Rhapsody of the Seas Greece/Adriatic Review from a RCCL newbie!

[catmandu73]

I am able to travel for a 10 day trip with a carry on roller board by rolling a lot of clothes, not worrying about what needs to be ironed and taking advantage if i need to of laundry services on the cruise ship. I am a 60 ish woman who makes use of everything that goes into that suitcase more than once. and i don't have a shoe fetish where i need lots of shoes. so have been able to make this work. went on a cruise last year out of Southampton to the Canary Islands and followed this same plan.

 

so hopefully that alleviates my issues with the Venice Airport.

 

Thanks again for your write up and now for all the amazing photos.

[KSH120]

Thanks for the review and practical tips! We'll be on the Rhapsody July 4, and your comments have been helpful.

 

I'm curious about your experience with finding taxis in Santorini. We're currently booked on a ship excursion for the sole purpose of getting off the ship first and to Oia before it gets crowded. But, if we can get off the ship on an early tender anyway, have a short cable car line, and find a taxi quickly, it wouldn't matter how much they ripped us off - it would be much less than the $160 total we are paying for the excursion! Was it a long wait to get a tender/cable car/taxi? Were taxis readily available in Oia (I had read somewhere else they weren't)?

[Biker19]

If the timing is right, the fastest way to Oia might be via the ferry (skip the cable car ride to Fira and the taxi) from the same pier where the tender drops you off.

[Bostonjetset]

I am able to travel for a 10 day trip with a carry on roller board by rolling a lot of clothes, not worrying about what needs to be ironed and taking advantage if i need to of laundry services on the cruise ship. I am a 60 ish woman who makes use of everything that goes into that suitcase more than once. and i don't have a shoe fetish where i need lots of shoes. so have been able to make this work. went on a cruise last year out of Southampton to the Canary Islands and followed this same plan.

 

so hopefully that alleviates my issues with the Venice Airport.

 

Thanks again for your write up and now for all the amazing photos.

 

Wow!! I wish I had that restraint. :eek:

Seeing as So'ton is your home port, have you sailed with Cunard? I can't imagine all the formal wear and everything all fitting into a carry-on!

 

Did you like the Canaries? That is a bucket-list cruise for me but I only want a sailing that includes Morocco so it limits things a bit more.

 

Thanks for the review and practical tips! We'll be on the Rhapsody July 4, and your comments have been helpful.

 

I'm curious about your experience with finding taxis in Santorini. We're currently booked on a ship excursion for the sole purpose of getting off the ship first and to Oia before it gets crowded. But, if we can get off the ship on an early tender anyway, have a short cable car line, and find a taxi quickly, it wouldn't matter how much they ripped us off - it would be much less than the $160 total we are paying for the excursion! Was it a long wait to get a tender/cable car/taxi? Were taxis readily available in Oia (I had read somewhere else they weren't)?

 

Our our trip, tender tickets were not needed in Santorini and thus we were able to get off the ship on the first non-excursion tender. The cable car had no line when we got there and the whole process of ticket to top took maybe 10 min max. Taxis were a little difficult to find in Oia and we had to wait about 10-15 min on the street before finding a free one [and he was dropping off a passenger so we jumped at it]. It could take a bit of time but I am not sure it is worth spending $80pp to avoid that. They do have a public bus as well so I've heard and thus it would not be easy to get stranded in Oia.

 

Do also keep in mind that when we were there, it was only Rhapsody and NCL's Jade in port that day. Sometimes they have up to 4 ships in port so whilst 2 was crowded, 4 would be madness.

[beryl patricia]

Thanks for the fantastic review. We will be sailing on her soon, our itinerary is almost the same except we go to Zadar instead of Ravenna. I will be adding all your helpful hints and tips to my little list (love making lists ha ha) along with other helpful info from others who have posted on your review - so thanks to all.

 

I will add your name to our roll call so that others can read your fab review. Its a great itinerary and I'm really looking forward to it.

 

Thanks again

Gill

[Bostonjetset]

Thanks for the fantastic review. We will be sailing on her soon, our itinerary is almost the same except we go to Zadar instead of Ravenna. I will be adding all your helpful hints and tips to my little list (love making lists ha ha) along with other helpful info from others who have posted on your review - so thanks to all.

 

I will add your name to our roll call so that others can read your fab review. Its a great itinerary and I'm really looking forward to it.

 

Thanks again

Gill

 

Thanks for the kind words! I am glad so many people are finding this review helpful. :D

Have a safe and fabulous trip later in the month!!!

Edited June 1, 2016 by Bostonjetset

[Biker19]

They do have a public bus as well so I've heard and thus it would not be easy to get stranded in Oia.

The main road into Oia dead ends in sort of a public square. The bus makes a U-turn there to head back to Fira (every 30 min, 1.80 Euro pp). There's also free (very slow) Internet WiFi in this area.

[Bostonjetset]

A few more photos as I don't think I've posted any of Athens yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Bostonjetset]

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[BermudaBound2014]

Thank you bostonjet for all the photos! Did you happen to do the X80 bus in Athens? Or hear any feedback on it?

[JM-1972]

Thank you for taking the time to do a review, do you know if they offered the stay on board late departure program on the last day? Can you remember what menus they had? We're daily curries offered?

 

I would love to see some more pics!

 

Thanks again.

[Bostonjetset]

Thank you bostonjet for all the photos! Did you happen to do the X80 bus in Athens? Or hear any feedback on it?

 

Athens was the only port that we actually took an overpriced ship excursion in LOL. Thus, I do not have any info on the bus.

 

Thank you for taking the time to do a review, do you know if they offered the stay on board late departure program on the last day? Can you remember what menus they had? We're daily curries offered?

 

I would love to see some more pics!

 

Thanks again.

 

I am not sure about the late departure program but I don't recall any mention of it. Actually, this was also the first cruise we've ever taken that I could not find any info about self-debarkation. I don't want to say it wasn't offered because perhaps it was hidden away somewhere but there was nothing about the option on the disembark paperwork. Maybe this is a uniquely RCCL thing or just applicable to this specific trip? All other lines have always offered it.

 

They did have daily curries in the Windjammer for lunch. We never ate there for dinner so I can't speak to that. The lunch ones were quite good in fact and we different every day. We also got a delightful paneer curry in the MDR one night but it was not featured on the menu; our waiter brought it to us as an extra dish since we mentioned one night how much we loved Indian food.

Edited June 2, 2016 by Bostonjetset

[Holabi]

Hi All

 

Could anybody tell me if there are magnified mirrors in the bathrooms. My eyesight is not what it used to be!

 

Many thanks

[Bostonjetset]

Hi All

 

Could anybody tell me if there are magnified mirrors in the bathrooms. My eyesight is not what it used to be!

 

Many thanks

 

There were not, at least in the oceanview staterooms. Perhaps in the suites?

[Biker19]

Did you happen to do the X80 bus in Athens? Or hear any feedback on it?

 

The ticket booth to buy the ticket is just outside the port area (just before the parking lot for all the tour buses) - the bus stop itself is 50 yards from the ticket booth. I think it only made one stop on the way to the Acropolis area - it was a crowded 20+ min ride. BTW, look for the return bus stop across the street from where you get off the bus at Acropolis.

Edited June 3, 2016 by Biker19

[BermudaBound2014]

The ticket booth to buy the ticket is just outside the port area (just before the parking lot for all the tour buses) - the bus stop itself is 50 yards from the ticket booth. I think it only made one stop on the way to the Acropolis area - it was a crowded 20+ min ride. BTW, look for the return bus stop across the street from where you get off the bus at Acropolis.

 

Thanks Biker! Did you use the X80 for any areas other than Acropolis?

[Biker19]

Thanks Biker! Did you use the X80 for any areas other than Acropolis?

 

X80 has only one other stop past Acropolis - didn't go there.

[BermudaBound2014]

Thanks biker and bistro jet- here's another couple questions: 1) We usually aren't into cruise ship entertainment, but if you could recommend one or two "must see" shows or activities that would be appreciated. 2) Also, did all bars carry same selection of beers? dH is a beer fan and I am trying to take care of him too - any special selection of beer brought on for med sailings.

[Biker19]

There were not, at least in the oceanview staterooms. Perhaps in the suites?

 

Not in our GS.

[Biker19]

Thanks biker and bistro jet- here's another couple questions: 1) We usually aren't into cruise ship entertainment, but if you could recommend one or two "must see" shows or activities that would be appreciated. 2) Also, did all bars carry same selection of beers? dH is a beer fan and I am trying to take care of him too - any special selection of beer brought on for med sailings.

 

1. Not really, they are just RCI normal shows (including the Centrum aerial) with a couple of odd ones (shadow hand puppet) thrown in - none are must see. No remarkable activities that I can remember.

 

2. The Shall We Dance lounge might have skimped on a few beers but the others seemed to have the same ones - I didn't see/notice any special ones.

Edited June 4, 2016 by Biker19

[Bostonjetset]

Thanks biker and bistro jet- here's another couple questions: 1) We usually aren't into cruise ship entertainment, but if you could recommend one or two "must see" shows or activities that would be appreciated. 2) Also, did all bars carry same selection of beers? dH is a beer fan and I am trying to take care of him too - any special selection of beer brought on for med sailings.

 

1. Not really, they are just RCI normal shows (including the Centrum aerial) with a couple of odd ones (shadow hand puppet) thrown in - none are must see. No remarkable activities that I can remember.

 

2. The Shall We Dance lounge might have skimped on a few beers but the others seemed to have the same ones - I didn't see/notice any special ones.

 

As Biker stated, many of the shows were standard cruise-ship entertainment. However, we quite enjoyed the violinist Hanna Starosta. She was well trained and played beautifully. Of course it didn't hurt that she opened her show with a montage of several Carmen arias...my favorite opera. She may have been a one-off though as I believe only the RCCL singers/dancers are the same on each voyage; the flown-in acts usually differ. BB, I can't recall if you've ever sailed with RCCL before but if not, the aerial show in the Centrum is a cool thing to see at least once...they are the only line I know of that has that type of show.

 

I'm not a huge beer drinker but I do like cider since we had the beer/wine/soda beverage package I did grab a few here and there. They had Redd's Apple Ale and Angry Orchard both listed on the menus but I could not find any bar that had them; all bars only seemed to have Strongbow which did not appear on the menus. For beers, I generally only drink Hoegaarden which they also did not have but they had Blue Moon [which is OK now and then but does not really compare].

[vickiw0318]

Thanks for the review. I am traveling solo on the Vision out of Venice in September. I think I have figured out how to get from the airport to my hotel pre-cruise and from the hotel to the cruise ship, but am looking for the best way from the port to the airport for a 12:15 flight back home.

 

Thanks to you (and anyone else) who might give this compulsive worrier some help with this question.

[Bostonjetset]

Thanks for the review. I am traveling solo on the Vision out of Venice in September. I think I have figured out how to get from the airport to my hotel pre-cruise and from the hotel to the cruise ship, but am looking for the best way from the port to the airport for a 12:15 flight back home.

 

Thanks to you (and anyone else) who might give this compulsive worrier some help with this question.

 

You are welcome and thanks for reading!

I would recommend just taking a taxi form the port to Marco Polo Airport upon completion of your cruise. Venice's public transport is truly a nightmare, especially with luggage. It's about a 25 min drive from the seaport to the airport by taxi and could easily be triple the time [and 10x the hassle] on public transport.

[Daphnebroon]

We had a flight at that time. We pre-booked a transfer to the airport with A2B. It was no hassle. The driver is waiting for you when you get off the ship holding up a piece of paper with your name on. There are also plenty of taxis available just as you exit the ship.

Edited June 4, 2016 by Daphnebroon

[Biker19]

Thanks for the review. I am traveling solo on the Vision out of Venice in September. I think I have figured out how to get from the airport to my hotel pre-cruise and from the hotel to the cruise ship, but am looking for the best way from the port to the airport for a 12:15 flight back home.

 

Thanks to you (and anyone else) who might give this compulsive worrier some help with this question.

Depending on the pier used, it's about a 3-500 yard walk to the people mover station (you'll see it on embarkation day). You take that in the direction of Piazza Romale (next/only/end stop). The 5 bus that goes to the airport is about a 100 yard walk from there. Your hotel may have discounted bus tickets (we got ours at the Courtyard for 3 Euro). Those will not only work on the bus but on the people mover as well. If you debark yourself when the ship first arrives, you can be at the airport before 9. The above is the cheapest way - the easiest way was as suggested above via taxi.