Emerald Princess Rome to Barcelona September 26 -October 3 2015 in photos and video

[Bimmer09]

It was a great cruise. Your pictures bring fond memories. Thank You for sharing.

 

You are very welcome! I imagine you joined the ship in Barcelona Oct 3?

 

Norris

[AF-1]

Bimmer09,

I want to say thank you for a wonderful tour of Italy, and Europe. I have sailed three times through Europe; but your post has to be one for the Guinness Books.

Pictures: Lots and Lots;

Picture Quality: Excellent

Food: lots of great pictures and great narration

Tour of the Emerald: A perfect 10. I have not sailed with Princess; but have booked an Alaska Cruise on Emerald next year. I am trying to read every review of Emerald and Princess Cruise Lines. Your review was outstanding; and I am happy I read this. You mentioned the amount of hours to upload pictures; I know this is time consuming; however; it has made it so worthwhile for me and I know many others who've read this

 

Thanks and Godspeed

[Pmorton3360]

Just booked our first Italy excursion. Rome highlights with Rome in Limo. A group of 8 with Vatican guide. Thank you for all your input.

[AF-1]

I've used Rome in Limo twice. They do a great job

[Bimmer09]

Bimmer09,

I want to say thank you for a wonderful tour of Italy, and Europe. I have sailed three times through Europe; but your post has to be one for the Guinness Books.

Pictures: Lots and Lots;

Picture Quality: Excellent

Food: lots of great pictures and great narration

Tour of the Emerald: A perfect 10. I have not sailed with Princess; but have booked an Alaska Cruise on Emerald next year. I am trying to read every review of Emerald and Princess Cruise Lines. Your review was outstanding; and I am happy I read this. You mentioned the amount of hours to upload pictures; I know this is time consuming; however; it has made it so worthwhile for me and I know many others who've read this

 

Thanks and Godspeed

 

Welcome and thank you for taking the time to read it through!

 

I appreciate your comments, very much. The mention of the word Guinness always gets my attention!

 

Cheers and enjoy Alaska on the Emerald! I might visit Alaska this August but have yet to choose a cruise line or ship or itinerary for that matter!

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Just booked our first Italy excursion. Rome highlights with Rome in Limo. A group of 8 with Vatican guide. Thank you for all your input.

 

Are you getting picked up in Civitavecchia? You could ask Jany if Franco is available as a driver. The icing on the cake would be Massimo for the Vatican.

 

They are an unbeatable combination.

 

Norris

[Pmorton3360]

Yes, at the ship. We'll ask. Thank you.

[AF-1]

Just my two cents. Rome In Limo Rocks. Have used them twice. Great service. We did two shore excursions with them. They pick you up in Mercedes vans; stocked with water; they will stop when and wherever you want; you need to go to atm or bathroom break; done. Customer service is their business

[Working 2 Cruise]

Norris, my friend, I'm so glad this thread was resurrected! :D

 

I'm doing the transatlantic cruise from Rome to Ft. Lauderdale. Since my parents were married in Rome, a few decades ago :eek:, this seemed to be appropriate, to say the least. However, the size of the ship seems to differ. However, I will be looking for any insights (as well as good hotel and food) you can give me!

 

I'm looking forward to your next review and, hopefully, we'll get to meet!

[Bimmer09]

Norris, my friend, I'm so glad this thread was resurrected! :D

 

I'm doing the transatlantic cruise from Rome to Ft. Lauderdale. Since my parents were married in Rome, a few decades ago :eek:, this seemed to be appropriate, to say the least. However, the size of the ship seems to differ. However, I will be looking for any insights (as well as good hotel and food) you can give me!

 

I'm looking forward to your next review and, hopefully, we'll get to meet!

 

Hi Nina!

 

My "next review" is actually happening now but it's on the Celebrity board.

 

In this Emerald Princess one I show our hotel which suits us fine-we used it in 2014 too so that should say something. In the Rome section at the beginning there are a couple of restaurants near our hotel that we like but if you were staying in another part of town it wouldn't make sense to schlep over to them.

Anne (rdsqrl) has stayed at the same hotel and loves it. Albergo del Senato.

Rooms are smallish and there's a circus going on outside the front door but you'll know you are in Rome! Staff is brilliant.

 

I used Tripdvisor in researching the hotel and the hotel gave us the restaurant recommendations.

 

For Rome tours and transfers from the airport and to the ship in Civitavecchia we used Rome in Limo. $60 from the airport and $160 to the port.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Norris

Edited February 9, 2016 by Bimmer09

[Working 2 Cruise]

Thanks Norris! I had missed this review!!! So, I'm enjoying it very much now. We're staying at the Albergo Cesari, very close to your hotel, right by the Pantheon, with, yay, a rooftop deck...

 

I'll very likely book Rome in Limo... then, on embarkation day, we're going with other cruisers, to Orvieto... and onto some wine tasting! :)

 

So, pretty much all our tours are taken care of, including Barcelona. It will be some busy days! I love the photos of the churches. Fantastic! Good thing we have all those sea days on the way back!

[Bimmer09]

Thanks Norris! I had missed this review!!! So, I'm enjoying it very much now. We're staying at the Albergo Cesari, very close to your hotel, right by the Pantheon, with, yay, a rooftop deck...

 

I'll very likely book Rome in Limo... then, on embarkation day, we're going with other cruisers, to Orvieto... and onto some wine tasting! :)

 

So, pretty much all our tours are taken care of, including Barcelona. It will be some busy days! I love the photos of the churches. Fantastic! Good thing we have all those sea days on the way back!

 

Nina if you are near the Pantheon then you are well-placed for walking to some of the major tourist sites- Trevi and Spanish Steps being the closest. Forum a 10E cab ride.

 

It's a lively part of town for restaurants, buskers, gelato and coffee shops and some great churches to visit.

 

Rooftop deck cannot be beat at Sunset in Rome!!

 

Enjoy!

 

Norris

[Libby13]

Great review Norris. We're doing our first cruise on the Emerald in July to the Med so I've been hanging on every word and photo!

 

Sorry to hear about the burglary. Sounds awful. Glad one has been caught.

[Bimmer09]

Great review Norris. We're doing our first cruise on the Emerald in July to the Med so I've been hanging on every word and photo!

 

Sorry to hear about the burglary. Sounds awful. Glad one has been caught.

 

Libby, thanks for reading the review and for the compliments!

 

It ranks as my favorite cruise to date-for the amazing ports and excursions even though the weather was often not kind. For the first time we missed a port (Cannes) due to weather and had our share of rain.

 

We hope to do the same itinerary in reverse order some day-Barcelona to Rome.

 

In the meantime we are happy to have two cruises booked-one with Princess and one with Celebrity.

 

Have a great cruise in July!

 

Norris

[emmak8]

Thank you so much for sharing. I am going to save your info for my August cruise on the Emerald.

[Bimmer09]

Thank you so much for sharing. I am going to save your info for my August cruise on the Emerald.

 

Emma, I'm glad you took the time to read the whole piece.

 

I'm happy to share and even happier that you found it useful in your planning.

 

Enjoy your Emerald cruise in August!

 

I finished that review way back in mid November but am glad people are still finding it and reading along.

 

Norris

[s2c4r5a4p]

Hi Norris,

 

I have been glued to your post this entire weekend. It took me 3 days at about 3 hours each day. Your review was so informative and I greatly appreciate you taking the time for all of us.

 

I was waiting for the punch line about your home invasion expecting it was your sense of humor and to my horror it was true. I am so very sorry that happened to you. Since it has been more than a few months I trust you are on the mend and that it is a distant memory.

 

I look forward to reading all your reviews. You are the best!!!!!

 

Thank you again,

Janet

 

P.S. as you can see I rarely post so you know this was important to me.

[Bimmer09]

Hi Norris,

 

I have been glued to your post this entire weekend. It took me 3 days at about 3 hours each day. Your review was so informative and I greatly appreciate you taking the time for all of us.

 

I was waiting for the punch line about your home invasion expecting it was your sense of humor and to my horror it was true. I am so very sorry that happened to you. Since it has been more than a few months I trust you are on the mend and that it is a distant memory.

 

I look forward to reading all your reviews. You are the best!!!!!

 

Thank you again,

Janet

 

P.S. as you can see I rarely post so you know this was important to me.

 

Janet, thanks for the kind words on the review! I'm glad you soldiered on all the way through it. I read it in 3 hour chunks just like you. It's an itinerary we would do again, hopefully starting in Barcelona next time.

 

Re the incident which ended the review on a sour note- all is well but it still lives on as I am supposed to be in court next Monday (seeking compensation) but I will be in Houston then so have to be available by phone. Then I have another court date in mid-May so that should be the end of it. Fingers crossed. The perpetrator is in prison but his accomplice is in hiding-maybe in the same place my missing socks go to when I do laundry.

 

We have two cruises planned so there will be more reviews in September and January.

 

Thanks for posting! Much appreciated.

 

Norris

 

[Bimmer09]

Norris, it's time for you to take another trip :) I need another review to read!

 

Hi, I've got three months to wait before I set foot on a ship again. We'll be on the Star Princess Vancouver to Whittier sailing September 10.

 

After that there is the Celebrity Reflection sailing from Miami to the Western Caribbean, so some new ports for us. That's mid January 2017.

 

We've been to Alaska twice before but each time I had a simple point and shoot Canon. This time I am going armed to the teeth with camera equipment!

 

Hope to see you in those reviews!

 

Cheers,

 

Norris

[SOLIVITA LADY]

Looking forward to your Alaska review. We go to Alaska next June with the grandkids on Ruby but will be on Star Princess in March 2018 for a cruise to Hawaii so interested in seeing the ship as it is a new one for us.

 

Have fun and take lots of pictures. I live vicariously through you:)

 

Jackie

 

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk HD

[Bimmer09]

Looking forward to your Alaska review. We go to Alaska next June with the grandkids on Ruby but will be on Star Princess in March 2018 for a cruise to Hawaii so interested in seeing the ship as it is a new one for us.

 

Have fun and take lots of pictures. I live vicariously through you:)

 

Jackie

 

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk HD

 

Jackie, the Star will be new to us too which is one major reason why we chose her over the Coral and the Island. It has that dramatic Skywalkers that I like and an indoor pool.

 

Take lots of pictures? Great idea and "I'm on it!"

 

Roll on September!

 

Norris

 

[Working 2 Cruise]

Jackie, the Star will be new to us too which is one major reason why we chose her over the Coral and the Island. It has that dramatic Skywalkers that I like and an indoor pool.

 

Take lots of pictures? Great idea and "I'm on it!"

 

Roll on September!

 

Norris

 

 

Yippee Norris! Can't wait! I fell in love, head over heels in love, with Alaska! Can't wait for your review, as always!

[twiggycat]

 

Just back from Barcelona and we used all of your recommendations about hotels , tours etc.

Had the best time ever. Thanks.

[Bimmer09]

Yippee Norris! Can't wait! I fell in love, head over heels in love, with Alaska! Can't wait for your review, as always!

 

Nina, I understand your excitement over Alaska. We have two AK cruises under our belts and this next one will be our third in our brief 5 years of cruising.

I won't be bored. We've been to all the ports but love them all for the excursion possibilities and we are doing some new trips-no Harv n Marv this time nor floatplane trips.

 

I didn't take many photos (by my standards) before but this time the gloves are off as I'm packing heat...

 

Great to hear from you, as always.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

 

Just back from Barcelona and we used all of your recommendations about hotels , tours etc.

Had the best time ever. Thanks.

 

Wow -so glad you read my review and took notes and acted on them!

 

I guess you stayed at the Majestic? Fabulous hotel. Rooftop bar is still calling me and we will return. Ditto Pepito tours.

 

Barcelona is magical and I am so happy you enjoyed it!

 

Thanks for telling me.

 

Norris