Big Red 2016

Can someone tell me how the teen club works in port vs at sea... last time we cruised DD was 11 and part of the kids club... They wouldn't let them out of the kids club when we were in port for security reasons... now she's 13, and has aged into the teen version... if she doesn't want to do an excursion with us, will she be safe on board in the club? Any info will be helpful :) Thanks!!

We sailed Brilliance in 2017 on a 12 night Med-Venice... loved the ship... and there really weren't that many kids.. I know because we sailed with our almost 12 year old :P We prefer the smaller ships, and really enjoyed the service and atmosphere... The itinerary was the major factor because it was the only way we could get the Naples area and Venice in the same trip... the price was a great deal, too, though... this will be our first experience on X, and again itinerary was first and pricing 2nd.... CHOICES lol...

Ship - Brilliance

Deck - 8

Stateroom # - 8586

Stateroom Category – E1

Starboard or Port Side - Starboard

Quiet Stateroom? (With comments on problems) – This cabin is located just off the Centrum, but with the main hallway door closed each evening, noise was not a problem for us.

Was stateroom a connecting stateroom? - No.

Balcony View - Give comments on view, noting if location of any obstructions was an issue. – Awesome views... end of the hump. Deck below us had the lifeboat covers right off their balcony, but we weren't interested in looking down so it wasn't an issue for us.

Balcony Size? Normal or oversized for class? - Oversized, which is why we picked it. Traveling with DD, so needed a good sized area to relax if needed. Plenty of room for the table and chairs... could have fit loungers, instead, if desired. Loved having coffee or glass of wine out there!

Was wind a problem? - On occasion, but it was summer in the Med, so we enjoyed the breezes whenever possible.

If an aft cabin, was soot a problem? -

Any specific problems with this cabin? - Nope~ just what we wanted! 3rd bed for DD was the love seat style with mattress low to the floor. Not a problem for her, but an adult could struggle getting out :)

Any other comments? - loved the location ~ close to the Centrum, easy to get to elevators on other side, but only traffic was people who had to be there. Loved being able to sit at tables around Centrum and listen to the music and people watch!

We had a wonderful experience with ItalyTours escorts during our Med Cruise.

1~ at Villefranche we had a great tour of the French Riviera with Yannick. He was waiting for us in the lot after tendering, and away we went for a full day of sites and scenery. The small vehicle was perfect so we could get right up and into the tiny streets of the villages, etc. He was very friendly and knowledgeable having been in the area for his lifetime. He was very accomodating if we wanted to stay a bit longer or head out from a particular spot a little sooner based on what our group wanted. We were able to follow the itinerary as detailed, and see all of the sights with plenty of time to get back to the boat tender area. Nice, Eze, Monaco, and Monte Carlo were just beautiful!

2~ at Civitavecchia, we were picked up again right on schedule by Joseph (really Giuseppe, but he addressed himself as Joseph). The directions for meeting him right off the boat were spot on. It was a super hot day, and the A/C in the van was much appreciated as we returned from each segment of the tour. Our Vatican guide Roberta was prompt and knowledgeable and handled the large group well. The place was jam-packed this day, and taking it all in was a bit overwhelming with the crowds. A fan and a mopine for your brow is a good idea :) After the Vatican/SPB, away we went for the rest of the day to see the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, the Forum, etc. We had time to take pictures and walk around a bit, which was nice. Then, off we went the Spanish Steps, and all of the piazzas and of course the Trevi Fountain… so glad we got to see that before they turn off the water! We appreciated Joseph's tips on food and bathroom locations, and enjoyed a cold beer and a slice of pizza at a local cafeteria... along with gelato and cappucino, of course!

3~ at Salerno, our first driver, Salvatore, met us with a larger van for our group, and we went off to Pompeii for our tour. This was fantastic! Again, another hot day, but we were prepared and our guide Margherita really knew her stuff and answered all of our questions as we walked through the city. It was much larger than any of us expected. Apparently, there was a problem with the vehicle, and we ended up splitting into two smaller groups in two separate vans for the rest of the day, with Nicola as our driver. He was great, and brought us to Sorrento for lunch and shopping and then for a beautiful drive along the Amalfi coast to Positano. He stopped along the way at several scenic spots for pictures and we were able to enjoy some lemon granita as well… delicious! Unfortunately, we were not able to continue on to Naples as we’d hoped due to a fire along the road… apparently the fires during our port visit that were a bit difficult to control :( But, we were back to the boat with plenty of time to get back onboard for dinner and to relax before another busy day.

From start to finish, dealing with the office staff making the reservations and keeping us up to date on the group status, ItalyTours was great to deal with. No issues with credit cards/deposits/payments, either. HIghly recommend them to anyone :) Good luck and enjoy your cruise!