***LIVE*** From the Carnival Freedom

[Kali4]

Just back, well back for a week now, from the July 12th sailing. Will write a review later when I have time, just trying to get back into the swing of things.

I had a wonderful time and while the cruise itself was not wonderful, I still had a great time. I don't get how some people can let little things ruin their vacation.

I loved all the ports and my two favorites were Florence and Istanbul. As for the question about Florence we covered everything. We first went to Florence and saw a few of the major sites, David was amazing, then we drove to Tuscany enjoyed the landscape and then had lunch there. Lastly we made a quick 30 minute stop at Pisa which I felt was plenty of time. We then headed back to the ship and made it there with 30 minutes to spare. My six year old son really enjoyed Pisa and that was his favorite stop. We covered a lot of area and my son seemed to like that because we nevered stayed in one spot for too long. He enjoyed seeing David because I had given him background info on that before we left. He enjoyed Tuscany because we sat and had a nice relaxing lunch and he loves much of the Italian food. And as I said Pisa was his favorite site of the entire trip. I am glad we covered as much as we did and I can't wait to go back for a longer stay.

[Kali4]

As for the Casino, I loved it!!! I did the best on the Freedom then on any other cruise. I only played the slot machines and so did the rest of the family. I played every night but I would usually only take $20 with me and I think I took $40 with me on a couple of nights. For the first 5 days I was in and out of the casino pretty quickly because the $20 went fast. On the 6th day I hit a jackpot for about $600, after that day I would hit for $200 or $300 on several occasions. So I never hit any very large jackpots but all the amounts added up to a nice sum. My mom had similar results as I did, but my grandfather played the most and never really hit for anything. I did notice that not many people were in the casino on any given occasion.

[DavidandPaula]

As for the Casino, I loved it!!! I did the best on the Freedom then on any other cruise. I only played the slot machines and so did the rest of the family. I played every night but I would usually only take $20 with me and I think I took $40 with me on a couple of nights. For the first 5 days I was in and out of the casino pretty quickly because the $20 went fast. On the 6th day I hit a jackpot for about $600, after that day I would hit for $200 or $300 on several occasions. So I never hit any very large jackpots but all the amounts added up to a nice sum. My mom had similar results as I did, but my grandfather played the most and never really hit for anything. I did notice that not many people were in the casino on any given occasion.

Paula and I were thankful to put about $80 back into the sail and sign on the last night and came away just about even. Where were all these machines that pay hundreds?

 

David

[aussiecruzer]

JRT1 thanks for your advice. I will look into private tours. Glad to know you enjoyed your day in Florence and Pisa. :) :) Susmita

[DavidandPaula]

Our stay in Rome was broken into two parts, before the cruise we arrived Wednesday lunchtime and went out to the port next day after lunch. After the cruise we went back to Rome on the Tuesday and flew home via London on the Friday. We also got into the outskirts of Rome on the cruise Monday.

 

So flew in on the 11th, train from airport to Termini, then metro to Flaminia, Nord line to Euclide. B&B in Parioli. That was the plan and we achieved it but it left us pretty worn out and will never do that again. Might save some money but Rome in July is not the place to be carrying heavy cases up metro steps and steep streets.

 

After a rest, shower etc we set out on foot to the Fata Morgana in Via Lago de Lesina. Good introduction to Rome walking and traffic and the 5 scoop gelati plus whipped cream was most appreciated at the end. Sat in the piazza and watched the kids playing soccer, locals strolling and dog walking. Walked back to the B&B via a small street cafe in via dei Parioli. Fell asleep while taking pictures of the last bit of sunset through the open patio doors at the end of the bed.

Early rise next day to pack and put the cases downstairs before catching a taxi to Gallerie Borghese to use the tickets we had booked for 11am. This is the most amazing gallery but speaking to a staff member I was left confused as to whether the building was the summer pavillion for the Borghese or was built by them specially as a gallery. Only dissapointment was that the statue of Hermaphrodyte had been moved and was facing into the wall so you could not see it all. Paolina Borghese statue is breathtaking along with the ceilings where you are provided with a large padded lounge to recline on and really study the artwork. Garden was suffering a bit with the heat but still lovely.

From here we got a car back to the B&B, picked up the luggage and were wisked out to Civatevecchia. Lovely 1970s Rolls Royce for the trip was a real treat and well worth the 120 euros to be taken right to the entrance to the embarkation area.

 

On the Monday port day we hired a car and drove in to Bar Ristorante Zodiaco. In the hills to the NW of Rome the food and views are superb.

 

After disembarking we got a car back to the same B&B for 100 euros and were there and settled in by midday. Went for a trip to check where we needed to pick up our vatican tickets next day and then walked around to piazza san pietro. We took lots of photos there. Most fascinating to identify and check out the markers at the focii of the ellipses at each end and see how the columns all lined up once you were standing on the spot. Took a set of shots for a panorama picture for my sister who used to teach mathematics. Then we went on to take an open topped bus trip to orient ourselves for the coming days. Did 2 circuits so we finished up at the Trevi Fountain. Usual thing happened and we walked away with three roses and a polaroid picture, poorer to the tune of 20 euros. Eventually found our way back to Parioli and ate at a local pizzeria before getting to bed.

 

Next day we were up and running to pick up our Vatican museum tickets at 8pm. The normal queue was already 100 metres long and would not start entering until 10am so the few extra euros for the booking fee was well worth it. By 8:20 we were standing in Vatican gardens waiting to be allowed into the door as we decided not to enter via the shorter route. Moved through and spent a bit of time in the Raphaelle section before finally making it to the Sistine Chapel. I did not find this as inspiring as I thought it would be. The crown plus the guards moving you away from a close look at the Last Judgment spoiled it for me. We left through the group tours exit and went through the Tombs of the Popes and then on into the Basillica before exiting into the square.

 

As we still had half a day on our hop on and off tickets we grabbed the bus around to near a station and then back to the B&B for a siesta. After the break we walked to the Modern Art museum, and then down to piazza popolo and lit candles in the 2 churches that split the Trident. We walked down the via Margutta and finished up at the Spanish Steps which due to the heat was not that crowded. Then a short hop to the Prada shop. As it was we finished up buying a nice Francesco Biasia leather shoulder bag for Paula. As we were starting to get a bit weary we returned to Parioli, had tea and an early night.

 

Last full day and we decided to try to learn how to read the bus routes and get down to Ponta Duca d'Aosta to catch a river boat down to Isola Tiberna. We finally got a boat at 11am but the state of the river was really disgusting. This is the one big thing we did that I regret. The island was being set up for a concert so we skipped across the bridge and worked our way through to Parco Savello ( great little oasis) than on to the keyhole at the Knights of Malta. From here we walked down and finished up at the Protestant Cemetery where we sat at Keats grave for a while. from there we travelled around to the Coloseum for lunch then on to the Pantheon. We saw 2 of the spiral columns that we had seen as plaster replica in London in the Victoria and Albert museum. Could not find out which one or even if both of the columns in Rome were also originals. More research for next time.

Last stop was a linen shop to buy embroidered hankies and then back to the B&B to shower and change. Last night in Rome so we caught the bus around and had tea in the Gusto restaraunt before back to the B&B to sleep.

Next morning we were up and waiting in the street with our luggage in the street at 5am to begin the long trip back to home in Australia.

 

Rome is such a beautiful city. Paula kept telling me it is the city of romance and I tend to agree. We will certainly be back, probably for our 15th wedding anniversary in 4 years time, but will concentrate on Italy rather than do a cruise. I realise that we really did just skim the surface and next time will stay longer and aim for cooler weather so we do not waste the siesta time.

 

All the photos have been uploaded onto our computers so now the editing begins. Pity work gets in the way of the really important things in life but must do something between holidays.

 

David

[24butterfly]

We just returned from the July 12th cruise...The ports were awsome!!!!:D :D :D

The ship....just ok. Will post a review as soon as I finish unpacking!

 

Guess what--there was someone else on our cruise who thought the cruise was "ok"....It wasn't just us.....

[DavidandPaula]

Guess what--there was someone else on our cruise who thought the cruise was "ok"....It wasn't just us.....

 

I thought the correct "Carnival Speak" for just ok was "met my expectations"

 

David

[wrk2cruz]

Carnival Freedom July 12th 2007

This will be long…..and mostly about the ports.

We are in our early 50’s cruising without children. Please excuse any grammer or spelling errors!!!! LOL,

 

Pre cruise Rome:

 

We planned 3 days pre-cruise in Rome. Left Houston the 8th and arrived in Rome the 9th…

Baggage experience upon arrival/ good resolution.

 

3 out of 4 bags did NOT make it, One checked bag and our two carry on bags. (We had to gate check our two carry-on’s in Houston because of a crowded flight) …Long story short, they delivered our carry on bags to our hotel the afternoon of the second day, the 3rd bag was totally off the system! So after numerous calls, with the help of our Hotel, we decided to take the express train back to the airport Wednesday afternoon …They had no record of our lost bag. I asked to look in the locked room at baggage claim….There it was!!!! So if you have a lost bag in Rome, don’t give up! You just have to be pro-active!

(When we packed we tried to divide our clothes/toiletries between the 2 checked bags and 2 carry on bags…Good thing we did!!!)

 

Day 1 Arrival 7/09(Monday)

 

We had pre-arranged a taxi with Marco from Italy Cab….He did not show!!! So , after we realized we only had one bag, and filed all the necessary claim forms, we got another taxi (no problem) and went to our Hotel.

We stayed at Hotel Capo d Africa, ( 54 Capo d Africa) about 3 blocks from the Coliseum. ( Small , boutique hotel). I cannot say enough good things about them!!! The staff was excellent, the service was excellent, the room excellent (A/C was cold), the breakfasts were excellent! They were especially helpful in our missing bag adventure!

Upon arrival, we threw our 1 bag into our room and about 2:00 PM , we were headed to Palentine Hill, bought our tickets for the Coliseum there ( no line). And by-passed must have been hundreds for entrance….. Great!!!

Later that afternoon we explored the surrounding area . We found a lovely bistro above the Metro station ( onVia Delle Terme Di Tito) with a view of the colleseum , had a glass of wine, we must have sat there for over an hour….we were not rushed, in fact had to finally ask for our tab..

Down the block, we found Ostaria Da Nerone…and had a wonderful dinner . We let the waiter choose for us. We had antipasto, pasta, dessert, bottle of wine, espressos and lemonchellos for 38E’s…What a deal!!! And delicious!! It hade been a long day so we walked back and retired to our comfortable room!

 

Day 2 7/10 (Tuesday)

Vatican Museum (We sent our reservation request by fax 30 days prior, to the following numbers.011-39-06-698-84019 and 698-85100. There were two numbers posted, we did not know which one was the right one so we faxed both. We received our confirmation by fax about 2 weeks later. There was no extra charge for this service)

We had reservations for 10:30, took the metro, very easy! We got there a little early so we explored a bit. Came across a huge open market of fresh meats, fish, fruits, cheese, wine and souvenirs. This was near Via A. Doria, about two blocks from Vatican Museum entrance.

The Vatican museum was awesome!! A must see!!! We would strongly advise reservations, when we finished our tour the line was all the way around the Vatican city walls to St. Peters Square!!

Dress code: We were a little concerned b/c the only bag that arrived with us contained our formal clothes and a pair of shorts/top each and DH’s shoes and deodorant!!!!!!

I wore the Capri’s from our flight over, DH only had his day old long shorts, no problem they let us in!!.

Afterward, we caught the Red Hop-on/Hop-off at the Vatican on Via della Concillazione and we spent the rest of the day visiting the other sites of Rome, . Ate lunch near P.zza Navona ,at a cafe called Mimi e Coco on del Governo Vecchio That evening we walked to the city walls and had pizza/wine near the Coliseum.….Busy Day!!! And more of our clothes had arrived…..

 

Day 3 7/11(Wednesday)

Spent the morning using the hop-on/off to visit the remaining sites.. Later that afternoon we (as I said earlier) took the Leonardo di Vinci express train to the airport to find our lost bag. (If you are flying into Rome and do not have a lot of luggage the train would be the way to go!!)

That evening we took the metro to meet our new cruise critic friends (and share to the port) for dinner.. They were staying at Hotel Quirinale, on Via ****onale. We walked to il Chianti Vineria on Via del Lavatore very near the Trevi Fountain for dinner.. There’s a short cut through a tunnel off Via ****onale, that goes to the Trevi!, Wonderful dinner food and new friends!!! Left the Trevi with Roses I really did not want LOL.

 

Notes on Rome: We found it very easy to get around (used the metro and the hop-on/off)….just have to go with the flow! By the way, the Metro closes at 9:00PM !!

The food was all delicious!!! Had lots of gelato!! Didn’t have anything we didn’t love!

 

We did NOT get attacked by gypsies! The people are very friendly and will help you with directions! Do drink (and fill your water bottle) from the small/ large fountains found all around town, the water is cold and refreshing!

We loved Rome!!! (wear comfortable shoes…be prepared to walk!!)

 

 

Day 1 Cruise 7/12 (Thursday)

 

We had pre-arranged transfer to the port with Marco, of Italy Cab….Had been trying to contact him the last two days but his phone was not in service….so we hired Rome Limousine, Italy They were on time and actually less expensive that Italy Cab (145E’s) for 4 of us. (We also used them for debarkation.)

 

We arrived at the port about noon. The check in was, as to be expected, long but not bad….it’s like that for all cruise lines.

We had to wait to get into our room, so we ate lunch at the buffet… The decor on the ship was fine!

We stayed in a balcony room on lido deck (forward) near the entrance to the pool area. ( It was a bit noisy during the afternoon sea days and because of the open doors the hallway was always warm). The cabin was large with plenty of storage…loved the drawers under the sofa!!! We asked our steward to empty the mini bar, that was no problem! We now had a place to cool our beverages.

One thing I liked about the ship is they let us bring a bottle of wine on board at every port…

It was nice to try the local wines!

Not much going on tonight…..We had late seating dinner (8:30 Posh) We had arranged to share a table with our new CC friends, the company was wonderful!

 

Day 2 Naples 7/13 ( Friday)

We took the ships tour, Taste of Sorrento and Pompeii. We really enjoyed the farm. Maria took us on a brief tour, we had an antipasto plate with their house Chianti and a taste of lemonchello.

Rosa then did a demo on how to make Motsarella cheese…enjoyed that!

They dropped us off in Sorrento for some shopping, we were there about 1 ½ hours!!!! I purchased some lemon tablecloths and kitchen towels, DH got a really nice pair of Leather shoes and a belt …I could have stayed there all day. But, we were off to Pompeii.

We really enjoyed the Pompeii tour !! There was food, refreshments and souvenirs at the site, so we had gelato and more lemonchello (lemonchello factory there) We needed that after the tour, it was very warm. Make sure you have a hat!

We also made a brief stop at a cameo factory. .That was very interesting!!!

Back to the ship for an afternoon dip in the Endless, (aft) pool…., dinner, and called it a day…night!

 

Day 3 First Sea Day 7/14 (Saturday)

Actually got up early, went for a swim in the aft pool, this pool was very nice/quiet until about noon….

First Formal night…everyone seemed to dress up!!!

Went to the late show “The Big Easy” Wonderful, absolutely rated “G”

.

 

Day 4 Rhodes 7/15 (Sunday)

We loved this Port!! We decided just to walk around town, lovely! We walked up the Roloi “clock tower”, beautiful views of the city from there. (plus with the price of admission you get a free drink) Ate at corner bistro. The only name I could find for it was “Pitas Gyros, Enjoy our food” and we did!!!

Prices seemed to be better here than Athens and Katacalon, so don’t hesitate to buy.

We purchased spices here. Very reasonable about 1.3E’s for large bag. And a really nice Greek style silver bracelet set and necklace for 40E’s.

Used the ATM at the entrance to the town…no problem and good exchange rate!

 

 

Day 5 Izmir 7/16 (Monday)

We took the ship tour to Ephasis and Terrace houses. Our tour guide was Icha(sp) she was great! I think the ruins were as good as Pompeii, but smaller. The terraces houses were amazing…another Must See!!!

There were shops at the end. Prices (bargaining) was better here than the Grand Bizarre . Don’t hesitate buying your inexpensive souvenirs here either.

The Turkish Delight is addictive!

Have your picture taken on a camel….What fun!

Note: There is a large grocery store kitty-corner from the port entrance, if you need anything you can find it there…

They take Mostly Turkish Lira and Euros, but would take USD at the Bizarre. We had gotten some lira from Bank of America before we left.

 

Day 6 Istanbul 7/17 (Tuesday)

What a port!!! We took the ships Tour to the Blue Mosque , Hagia Sophia and Grand Bizarre. The Mosque and Sophia were beautiful.

Dress code: I wore a skirt, sleeveless top, with a shawl to cover shoulders, DH wore his long shorts (that were OK at the Vatican) but had to wrap a shawl around his legs for the Mosque. We then were taken to a carpet demo… We skipped the carpet demo and went to the bizarre…

(All the tours let you come back to the ship at the end of your tour around 2:00PM or stay at the Grand Bizarre the rest of the day with free shuttles back to the boat every 30 minutes. )

All I can say is WOW!!! Absolutely unbelievable!!!! After browsing a while, I

bought a set of 5 mosaic glass lamps, for 100E’s, they are absolutely beautiful. They even wired them for us! We already have them hanging on the patio! Beautiful! Also got some great bracelets for 1 lira (.80 cents) If you’re looking for inexpensive costume jewelry, here is the place to buy!! Also woven pillow covers and leather floor pillows..

They also have thousands of knock off bags. But…They did not bargain as much as we were told.

Had a lunch of what looked like baked pasta with meat/spices and freshly squeezed orange juice, delicious! Also tried the sinit bread, tasted like an unsalted soft pretzel, good !

We got absolutely lost in the maze of shops, luckily I took a picture of our entrance, asked a security guard how to get there…he gave good directions out! No Problem!

Went back to the ship to deposit our purchases then took a taxi to the Spice Bizarre (10 lire). The smells in this bizarre were wonderful!!! We got tea and fresh saffron here. They also had caviar (very expensive) and lots of samples of Turkish Delight! This was a mini Grand Bizarre and great fun!.

 

Day 7 Sea Day 7/18 (Wednesday)

You really need a rest at this point!!!! But if you want any quiet, Go to Deck 10 on either side of the ship by the A/C intake fans, there are chairs available (sun and shade). Showers here too….

We tried the “high tea” with classical music this afternoon ….Tea was Lipton tea bags…the people were so loud you could not hear the music….enough said for now…

Went to the show tonight Pete Fisher .Very good virtuoso violinist!

 

 

Day 8 Athens 7/19 (Thursday)

We did this port on our own too. We shared a taxi with our CC friends from the port to Platka. The posted rate is 9E’s…but we “negotiated” 20 E’s for the 4 of us LOL….Taxis are a rip off! He dropped us off at Monastiraka.

We walked to the Acropolis. It was VERY VERY HOT!!! Bring water, there is nothing once you start your journey to the top! It is worth the trip!!! We spent about 2 hours at the Acropolis. Afterward, we ate lunch at Kapyatie a nice café near Hadrians Library .

We walked around the city the rest of the day. Found the Hard Rock on Fillelenon (for a T-shirt), had the best Baklava and Frappuccino at a bakery on Ermou near the Snytagmatos Square and a cold Greek beer in the flea market at the end of our day, complete with live Greek music!

There is a “happy train” at the entrance to the flea market. We did not use it, but we heard it takes you around the city…next time…

 

We took the train back to Parius (3E’s for both of us) .Once in Parius, use the escalator to get across the street, turn left, you can catch a bus (#843) back to the ship here for 0.5E’s but the bus only runs every 40 minutes, so we shared a cab with 2 others back to the port (6E’s) for all of us..

Wonderful Day!!!

 

Day 9 Katakolon 7/20 (Friday)

We did not tour today. Slept in and went into town about 10:00. Really nice little port town. Very Colorful! Did a little shopping and had a really good lunch by the water. The restaurant had blue tables/umbrellas, I have the name but I don’t have the ‘keys” on the computer to type it…

If you are going to buy anything here buy in the morning before the tours come back to town. The prices went up about 20% after !!! We found this port to be a bit “pricy” compared to the others….But found earrings to match my Greek bracelet set ,only 9E’s and we both bought Greek style cotton shirts , both for 37E’s.

 

Day 10 7/21 (Saturday)

3rd sea Day

We decided to try the aft pool once again….We got there early (about 8:00) and it was very nice and quiet ….After lunch is when all the excitement usually started. All week we were inundated by screams of “Marco Polo”, infants in the pool with diapers, children eating ice cream in the pool and yellow blow up toys… Finally Security showed up…third sea day!!!! Too little… too late…. So we went to our “shady quiet place and read.

 

During the afternoon the ship sailed by Stromboli an active volcano….I think every passenger was on the Port side of the ship, we did not tip over…LOL

 

This was the second formal night….really did not feel like dressing up but did anyway…Glad we did because most everyone was dressed up too!

 

Day 11 Florence 7/22 (Sunday)

 

We did a share to Florence using Tuscany by Taxi. Would recommend them! ( Lucky for us because there was a train strike that day.) He picked us up at 7:30AM.

Had reservations at the Accademia for 11:30. (Called the museum about 1 month earlier (011-39- 055 -294883), they gave us a reservation number and we were able to walk right in, it did cost 3E’s more per ticket but well worth it) we arrived 2 hours early but it was no problem, they let us in. Reservations are a must…the lines were very long!!! David is amazing!!!

The rest of the day we walked the city saw ‘fake” David at Piazza Della Signoria,.Went to a wine tasting at Enoteca Pontevecchio on Corso dei Tintori 21/r , (near Santa Croce) this was a free tasting. We tasted 4 whites and 4 reds along with different cheeses and olive oils and balsamic vinegars, including one that was 88E’s for 100ml!! … with no pressure to buy (but we did)…if you like fine wine try to locate this place, a real find! Shopped the Ponte Vecchio, ate lunch at Bar Gelateria Pasticcera on Via Guicciardini 43/R (really good ) , And, of course we shopped and shopped some more!!!

Really wished we would have gone to Pisa too, there was plenty of time. Next year!!

We left Florence at 5:00 back on the boat by 6:00..

 

Day 12 Back in Rome 7/23 (Monday)

 

We took the ships shuttle to the port entrance and walked (about 10 min) to the train station. Purchased a BIRG pass into Rome (8E’s each) . This was about a 45 minute ride in a train with no A/C. Pretty warm! We re-visited Trevi, and St. Peters Square, walked around a bit, Had lunch near the Trevi at a Tavola Calda (self service) wish I had the address b/c it was again a wonderful meal! Wondered down Via Del Corso to Via Conditti with all it’s designer shops!!…bought a leather purse (not a knock-off LOL) and pashminas.

Took the train back to port, wandered around Civit, this is a quaint small town, you can get bottled refreshments here to take on board. Then we returned to the ship to pack!!!

Funny thing…our suitcases had shrunk...Hummm….

 

Debarking 7/24 (Tuesday)

We were the first group off of the ship (6:00), found our luggage easily, our Taxi service was there, and we were on our way home….. luggage and all!!

 

 

Sum up :

A wonderful vacation !!

We absolutely loved the ports, that is why we booked this cruise, the ship for us was a simply “means to an end” but… that said…This was our 5th Carnival Cruise And our 19th cruise overall.

The staff was great, our cabin steward wonderful, the ship décor was good, and the ship was clean, I was a little disappointed with the food at dinner, It was good but nothing to rave over, and we think they should still sing and dance after dinner just not every night.

The lunch buffet had some really good salads. And the deli and pizza were very good!!

Not to forget the fish & chips, did not try the fried selections but loved everything else.

We only went to two shows, and both were outstanding! Did not go into the Casino.

But…

There was just something “off” for us personally about this ship.

Just too crowded and noisy. . The aft pool was a mess every afternoon!

In the evenings on the Promenade deck near the Meiji bar you couldn’t move without someone running into you

Maybe it because it was summer and there were a lot of children and teens aboard

(a lot, but certainly not most, were polite and well behaved.)

Some parents really need to teach their children travel etiquette. Some adults need to lean a bit of it themselves…

All in all, we absolutely will cruise the Mediterranean again… soon…. but won’t be sailing the Carnival Freedom, at least in high season. We will try to stick with the smaller ships for now and off season!!!

Lynn & Bob

[mamawg]

Lynn and Bob,

 

Thanks for your review. What airline did you take over to Rome? I hate to hear about lost luggage! Just wondering if it is the airline we will be on too. Also what connection stops did you make going over to Rome?

 

Yoo you mention a Marco from Italy Cab. I've never heard of them. I do know a Marco who works for Rome Cabs and they are always highly recommended. Is this the same company run by Stefano or some other company?

 

I will also be on the Lido deck this September. What cabin did you have and did you have any problems with any other noises other than previously mentioned?

 

I appeciate the info on the restuarants as we will be doing Rhodes and Katakolon on our own too. How did you get all your souveniers back without breaking them?

 

Gail

[wrk2cruz]

Lynn and Bob,

 

Thanks for your review. What airline did you take over to Rome? I hate to hear about lost luggage! Just wondering if it is the airline we will be on too. Also what connection stops did you make going over to Rome?

 

Yoo you mention a Marco from Italy Cab. I've never heard of them. I do know a Marco who works for Rome Cabs and they are always highly recommended. Is this the same company run by Stefano or some other company?

 

I will also be on the Lido deck this September. What cabin did you have and did you have any problems with any other noises other than previously mentioned?

 

 

I appeciate the info on the restuarants as we will be doing Rhodes and Katakolon on our own too. How did you get all your souveniers back without breaking them?

 

Gail

 

Hi

We were on Continental, Houston to Newark to Rome. Hold on to your carry on bags....we were very lucky to have found our last bag!!!

Continental told us they would send us a travel voucher for our trouble...

 

Marco is not Stephano, Marco's company is called Italy cab but his e-mail is very similar to Stafano "rome cab@" so be careful... Wished I had not made that mistake...

We were on Lido 9284, the noise came from the music/people in the late afternoon, it was very quiet at night...no moving chairs etc....

 

You will love the ports!!! Do not hesitate to try Athens on your own either...very easy! Next time I will do the "Happy Train".

 

We did not have a meal or snack off ship that we didn't love!!! We just picked places that "looked good". We had planned to eat off the ship a lot because we love to try different things!!!

 

We checked one of our carry on bags going home and I hand carried all my breakables (like my lamps) in an expandable carry on that we brought with us... We bought 2 bottles of wine and the store packed them for us in a styrofoam packer , which we packed in our checked bag. We also bought lemonchello which we padded with our clothes...Nothing broke!

 

You will have a amazing time!!!!

Lynn

[mamawg]

Hi

We were on Continental, Houston to Newark to Rome. Hold on to your carry on bags....we were very lucky to have found our last bag!!!

Continental told us they would send us a travel voucher for our trouble...

 

Marco is not Stephano, Marco's company is called Italy cab but his e-mail is very similar to Stafano "rome cab@" so be careful... Wished I had not made that mistake...

We were on Lido 9284, the noise came from the music/people in the late afternoon, it was very quiet at night...no moving chairs etc....

 

You will love the ports!!! Do not hesitate to try Athens on your own either...very easy! Next time I will do the "Happy Train".

 

We did not have a meal or snack off ship that we didn't love!!! We just picked places that "looked good". We had planned to eat off the ship a lot because we love to try different things!!!

 

We checked one of our carry on bags going home and I hand carried all my breakables (like my lamps) in an expandable carry on that we brought with us... We bought 2 bottles of wine and the store packed them for us in a styrofoam packer , which we packed in our checked bag. We also bought lemonchello which we padded with our clothes...Nothing broke!

 

You will have a amazing time!!!!

Lynn

 

Thanks Lynn for your reply. I hate to hear it was Continental that lost your luggage as that is the same carrier we are using. We have to take a small jet to Newark from Kansas City and then it is non stop to Rome. So I assume your luggage was lost in the first flight. We will have two days pre cruise, so I hope I get all my luggage before we leave on the cruise. Continental changed my connecting flight on the way back and I will be very lucky to make a connection. It seems that the flights lately have been late coming in from Rome at Newark. They changed our flight foward by 40 minutes. That was time we really could have used to get through customs. We will probably have to wait almost 8 hours for the next direct flight in Newark's airport. Whoppee!:( How much time did it take you to clear customs in Newark and did you make your connection?

 

I have been corresponiding with Stefano, so I think I should have the reliable company. I hope so as I have transfers back to the airport early on the last day.

 

We were on the Grand Med on the Liberty in 2005, so I know the cruise will be wonderful as it was then. Just so much has changed with the new security rules and this time we made our own airfare arrangements too.

 

Thanks again and I'll try some of the places you suggested on our trip.

 

Gail

[boydsbear]

Hi Lynn loved you review as it was very informational and gave me some great moments today to sit and daydream. It sounds as if you had a wonderful trip and I am so looking forward to the same trip next month. It sounds as if you had a pretty difficult time concerning your luggage. It has helped me to reconsider how I am going to pack and what I am going to put in my overnight bag.

 

Hi Gail, hope that you do not have any problems with your luggage with Continental. I think that James had problems with his luggage on Delta and that is the airline that we are taking. In fact we will be on the same flight with James a few seats apart. Hope to see you soon. Cathy:)

[travelady]

Hi

We were on Continental, Houston to Newark to Rome. Hold on to your carry on bags....we were very lucky to have found our last bag!!!

Continental told us they would send us a travel voucher for our trouble...

 

Marco is not Stephano, Marco's company is called Italy cab but his e-mail is very similar to Stafano "rome cab@" so be careful... Wished I had not made that mistake...

We were on Lido 9284, the noise came from the music/people in the late afternoon, it was very quiet at night...no moving chairs etc....

 

You will love the ports!!! Do not hesitate to try Athens on your own either...very easy! Next time I will do the "Happy Train".

 

We did not have a meal or snack off ship that we didn't love!!! We just picked places that "looked good". We had planned to eat off the ship a lot because we love to try different things!!!

 

We checked one of our carry on bags going home and I hand carried all my breakables (like my lamps) in an expandable carry on that we brought with us... We bought 2 bottles of wine and the store packed them for us in a styrofoam packer , which we packed in our checked bag. We also bought lemonchello which we padded with our clothes...Nothing broke!

 

You will have a amazing time!!!!

Lynn

 

Hi Lynn,

I really hate to hear you were on Continental....We are traveling Continental Pittsburgh - Newark - Rome - we have a 4 hour lay over in Newark - so I'm praying our luggage will make it to Rome - How long was your layover?

Based on your experience, I might have to bring two carry-on pieces and one checked bag:confused: :confused: - what a hassle! Thanks for the info!

Deborah

[sandij]

thank you so much for the wonderful review, so glad to hear about the ship tours, that's the way we always go. I wish we were going to Rhodes but for some reason Carnival has dropped that from our cruise in May and put another stop in Turkey, which I haven't been able to find much about. But regardless I can't wait to go and just imagine being in Rome for the evening.

[Kacruiser]

Carnival Freedom July 12th 2007.

Vatican Museum (We sent our reservation request by fax 30 days prior, to the following numbers.011-39-06-698-84019 and 698-85100. There were two numbers posted, we did not know which one was the right one so we faxed both. We received our confirmation by fax about 2 weeks later. There was no extra charge for this service)

Lynn & Bob

 

Thanks, I really enjoyed reading your review and am so excited. We are going a few days early I have a question about faxing your reservation for the Vatican. Did you simply say you want to take the tour on a specific date at a specific time? Or do you give them the date and they give your the time? And . . . I've read that there are several entrances to the Vatican, which one did you use?

[winewanderer]

wrk2cruz,

 

Thanks for the review. I love reading any and all of them.

[bunnyette]

Just back, well back for a week now, from the July 12th sailing. Will write a review later when I have time, just trying to get back into the swing of things.

I had a wonderful time and while the cruise itself was not wonderful, I still had a great time. I don't get how some people can let little things ruin their vacation.

 

What a refreshing point of view. Not everything is perfect but neither is life. The fact that we get to cruise to Europe is something we should be greatful for. I amazes me that people choose a lower priced cruise and expect high end luxury. My travel agent told me that she prefers cruising on Carnival to some of the high end super luxury cruise lines. Why? Her fellow passengers are much friendlier and a lot more fun (note as a TA she gets to go on free cruises).

 

With so many interesting ports in Europe - I simply treat the ship as a floating hotel. With so much to do at each port, you're hardly on the ship anyway. :D

[wrk2cruz]

Thanks Lynn for your reply. I hate to hear it was Continental that lost your luggage as that is the same carrier we are using. We have to take a small jet to Newark from Kansas City and then it is non stop to Rome. So I assume your luggage was lost in the first flight. We will have two days pre cruise, so I hope I get all my luggage before we leave on the cruise. Continental changed my connecting flight on the way back and I will be very lucky to make a connection. It seems that the flights lately have been late coming in from Rome at Newark. They changed our flight foward by 40 minutes. That was time we really could have used to get through customs. We will probably have to wait almost 8 hours for the next direct flight in Newark's airport. Whoppee!:( How much time did it take you to clear customs in Newark and did you make your connection?

 

I have been corresponiding with Stefano, so I think I should have the reliable company. I hope so as I have transfers back to the airport early on the last day.

 

We were on the Grand Med on the Liberty in 2005, so I know the cruise will be wonderful as it was then. Just so much has changed with the new security rules and this time we made our own airfare arrangements too.

 

Thanks again and I'll try some of the places you suggested on our trip.

 

Gail

 

Customs was not bad...We were late arriving from Rome but we made it..it took maybe a little over an hour get off the plane, collect our bags, to clear everything, recheck our bags and walk on the next flight....WHEW

Have fun:D

[wrk2cruz]

Thanks, I really enjoyed reading your review and am so excited. We are going a few days early I have a question about faxing your reservation for the Vatican. Did you simply say you want to take the tour on a specific date at a specific time? Or do you give them the date and they give your the time? And . . . I've read that there are several entrances to the Vatican, which one did you use?

 

We just requested a "Guided tour for individuals to the Vatican Museum And Sistene Chapel"

We requested the time 10:30 (I think there is a 12:00 and one in the afternoon too)

The date, our names and our fax number, including the country code.

I also included my e-mail.

You enter at the side entrance I think the street is Viale Vitacano, We took the metro and got off at Cipro Musei Vaticani, there were signs pointing the way!!

[wrk2cruz]

Hi Lynn,

 

I really hate to hear you were on Continental....We are traveling Continental Pittsburgh - Newark - Rome - we have a 4 hour lay over in Newark - so I'm praying our luggage will make it to Rome - How long was your layover?

 

Based on your experience, I might have to bring two carry-on pieces and one checked bag:confused: :confused: - what a hassle! Thanks for the info!

 

Deborah[/quote

 

We had a 7 hour layover...I think it was just our turn to lose our bags :rolleyes: we've never had problems with Continental before...

[Kacruiser]

We just requested a "Guided tour for individuals to the Vatican Museum And Sistene Chapel"

We requested the time 10:30 (I think there is a 12:00 and one in the afternoon too)

The date, our names and our fax number, including the country code.

I also included my e-mail.

You enter at the side entrance I think the street is Viale Vitacano, We took the metro and got off at Cipro Musei Vaticani, there were signs pointing the way!!

 

Thank you so much. I'll send my fax over and hopefully will get a reply. I enjoyed reading your review and it did give me a different feel of things. After reading your review I feel more confident to venture out on our own and do a little exploring.

 

We are meeting up with eight of our friends on the 22nd to board the ship. They are leaving the 15th and staying in Germany until the 22nd. We are on our own from the 19-22 and this is our first trip to Europe.

 

I've printed out your review and am bringing it with me. Loved your idea of taking a piclture at the entrance of the Bazzar in case you need asssistance finding your way back.

 

I've heard a lot of horror stories and the lost luggage, there seems to be more of that happening or maybe I'm just paying more attention to the stories. We are dividing our clothes between the carryon and checked bags. Another CC person suggested packing a smaller suitcase into a bigger suitcase so I have an empty one to bring all of my purchases back. (I really like that idea!) Let's hope all my luggage arrives - I'm flying Continental. United lost my friends luggage last year when we went from Sacramento to Long Beach so go figure.

 

It will be curious to see how many children are on this cruise since it is during school time. I love kids but listening to "Marco Polo" while I'm trying to relax would not be my idea of a good time. We all have pools and I hear the screams of my neighbors kids all weekend long. Glad they are in daycare during the week.:p

 

What is the "happy train" that you refered to in Athens?

[irisgen]

Carnival Freedom July 12th 2007

This will be long…..and mostly about the ports.

We are in our early 50’s cruising without children. Please excuse any grammer or spelling errors!!!! LOL,

 

Pre cruise Rome:

 

We planned 3 days pre-cruise in Rome. Left Houston the 8th and arrived in Rome the 9th…

Baggage experience upon arrival/ good resolution.

 

3 out of 4 bags did NOT make it, One checked bag and our two carry on bags. (We had to gate check our two carry-on’s in Houston because of a crowded flight) …Long story short, they delivered our carry on bags to our hotel the afternoon of the second day, the 3rd bag was totally off the system! So after numerous calls, with the help of our Hotel, we decided to take the express train back to the airport Wednesday afternoon …They had no record of our lost bag. I asked to look in the locked room at baggage claim….There it was!!!! So if you have a lost bag in Rome, don’t give up! You just have to be pro-active!

(When we packed we tried to divide our clothes/toiletries between the 2 checked bags and 2 carry on bags…Good thing we did!!!)

 

Day 1 Arrival 7/09(Monday)

 

We had pre-arranged a taxi with Marco from Italy Cab….He did not show!!! So , after we realized we only had one bag, and filed all the necessary claim forms, we got another taxi (no problem) and went to our Hotel.

We stayed at Hotel Capo d Africa, ( 54 Capo d Africa) about 3 blocks from the Coliseum. ( Small , boutique hotel). I cannot say enough good things about them!!! The staff was excellent, the service was excellent, the room excellent (A/C was cold), the breakfasts were excellent! They were especially helpful in our missing bag adventure!

Upon arrival, we threw our 1 bag into our room and about 2:00 PM , we were headed to Palentine Hill, bought our tickets for the Coliseum there ( no line). And by-passed must have been hundreds for entrance….. Great!!!

Later that afternoon we explored the surrounding area . We found a lovely bistro above the Metro station ( onVia Delle Terme Di Tito) with a view of the colleseum , had a glass of wine, we must have sat there for over an hour….we were not rushed, in fact had to finally ask for our tab..

Down the block, we found Ostaria Da Nerone…and had a wonderful dinner . We let the waiter choose for us. We had antipasto, pasta, dessert, bottle of wine, espressos and lemonchellos for 38E’s…What a deal!!! And delicious!! It hade been a long day so we walked back and retired to our comfortable room!

 

Day 2 7/10 (Tuesday)

Vatican Museum (We sent our reservation request by fax 30 days prior, to the following numbers.011-39-06-698-84019 and 698-85100. There were two numbers posted, we did not know which one was the right one so we faxed both. We received our confirmation by fax about 2 weeks later. There was no extra charge for this service)

We had reservations for 10:30, took the metro, very easy! We got there a little early so we explored a bit. Came across a huge open market of fresh meats, fish, fruits, cheese, wine and souvenirs. This was near Via A. Doria, about two blocks from Vatican Museum entrance.

The Vatican museum was awesome!! A must see!!! We would strongly advise reservations, when we finished our tour the line was all the way around the Vatican city walls to St. Peters Square!!

Dress code: We were a little concerned b/c the only bag that arrived with us contained our formal clothes and a pair of shorts/top each and DH’s shoes and deodorant!!!!!!

I wore the Capri’s from our flight over, DH only had his day old long shorts, no problem they let us in!!.

Afterward, we caught the Red Hop-on/Hop-off at the Vatican on Via della Concillazione and we spent the rest of the day visiting the other sites of Rome, . Ate lunch near P.zza Navona ,at a cafe called Mimi e Coco on del Governo Vecchio That evening we walked to the city walls and had pizza/wine near the Coliseum.….Busy Day!!! And more of our clothes had arrived…..

 

Day 3 7/11(Wednesday)

Spent the morning using the hop-on/off to visit the remaining sites.. Later that afternoon we (as I said earlier) took the Leonardo di Vinci express train to the airport to find our lost bag. (If you are flying into Rome and do not have a lot of luggage the train would be the way to go!!)

That evening we took the metro to meet our new cruise critic friends (and share to the port) for dinner.. They were staying at Hotel Quirinale, on Via ****onale. We walked to il Chianti Vineria on Via del Lavatore very near the Trevi Fountain for dinner.. There’s a short cut through a tunnel off Via ****onale, that goes to the Trevi!, Wonderful dinner food and new friends!!! Left the Trevi with Roses I really did not want LOL.

 

Notes on Rome: We found it very easy to get around (used the metro and the hop-on/off)….just have to go with the flow! By the way, the Metro closes at 9:00PM !!

The food was all delicious!!! Had lots of gelato!! Didn’t have anything we didn’t love!

 

We did NOT get attacked by gypsies! The people are very friendly and will help you with directions! Do drink (and fill your water bottle) from the small/ large fountains found all around town, the water is cold and refreshing!

We loved Rome!!! (wear comfortable shoes…be prepared to walk!!)

 

 

Day 1 Cruise 7/12 (Thursday)

 

We had pre-arranged transfer to the port with Marco, of Italy Cab….Had been trying to contact him the last two days but his phone was not in service….so we hired Rome Limousine, Italy They were on time and actually less expensive that Italy Cab (145E’s) for 4 of us. (We also used them for debarkation.)

 

We arrived at the port about noon. The check in was, as to be expected, long but not bad….it’s like that for all cruise lines.

We had to wait to get into our room, so we ate lunch at the buffet… The decor on the ship was fine!

We stayed in a balcony room on lido deck (forward) near the entrance to the pool area. ( It was a bit noisy during the afternoon sea days and because of the open doors the hallway was always warm). The cabin was large with plenty of storage…loved the drawers under the sofa!!! We asked our steward to empty the mini bar, that was no problem! We now had a place to cool our beverages.

One thing I liked about the ship is they let us bring a bottle of wine on board at every port…

It was nice to try the local wines!

Not much going on tonight…..We had late seating dinner (8:30 Posh) We had arranged to share a table with our new CC friends, the company was wonderful!

 

Day 2 Naples 7/13 ( Friday)

We took the ships tour, Taste of Sorrento and Pompeii. We really enjoyed the farm. Maria took us on a brief tour, we had an antipasto plate with their house Chianti and a taste of lemonchello.

Rosa then did a demo on how to make Motsarella cheese…enjoyed that!

They dropped us off in Sorrento for some shopping, we were there about 1 ½ hours!!!! I purchased some lemon tablecloths and kitchen towels, DH got a really nice pair of Leather shoes and a belt …I could have stayed there all day. But, we were off to Pompeii.

We really enjoyed the Pompeii tour !! There was food, refreshments and souvenirs at the site, so we had gelato and more lemonchello (lemonchello factory there) We needed that after the tour, it was very warm. Make sure you have a hat!

We also made a brief stop at a cameo factory. .That was very interesting!!!

Back to the ship for an afternoon dip in the Endless, (aft) pool…., dinner, and called it a day…night!

 

Day 3 First Sea Day 7/14 (Saturday)

Actually got up early, went for a swim in the aft pool, this pool was very nice/quiet until about noon….

First Formal night…everyone seemed to dress up!!!

Went to the late show “The Big Easy” Wonderful, absolutely rated “G”

.

 

Day 4 Rhodes 7/15 (Sunday)

We loved this Port!! We decided just to walk around town, lovely! We walked up the Roloi “clock tower”, beautiful views of the city from there. (plus with the price of admission you get a free drink) Ate at corner bistro. The only name I could find for it was “Pitas Gyros, Enjoy our food” and we did!!!

Prices seemed to be better here than Athens and Katacalon, so don’t hesitate to buy.

We purchased spices here. Very reasonable about 1.3E’s for large bag. And a really nice Greek style silver bracelet set and necklace for 40E’s.

Used the ATM at the entrance to the town…no problem and good exchange rate!

 

 

Day 5 Izmir 7/16 (Monday)

We took the ship tour to Ephasis and Terrace houses. Our tour guide was Icha(sp) she was great! I think the ruins were as good as Pompeii, but smaller. The terraces houses were amazing…another Must See!!!

There were shops at the end. Prices (bargaining) was better here than the Grand Bizarre . Don’t hesitate buying your inexpensive souvenirs here either.

The Turkish Delight is addictive!

Have your picture taken on a camel….What fun!

Note: There is a large grocery store kitty-corner from the port entrance, if you need anything you can find it there…

They take Mostly Turkish Lira and Euros, but would take USD at the Bizarre. We had gotten some lira from Bank of America before we left.

 

Day 6 Istanbul 7/17 (Tuesday)

What a port!!! We took the ships Tour to the Blue Mosque , Hagia Sophia and Grand Bizarre. The Mosque and Sophia were beautiful.

Dress code: I wore a skirt, sleeveless top, with a shawl to cover shoulders, DH wore his long shorts (that were OK at the Vatican) but had to wrap a shawl around his legs for the Mosque. We then were taken to a carpet demo… We skipped the carpet demo and went to the bizarre…

(All the tours let you come back to the ship at the end of your tour around 2:00PM or stay at the Grand Bizarre the rest of the day with free shuttles back to the boat every 30 minutes. )

All I can say is WOW!!! Absolutely unbelievable!!!! After browsing a while, I

bought a set of 5 mosaic glass lamps, for 100E’s, they are absolutely beautiful. They even wired them for us! We already have them hanging on the patio! Beautiful! Also got some great bracelets for 1 lira (.80 cents) If you’re looking for inexpensive costume jewelry, here is the place to buy!! Also woven pillow covers and leather floor pillows..

They also have thousands of knock off bags. But…They did not bargain as much as we were told.

Had a lunch of what looked like baked pasta with meat/spices and freshly squeezed orange juice, delicious! Also tried the sinit bread, tasted like an unsalted soft pretzel, good !

We got absolutely lost in the maze of shops, luckily I took a picture of our entrance, asked a security guard how to get there…he gave good directions out! No Problem!

Went back to the ship to deposit our purchases then took a taxi to the Spice Bizarre (10 lire). The smells in this bizarre were wonderful!!! We got tea and fresh saffron here. They also had caviar (very expensive) and lots of samples of Turkish Delight! This was a mini Grand Bizarre and great fun!.

 

Day 7 Sea Day 7/18 (Wednesday)

You really need a rest at this point!!!! But if you want any quiet, Go to Deck 10 on either side of the ship by the A/C intake fans, there are chairs available (sun and shade). Showers here too….

We tried the “high tea” with classical music this afternoon ….Tea was Lipton tea bags…the people were so loud you could not hear the music….enough said for now…

Went to the show tonight Pete Fisher .Very good virtuoso violinist!

 

 

Day 8 Athens 7/19 (Thursday)

We did this port on our own too. We shared a taxi with our CC friends from the port to Platka. The posted rate is 9E’s…but we “negotiated” 20 E’s for the 4 of us LOL….Taxis are a rip off! He dropped us off at Monastiraka.

We walked to the Acropolis. It was VERY VERY HOT!!! Bring water, there is nothing once you start your journey to the top! It is worth the trip!!! We spent about 2 hours at the Acropolis. Afterward, we ate lunch at Kapyatie a nice café near Hadrians Library .

We walked around the city the rest of the day. Found the Hard Rock on Fillelenon (for a T-shirt), had the best Baklava and Frappuccino at a bakery on Ermou near the Snytagmatos Square and a cold Greek beer in the flea market at the end of our day, complete with live Greek music!

There is a “happy train” at the entrance to the flea market. We did not use it, but we heard it takes you around the city…next time…

 

We took the train back to Parius (3E’s for both of us) .Once in Parius, use the escalator to get across the street, turn left, you can catch a bus (#843) back to the ship here for 0.5E’s but the bus only runs every 40 minutes, so we shared a cab with 2 others back to the port (6E’s) for all of us..

Wonderful Day!!!

 

Day 9 Katakolon 7/20 (Friday)

We did not tour today. Slept in and went into town about 10:00. Really nice little port town. Very Colorful! Did a little shopping and had a really good lunch by the water. The restaurant had blue tables/umbrellas, I have the name but I don’t have the ‘keys” on the computer to type it…

If you are going to buy anything here buy in the morning before the tours come back to town. The prices went up about 20% after !!! We found this port to be a bit “pricy” compared to the others….But found earrings to match my Greek bracelet set ,only 9E’s and we both bought Greek style cotton shirts , both for 37E’s.

 

Day 10 7/21 (Saturday)

3rd sea Day

We decided to try the aft pool once again….We got there early (about 8:00) and it was very nice and quiet ….After lunch is when all the excitement usually started. All week we were inundated by screams of “Marco Polo”, infants in the pool with diapers, children eating ice cream in the pool and yellow blow up toys… Finally Security showed up…third sea day!!!! Too little… too late…. So we went to our “shady quiet place and read.

 

During the afternoon the ship sailed by Stromboli an active volcano….I think every passenger was on the Port side of the ship, we did not tip over…LOL

 

This was the second formal night….really did not feel like dressing up but did anyway…Glad we did because most everyone was dressed up too!

 

Day 11 Florence 7/22 (Sunday)

 

We did a share to Florence using Tuscany by Taxi. Would recommend them! ( Lucky for us because there was a train strike that day.) He picked us up at 7:30AM.

Had reservations at the Accademia for 11:30. (Called the museum about 1 month earlier (011-39- 055 -294883), they gave us a reservation number and we were able to walk right in, it did cost 3E’s more per ticket but well worth it) we arrived 2 hours early but it was no problem, they let us in. Reservations are a must…the lines were very long!!! David is amazing!!!

The rest of the day we walked the city saw ‘fake” David at Piazza Della Signoria,.Went to a wine tasting at Enoteca Pontevecchio on Corso dei Tintori 21/r , (near Santa Croce) this was a free tasting. We tasted 4 whites and 4 reds along with different cheeses and olive oils and balsamic vinegars, including one that was 88E’s for 100ml!! … with no pressure to buy (but we did)…if you like fine wine try to locate this place, a real find! Shopped the Ponte Vecchio, ate lunch at Bar Gelateria Pasticcera on Via Guicciardini 43/R (really good ) , And, of course we shopped and shopped some more!!!

Really wished we would have gone to Pisa too, there was plenty of time. Next year!!

We left Florence at 5:00 back on the boat by 6:00..

 

Day 12 Back in Rome 7/23 (Monday)

 

We took the ships shuttle to the port entrance and walked (about 10 min) to the train station. Purchased a BIRG pass into Rome (8E’s each) . This was about a 45 minute ride in a train with no A/C. Pretty warm! We re-visited Trevi, and St. Peters Square, walked around a bit, Had lunch near the Trevi at a Tavola Calda (self service) wish I had the address b/c it was again a wonderful meal! Wondered down Via Del Corso to Via Conditti with all it’s designer shops!!…bought a leather purse (not a knock-off LOL) and pashminas.

Took the train back to port, wandered around Civit, this is a quaint small town, you can get bottled refreshments here to take on board. Then we returned to the ship to pack!!!

Funny thing…our suitcases had shrunk...Hummm….

 

Debarking 7/24 (Tuesday)

We were the first group off of the ship (6:00), found our luggage easily, our Taxi service was there, and we were on our way home….. luggage and all!!

 

 

Sum up :

A wonderful vacation !!

We absolutely loved the ports, that is why we booked this cruise, the ship for us was a simply “means to an end” but… that said…This was our 5th Carnival Cruise And our 19th cruise overall.

The staff was great, our cabin steward wonderful, the ship décor was good, and the ship was clean, I was a little disappointed with the food at dinner, It was good but nothing to rave over, and we think they should still sing and dance after dinner just not every night.

The lunch buffet had some really good salads. And the deli and pizza were very good!!

Not to forget the fish & chips, did not try the fried selections but loved everything else.

We only went to two shows, and both were outstanding! Did not go into the Casino.

But…

There was just something “off” for us personally about this ship.

Just too crowded and noisy. . The aft pool was a mess every afternoon!

In the evenings on the Promenade deck near the Meiji bar you couldn’t move without someone running into you

Maybe it because it was summer and there were a lot of children and teens aboard

(a lot, but certainly not most, were polite and well behaved.)

Some parents really need to teach their children travel etiquette. Some adults need to lean a bit of it themselves…

All in all, we absolutely will cruise the Mediterranean again… soon…. but won’t be sailing the Carnival Freedom, at least in high season. We will try to stick with the smaller ships for now and off season!!!

Lynn & Bob

 

 

Lynn & Bob,

 

Thank you for sharing your recent cruise experiences. I really enyoyed and learned a lot from your review. Our cruise will be on the 29th of Aug and we'll be sailing the same route as yours. I know you've been to a lot cruises before, can you please give me some tips on how and what to pack. I'm worried about overpacking and end up not having room for shopped items. As much as possible I do not want to overload and pay extra, but I like to shop too. Northwest allows 2- 50 lbs checked in luggage, plus I will be travelling with my husband. Do you think we'll have enough room?

 

Irisgen

[wrk2cruz]

Another CC person suggested packing a smaller suitcase into a bigger suitcase so I have an empty one to bring all of my purchases back. (I really like that idea!) Let's hope all my luggage arrives - I'm flying Continental. United lost my friends luggage last year when we went from Sacramento to Long Beach so go figure.

 

What is the "happy train" that you refered to in Athens?

 

 

Hi

The suitcase in a suitcase sounds like a great idea!!!!

Tha "happy train" (not really sure if that is its's real name" is a shuttle like train, kinda like the ones they use at the Disney Parks to take you to your cars in the lots...I took a pic of it if you want e-mail me lcherry467@aol.com and I will send it to you. It is located in Monastiraki across from the train station and flea market.

[Kacruiser]

The suitcase in a suitcase sounds like a great idea!!!!

Tha "happy train" (not really sure if that is its's real name" is a shuttle like train, kinda like the ones they use at the Disney Parks to take you to your cars in the lots...I took a pic of it if you want e-mail me lcherry467@aol.com and I will send it to you. It is located in Monastiraki across from the train station and flea market.

 

I'd love to see a picture of the "happy train" and any other photos that you would like to share. I send you out an email. Thanks.

[wrk2cruz]

Lynn & Bob,

 

Thank you for sharing your recent cruise experiences. I really enyoyed and learned a lot from your review. Our cruise will be on the 29th of Aug and we'll be sailing the same route as yours. I know you've been to a lot cruises before, can you please give me some tips on how and what to pack. I'm worried about overpacking and end up not having room for shopped items. As much as possible I do not want to overload and pay extra, but I like to shop too. Northwest allows 2- 50 lbs checked in luggage, plus I will be travelling with my husband. Do you think we'll have enough room?

 

Irisgen

 

Oh My:o

Every time we pack for a cruise it is a challenge!!! :D What I try to do is get everything together that I think we will need....and remove half!!! Try to put representative clothing in every bag....so if one or more is lost you will have something to wear till they find your bags....(been there ,done that) LOL

We wore most of our dinner clothes twice , wear the same slacks, different top, etc...., but you will buy something new to wear .....We did laundry twice. The washers and dryers are large. We took beiges, whites and neutral colors so I could wash everthing in 1 load... I brought zip bags of my own laundry derergent and dryer sheets. I also tried to take clothes that were light in weight... We managed with 2- 25" suitcases (actually convinced DH to fold his tux) 1 -21" carry-on, small rolling backpack for my camera stuff/computer, and our 2 personal items. We brought a zippered collapsiable carry on with us. Looks like a large wallet untill you un-zip it, then it makes a nice size carry on.. .

We also brought a travel scale.... (thank you bekah for that advice) you can find the travel scale at Target (9.99) In their luggage department ..I think they have the zippered carry on too...

We started packing the sea day before Livorno so if we needed to buy additional luggage we could get it there:rolleyes:

Have Fun!

Wish we were going again !!!

Lynn