book the cruises directly with the cruise line as if there is a problem, there is no middle man, you can go right to the source.

I know you love TUG and trust people here, but honestly, www.cruisecritic.com is the TUG for cruises. THATs where the best information can be found. After you've selected the cruise you want to take, you can sign up for the 'Roll Call' on Cruise Critic and meet many of the passengers you will be cruising with. They will be able to help you choose shore excursions, the different restaurants on board, and getting to and from the cruise.

Have fun planning. I should say that for best prices, either book as soon as it's announced (about 2 years before sailing) or in the last 90 days before sailing- but then you miss some of the best cabins- but might score more perks (like on board credit- or drink packages). 

Jim


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## artringwald (Jul 6, 2018)

The best cruise line for you depends on your preferences.
1) Do you like getting dressed up for a formal night?
2) Do you like having plenty of shopping on board?
3) Do you like having fixed dining so you'll be eating with the same people every night?
4) Do you like to gamble?
5) Do you prefer a larger ship so there's more options for on board activities and entertainment?
6) Would you like to bring children with you?
If you answered yes to all the questions, you might like Princess Cruise Lines. We took them on a 12 day Mediterranean cruise an liked it. Then we discovered Viking Cruises on a 12 day Caribbean cruise. We discovered our answer to all the questions was no, and Viking was perfect for us. I thought the best part of our Mediterranean cruise was the 7 day land option that started in Zurich, went through Switzerland and northern Italy, and ended in Venice where our cruise started. 

If you like to look at pictures, here's plenty from our Princess tour: https://artringwald.smugmug.com/Travel/2015-Europe/


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## VacationForever (Jul 6, 2018)

I second the recommendation for Celebrity Cruises.  We just did a 10-night Italy and Greek Isles cruise with them this April/May.  With Celebrity, we normally book Aqua or a Sky Suite stateroom.  You receive better service and you get to dine at a small dedicated restaurant with personalized service, for their respective class of stateroom, Blu for Aqua and Luminae for Suites. 

If you have Costco membership, booking a cruise through them will give you a nice cash card to be used at Costco on your return.  It comes out to about 8 to 10 % back to you.  It is their way of sharing the commission from the cruise lines.  They also have group (discounted) rates on many of the popular cruises when they are released.  When the group is sold out, the rates return to what the cruise line is currently charging.

I also have a travel agent that I go to that is part of a different franchise system.  He provides personalized service where I can text him and email him 7 days a week at all times and he responds.


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## pedro47 (Jul 6, 2018)

The last three (3) posts are right on point; please follow the those Tuggers suggestions. Rome and Venice are just awesome cities IMHO.

Celebrity Cruise lines have a new ship coming out this December and will totally change the cruise industry ship. It is called The Edge.


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## Talent312 (Jul 6, 2018)

I am about to embark on a 12-day Med-cruise on Royal Caribbean.
RCL is an average cruiseline. I chose them becuz of the itinerary...
R/T from Barcelona to Cannes, Livorno-Florence, Rome, Athens,
Rhodes, Santorini & Malta.

For me, itinerary is the top priority in choosing a cruise.
I make a spreadsheet and on each row list each cruise and it's ports.
I highlight the differences and decide which I find most interesting.
I use www.vacationstogo.com to find cruises, but book w-the cruiseline.

BTW, once I choose a cruise, I go to Cruise Critic for information
and to participate in it's specific "roll call," to meet other cruisers.

.


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## pedro47 (Jul 6, 2018)

Talent312. I believe there is spreadsheet on all current Royal Caribbean cruise ships on cruisecritic website (name of ship, cabin #, location of cabin, comments, etc.).

I know that is a spreadsheet on all current Celebrity Cruise ships on cruisecritic website and a new one has already been developer for The New Edge Ship (cabin #, location of cabin, comments, etc.).

I agree the key to cruising is the itinerary, plus good food and good service.


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## uop1497 (Jul 6, 2018)

Thank you ALL for sharing your experience about Mediterranean cruise.

I joined a roll call in cruisecritic website once, but only get a few reply .
I will use vacationtogo to see the cruise pricing and itinerary .

@ VacationForever,
I select a dummy cruise in vacationtogo  and check it on Costco website, but unable to see the same itinerary listing in Costco web, not sure why and wonder if Costco only has a very small inventory for certain cruise  line or they do not offered cruise far in advance like Summer 2019 . 

And I do not see any information about cash card offered associate with any cruise line.  Can you please explain how to get the Costco cash card or where to information about it.

@Jim,
How you monitor pricing to get the best pricing ( for 2 years ahead). I have no knowledge when is the best pricing appear to book .


I like to know more of the following:

a) How you choose your port to visit. Please suggest  "A must visit port name, not to miss which you have visited during your cruise trip  . I plan to depart in Bacelona and ending in Rome or vice versa, is it matter which city to depart / ending. The hard part is I am not familiar with European country and not sure which port name to choose .

b) Information online indicates that best time to take cruise is in the *spring* (May-June) or *fall* (Sep- Oct). Which month is best (for weather and not too crowded with a lot of people on land). 

c) Book room in middle of ship and on the high floor will be best to avoid sea motion sickness, is it true?

d) Anything thing else I should know before choosing a cruise. If my budget is $2500 max per person, what option do I have when going with Celebrity cruise.

e) If I see the pricing listed in Vacationtogo for certain cruise line, can the cruise line offer the same price if I book direct with them.

f) How do you negotiate to get extra perks (like on board credit- or drink packages) when booking a cruise . How do you ask for extra perks when you speak with an agent.

g) How many day you normally arrive before cruise depart date. Which airline is best to fly from SFO / SJC to get to Bacelona or Rome.


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## Passepartout (Jul 6, 2018)

Some answers in no particular order. Pricing. Those cruise consolidators- Vacationstogo, Crucon, Cruises.com all reserve 'blocks' of cabins in all categories when the cruises are announced. Those are traditionally the lowest prices. Then they 'sell' cruises to the public. (you and me) The cruise line requires that final payment be made 90 days before departure. So if there are cancellations, or unsold cabins, those are discounted from the 'retail' price- so there are discounts at that point too.
Now,
a) I guess just get a paper map of Europe and lay it on the kitchen table and see what cities are closest to what ports. Some are simpler than others. Barcelona is easy, the port is IN the city, as it Lisbon as is Venice. The port for Pisa/Florence is Livorno and for Rome it's Civitaveccia. Those are about a 1 hour train ride from the city and transfers are frequent and easy. On Vacationstogo, when you click on the 'FastDeal' number it will show you a map with the route of that cruise outlined on it. Here are the 7 night Celebrity Mediterranean cruises: https://www.vacationstogo.com/ticker.cfm?r=11&l=11&n=2&edged=1 Look through them and click the blue number on the left of the ones that interest you.

b) Europeans go on vacation in June, July, August, and American backpackers flood Europe in Summer, so cruise in May or September for best weather and smallest crowds.

c) true

d)The price you see is not necessarily the full price. There are gratuities (mandatory tips), port fees, taxes, bar bills, excursion costs, specialty restaurants, that can run the price up- that's where the on-board-credit (OBC) comes in handy.

e & f)pretty much- though it's negotiable and sometimes the consolidators have specials on perks. Ask.

g) we ALWAYS arrive (at least) a day ahead of departure in case of lost luggage that can catch up to you, but not after sailing. Whatever airline you like. We fly Delta because it serves our main departure airport. With SFO, there would be many to choose from Barca & Rome are well served.

BTW, Barcelona to Rome (or reverse) would be a very short cruise- maybe only 4-5 days.  Look at something called 'Western Mediterranean' It would include both of those ports as well as probably Livorno, Monaco, Majorca, possibly Sorrento, or Lisbon. Maybe others.


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## artringwald (Jul 6, 2018)

Regarding motion sickness, the modern cruise ships have excellent stability systems. We've been on several cruises in the Pacific, Caribbean, and Mediterranean and never experienced much motion. A cabin on a LOW deck in the middle of the ship will have less motion, but there's not much to begin with anyway. If you are prone to motion sickness, here's some tips:

https://www.medicinenet.com/tips_to_prevent_motion_sickness/views.htm

I've never had motion sickness, but oddly enough I've had land sickness twice follow long cruises. Both times it was mild dizziness and wasn't bad but took several days to go away.


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## VacationForever (Jul 6, 2018)

uop1497 said:


> @ VacationForever,
> I select a dummy cruise in vacationtogo  and check it on Costco website, but unable to see the same itinerary listing in Costco web, not sure why and wonder if Costco only has a very small inventory for certain cruise  line or they do not offered cruise far in advance like Summer 2019 .
> 
> And I do not see any information about cash card offered associate with any cruise line.  Can you please explain how to get the Costco cash card or where to information about it.


I am not sure how you are searching on the Costco site. I can certainly pick cruises that are into 2020 on Celebrity.  They do not have all cruise lines, but they certainly have Celebrity, Royal Caribbean etc.  If you do a mock booking, it will tell you how much of a cash card you will receive.


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## Talent312 (Jul 6, 2018)

You may get a little better deal using a TA instead of the cruiseline becuz a TA can offer you discounts above what the cruiseline offers in terms of OBC (on-board credit), prepaid tips, and some are tied-into independent shore excursions that undercut cruiseline prices.

That said, unless the difference is significant, I prefer to buy directly from the cruiseline.
Otherwise, the cruiseline redirects to the TA if you try to change anything (like dine times).
.


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## Passepartout (Jul 6, 2018)

Here is a Celebrity hint we find particularly valuable. Prepaying your gratuities assures you of 'select dining' where you can go to the dining room whenever you want and not be bound to eating at the same time with the same other passengers. You're going to pay those gratuities (or get them given you as a perk) anyway, so getting that out of the way reduces the load at the end of the cruise- and as a bonus, makes dining more on your terms instead of the cruise line's.

Jim


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## VacationForever (Jul 6, 2018)

Passepartout said:


> Here is a Celebrity hint we find particularly valuable. Prepaying your gratuities assures you of 'select dining' where you can go to the dining room whenever you want and not be bound to eating at the same time with the same other passengers. You're going to pay those gratuities (or get them given you as a perk) anyway, so getting that out of the way reduces the load at the end of the cruise- and as a bonus, makes dining more on your terms instead of the cruise line's.
> 
> Jim


I read on cruisecritic that they have done away with that practice in recent years, so it is no longer true.


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## Passepartout (Jul 6, 2018)

VacationForever said:


> I read on cruisecritic that they have done away with that practice in recent years, so it is no longer true.


I'll be hornswoggled! I mentioned this to my beloved who books these things and she said it must be recent- as we had Select in November- then I reminded her that the last 3-4 Celebrity cruises we were Aqua class, so how would we know? Y'know, I just don't have time for both TUG AND Cruisecritic!


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## pedro47 (Jul 6, 2018)

We use Costco Travel and our on board credit on our last three (3) cruises have always pay for the stateroom attendant gratitudes, the classic beverage package
 and a Costco cash card. We also sail Aqua class.

Our last cruise was a 14 nights  Southern Carribean Cruise this past April.


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## VacationForever (Jul 6, 2018)

Passepartout said:


> I'll be hornswoggled! I mentioned this to my beloved who books these things and she said it must be recent- as we had Select in November- then I reminded her that the last 3-4 Celebrity cruises we were Aqua class, so how would we know? Y'know, I just don't have time for both TUG AND Cruisecritic!


What I meant is that select has nothing to do with pre payment of gratuities anymore.


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## Passepartout (Jul 6, 2018)

VacationForever said:


> What I meant is that select has nothing to do with pre payment of gratuities anymore.


I knew that was what you meant. So can any ol' Tom, Dick or Mary just book Select or is there some other criteria?


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## VacationForever (Jul 6, 2018)

Passepartout said:


> I knew that was what you meant. So can any ol' Tom, Dick or Mary just book Select or is there some other criteria?


Anyone can book Select as long as it is still available.  I always book my cruises early and get select but then it is useless for me because we normally book Aqua or a Sky Suite.


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## VacationForever (Jul 6, 2018)

pedro47 said:


> We use Costco Travel and our on board credit on our last three (3) cruises have always pay for the stateroom attendant gratitudes, the classic beverage package
> and a Costco cash card. We also sail Aqua class.
> 
> Our last cruise was a 14 nights  Southern Carribean Cruise this past April.


Almost all cruise lines have auto gratuities, except for a few of the "all inclusive" cruise lines.


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## uop1497 (Jul 7, 2018)

Thank you ALL  for continuing sharing more good tip. 
I will do some more research and come back with more questions . A big task to learn to find a right  cruise itinerary . 

@Talent123, 
TA= trip advisor ?

@Jim,
Aqua class ? I guess it is a room type on the cruise ship. How can I find out more information , is it define per cruise line?

@VacationFoever,

Is there a way to pull up the cruise line more than 1 month in Costco website.


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## VacationForever (Jul 7, 2018)

Celebrity has different stateroom types.  Aqua staterooms are the same size as regular balcony... generally.  Aqua has a dedicated restaurant called Blu where they offer superior personalized service. 

There is not a way to do that on the Costco site but you can certainly do a drop down and pick the month.  I do go to sites like vacationstogo.com to find out listings of almost all sailings.  From there I narrow down what I want and then go to Costco site.


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## Passepartout (Jul 7, 2018)

TA= Travel Agent. 
Aqua Class is a level of 'luxury' on Celebrity. I think other lines have different levels too. On Celebrity, the AQ cabins are on the upper decks centrally located & have 'fancier' plumbing fixtures and bottled water(hence Aqua). AQ passengers get their own dining room for breakfast & dinner with supposedly 'healthier' choices- as well as anything the main dining room (MDR) offers.


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## VacationForever (Jul 7, 2018)

Note that there is nothing wrong with staterooms that are lower than Aqua.  The service on Celebrity cruise ships at the Main Dining Room is very good too.  Food is great at all restaurants.  The Main Dining Room is like a huge banquet ballroom.  You won't go wrong on a Celebrity Cruise as a first time cruiser.


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## Passepartout (Jul 7, 2018)

VacationForever said:


> Note that there is nothing wrong with staterooms that are lower than Aqua.  The service on Celebrity cruise ships at the Main Dining Room is very good too.  Food is great at all restaurants.  The Main Dining Room is like a huge banquet ballroom.  You won't go wrong on a Celebrity Cruise as a first time cruiser.


Absolutely true. We cruised probably 5 times on Celebrity before upgrading to Aqua Class. There is nothing wrong with any of the 'standard' cabins. They are the same size and the food in the MDR is excellent. In fact we often will go to the MDR even though we are in AQ class just to dine with friends who are in standard cabins.


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## SmithOp (Jul 7, 2018)

It might be difficult staying in budget for a mediterranean cruise if you are coming from West Coast, airfare will eat up a good chunk of the $2500.  You will need a hotel night to recover from the 12+ hr flight.  When I looked at med cruises I considered a stopover in Miami.  Fly domestic to FLA then catch the international flight from MIA.

Another to consider are repositioning cruises, these are a good value at the end of the season.  I am looking at Panama canal - LA to Miami in the fall when they move the Alaska cruise ships to the Caribbean.  That way you only have one way air fare.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


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## Glynda (Jul 7, 2018)

We were upgraded to Aqua for our upcoming August-Sept cruise. It will be our first Aqua experience. Glad to read that we could dine in the MDR if we desired and that we can also chose MDR offerings in Aqua.


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## Passepartout (Jul 7, 2018)

Glynda said:


> We were upgraded to Aqua for our upcoming August-Sept cruise. It will be our first Aqua experience. Glad to read that we could dine in the MDR if we desired and that we can also chose MDR offerings in Aqua.


We like Aqua class and have upgraded to it the last several cruises. Kind of like flying 'economy comfort' instead of coach. Little comforts count. Like the drink coupons, and Blu. Only thing I don't like in Blu is that most tables are for 2, and we like to meet new people. I've heard all my wife's stories, and she's probably tired of mine too, so in the MDR we ask for a 6 top. 8 is too big to converse.

Jim


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## VacationForever (Jul 7, 2018)

Glynda said:


> We were upgraded to Aqua for our upcoming August-Sept cruise. It will be our first Aqua experience. Glad to read that we could dine in the MDR if we desired and that we can also chose MDR offerings in Aqua.


You will enjoy dining in Blu.  BTW, Blu does not serve lunch so if you want a sit down lunch, you will dine at MDR.  We enjoy MDR's food and service too, it's just that Blu's service is a bit more personalized.  

Only some MDR offerings are available in Blu.  Unlike at Luminae, where their kitchen is next to MDR's, Blu's kitchen is some distance away from MDR's.  Because of that Luminae can provide you with both menus, Blu does not but you can order some popular items off it like escargot and french onion soup.  

You may dine at MDR anytime you feel like it.


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## VacationForever (Jul 7, 2018)

Passepartout said:


> We like Aqua class and have upgraded to it the last several cruises. Kind of like flying 'economy comfort' instead of coach. Little comforts count. Like the drink coupons, and Blu. Only thing I don't like in Blu is that most tables are for 2, and we like to meet new people. I've heard all my wife's stories, and she's probably tired of mine too, so in the MDR we ask for a 6 top. 8 is too big to converse.
> 
> Jim


Those tables for 2 have never stopped us from chatting with folks from the tables next to us and vice versa.  On our last cruise, a couple and us ended up having them set up table for 4 for us, by pushing the 2 tables together, whenever we get there close to the same time.


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## Glynda (Jul 7, 2018)

Passepartout said:


> We like Aqua class and have upgraded to it the last several cruises. Kind of like flying 'economy comfort' instead of coach. Little comforts count. Like the drink coupons, and Blu. Only thing I don't like in Blu is that most tables are for 2, and we like to meet new people. I've heard all my wife's stories, and she's probably tired of mine too, so in the MDR we ask for a 6 top. 8 is too big to converse.
> 
> Jim



We also like meeting new people. In the MDR, we always ask for a round table. Those long tables by the windows make it very difficult to converse with others. We will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary on this trip and have also heard most of one another's stories.


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## Glynda (Jul 7, 2018)

VacationForever said:


> You will enjoy dining in Blu.  BTW, Blu does not serve lunch so if you want a sit down lunch, you will dine at MDR.  We enjoy MDR's food and service too, it's just that Blu's service is a bit more personalized.
> 
> Only some MDR offerings are available in Blu.  Unlike at Luminae, where their kitchen is next to MDR's, Blu's kitchen is some distance away from MDR's.  Because of that Luminae can provide you with both menus, Blu does not but you can order some popular items off it like escargot and french onion soup.
> 
> You may dine at MDR anytime you feel like it.



Good to know, thanks! The escargot is one of my favorites!  Am I confusing cruise lines/ships or did I see a lunch/afternoon eatery of some sort outside of the spa on a pool deck that was for Blu...on the Eclipse?


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## VacationForever (Jul 7, 2018)

It is called Aqua Spa Cafe, simple light stuff. They used to cook a piece of salmon or chicken on request to add to the salad but cruise critic reported that the hot made to order items have gone away.


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## Passepartout (Jul 7, 2018)

Glynda said:


> Good to know, thanks! The escargot is one of my favorites!  Am I confusing cruise lines/ships or did I see a lunch/afternoon eatery of some sort outside of the spa on a pool deck that was for Blu...on the Eclipse?



I like the escargot as well and would frequently order it in Blu as an additional (or substitute) appetizer. Yes, there is that 'small plate' eatery near the indoor pool. Nice enough place for a snack, but really it is not my idea of a lunch. Blu only serves b'fast & dinner- you're on your own for lunch- I like the sushi on five or on some ships there is a fresh salad-type place on 15 above the buffet. There is a small charge for either of those.


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## VacationForever (Jul 7, 2018)

The fresh salad type place on 15 is really a bistro type place called to Porch.  We tried it on Reflection and we were very unimpressed.

If it is a sea day we will stick to MDR for lunch.  Port days are a challenge as we hate buffets.


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## Glynda (Jul 7, 2018)

Passepartout said:


> I like the escargot as well and would frequently order it in Blu as an additional (or substitute) appetizer. Yes, there is that 'small plate' eatery near the indoor pool. Nice enough place for a snack, but really it is not my idea of a lunch. Blu only serves b'fast & dinner- you're on your own for lunch- I like the sushi on five or on some ships there is a fresh salad-type place on 15 above the buffet. There is a small charge for either of those.



We like Sushi on Five too.  Not going to be onboard often for lunch anyway. Not familiar with a salad place above the buffet.


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## Glynda (Jul 7, 2018)

VacationForever said:


> It is called Aqua Spa Cafe, simple light stuff. They used to cook a piece of salmon or chicken on request to add to the salad but cruise critic reported that the hot made to order items have gone away.



So, not just for Aqua?


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## Glynda (Jul 7, 2018)

VacationForever said:


> The fresh salad type place on 15 is really a bistro type place called to Porch.  We tried it on Reflection and we were very unimpressed.
> 
> If it is a sea day we will stick to MDR for lunch.  Port days are a challenge as we hate buffets.



Ah, I read about Porch though I don't believe it was on the Eclipse, which we have been on twice. Silhouette this time.  Prefer to be seated and served as well so usually opt for the MDR. Have to say though I have had some good lunches in the buffet. It's just a matter of timing of when it's fresh. Helps to know where everything is that you will need instead of running about gathering everything over several trips only to have cold food when you get back to the table...oh, and finding that table...


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## VacationForever (Jul 7, 2018)

Glynda said:


> So, not just for Aqua?


It is open to all.  Misleading name, I know.  We checked it out twice but it was not appealing to us.


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## VacationForever (Jul 7, 2018)

Our issue with buffet on Celebrity is that food in trays is lukewarm at best, unless you wait in line for a freshly made omelette, steak or pizza.  We like hot food.


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## beejaybeeohio (Jul 13, 2018)

As frequent Celebrity cruisers who do not book Aqua (though we did dine there the one time we had a Sky Suite before Luminae was developed), we enjoy the MDR food very much. We enjoy specialty restaurants too- the Lawn Club Grill, Tuscan, Sushi on Five in particular.  Qsine has lost its luster for us, but it is being replaced by the Petit Chef on most ships I believe.  Murano has not been my favorite the 2 times we've dined there.

The buffet works for me for lunch because my usual choice consists of the egg, chicken and shrimp salads.  The Mast Grill is another lunch option.  Agree about the made-to-order omlets.

We are really looking forward to the new MDR dining concept Celebrity is unveiling on the Edge class ships.  We cruise the Edge in December for 7 days and will likely try a specialty restaurant during that voyage.


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## mmthomas (Jul 14, 2018)

artringwald said:


> The best cruise line for you depends on your preferences.
> 1) Do you like getting dressed up for a formal night?
> 2) Do you like having plenty of shopping on board?
> 3) Do you like having fixed dining so you'll be eating with the same people every night?
> ...


I don't like the "cruising experience" above.  MSC has a more travel boat experience, that I like.  You can pay more for Yacht Club on MSC for the "experience".  I recommend their west med cruise in balcony cabin.  Plan on using the dining room most of the time instead of the madhouse "italian style" buffet.


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## Karen G (Jul 14, 2018)

When doing your cost comparison check out Viking Ocean cruise ships. An excursion in every port, beer & wine at meals, gratuities, & self-serve laundry facilities are all included in the cost.  There are additional excursions available in each port if you want them at an extra cost, but we found the included excursions to be excellent.  I think if you factor in the cost of excursions on other cruise lines, the price might be pretty comparable.

We've done only one Viking Ocean cruise called Viking Homelands. It was a 15-day cruise to countries around the Baltic Sea. It started in Stockholm and ended in Bergen, Norway. It was a fabulous experience and I'm looking forward to doing a Mediterranean cruise with Viking someday.


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## VacationForever (Jul 14, 2018)

mmthomas said:


> I don't like the "cruising experience" above.  MSC has a more travel boat experience, that I like.  You can pay more for Yacht Club on MSC for the "experience".  I recommend their west med cruise in balcony cabin.  Plan on using the dining room most of the time instead of the madhouse "italian style" buffet.


What is a travel boat experience?


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## JIMinNC (Jul 14, 2018)

We're embarking on our first Mediterranean cruise in early September on Azamara, the luxury cruise line subsidiary of Royal Caribbean. They have smaller 600-700 passenger ships and the on board experience is largely all-inclusive, although not as totally all-inclusive as the truly all inclusive lines like Regent Seven Seas. We did book one of their Club Ocean Suites (separate living room, bedroom, and bath), as a result, we can dine in the specialty restaurants for no up-charge, get daily butler service, a free internet package, and a couple other perks. All standard drinks and house wines are included in the price for all cabins, as are gratuities. Our booking also included $1,800 of on board credit, which we've used to pre-book shore excursions in every port and still have over $500 left for upgraded beverage packages or other on board use. So with the generous OBC, we should have pretty close to a total all-inclusive experience, I think.

We start the eight-night cruise in Barcelona, then spend a day in Valencia, Spain; a day on the island of Ibiza; a day at sea; a day in Monte Carlo, Monaco; a day in Santa Margherita/Portofino, Italy; two full days in Livorno, Italy (closest port to Tuscany/Florence/Pisa/Lucca); and we finish up at Civitavecchia, Italy (the closest port to Rome). What we liked about Azamara is the port stays are longer. In addition to the full two days in Livorno, the departure times are 9pm or after in the other ports - we leave Valencia at 11pm, Ibiza at 5am the next morning, Monte Carlo at 10pm, and Santa Margherita at 9pm. We do leave Livorno at 6pm on the last night of the cruise, but that is after an overnight and two full days there. We're also staying three hotel nights on the front end in Barcelona and two on the back end in Rome.


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## Passepartout (Jul 14, 2018)

JIMinNC said:


> We're embarking on our first Mediterranean cruise in early September on Azamara, the luxury cruise line subsidiary of Royal Caribbean. They have smaller 600-700 passenger ships and the on board experience is largely all-inclusive, although not as totally all-inclusive as the truly all inclusive lines like Regent Seven Seas. We did book one of their Club Ocean Suites (separate living room, bedroom, and bath), as a result, we can dine in the specialty restaurants for no up-charge, get daily butler service, a free internet package, and a couple other perks. All standard drinks and house wines are included in the price for all cabins, as are gratuities. Our booking also included $1,800 of on board credit, which we've used to pre-book shore excursions in every port and still have over $500 left for upgraded beverage packages or other on board use. So with the generous OBC, we should have pretty close to a total all-inclusive experience, I think.
> 
> We start out in Barcelona, then spend a day in Valencia, Spain; a day on the island of Ibiza; a day at sea; a day in Monte Carlo, Monaco; a day in Santa Margherita/Portofino, Italy; two full days in Livorno, Italy (closest port to Tuscany/Florence/Pisa/Lucca); and we finish up at Civitavecchia, Italy (the closest port to Rome). What we liked about Azamara is the port stays are longer. In addition to the full two days in Livorno, the departure times are 9pm or after in the other ports - we leave Valencia at 11pm, Ibiza at 5am the next morning, Monte Carlo at 10pm, and Santa Margherita at 9pm. We do leave Livorno at 6pm on the last night of the cruise, but that is after an overnight and two full days there. We're also staying three hotel nights on the front end in Barcelona and two on the back end in Rome.


Is there a question here?


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## Karen G (Jul 14, 2018)

JIMinNC said:


> We're embarking on our first Mediterranean cruise in early September on Azamara, the luxury cruise line subsidiary of Royal Caribbean.


Sounds like an amazing trip! Enjoy!


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## JIMinNC (Jul 14, 2018)

Passepartout said:


> Is there a question here?



No. It was a reply/response to the OP's original question about Mediterranean cruises. Another data point about another cruise line for the OP's food for thought.


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## catbro (Jul 14, 2018)

JIMinNC said:


> No. It was a reply/response to the OP's original question about Mediterranean cruises. Another data point about another cruise line for the OP's food for thought.



Lots of good information. We did our first European cruise last year with NCL on the Epic which was western Med itinerary RT from Barcelona. 

A couple things I wish I was aware of before we booked our cruise. The Italian ports of call, Citavecchia, Livorno and Naples are actually quite far from Rome, Florence and the Amalfi coast which are the top excurstion destinations. So docking in Citavecchia for 8 hours translated into only 5 hours to touring in Rome after the 3 hour round trip transfer which was not at all convenient. Also, these are industrial and very unattractive ports to arrive at and dock, so the balcony cabin for these ports of call were useless.


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## Passepartout (Jul 14, 2018)

JIMinNC said:


> No. It was a reply/response to the OP's original question about Mediterranean cruises. Another data point about another cruise line for the OP's food for thought.


Just wondered. The OP said she was wanting to do this (Barca-Rome) for $2500. She hasn't said if this is to include air from California. Or if it's all in or pp. That's a hard price point to hit. Your upcoming  cruise will be great- especially with the overnight stays. Have fun.

Jim


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## JIMinNC (Jul 14, 2018)

catbro said:


> A couple things I wish I was aware of before we booked our cruise. The Italian ports of call, Citavecchia, Livorno and Naples are actually quite far from Rome, Florence and the Amalfi coast which are the top excurstion destinations. So docking in Citavecchia for 8 hours translated into only 5 hours to touring in Rome after the 3 hour round trip transfer which was not at all convenient. Also, these are industrial and very unattractive ports to arrive at and dock, so the balcony cabin for these ports of call were useless.





Passepartout said:


> Just wondered. The OP said she was wanting to do this (Barca-Rome) for $2500. She hasn't said if this is to include air from California. Or if it's all in or pp. That's a hard price point to hit. Your upcoming  cruise will be great- especially with the overnight stays. Have fun.
> 
> Jim



These are reasons why I think it's smart to at least price and evaluate the more inclusive cruise lines - like Azamara - alongside the cheaper alternatives. I agree $2500/pp could be a hard price point to hit, even with a less inclusive line, particularly if you want something better than an inside or non-balcony cabin. Plus, the cheaper lines will tend to nickel-and-dime you with their more ala carte pricing, so if the $2500/pp the OP stated is more their all-in target price vs. just the base fare, that would make it even harder to hit that price point. When we factored in all of these considerations, Azamara was still premium-priced, but the difference was not as much once you factored in their standard inclusions and typically generous on-board credit offerings. Additionally, we were attracted to Azamara's smaller ships and the fact that they say most of their shore excursions are limited to groups of 25 or less. Their itineraries are also more port-focused than ship-focused, and based on the first post, that sounds like something the OP might be looking for. In my opinion, the more inclusive lines like Azamara, Viking, etc. have less financial incentive to increase you time on the ship, since so much is included in the base price. On the other hand, the less inclusive lines have a financial incentive to minimize your shore time and keep you on the ship where you'll spend money. We are springing for one of their better suites for this trip, since it's designed to celebrate our 25th year of marriage, but you can certainly cruise on Azamara for much less than we are spending - just maybe not $2500pp (unless you find a sale or bargain).


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## skimeup (Jul 14, 2018)

Not relevant to cruises but someone mentioned the cost of flights as an issue that would substantially bite into that $2500 price.  You may want to look at flight deals that are announced  by: theflightdeal.com

I picked up a round trip from LA to Barcelona in October.  The base cost was $420 but with seat selection and baggage, it was about $479.  Nonstop - Iberia 

They send out a daily list of deals and those deals are amazing.  I check flights from Los Angeles because that is where I live and I could go to Singapore, China, Japan, and most European spots for under $500 round trip - if I jump on the listed deals immediately.  You can subscribe to their daily listings at:  http://theflightdeal.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=835a788b6fdf584d57173b603&id=eb7686b6a9

I also picked up a flight from New York to Orlando for $84 (and managed to get a trip from LA - NY - Orlando - LA for about $400 using their deals.  No seat selection on the $84 trip but it is only a two hour, direct flight.  Most of the flights will be on Tues Weds Thurs and some of the deals may be red eye and certainly minimal inclusions.  But between airbnb and The Flight Deal, I am going to Barcelona and staying for ten nights for about $1100.


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## Santanna (Jul 14, 2018)

Go and have a sit-down, face-to-face chat with a travel agent in a brick and mortar office specializing in cruises. They will have the answers to all your questions, have access to all the inventory and may even be able to offer perks or promotions. Once you find a travel agent you like, stick with them because they'll become your best friend. It costs nothing to talk to a TA, nor does it cost to book through a reputable agency.


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## AnnaS (Jul 15, 2018)

uop1497 said:


> Have anyone here ever taken a Mediterranean cruise. If so, can you please share your experience  ( which cruise line did you take your cruise, how long , which month you want on your cruise trip . Did you depart and return on the same port  and what you like  and not like about your cruise trip).
> 
> I have never been on this part of this world and need a recommendation for 7 day to 11 days long cruise and itinerary to make the best of our trip.
> 
> ...



We took a Disney 11 Night Med cruise in July 2007 (family of 5).   Can't remember if we flew from JFK or Newark - fare was over $1,300. each to Barcelona (r/t).  Port excursions averaged $200 pp (or at least the ones we did).  We went to 7 ports.  

We have only cruised Disney.  As much as we love Disney, if we were to cruise the Med. again, I would definitely look and compare other cruise lines.  Cruisecritic is a great site to read many reviews/feedback as well.  Look to see who offers the best OBC, book early, no need to pay for specialty restaurants on Med cruises.  Spend the money at local places you visit.


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## Coach Boon (Jul 18, 2018)

Although I'm sure of the answer, I'll ask the question anyways - "Is it worth trading in your points for a Cruise exchange?"


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## Passepartout (Jul 18, 2018)

Coach Boon said:


> Although I'm sure of the answer, I'll ask the question anyways - "Is it worth trading in your points for a Cruise exchange?"


No. What you get is a discount from.full retail price of the.(selected) cruise that you likely would pay roughly the same as a discounter. Nowhere close to the MF you pay for the points.

Jim


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## joestein (Jul 20, 2018)

Talent312 said:


> I am about to embark on a 12-day Med-cruise on Royal Caribbean.
> RCL is an average cruiseline. I chose them becuz of the itinerary...
> R/T from Barcelona to Cannes, Livorno-Florence, Rome, Athens,
> Rhodes, Santorini & Malta.
> ...


Are you going on the new Oasis Class ship (Symphony of the seas?)?  When does it depart?  A co-worker of mine is going on that ship for a Mediterranean cruise this summer.


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## Coach Boon (Jul 27, 2018)

Passepartout said:


> No. What you get is a discount from.full retail price of the.(selected) cruise that you likely would pay roughly the same as a discounter. Nowhere close to the MF you pay for the points.
> 
> Jim


Thanks Jim. That's what I thought


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