MedCruise_2022

Thanks! There is one sea day- between Athens and Naples. Just thinking that we may not do "shore excursions" for ports that we have already visited ( Naples, and Livorno/Florence); or in Jerusalem-where we intend to do pre-cruise stay.

Thank you for this information. I am somewhat reassured! Yes, after booking, I have read and looked on You tube videos of NCL Epic and the issue about the bathroom was a concern raised by some. My husband and I have booked a Large Balcony on Deck 12 (--and the bathroom may not be an issue). We are excited for this cruise mainly because of it starting in Israel and ending in Rome--which we want to re-visit, and for the many ports of call along its route. Thank you again!

Now I am worried haha! We are booked on Norwegian Epic for October 29-Nov 10, 2024 from Haifa to Rome. We booked this particular cruise because of its "epic" destination/ports of call: Israel (Haifa and Jerusalem), Cyprus, Turkey (Istanbul and Kusadasi), several Greek isles, and Italy (Naples, Livorno, Rome). Hoping for the best!

Thanks for the info! Looking forward to our Panama Canal PT Cruise in Feb 2024 from Tampa, although somewhat intimidated by long sea days. I prefer port-intensive cruises, haha!

Carnival Pride out of Tampa will do Panama Canal Partial Transit. We are booked for Feb 17-25, 2024 (8 days), with ports of call to Limon and Cayman Islands. I think there are other departure dates..

My husband and I are booked on Carnival Journeys – 12-Day Southern Caribbean from Galveston, TX for 01/26/2025. So excited to go to the ABC islands (third time though for Cozumel)!

We used Carnival's Fly2Fun for our Mediterranean Cruise from Rome to Lisbon in October 2022. It turned out well: a) I chose the dates and flights we wanted - 4 days pre-cruise through Delta; 2 days post cruise through BA (from Lisbon - LHR) and AA (LHR-DFW); b) I could choose the seats for Delta and AA, but not for BA; c) the air fare rate was lower than if I booked myself; d) the air fare was "bundled" thus was only paid during the final cruise fare payment. Airlines' Record Locator was issued and I could find the flights and seat numbers on my AA and Delta portals, however as some posters have pointed out, the actual issuance of the actual ticket number was only about a month before the cruise. Over-all, our F2F to Europe turned out fine!. At this time, I am exploring F2F for our flight to Tampa (from DFW) for a Panama Canal Cruise (2024), I called Carnival Travel Services, and the airfare rate they are quoting is the same price I see at the AA website. I think I will explore other airlines!

We are doing land trip to Italy (Venice-Padua/Verona-Florence-Pisa-Cinque Terre this September. Got RT ticket to Venice in January for $900+ (but now tickets hover at $1,500/person). Thought of doing Norway Cruise with Carnival Pride this July, 2023 but airfare to Heathrow was somewhere near $1,500 (or $3,000+ for 2 persons including transfers, etc) - more than the cruise fare!

After coming back from a Mediterranean Cruise last October 2022 with Carnival Pride--which was a great and wonderful experience, I wanted to book another European Cruise with Carnival in 2024. It took Carnival time to release their 2024 sailings--so I booked an Oct-Nov 2024 cruise with NCL- from Haifa to Rome with key ports in Cyprus, Turkey, and Greece. I am so looking forward to this cruise--mainly because of the ports that the ship will visit. I, too look forward to Carnival 2025 Europe sailings--hoping to do a B2B for Norway and the Northern European/Baltic counties.

Have booked our flight RT to Venice last January for our September 2023 land trip in Italy. The cost of airfare for one person (for September 2023) at this time is equivalent for the airfare cost for two persons we paid in January. I start to monitor airfare prices to Asia/Europe at most 10-8 months in advance (Google flights, etc), and book ASAP once I find a price I am comfortable with. There is a "Hold" option with AA which I use while making some decision options.

FYI: The Carnival 2024 Europe sailings are now open.

Have been waiting for 2024 Carnival Europe sailings since December last year. I just recently booked NCL for October 2024 for a 12-day port intensive (dream) cruise from Haifa to Rome (with ports of call at: Jerusalem, 1 in Cyprus, 2 in Turkey, 4 in Greece, and 2 in Italy). We are looking forward to it (but somewhat intimidated by the amount of planning/logistics for it). As to your query "...do you have any status that will get you on an early tender"-- we are not platinum or diamond Carnival cruisers, but we are working on it (wink) Still waiting for 2024 Carnival Europe sailings though! Thanks.

I love the "Excursion on your own" type. The Carnival tour operator will provide the transportation to and from the place, and in most cases a guide --(not only a driver) will provide valuable information along the way. It offers so much freedom and flexibility as to the points of interests that we would like to visit. Before we go, I map out the places to see/eat to save on time. Just be mindful of the meeting place and time.

We did the Mediterranean Cruise on Pride last October, from Rome to Lisbon, and it was great! We had 4 days pre-cruise in Rome, and 2 days post cruise in Lisbon, which added much significance and fun to our vacation experience/cruise. We took the Carnival "bundle" of cruise, airfare (Fly2Fun), and travel protection/insurance---and everything worked fine. It was port-intensive, only 2 sea days (out of 9)--and we took our shore excursions on every port from Carnival. They were all pretty organized (Amalfi/Pompeii, Messina-Taormina, Malta, Malaga-Alhambra, Gibraltar, and Portimao-Algarve); some shore excursions were day-long, but they were all to my liking- as I took great pains in choosing them. I loved Granada-Alhambra, Taormina, and Malta the most though. We have been on several Carnival cruises and greatly appreciate the friendliness and care by the Carnival crew. They are always attentive and ready to provide assistance. We are booked on our Western Caribbean Cruise from Galveston this April. Like some of you, we are waiting for the Carnival 2024 Europe sailings-hoping to book a B2B to Norway and Northern Europe. Hoping for calm winds and smooth seas for all of us!

Shalom! Thank you very much for this wonderful review! It is so well-written and thorough. I have been to Israel about 30 years ago (for two months on a training grant) and your description makes me so nostalgic of all the places I have been to. My husband and I have a booked 12-day cruise from Haifa to Rome-Civitavecchia in November 2024. It's still two years from now--and your review provides a great help as we navigate the long planning for our cruise.

In November 2021, my husband and I went to Hawaii for 11 days- 7 days in Maui, and 4 days in Oahu, our first time. It was truly wonderful! In Maui-- we went to a Luau, did a tour to Road to Hana, and to Haleakala sunrise, did a sunset cruise tour, visited the Maui Tropical Plantation, the Upcountry and the Iao State Park, and went to some beaches along West Maui/Lahaina area. Then, we flew to Honolulu for the Pearl Harbor National Park, did an Island Circle Tour, a swim at Waikiki Beach, and light shopping at Waikiki district. It was very memorable, so fun --but the cost is somewhat staggering (~$10,000)--considering that we stayed in mid-range hotels. Expenses in Hawaii can add up--food, car rental, souvenirs, etc. Maybe, when we return we will know better (to trim some expense items). If not for those many days spent on the open ocean, I would readily return to Hawaii on a cruise-just unpack once, all inclusive at that--visiting all the major Hawaii islands. Whatever you decide, have fun! Hawaii is all worth it!

We also got the Carnival Vacation Protection (administered by AON Affinity) for our Mediterranean Cruise last October mainly because of their provisions "to refund IN CASH the otherwise non-refundable value of your prepaid cruise vacation for covered reasons"; and " to provide you a cruise credit equal to 75% of the non-refundable value of your cruise vacation -for ANY REASON, for your use toward a future cruise". However, the people at AON and at Carnival Travel Services could not tell me categorically whether our pre- cruise days (4 in Rome) and post-cruise days (3 in Lisbon) would be covered, so I bought an annual insurance from another company. We are grateful though that we did not have to use/file any insurance claim. With the annual insurance, we are covered during our Western Caribbean cruise in April-May from our homeport-Galveston.

Thank you very much for your extensive review. I love your pictures! We were on Carnival Pride too for its Mediterranean Cruise last October 21-30, 2022 from Rome to Lisbon. In Messina, Sicily--we did the Carnival shore excursion "Taormina on your own", and it was wonderful. We were driven to Taormina- with some briefing along the way--then had 4 hours to explore the area on our own. Looking at your pictures, Messina is so much worth a visit too. In Naples, we did a Carnival excursion " Amalfi and Pompeii by land and sea". Amalfi is amazing--and approaching Amalfi by boat is breathtaking. Pompeii is indeed very interesting and thought-provoking. I am inspired by your pictures of your tour of Sorrento, Positano, and Ravello. Hope to do this tour in 2024. Thank you!

My husband and I recently did our first Mediterranean Cruise from Rome-Civitavecchia Port to Lisbon on Carnival Pride from October 21-30, 2022. I must say it was a truly wonderful and lovely vacation. Our ports of call were: Naples, Sicily, Malta, Malaga, Gibraltar, and Portimao/Algarve. We booked our flights with Carnival's Fly-to-Fun bundle, and also took their Travel Protection Package. It was a very port intensive cruise- with only two sea days, and we pre-booked all our shore excursions (except Portimao) with Carnival too. We also bought Internet coverage (Value Plus), and pre-ordered bottled water to our cabin. We enjoyed our cabin balcony especially as we arrive/leave the ports--watching the sunrise/or sunset. We flew to Rome 4 days before the cruise and stayed in Lisbon 2 days post-cruise. In Rome, we did self-tour of Rome's historic center (Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, Piazza del Popolo, and nearby basilicas/churches); ancient Rome (Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Santa Maria Maggiore, St Peter's in Chains-with the "Moses" by Michelangelo; and Vatican/Trasvetere). In Lisbon, we did Viator tours to Lisbon City Center and the Belem District (first day), and to our Lady of Fatima Sanctuary Shrine, Batalha Monastery (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and to the medieval town of Obidos (second day).. To me, Carnival's Fly-to-Fun has several advantages: I have flexibility on the airlines (and seats) I want, the number of days we could stay before and after the cruise, and a the plane rate was lower than what I am getting from the various airlines. Of course, booking your own flight is best. True booking with private tours/shore excursions could be more substantive, less expensive and maybe in smaller groups, but with Carnival shore excursions, in most cases, the buses were waiting right at the ports, and we were assured that the ship would not depart without us!! There are some tours too that need to be booked early since some documentation are required as in "Granada-Alhambra tour". As most have suggested, getting on the roll call is a great idea-- to meet new friends, and share costs in transfers and in shore excursions (the price of private taxi from Rome to Civitavecchia Port is a bit on the high side). We have booked a 2024 cruise from Haifa, Israel to Rome with ports in Cyprus, Turkey, Greece (with another cruise line), but also waiting what Carnival has to offer for Europe in 2024. All the best on your cruise planning! It is lot of work but fun.

Thank you for asking! We are also looking forward to the 2024 Carnival Europe sailings. We just did our first Mediterranean Cruise from Rome to Lisbon last Oct 21-30, 2022- and excited to see more of other European ports (heard that Norway is great). Marjie