Carnival Breeze - 8/14/12 Trip Report with Photos!

[jtagphillycruiser]

I just found your review. I am only on page 1. It is so good! I am sailing next May 2013 on the Carnival Sunshine on a 9-day cruise from Barcelona. I can't wait to dive into this review. A great big thank you.

 

Joanne

[Alan M]

Day Twelve – Venice Part 3, Transportation

 

Transport is well covered by Rick Steves in his book (I should be receiving referral fees from Rick but believe me I’m not) and also by the very useful website Venice for Visitors by Durant and Cheryl Imboden. You can find out pretty much anything you need to between these two sources so I am going to stick with what actually happened to us and how we found getting around.

 

As most guides will tell you, there are three ways of getting around in central Venice, by private water taxi, by public transport boats (express boats and vaporetti) or on foot. This does not take into account the “mainland” options but since we never went there I have nothing to draw on and can only report on the watery bits.

 

Walking in Venice

If you are not carrying luggage I would recommend going on foot for all but the longest of journeys unless you are pushed for time. We loved walking in Venice although it can get crowded especially if you run into a tour group going the other way! Venice is not a big place and there are signposts everywhere. If you do get lost, don’t panic, ask a tour group, a shopkeeper or a policeman for assistance and you will get the help you need.

 

Express Boat Service

There is an express boat service from the Cruise Terminal to San Marco by a transportation company called Alilaguna. Their service #M runs from right beside Terminal 103 where the ship was docked all the way to San Marco in about 20 minutes. When we got off the ship there was an enormous line at the ticket office so we avoided it. We saw Alilaguna boats coming back to the ship right up until midnight (possibly even later) so it seemed like quite a useful service although quite expensive for families at 15 euro each return.

 

Alilaguna Express Boat

 

Water Taxis

Water taxis are quick, stylish and very expensive. We booked one online to take us with our luggage from the ship to our hotel near San Marco on disembarkation day and were charged 70 euro. I believe it could be more if you just walk up. The booking service we used was VeniceLink, we saw their logo at the Alilaguna ticket office, checked in and our taxi appeared about 15 minutes later.

 

Water Taxi

 

The Breeze docked in Venice. The Alilaguna office is just to the left of the white canopy.

 

At the end of our vacation we took a water taxi from our hotel to the airport which was a really cool way to end our trip. I think the fare is 110 euro but it was included in our ticket from Emirates which was good.

Vaporetto

Just about every guide you read says that the vaporetto service operated by ACTV in Venice is fabulous, quick, easy, just like a metro etc. etc. Well I guess they can’t all be wrong but we used it twice and are in no hurry to do so again. Why? Its crowded, its uncomfortable and its dangerous. The boat rocks a lot due partly to the wash from other vessels (can’t do much about that) and partly due to the aggressive manoeuvres they are forced to make when docking. That’s OK if you are sitting down but trying to get on/off or just stand in the non-seated areas is a real challenge for tourists not used to it. Also, forget using a vaporetto with anything more than a single, small piece of luggage unless you want to see your extra bags sailing off down the Grand Canal while you stand on the dock grappling with that heavy suitcase. Its not particularly cheap either.

 

Now this all sounds very negative but there is a more civilised option in the form of the ...

 

Vaporetto Dell’ Arte

The VA is a vaporetto service designed specifically for tourists in conjunction with Venice City museums. It follows a hop-on hop off route along the Grand Canal from San Giorgio Maggiore to Ferrovia (Railway Station) and back but with stops limited to those convenient for the museums covered by the Vaporetto Dell’ Arte pass. That’s right, your pass allows you jump-the-queue access to many of the major museums including the Doge’s Palace, Peggy Gugenheim Collection, and Accademia to name just a few. It also allows unlimited use of the standard ACTV vaporetto service too so if your plans include for example Murano, Burano or the Lido then you are still covered. You can even include your airport transfer if you wish at an extra charge.

 

Tickets are sold in 12 hour increments, we bought 36-hour tickets from veniceconnected.com. More information from vaporettoarte.com. Collecting tickets was quick and painless. While many people queued at the ticket counters in Piazzale Roma, we went to the automated ticket dispenser, keyed in our PNR number (sent to you by email), received our tickets and were on our way in just a few minutes. The cost was 10 euro per person more than the standard ACTV tourist pass. Our 36-hour tickets cost 35 euro each and easily gave us two full days sightseeing.

 

 

 

The Vaporetto Dell' Arte waterbuses are easily recognised by their distinctive livery and logo. They appear on the station signboards and timetables as line VA. Once on board the differences are readily apparent. There are more seats both indoors and outdoors. Each indoor seat has an airline-style screen in multiple languages which delivers an audio and video commentary between stops. It’s not really a full-blown guide but rather highlights of what you can see and do at the next stop. Oh yes, they give you a welcome pack when you get on board with a map, a route booklet and a set of headphones. There is also free wi-fi but it only connects you to their own website.

 

If none of that works for you there is always the on –board attendant who speaks several languages and was extremely helpful. I can’t recommend this service enough over the standard vaporetto routes 1 and 2 on the Grand Canal which are just so busy. Note that the VA does not go as far as the Piazzale Roma, it stops at Ferrovia and so many cruisers miss it but Ferrovia is just across the bridge from Piazzale Roma, just a two-minute stroll.

 

People Mover

There is a monorail between Piazzale Roma and the Cruise Terminal called the “People Mover”. It saves tired legs from that last few hundred yards. It costs 1 euro each and can be packed solid when a ship arrives. Inbound to Venice we sidestepped the queues and walked instead (10 minutes from the dock to P. Roma, just follow everyone else) but on the way back we got off the Vaporetto Dell’Arte at Ferrovia, crossed the Ponte della Costituzione (a.k.a. Calatravas bridge after its designer) to Piazzale Roma then rode the People Mover back to the port.

 

Ferrovia

I have to give this a mention because it’s so cool to have a railway station in Venice. We went in to buy water and found it to be busy with commuters and backpackers but still managed that laid-back, cosmopolitan Italian feeling. Had to take a picture of some trains.

 

 

 

Next – Venice Shopping,

[Alan M]

• Unused lounge (piano bar, jazz club,etc)
  
• Some ships have quiet and comfy seating areas at the top of the stairwell (near the Spa??) - I can see it in my head, but not sure of the exact spot :o
  
• Chapel
  

 

Unfortunately there is no jazz club or chapel on the Breeze. The piano bar is situated on the main walk through the Promenade deck and has piped music when not open.

[Alan M]

Day Twelve – Venice Part 4, Shopping

 

Like any world-renowned city, Venice has its fair share of shopping opportunities and the usual luxury brands are all well represented. We didn’t see much in the way of department stores or middle-market brands and suspect they may be on the mainland where costs and rents are lower.

 

As tourists we were interested in three things: 1) Murano Glass, 2) Venetian Masks and 3) Leather goods. All were available in abundance along with shops selling artwork, lace, wine, antiques, specialty foods, shoes, and jewellery.

 

Interspersed with the up-market shops were dozens of cheap places selling fake masks, fake glass and the usual selection of souvenirs and t-shirts. Loads of fast-food places too but at least it was local fast food and (mostly) not the ubiquitous Golden Arches or the Southern Colonel. There was also quite a high number of Tabachi-type shops selling soft drinks, newspapers, sweets, maps, snacks, guide books, batteries, calendars and all of the other paraphernalia essential to a busy tourist.

 

Murano Glass

 

We had originally hoped to take a trip to Murano to see some glass-making and buy from a factory shop. After some research we became convinced that prices were more or less the same in Venice. We also learned that the more reputable firms were likely to be closed because it was a Sunday and it was August when many foundries shut down for vacation. We were approached by several touts whose pitch was along the lines of: “Pssst, Meester. You want go see Murano glass?” complete with furtive glances. It felt like we were being offered some smutty pictures, LOL , but in reality its part of a hard-sell deal where your “free” boat ride to Murano costs more than you bargained for.

 

So we stayed in Venice armed with a little information about how to avoid fakes but as rank amateurs we really had no idea. What we did was select a few shops which “looked” respectable (how do you tell?), identified the pieces we were interested in, looked for a numbered hologram or sticker asserting the piece’s origin and then interrogated the shopkeeper to see if he/she actually knew anything about the piece and if their answers rang true. These are not 100% guarantees and I have no idea if what we bought was real or not.

 

What I can say is that every shopkeeper we spoke to in what we thought were reputable establishments was friendly, polite and extremely knowledgeable about their products offered for sale so even if we were ripped off, it was done in the nicest possible way. It did worry me that a hefty discount was offered as soon as negotiations started. Anyway, here is a shop crammed full of glass which may tell you something about it followed by another one with far less but much more complex and high-quality works in glass. Apologies in advance for some of the reflections in the photos.

 

 

 

 

Venetian Masks

 

Masks are on sale everywhere you go and if you are offered a “genuine” mask for 10 euro from a stall on the street then it has come from China, is made of plastic and you are paying five times too much for it. Like glass, genuine, hand-crafted masks are sold from reputable up-market shops which just have to “feel” right before you should buy. We bought two masks for 65-70 euro each. They are both papier-mache and it is easy to see that they are hand-painted but beyond that I have no idea as to their provenance. I do know that we were happy with both our glass and mask purchases so I guess that’s all that matters. Here’s a couple of mask shops (they don’t like you to take pictures so I was a being a bit naughty)

 

 

 

Leather

Shops selling leather purses, handbags, backpacks and luggage are everywhere and the range is superb! Prices did not vary much and discounts were virtually non-existent. It did not take long for DW to acquire an Italian leather bag!

 

 

Tax Refunds

 

If you do go shopping for goods worth more than 150 euro remember to ask for a receipt and a tax reclaim form. This entitles you to a refund at the airport of the sales tax paid. Sounds great but it’s a little bit tricky. First of all, the Customs office that processes the form is groundside but the actual refund point is airside after security. Take your goods and the forms and get them stamped before you check in as Customs may ask to actually see the items. After check-in and security there is a refund kiosk where you present your stamped form and they give you the money (less commission of course).

 

Don’t do what we did and forget all about it until 40 minutes before boarding. We were hand-carrying our high-tax items so thought we could get them processed airside but this proved to be impossible and I did not want to take the chance of going back through security with so little time left. It was not a huge amount of money but left me a little red-faced all the same. DW and DS thought it amusing.

 

Next – Disembarkation

[cer10lee]

What a great review! We did almost the same itinerary last year on the Magic; it was fun to relive our cruise through your pictures.

[venicefla]

Thankyou so much will be on Breeze March 30 2013.

Would love to do europe but not next year.

Loved the ship pics--Nancy

[CupKayke]

Best review pics ever.

 

Your information on Venice transportation is extremely helpful.

 

Fantastic review!

 

Thank you!!!!

[heatherbelle]

Thank you for writing this fab review.

 

I love all the little tips. I've saved this, just in case I get to Venice one day!

[crusinpsychRN]

Fabulous review and detailed info. Sounds like a look of research paid off. Your pictures are wonderful! Thank you so much for all the hard work!

[Alan M]

Day Thirteen – Venice, Disembarkation

 

Sadly, it was all too soon time to leave the Breeze and we were in no hurry to go. We packed the night before and left our cases outside our room for collection. In the morning, after a fine room service breakfast, we picked up the last of our belongings and waited for our zone announcement to get off the ship.

 

We were intrigued by the number of people who chose to self-assist when leaving the ship. Why? I mean, I completely get it in Miami where you have minimal luggage after a 5-day cruise and you may have a tight connection at the airport. Just grab it and go. But trying to drag a family of four’s nearly two weeks’ worth of clothes and souvenirs into the elevators along with several thousand others at the same time sounds, shall we say, counter-productive?

 

Last look at the Breeze

 

Compare that with our experience: left the room, walked down the stairs to Deck 0, swiped our card and left the ship, time from cabin to shore? About four minutes. When we left the ship we were met by a very pleasant young lady who asked us for our departure zone then directed us straight to where our bags were already waiting. Grabbed a luggage trolley (cart) and out through Customs, no inspections and no passport checks. (Before anyone is shocked by the apparent lack of security remember the bags went ashore the night before and the passenger manifest would have been presented to the authorities at least a day beforehand. If they had any concerns they would have acted long before we wandered through with our trolleys). So, time to collect bags and exit the terminal? About four minutes again. Now that’s the way to do it, thanks Carnival, full marks once more.

 

We had previously booked a water taxi online to take us with our luggage from the ship to our hotel and this all went very smoothly but in keeping with our gloominess at leaving the ship, the weather turned overcast and it started to rain. By 09:20am we were deposited at the Westin Europa & Regina’s own dock and understandably our room was not available yet. The receptionist was very friendly and helpful, took all of our details and registered them ready for when we came back later to check-in. Porters stored our bags and we left, free to spend the day in Venice. The hotel provided complimentary umbrellas and we actually returned before mid-day with our shopping bags. The concierge happily took them off our hands, issued a receipt and left us to go back out in search of lunch and more adventure.

 

Westin Europa & Regina

 

We finally checked in about 3:00pm although I think we could have got in at lunchtime if we had asked. Since we had pre-registered it took about 10 seconds to check-in. We paid $712 for a deluxe room with breakfast for 3 pax, The room was really quite large with a king bed and a sofa fold-down for our son but still plenty of room to move around and a separate dressing area to store luggage and hang clothes. Bathroom was nicely laid out with double sinks, magnifying mirror, hairdryer, the usual amenities and plenty of towels and robes. All in all very comfortable. You can guarantee a canal view by paying extra but we were not bothered having just spent nearly two weeks looking at awesome views from our balcony.

 

Westin Europa Lobby

 

The weather brightened up as the day went on and despite abandoning our plans to visit Murano we spent a very enjoyable day riding the VA, visiting museums, shopping, eating and just wandering.

 

Later in the day the weather turned nasty again and a storm passed through which was strong enough to cause the captain of the Breeze to order the ship to cast off her moorings. I saw all sorts of sensational comments and headlines about this but I can say this much: In my working life I have been on large vessels in bad weather many times and what he did was text-book, absolutely the right thing.

 

Scary Sky

 

Unfortunately the weather disrupted our plans again and we decided to forego our evening gondola ride followed by dinner at Harry’s Bar. There was some consolation when DS alerted me to a shot of the stormy sky illuminated by the setting sun. It looked like the special effects from a seventies gothic horror movie.

 

Venice at Night (sorry its a little blurry in places)

 

The weather calmed down and we walked the streets and piazzas until very late enjoying Venice by night. I am not often at a loss for words but it’s too hard to describe. Please just take my word for it and experience a quiet walk in the late evening, you will love it. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any more spooky/romantic/atmospheric/quiet (pick one), the church bells start to ring .....

 

Next – Final Day

Edited September 13, 2012 by Alan M

[Alan M]

Day Fourteen – Venice, Departure

 

The weather returned to what we had been used to for nearly two weeks. Hot, sunny and bright blue skies. We could not let that pass even though it was our last day so after breakfast (complete with chilled prosecco) on the terrace of the Westin right there on the Grand Canal we quickly packed, checked out and set off again. We had an hour and a half left and still had not ridden in a gondola.

 

Fabulous weather again

 

“40 minutes, 100 euro, take it or leave it!” With only an hour left in Venice we were not in much of a negotiating position so we took it and were glad we did, it was fab. Our gondolier was pleasant, reasonably friendly, highly skilled and made sure we enjoyed ourselves. He explained what happens when Venice experiences high water and showed us several houses, apartments and palazzos where the great and the good lived including Mozart and Goethe.

 

Finally got our gondola ride

 

DS

 

Ciao Gondoliero!

 

Having ticked off the gondola from the bucket list it really was time to go and once we were loaded on board our water taxi we set off for Marco Polo airport at speed. It took about 25 minutes from San Marco to the airport and we enjoyed the trip. We had heard that the airport was a bit of a shambles but apart from the long walk from the pier to the terminal building we thought it was OK. We found it to be busy, modern and no worse than any other airport we have been in recently. Shops were expensive though, even by Venetian standards.

 

Some spectacular views on take-off, an uneventful flight this time and five hours later we were back in Dubai.

 

Next – Report Card

[rathertravel]

Another fantastic photo - "Scary Sky". Amazing! Thanks so much for the review. We have 30 days until we're on the Breeze.

[Alan M]

Report Card

 

Almost finished, here's the Report Card on our cruise.

 

 

Booking

Booking on the website was pretty straightforward but I was glad of the services of our PVP because it really helps to have a live human being to talk to when you have questions or need assistance. For this reason as well as the OBCs we received I am scoring Carnival highly on the booking experience. 10/10

 

Rooms

This was only our second cruise so apart from our GS on the Imagination we have nothing to compare it with. What I can say is that the room was clean, comfortable, more spacious than we expected and despite being quite high up on the ship we never once felt any discernible motion. Noise was not generally a problem although the closers on the balcony doors don’t take any prisoners. We were on the starboard side in Ocean Suite 7259, our son was in Inside Cabin 7255. 10/10

 

Steward

Our steward Marantu seemed to be the team leader for our area so we are not sure if it was always him who cleaned the room but regardless, the standard of cleanliness and tidiness was very high and we had no complaints at all on that score. On a couple of occasions ice would be forgotten or used glasses removed and not replaced but make a quick phone call or catch someone in the corridor and the mistake would be immediately (and cheerfully) rectified. Towel animals are cute I suppose but quickly became ho-hum. In fact, they were already ho-hum after our last cruise. I guess the stewards can turn them out in no time but they seem like a bit of a waste of time to me. Twice Murantu came into the room without knocking while we were dressing for dinner. He was very apologetic and no harm done but should really have knocked instead of coming straight in. I suspect they have such tight schedules to meet that every second counts. We never lacked clean towels, tissues or soap at any time of day. 9.5/10

 

Crew

Without any major exceptions that I can remember the officers and crew were cheerful and polite. We briefly met the captain, CD and a few senior officers as well as a number of officers from other Carnival ships taking vacations. Officers seemed to work just as long hours and have as many duties as junior members of the crew. I often saw them holding team meetings with their staff and once even came across a female officer scrubbing a stain out of the carpet. Junior staff seemed happy, they certainly smiled a lot, hope it was for the right reasons.

 

The calling of passengers by first name was not as overly-familiar as some posters have suggested. In fact it was rarely done and when it was it was in such a way as to make you feel at ease, not like you were becoming BFFs! The Casino Bar staff always called us by our second names with the Mr. or Mrs. prefix even after we asked them to call us by our first names. No complaints 10/10

 

DS and attractive officer

 

DW and attractive officers

DW, DS, Butch the CD and The Captain (not taken with the Nikon and it shows)

 

Getting on and off ship

From our first step on board in Barcelona to our final walk down the gangway in Venice I can honestly say we never experienced any undue delays getting on or off the ship. Maybe it was because we avoided what we thought would be busy times and managed to time it right or maybe it’s that good all the time, I don’t know but we had no complaints about getting on or off the ship and no-one we spoke to did either. 10/10

 

Itinerary/Ports

 

Barcelona – Unrated but looked nice

Monaco – chic, self-confident, feel the money - 8/10

Livorno – Tuscany, Pisa & Florence, what’s not to like? - 10/10

Olbia – pleasant but boring - 4/10

Civitavecchia – Rome fantastic, needed longer - 10/10

Naples – Pompeii, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, Capri, it goes on and on and not there long enough - 10/10

Messina - a bit of a graffiti-strewn dump really - 3/10

Dubrovnik – beautiful, perhaps a little limited in scope but for one day its perfect - 9/10

Venice – can’t say enough about Venice, run out of superlatives - 10/10

 

I really don’t think this itinerary needed Olbia or Messina and if I were to do the exact same cruise again I would consider not even getting off the ship in those ports. I would rather have had overnight stops in Rome and Naples. As it was, they effectively became sea days for us which helped us rest from a very busy port schedule. I heard that some people stayed in Rome and joined the ship next day in Naples. I think it might be worth doing something similar between Livorno and Civitavecchia, cutting out Olbia. Just daydreaming about it now ... overall 9/10

 

 

Excursions

 

Carnival offer an impressive array of excursions but no matter how you look at it, they are ridiculously expensive. I think we could have done better than we did in some ports with a little more research but overall we were very pleased with our do-it-yourself excursions underpinned by Rome In Limo, internet ticket sites, a couple of brilliant taxi drivers and some invaluable Cruise Critic members’ advice. Carnival excursions: Unrated DIY excursions: 9/10

 

Food

I’ve talked plenty about the food throughout this review so I will not repeat myself here. Overall the food met our expectations which were not particularly high. Breakfast and the lido outlets were better than we expected 8/10, MDR and Lido daily food fell a bit short 5/10. Speciality restaurants were way better than we thought they would be 10/10. Overall 8/10

 

Drinks

Some passengers balked at the price of drinks, all I would say to them is try Dubai! Or London, or Paris, or New York etc. etc. Drinks on the ship were priced lower than what I would expect to pay in a decent hotel which is OK but then again, with a captive audience I can see how it might rankle. The quality was generally very good with cocktails mixed and served promptly, sometimes with flair, sometimes not but often way too sweet which put me off. Wines were served correctly and again, priced in line with a hotel resort restaurant. Beers and soft drinks were generally OK although DS didn’t like the apple juice saying it tasted “cheap” and had extra sugar. Free juices weren’t very good but the milk, tea, coffee and hot chocolate were fine. 9/10 for drinks overall.

 

Entertainment

We were really looking forward to the entertainment on board but in the end we didn’t see or do very much. What we did see and do we really enjoyed but a lot of it either didn’t appeal to us or else was at a time that clashed with something else. No complaints except for the apparent obsession with karaoke. Overall 6/10

 

Sports/Fitness

Started out with so many good intentions, fell by the wayside quite quickly. We thought that overall, facilities were very good. Wish we’d tried the ropes course. DS approved of the ropes and waterworks. Everything seemed in good working condition but apart from the slides and the ropes course, supervision was quite sparse and several publicised organised activities (for which we turned up) failed to materialise. For that reason I blame Carnival for our failure to keep to our intended exercise regime. Just kidding, LOL. 8/10

 

Shopping

Can’t get very enthusiastic one way or another about the on-board shops. Staff were nice and we bought some stuff, that’s about all I can say. Prices were not good value in my opinion. 6/10

 

Cleanliness

The ship was squeaky-clean and it seemed like everywhere you looked someone was cleaning something. Just as well because some people behaved like complete animals and left a mess behind that would put any self-respecting person to shame. I hate to think what their cabins were like. There, I said it. Hand sanitizers were in good supply throughout the ship. Plates, cutlery, kitchens, work surfaces, tables etc. etc. constantly being cleaned. 10/10

 

 

 

Other Passengers

We met some very nice people on the Breeze and we hope they enjoyed themselves as much as we did. It is only to be expected that with that many people in such close proximity for an extended period that differences in culture, behaviour and tolerance levels are ultimately going to result in friction. I saw instances of selfishness, rudeness and arrogance that would make your eyes pop but that’s always going to happen and it would be naive of me to expect otherwise. It did not spoil our cruise because we did not allow it to. The majority of people were nice and seemed to enjoy themselves, I know we did (I keep saying that, don’t I?)

 

Elegant Nights were quite well supported but the second one less so than the first. Perhaps some of the excitement had worn off by then. I have remarked how few lines we experienced and those we had to stand in were generally orderly. Never saw any blatant queue-jumping. 8/10

 

Overall

I know there are cruise lines that offer more luxury or better food or more lavish entertainment. It’s a fact that some of our more experienced cruiser friends got a little sniffy when we said we were cruising on the Carnival Breeze. I know that we probably got a lot of things wrong and could do better next time and I know that I have probably mentioned a few niggles here that others would not bat an eyelid at but none of that stuff really matters. The Carnival Breeze easily beat our expectations and I think we got great value for money.

 

My son had a ball and really made us proud with the level of interest he took in all of the places we went, his willingness to try new food and his overall participation in the vacation was great. It can’t have been easy for him, too old for toys or games but too young to be let loose too far on his own.

 

My wife was amazed at how well everything went and how much we all enjoyed ourselves. She is in love with Italy now and cannot see past Carnival as our future cruise line of choice. Best family trip ever without a doubt.

 

Me, I loved every minute of it, would do it again in a heartbeat. 10/10

 

 

Conclusion

 

Well, that’s it. Hope I didn’t bore you too much or confuse you with my many typos. Thanks to everyone who commented for their interest and for their kind remarks. To those of you who are about to travel on the Breeze – we are so jealous and know you are going to have a fantastic trip. We had a great time and I really enjoyed writing about it as well as sharing some of the 1000+ photos I took. Happy to keep answering questions.

 

Thanks,

 

Alan

 

Ciao!!!

[GRAMMYTAN]

Alan first, let me say thank you for a beautiful review and wonderful pictures. You have a beautiful family and a wonderful attitude. Having done this itinerary twice and booked to go again next month (sound wonderful finally saying next month), I really loved seeing it all again. There have been a few Breeze reviews on CC already and I have loved reading all of them as they are all seen from different perspectives.

Your picture of the red sky that last evening in Venice is amazing and should be framed. If you do this itinerary again and visit Messina, please go to Taormina. I know you will love it.

Thank you again!

[jtagphillycruiser]

Alan, that you again loved your honest, down-to-earth review. Your pictures are wonderful.

 

Joanne

[navybaby1113]

Great review and absolutely gorgeous pictures.

[Eqty]

I have been a faithful follower of Cruise Critic for almost 10 years and this is one of the top three reviews I have ever had the pleasure of reading. My hat is off to you and your family.

[lifeisgoodPat]

Fantastic Review. Thank you so much for your time and honesty….

[jules815]

Thank you for your wonderful review!

[LSauls7537]

Great review Alan....one question...will you be writing for Rick Steves or penning your own book....yes, I felt your reviews were top quality, fair, incredible pics. Thanks for sharing, we're on her from Oct 25 till she sails into Miami. I have printed all you posted on Venice, thank you SO much, that is one port that has so many mixed signals.

 

Linda

[SHAZA0208]

Simply the best, thank you.

My sister has printed off your advice for her trip next summer on the Sunshine.

[spacepotatoes]

Your Venice photos are incredible! Again, thank you for a wonderful review!

[Donh44]

Fantastic review and wonderful pictures. I so enjoyed looking at them as I have never been to Europe. Nice and clear and very well photographed. I appreciate them so much.

 

Don

[monakayk]

The Breeze looks great. Guess I should've waited to cruise a year later...when they revamped the Destiny into the Breeze cause the ship sure did look worn out last year when we cruised.

 

I am enjoying all the photos and your review. We hope to be able to do a Med-cruise next year.

[Alan M]

The Breeze looks great. Guess I should've waited to cruise a year later...when they revamped the Destiny into the Breeze cause the ship sure did look worn out last year when we cruised.

 

I am enjoying all the photos and your review. We hope to be able to do a Med-cruise next year.

 

Hi, I think you may be confusing the Breeze with the Sunshine. The Destiny is undergoing a refit and will be renamed the Sunshine.

 

The Breeze is a brand new ship that only went into service in June this year. Hope you enjoy the Med next year.