*** Carnival Freedom Review 3/5 ***

Hello fellow CC members - just returned from my cruise late Thursday night and finally over jet-lag, although we still haven't unpacked. Since everyone is looking for information, thought I would write my review ASAP. Warning: It is probably way too detailed for most! :)

Background: My husband and I are from Virginia and are frequent travelers. However, this was our 1st cruise. I am 28 and my hubby (Bob) is 34. Bob had traveled to Europe over 10 years ago - 1st time for me.

Flight: We flew Alitalia from Norfolk to Newirk, NJ to Rome to Venice. Because Carnival booked our airline tickets and we recieved them 2 days before our trip, we could not choose our own seats. Therefore, I was stuck in the middle seat on all flights (not fun!). The flight wasn't as bad as I anticipated - they served dinner and breakfast and both tasted pretty good. They also provided free wine! The Alitalia crew, however, are very rude to both Italians and Americans. At one point, the bathrooms were very dirty with no toilet paper. I saw numerous people inform the crew and they stood in the back drinking coffee. One of the attendants also spilt coffee on my husband and seemed very annoyed. We found it funny only because it was the start of our fabulous vacation! Looking back, I would definately book my own airfare to have control over seat location.

Pre-cruise in Venice: We arrived at 10:00 am very tired, but still very excited. After obtaining a $110 euro quote for a water taxi, we opted for public transportation. We paid $12 euro for a bus from the airport to the transportation center of Venice. From there, we took a vaporrato to our hotel stop. We had a large amount of luggage but managed to drag it over 2 bridges. Our hotel was GREAT and I highly recommend it. I booked it through another review site. The name is Hotel Al Pointe Mocenigo and it is currently rated #1. The cost was reasonable at $135 euros and we had a room with a balcony and view of the canal. At this point, Bob and I were so tired, we crashed for about 3 hours before dinner. After a wonderful dinner and a nice stroll, we crashed again and woke up refreshed in the morning.

1st day pre-cruise in Venice: Our hotel prepared a tasty Italian breakfast and arranged transporation to the cruise port. They also held our luggage while we went site-seeing all day. Venice is AMAZING and I fell in love with it. Our first stop was St. Marks Square - the weather was about 60 degrees and sunny. All the locals opted for coats and scarfs while Bob and I sat by the water with no coats soaking up the rays. We also went to the top of the Camponile Church for the amazing views - cost was $8 euro I believe. We skipped Carnival tours and Dogges Palace.

Venice is very hard to navigate even with a map, so we had fun getting lost and then finding our way again. We felt very safe. Shopping wise - there are masks everywhere. I think they are a little scary, so didn't purchase any. There is also glass everywhere - you can tell its Murano based on the price tag. We opted to find small shops off the 'beaten path' and found local glass blowers working in the shop. We bought: glass paperweight, glass ring, glass cross and a few glass wine stoppers as gifts.

Around 4:00, we decided to take a water taxi to the cruise port since we did not do a Gondela ride while in Venice. Cost was $70 euro and it was worth it. The views were spectacular and Carnival was at the dock to take our luggage.

Embarkation: We arrived at the cruise port around 4:45 and we were the only people checking in, so it was a breeze. I heard the line was wrapped around the building at 2:00 so it was definately beneficial to get there late. Carnival took our picture (the first of many) and proceeded to the boat. All-in-all, check-in took 10 minutes and was very well organized.

The Boat and our Room: Since this was our first cruise, we were very excited to be on a brand new boat. We expected beautiful decor, but we were soon disappointed. The boat is extremely tacky to the point it is laughable. Our first impressions were "What??"! The walls in the common areas are adorned with brown, black and orange swirl from the 70's with wierd carpet and lighting. The lighted animal artwork at the end of the hallways are also strange.

Luckily, our stateroom was a little better. We were in cabin 9245 on the Lido Deck and had a balcony. The overall color of the room was a coral/peach/orange, which was pretty overwelming when the overhead lights were on. However, the vanitites were nice - the bathrooms were clean - and the bed looked comfortable. Our view from the balcony was also nice.

Each room is equipped with a hairdryer, shampoo and shower gel in the shower and bathrobes. The beds are very comfortable and we never touched our thermastat - the temperature was always perfect.

We met our room attendant within 15 minutes of being on the ship. His name was Oussie and he was wonderful. Always referred to us by name and made up our rooms 2x per day. We left him a $10 tip the first night to ensure great service. The towel animals and mints at night are also a great touch.

The boat is extremely tacky to the point it is laughable.

I so agree with that.. I can even go furthur with the faux orange snakeskin in the dining room.

I was also on this 9 day cruise.

waiting to read the rest of your review.

Hubby and I are sailing the Freedom on May 13th.....not too detailed a report for me!!

I'd love to hear about the ports and also debarkation at Civitavecchia.

That "What!!??!!" moment when you walked onto a Carnival "Farcus" ship is one of our favorite things. We don't quite laugh, but almost!

"I don't think we're in Kansas any more, Toto!"

To the OP...I'm guessing you didn't to a lot of research on Carnival cruises. their ships are definitely not "beautiful decor." Awaiting the rest of your review...

1st night in port-Venice: Rather than have dinner on the boat, we decided to go back into Venice. We learned that Carnival provided transportation for $5 euro per person roundtrip. We were kinda surpised that we were charged for this and thought it should be free. The buses ran regularly the first day and we had no trouble getting back to the ship around 11:00 pm.

We were also suprised that you have to go through security each time you reboard - x-ray machine and metal detector.

On our walk from security to the boat, we walked next to Kathy Ireland, the grandmother of the ship, with her kids. She was very friendly and smiled at us.

2nd day in port-Venice: Bob and I decided to sleep in and skip breakfast. We were ready around 11:00 and decided to go back into Venice b/c the boat wasn't leaving until 3:00 pm. After leaving the gangway, we couldn't find a bus anywhere or any Carnival representatives... we almost thought they cancelled the bus service and started walking when we spotted one. Another $5 euro per person.....

The weather again was beautiful and we enjoyed spending time around the Rialto Bridge. We bought a charcoal painting of the bridge from a working artist. Beware of the "oil paintings" of Venice around the bridge. They are mass produced and not real works of art. There are several true artists doing work around the water. I also bought a pashmina just because I liked the pattern, not because it was native to the area :)

Around 2:00 we headed back to the bus in Venice only to find a line of 100+ people waiting to get back to the boat. There were Carnival representatives there and buses coming every 5 minutes. Rather than waiting in line, we decided to sit on a bridge and wait until the line dwindled down - which took about 20 minutes. Better use of time than standing in line! However, we did have to stand in line for security...

The boat sailed on time at 3:00 pm. We went up to the deck and watched Venice as we sailed away. I'll never forget that sight. Pavoratti (sp?) was playing on the big screen and everyone was in a great mood.

1st night on the boat/Dinner: After exploring the boat, it was time for dinner. We were at the late seating 8:30 in the Post Dinning Room. We were sat at a 4-top booth, only to find we were eating alone - there was no one scheduled to sit with us at our table. We were very disappointed because we looked forward to meeting other people on the cruise at dinner.

Even so, our overall impressions of dinner were very good. The food was suprisingly GREAT and our servers David and Jasmin were awesome. The dinning room was one of the nicest areas of the ship minus the red snakeskin on the walls and ceiling :)

Throughout the cruise, I noticed the attire - no one wore jeans. Men wore slacks with a collared shirt or nice sweater and women wore casual dresses/skirts or slacks with a nice top.

Dinner was one of the more enjoyable parts of our crusing experience because the food was so good and impeccable service. Our Maitre D', Ken, sounded just like Sinatra and was very friendly - although he did not visit with every table. Bob and I enjoyed the dancing and singing by the staff near the end of dinner. It was fun and lively.

Fellow Cruisers: After dinner, we decided to check out the bars and lounges and walked around quite a bit. This is when we noticed that the majority of people on the ship were 55-60+. At one point, we felt like we were the only people under age 40! If I had to estimate, I would say out of 3,000 people on the ship, only 200 were under 35.

Although we highly respect and enjoy older people, we picked Carnival because we thought it would be a young, fun cruise line. Later we learned that the Mediterrean is not a cruise typically taken by young people. Throughout the cruise, we made friends with the younger folks who were out each night, but were disappointed with the overall age of the cruisers.

We also found the majority of people to be unhappy and often complaining. I'm probably going to get 'beat up' for saying this - but it was our experience. Many people engaged us and tried to get us to complain with them. I sincerely don't think it was the cruise, I think they would have complained in any situation.

Anways, (I'm off track!) we headed to the 70's lounge for some drinks. The DJ played great music even though very few people were there and none were dancing. We also visited the lobby bar which was very crowded. We were suprised that you had to pay and sign for every individual drink, even if staying at the same bar. I wish they would keep our card and we could just pay for everything at the very end of the night because it was a hassle to sign for everything we ordered....

At about 1:00 am, we hit the sack!

On our walk from security to the boat, we walked next to Kathy Ireland, the grandmother of the ship...

GODmother!!! *L*....Who ever saw a grandmother that looked like Kathy Ireland? *LOL*

Thanks, ckthomas, for taking the time to share this with us!

So far, from all that I've read from different people on that inaugural cruise, the dining room food is getting enthusiastic thumbs up!

CKThomas - Thank you for taking the time out to share your expierance with all of us. I enjoy reading your review and look forward to reading more. As for the sail and sign card and security - this is mandatory for all cruise lines. With the sosciety we leave in today, you have to appreciate the strict security and I actually feel much more safe knowing that they check each individual person as you board the ship. Sail and sign - it never bothered me and I think it's easier to keep track of your orders and leaves less room for error. If they had to run a tab on every person that they are serving at the bar you might end up paying for someone else's drinks.

Dubrovnik, Croatia: I awoke to beautiful scenery outside my window - mountains and coastline. I took tons of pictures because I was in awe of what I was seeing (obviously it was early in the cruise and I was very excited). We ordered room service breakfast the night before and it was delivered on time, although the pastries were not that good. Coffee and hot tea were nice and the melon and banana were great.

Bob and I were on the Konvale Country and Wine Tasting Carnival tour. We were instructed to go to the Victoria Lounge where we received a sticker and waited for our number to be called - which seemed like forever! I'm guessing it took about 30 minutes. We waited in line to disembark and found our tour bus. Our guide was very nice and knowlegable - our favorite during the entire cruise. We were lucky that our bus was only 3/4 full - I guess it was the least popular trip. We drove a short while past the Old City and up on a mountain where we took a few pictures. After seeing the Old City from afar, I was a little disappointed we wouldn't be going there to explore...maybe next time!

Then we were taken to an old monastary at the foot of a mountain. Inside, we found locals selling olive oil, artwork and pottery. You could tell it was special to have us there because we were the first tourists of the season. Bob and I bought homemade olive oil for $5 euros. Local high school kids also left school early and performed a traditional dance for us. The chapel of the monastary was very nice and we were able to take as many pictures as we liked.

From there, we went through the country and ended up at a small hotel for lunch. Shrimp soup, fresh fish w/ potatoes and apple pie were served... along with the local brandy and figs. The brandy tasted like moonshine and turpentine, but we were happy to live like the locals!! I can not eat fish, so they brought me a fruit and cheese dish and I didn't even have to ask. Each table also had a bottle of local wine from the winery we were visiting in the afternoon. This is when we met another couple who we established a close friendship with throughout the cruise!

After lunch, it started raining - this was our only day of bad weather... but luckily, most of our tour was inside. At the winery, they had set up cheese, fruit and red and white wine - which was actually very very good! We learned that the Zinfadel grape first originated in Croatia and was taken to California later. We bought two bottles of wine for $5 euro each.

We arrived back at the ship about an hour and a half before cruise time and was hoping to catch the free shuttle back into the Old City, but it was too late and pouring at that point.

Yes - GODmother... you are right. Kathy looked amazing. And Please forgive my typos and spelling - I am typing fast and its still taking me forever and I'm only on the 2nd port! :)

Katakolon, Greece (Olympia): Looking back, this is probably my least favorite port, but at the time it was great. After a day of rain, it was sunny and 70! Bob and I were on the Ancient Olympia and Village tour. The bus ride to the site was short and our bus was filled. Our tourguide was very informative, but later learned she shared too much information and the tour went slow. We arrived to the site of the Olympic ruins, which were covered in wildflowers. After spending 30 minutes and not moving past the first two ruins, Bob and I decided to go off on our own and meet back at the bus at the pre-determined time. We explored and read the signs for each ruin and enjoyed the weather. Then we walked into town and did a little shopping - not much to note shopping-wise... just the typical touristy stuff. We did have a great Gyro. It was delicous!! We met back at the bus at the time orginally given by the tour guide, but because her tour took so long, she extended it without us knowing... so we sat waiting for about half an hour. Then we drove back into Katakolon and the bus let us out to explore the little town. The walk back to the boat was about 10 minutes and very nice.

Looking back, I probably would not have booked a Carnvial tour for this port, being that they are very expensive. I would have took a cab or even a moped into Olympia and explored myself to save money.

Athens, Greece: Bob woke up early when pulling into port in Athens and took some wonderful pictures of the sunrise. They are amazing with the mountains and shades of red, orange and yellow. After learning that we did NOT want to sit in the Victornia lounge, we decided that we would not wake up until we actually pulled into port - this is risky for some, but worked out perfect for us because it only takes us about 30 minutes to get ready and at that point the gangways are down, etc. etc. After late nights hanging out with our new friends in the lounges, we were happy to sleep-in a little! And in Athens, we were 1 hour late arriving, so people were sitting in the lounge for 1+ hours. Lucikly, the cruise director made some announcements and once you had a sticker, you didn't have to sit in the lounge - you could go directly to the gangway when they called your number over the loud speaker.

Bob and I booked Acropolis and Cape Sounion. Our bus was only half full b/c again we picked a tour that wasn't popular to the masses. I was very surpised at the hussle and bussle of Athens - it is a thriving LARGE city and we ran into traffic. It was fun to watch the vespas weave in and out of traffic.

After an hour drive to the Acropolis and a stop at the first site of the Olympics in modern Athens, we made the treck up to the ruins and our tour guide was great at explaining the highlights of each ruin. The structures and the history were amazing, along with the views of the city. We also enjoyed seeing the stray dogs that seemed to live at the Acropolis, they were very sweet and just layed in the middle of the sidewalks while hundreds of people stepped over them (can you tell I am a dog lover?). There seemed to me lots of school trips also visiting, which is probably pretty common.

Then we went to The Metropolitan Hotel for a buffet lunch (this was part of the tour). The food was very good and the hotel modern. Each table had a bottle of wine and still water - the buffet had spinach and cheese pie, stuffed peppers, cucumber and tomatoe salad, etc. etc. Way too much food for the amount of people we had, but nice all the same.

From there, we made our 80 minute treck to Cape Sounion - which is the southern most point of the mainland. I'm guessing many people didn't take this tour because the drive was so long... but I highly recommend it. The coastline of Greece was amazing to see and the drive flew by. There are some twist and turns, so if you get motion sickness, this probably isn't the best tour for you.

At Cape Sounion, there is an Acropolis built for the God of the Sea (Poisedon). It's the only structure - and as a whole - it wasn't that impressive comapred to the ruins we saw in Athens, but the views will take your breath away. The treck up to the Acropolis was not that difficult... however, the wind was rentlentless and it was a little chilly, so I didn't stay up on the Cape for very long. The wind was blowing 25 knots or so right off the water, so it was cold!

There is a little giftshop at the foot of the Acropolis where my husband bought a cermamic owl (symbol of wisdom for Greece) as a gift and I bought a protective eye (which you will see everywher) for my car.

On the way back, I got a little motion sickness because I tried to lay down and snooze. Not recommended :)

Izmir, Turkey: I think this is the port that the highest number of people took tours because the Victoria Lounge was packed and there was a very long line to get a sticker.

Bob and I were on the Ancient Ephesus and Terrace Houses Tour. We had a great tour guide and a full bus. Our tour guide from the start, made a point of distinguising Turkey from the other Islamic countries - saying that they are a complete democracy and do not approve of what Iran and Iraq are doing... which I thought was very good to say because I had heard so many people have reservations about this port. I overheard one person saying that she wasn't even getting off the boat.

It took about an hour to get to the ruins and we really didn't know what to expect after seeing ruins the last two days. We were literally blown away by what we saw. It was amazing how the entire city was still intact, not like Athens. The people just got up and moved, and left everything exactly how it was. The streets are sprawling and you can see remains of homes, shops, library, brothel/hotel, church, bath houses, etc. etc. Our tour guide spoke English very well and had being doing tours for 10 years.

She waited until the crowds left the Terrace Houses and we went inside - I would highly recommend this tour. Others had to walk past the houses while we could go inside and tour the frescos and mosiacs. You really got a good sense of how the people lived.

At the end of the walk through the city, there are bathrooms that were very crowded. Check out the sign in front of the WC - says something like 50 cents and you will experience magical relief... very comical. Carnival gives you a WC voucher so you don't have to pay although they aren't the cleanest bathrooms and the line was very long.

I found the vendors at the shopping area to be very pushy - probably the most aggressive of any port. We opted for food and beverages instead of shopping. We had fresh squeezed orange juice which was very good, some Turkish pastries which are so/so (a little dry) and a kebob. Our tour guide bought the bus a box of Turkish delights, which we sampled.

Also, each group is assigned with 2 "Ephesus" photographers which are not from Carnival. They follow you around like paparazzi and must have taken 6-7 pictures of me at different points. They will have all the pictures set up next to your bus. Bob and I ended up buying one picture because it was a lot cheaper than the Carnival pictures at $4 euro.

Ephesus was amazing and one of our favorite ports... not for beauty, but for the history.

Rhodes, Greece: This was our best day for weather. I actually got HOT today, which hasn't happended since last summer. Sunny and mid-70's. We arrived on time and again had to wait to call our tour - we aren't sitting in the lounge for very long, but I can remember being tired of crowds and lines at this point!!!

Bob and I were on the Beautiful Lindos tour. Our bus was almost full, but not completely and we drove for about 40 minutes until we reached the town of Lindos. The drive was very pretty - coastline - and we learned about the many movies and celebrities who have been to Rhodes.

There is an Acropolis at the top of Lindos - which was very nice but paled in comparision to Athens and Ephesus. The main attraction was the view. The water with mountains on one side and a traditional Greek town on the other with white houses perched atop a hillside.

I must warn you: Many people did not fully read the description of this tour before going. There is a huge climb up rough terrain to get to the top and many people were struggling and some had to stop. It is paved, but an uphill climb. There are alley ways along the path up selling beautiful linens. Once you get to the top, the views are AMAZING and we got some of our best pictures from here.

In the town of Lindos, I ate a wonderful crepe with ham, egg and cheese. Yum!!! We also purchased Onyx decor 'eggs' and shopped around a bit.

We met back at the bus after about an hour and headed to a local cermaic factory. They gave a short demonstration of throwing pottery and we watched an artist hand paint pottery after it had been glazed. The prices were very reasonable... and I was very suprised that we were the only people to buy anything. We bought a handmade, handpainted plate for $35 euro. We try to buy things authentic to the region - which is why we bought the plate. I guess the others liked the more touristy items in town.

We were dropped off in the middle of Rhodes for folks who wanted to explore the town. Shopping in Rhodes is GREAT - and even though Carnival offers a tour - you don't need one. We found an authentic tapestry/linen shop and bought a handmade tapestry for $30 euro. Rhodes is a shoppers dream - there is plenty of selection and great prices.

Bob and I sat in the town square by the fountain and enjoyed gyros and ice cream while people watching. We also enjoyed the "town" dogs in Rhodes.

After getting back on the boat, the weather was so nice I changed into a T-shirt and we sat on our balcony until we departed. We were port side so it was funny to see the people running back to the boat late.

The cruise director also decided to throw a deck party with live music because of the weather - we decided to go in the hot tub. As previously stated, it is not hot - simply warm. But because the temperature outside was warm, it was nice relief. The music on the deck was good and very enjoyable.

Day at Sea: Finally! A Rest!! And boy, we needed it. Bob and I slept in until 10:30 and then went to the spa for massages. I had booked a hot stone massage and Bob had a deep tissue massage. The spa is very nice - looked and smelled great.

Bob loved his massage - mine was so/so. I had to ask for more pressure a few times and personally didn't love the hot stones because of the lack of the pressure.

Then I was suprised at the end of the massage, they tried to sell me 3 different products. Another friend of mine said they did the same thing to her. Just what you want after you are completely relaxed! A sales gimic! That kinda turned me off.

Then we attend several trivia games with friends. They weren't that fun and many people were cheating and sharing answers, so we did the same. We also went to a towel demonstration class and was shocked when an older man interrupted our lesson only to show the room attendant how to make "ta-ta's and a bra" with a towel. That was only one of many strange experiences with fellow shipmates.

We checked out the mini-golf on the top of the deck, which looked very fun - but it was a litle chilly. We also played Bingo - Carnival charged $20 for 3 sheets and 7 games. We didn't even come close to winning.

Bob and I were really surpised that there weren't more activities on the ship. Relatives had told us there would be cooking classes, art classes and tons of fun activiites. We were straining to find something to do. However, the relaxing time was nice and we weren't complaining.

Naples, Italy: At this point, we were a little tired of the other 3,000 people on the boat :) and were happy to have a private tour. We booked Francesco Marrapese with 2 other couples on the CC boards. He was prompt and waiting at the cruise terminal for us. He even had bottles of water for each passanger and the van was spacious. And I must admit - he's very easy on the eyes for the ladies :)

We drove through congested Naples and started our tour of the Almalfi coast. Both couples had already done Pompeii, so we skipped it. Our first stop was a scenic view of the coastline - it is breath-taking to see the water and the villages set into the mountain. Then we moved on to Sorrento - I think we got there way before the cruise buses, so it was relatively empty. We had time to explore by ourselves and had a great cappicino and fresh dougnuts from a bakery. If I had to live anywhere in Europe, it would definately be Sorrento. It is picturesque - with the water, architecture and beautiful flowers and gardens. We sampled the local speciality, Lemonchello and even bought a bottle. Bob also purchased a "non-official" futbol jersey for the Milan club team.

I could have spent all day in Sorrento, but we drove on to Posetino - a more beach, resort town. The shopping seemed very expensive, but the town was lovely - so we walked down to the beach. The weather was so nice, we spent 30 minutes or so just laying on the beach.

From there, we went to lunch in Reiallo (sp?) and sat outside with a beautiful view behind us. The food was good - we ordered a traditional pasta 1st course, mean 2nd course meal and drank wine. Then we explored the town of Reiallo for a little while. We came across a cameo factory and bought a present for my sister-in-law and I bought a coral pendant for a gold chain.

Then Francesco drove us back on the other side of the mountain so instead of the coasts we saw the countryside in the valley. We arrived back to our boat about 30 minutes eary and it was a lovely day. I could have definately spent a lot more time on the Almalfi Coast!!!

Thank you for your review.I just registered at this site while reading your review. My husband and I are counting down the days until we get on the Freedom on June 6th. I have been following this new ship since it came into service last week and am very excited to start reading all the reviews. Is there anyone else out there booked on the June 6th Carnival Freedom cruise?:) :) :) :)

Thank you so much for sharing your trip with us!

Did they adjust the dinner times depending on the length of time in port, as I read they did at times on the Liberty?

How were the roads to Olympia? Winding and mountainous, or was it fairly level?

My husband and I are counting down the days until we get on the Freedom on June 6th. I have been following this new ship since it came into service last week and am very excited to start reading all the reviews. Is there anyone else out there booked on the June 6th Carnival Freedom cruise?:) :) :) :)

find your ship mates in this thread!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=334442

Enjoying your review !

Did you take an extra bag along just to bring home all your trinkets?

Debarkation: Sadly, our trip was coming to an end. The cruise director gave an debarkation speech on our day at sea, but we couldn't attend because it conflicted with our massage appointments :) so we were a little confused as to how it would all work.

Our room attendant left colored luggage tags with a number the day before debarkation. That corresponded with where you were going... we were going to a hotel booked by Carnival.

The debarkation began at 6:00 am promptly and they called the first number. You didn't have your luggage because you put it outside your doorway the night before by 11:00 pm.

After waiting in our room for 1.5 hours, we were finally called at 7:30. We stood in line waitng to get off the ship and then were escorted outside to an area with our number and color where our bags were already sorted. We claimed the bags and then got on the bus. We were in the middle of the group and had to wait for another half hour for the people running late.

Then our ride began from the cruise port to Rome - which is supposed to take at the longest about an hour and a half. Well... we had to stop at the aiport, at the Airport Hilton, the Airport Marriott and then we ran into horrible traffic in Rome and rather than taking an alternative route, we sat in traffic. From beginning to end, our trip took 3 hours!!! And everyone had to go to the bathroom SO bad it was unpleasant.

We finally got to the hotel booked for us by Carnival around 11:30 - so half the day was gone. The hotel representative wanted to give instructions to us on the bus, but everyone had to use the bathroom so bad, they bumrushed the hotel and we debriefed in an empty meeting room.

Although they tried to make it organized, it wasn't and I felt like we were waiting for ever. We didn't have a room and our luggage was sitting in the lobby. Rather than waiting to get a room, we decided to leave and explore Rome - we did not book a Carnival tour because Bob had been to Rome before.

Lesson I Learned: Book your own transportation and hotel!!!

Rome: Bob and I needed money so went to a Deutche Bank ATM only to have his ATM card taken by the machine. We had called our bank beforehand and used it throughout Europe, so was very surpised. We couldn't get out any money and I was scared to try my ATM card in case it did the same thing. The bank tellers were very nice and tried to get the card back, but couldn't - so they exchanged our dollars for euros.. but we were running low at $80 euros.

We got a bite to eat at "Ristro" a little place outside of the Vatican. Afterwards, we were enjoying Vatican square when a girl approached us and asked if we wanted a private tour. We negotiated on price a bit and then was taken to an American tour guide with 8 other people in the group. The whole time we are thinking this is some kind of scam, but enjoyed his knowledge, so went along.

We were taken into the back entrance to the Vatican and skipped the lines. We paid $13 euro each for an entrance fee - however, here our credit cards got denied and we didn't want to use our cash. Finally, after 3 cards - one got approved. Weird because we had just used our credit card for lunch. Later, I heard that many other people's cards were denied as well. Then we paid the tour guide $50 euro total in cash for the private tour.

It was very nice - small group - about 12 people and our guide was very knowledgable - almost like a story teller. The Vatican Museum and Sistene Chapel were amazing. I was very disheartned by all the folks using Flash Photography and yelling inside the chapel even though everyone kept telling you not to.

If we had reached the Vatican earlier, the Pope was outside recieving students and new brides - but because of the bus incident, we just missed it. We did, however, see the private reception area of the pope where he entertains.. the door opened for some reason and we were able to peak inside for a brief second.

After the Vatican we went back to the hotel - Hotel Cicerone - to check out our room and change clothes for dinner. The hotel itself is not worth the price Carnival charges. I think we probably paid close to $300 per night for the hotel because it is 4 star. The room was very bland and average. Our friends stayed at a 3 star hotel for $150 euro they booked themselves and it was a lot nicer with a balcony and view of a piazza. Our luggage was sitting outside our room for I'm not sure how long... we were just happy it was all there.

Before dinner, we hoped on a bus to the Capital building. We paid for bus tickets - but think we were the only ones who did. No one pays and they don't collect!! So we bought one bus ticket and thought we would use it for the entire night in case anyone asked, but they didn't. We walked to the Colisseium and then hoped back on a VERY crowded bus to the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps. The Fountain is beautiful at night.

We met our friends from the cruise at the fountain and looked for a spot for dinner. Don't be surpised by the number of vendors selling roses and some sort of magnetic rocks by the fountain and spanish steps. They are very pushy and you have to tell them "no" very sternly several times.

For dinner, we ate at a wonderful place - we wanted to eat in the non-touristy areas, so walked and stumbled upon a place called "Tritone". The food was amazing. I recommend the seafood platter and the lasagne. The sauce is awesome.

As we were walking out, we noticed a wall of celebrities that had eaten at the same resteraunt. Cuba Gooding Jr, Mariah Carey amongst many others... it was reasonably priced. 4 of us ate for $140 euros with many antipastas, 2 courses, wine, etc. Luckily our Visa card worked at dinner, so must have been something with the Vatican.

We then took a cab ride back to the hotel and it was only $7 euros - the cabby was very nice and we joked around about what little Italian I was able to pick up.

Rome is a VERY nice city and very romantic. Be careful to look both ways when crossing the street because the mopeds will not stop for you!

We went to bed around 1:00 am and a car picked us up the next morning at 11:00 am to take us to the airport. The driver was very short and drove like a maniac, but he got us to the airport in plenty of time :)

To answer a few questions:

- We took one bag that was half empty and then packed our trinkets in this bag and existing luggage. In Total, we had 1 big rolling bag, 1 smalling rolling bag, a duffle and a hanging garment bag.

- The roads to Olympia were not windy or in the mountains. Very flat, but there were a few turns. Not crowded streets either. I talked to a few folks who rented mopeds and they said the moped company gave them a map and drew out the way to Olympia. They did not have any trouble finding it.

- No, they didn't adjust the dinner times according to the ports. Of course, I didn't worry too much about rushing to dinner because I was 8:30 seating. Many days, we were back on the boat before 5:00 - so don't think it caused a problem.

Overall Impressions:

Food -

EXCELLENT in the main dinning room. The only bad entree I had was the Prime Rib - I asked for it medium and it came out well and dry. Everything else was spectacular!

The Buffet was so/so - the deli and the mexican dishes were the best. However, there was always a long line at the deli. Bob and I found the buffet to be very annoying because people acted like they were the only people on the boat. Cutting in front of you, bumping you in the back with their tray many times, etc. etc.

Unfortunately, we did not sample breakfast. We ordered room service every morning. Warning: they are not always on time and it can take up to an hour to get your food. And 5 out of 7 mornings they forgot something (ie: creamer for your coffee, milk for your cereal) even though you requested it. I called and it was immediately sent, but it became humerous to see what they forgot each morning.

Coffee was best at the Veniesse shop and they did have good desserts and pastries, but you had to pay extra for it.

Bob had Greek Tapas and Sushi at one of the afternoon speciality buffets and said it was very good.

Entertainment -

I really enjoyed the social hosts on the ship. I heard the Beatles show was excellent. We stopped by the Divo show (3 guys singing) but soon left because it was putting me to sleep. We also caught the end of the Comedy Act, which was pretty funny, although quirky. Many people enjoyed the New Orleans Show.

Bob and I became friends with Rakesh - the magician. He was amazing and a very funny guy. We would meet up with him every night.

Lounges -

Never went to the Piano Bar because it was very smoky. Did enjoy the entertainment at the Lobby Bar and International Lounge. Just Du-et was ok - our friends enjoyed ballroom dancing to their tunes. The 70's club was fun, but never crowded. The International Lounge had Karoke, which we aren't a big fan of.. so skipped. The BEST bar was the Habana Bar - which sold Cuban cigars. It was not smokey and was decorated very nice.

Service -

Oustanding! I couldn't tell that many of the staff were new, if they were. Although in some of the lounges, they were slow to serve drinks. In addition to the $90 per person, we tipped a little more to our waiters and waitresses in the main dining room.

Pros -

- Good way to travel through Europe - did not have to slep baggage from hotel to hotel.

- Food

- Met good friends from California we hope to stay friends with after the cruise

- The staff

- The ports were amazing

- Tours were pretty good

Cons -

- Cruisers could be very rude and would step in front of you, stop, bump into you, etc. etc. and never say excuse me. It was as if they were the only people on the ship.

- Didn't like all of the add-ons. Bob and I usually travel to all-inclusive resorts where bottled water, drinks, etc. were free. Did not like having to pay for everything over and over again including transportation. The cruise is a lot more expensive than an all-inclusive, but you got a lot less.

- Lines and waiting. By the end of the 9 days, we couldn't take any more. Waiting for people who were late to come back to the bus on a tour, waiting to get off the ship, waiting in security to get back on the ship, etc. etc.

Final Thoughts -

This was our first cruise and we had a great time. Although, I don't think we are truly cruisers. There are people that LOVE it and we just didn't feel that love :) If we were to do a cruise again, we would probably go with a group of friends and do a lot of the ports, hotels and transportation independently.

I did not feel like we were a "test" group and thought Carnival did a good job. Bob and I had a wonderful trip and tons of great pictures to prove it. I can't wait to show our family and friends.

Overall Impressions:

 

Food -

 

EXCELLENT in the main dinning room. The only bad entree I had was the Prime Rib - I asked for it medium and it came out well and dry. Everything else was spectacular!

 

The Buffet was so/so - the deli and the mexican dishes were the best. However, there was always a long line at the deli. Bob and I found the buffet to be very annoying because people acted like they were the only people on the boat. Cutting in front of you, bumping you in the back with their tray many times, etc. etc.

 

Unfortunately, we did not sample breakfast. We ordered room service every morning. Warning: they are not always on time and it can take up to an hour to get your food. And 5 out of 7 mornings they forgot something (ie: creamer for your coffee, milk for your cereal) even though you requested it. I called and it was immediately sent, but it became humerous to see what they forgot each morning.

 

Coffee was best at the Veniesse shop and they did have good desserts and pastries, but you had to pay extra for it.

 

Bob had Greek Tapas and Sushi at one of the afternoon speciality buffets and said it was very good.

 

Entertainment -

 

I really enjoyed the social hosts on the ship. I heard the Beatles show was excellent. We stopped by the Divo show (3 guys singing) but soon left because it was putting me to sleep. We also caught the end of the Comedy Act, which was pretty funny, although quirky. Many people enjoyed the New Orleans Show.

 

Bob and I became friends with Rakesh - the magician. He was amazing and a very funny guy. We would meet up with him every night.

 

Lounges -

 

Never went to the Piano Bar because it was very smoky. Did enjoy the entertainment at the Lobby Bar and International Lounge. Just Du-et was ok - our friends enjoyed ballroom dancing to their tunes. The 70's club was fun, but never crowded. The International Lounge had Karoke, which we aren't a big fan of.. so skipped. The BEST bar was the Habana Bar - which sold Cuban cigars. It was not smokey and was decorated very nice.

 

Service -

Oustanding! I couldn't tell that many of the staff were new, if they were. Although in some of the lounges, they were slow to serve drinks. In addition to the $90 per person, we tipped a little more to our waiters and waitresses in the main dining room.

 

Pros -

 

- Good way to travel through Europe - did not have to slep baggage from hotel to hotel.

- Food

- Met good friends from California we hope to stay friends with after the cruise

- The staff

- The ports were amazing

- Tours were pretty good

 

Cons -

 

- Cruisers could be very rude and would step in front of you, stop, bump into you, etc. etc. and never say excuse me. It was as if they were the only people on the ship.

 

- Didn't like all of the add-ons. Bob and I usually travel to all-inclusive resorts where bottled water, drinks, etc. were free. Did not like having to pay for everything over and over again including transportation. The cruise is a lot more expensive than an all-inclusive, but you got a lot less.

 

- Lines and waiting. By the end of the 9 days, we couldn't take any more. Waiting for people who were late to come back to the bus on a tour, waiting to get off the ship, waiting in security to get back on the ship, etc. etc.

 

Final Thoughts -

 

This was our first cruise and we had a great time. Although, I don't think we are truly cruisers. There are people that LOVE it and we just didn't feel that love :) If we were to do a cruise again, we would probably go with a group of friends and do a lot of the ports, hotels and transportation independently.

 

I did not feel like we were a "test" group and thought Carnival did a good job. Bob and I had a wonderful trip and tons of great pictures to prove it. I can't wait to show our family and friends.

Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed review. Just a few comments. You mention that you typically do all-inclusives and you feel the cruise costs a lot more and you get a lot less. I think that has a lot to do with the fact that you did a Mediterranean itinerary. You definitely would not spend as much doing, say, a 7 night Caribbean itinerary.

Same goes for tours off the ship and waiting on people. My parents did a land vacation in Tuscany last Fall, and that was a major complaint that they had as well.

Maybe you should give cruising one more try, but try a smaller ship to the Caribbean. We're not huge Carnival fans because we, too, have experienced the rudeness of fellow passengers like you did. We recently cruised HAL and absolutely loved it. The demographics for the passengers may be a bit older, but the passengers were much more refined in their manners and there were no long lines because it had fewer passengers. I'm not trying to put down Carnival; we've cruised Carnival many times, and will be cruising the Freedom next April. However, we know what to expect and our expectations are different than what we are used to on HAL or Celebrity.

Thanks once again! I enjoyed every detail!

Also, thanks for answering my questions.

I so very much appreciate your thorough review. It was a pleasure to read from start to finish. I can only imagine who long it is going to take to get all your pictures organized from this truly scenic and historic voyage. Thanks, again!!