Review Grand Mediterranean Cruise Aboard Grand Princess

[crusana]

REVIEW OF GRAND MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE

September-October 2006

 

 

I recently came back from a 12-day Princess cruise to the Mediterranean. In preparation for our trip, I did a lot of research, and this web-site was an invaluable source of information. I have read some wonderful reviews out there, and I do not intend to bore you with endless details. I just want to give you the main points, and hope this information helps somebody. For a great, extensive review, please check out:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=130319

 

BARCELONA:

I traveled with three family members and we spent 2 days pre-cruise in Barcelona, which I would strongly recommend not only because Barcelona is a beautiful city with so much culture and history, but also because these days are needed to adjust to the time change (6 hours ahead of EDT in USA). By the time the cruise starts, you are ready to roll!!

 

If you are lucky enough, you will be in Barcelona around September 24th when the festival of La Merce is celebrated to commemorate the patron saint of the city and the end of summer and the beginning of fall. It is a wild, loud and colorful weekend celebration. The must see is the Correfoc (fire run); nothing like anything you have ever experienced!! The entire city gets behind the festivities, and they have many events throughout Barcelona. We missed the human statues, but heard wonders about them. We cannot complain since we actually had fireworks as we were sailing away from the city.

 

Our hotel in Barcelona was located on Las Ramblas, one of the main attractions. Las Ramblas is a very busy and picturesque avenue, where people gather to celebrate just about every evening. We stayed at the Hotel Continental for about 110 Euros per night, reasonably priced, great location, free continental breakfast, soft drinks and Internet access. The hotel is located on the second and third floors of an old building. The rooms are spacious but show their age and are a bit smelly. If you are looking for a decent price, great location and you have a good pair of earplugs, this is the place for you. Otherwise, look for something nicer and quieter. We had rooms with balconies (which came in handy during the La Merce parade) and also with A/C.

 

Visit the fantastic market Boqueria, a great place to grab a quite lunch, located off Las Ramblas. You can also find a wonderful vegetarian restaurant on Las Ramblas, right before you turn onto Boqueria (large falafel pitas for 3 Euros).

 

A great way to get around Barcelona is by taking the Bus Turistic, (the hop-on, hop-off bus) with 3 lines that takes you to the main attractions. One day tickets go for 18 Euros, or two-day tickets can be purchased for 22 Euros. Coupon book is included (we saved a few dollars in La Sagrada Familia).

 

We did not bring any Euros along with us. We knew we could use the ATMs at the airport for better exchange rate. ATMs are located before you exit the airport. Note: make sure you let your bank know you will be in Europe, confirm that your PIN will work there, inquire about charges (there might be specific ATMs you can use free of charge) and know your daily maximum limit withdrawal.

 

Transportation: for 4 people and 8 suitcases on a Taxi Van the charge was 45 Euros to the hotel (a bit steep, but did not want to drag suitcases along Las Ramblas after a train/bus ride). The nice thing was that driver brought us to the front door of hotel (difficult to do on Las Ramblas!).

 

For the dress code, pretty much anything goes. I saw a lot of people wearing jeans and tennis shoes. Wear whatever makes you feel comfortable, especially when it comes to shoes. DH and I bought ECCO shoes and were delighted with them. Sleeveless tops are fine (saw people wearing them everywhere, even in the Vatican). Save your shorts for the very relaxed ports like Mykonos and Athens. No tanks tops (unless shoulders are covered), no spaghetti strap tanks.

 

There is a great restaurant in Barcelona near the Cathedral called EL PI ANTIC, located on Placa de Sant Joseph Oriol (Pca. Del Pi) #4. We had paella, gazpacho, arroz con vegetales (rice with vegetables), and spaghetti. Everything was delicious. We actually ate there twice!! We also had fabulous sangria at an outdoor tapa bar/café on Gracia Avenue, near Casa Batllo.

 

We had the hotel call a Taxi Van to travel to the pier to embark on our cruise, and got a much better deal for 22 Euros for again 8 bags and 4 people. This driver actually used his taximeter.

 

MARSEILLE:

We decided to take a Princess excursion to Aix-en-Provence and Lourmarin with plenty of time “on your own”, instead of spending time in Marseille. It was a wise decision, since this turned out to be one of the most beautiful places we visited. The food was great, the people were so nice and the scenery was just exquisite. The local market is set up on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We bought some beautiful scarves there for a good price and great quality.

 

We really liked the relaxed atmosphere of this tour, especially since we knew the Italian days were coming (3 days of non-stop traveling through Florence, Rome and Naples). It was wonderful just walking around and taking in all the beauty around us. I highly recommend a visit to this area. I heard some negative comments about Marseille, so was definitely glad we ventured into the countryside instead.

 

If you go to Lourmarin, make sure that you try the giant olive oil cookies for 3 Euros. They are delicious. We also bought a small bag of calissons for 9 Euros in Aix-en-Provence (diamond shaped cookies made with almonds, sugar and melon), but not a big hit in my house.

 

PRIVATE DRIVERS:

We hired a private driver through Benvenuto Limos (www.benvenutolimos.com) for the Livorno port, as well as for Rome and Naples. We traveled in comfortable and luxurious Mercedes Benz vans with plenty of room (actually we had a VW van in Rome, but it was just as nice). I read many good reviews about Benvenuto on CC and was impressed with their web site. I faxed my information several months in advance. I actually paid over $26 for a 7 page fax for my first fax to Italy. I learned my lesson and faxed with a 10-10- 345 (lucky dog) and saved about 25 dollars per fax!! Benvenuto responded to my fax promptly via e-mail, but had to wait a few weeks for my final confirmation.

We had a wonderful experience with this company in Italy. We had three different drivers and all three were extremely professional, friendly and knowledgeable. We loved the interaction with them and found them all to be fascinating people. They all knew a lot about the United States and American culture. I highly recommend them. E-mail Giovanni at info@benvenutolimos.com or just check his web site. Afterwards, we found out Rick Stevens recommends this company after traveling incognito with them a few years ago.

 

PISA and FLORENCE:

Stefano from Benvenuto Limos picked us up at the port and took us to Pisa first. I had bought tickets in advance to the Leaning Tower of Pisa for 17 Euros pp (15 for the ticket and 2 for service charge) for 9:00 a.m. at: www.opapisa.it/boxoffice .This worked out so well since there are a limited amount of tickets which sell out very fast. Tours are every half an hour, a group of people goes up and comes down (yes, the stairs are very narrow in some places), before the next group is allowed in. We arrived before 9 a.m. and were some of the first people there. Stefano drove us right to the front door, instructed where to go and waited for us in the van. We loved climbing the tower, the view from the top and the sensation you feel when exiting the tower. I actually got dizzy! Great experience!

 

We left Pisa and drove to Florence. We stopped at a few places along the way to admire the panoramic views of Florence. We also visited the beautiful Basilica de San Miniato al Monte located nestled on the hills. In Florence, we got to eat at Stefano’s favorite FORNO. We ate focaccia bread with prosciutto and cheese, which was absolutely incredible. All 5 of us ate for under 14 Euros at PUGI’s, and actually got a gift from the restaurant… more bread!! There are no places to sit in there, people buy their lunch and eat in the plaza nearby, so when in Florence…

 

Benvenuto had made reservations for us for the Galleria della Accademia to see David by Michelangelo. We opted to skip a visit to the Uffizi museum due to time constraints and because we wanted to experience Florence as much as possible. You can make your own reservations for both Accademia and Uffizi museums by calling: 011 39 055 294883 (English spoken). There is no charge to make reservations. You pay the day of your visit. The cost for the museum is 6 Euros pp (per person), unless you have reservations which is the cost is 9.50 Euros.

 

Reservations are suggested, since the line for non-reserved visitors is very long. We arrived there early around 1 p.m. and our reserved time was 2:30 p.m. We waited in line at the most 15 minutes. At first, it looked like we were going to have to come back at the reserved time, but Stefano used his contacts and charming personality to get us in right away. This is the beauty of having a private driver, since most cruise excursion passengers were still waiting in line when we exited the museum.

 

ROME:

Our day started a little later since, due to the traffic in Rome, our private driver, Pepe, was a little late. Pepe informed us we would still receive a full day excursion, since they allowed time for such events. Pepe was definitely worth the small wait.

 

Our first stop was the Coliseum. We purchased our tickets at Palatine Hills right across from the Coliseum in order to save time. Tickets are 11 Euros, and are good for both Palatine Hills and the Coliseum. Pepe knew which lines to go in (it seemed like most visitors were staying to the right, not realizing there were more than one line) to save precious time. As you can imagine, the Coliseum was just magnificent. Our only complaint is that we did not have enough time there. We had reservation at the Vatican at 12:00 and needed to be there 30 minutes early.

 

We wanted to visit the Vatican, but really needed to maximize our time in Rome. After doing all the research, it really came down to three options: 1) to request a guided tour directly from the Vatican 30 days in advance for 21.50 Euros pp ( the result: about 15 minute wait) 2) to hire a guide through our private driver company for 120 Euros plus 11 Euro entrance fee pp (the result: unknown, the guide would try to get us in a quick as possible, but of course, could not know how much we would have to wait) and 3) to go to the Vatican in the afternoon when the lines are much shorter and wait with everyone else, the cost only the entrance fee of 11 Euros pp (the result: again, unknown).

 

We opted to go with option 1, and faxed name, date and tour requested to the Vatican at 011 39 06 69885100 from USA. We used 10-10-345 before the number, and the call was $1 (much better compared to the $26 charge for the first fax). We had heard that the success rate was a bit low, that it might be necessary to fax your information several times, and that you might receive a reply while you were already on your trip. This is exactly what happened. We had to fax our information three times, 30 days in advance, again 14 days before the trip, and again 7 days before leaving (tip: keep the fax short and simple). We finally heard back from them while we were already in Europe (3 days before our requested tour). We had left instructions with friends to e-mail us (since you can use the Internet café on the ship for a small fee) and this is how we found out that we were invited to partake in the tour. We actually had received 3 faxes: two for the Vatican Gardens tour (not what we had requested) and the third for the correct tour which was the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel.

 

The visit was worth all the wait and aggravation, and it was so interesting to have a guide in the Museum. She explained a lot of items, especially about the Sistine Chapel. You are not allowed to talk in the Chapel, so the explanation is done ahead of time. It also works for those visitors only interested in the Chapel. Once you exit the Sistine Chapel, you have the option to go back to the Vatican museum entrance or to go to St. Peter’s Basilica. If you are interested in the Basilica (and believe me, you are!!), do not exit through the Vatican museum entrance, otherwise you will have to get in a long line to visit the Basilica. Just follow the signs and visit the Basilica and St. Peter’s Square. Check their web site at: http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/z-Info/MV_Info_Servizi_Visite.html

 

After our visit to the Vatican, Pepe took us all over Rome. His knowledge of the city was endless and amazing. We got to see the place where Julius Caesar was killed, the house where Michelangelo lived, Sophia Loren’s house when she was a young actress, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and many more incredible sites that all over the city. We ate at Pepe’s favorite pizza joint: Sale Mvele in Piazza Navona. It was excellent. We returned to the ship right at 6:30 p.m. (the closest to the deadline) after a remarkable day in Rome.

 

POMPEII AND AMALFI COAST:

Our third day in Italy was just as beautiful as the previous two. Our private driver, Giuseppe was waiting for us, and had made arrangements to take us to Pompeii first and meet with our guide Vincenzo. Once again, we noticed must locals can get you in pretty fast, without additional waiting time. Pompeii was fascinating and Vicenzo was an excellent guide. The previous day in Rome, we had learned from Pepe that the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii was a must see, and that was not included in most tours. Vicenzo could not take us there due to distance and time (about ¾ mile away and at least 1 more hour), but instructed us how to get there and told us himself not to miss it. It was very interesting. We were so glad we knew about it.

 

Giuseppe was waiting for us to take us to the Amalfi Coast. One of the advantages of driving up the coast in a car or van (vs. a bus) is that the driver is able to get you in the little streets and very tight places. Here you exercise your white knuckle syndrome quite a bit, but you realize what good drivers those Italians are. We spent most of our time in Positano, a magnificent coastal town. Giuseppe took us for lunch to one of his favorite restaurants, La Tagliata located on Via Tagliata, where Mama Pasta cooks some of the best meals ever tasted for 120 Euros for 4 people. We noticed there were a few drivers from the same company and another company there. Giuseppe told us he had recommended the place because of the excellent food and service. It was truly an unforgettable dining experience.

 

MYKONOS:

A wonderful place to relax, walk around and get lost. We did it on our own and enjoyed the change of pace after the Italian days. Our ship docked into the pier and there were buses waiting to take us to town for 3 Euros pp each way. You had to purchase tickets prior to leaving the ship. We saw a few people walk to town. It was only a small distance, very doable, but we were tired and 6 Euros seemed like a good deal to give our feet a rest.

It was a bit windy, bring along a sweater or light jacket. There are great shops in Mykonos, but again it is very easy to get lost, so if you see something you like buy it right away. Same goes for restaurants. We bought great looking Greek leather sandals for 20 Euros.

Mykonos has quite an overpopulation of feral cats. They are everywhere and they are very friendly. As animal lovers, we wished we had food for them (maybe next trip).

 

ISTANBUL:

We took the Imperial Istanbul Princess excursion which included visits to the Blue Mosque, St. Sophia, the Topkapi Palace Museum and the Grand Bazaar. We were pleased with the excursion and the tour guide. The places we visited were quite crowded, and since it was a Monday and some places were closed, the only way to have access to them was to book a tour through Princess. This did not affect us, but I heard several comments from people who planned their day on their own, and had to modify their plans.

 

If you visit the Blue Mosque, make sure you wear socks (or bring along a pair) since you must remove your shoes prior to entering. If you visit the Topkaki, the main attraction is the Topkaki diamond (the 7th largest in the world). You can go straight to the diamond room (the last room in the jewelry collection) and avoid the big line. We spent time in the first rooms, and decided to skip a few to see the diamond. If you visit the Grand Bazaar, make sure you bargain and pay in dollars. They will give you the same price whether you are using euros or dollars. There is no need to exchange money for local currency. The people in the Grand Bazaar are working together, so pretty much the price you get in one store is the same in most (they basically follow you and signal to each other the best price given to you), so purchase from the people with the best selection and who are the friendliest. Always make sure you take time to relax in an outdoor café, Efes beer was a big hit in our party.

 

KUSADASI:

Once again, we took another Princess excursion in Turkey. We were pleased with the tour; the guide was very friendly but a bit difficult to understand. A suggestion for Princess, and other cruise lines, is to request that the subcontracted tour companies provide headphones for the sightseers in their groups. We had them in the Vatican, and what a difference this makes in crowded places. You can also wander a bit away from your group and still be able to hear the narrative.

 

We visited the resting places of the Virgin Mary and St. John, as well as Ephesus. You are not allowed to take photos at the Virgin Mary shrine, but our tour guide had told us it was okay to do it. I did not even dare to try it. It seemed like such a sacred place, that I thought it would be disrespectful to take pictures. Someone in my tour bus did, and other people got very upset with him. You take your chances, and even tough we all want to preserve the moment (I took over 700 photos on the trip), there is a time to do it and a time to just observe. We were blown away by the beauty and the size of Ephesus. It was quite hot that day, and we actually had pretty nice weather, but there is no shade. Make sure you wear light, comfortable clothes and comfortable shoes.

 

ATHENS:

We had a very long day in Athens. We booked the Ancient Athens in Depth excursion through our cruise company. If I could do it all over again, I would hire a private driver for Athens. We were spoiled in Italy with Benvenuto Limos and it was exhausting being in a bus touring Athens all day. This was the most expensive excursion we took through Princess, and again, it would have been wiser to do it on our own, either by taxi or by hiring a private driver. You will find that Athens is a big city with lots of traffic, and once you do the major sites you are happy just to get back to the ship. At least that was our experience.

 

We went to the Acropolis and Archeological museum, which we enjoyed very much. I learned to take pictures as soon as you get a chance, but not wait for your tour guide to explain the scenery, by then many other people are in front of you and you can hardly see the buildings. We had a buffet style lunch at a hotel which was good, but I would have much rather being on our own at this point. Some people in my tour bus took a taxi back to the ship and skipped Plaka. I enjoyed shopping and Plaka (tourist heaven), while DH got a drink at an outdoor café.

 

VENICE:

We loved watching the ship come into Venice. We had a balcony room on the port side, but heard that the starboard side was the place to be in order to see Piazza San Marco. We gathered on one of the top decks and just admired the beauty of Venice. It was quite incredible cruising so close to the city.

 

We were able to get off the ship right away and took the vaporetto to Piazza San Marco. Our room steward had left tickets for the water bus in our rooms. The tickets were 10 dollars each and they were charged to your account only if you use them. You can use the ticket for 24 hours, as many times as you wish for the round trip between San Marco and the ship. It was a very good deal. We heard horror stories of people buying tickets on their own and forgetting to have them validated, and in return charged a 30 Euros fine.

 

We had thought about going to Murano, but changed our minds since we really did not have enough time. We also heard unhappy cruiser complaining about bad experiences with the vaporetto to Murano. Many boats will take you there for free, but the return is a hassle and expensive. I advise a visit to Murano only if you have time.

 

We were warned that Venice was very expensive, the most costly city in Italy. We had a good experience, and were not shocked by the prices. Of course, we took a gondola ride, but we knew to walk around first and to hire a gondolier in the smaller canals. We paid 80 Euros for our gondola ride (up to 6 people) for 40-45 minutes. We cruised along small canal, but also along the Grand Canal. We had asked our gondolier if he was going to sing for us and he said yes. We actually encouraged him to sign, by singing along or requesting songs. We were 2 couples, so we took turns seating in the big seat with the gondolier in the background. We took the most amazing photos!

 

We spent plenty of time in San Marco Square feeding the pigeons. We brought along crackers and bread (the bread was not a big hit), but we were the most popular when we fed them seeds purchased in the square for 1 Euro per bag. Make sure you bring along plenty of Purell and wipes, you will need them when they are done with you!

 

We also visited the Basilica di San Marco. We made reservations ahead of time at www.alata.it/eng/Booking/sanmarco.asp . The service was free, but sometimes unavailable for a particular day. Just keep trying, it took many visits to the web site before the date was available, but it was worth the extra time. We took our reservation printout to one of the front gates and we were let in right away, bypassing a huge line. There is no charge for the Basilica, but there are some charges inside for certain areas. We took the 3 Euro tour of the museum in order to climb the Basilica and admire the view (as soon as you walk in, there is a door to the right side) and that was so magnificent. The panorama is beautiful, and you get to see the original four horses which adorned the Basilica, and were taken from the Hippodrome in Constantinople (present day Istanbul).

 

We found no need to purchase a map of Venice. There are street signs to the major attractions, but it is fun to get lost. Venice is a shopper’s paradise, but if you see something you like get it right away. I did not have enough time to shop, and I wished I had bought a few more pieces of Murano glass, so if you have your chance, take it!

 

As you can see, we had a wonderful trip. This was a memorable vacation. Hope yours is just as good or better. Keep doing that research, it paid off for us. Do not forget to bring along a money belt, just to take precautions, but we felt very safe (put items inside a Ziploc bag to keep them dry, since you will sweat), wipes and Purell (get the easy access bottles that hang outside your purse/backpack), a trial size of toilet paper and plenty of memory cards or film. Have a fantastic trip!!

Crusana

 

P.S. I really did not mean for this review to be so long. I guess I was just too excited about the trip!!

[nanaguz]

Great review! I was just recently on the Golden from London to Rome and reading about your visit to the Italian cities brought back wonderful memories.

My husband and I will be doing this itinerary next Sept. I wanted to ask, how was the weather? The weather was great throughout our cruise this year but it rained on the day we left, Sept 25th. We wondered if this was the beginning of the rainy season....

Thanks again for a great review!

[nanaguz]

Great review! I was just recently on the Golden from London to Rome and reading about your visit to the Italian cities brought back wonderful memories.

My husband and I will be doing this itinerary next Sept. I wanted to ask, how was the weather? The weather was great throughout our cruise this year but it rained on the day we left, Sept 25th. We wondered if this was the beginning of the rainy season....

Thanks again for a great review!

[crusana]

Great review! I was just recently on the Golden from London to Rome and reading about your visit to the Italian cities brought back wonderful memories.

My husband and I will be doing this itinerary next Sept. I wanted to ask, how was the weather? The weather was great throughout our cruise this year but it rained on the day we left, Sept 25th. We wondered if this was the beginning of the rainy season....

Thanks again for a great review!

Hello nanaguz,

 

We had beautiful weather for the most part. It rained on our first day in Barcelona, but after that it was clear skies and warm. Mostly in the 70's, but also 80's in Kusadasi and Athens. I think late September to early October is a beutiful time to visit, also not as crowded. Have a great trip!!

[nanaguz]

Great review! I was just recently on the Golden from London to Rome and reading about your visit to the Italian cities brought back wonderful memories.

My husband and I will be doing this itinerary next Sept. I wanted to ask, how was the weather? The weather was great throughout our cruise this year but it rained on the day we left, Sept 25th. We wondered if this was the beginning of the rainy season....

Thanks again for a great review!

[MavisMarie]

In Florence, we got to eat at Stefano’s favorite FORNO. We ate focaccia bread with prosciutto and cheese, which was absolutely incredible. All 5 of us ate for under 14 Euros at PUGI’s, and actually got a gift from the restaurant… more bread!! There are no places to sit in there, people buy their lunch and eat in the plaza nearby, so when in Florence…

!

 

I thank you for your nice report and I've taken some notes, of course. :)

I have not heard the term FORNO. Is that like a tratorria or is it the name of a place? Where is Pugi's located, do you remember? Thanks.

[crusana]

I thank you for your nice report and I've taken some notes, of course. :)

I have not heard the term FORNO. Is that like a tratorria or is it the name of a place? Where is Pugi's located, do you remember? Thanks.

The forno we went to was a place in which sandwiches and pizza were sold. Forno means furnace. It was delicious, clean, with friendly staff and a great prices. Nobody spoke English. Stefano ordered for us, and we added a few things just by pointing and smiling!! :-) I did not get their business card and do not remember the location (too happy with my foccacia to pay attention to anything else). It was in a piazza with a fountain in the middle (like that narrows it down!!), not too far from the Accademia. It tried looking on-line for the address, but had no luck. Sorry. Good luck finding PUGI's, if you do you will love it!!

[cusyl]

Great review. We took the same voyage in June, Venice to Barcelona. Click on my video at the bottom of my signature..I took it when we were leaving Venice on the Grand Princess. :D

[rykersdad]

thanks a ton... great review. we're doing the rome to london in the spring.

[MavisMarie]

The forno we went to was a place in which sandwiches and pizza were sold. Forno means furnace. It was delicious, clean, with friendly staff and a great prices. Nobody spoke English. Stefano ordered for us, and we added a few things just by pointing and smiling!! :-) I did not get their business card and do not remember the location (too happy with my foccacia to pay attention to anything else). It was in a piazza with a fountain in the middle (like that narrows it down!!), not too far from the Accademia. It tried looking on-line for the address, but had no luck. Sorry. Good luck finding PUGI's, if you do you will love it!!

 

Crusana, thank you for your reply. I am now determined to find Pugi's. I'll try the Florence phonebook. I'm gonna get me some of that foccacia!!!:D

[crusana]

Great review. We took the same voyage in June, Venice to Barcelona. Click on my video at the bottom of my signature..I took it when we were leaving Venice on the Grand Princess. :D

Hi!

Thanks for sharing. We were there just two weeks ago, and it was wonderful reliving the moment with your video. Such wonderful memories!!

crusana

[corkpopr]

i have been using the cruise boards since 1994 when they were a part of AOL only.

That is the best review i have ever seen including those by travel pros.

 

we are leaving on a transatlantic in dec from rome to ft. lauderdale and you have me salivating!!!!!!

[newretiree]

Crusana, I just found this thread with a search I was doing. What a terrific review! Just enough detail, and plenty of info. My husband and I and our friends from Australia will be doing the same cruise on the Emerald Princess in Sept 07, and all of your info will be put to good use! Thanks again!

 

Nanaguz - just wondering which sailing of the Emerald Princess you are on in Sept - we will be on the Sept 26 sailing out of Barcelona.