Just Back from Star Princess - Med Cruise Any questions??

Just got back from the Star Princess Rome to Venice itinerary. In one word, it was fabulous! Any questions for me while I'm writing the review?

Robin
Carnival Paradise 05/04/03
Carnival Victory 07/07/03
Star Princess 04/22/04

What tours did you take? Did you have private tour guides or use Princess tours? I am going on Star Princess in August reverse itinerary. Any hints or info will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
Kathy

We are leaving next week to be on Star from Barcelona to Venice. I will appreciate if you answer some questons for me.
1 How was food and service? Did you have PC dining?
2. How was entertaiment?
3. How many formal nights?
4. Have Princess provided a shuttle service to and from San Marco during the stay? And at disembarkation - to the train station( Piazza Roma)??
How that feel now coming home after such great trip?

Welcome back, any thoughts on the difference between a largely american pax cruise and a largely european one. More smokers, more languages, that kind of thing?

[B]<FONT color=red>Alaska</FONT>[/B]
Diamond Princess 05/04 ~~ Mercury 06/02
Rhapsody o.t. Seas 05/98 ~~ Legend o.t. Seas 09/95
[B]<FONT color=red>Mexican Riviera</FONT>[/B]
Diamond Princess 12/04
Diamond Princess 11/04 ~~ Diamond Princess 04/04
Sea Princess 01/02 ~~ Vision o.t. Seas 04/02[B]<FONT color=red>
West Coast-Baja Mexico</FONT>[/B]
Ecstacy 09/01
[B]<FONT color=red>Eastern Carribean</FONT>[/B]
Century 12/97
[B]<FONT color=red>Western Carribean</FONT>[/B]
Century 9/96

Ooooh, I'm on the Sept. 25 Rome-Venice itinerary and really want to know which Ports you tendered in, which ports were used (especially in Venice and where in Naples (how close to the Capri ferries)?). Also which ports you thought could be done easily independently? How close were the ferries to Delos in Mykonos?

This is only a start, I'm sure I'll think of lots more questions. Thanks for sharing!


Eastern Med/Greek Isles-Star Princess 9/25/04

Alaska-Sun Princess 8/4/03


Western Caribbean-Grand Princess 12/28/03

Princess website lists the alternative restaurants as Sabatini's and Tequila. Have never heard of Tequila resauarant on Princess before. What's up with that?

Do you have enough time to see the sights in the various ports. I can't decide between a land tour and cruise for next summer. I want to see a lot.

Isabella,

You're so close to leaving that I'll quickly answer you before I finish the review:

1. I thought the food was OK, but I think it may have been a little better on my previous Carnival cruises. We had early traditional dining for dinner which worked best for us. I noticed a few people waiting for PC dining which would not have worked at all for us. We never got to the alternative restaurants.

We mostly had Horizon Court breakfasts and lunches for speed, though the food was hotter in the diningroom. (Diningroom breakfasts seemed to take forever, but were good for the sea day.) I liked the "real eggs" as opposed to Carnival's only scrambled "egg-like" eggs.

The only thing I had in the diningroom I didn't like was the Chateaubriand (it was more like pot roast). Our servers (Joe and Monica) were wonderful and really made our cruise for us.


2. I love production shows so I saw most of the shows more than once. Dance and Da Beat were great but I think I liked "Give my Regards to Broadway" even better. All three were offered on a second night if you missed them on the formal nights. Don Ware was the comedian - he was one of the writers for the Cosby show and he was very much like Bill Cosby. I didn't have time to see much else but Amante seemed to be very versitile, playing at 50's night, the country party. There was always a good choice of things to do, no matter what you liked.

3. There were two formal nights. We also noticed that many people were also formally dressed for the Captain's Parties which you got to go to if you were a frequent cruiser.

4. We used the Princess - provided disenbarkation shuttle to the airport(for $37 PP) because we had an early flight. I thought the price was outrageous, but the convenience was important to us.

We also used the Princess - provided (for $10 pp total no matter how many times you used it) water shuttle to San Marco square. It was automatically added to your account and you had to make special arrangements to have it taken off, which I thought was shabby. But we each used it for 2 round trips, so I guess $2.50 per trip was OK. It took about 10 minutes and ran every 15 to 20 minutes, I think.

A similar "option" was also available for Dubrovnik, but you had to pay cash for it at the bus. (I think our trip was the last time they stop in Dubrovnik this year, which is a shame because it was one of the more beautiful places we stopped.)


4. How does it feel coming back? If I could possibly swing it, I'd be back on it again! You're going to have a blast!!!

Robin
Carnival Paradise 05/04/03
Carnival Victory 07/07/03
Star Princess 04/22/04

Hi Robin

A very important (to me) question.
Did they have draught beer in the Wheelhouse.

Thanks

Ray

Ray,
You took the words right out of my mouth.Hope they won,t let us down.
Regards,
Iain

Robin,
Thank you very much for a very quick respond. I am so glad you had a good time on your cruise.
God bless everyone on CC boards. What will we do without them. Have to go packing.
I will repay the favor by answering all the questions after my return. Unfortunetely, we will be back before we know.
Thanks again.
Isabella

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>We also used the Princess - provided (for $10 pp total no matter how many times you used it) water shuttle to San Marco square. It was automatically added to your account and you had to make special arrangements to have it taken off, which I thought was shabby. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Since we are arriving in Venice 2 days early, and won't need the shuttle, was wondering if you don't leave the ship except for a Princess organized shore excursion do they still charge you?

Future cruises:
May 04 Amsterdam
Sept. 04 Star Princess x 2
Jan. 05 Diamond Princess
July 05 Star Princess
Aug. 05 Star Pincess

Past cruises:
04 Dawn Princess x 2
03 Grand,Sun,Tahitian,
Royal Princess x 2,Island Princess
01 Ryndam x 2
00 Sky Princess
79 Sitmar's Fairwind

How far ahead did you book? Do you think a balcony is a must?

Did you stop a Kusadasi and if you did can you settle the VISA contorversy. Do you need one in this port and if so, can you get them on board?

1952 - Excalibur (freighter)
1972 - Song of Norway, Caribbean
1980 - Hawaii American Curise line, Tahiti
09/01/2002 - Veendam, Alaska
05/29/2003 - Pacific Princess, Alaska
11/26/2003 - Star Princess, Australia/New Zealand

5/28/2004 - Star Princess, Venice to Barcelona
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff00ff&cdt=2004;05;28;21;0;00&timezone=GMT+0100[/img]

11/06/2004 - Diamond Princess, Mexican Riviera
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=00ff00&cdt=2004;11;06;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]

In some of the other ports that you didn't take a tour, does Princess have shuttle service. Belle

A few more quick answers (I'm not having much luck getting time to write the real review):

Nidwaldner: I think we only tendered in Santorini. I'm not sure which ports we used in any place but the one in Naples was supposed to be close to the ferry for Capri (I didn't see it) and in Venice, we were close to the train station (but I don't know how you'd get there by walking -- it was raining and we couldn't figure it out so we just took the water shuttle that was offered.)

verwirrt: Tequilas was a "steak house with Southwestern flair" or something like that. I think it had another name a few months ago without the Southwestern flair. Didn't get time to eat there, but the steaks looked good as I walked by. (Did have the sirloin in the dining room and that was excellent, too, just a bit thinner.)

cruiseaway: We had to be back on the ship by 5:30 nearly every day. That didn't leave much time to get more than a taste of each port. Someday, I'd like to go back and stay longer in Venice and Corfu. Maybe I'd even enjoy Athens if I had more time, too. (It was very crowded and largely under construction for the Olympics.)

cruisebore and hallsuk2: Sorry, never got to the Wheelhouse either -- maybe you could post a topic about this one and get a better answer. Oh, and there was no ESPN on board to my dismay. They said the link was "down". A sports bar showing CNN is a sad thing.

BJS: We had the water shuttle option because we ended this cruise with "a day and a half" in Venice. I doubt they offer it if you begin your cruise there. Given the choice to do again, I would have picked several days in Venice over several days in Rome. It was such a beautiful city and we had an early flight so we only got to spend three hours there in the afternoon and a little time there in the evening. We could have skipped dinner, but it was our last night and we wanted to eat on the ship -- our servers were that much a part of our cruise. Also we needed to put our bags out in the hall ridiculously early (by 7pm) so Princess could get them to the airport where we picked them up in the morning and we didn't take the time to do that before going into Venice.

cactusrose: There was no mention of a visa needed in Kushadasi. I didn't take a tour (just went to the Market) and my traveling companions took two different tours. Nobody needed a visa for anything. Security was very tight in the port, though -- or at least more obvious.

srphnx: Lots less smoking that I imagined (am I'm sensitive to it) and lots of languages and diversity, though the majority were from the US, Canada and Great Britain. We still "jelled" as a ship after a few days -- it was amazingly wonderful, actually!

woodspines: We booked too far ahead -- they dropped the price dramatically at the "final payment time". The ship sailed full, though. I don't think the balcony is worth the money we would have paid for it, but I've never had one so what would I know.

Belle: They only offered a shuttle service (not free) in Venice and Dubrovnik. There was one tour in Athens that was basically a "one time only" shuttle, too. There were very few taxis when they offered a shuttle. (In Naples, for instance, there where probably 50 taxis at least. In Dubrovnik, maybe 5.

Robin
Carnival Paradise 05/04/03
Carnival Victory 07/07/03
Star Princess 04/22/04

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by cactusrose:
Did you stop a Kusadasi and if you did can you settle the VISA contorversy. Do you need one in this port and if so, can you get them on board?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I had called the Turkish Consulate to clear up this question personally, as Naren needs a Visa for every country we visit together (it seems like).

The Consulate people said that cruisers are special! We are not eligible for a tourist visa, because we are not staying overnight in Turkey. Our trip does not begin or end in Turkey. Therefore, we are actually a "port-of-call" passenger. Because we are only getting off of the ship for 12 hours, and not staying overnight, we don't need a visa for this cruise. NO ONE NEEDS THIS VISA. Even if you were from Zimbabwe, you still don't need a visa to visit Kusadasi for the day.

Happy Sails,
Mrs. Tulpule

[img]http://thumb5.webshots.com/s/thumb2/0/81/85/133608185PLovjY_th.jpg[/img] [img]http://thumb1.webshots.com/s/thumb2/0/22/21/133602221JczsZh_th.jpg[/img] [img]http://thumb7.webshots.com/s/thumb2/0/29/7/133602907kMhHvb_th.jpg[/img] [img]http://thumb3.webshots.com/s/thumb3/9/23/13/140692313aCZuBP_th.jpg[/img]
Naren, "But I can't help falling in love with you."

[url="http://community.webshots.com/user/lephysteria"]Click here to see more wedding pictures[/url]
[img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] CCL Paradise 9/23/2000 #U161 - [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif[/img] CCL Holiday 3/5/2001 #M32 - [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] RCCL Explorer 9/1/2001 #7298 - [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] CCL Ecstasy 12/7/2001 #R171 - [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] CCL Pride 3/2/2002 #6194 - [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] RCCL Vision 10/11/02 #4521 - [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] CCL Ecstasy 12/27/2002 #E135 - [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] CCL Ecstasy 1/20/2003 #U197 - [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] RCCL Monarch 12/19/03 #9580 - [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img][img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] CCL Ecstasy 2/6/04 #M209

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=4169e1&cdt=2004;5;13;09;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img] ... until our Star Honeymoon
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/logos/time98.gif[/img]

Are you guys cute or what !
I loved this cruise when we did it four years ago. We are doing a similar cruise but all different ports on HAL this summer.

Jacqueline
Constellation 3/20/04
HAL Westerdam 7/30/04
Tahitian Princess August 2003
Grand Princess Western Caribbean 2003
Brilliance of the Seas Baltic 2002
Ocean Princess- Alaska 2001
Celebrity Zenith- Bermuda 2001
Grand Princess Med 2000

Re: Venice Shuttle. We started our cruise last year in Venice. The shuttle was available and the $10 charge applied as well. We used it on our second day in Venice although many passengers headed ashore on the first night. If I remember correctly, on arrival, we found individual 'vouchers' in the stateroom and you handed them in when you first boarded the shuttle service. The $10 was automatically added to your onboard account. In our case, both my sons declined the offer to go ashore in Venice (having done so already in 2001) so we took their unused vouchers (i.e. those not handed in) back reception and the charge was removed from their accounts.

Laura

Robin, thx for the info.

[B]Robin [/B]Thanks for the reply. Even though we will have some different ports am looking forward to your review.

[B]Laura[/B] that answers my question about the charge for the Venice shuttle and we will be sure to return our vouchers. Thank you.

Future cruises:
May 04 Amsterdam
Sept. 04 Star Princess x 2
Jan. 05 Diamond Princess
July 05 Star Princess
Aug. 05 Star Pincess

Past cruises:
04 Dawn Princess x 2
03 Grand,Sun,Tahitian,
Royal Princess x 2,Island Princess
01 Ryndam x 2
00 Sky Princess
79 Sitmar's Fairwind

Tahnk you Robin and Mrs. Tulpule for answering my question. Your reponses have put to rest a controversy that has been going on on this board for quit a while.

1952 - Excalibur (freighter)
1972 - Song of Norway, Caribbean
1980 - Hawaii American Curise line, Tahiti
09/01/2002 - Veendam, Alaska
05/29/2003 - Pacific Princess, Alaska
11/26/2003 - Star Princess, Australia/New Zealand

5/28/2004 - Star Princess, Venice to Barcelona
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff00ff&cdt=2004;05;28;21;0;00&timezone=GMT+0100[/img]

11/06/2004 - Diamond Princess, Mexican Riviera
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=00ff00&cdt=2004;11;06;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]

No Problem ! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

I'm glad my many hours spent in Consulates to get Visas can help someone! Lemme know if you have other documentation requirement questions!

Happy Sails,
Mrs. Tulpule

[img]http://thumb5.webshots.com/s/thumb2/0/81/85/133608185PLovjY_th.jpg[/img] [img]http://thumb1.webshots.com/s/thumb2/0/22/21/133602221JczsZh_th.jpg[/img] [img]http://thumb7.webshots.com/s/thumb2/0/29/7/133602907kMhHvb_th.jpg[/img] [img]http://thumb3.webshots.com/s/thumb3/9/23/13/140692313aCZuBP_th.jpg[/img]
Naren, "But I can't help falling in love with you."

[url="http://community.webshots.com/user/lephysteria"]Click here to see more wedding pictures[/url]
[img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] CCL Paradise 9/23/2000 #U161 - [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif[/img] CCL Holiday 3/5/2001 #M32 - [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] RCCL Explorer 9/1/2001 #7298 - [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] CCL Ecstasy 12/7/2001 #R171 - [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] CCL Pride 3/2/2002 #6194 - [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] RCCL Vision 10/11/02 #4521 - [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] CCL Ecstasy 12/27/2002 #E135 - [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] CCL Ecstasy 1/20/2003 #U197 - [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] RCCL Monarch 12/19/03 #9580 - [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img][img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] CCL Ecstasy 2/6/04 #M209

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=4169e1&cdt=2004;5;13;09;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img] ... until our Star Honeymoon
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/logos/time98.gif[/img]

I just realized that you will be on your honeymoon in just five days. And we will pass you as you get off the ship in Venice and we board.

Congratulations on your wedding and have a wonderful, wonderful trip.

1952 - Excalibur (freighter)
1972 - Song of Norway, Caribbean
1980 - Hawaii American Curise line, Tahiti
09/01/2002 - Veendam, Alaska
05/29/2003 - Pacific Princess, Alaska
11/26/2003 - Star Princess, Australia/New Zealand

5/28/2004 - Star Princess, Venice to Barcelona
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff00ff&cdt=2004;05;28;21;0;00&timezone=GMT+0100[/img]

11/06/2004 - Diamond Princess, Mexican Riviera
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=00ff00&cdt=2004;11;06;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]

We're new cruisers on the Barcelona to Venice cruise on the Star soon. We board one day, then sail at midday the next day. Once we've gone through all the boarding procedures, can we go back ashore on the same day we board to sight-see?

27 July 04 - Princess Star - Mediterranean
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff0000&cdt=2004;7;27;12;00;00&timezone=GMT+0100[/img]