***LIVE*** From the Carnival Freedom

[HapiFeet]

We were very silly and rented a car however other people that we were visiting took the train. There was a ship shuttle that got them close to the train station. Think it was one euro. There are lots of people that do the train you wont be alone.

 

We are thinking about taking the train to Florence but I've read that the train station in Florence has lots of pickpockets and gangs of thieves. Has anyone heard of anyone experiencing this? I realize they are in most tourist cities but read that this train station in particular is bad.

[travelady]

We are thinking about taking the train to Florence but I've read that the train station in Florence has lots of pickpockets and gangs of thieves. Has anyone heard of anyone experiencing this? I realize they are in most tourist cities but read that this train station in particular is bad.

 

 

I was in Florence twice and both times we experienced trouble with gypsies. 1st time was near Basilica di Santa Croce that was in 1994 and the 2nd time was in 2004 when we walked down the steps to cross the street around the train area - gypsies tried to get into my hand bag that was across my body under my coat. You must be very careful even in a group, as we were in 2004. They come at you in three's or four's and try to distract you while the others pick your handbag or wallent - best to have money and passports under your cloths, especially if you will be carring shopping bags full of treasures;)

[cruzinsit]

hi all...any info on the port of messina sicily would be appreciated...i am going on the freedom, june 30th sail date...is there anything there to do without driving?...we can not decide what to do...thanx in advance for any info...

 

mary;)

[richcrow]

hi all...any info on the port of messina sicily would be appreciated...i am going on the freedom, june 30th sail date...is there anything there to do without driving?...we can not decide what to do...thanx in advance for any info...

 

mary;)

 

Most people take a short trip south of Messina to Taormina. There isn't much to do in Messina. On our May 1st cruise on Freedom, we joined a group of 53 Cruise Critics who chartered a bus which took us Toarmina for the day. Hope this helps.

 

Richard

[funat55]

hi all...any info on the port of messina sicily would be appreciated...i am going on the freedom, june 30th sail date...is there anything there to do without driving?...we can not decide what to do...thanx in advance for any info...

 

mary;)

 

Hi! I'm on the same cruise June 30th, and our group (8) doesn't have anything planned for Sicily. It is the only port that we have not booked anything. I like the idea of the chartered bus. Carnival wants around $55.00-$65.00 for Taromina on your own which is basically transportation to and from the ship into the town. I think our group would be happy just spending the day in Taromina. I agree with Richcrow that Messia has very little to offer. I am open as well to suggestions for Sicily.

 

LaVonna

[summerdays]

Hi, Mary & Lavanno

 

I am from the 25 May sailing. We were the 2nd group that booked the chartered bus after 1 May sailing (43 of us shared).

 

I concur with Richard's recommendation.

 

Please try to group yourselves together and book a chartered bus from Messina seaport to Taormina quickly. Both 1 May and 25 May sailing did it by posting on our respective Date of Sail thread on Cruise Critic. It is fairly easy to get response from the rest of the fellow cruisers.

 

It would really save you a great deal of time, money and hassle! The 54 seater air-conditioned bus (chaffeured) is E$480 for return trip, and includes parking, fuel, etc. The drive is only 45 mins one -way. That leaves you a lot more time for sight-seeing and shopping. Even if the group is only 20 pp sharing, it works out to be E$24 pax, lesser than Carnival's package.

 

I understood from past postings that if you take the public transport, you'd have to take a train from the seaport to the bottom of Taromina, and then change to a bus that brings you to the town. Taormina is situated at the top of a hill. A one-way journey is easily 1.5 hr (and may be longer with waiting), plus it costs around E$11 (return).

 

Both 1 May and 25 May groups have found the services of Bluestone Tourism Services very good. Antonio, the manager has arranged the transport for us. You can reach him as follows.

 

ANTONIO FOTI - Sales & Marketing Manager

BlueStone Tourism Services

antonio@bluestonesicily.com

www.bluestonesicily.com

I hope this helps.

[questo1944]

Read your post and see that you are on the July 12 Carnival Freedom. I am interested in sharing a tour and or transportation to Florence and or Pisa, time permitting. Have you made arrangement for this port yet? and if so, are you looking to possibly cut costs by sharing? You can contact me via email at: questo1944@comcast.net.

Diane

[7toEleven]

Read your post and see that you are on the July 12 Carnival Freedom. I am interested in sharing a tour and or transportation to Florence and or Pisa, time permitting. Have you made arrangement for this port yet? and if so, are you looking to possibly cut costs by sharing? You can contact me via email at: questo1944@comcast.net.

Diane

 

 

Diane;

 

We recently were on the Freedom (may 25) and in Livorna we hired and shared we other CC members Papillon Tours, driver Lisa. We had a WONDERFUL time, and higly recommend this company.

Here is there web address, if you have any questions you may write me at: Patmargi@aol.com

 

Papillon Tour Florence/Pisa

[Alberta_Cruisers]

Has anyone found the capers for the Grand Med cruise yet? I've been searching and haven't had any luck. We're on the July 24 cruise.

 

Thanks

Jackie

[Peanut Patricia]

Has anyone found the capers for the Grand Med cruise yet? I've been searching and haven't had any luck. We're on the July 24 cruise.

 

Thanks

Jackie

 

I don' t have the Capers, but please join our Roll Call!

[caneguy]

Hello All,

Just got back from the June 6th sailing. Will post an intensive journal in a day or so. For those with questions about Messina, do what Rich says. We had two buses with cruise critic friends take us from Messina to Taormina, cost/person 11 euro including tip! BIG THANKS FOR LINDA AND VEE for organizing the bus. Look up on the June 6th thread starting around May 1 for the info on the bus.

 

Caneguy (Jerry)

 

P.S. IT WAS A GREAT CRUISE AND THE FREEDOM IS WONDERFUL

[caneguy]

TRIP JOURNAL ROME/CARNIVAL FREEDOM

(THIS IS VERY LONG, PLEASE PRINT OUT AND READ AT YOUR LESURIE)

At the end of this journal I have some quick hits for restaurants and guides

DAY 1 JUNE 2, 2007

Today is departure day after one year of planning for this trip. We (myself, wife and two sons, 14 and 16) left Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Delta Airlines to JFK in New York. Our flight was delayed 11/2 hours in Ft. Lauderdale. I had planned a 3-hour layover in NYC to factor in delays and it is lucky I did. We arrived into JFK at 4:15 PM plenty of time to catch our 6:55 PM flight to Rome; little did we think we would be sitting on the Tarmac for almost 2 hours waiting for a gate to open for our plane. We finally got off the plane at 6 PM. We did make our flight to Rome. We flew non-stop to Rome (FCO) on Business Class. This was the way to fly. We had so much room that I could stretch my legs out and not touch the seat in front of mine. The seat reclined to almost a horizontal position for sleeping was no problem (with a little help from Lunesta). Service on Delta was wonderful, the in flight entertainment was a selection of 5 movies, and many different channels of music. We had dinner on board and the food was OK, but the main entrée was below par. The flight left JFK almost 3 hours late after a long wait on the tarmac for takeoff. We landed in Rome only one hour after the scheduled time. After collecting our luggage (not problem and a 5 minute wait through passport checkpoint, no checking into the luggage) we walked outside of the terminal to find our diver from Rome Cabs waiting for us. Our dive into Rome was about 45 minutes during which time our driver pointed out different points of interest. We arrived at our hotel, The Empire Palace around 12 noon. The hotel is situated about a 7-8-block walk to the Termini (train station).

A note about the Hotel. I booked the hotel after a recommendation from my travel agent. Since I needed two rooms I wanted a moderate priced but nice hotel. I could not have asked for more with the Empire Palace. The hotel is only 12 years old, but in a building from the 18th century. The staff service was A+ as was the way the hotel was maintained. The public area was open, clean and beautiful. The breakfast included in the room rate was more than you could want. A selection of fresh fruit, pastries, cereals, breads, scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, sausage, juice, and of course coffee. The location of the hotel is a little out of the way from some of the main sites; however we walked to all of them with the exception of the Colosseum and the Vatican (which we took the metro). One problem with the hotel is I think they used the same person to make the pillows as Fred Flintstone used. After the first night of sleeping on these pieces of stone, I asked the front desk if they have any other type of pillows. After some laughter, they sent up to the room two very soft, big fluffy pillows.

After having a lunch near the hotel as our room was being readied, we checked in the hotel and began our journey to discover Rome. We walked to the Trevi fountain and to the Piazza Navona. We enjoyed the street performers in the Piazza and then ate dinner at Orzo 80. This was a treat. They are famous for the antipasti selection. We ordered the antipasti (13 euros) and the food did not stop coming t the table. A selection of fresh mozzarella, meats, vegetables, fruits, and other delights. We left the restaurant full and satisfied. Of course there was still room for gelato at one of the many gelato shops in the area. We walked back to hotel and finished out first day in Rome.

Day 2

Today we slept late and in the morning just walked around the hotel area. We took the Metro to the Colosseum stop and had lunch near the Colloseeum at Barni 4. The was located just south east of the Colosseum, as you walk out of the metro stop, make a left and it is a one or two blocks past the Coloseeum. The lunch was another treat. The brusschetta was the freshest I have tasted, the vegetable soup was a delight, and the pasta was a joy with each mouthful.

We met our guide, Francesca Caruso at the Colosseum at 2:30. I found Francesca in Rick Steve’s book. I cannot say enough about this wonderful lady. She is native Roman, who has a degree in English Literature. Her command of the English language is better than mine. To try and explain her narration of our tour would not do justice to her ability to communicate. She “paints a picture” with her words that allow you to live not only in the present but also in the ancient past. Her knowledge and her ability to transform that knowledge into a narration is truly a thing to behold. I could not imagine seeing what we did without her as a guide. She walked us though the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, the Roman Forum, Capital Hill with Michelangelo’s Renaissance Square, and to the Pantheon. The 3 plus hours we spent together seemed like 3 minutes. We left Francesca and could not wait to see her tomorrow, as she would lead us through the Vatican.

We walked back to our hotel, rested, and then went out for dinner to the restaurant IL Giordano, near Piazza Barberini. As you walk west past the piazza down the street Via del Tritone the restaurant is about two blocks and up an alley on the right, (look for the blue Restaurante sign on the wall). This was another great dinning experience. My brother and sister in-law have dinned there many times, and took my family to this restaurant. The wait staff is a joy. Please ask for Daniel, he was very funny and always ready to help you enjoy your dinning adventure. We had many different dishes, but make sure to order the risotto, each bite a memorable one. We left the restaurant and of course had another gelato as we again walked to the Trevi fountain. The gelato at this location VALENTINOS was the best we had in all of Rome. It is located about two blocks toward the Barberini piazza from the Trevi on Via del Lavatore. It is on the main street just around the corner from the more famous but inferior San Crispino. I tried both, and Valentinos was so much better.. There was no comparison, with the texture, flavor and overall composition of the gelato at Valentino’s far superior to San Crispino.

What a day! To see what we did with Francesca and enjoy wonderful company and food is truly makes for a “Roman Holiday”. By the way, my sister in-law wore a pedometer and measured out walking total today at 6.4 miles and over 18,000 steps!

Day 3

THE VATICAN.

We took the Metro from Republic plaza to the Vatican and meet Francesca at the entrance to the Vatican Museum. We arrived at 8:45 AM and walked passed the entry checkpoint at 8:55 AM. Let me demand one thing of anyone who is reading this journal, please get a private guide or use one of the guide services to go to the Vatican. The wait time for people waiting in line in the morning hours I heard was up to 3 hours. In the afternoon the wait time is less.

Again Francesca walked us thought the Vatican museum, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peters, she again brought us back into time to the creation of the Vatican. Her words are magically; her ability to explain yet involve the thoughts of those who produced this wonder was inspirational. Also little things she did improved our experience. She had arranged for us headphones so that we could hear her above the constant “noise” inside the museum, Vatican, and St. Peter’s (no talking in the Sistine Chapel). I will not intrude on your future experience of the Vatican the discussion Francesca had with our tour, but there is one that I would like to pass on. As we entered the first room of Raphael, she asked us to sit on a bench as she explained what we are about to see in the next few rooms. After this talk, she told to look behind us as see the graffiti that was craved on the wall. As we silently thought to ourselves how could someone disfigure something so beautiful and historic, she they said, ”Those Lutheran’s” and then explained that during the Lutheran occupation of the Vatican, it was the Lutheran’s who did this graffiti. Allowing us a moment to consider who would have recently done this, she totally floored us with the truth!

Please allow me to pass on how to contact Francesca.

Her e-mail is: chris.fra@mclink.it

I booked her in early January for our tour in the first week of June. Friends of mine contacted her in May for a July tour and she was booked for the summer season. So if you would like to use her please book her early. Her charge is 50 euro/hour and we had a group of eight.

After the Vatican tour, we went to the Spanish Steps. We ate at the restaurant Alla Rampa. As you exit the Metro stop and walk to the Steps, the restaurant is located about 200 yards past the steps in the next courtyard on the left towards the back of the courtyard. The meal for lunch was perfect. The have an anti pasta station and you can fill “one plate one time” for 10 euros. All the selections were tasty. We also had a tasty gnocchi and some soup. After lunch we walked down to the Piazza Barberini to see the “Church of the Bones” or the correctly named, Cappuccin Crypt. It is located on the Via Venento, just about one block away from the piazza. It is open 9-12 and 3-6. It takes about 5 minutes to view, but a very strange and interesting view it is. Not to take away from your experience, but what is done in this church you will not see anywhere else. If you have some time, it is well worth a visit.

Our restaurant selection for dinner this evening, our last in Rome, was Coline Emiiane, located down a small alley, Via di Avignonesi, a block south from the west end of the Barberini piazza. This was a very small restaurant of only 44 seats with 10 tables. From the first item placed on our table for tasting we knew we had a very special place. I read about this place in Frommer’s, then “googled” for more reviews, then called about one month before our vacation for a reservation. My sister in law, who on this has visit, has been to Rome 5 times, said that the pesto pasta she had was the best she has ever had in Rome. The Braised Beef selection, tender and so full of flavor was outstanding; all the pastas were so wonderful that we did not want to stop eating. We enjoyed it so much we rushed back the next day for lunch before our scheduled pickup for the ship. After dinner we walked back to Valentino’s for gelato, as explained previously.

Another glorious day in Rome came to an end. We walked today a total of 5.3 miles.

DAY 4

Last morning in Rome and day 1 on the Carnival Freedom.

We used the morning to walk to the Vittoriano building. Francesca told us that just this week, on June 2nd; they opened up an elevator to the top of the building. What a view from the top!! The cost is 7 euro for adults and 3.50 for children under 17. IF you have some time, well worth seeing Rome from this vantage point. We had lunch at Coline Emillie, and then Rome Cabs picked us up for our shuttle to the Carnival Freedom. Rome Cabs arrived right on time, and the drive to the ship from our hotel was 1 hour and 15 minutes. Embarkation was easy and fast. We arrived at the port at 3:30 and were aboard the ship by 3:45. We were surprised how efficient the process of checking onto the ship was done. Our driver first stopped to drop off our luggage and then dropped us off for check in. By the time we arrived at our rooms, our luggage was being delivered. The rooms are very nice. Of course the ship is spotless and our stewardess greeted us as we approached our room. We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the ship and I meet with my fellow “cruise critics” at the Endless pool at our 5 PM get together.

Much is mentioned about the décor of the ship. I did not find it offensive. It is “loud and proud” but if you have been on other newer Carnival Ships, you will not be alarmed at the décor. One thing I did miss was the view of a large Atrium from any level in the center of the ship, which the Freedom does not have above the 5th deck.

Our dinnertime is 8 PM in the Chic dinning room. On this first night the dinner was pushed back to 8:45 PM. Dinner was very nice. “Starters” included a selection of Hickory Smoked Alaskan Salmon, Tropical fruits, Fired Chicken tenders on Marinated Cucumber and Lettuce, Ziti with sausage and mushrooms and an few soups. There were two salad choices. Main Course selections were as follows: Pan Seared Filet of Tilapia (I had this and it was very good), Sweet and Sour Shrimp, Chicken a la Grecgue (breast of chicken in a tomato sauce) which my son had and loved, Rack of Lamb, my other son had this and also loved it, Grilled sirloin, and Indian Vegetarian Dinner. Each evening there are alternative selections that are the same. They are mostly for children, like burgers, chicken, Baby Back Ribs and an assortment of vegetables and starches. Desserts this first evening were Vanilla Crème Brule, Black Forest cake, and always the Warm Chocolate Melting Cake, which I found to be more like a very warm chocolate pudding inside a thin cake skin.

Overall I would give this dinner a very good rating.

Early to bed tonight as tomorrow is a full day of Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast.

Day 2 on the Freedom: Naples

We left the ship at 8 AM to meet our guide from Positano Car Service. Massimo was waiting just outside the exit from the terminal. From the moment we entered our Mercedes Minivan he had us laughing and kept us entertained and informed during our entire tour. The first stop was Pompeii. We had arranged with Positano Car service to hire a guide for Pompeii. Massimo called ahead to make sure that he would be waiting as we arrived. Lino, our guide for Pompeii was wonderfull. He was fluent in English, and he spoke Spanish and French as well. During our 2 hours together he pointed out the important structures within Pompeii and though Pompeii is far bigger than I had thought, we covered enough to satisfy our group. I would suggest that a guide is hired for Pompeii. It is far to big to cover on your own. You can rent an audio guide, but the personal attention of a private guide is unmatched. The cost for a 2-hour tour is 100 euro plus the admission charge to Pompeii, all paid in cash, no credit cards. A guide can easily accommodate about 10 people, so the cost/person is minimal.

After we finished up at Pompeii we were on our way to the Amalfi coast. Massimo had a surprise for us on the way. On the way to Amalfi we were going to pass the area where Massimo lives. He asked if he could call his wife to meet us and give him something, we of course said OK. Well what he asked her to bring was some home made Lemoncello, which he gave us as a gift. What a nice gesture. We turned a corner and in front of us was the Amalfi coast. For those who have traveled along the Pacific Coast Highway in northern California, it is very close to that dramatic drive, where every minute you want to stop and take a picture. Massimo, having traveled this road many times, knew where the best place was to stop and have the best view to take pictures. Massimo suggested that we concentrate on one village instead of doing just 20 minutes in a few of the towns along the coast. We stopped in Positano. Massimo dropped us off and we walked down a nice pedestrian walk to the beach. Reservations were made at Chez Black. I had decided on this restaurant, as I wanted the beach so that my sons could swim if they wanted to and the rest of us would be able to walk around and watch them. The meal was better than expected, for a restaurant on the beach. Everything we had was expertly prepared from the vegetable soup, pizza, salads, and fresh sea bass entrée. We ate lunch, the kids did not swim and we walked back up the path to meet Massimo. We then went a bit further past Positano to view some more beautiful views of Positano and a view of the Hotel de San Pietro. We began our return to the Freedom after a day filled with visual memories.

Dinner this evening was as good as last night. Selections for starters included Smoked Duck (brother in law had this and said it was “just ok” more like “Duck Bologna), duet of Mussels and Shrimps in Olive Oil and herbs (I had this one and it was OK, most of the shrimps are small and do not have that fresh crispness when you bite into them), Won Ton Soup (sons had this and liked it) and another soup of Chilled Cream of Peaches (sister and mother in law had it and loved it). Main courses varied from Roast Turkey, Oven Roasted Mahi Mahi (I had this and was very good) Seafood Newburg style, Marinated Pork Chop (brother in law loved it) and Black Bean vegetable Enchiladas (wife loved it). Dessert hit was Tiramisu. This evening the show was “Welcome Aboard”. Cruise Director John introduced his staff and then had an audience participation show in which he enlisted some of the passengers to come up stage and then he induced them into some very funny skits. The highlight was a couple that together have the best names (boy do they have a problem when introduced to people) and I am not making this up (I couldn’t) Dick and Anita Little!

Day 3 on the Freedom

Sea Day

This day is much welcomed. After 3 plus days in Rome running around and yesterday’s full day it was good to just relax onboard the ship. Most of the days activities involved some sort of trivia game, a hairy chest contest, the always on a ship Art Auction and some entertainment (from the ship and watching fellow passengers).

Dinner tonight was our first formal night. Most of the men wore suites and the rest wore Formal Wear (Tuxedos both white and black). The women predominately wore long evening dresses. Children varied from just dress shirts or tie and Jacket for the boys and most young girls wore nice dresses. The passengers looked elegant. There were a lot of photo stations set up on Deck 5 for formal pictures. I attended the “Captain’s Party”, hosted in many clubs in the aft section of deck 5. Passes cocktails, wine and champagne was available, and some hors de.

Dinner was fine. Starter selections consisted of Fresh fruit, Shrimp Cocktail (last time for me, much better selections available), Baked stuffed White Mushrooms (this was one of them, very tasty) and soups of Minestrone, Pumpkin and Strawberry Bisque (all had my members of the family and all were very good). Main Entrees included a selection of Spaghetti Carbonara, Grilled Perch, Lobster Tail, Duck, Prime Rib and Chili Rellenos. Most of the table selected the Lobster tail and overall evaluation was “just OK”, good for a cruise ship, but had much better in restaurants. They were nice sized and I have three of them, filled me up pretty good. Of the three, one was very tasty and the others just OK. The desserts were good, the best being a Caramelized Apple on Puff Pastry. Cherries Jubilee, Banana Cake and the always-present Warm Chocolate cake were also offered. The head Matrie De Ken entertained us with a song, and the team of waiters also sang to us this evening.

Tonight’s show was a tribute to the Beatles, “A Ticket to Ride”. The show lounge was packed for our 10:45 show so get there as soon as your dinner is over for a good seat. Before the show starts, to keep you entertained, they have two screens set up showing the past history of the Beatles. Very nice and for those of us who remember the beginning of the British Invasion, a nice reflection of our memories. The beginning of the show is a little hokey and tacky, but it does pick up and is very good toward the end. Overall I would not miss this show.

Tomorrow VENICE and the weather outlook is good!

Day 4 on the Freedom

ARRIVAL TO VENICE

Today we arrive in Venice. The morning was spent relaxing, playing the ever-present Trivia Games and trying to win the Glorious Gold Plastic Ship On A Stick. As we got closer to Venice the excitement began to build. Our weather prayers were answered (that you Rick for starting us on the Weather Prayer with Cruise Critic) as we were met with clear sunny skies. As we entered the city our cruise director John began to explain what we were about to see. Most (all) of the sights are on the starboard (right) side of the ship (do not worry, for those who have cabins with balconies on the left side, you can see the same wonderfull view on the departure from Venice). There are many great photo ops, and get ready for the Bridge of Sighs. As you come close to St. Marks Square, you will see a small white bridge on the Grand Canal, just to the right of St. Marks. As you look down the canal this bridge crosses you will see the Bridge of Sighs. With a good telephoto lens you can capture a fantastic image. The sights entering Venice are truly breathtaking. For a good vantage point and to avoid the crowds up on the Lido deck, here is a tip. Go to the front of the ship on deck 7 or deck 6. At the end of the hallway, either on the port or starboard side there are doors that lead out to small deck. From this deck you can view both sides of the waterway without to many other passengers. After we pass St Marks Square we dock in about 20 more minutes. This is the time when EVERYBODY goes to have lunch. I found that the easiest place is the Chinese food area on the Lido Deck to get a quick lunch (or just wait until you leave the ship).

The ship arrived a little ahead of schedule at around 1 PM. We left the ship around 1:30 and did not come back until 11:30 that evening. The one thing I can way about Venice is GET LOST. We had a wonderful day just walking around and at times finding a dead end, just turning around and then finding the correct way. It is just beautiful and you never know what you are going to see down one of the canals or streets. We walked everywhere. The ship offers a shuttle service from the ship to the Vaparetto dock for $5 round trip. The walk to the same area takes about 15 minutes and is ½ a mile. Not a pretty walk, but easily done. I found out that when some people came back, there were no buses waiting, and that at peak times, there was a wait for the bus. We just walked! We walked from the ship to St. Marks Square. From St. Marks Square to the Accademia bridge spanning the Grand Canal. Everywhere you walk presents another great view and photo. We did not do any tours in Venice. We walked inside St. Marks, but that was all we did as far as churches or museums. My kids after Rome needed a rest from that type of touring. We had dinner in a small restaurant Ai Tre Spiedi. Wonderful pasta, fresh fish and superb service. This restaurant is located near the Rialto on the San Marco side of the bridge. A little hard to find, but worth it. Dinner for 4, with 4 entrees, 4 prima pasta, wine, bottles of water totaled 140 euros, inclusive of all service charges and tip. After dinner we walked back to St. Marks Square. We listened to the orchestra’s playing in the square for a short while and then took to Vaparetto back to the ship. We walked 6.8 miles today and the pedometer register 24,000 steps. Anyone for a nice footbath?

Day 5 on the Freedom, Venice

We awoke today to another beautiful day, sunshine and temps in the low 80’s. We walked today to the Jewish Ghetto. This was a nice walk in a different part of Venice, on the side of the Train station, the Cannaregio area. Some may tell you that it is very hard to find on your own and you must take a tour (John our C.D.) but with a good map it is very easy. As you walk past the Vaparetto stop at Piazzale Roma walk along the canal until you reach the Scalzi Bridge crossing the Grand Canal to the train station. You will see this large bridge as soon as you reach the Piazzale Roma. Cross this bridge and to the right you will see a street Rio Tera that becomes Lista di Spagna. As you walk down this pretty street of shops and restaurants you will come to a big plaza. Across the plaza to the left is a small street and walk down this street a 100 feet and you will come to a small bridge cross this bridge. Look at the building straight ahead and you will see a bronze placard on the wall directing you to the Jewish Synagogue. In about one or two blocks, you will see another sign directing you down a small street, Ghetto Vecchio. You have now entered the ghetto. As you walk down this street you will come to a very small bridge, cross that one and you end up in the old square of the Jewish Ghetto. To the right is the entrance to the museum where you can purchase tickets for the Synagogue tour. We did the tour, (8.50 euro a person) which takes about 45 minutes and then looked for a place for lunch. We found by luck a very good restaurant named El Greco. It was located on S. Leonardo. As you retrace your path back to the ship, instead of going over small bridge turn left and the restaurant is down the street on the left. Everything ordered was tasty especially the seafood with pasta (8.50 euros) and the Spaghetti Bolognese. After lunch we returned to the ship for departure.

We dined this evening in the Sun King Supper Club. What a treat! The service and food was just as you would expect in a fine restaurant. Selections for entrees were great lobster, first cut veal chop, chicken breast, filet minion, 24-ounce porterhouse steak and New York strip. Deserts were first rate, especially the chocolate selection. It was so good we made reservations for another night.

The show this evening was a comedy/magic show staring NEAL AUSTIN. The show is not really a magic show but a really great comedy show. This guy does more with dime store magic than anyone I have seen. I mean, my kids can do the same tricks, but he had me laughing almost from the start of the show. If he is on your cruise, you must see him.

Day 6 on the Freedom

DUBROVNIK

As the ship approaches Dubrovnik, if you are having breakfast, eat on the port side of the ship. The Croatian coast line as the ship cruises to Dubrovnik is breathtaking.

The ship docked right on time and we were ready to see the old city. Transportation is right at the ship. TWO modes of transportation bus or taxi. The bus cost is 10 USD/person round trip; the taxi is 10 euro each way for up to 4 people. If you have four people in your group you will save both money and time with the taxi. They both drop you off right in front of the main gate into the old city. The return taxi stand is in the same location, and there are plenty of cabs waiting to take you back to the ship. One note, we were the only ship in port; I do not know how the system would work with more ships in port. The walk in the city and along the wall is amazing. I will not tell too much and leave your initial feeling as you enter the old city to yourself. There must be over 100 places to eat in the old city, a lot off the main street. We ate at a restaurant along the marina named Poklisar. The food was very good, but looking at some of the other restaurant, it was a little bit more expensive and from talking to fellow shipmates, most of the restaurants served good food. We had pizza, vegetable soup, mussels, salads and grilled and fried calamari. The only miss was the fried calamari. It was good, but different and needed some sauce to compliment the dish. We finished the walk on the wall and did a little shopping in the old city before heading back to the ship. There are no bargains in the old city. I was looking for Croatian ties, but the cheapest I could find was $66.00 USD.

As for money in Dubrovnik. EVERYONE TAKES EITHER EUROS OR USD WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM.

Dinner tonight was as usually very good. Favorites for dinner at our table were Pear and Mozzarella salad, Thai Shrimp Soup and Chilled Watermelon Soup for starters. Main Course favorites were Center Cut Pork Chop with Mexican Mole, Roast Rib of Beef, and Dover Sole.

The show this evening was Jump, Jive and Wail, a tribute to the big band sound. The show was singing and dancing to a live band playing the tunes of the big band era. Nice and enjoyable, but not great.

Day 7 on the Freedom

Day at Sea

Carnival really plans the sea days well. After the walking in Venice and Dubrovnik, a sea day is most welcomed. Activities onboard ran from the usual Trivia games, Art Auction, pool activities, bingo, seminars by the spa to sell products and “John’s Marriage Show”. The Marriage show was a blast. Not the same as some other ones I have attended on cruise ships which are the Newlywed Marriage match game, but more of an interview show that as only our C.D. John can do, make it very funny and entertaining.

Tonight’s main show was singer Sinead Blanchfiled (I did not attend). The show times are different tonight that for the previous shows. Up until tonight, show times were 8:30 and 10:45. Tonight until the end of the cruise the show times for the main production numbers are 7 PM for the late sitting and 9 PM for the early sitting.

Dinner this evening was good but not up to the standards of the past evening. Starters ordered by our table: French Onion soup, Black Bean Soup, but rated good, Chilled Cucumber soup, rated average, smoked Chicken Quesadilla also rated good not great. Main courses rated good were Chicken in Creamy Foie Gras Sauce, Jerked Pork Loin and Teriyaki Style (boneless) Short Ribs. Herb Polenta was a disappointment. Desserts were all average and those ordered were Warm Fig, Date and Cinnamon Cake and the Strawberry Cheesecake. My sons continue to order and love the Warm Chocolate Melting Cake.

Late evening entertainment as is most other nights consisted of Ron in the piano bar (very nice place), Karaoke in the International lounge and dancing in the Jazz club and 70’s disco.

Today was also the second day of the “laundry promotion”. They allow you to fill up a large size grocery bag and wash it for $15. We used it for undergarments, socks, shorts and t-shirts. A well-filled bag is almost equal to two loads of laundry in the laundry room. The cost for self serve laundry is $2 for a wash and $2 for drying and $1.25 for laundry soap. So even that it costs a little bit more, the convience was well worth it.

Day 8 on the Freedom

Messina/Taormina

We arrived on time and to another glorious weather day.

As my sons would say, “PROPS” go out to Linda and Vee, two cruise critic people and now friends who organized buses to transport 100 people from Messina to Taormina. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO! Please check on the posts from either the May 1st cruise or the June 6th cruise on the Carnival Freedom to see whom they contacted for this service. The cost per person was only 11 euros round trip, including tip for the driver. Carnival charges $63.00 USD for “Taormina on Your Own”, essentially the same thing. Our group of 8 saved $380 dollars. There are also public buses or trains to Taormina from Messina, but they seemed awkward to use and I would not trust getting back in time for the ship. Get someone from you post to do the bus!

The bus ride from the ship (pick up is right at the gangway) to Taormina is 45 to 50 minutes. We left the ship at 8AM and Taormina at 2:30 PM. Shops really to not open until 9:30 or 10. Taormina is a beautiful town with many vistas to view wonderful scenes. We walked down the main street, Corso Umberto 1 to the Greek Amphitheater. Admission to the amphitheater is 6 euros/person. After viewing this site we strolled around town and also took the cable car down to the beach area, cost for the cable car was 3 euro/person round trip. Then it was time to eat lunch. We wanted to dine at Tiramisu. This restaurant was recommended by “American Don”, who owns a shop named “Don and Gia” on the main street and is originally from Brooklyn N.Y. He said most of the locals eat there and no he does not own the restaurant. The restaurant is located past the last arch of the main street, up the hill to the left. As you reach the top of the hill, a short walk, make a right turn and just past the walled entrance to the street on the right is the restaurant. Unfortunately they do not start serving lunch until 1 PM and that would not be enough time to catch our bus back to the ship. We had lunch instead at Gamero Rosso, located just off the main street Via Naumachie 11. Lunch was wonderful; each dish was eaten with gusto. Our group shared mussels in marinara sauce, pizza, grilled swordfish, eggplant and meatballs on lettuce leaf (not like the ones back home!).

Dinner tonight in the Chic dinning room was on par with the other nights. Starters selected by our table included South Western egg roll, like a Mexican mix in a egg roll, Cream of Broccoli and Chicken Noodle Soup, both rated as “OK”, and Asparagus Vichyssoise also rated as OK. Main dishes ordered were Veal Parmigiana, Filet Mignon and Penne with Vodka sauce, all rated as good but not great. Desserts were a selection of Chocolate/Raspberry/Vanilla Cream cake, Apple Pie and Diet Pumpkin cake, all very good.

The entertainment this evening was Guest Talent night, starting at 10:45 PM. Four acts followed by a hilarious audience participation hosted by our C.D. John.

Day 9 on the Freedom

DAY AT SEA

Another day at sea, time to rest before the next three big days of touring. Day’s activities were about the same as the other sea days; Trivia, selling Carnival stuff, “The Newlywed Game”, and just relaxing around the pool.

Dinner today was again at the Sun King Supper Club, and again it was well worth the extra $30. This night the entertainment was the tribute to New Orleans, “The Big Easy”. Show times are 7 and 9 PM.

Day 10 on the Freedom

BARCELONA

Today was yet another glorious weather day. Temps in the mid 80’s, no rain and blue skies. The ship docked very early in the morning due to a medical emergency. We left the ship around 8 AM. There was again two ways to get to town, bus and taxi, both just outside the terminal exit. The cost for the bus was 5 euro/person round trip and the taxi cost was about 8 euro for four people in the taxi. A little cheaper by taxi but equal with the added tip. Both leave you off in the same area, the taxi a little closer to La Rambla, the central street close to our ship and the main shopping street of Barcelona. We did a bike tour of Barcelona with Fat Tire Bike Tours. On the web, www.fattirebiketours.com. The cost of the tour was 22 euros/person for a 4-hour bike tour with time out for lunch. We biked through to Barri Gotic area, to the Arc de Triomf and Parc de la Ciutadella. We then continued to the Sagrda Familia, and then to the beach area for lunch. Caution, natural beauty is visible one the beach, or as one gentleman noted, “The good, bad and the ugly”. Though we missed some of the other major sites in Barcelona, we all enjoyed a different type of touring. My in-laws did the Hop on Hop off Bus. They picked up the bus where the shuttle drops you off in the Columbus Circle. The cost was 19 euros/person and you can use all three lines of the bus. Each line without getting off takes 2 hours. They really enjoyed the bus. We finished our day by waling the La Rambla. Many shops, street performers, a excellent flamenco dancer, and toward the middle of La Rambla on the left side as you are walking away from the Mirador de Colom (Columbus statue), an open air market you must see! You will find almost any type of food being sold, and it really is a test of the senses. We wished we had some more time in Barcelona to see more of the sights, but it was a great day.

The show this evening was in my opinion the best of the cruise. It was the “Carnival Legends” show, in which passengers impersonate singers. They are dressed in costumes, and the Carnival Dancers participate in the act. We had James Brown, Elton John, Madonna, Gloria Estefan, Garth Brooks, Ricky Martin, Britney Spears, Elvis Presley and more. Ken the Maitre d from the Chic dinning room sang Frank Sinatra and the Carnival staff did a real funny send up of Sonny and Cher. The talent was not to be believed!

DAY 11 On The Freedom

CANNES

Today was a day of rest for my family. The ship is anchored in the bay and the passengers are tendered into the port/dock. What is important to know is that the tenders take time to transport all the cruise passengers to city. The tenders started at 9 AM, and the wait at this time was about 40 minutes. You have to go the Victoriana Lounge to get a transfer number for the tender, and then wait until that number is called. The tenders hold from 175 to 350 people. My in laws went down around 10 AM and left the ship around 10:40. At around 10:50, an announcement was make that 2600 people have now departed the ship and there is no longer a wait for the tenders. It takes about 5-10 minutes to get to the port. What is also important for those of you who make your own tours, is that with wind conditions the ship must move and the tenders then take 25-30 minutes each way, which could delay your meeting in port. That is what happened to us on the way back. The ship had to move due to high winds. It did seem that Carnival contracted with more tenders to move passengers. We arrived back to board the ship at 6 PM and had a 20 minute wait to board a tender for the 25 minute ride back to the ship.

The walk around Cannes was nice. There is a nice shopping street about one or two blocks from the ocean that runs parallel to the ocean. There are many places to eat and the pastries and breads were very tasty.

My in-laws took the train to Monaco and Monte Carlo. The cost of the ticket was 15 euros round trip. The Cannes station is about a 10-minute walk from the dock, and the Monte Carlo station is about a 15 minute walk to the casino after a walk down some steep stairs. My in-laws said the walk was beautiful.

We did not attend the evening entertainment. The act listed was a violinist.

DAY 12 On the Freedom

FLORENCE

We left the ship this morning at 8 AM. Our driver/guide Paolo was waiting for us at the gangway. We set out for Pisa and arrived before the main tour buses, so it was not as crowded as when we left Pisa. Without the Leaning Tower, there would not be a stop in Pisa. It is a magnificent site and worth a SHORT VISIT. We spent about 20 minutes in Pisa. We were off the Florence. Paolo was born in Florence and now live in the Pisa area. He really knows his way around. On the way to Florence he took us off the main road to view some countryside. He asked if he could take us to a friend’s castle, of course we said YES! He met the owner of this castle many years ago, and he has made it into a bread and breakfast. The place was a dream. We walked around the grounds for about 30 minutes. We arrived in Florence and went directly to the Accademia to view Michelangelo’s David. We had reservations which are a must, but still the line to enter was very long. Paolo went to the front and spoke with the guard at the entrance. We were the next group allowed inside! From there we drove the Michelangelo’s Piazza for a stunning view of Florence. We ate a wonderful lunch outside the city and then returned to continue our tour in the city.

We returned to the ship at 6 PM, not ready to leave the Freedom the next morning.

DEBARKATION

Debarkation was run very smoothly. We had arranged for private pickup with departure from Rome the following day. Debarkation began around 6 AM. Our group number had not been called by 8:10 and we had picked scheduled for 8:30. We went down at 8:15 and left the ship without any problem, found our luggage and met our Rome Cabs shuttle. We spent the rest of the day back in Rome visiting some of our favorite places to eat and seeing St. Peter’s once again. We got to St. Peter’s around 1:30, and did not wait at all to enter.

ROME AIRPORT FOR DEPARTURE

PLEASE GET THERE AT LEAST 3 HOURS BEFORE YOUR SCHEDULED DEPARTURE TIME. IT TOOK ALMOST 3 HOURS TO GET TO THE GATE AFTER ARRIVING AT THE AIRPORT.

Well that’s it! Hope you enjoyed the journal and found some things that would help you on your vacation. You will enjoy the Freedom and Italy!

[caneguy]

Hotel in Rome

Empire Palace Hotel

www.hotelempirepalacerome.com

Restaurants

ROME

Zigaetana Near the Vatican

Via Cola di Rienzo

www.zigaetana.com

Binario 4 Near the Colosseum

San Giovanni in Laterano, 32

Coline Emiliane near Barberini Plazza

Via degli-Avignonesi 32

Tel. 06-481.7538 or 06.48.02.80.70

Call for resv. Very small place

Valentino Gelateria near Trevi Fountain

Via del Lavatore, 96

Best gelato I had in Rome

Il Giardino di Albino Near Barberini Plazza

Via Zuccheli 29

POSITANO

Chez Black

Via Del Brigantino 19

On the beach in Positano

VENICE

Ai Tre Spiedi about 10 blocks from the Rialto on the San Marco side

On Salizzada San Cazian, In Cannaregio

Oliva Nera

www.osteria-olivanera.com

Al Gazebo near the Jewish Ghetto

Rio tera San Leonardo

Ponte delle Guglie

DUBROVNIK

Poklisar

www.poklisar.com

TAORMINA

Gambero Rosso

Via Naumachie 11

Tiramisu

Via Cappuccini 1

BARCELONA

Taller de Tapas,

Two locations

L'Argenteria 51

And

Plaça Sant Josep Oriol 9, Barri Gòtic

FLORENCE

Trattoria Cave de Miano, Fiesole

On the outskirts of Florence

GUIDES

For Rome

Francesca Caruso THE BEST IN ROME

Cell number 339.2616482

e-mail chris.fra@mclink.it

Book her early for next year, she is all booked for this summer

Naples, Amalfi

Positano Car Service

Ask for Massimo Kirico - very funny and knowledgeable

www.positanocarservice.com

e-mail limousine@positanocarservice.com

owner is Joseph

Florence

Unforgettable Tuscany

Paolo Bonetti

Lives in Pisa, born in Florence

Took us in the country and saved us time

Wonderful guy

www.unforgettabletuscany.com

info@unforgettabletuscany.com

[lizzy77]

Thanks Caneguy for your fabulous review. I found it to be very informative and I shall print it out and use it for referral. We go on Oct 4th

[okteach_61]

Caneguy,

 

Wonderful review! I'm looking forward to eating at some of the places you mentioned. Thanks for sharing your experience!!

[richcrow]

Jerry (caneguy),

 

Great review! Almost as good as mine.:D I really did enjoy reading it as it let me relive our May 1st cruise.

 

Richard

[Disney 5]

Does anyone have any information on the Chic versus Posh restaurant (decor, etc.)? They look very different in photos we've seen. The Posh almost looks as though there are floor to ceiling windows on the first floor. Thanks so much!

[caneguy]

Disney 5

 

The Posh holds twice as many people as the Chic. For dinning they are about the same, as few tables compared to the total tables are by the windows. The times differ, with Chic late seating at 8 and Posh at 8:30. If you do not care, then find out which dinning room Maitre d' Ken is in, he sings 8 out of the 12 nights, and is very good.

 

Chic is foward and Posh is aft

[jolin68]

Caneguy,

 

Excellent, Excellent review. Very detailed and informative. I enjoyed reading it - thank you for taking the time to provide such a wonderful account.

[travelady]

What a great review - thank you so much for taking the time to highlight the trip. I can't wait to try the chilled Cream of Peach soup - this is new! I love the Strawberry Bisque soup and have order another bowl just for dessert. :)

[JanfrWA]

We arrived back from the June 6th sailing Tuesday night, and after spending 2.5 days getting caught up on John's Blog, I have made it back to this site!

 

There have already been some great reviews, so I am just going to add some of our personal opinions and maybe a few other choices.

 

First, we truly enjoyed meeting all of the cruise critic people on the ship. What a great way to spend a vacation ~ with people you already "know". We were traveling with 2 other couples - one we met on the Inspiration in Feb of 1999 and the other couple was a friend of theirs. And now ours too:).

 

We flew from Seattle to Chicago and Chicago to Rome 5 days before the cruise. If your schedule and budget can handle it, I would highly recommend it to see the sites in Rome, to get over the jet lag and most of all, to give your luggage time to catch up to you if necessary. We didn't have any problems with luggage but heard plenty of other stories.

 

We were on American Airlines and while the service was fine, the United flights last December were a touch better ~ the planes seemed newer, bigger and each seat had it's own tv screen which allowed you to select your own movies or shows. Not a huge deal, and the price was definately right on American, 15 hours of flying time is long and sometimes those perks make it a little easier.

 

We stayed at the Hotel Arenula in the Jewish Ghetto (125 EU per nite) area pre/post cruise. Price included a great continental breakfast with wonderful croissants with a light glaze as well as cereal, yogurt, fresh fruit, popover type rolls and a variety of other items. Warning: the milk for the cereal is in the pitcher on the serving table ~ it is not the milk in the small pitcher that they bring you for your coffee!! which is warm . . . isn't it Mark?? Won't do that again, will you ?? ;)

 

For lunch and dinners, we often walked about 10 minutes across the bridge to the Trastevere area to Carlo Menta Ristorante Pizzeria. We ate there 3 times! The 4 course menu is 10 euro for lunch, 13 for dinner. Both can be found online. All of our meals were great ~ we only had poor service one night at a different restaurant.

 

Just a block from the Hotel Arenula is a bar called Mad Jacks. Alessandro is the manager - I think he is usually there on weekends and some evenings. Our group really enjoyed him.

 

We did the Hop On Hop Off Bus (HOHO) with the 48 hour pass. It was a short walk from our hotel to a nearby pickup location. I would suggest mapping out the sites you want to see, where you plan to stay and the transportation available. We also took the metro bus one day which is very inexpensive and easy once you figure out the stops/schedule. Everything is quite spread out tho and you can put in alot of miles. Your feet will be tired, especially at the end of the trip.

 

A few other key words that come to mind: gelato !! skooters!! beware when crossing the streets !! traffic signs are suggestions not rules !!

 

For those collectors of t-shirts, there is a Hard Rock Cafe and Harley Davidson store which are easy to get to. I had gone to the HD website and found stores in several of the ports we stopped at.

 

The ship!! We boarded the ship early - before noon and the lines were non-existant. We had our carryons with us as the rooms aren't ready until 1pm, but were happy to enjoy lunch on the Lido Deck. The ship is gorgeous and we found the color schemes to be fine. Not sure what the negative comments early on from posters came from. Different tastes I guess.

 

We had three aft balcony cabins on the Verandah deck - 8450, 8452, 8454, and had cruise critic friends Dan & Kathie in the next door wrap around 8448. We were able to request the door/divider between 8450 & 8452 to be open which was nice. Ask for this once on board.

 

There have been some comments about chairs moving on the lido above, but we had little noise in 8452.

 

The views coming into and leaving ports was amazing, and worth the price.

 

Supper Club ~ I unfortunately do not share the positive comments about the Supper Club. I found the wait staff to be too formal, didn't keep my water/tea glass full and the food to be so-so. I ordered the Surf & Turf. The steak was very small and the lobster was dry. The extra appetizer and dessert that someone earlier referred to was a bite-size taste, not a full serving. The presentation was good, especially the desserts. However to myself and DH, not worth the extra $60. The wait staff in the Chic dining room (late seating, Daniel & Jorge, table 120 ~ a window view!) was amazing and the food was always good. Sorry Jerry (caneguy) but I had the shrimp cocktail almost every night! They just about brought it automatically with my iced tea each evening! We also loved the chocolate melting cake, however couldn't eat it every night.

 

We did laundry 3 times and never had to wait for a washer or dryer. We did bring our own detergent and softener sheets. We also wore the same clothes over and over, and could have packed even lighter than we thought we had. Next time !!!! And many people do re-wear outfits, so for those who think they need something different each day, please think again. By the time you buy items/gifts/souveniers, your luggage magically expands.

 

Wished we would have gone into Scott's and joined Ron the Piano Man for the sing along each night sooner! Turned out to be alot of fun. However, there is so much to do !!!!

 

Naples: we had a private tour and it ran about 200 EU per couple. There are definately pros and cons, and when we do it again, we will do even more homework on the ports/sites, etc. altho sometimes you don't know you want to stop somewhere until you get there. We would loved to have stopped in Amalfi - it is a very cute little town, altho very hilly! We enjoyed the stop in Sorrento but would have liked twice as much time in Pompeii. We didn't have time for an organized tour but should have rented the audio guide. (looks like an old cell phone, you push a corresponding button to hear a description of each site). They were also out of English printed maps so we bought a good book at the store and wandered around. Final comment about the shuttle: the driver was very nice, the van was clean and had A/C, however between the road noise, the A/C and the accent, it was difficult to hear the commentary from the driver in the back seat.

 

Venice ~ would love to see this as a one full day stop leaving late to still allow gondola rides for those who want that. Two short days with the busy vaporettos didn't allow ample time to do it all. A HINT: if you take the 82 from the initial boarding area, get off at the Rialto stop and walk the 5-10 minutes across town to St Marks Square. Staying on the boat will take 30-45 minutes! We also bought the 24 hour pass for 15 euro each and it was good Sat and Sunday.

 

We had booked the Doge's Palace Secret tour online for 9am on Sunday and 25 of us left the ship at 730. Unfortunately the ship's shuttle didn't start running until 8am ~ not something we even thought about ahead of time. Some of us walked into the vaporetto to get our group signed in while others waited for the shuttle. The second group was late in getting to the palace, but thankfully they let us start anyways. It was interesting however warm and muggy in those "secret" rooms, even at that early hour.

 

Personally, except for St. Mark's Square and Doge's Palace, we weren't overally impressed with Venice. It was fun to wander thru the crooked streets but it was crowded and smelly. One couple from our group did the gondola ride and wasn't able to sit romantically close as they had to be balanced in the boat. We would bring our kids back to see Venice however wouldn't stay long.

 

Dubrovnik ~ when we found a long line for the ship's shuttle and people told us they had already been waiting 15 minutes with no bus in sight, we found another couple to share a taxi into town for 10 euro total instead of taking the shuttle. It was quick and easy. Before walking into the ancient area and the wall entrance, there is a WC around the bend on the left. Beware ladies, it is a very clean, porcelian hole in the floor! Practice your squatting skills ahead of time : ) There is also a free WC about 1/2 way around the wall at the restaurant. The wall is a must do and we rented one of the audio guides. Take your time because it is hot! I would suggest doing the walk backwards as there is a place to walk up for a great view near the end, but I was too tired (ok, lazy) after the long walk. Afterwards, walk down the block and take a dip in the cool sea ~ it was very refreshing! There are many shops inside the walled area and the prices seemed to be lower the further back you went. Parental warning ;). Remember that these beaches as well as those in Cannes are some degree of clothing optional and prepare your kids.

 

We loved Dubrovnik and recorded info to hopefully rent an apartment to stay for a week sometime.

 

Messina ~ we were part of the CC group with the rented buses and it was a great option. After walking thru town, ask for directions to the cable car/tram that takes you down to the beach area. It was about 3 EU pp round trip and a short ride, running about every 15 minutes. There are shops and restaurants down below as well as the beach. When you get off the tram, walk toward the water, turn right at the street and go down the first set of steps (decent walk down) to the beach. We did not plan to swim here and just walked the beach and sat on the rocks to cool off our feet. There are lounge chairs however I'm not sure if you have to be a customer of the restaurant/hotel or ?? to use them. Maybe someone else knows. Our CC group had 2 buses reserved and they were able to fill both easily between posters and others from the cruise ship.

 

Barcelona ~ we took the ship's shuttle in and then did the HOHO bus around, starting with the blue line and then transfering to the red line to go to the Sagrada Familia ~ the Gaudi project. Absolutely amazing and words cannot describe it. We did a guided tour here - it was only 3 EU more per person over the admission. It was quite crowded to walk thru. On this one, we would probably rent the audio guide and wander thru ourselves for the same price at our own pace. When the guide gets too long winded, you can't turn them off. We rode the HOHO bus back around and got off at Las Ramblas to walk the length of it. We were there on a Friday which was "pet" market day. Saved us some money since we weren't bringing home any new critters! There are lots of characters dressed up as statues which was interesting. We stopped at one little cafe for Sangria . . . and tiramisu. There was a long line when we got back to board the shuttle to the ship however it moved quickly.

 

Cannes ~ we took the train to Nice and back, what a great ride! We were again on a mission to find the Harley store so my DH could get a shirt. After a bus ride, short walk, great pizza lunch and securing a shirt, we rode the train back to Cannes. We had intended to get off at a beach at the Antibes stop, however weather had become cloudy and windy, so we returned to Cannes to wander the town there. We had a nice walk and tried some frites with a variety of sauces. When we got back to the tender, there was a very long long but again it moved quickly as each of the tenders seats so many riders. As CD John had warned, the ship had indeed moved due to the high winds and rough waters! Most of us enjoyed the unexpected roller coaster ride back to the ship however there were a couple of gals who looked a little green.

 

Livorno ~ we again had a private driver at 200 EU per couple. She was very nice, easier to understand than the first driver AND she had a microphone hooked up so we could hear in the back seat. We went to Pisa first and stayed for about 30-45 minutes which was plenty to see the tower and the other amazing buildings there. We did a little quick shopping in the market and went to Florence. We walked around the square, went inside the cathedral/church, walked thru the market and out to the bridge. She did drive us around the town and point out some sites, overall to me the private shuttle is just glorified transportation and not a guide once you get to the town. We would be just as happy to secure cheaper transportation to the desired location and then wander on our own.

 

I certainly don't mean to discourage anyone from hiring a private driver, just know what you are and aren't getting, and then determine how it fits you. My DH and I are happy to grab a map from the Tourist Info office and wander. They do provide some personal insights and some may enjoy that. I would have been just as happy doing a train whenever possible.

 

A few other side notes:

 

ATM's are everywhere and we got euros for 1.33 with $1.50 fee. Just look for your debit card's logo. Remember if you use a credit card and get a cash advance, the fee is much higher.

 

Another option is if you can get American Express Travelers Checks for free, there is an AE office just a block away from the bottom of the Spanish Steps in Rome where you can exchange the TC for euros. The rate was about 1.40 with no fees. Still cheaper than buying before you leave the states.

 

We loved the "foot baths" in the Rome hotel bathrooms! Was great after a long day of walking to sit on the closed toilet and soak your feet in the cold water. :D I know, really . . . no comments needed.

 

Pick pockets ~ we were usually a group of 6 walking around with three big guys so didn't have any issues. My DH was also usually wearing a Harley shirt (big surprise huh?) and had tattoos showing, so maybe we didn't look like very easy targets. I carried a backpack the entire time altho had a light weight bag inside of the mesh backpack. A couple of times I did carry it in front of me if we were in a crowd just to avoid any issues. There were a few CC people who did encounter problems tho. One man had put an empty wallet (haha) in his back pocket and sure enough, after their train ride in Rome, it was gone. His wife also caught a guy with his hand in her purse but I don't think she lost anything.

 

The return home and the Rome Airport. ugh. not sure where to start. After a taxi ride to the airport (40 EU), we were fortunate that our driver let us off at the closest door to American which is at the far end as you pull up. Our friends' taxi dropped them at a much earlier door and they had a long walk to get to the counter. I wouldn't call it super organized there. Not many directional signs. We first had to go thru a line, with all of our luggage, and show our boarding passes and passports. We had etickets so just gave the lady that number. We figured out the next line to get in which was to tag the luggage and get the boarding pass. Then you move forward and check in the luggage. To my knowledge, our luggage was never weighed and we were cutting it close! Thanks to Jim & Peg who brought a portable scale to weigh the bags as we packed. We will have one next time! Then we went looking for the gates, went thru security and finally . . . time to rest. It took us about 50 minutes from the time the taxi dropped us off at about 9am to get thru security and be heading to the gate. Our flight was at 1130.

 

And then the fun began. They announced all boarding calls in Italian only so fortunately we were standing near some people who could interpret for us. When it was our turn, we presented our passports and boarding passes, walked 10 feet (maybe) to the escalator, showed our passports and boarding passes again (what? you're kidding, we are in a line with no way out ???), rode the escalator down, then a ramp, walked down more stairs and then waited for a bus to take us out to the tarmac where we got off the bus and walked up the stairs into the plane - the old fashioned way! Not sure how this is made easier for someone in a wheel chair but there must be a way!

 

Overall, it was a good flight back. We were late taking off but had enough time and things went smoothly when we landed in Chicago to claim our luggage, go thru customs and re-check it for our flight home to Seattle.

 

A flight tip ~ if you are prone to swelling on the flight (or in my case, if you have had recent surgery) make sure to bring support socks and ice packs. I was miserable on the 15 hours of flight time home. I did use ice in the sick bags but after a while they would leak. Took 2 full days before my feet/ankles returned to normal.

 

Overall we had a great time and are already looking forward the Carnival Splendor July 13, 2008. We are big Carnival fans and will be Platinum on our next cruise.

 

As I re-read, I certainly hope my comments don't sound too negative - just trying to give a different perspective.

 

Finally, we rarely do tours from the ship. You can almost always arrange something ahead of time or at the pier for considerably less than the ship's tours or in the case of the private shuttles - a more personal ride. We tend to live a little more dangerous and head out on our own often.

 

Happy Sailing to those with cruises coming up! I am happy to answer any questions either thru the site or by email below.

 

Janet

[LCos]

Great Review....lots of good tips. I can't belive that it will be my turn in a week.

One question....has anyone done self-disembark on this cruise? Were there long lines?

[caneguy]

Janet, very nice review. Great meeting you and your DH. I agree about quides. I was lucky and had guides that were recommened and all where wonderful. It is much cheaper if you are a group of 8 like we were to get your own guide instead of using Carnival.

 

Jerry

[JanfrWA]

thanks! It really turned out longer than I intended even without the details provided in the other reviews!

 

debarkation ~ was easy. we didn't realize the overhead, in cabin announcements would start at 6am tho! We were packed and had planned to sleep in until 7 or so, have breakfast around 8 and then disembark a little before 9! There were no lines and finding the luggage was easy - it was all sorted into smaller groupings than we have seen before.

 

private shuttles ~ ours were all on time, very professional and got us back to the ship on time; it just wasn't really my cup of tea. I would certainly do it over a ship tour anytime; just would rather go out on my own most days.

 

We didn't really hear of too many that missed the ship in port; can't really tell sometimes if CD John's stories are true or ?? We did hear that in Cannes a tour bus broke down and the other tour buses saw it on their way back. I would guess that it was a Carnival tour bus and things were running slow that day anyways, so probably everyone made it back before sailing.

 

We really did have a great time and would do it again tomorrow if someone had an extra ticket;).

[scvgirl]

TRIP JOURNAL ROME/CARNIVAL FREEDOM

(THIS IS VERY LONG, PLEASE PRINT OUT AND READ AT YOUR LESURIE)

At the end of this journal I have some quick hits for restaurants and guides

DAY 1 JUNE 2, 2007

Today is departure day after one year of planning for this trip. We (myself, wife and two sons, 14 and 16) left Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Delta Airlines to JFK in New York. Our flight was delayed 11/2 hours in Ft. Lauderdale. I had planned a 3-hour layover in NYC to factor in delays and it is lucky I did. We arrived into JFK at 4:15 PM plenty of time to catch our 6:55 PM flight to Rome; little did we think we would be sitting on the Tarmac for almost 2 hours waiting for a gate to open for our plane. We finally got off the plane at 6 PM. We did make our flight to Rome. We flew non-stop to Rome (FCO) on Business Class. This was the way to fly. We had so much room that I could stretch my legs out and not touch the seat in front of mine. The seat reclined to almost a horizontal position for sleeping was no problem (with a little help from Lunesta). Service on Delta was wonderful, the in flight entertainment was a selection of 5 movies, and many different channels of music. We had dinner on board and the food was OK, but the main entrée was below par. The flight left JFK almost 3 hours late after a long wait on the tarmac for takeoff. We landed in Rome only one hour after the scheduled time. After collecting our luggage (not problem and a 5 minute wait through passport checkpoint, no checking into the luggage) we walked outside of the terminal to find our diver from Rome Cabs waiting for us. Our dive into Rome was about 45 minutes during which time our driver pointed out different points of interest. We arrived at our hotel, The Empire Palace around 12 noon. The hotel is situated about a 7-8-block walk to the Termini (train station).

A note about the Hotel. I booked the hotel after a recommendation from my travel agent. Since I needed two rooms I wanted a moderate priced but nice hotel. I could not have asked for more with the Empire Palace. The hotel is only 12 years old, but in a building from the 18th century. The staff service was A+ as was the way the hotel was maintained. The public area was open, clean and beautiful. The breakfast included in the room rate was more than you could want. A selection of fresh fruit, pastries, cereals, breads, scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, sausage, juice, and of course coffee. The location of the hotel is a little out of the way from some of the main sites; however we walked to all of them with the exception of the Colosseum and the Vatican (which we took the metro). One problem with the hotel is I think they used the same person to make the pillows as Fred Flintstone used. After the first night of sleeping on these pieces of stone, I asked the front desk if they have any other type of pillows. After some laughter, they sent up to the room two very soft, big fluffy pillows.

After having a lunch near the hotel as our room was being readied, we checked in the hotel and began our journey to discover Rome. We walked to the Trevi fountain and to the Piazza Navona. We enjoyed the street performers in the Piazza and then ate dinner at Orzo 80. This was a treat. They are famous for the antipasti selection. We ordered the antipasti (13 euros) and the food did not stop coming t the table. A selection of fresh mozzarella, meats, vegetables, fruits, and other delights. We left the restaurant full and satisfied. Of course there was still room for gelato at one of the many gelato shops in the area. We walked back to hotel and finished out first day in Rome.

Day 2

Today we slept late and in the morning just walked around the hotel area. We took the Metro to the Colosseum stop and had lunch near the Colloseeum at Barni 4. The was located just south east of the Colosseum, as you walk out of the metro stop, make a left and it is a one or two blocks past the Coloseeum. The lunch was another treat. The brusschetta was the freshest I have tasted, the vegetable soup was a delight, and the pasta was a joy with each mouthful.

We met our guide, Francesca Caruso at the Colosseum at 2:30. I found Francesca in Rick Steve’s book. I cannot say enough about this wonderful lady. She is native Roman, who has a degree in English Literature. Her command of the English language is better than mine. To try and explain her narration of our tour would not do justice to her ability to communicate. She “paints a picture” with her words that allow you to live not only in the present but also in the ancient past. Her knowledge and her ability to transform that knowledge into a narration is truly a thing to behold. I could not imagine seeing what we did without her as a guide. She walked us though the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, the Roman Forum, Capital Hill with Michelangelo’s Renaissance Square, and to the Pantheon. The 3 plus hours we spent together seemed like 3 minutes. We left Francesca and could not wait to see her tomorrow, as she would lead us through the Vatican.

We walked back to our hotel, rested, and then went out for dinner to the restaurant IL Giordano, near Piazza Barberini. As you walk west past the piazza down the street Via del Tritone the restaurant is about two blocks and up an alley on the right, (look for the blue Restaurante sign on the wall). This was another great dinning experience. My brother and sister in-law have dinned there many times, and took my family to this restaurant. The wait staff is a joy. Please ask for Daniel, he was very funny and always ready to help you enjoy your dinning adventure. We had many different dishes, but make sure to order the risotto, each bite a memorable one. We left the restaurant and of course had another gelato as we again walked to the Trevi fountain. The gelato at this location VALENTINOS was the best we had in all of Rome. It is located about two blocks toward the Barberini piazza from the Trevi on Via del Lavatore. It is on the main street just around the corner from the more famous but inferior San Crispino. I tried both, and Valentinos was so much better.. There was no comparison, with the texture, flavor and overall composition of the gelato at Valentino’s far superior to San Crispino.

What a day! To see what we did with Francesca and enjoy wonderful company and food is truly makes for a “Roman Holiday”. By the way, my sister in-law wore a pedometer and measured out walking total today at 6.4 miles and over 18,000 steps!

Day 3

THE VATICAN.

We took the Metro from Republic plaza to the Vatican and meet Francesca at the entrance to the Vatican Museum. We arrived at 8:45 AM and walked passed the entry checkpoint at 8:55 AM. Let me demand one thing of anyone who is reading this journal, please get a private guide or use one of the guide services to go to the Vatican. The wait time for people waiting in line in the morning hours I heard was up to 3 hours. In the afternoon the wait time is less.

Again Francesca walked us thought the Vatican museum, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peters, she again brought us back into time to the creation of the Vatican. Her words are magically; her ability to explain yet involve the thoughts of those who produced this wonder was inspirational. Also little things she did improved our experience. She had arranged for us headphones so that we could hear her above the constant “noise” inside the museum, Vatican, and St. Peter’s (no talking in the Sistine Chapel). I will not intrude on your future experience of the Vatican the discussion Francesca had with our tour, but there is one that I would like to pass on. As we entered the first room of Raphael, she asked us to sit on a bench as she explained what we are about to see in the next few rooms. After this talk, she told to look behind us as see the graffiti that was craved on the wall. As we silently thought to ourselves how could someone disfigure something so beautiful and historic, she they said, ”Those Lutheran’s” and then explained that during the Lutheran occupation of the Vatican, it was the Lutheran’s who did this graffiti. Allowing us a moment to consider who would have recently done this, she totally floored us with the truth!

Please allow me to pass on how to contact Francesca.

Her e-mail is: chris.fra@mclink.it

I booked her in early January for our tour in the first week of June. Friends of mine contacted her in May for a July tour and she was booked for the summer season. So if you would like to use her please book her early. Her charge is 50 euro/hour and we had a group of eight.

After the Vatican tour, we went to the Spanish Steps. We ate at the restaurant Alla Rampa. As you exit the Metro stop and walk to the Steps, the restaurant is located about 200 yards past the steps in the next courtyard on the left towards the back of the courtyard. The meal for lunch was perfect. The have an anti pasta station and you can fill “one plate one time” for 10 euros. All the selections were tasty. We also had a tasty gnocchi and some soup. After lunch we walked down to the Piazza Barberini to see the “Church of the Bones” or the correctly named, Cappuccin Crypt. It is located on the Via Venento, just about one block away from the piazza. It is open 9-12 and 3-6. It takes about 5 minutes to view, but a very strange and interesting view it is. Not to take away from your experience, but what is done in this church you will not see anywhere else. If you have some time, it is well worth a visit.

Our restaurant selection for dinner this evening, our last in Rome, was Coline Emiiane, located down a small alley, Via di Avignonesi, a block south from the west end of the Barberini piazza. This was a very small restaurant of only 44 seats with 10 tables. From the first item placed on our table for tasting we knew we had a very special place. I read about this place in Frommer’s, then “googled” for more reviews, then called about one month before our vacation for a reservation. My sister in law, who on this has visit, has been to Rome 5 times, said that the pesto pasta she had was the best she has ever had in Rome. The Braised Beef selection, tender and so full of flavor was outstanding; all the pastas were so wonderful that we did not want to stop eating. We enjoyed it so much we rushed back the next day for lunch before our scheduled pickup for the ship. After dinner we walked back to Valentino’s for gelato, as explained previously.

Another glorious day in Rome came to an end. We walked today a total of 5.3 miles.

DAY 4

Last morning in Rome and day 1 on the Carnival Freedom.

We used the morning to walk to the Vittoriano building. Francesca told us that just this week, on June 2nd; they opened up an elevator to the top of the building. What a view from the top!! The cost is 7 euro for adults and 3.50 for children under 17. IF you have some time, well worth seeing Rome from this vantage point. We had lunch at Coline Emillie, and then Rome Cabs picked us up for our shuttle to the Carnival Freedom. Rome Cabs arrived right on time, and the drive to the ship from our hotel was 1 hour and 15 minutes. Embarkation was easy and fast. We arrived at the port at 3:30 and were aboard the ship by 3:45. We were surprised how efficient the process of checking onto the ship was done. Our driver first stopped to drop off our luggage and then dropped us off for check in. By the time we arrived at our rooms, our luggage was being delivered. The rooms are very nice. Of course the ship is spotless and our stewardess greeted us as we approached our room. We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the ship and I meet with my fellow “cruise critics” at the Endless pool at our 5 PM get together.

Much is mentioned about the décor of the ship. I did not find it offensive. It is “loud and proud” but if you have been on other newer Carnival Ships, you will not be alarmed at the décor. One thing I did miss was the view of a large Atrium from any level in the center of the ship, which the Freedom does not have above the 5th deck.

Our dinnertime is 8 PM in the Chic dinning room. On this first night the dinner was pushed back to 8:45 PM. Dinner was very nice. “Starters” included a selection of Hickory Smoked Alaskan Salmon, Tropical fruits, Fired Chicken tenders on Marinated Cucumber and Lettuce, Ziti with sausage and mushrooms and an few soups. There were two salad choices. Main Course selections were as follows: Pan Seared Filet of Tilapia (I had this and it was very good), Sweet and Sour Shrimp, Chicken a la Grecgue (breast of chicken in a tomato sauce) which my son had and loved, Rack of Lamb, my other son had this and also loved it, Grilled sirloin, and Indian Vegetarian Dinner. Each evening there are alternative selections that are the same. They are mostly for children, like burgers, chicken, Baby Back Ribs and an assortment of vegetables and starches. Desserts this first evening were Vanilla Crème Brule, Black Forest cake, and always the Warm Chocolate Melting Cake, which I found to be more like a very warm chocolate pudding inside a thin cake skin.

Overall I would give this dinner a very good rating.

Early to bed tonight as tomorrow is a full day of Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast.

Day 2 on the Freedom: Naples

We left the ship at 8 AM to meet our guide from Positano Car Service. Massimo was waiting just outside the exit from the terminal. From the moment we entered our Mercedes Minivan he had us laughing and kept us entertained and informed during our entire tour. The first stop was Pompeii. We had arranged with Positano Car service to hire a guide for Pompeii. Massimo called ahead to make sure that he would be waiting as we arrived. Lino, our guide for Pompeii was wonderfull. He was fluent in English, and he spoke Spanish and French as well. During our 2 hours together he pointed out the important structures within Pompeii and though Pompeii is far bigger than I had thought, we covered enough to satisfy our group. I would suggest that a guide is hired for Pompeii. It is far to big to cover on your own. You can rent an audio guide, but the personal attention of a private guide is unmatched. The cost for a 2-hour tour is 100 euro plus the admission charge to Pompeii, all paid in cash, no credit cards. A guide can easily accommodate about 10 people, so the cost/person is minimal.

After we finished up at Pompeii we were on our way to the Amalfi coast. Massimo had a surprise for us on the way. On the way to Amalfi we were going to pass the area where Massimo lives. He asked if he could call his wife to meet us and give him something, we of course said OK. Well what he asked her to bring was some home made Lemoncello, which he gave us as a gift. What a nice gesture. We turned a corner and in front of us was the Amalfi coast. For those who have traveled along the Pacific Coast Highway in northern California, it is very close to that dramatic drive, where every minute you want to stop and take a picture. Massimo, having traveled this road many times, knew where the best place was to stop and have the best view to take pictures. Massimo suggested that we concentrate on one village instead of doing just 20 minutes in a few of the towns along the coast. We stopped in Positano. Massimo dropped us off and we walked down a nice pedestrian walk to the beach. Reservations were made at Chez Black. I had decided on this restaurant, as I wanted the beach so that my sons could swim if they wanted to and the rest of us would be able to walk around and watch them. The meal was better than expected, for a restaurant on the beach. Everything we had was expertly prepared from the vegetable soup, pizza, salads, and fresh sea bass entrée. We ate lunch, the kids did not swim and we walked back up the path to meet Massimo. We then went a bit further past Positano to view some more beautiful views of Positano and a view of the Hotel de San Pietro. We began our return to the Freedom after a day filled with visual memories.

Dinner this evening was as good as last night. Selections for starters included Smoked Duck (brother in law had this and said it was “just ok” more like “Duck Bologna), duet of Mussels and Shrimps in Olive Oil and herbs (I had this one and it was OK, most of the shrimps are small and do not have that fresh crispness when you bite into them), Won Ton Soup (sons had this and liked it) and another soup of Chilled Cream of Peaches (sister and mother in law had it and loved it). Main courses varied from Roast Turkey, Oven Roasted Mahi Mahi (I had this and was very good) Seafood Newburg style, Marinated Pork Chop (brother in law loved it) and Black Bean vegetable Enchiladas (wife loved it). Dessert hit was Tiramisu. This evening the show was “Welcome Aboard”. Cruise Director John introduced his staff and then had an audience participation show in which he enlisted some of the passengers to come up stage and then he induced them into some very funny skits. The highlight was a couple that together have the best names (boy do they have a problem when introduced to people) and I am not making this up (I couldn’t) Dick and Anita Little!

Day 3 on the Freedom

Sea Day

This day is much welcomed. After 3 plus days in Rome running around and yesterday’s full day it was good to just relax onboard the ship. Most of the days activities involved some sort of trivia game, a hairy chest contest, the always on a ship Art Auction and some entertainment (from the ship and watching fellow passengers).

Dinner tonight was our first formal night. Most of the men wore suites and the rest wore Formal Wear (Tuxedos both white and black). The women predominately wore long evening dresses. Children varied from just dress shirts or tie and Jacket for the boys and most young girls wore nice dresses. The passengers looked elegant. There were a lot of photo stations set up on Deck 5 for formal pictures. I attended the “Captain’s Party”, hosted in many clubs in the aft section of deck 5. Passes cocktails, wine and champagne was available, and some hors de.

Dinner was fine. Starter selections consisted of Fresh fruit, Shrimp Cocktail (last time for me, much better selections available), Baked stuffed White Mushrooms (this was one of them, very tasty) and soups of Minestrone, Pumpkin and Strawberry Bisque (all had my members of the family and all were very good). Main Entrees included a selection of Spaghetti Carbonara, Grilled Perch, Lobster Tail, Duck, Prime Rib and Chili Rellenos. Most of the table selected the Lobster tail and overall evaluation was “just OK”, good for a cruise ship, but had much better in restaurants. They were nice sized and I have three of them, filled me up pretty good. Of the three, one was very tasty and the others just OK. The desserts were good, the best being a Caramelized Apple on Puff Pastry. Cherries Jubilee, Banana Cake and the always-present Warm Chocolate cake were also offered. The head Matrie De Ken entertained us with a song, and the team of waiters also sang to us this evening.

Tonight’s show was a tribute to the Beatles, “A Ticket to Ride”. The show lounge was packed for our 10:45 show so get there as soon as your dinner is over for a good seat. Before the show starts, to keep you entertained, they have two screens set up showing the past history of the Beatles. Very nice and for those of us who remember the beginning of the British Invasion, a nice reflection of our memories. The beginning of the show is a little hokey and tacky, but it does pick up and is very good toward the end. Overall I would not miss this show.

Tomorrow VENICE and the weather outlook is good!

Day 4 on the Freedom

ARRIVAL TO VENICE

Today we arrive in Venice. The morning was spent relaxing, playing the ever-present Trivia Games and trying to win the Glorious Gold Plastic Ship On A Stick. As we got closer to Venice the excitement began to build. Our weather prayers were answered (that you Rick for starting us on the Weather Prayer with Cruise Critic) as we were met with clear sunny skies. As we entered the city our cruise director John began to explain what we were about to see. Most (all) of the sights are on the starboard (right) side of the ship (do not worry, for those who have cabins with balconies on the left side, you can see the same wonderfull view on the departure from Venice). There are many great photo ops, and get ready for the Bridge of Sighs. As you come close to St. Marks Square, you will see a small white bridge on the Grand Canal, just to the right of St. Marks. As you look down the canal this bridge crosses you will see the Bridge of Sighs. With a good telephoto lens you can capture a fantastic image. The sights entering Venice are truly breathtaking. For a good vantage point and to avoid the crowds up on the Lido deck, here is a tip. Go to the front of the ship on deck 7 or deck 6. At the end of the hallway, either on the port or starboard side there are doors that lead out to small deck. From this deck you can view both sides of the waterway without to many other passengers. After we pass St Marks Square we dock in about 20 more minutes. This is the time when EVERYBODY goes to have lunch. I found that the easiest place is the Chinese food area on the Lido Deck to get a quick lunch (or just wait until you leave the ship).

The ship arrived a little ahead of schedule at around 1 PM. We left the ship around 1:30 and did not come back until 11:30 that evening. The one thing I can way about Venice is GET LOST. We had a wonderful day just walking around and at times finding a dead end, just turning around and then finding the correct way. It is just beautiful and you never know what you are going to see down one of the canals or streets. We walked everywhere. The ship offers a shuttle service from the ship to the Vaparetto dock for $5 round trip. The walk to the same area takes about 15 minutes and is ½ a mile. Not a pretty walk, but easily done. I found out that when some people came back, there were no buses waiting, and that at peak times, there was a wait for the bus. We just walked! We walked from the ship to St. Marks Square. From St. Marks Square to the Accademia bridge spanning the Grand Canal. Everywhere you walk presents another great view and photo. We did not do any tours in Venice. We walked inside St. Marks, but that was all we did as far as churches or museums. My kids after Rome needed a rest from that type of touring. We had dinner in a small restaurant Ai Tre Spiedi. Wonderful pasta, fresh fish and superb service. This restaurant is located near the Rialto on the San Marco side of the bridge. A little hard to find, but worth it. Dinner for 4, with 4 entrees, 4 prima pasta, wine, bottles of water totaled 140 euros, inclusive of all service charges and tip. After dinner we walked back to St. Marks Square. We listened to the orchestra’s playing in the square for a short while and then took to Vaparetto back to the ship. We walked 6.8 miles today and the pedometer register 24,000 steps. Anyone for a nice footbath?

Day 5 on the Freedom, Venice

We awoke today to another beautiful day, sunshine and temps in the low 80’s. We walked today to the Jewish Ghetto. This was a nice walk in a different part of Venice, on the side of the Train station, the Cannaregio area. Some may tell you that it is very hard to find on your own and you must take a tour (John our C.D.) but with a good map it is very easy. As you walk past the Vaparetto stop at Piazzale Roma walk along the canal until you reach the Scalzi Bridge crossing the Grand Canal to the train station. You will see this large bridge as soon as you reach the Piazzale Roma. Cross this bridge and to the right you will see a street Rio Tera that becomes Lista di Spagna. As you walk down this pretty street of shops and restaurants you will come to a big plaza. Across the plaza to the left is a small street and walk down this street a 100 feet and you will come to a small bridge cross this bridge. Look at the building straight ahead and you will see a bronze placard on the wall directing you to the Jewish Synagogue. In about one or two blocks, you will see another sign directing you down a small street, Ghetto Vecchio. You have now entered the ghetto. As you walk down this street you will come to a very small bridge, cross that one and you end up in the old square of the Jewish Ghetto. To the right is the entrance to the museum where you can purchase tickets for the Synagogue tour. We did the tour, (8.50 euro a person) which takes about 45 minutes and then looked for a place for lunch. We found by luck a very good restaurant named El Greco. It was located on S. Leonardo. As you retrace your path back to the ship, instead of going over small bridge turn left and the restaurant is down the street on the left. Everything ordered was tasty especially the seafood with pasta (8.50 euros) and the Spaghetti Bolognese. After lunch we returned to the ship for departure.

We dined this evening in the Sun King Supper Club. What a treat! The service and food was just as you would expect in a fine restaurant. Selections for entrees were great lobster, first cut veal chop, chicken breast, filet minion, 24-ounce porterhouse steak and New York strip. Deserts were first rate, especially the chocolate selection. It was so good we made reservations for another night.

The show this evening was a comedy/magic show staring NEAL AUSTIN. The show is not really a magic show but a really great comedy show. This guy does more with dime store magic than anyone I have seen. I mean, my kids can do the same tricks, but he had me laughing almost from the start of the show. If he is on your cruise, you must see him.

Day 6 on the Freedom

DUBROVNIK

As the ship approaches Dubrovnik, if you are having breakfast, eat on the port side of the ship. The Croatian coast line as the ship cruises to Dubrovnik is breathtaking.

The ship docked right on time and we were ready to see the old city. Transportation is right at the ship. TWO modes of transportation bus or taxi. The bus cost is 10 USD/person round trip; the taxi is 10 euro each way for up to 4 people. If you have four people in your group you will save both money and time with the taxi. They both drop you off right in front of the main gate into the old city. The return taxi stand is in the same location, and there are plenty of cabs waiting to take you back to the ship. One note, we were the only ship in port; I do not know how the system would work with more ships in port. The walk in the city and along the wall is amazing. I will not tell too much and leave your initial feeling as you enter the old city to yourself. There must be over 100 places to eat in the old city, a lot off the main street. We ate at a restaurant along the marina named Poklisar. The food was very good, but looking at some of the other restaurant, it was a little bit more expensive and from talking to fellow shipmates, most of the restaurants served good food. We had pizza, vegetable soup, mussels, salads and grilled and fried calamari. The only miss was the fried calamari. It was good, but different and needed some sauce to compliment the dish. We finished the walk on the wall and did a little shopping in the old city before heading back to the ship. There are no bargains in the old city. I was looking for Croatian ties, but the cheapest I could find was $66.00 USD.

As for money in Dubrovnik. EVERYONE TAKES EITHER EUROS OR USD WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM.

Dinner tonight was as usually very good. Favorites for dinner at our table were Pear and Mozzarella salad, Thai Shrimp Soup and Chilled Watermelon Soup for starters. Main Course favorites were Center Cut Pork Chop with Mexican Mole, Roast Rib of Beef, and Dover Sole.

The show this evening was Jump, Jive and Wail, a tribute to the big band sound. The show was singing and dancing to a live band playing the tunes of the big band era. Nice and enjoyable, but not great.

Day 7 on the Freedom

Day at Sea

Carnival really plans the sea days well. After the walking in Venice and Dubrovnik, a sea day is most welcomed. Activities onboard ran from the usual Trivia games, Art Auction, pool activities, bingo, seminars by the spa to sell products and “John’s Marriage Show”. The Marriage show was a blast. Not the same as some other ones I have attended on cruise ships which are the Newlywed Marriage match game, but more of an interview show that as only our C.D. John can do, make it very funny and entertaining.

Tonight’s main show was singer Sinead Blanchfiled (I did not attend). The show times are different tonight that for the previous shows. Up until tonight, show times were 8:30 and 10:45. Tonight until the end of the cruise the show times for the main production numbers are 7 PM for the late sitting and 9 PM for the early sitting.

Dinner this evening was good but not up to the standards of the past evening. Starters ordered by our table: French Onion soup, Black Bean Soup, but rated good, Chilled Cucumber soup, rated average, smoked Chicken Quesadilla also rated good not great. Main courses rated good were Chicken in Creamy Foie Gras Sauce, Jerked Pork Loin and Teriyaki Style (boneless) Short Ribs. Herb Polenta was a disappointment. Desserts were all average and those ordered were Warm Fig, Date and Cinnamon Cake and the Strawberry Cheesecake. My sons continue to order and love the Warm Chocolate Melting Cake.

Late evening entertainment as is most other nights consisted of Ron in the piano bar (very nice place), Karaoke in the International lounge and dancing in the Jazz club and 70’s disco.

Today was also the second day of the “laundry promotion”. They allow you to fill up a large size grocery bag and wash it for $15. We used it for undergarments, socks, shorts and t-shirts. A well-filled bag is almost equal to two loads of laundry in the laundry room. The cost for self serve laundry is $2 for a wash and $2 for drying and $1.25 for laundry soap. So even that it costs a little bit more, the convience was well worth it.

Day 8 on the Freedom

Messina/Taormina

We arrived on time and to another glorious weather day.

As my sons would say, “PROPS” go out to Linda and Vee, two cruise critic people and now friends who organized buses to transport 100 people from Messina to Taormina. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO! Please check on the posts from either the May 1st cruise or the June 6th cruise on the Carnival Freedom to see whom they contacted for this service. The cost per person was only 11 euros round trip, including tip for the driver. Carnival charges $63.00 USD for “Taormina on Your Own”, essentially the same thing. Our group of 8 saved $380 dollars. There are also public buses or trains to Taormina from Messina, but they seemed awkward to use and I would not trust getting back in time for the ship. Get someone from you post to do the bus!

The bus ride from the ship (pick up is right at the gangway) to Taormina is 45 to 50 minutes. We left the ship at 8AM and Taormina at 2:30 PM. Shops really to not open until 9:30 or 10. Taormina is a beautiful town with many vistas to view wonderful scenes. We walked down the main street, Corso Umberto 1 to the Greek Amphitheater. Admission to the amphitheater is 6 euros/person. After viewing this site we strolled around town and also took the cable car down to the beach area, cost for the cable car was 3 euro/person round trip. Then it was time to eat lunch. We wanted to dine at Tiramisu. This restaurant was recommended by “American Don”, who owns a shop named “Don and Gia” on the main street and is originally from Brooklyn N.Y. He said most of the locals eat there and no he does not own the restaurant. The restaurant is located past the last arch of the main street, up the hill to the left. As you reach the top of the hill, a short walk, make a right turn and just past the walled entrance to the street on the right is the restaurant. Unfortunately they do not start serving lunch until 1 PM and that would not be enough time to catch our bus back to the ship. We had lunch instead at Gamero Rosso, located just off the main street Via Naumachie 11. Lunch was wonderful; each dish was eaten with gusto. Our group shared mussels in marinara sauce, pizza, grilled swordfish, eggplant and meatballs on lettuce leaf (not like the ones back home!).

Dinner tonight in the Chic dinning room was on par with the other nights. Starters selected by our table included South Western egg roll, like a Mexican mix in a egg roll, Cream of Broccoli and Chicken Noodle Soup, both rated as “OK”, and Asparagus Vichyssoise also rated as OK. Main dishes ordered were Veal Parmigiana, Filet Mignon and Penne with Vodka sauce, all rated as good but not great. Desserts were a selection of Chocolate/Raspberry/Vanilla Cream cake, Apple Pie and Diet Pumpkin cake, all very good.

The entertainment this evening was Guest Talent night, starting at 10:45 PM. Four acts followed by a hilarious audience participation hosted by our C.D. John.

Day 9 on the Freedom

DAY AT SEA

Another day at sea, time to rest before the next three big days of touring. Day’s activities were about the same as the other sea days; Trivia, selling Carnival stuff, “The Newlywed Game”, and just relaxing around the pool.

Dinner today was again at the Sun King Supper Club, and again it was well worth the extra $30. This night the entertainment was the tribute to New Orleans, “The Big Easy”. Show times are 7 and 9 PM.

Day 10 on the Freedom

BARCELONA

Today was yet another glorious weather day. Temps in the mid 80’s, no rain and blue skies. The ship docked very early in the morning due to a medical emergency. We left the ship around 8 AM. There was again two ways to get to town, bus and taxi, both just outside the terminal exit. The cost for the bus was 5 euro/person round trip and the taxi cost was about 8 euro for four people in the taxi. A little cheaper by taxi but equal with the added tip. Both leave you off in the same area, the taxi a little closer to La Rambla, the central street close to our ship and the main shopping street of Barcelona. We did a bike tour of Barcelona with Fat Tire Bike Tours. On the web, www.fattirebiketours.com. The cost of the tour was 22 euros/person for a 4-hour bike tour with time out for lunch. We biked through to Barri Gotic area, to the Arc de Triomf and Parc de la Ciutadella. We then continued to the Sagrda Familia, and then to the beach area for lunch. Caution, natural beauty is visible one the beach, or as one gentleman noted, “The good, bad and the ugly”. Though we missed some of the other major sites in Barcelona, we all enjoyed a different type of touring. My in-laws did the Hop on Hop off Bus. They picked up the bus where the shuttle drops you off in the Columbus Circle. The cost was 19 euros/person and you can use all three lines of the bus. Each line without getting off takes 2 hours. They really enjoyed the bus. We finished our day by waling the La Rambla. Many shops, street performers, a excellent flamenco dancer, and toward the middle of La Rambla on the left side as you are walking away from the Mirador de Colom (Columbus statue), an open air market you must see! You will find almost any type of food being sold, and it really is a test of the senses. We wished we had some more time in Barcelona to see more of the sights, but it was a great day.

The show this evening was in my opinion the best of the cruise. It was the “Carnival Legends” show, in which passengers impersonate singers. They are dressed in costumes, and the Carnival Dancers participate in the act. We had James Brown, Elton John, Madonna, Gloria Estefan, Garth Brooks, Ricky Martin, Britney Spears, Elvis Presley and more. Ken the Maitre d from the Chic dinning room sang Frank Sinatra and the Carnival staff did a real funny send up of Sonny and Cher. The talent was not to be believed!

DAY 11 On The Freedom

CANNES

Today was a day of rest for my family. The ship is anchored in the bay and the passengers are tendered into the port/dock. What is important to know is that the tenders take time to transport all the cruise passengers to city. The tenders started at 9 AM, and the wait at this time was about 40 minutes. You have to go the Victoriana Lounge to get a transfer number for the tender, and then wait until that number is called. The tenders hold from 175 to 350 people. My in laws went down around 10 AM and left the ship around 10:40. At around 10:50, an announcement was make that 2600 people have now departed the ship and there is no longer a wait for the tenders. It takes about 5-10 minutes to get to the port. What is also important for those of you who make your own tours, is that with wind conditions the ship must move and the tenders then take 25-30 minutes each way, which could delay your meeting in port. That is what happened to us on the way back. The ship had to move due to high winds. It did seem that Carnival contracted with more tenders to move passengers. We arrived back to board the ship at 6 PM and had a 20 minute wait to board a tender for the 25 minute ride back to the ship.

The walk around Cannes was nice. There is a nice shopping street about one or two blocks from the ocean that runs parallel to the ocean. There are many places to eat and the pastries and breads were very tasty.

My in-laws took the train to Monaco and Monte Carlo. The cost of the ticket was 15 euros round trip. The Cannes station is about a 10-minute walk from the dock, and the Monte Carlo station is about a 15 minute walk to the casino after a walk down some steep stairs. My in-laws said the walk was beautiful.

We did not attend the evening entertainment. The act listed was a violinist.

DAY 12 On the Freedom

FLORENCE

We left the ship this morning at 8 AM. Our driver/guide Paolo was waiting for us at the gangway. We set out for Pisa and arrived before the main tour buses, so it was not as crowded as when we left Pisa. Without the Leaning Tower, there would not be a stop in Pisa. It is a magnificent site and worth a SHORT VISIT. We spent about 20 minutes in Pisa. We were off the Florence. Paolo was born in Florence and now live in the Pisa area. He really knows his way around. On the way to Florence he took us off the main road to view some countryside. He asked if he could take us to a friend’s castle, of course we said YES! He met the owner of this castle many years ago, and he has made it into a bread and breakfast. The place was a dream. We walked around the grounds for about 30 minutes. We arrived in Florence and went directly to the Accademia to view Michelangelo’s David. We had reservations which are a must, but still the line to enter was very long. Paolo went to the front and spoke with the guard at the entrance. We were the next group allowed inside! From there we drove the Michelangelo’s Piazza for a stunning view of Florence. We ate a wonderful lunch outside the city and then returned to continue our tour in the city.

We returned to the ship at 6 PM, not ready to leave the Freedom the next morning.

DEBARKATION

Debarkation was run very smoothly. We had arranged for private pickup with departure from Rome the following day. Debarkation began around 6 AM. Our group number had not been called by 8:10 and we had picked scheduled for 8:30. We went down at 8:15 and left the ship without any problem, found our luggage and met our Rome Cabs shuttle. We spent the rest of the day back in Rome visiting some of our favorite places to eat and seeing St. Peter’s once again. We got to St. Peter’s around 1:30, and did not wait at all to enter.

ROME AIRPORT FOR DEPARTURE

PLEASE GET THERE AT LEAST 3 HOURS BEFORE YOUR SCHEDULED DEPARTURE TIME. IT TOOK ALMOST 3 HOURS TO GET TO THE GATE AFTER ARRIVING AT THE AIRPORT.

Well that’s it! Hope you enjoyed the journal and found some things that would help you on your vacation. You will enjoy the Freedom and Italy!

Caneguy: I shared your same experirence at the Empire Palace Hotel one week prior to your stay. I wish we would have had the good sense to ask for better pillows as we sacrified 3 nights of much needed sleep by resting our weary heads on -- the worst pillows every (not to mention the 1 thread count sheets). I share so many of your trip memories, good and bad. Thanks for the great review.