10 Night Eastern Mediterranean paperwork/cost from 2011

[roxievegas]

I am doing some spring cleaning and came across the paperwork for our first cruise with Celebrity. I booked in June 2011 for sail date Nov 18, 2011. I knew nothing about checking prices, or transferring booking to TA, so I did everything myself. I think we got a great cruise for a great price. (Rome, Sicily, Valletta, Chania, Rhodes, Ephesus, Athens, Naples/Capri back to Rome.

Veranda $899 per person

protection plan $59

Tax & fees $91.48

total per person was $1049 or $2098.96 couple

I booked air with British Airways roundtrip from Lax to Rome - $998 ea plus insurance $45, plus seat selection $124 for total of $2336 total couple

At the time of our trip the euro was at $1.40 for US dollar so I will give you the US cost.

 

I used a transportation company I found on line (http://www.clickairporttransfer.com) and used them to take us from Rome Airport to our Best Western Springhouse hotel (located on back wall of the Vatican cost $302 for two nights), then hotel to Civitavecchia port and pickup from port back to Rome airport in a Mercedes sedan - 3 way trip total was 295 euros - $413

 

We booked two tours with Celebrity in advance - Mt Etna & Taormina tour at $89.75 each, and Amalfi Coast by Motor Launch & Pompeii for $157.00 each. We booked Ephesus Turkey tour with an independent company, which turned out to be my husband and me, the driver and guide in a small mini van. We were gone all day and went to Ephesus, and then The House of Virgin Mary - which cost $56 each normally $75 company was ephesussehuttle.com - highlight of the trip

 

We ate in Silk Harvest and Tuscany ($25 & $29 each)

 

We did Vatican on our first day which we bought the tickets in advance over the internet (72 euros $101 total )- lucky for us - Rome had a taxi, bus strike that day and the place was empty. Walked Rome and saw all the highlights

We did our own walk around in Malta, Chania, Rhodes

We hired a taxi driver to take us around in Athens (he took us to all the highlights) and paid him $80 plus tip

 

We did not have a drink package, and spend $110 for the total 10 nights buying soda and drinks

At the end of the trip our total was just over $7,000 US - this includes cash and souvenir purchases.

 

This trip was a surprise for us. We loved it and never thought we would like cruising. We like Celebrity, but will be trying Holland America for a Hawaii cruise in December - no air travel involved.

[cruisequeen4ever]

That was so fascinating to read! Some major shifts in pricing, some similarities, some ups, and some downs.

 

 

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[Lastdance]

Also love the no air for next trip!

 

 

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[DrivesLikeMario]

We've just spent $10,000 for British Airways air so I'd say you got a great deal on air and the cruise both! Fun to see that kind of stuff years later.