Mediterranean Cruise with Children Review – Legend of the Seas 7 Night W. Med

[Travel R]

I sail Legend in August, looking forward to more and thank you for the "All things Legend" thread!

 

Just heard no lobster on formal night was that true....will have disappointed Son!

 

Unfortonately you heard right, no lobster on Legend in the Mediterranean. I was also bumbed about it. Yes, it is only a small tail, but the butter sauce is great, and I personally enjoy having lobster on a cruise in the MDR - it is just fun. On our cruise on the Explorer a few years ago, the guys at my table all had 5 tails each! [i do not know why there are so many anti-lobster on RCI people on CC - if they were expecting lobster they would be served at Le Bernardin they would of course be in for a big letdown.]

 

I was doubly bumbed when I read (pre-cruise) that there was not going to be any escargot due to a world-wide shortage. However, it was on the menu every night and I had it on my first and last evenings (I ordered double portions each time . . . . shhh! or I may be accused of being the cause of the shortage). As a side note, they also served scallops one night in the same butter sauce (and served in escargot dishes).

 

Note: A full main lobster can be purchased during dinner in the MDR for an additional fee (I think $24.95).

[xxHadleyxx]

I don't think we have gotten lobster on any of our RCI cruises (all in the Med). I'll have to check with the shellfish eaters in the family to confirm though.

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

I don't think we have gotten lobster on any of our RCI cruises (all in the Med). I'll have to check with the shellfish eaters in the family to confirm though.

 

no lobster on Adventure of the Seas last summer med cruise either --- and we're huge lobster fans -- we would have found it, if it had been hiding on the menu somewhere!

[Cachecruiser]

Very great review so far! Can't wait to read more about your experiences in the Western Med. :-)

[LizC]

Unfortonately you heard right, no lobster on Legend in the Mediterranean. I was also bumbed about it. Yes, it is only a small tail, but the butter sauce is great, and I personally enjoy having lobster on a cruise in the MDR - it is just fun. On our cruise on the Explorer a few years ago, the guys at my table all had 5 tails each! [i do not know why there are so many anti-lobster on RCI people on CC - if they were expecting lobster they would be served at Le Bernardin they would of course be in for a big letdown.]

 

I was doubly bumbed when I read (pre-cruise) that there was not going to be any escargot due to a world-wide shortage. However, it was on the menu every night and I had it on my first and last evenings (I ordered double portions each time . . . . shhh! or I may be accused of being the cause of the shortage). As a side note, they also served scallops one night in the same butter sauce (and served in escargot dishes).

 

Note: A full main lobster can be purchased during dinner in the MDR for an additional fee (I think $24.95).

 

Sad but at least I can advise him. Really glad about the escargot!

[LizC]

Keep the review coming love it so far!

 

You fans await...:)

Are you feeling a bit like a famous author?

[Travel R]

Our Hotel

We got to the Hotel Aberdeen. This hotel was recommended in Rick Steve’s book, and had some good reviews on Trip Advisor, so I booked it through their online system (which also provides a discounted rate if you mention that it is through Rick). Any questions I asked through email were quickly answered.

When we arrived, the person at the desk was very nice and courteous and even helped out with some information about our afternoon & evening activities. Another person took our bag up to our room on the second floor (via a small service area). She did not accept a tip when I offered her one.

The room was not very large, but it was good enough for us to put away our stuff for the night, to sleep, and act as a central point for us to go to our other Roman destinations. We needed one of the rooms that fit the four of us (they had two beds, a cot, and a sofa bed). The room was clean and was not very close to the dining/breakfast area that people had complained about (they complained about the noice). We also had a room that faced the rear alley, and did not hear any noises at night coming from outside.

The hotel was in a pretty good location. It is less than 10 minutes walk from the Termini station (which would have been great for my initial thoughts of taking the train to the port), it is also within 15-20 minutes’ walk of either the Spanish Steps (two stops from the train two blocks away) or the Coliseum. There is also a bus route two blocks away that would also take us to the Piazza Navona area (which we will also be visiting later at that evening).

Caveat. The month after I booked the hotel, I received a charge on my credit card bill (from the exact same day I had booked this hotel online) for a purchase from a spa in Bologna, Italy. The only charge I had made in Italy was with this hotel – so I believe that someone in that hotel is a thief. I had to go through the pain of getting it all sorted out, but just wanted to put it out there if it happens to anyone else. Also, my credit card usually calls me for the stupidest things, but for whatever reason, they failed to call and confirm this charge. You may ask, why didn’t I change hotels? I do not know, I figured it was a onetime thing, and the hotel was highly recommended. If anyone actually knows Rick Steves, let him know that this had happened. Although some may have taken this as an omen, I took it as a positive sign – when all the bad stuff happens early, it means that there will be nothing but good to come.

Where Are The Streetsigns?

I have been in many cities around this country and around the world, I have been in the middle of vast mountainous ranges miles from any civilization, and have never gotten lost in any of those places (except maybe earlier in the day at the airport in Rome). I had met my match – the streets of Rome. The problem was not even the language barrier. It was the lack of street signs and the fact that one side of a street may have a sign that is different than the other side of the same street. On our way from the hotel to our first stop, the Spanish Steps (Piazza Spagna), we took a few wrong turns. The maps I was using did not include some streets, or had different street names than those I saw, when we did find street signs. The “streetsigns” are on the walls of the buildings (sometimes chiseled in), and they were not on every street – sometimes you can walk three or four blocks without seeing a street sign. But eventually, I began to physically learn the lay of the land and started navigating by monuments & fountains instead of by streets. When we did our walking the next day (although not as far), I was able to navigate everything a lot easier.

Spanish Steps & The Fanciest McDonalds in the World

On the way, we stopped for some gelato, since it was a fairly hot day. It was only in the low 80’s, but there was no cloud covering. Of course, my kids & DW all liked it – not to mention that it was cooled them down. Eventually we made it to the Spanish Steps. The way we had walked brought us to the top of the steps. Not a bad thing, since we only had to walk down, instead of getting there and taking the customary walk to the top (and having to come back down anyway). A nice place to take some pictures [i’ll have some up shortly]. It was a nice area, but as my kids said – “what’s the big deal.” Because of the heat, we did not just want to sit out and people watch. I have to say, I am glad to have been there and seen them, but to tell you the truth, it is just a long set of stairs. Knowing Keats had lived right there had some intrigue to me, but meant almost nothing to the kids – although they had some fun running down the steps themselves.

We took a quick look at the fountain at the bottom, I mentioned the apartment John Keats had lived in, and then we started looking for the McDonalds. When looking at the steps, the McDonalds is too your right about two blocks down, past the Barraccia Fountain (to the left of the fork) – there are no big golden arches to guide you, so keep your eyes open. My family decided that they wanted to go to McDonalds instead of look at all of the fancy stores in the area. It was a nice looking McDonalds. I had read that it was the “world’s fanciest McDonalds,” but just thought it to be okay. It was fairly modern looking, but most of the names of the burgers were all English, so it did not have the same foreign “feel” from when I first went to a McDonalds in Paris years ago. They also had some kiosks for ordering instead of going to the counter – I had not yet seen these in the US. The prices were a bit more expensive than in the US (even in NYC), and they charged 25 Euro cents for a ketchup. If you are wondering – the burgers and fries tasted exactly the same as in the US – but they put mustard on the burger (which they do not add to the burgers in the Northeast US). Although my DW and I are not big fans of McDonalds, it is something the kids wanted to see (unfortunately, I forgot about visiting the Hard Rock in Rome (I used to visit them in whatever city we were visiting) – and we were probably no more than a block or two away from it when we got lost on the way to the Steps.

Trevi Fountain

Once we had a little food in us and some cold sodas, it was time to go to our next destination, the Trevi Fountain. I had used the walking tour in Rick Steve’s book (in reverse), but had also had to supplement it with some additional research. He does a very good job, but it is always good to know a little more than just what he writes – but as I said, it was a very good basis to begin with. We did take a few unexpected turns and twists in getting to the fountain, but once you get near, you begin to see all the people, and know you have come to the right spot. The fountain itself is very nice (although seems bigger in the movies than in real life), with some great stonework. The kids appreciated it for about two minutes and were ready to move on – although I tried to explain what was being depicted in the fountain – as well as the aqueduct system in Rome and how they supplied the waters for this and all the other fountains. They of course liked throwing the coins into the fountain with hopes of coming back (maybe when they are older and can appreciate it more). I wish I was staying in Rome longer and would be able to come here early in the am, before the crowds, and take some better pictures.

Pantheon

From the Trevi Fountain to the Pantheon, there were signs that pointed to the monuments, so in that area, there were clear directions. On the way, however, the girls stopped again for some more gelato (and I had a nice cold bottle of water). The initial sight of the Pantheon did not blow me away, but once you stepped inside and imagined what it was like when it was first build, and the engineering that went into building it so long ago – along with the history that took place in and around the building – it really moved me. [Note: A good time to pull out the Rome: Then and Now book to show to the kids what it looked like beck during the Empire.] There was a band playing outside, which was drawing a lot of tourists, so we took advantage of it and went inside – although there were a lot of people, it was not packed. We were able to walk around freely, took a bunch of pictures and I was able to tell the kids about the history of the building, why it is important (architecturally), and a little about the people that were buried there (i.e., Margherita pizza was named after Queen Margherita). My kids, especially my DD 13 really liked it – she loved the fact that she had just learned about this place in school and had just seen pictures of it (her class also took a virtual tour of Rome). When in Rome, the Pantheon is a must-see for adults and kids.

Piazza Navona and Real Italian Pizza

Our next stop was the Piazza Navona area. We had reservations at a restaurant for dinner at 7 pm (yes, American dinner time), and arrived at the Piazza a little after six. So we strolled around the area looking at the amazing fountains (a nice place for pictures). I also talked about the history of the piazza itself, we sat for a little while in some shade, then headed off to the restaurant, which was only a block or two away.

We arrived at the Canina e Cucina restaurant ahead of our scheduled reservation, but they had empty tables to seat us. The waitress was very nice and spoke English very well. Basically I chose the place because I wanted somewhere that had good pizza, but also had good Italian food as well. Maybe if it was just myself and my DW, we would have gone to a much fancier restaurant to celebrate our first night in Rome, but with kids, we decided on good food that the kids would also enjoy. We ordered a margherita pizza (the kids did not want anything on the pizza), with a bruchetta on the side, and I ordered a specialty salad as well (I was originally going to go for a pasta dish, but other people in the restaurant were having some good looking salads, so I decided to go that route as well – a cold salad also looked refreshing on the hot evening). The food was good and the girls enjoyed their first real “Italian Pizza.” [Note: They also had pizza in France and Spain – stay tuned to which country has the best pizza in the world.] The meal was finished off with (free) shots of spirts (tasted like sambuka) and a bill that was not fairly inexpensive (also note, they also handed out potato chips and bread during the meal and did not add a bread charge, or did they add on a “sitting charge” since there were also places to sit at the bar).

The Walk Back and More Monuments, Roman Ruins, and Fountains

We left the restaurant feeling full, and well rested. Instead of taking the bus back to the hotel, we decided to walk the 1 ½ miles back to the hotel. However on our trek we also passed by other monuments and ruins. For instance, we were able to take a look at the Largo di Torre Argentina – and talked about Cesar, his death, and where he actually was killed (a good prequel for the visit to the forum the next day). We also passed by a number of other statues, pillars, and interesting places (including at some point the Italian Parliament building – or the four fountains intersection with as the description implies, there is a carved fountain on each corner of the intersection - also throughout the day we stopped at various tourist traps, I mean souvenier shops, and bought a few things here and there). Another area we saw on the way back was the Victor Emmanuel Monument – we arrived too late to go in and up to the top of the building, but my older daughter liked the architecture of the monument, and the older structures alongside it atop the hill.

After a number of other turns and twists along streets (some streets looked like they would go through on the map led to dead ends), we eventually made it back to the hotel. On the way, just past Trajan’s Column (to the north of the Trajan Forum – also a good place to give some quick info on the Roman forums) there is a set of stairs to the East – just to the left of those stairs (if on the stairs) there is a little grocery story – in the store, besides ice cold water for 1 Euro, are cheap bottles of wine for sale. It was here that I picked up two bottles of wine to bring onto the ship the next day.

We returned to the hotel room at about 9:00-9:300 very tired and we all fell asleep fairly quickly. We had all awaken between 5:30 and 6:30 am the previous day (11:30 am-12:30 pm Roman time) – luckily the kids did have a few hours of sleep in between, but my DW and I did not. So for my DW and I, it was about 28-29 hours with less than an hour of sleep in-between. However, we had a very early and busy day ahead of us, so we asked for a 6 am wake-up call.

Next Up . . . . Ancient Rome (Forum & Coliseum)

[Travel R]

Sorry I did not get a chance to post anything over the weekend, or download my photos. Spend a great day with my DW on Saturday (sans the kids), and went to a very nice wedding yesterday (I can honestly say it was a very well done wedding, although the ceremony & coctail hour were a bit too hot). Cruising was still on my mind, since we sat next to people that were also into cruising, and one very nice couple was going to be doing a Mediterranean cruise in the next few weeks (on Carnival) hitting all the countries from Spain to Turkey and all the countries in-between [yes, I am very jealous]. So of course, we talked about their upcoming trip.

[Travel R]

For those of you that have been trudging along with this review so far, this should be the last post before I begin to review the Legend of the Seas itself. For now, let’s go back to the story where we left our four adventurers . . . . .

 

It was three minutes after six when the phone rang to awaken the Travel R family for their second busy day in the ancient city of Rome. After many hours of almost non-stop travelling and sightseeing the previous day, they were still exhausted even after eight or nine hours of sleep. However, they (or at least the parents) were quickly able to shed the weariness of their travels after long morning showers while the youngsters made their way from their slumber.

 

[Note: The room had a fairly large bathroom and shower stall with a lot of pressure from the shower head. The room had a traditional toilet and a bidet. The breakfast room was on the second floor, but on the other side from our room.]

 

A complimentary breakfast was being served at the stroke of seven, and the family hungrily entered the cheery (albeit crowded) room to partake in the feast available on the breakfast buffet tables. Although the fare was not elegant, it was suitable to fill their empty stomachs to break the evening’s fast. There were breads and biscuits aplenty, along with various fruits, and even a meager helping of breakfast meats. To the DW’s disheartenment, the coffee was severely lacking of taste and texture, and her DH agreed. However, the citrus juices flowed freely and quenched their thirsts.

 

After refreshing themselves with the morning meal, they went back to their room to pack up their belongings so they will be ready upon returning from their quest. The front desk kindly held all of their luggage bags in a back room for them until they returned. The DW has stupidly placed the paper with the tickets to the coliseum/forum on a side table in the room and no one had noticed it upon leaving the room. The error was discovered half way to their destination, so the DH had to make a mad dash back to the hotel and the room to save the tickets before they were discarded by the chambermaids. Alas, the tickets were still secure in the same position when he entered the room. He took hold of the treasure and rendezvoused with his family back on the path to the Flavian Amphitheater. After a fairly short stroll, the family turned south down a side street and to their astonishment the object of their quest lay ahead in the distance. The view down a street lined with buildings that were only a few centuries old and cars barely a decade (or less than a year) old were put into a perspective of time with the two millennium old structure looming in the background.

 

Although the family was walking towards the ancient walls of the arena there was a also strange pull that kept them moving forward in distance, yet at the same time also moved them backward in time. On the way they passed several spurious gladiators welcoming them to take a picture, but they were aware that these charlatans would not release them from their grip until at least 10 Euros were paid out in ransom. The walls of the Coliseum continued to grow as they drew nearer. [Note: great time to take out the Rome: Then & Now book to show how the Coliseum was originally decorated on the outside.]

 

Upon nearing the entrance, even at this early hour, they observed a long que of tourists awaiting their turn to purchase entry into the building. However, with brilliant planning, the DH had pre-purchased their golden ticket through the magical portal known as the Internet. They entered through the section marked in a dialect that may have been ancient Latin and read: “Ticket Holders Enter Here.” The fearless family walked directly to the entrance and answered the questions of the sphinx guarding the threshold (i.e.: Q: “Do you have your tickets?” A: “Yes.”).

 

Once they had made their way inside the DH was anxious to head further into the in the interior, but the DW and DDs had a different idea and made their way to the WC [Note: There are not many restrooms in the Coliseum and Forum areas, so get a map beforehand and know where they are in case they are needed.] When the detour was complete the family made their way up the stairs to the upper level where they gazed upon the items and writings tastefully displayed in the museum gallery. Even the DDs actually seemed to enjoy this portion of their journey. Then it was time to delve even deeper into the mysteries of the fortress. They made their ways through a giant opening that led outside. Their view became enveloped by the sight of the arena, with its open floor riddled by the years of erosion and neglect, as well as the shell of a once great theater where long ago Emperors presented displays of bloody savagery and brutality that the ancient Romans called entertainment. The father spent some time discussing the Coliseum and what had transpired there those many years ago including those horrible atrocities in ways an 8 year old could understand, and how such a magnificent structure could have deteriorated over the years. He also told of the advances Roman architects brought to the world while explaining what they say not only in the pits of the floor below, but about the people that attended these events from the Emperors and nobility, to the average citizen, to the slaves and women that sat in the seats way atop the heights of the arena’s walls.

 

[Note: There is a tour that goes underground and visits the pits down in the floor, but due to time issues (i.e., - the lack of it), we were unable to take the tour and be able to see any of Palantine’s hill or the forum. The Coliseum/Hill/Forum all open at 8:30 am (we got there about 9) and we had to make it back to the hotel at 12:15 for the cab to take us to port.]

 

After a walk around the perimeter of the arena’s floor area, the family made their way to the egress and out into the public area. They then trekked their way past Constantine’s Arch and towards the entrance of Palantine’s Hill which was located many lengths away from where they had made their exit. Upon the way they heard the sound of thunder. The clamor was being made by a pack of the fearsome men and women known as union workers. They were yelling, screaming, and carrying signs – all for good causes, the family believed, but they stayed clear of this pack and stayed to the sides of the trails stopping only for provisions such as gelato and cold libations. They had eventually uncovered the entrance to the ancient homes of the Roman rulers atop the hill Pallentine. Their excursion through this area was very brief, but a few ruins, such as one of the baths were identified, but with time running down, they sped away hot and tired to their final destination on this very warm day – the infamous Forum Romanum. The father had spend much time learning of the forum and its structures, and as they passed each one, even if it was only but a column or two, the father made a passing comment so the other weary travelers would know what they were looking at. For some of the structures, the father provided a story so that the wife and daughters could place some context around the rubble they were seeing around them. The father will admit that after reading much about these ancient structures, it still was awesome to actually be there and see them in person. Days after, when any of the members were asked about their journey and what they liked the most, the Coliseum and Forum were the most often mentioned sites they mentioned.

 

[Note: A lot of use from the Rome: Then & Now book occurred at the forum - and it was really helpful to help the kids and DW understand what these pieces of marble looked like in their heyday.]

 

After spending not enough time exploring the many separate sites within the forum area, it was time to go. They needed to make their chariot at the hotel so they can begin the final leg of their adventure that day to the great port city of Civitavecchia. The trail was quick going back and they arrived fifteen minutes ahead of schedule. Their ride was waiting for them, they picked up their baggage from the hotel lobby and made their way on the road out of Rome. The ride was uneventful and slumber reached the eyes of all the ladies aboard and in less than an hour, they approached the port and got their first glance of the Legend of the Seas!

 

Next Up . . . . . Embarkation and Our First Night

[Travel R]

The DW has stupidly placed the paper with the tickets to the coliseum/forum on a side table in the room and no one had noticed it upon leaving the room. The error was discovered half way to their destination, so the DH had to make a mad dash back to the hotel and the room to save the tickets before they were discarded by the chambermaids.

Correction - it was I, the DH that stupidly left the paper in the room - not my DW - I was the one to blame. Although it was a pain going back for it, it was not a biggie.

Also note, when we went to the Pallentine hill, we did not go all the way to see the Circus Maximus, we had seen it from the road the day before, and although it was one of the things my older DD wanted to see, she was disillusioned, and said we did not have to bother and see it again (it is just a big, long field).

[Coolcruise02]

For those of you that have been trudging along with this review so far.....

 

Still here and enjoying it! :D

Edited July 16, 2013 by Coolcruise02

[moshek]

Great review.

Laughed at comment about waiting at customs reminded me of immigration queues at Orlando Sanford airport when we visited a few Christmases ago, over one hour stood in very slow moving queue, just what you need after 9 1/2 hour flight.

 

We are due to set off on our first cruise in 4 days time and will be visiting Rome - very excited now x

[Travel R]

Hi all - sorry, this is taking much longer than I had originally anticipated. Been busy at work and home (and the almost 3 hour commute home last night on New Jersey Transit did not help either).

 

Question: would you (the readers) like me to continue writing in the first person as I had done in my first few posts, or in the third person narrative as I had chosen for my last review post?

 

I know most people are waiting for the review of the Legend itself and some pictures, but be patient, I will try to have them up as soon as I can.

[MomtoCCC]

Hi all - sorry, this is taking much longer than I had originally anticipated. Been busy at work and home (and the almost 3 hour commute home last night on New Jersey Transit did not help either).

 

Question: would you (the readers) like me to continue writing in the first person as I had done in my first few posts, or in the third person narrative as I had chosen for my last review post?

 

I know most people are waiting for the review of the Legend itself and some pictures, but be patient, I will try to have them up as soon as I can.

 

I noticed that you switched it up! I prefer first person but it doesn't really matter, I will be reading it either way :)

[loeytalldog]

Hi all - sorry, this is taking much longer than I had originally anticipated. Been busy at work and home (and the almost 3 hour commute home last night on New Jersey Transit did not help either).

 

Question: would you (the readers) like me to continue writing in the first person as I had done in my first few posts, or in the third person narrative as I had chosen for my last review post?

 

I know most people are waiting for the review of the Legend itself and some pictures, but be patient, I will try to have them up as soon as I can.

 

 

I so prefer the first person. Thanks for all your hard work, it's a great report, love reading it!

[suekay]

I prefer first person too, but am enjoying your review anyway you write it. Thank you:)

[xxHadleyxx]

Another vote for first person narrative! :)

 

I'm still enjoying reading along. Funny about the Spanish Steps. Our family all totally agree with yours there. Though, DS14 was in Rome on a class trip last month. The kids went to the steps a few times--it is a "Seen and be seen" "flirt with other tourists" area when with a group of teens :rolleyes:

[Gabrielle R.]

I have so enjoyed your posts! However you want to write is fine. You are an Excellent writer/story teller! :D

Thanks for the review! Can't wait to see the pictures!

Gabreille

[Travel R]

Another vote for first person narrative! :)

 

I'm still enjoying reading along. Funny about the Spanish Steps. Our family all totally agree with yours there. Though, DS14 was in Rome on a class trip last month. The kids went to the steps a few times--it is a "Seen and be seen" "flirt with other tourists" area when with a group of teens :rolleyes:

 

It was already mid-afternoon after a long night-day of traveling, and we were hungry & thirsty at that point. Maybe if we had visited the steps while less hungry and more refreshed, we may have stuck around a little more (like we did at the Piazza Navona). Rome is a city I will make a point of visiting again at some time in the distant future (I am thinking about a DIY land tour driving through Italy with the DW after the kids have left the nest).

 

[it would be interesting to start a post asking "What cities have you visited before and want to visit again -- and -- "What big hype cities have you visisted before and would not visit again"]

 

It is very cool that your DS, at 14, gets to go to Rome on a class trip. My DD13 would be jealous if I told her.

Edited July 19, 2013 by Travel R

[Travel R]

I have so enjoyed your posts! However you want to write is fine. You are an Excellent writer/story teller! :D

Thanks for the review! Can't wait to see the pictures!

Gabreille

 

Thanks for the compliment!!

 

Pictures and the next review post should hopefully be up tomorrow. My DW does not want any of the pictures of her or the kids in the pictures I post, so I am going to try to photoshop out some of the faces in any of the pictures I use. Also, I noticed that I took a lot more pictures of my family during this trip than I had done in the past and less still/study shots of the ports and inside the ship itself.

[wnycruisefam66]

I'm really enjoying your review! DH & I will be taking our kids (then 19 & 13) on a Med cruise next year, so I'm interested in what your 13 year thinks of things. Thanks!

[Travel R]

With the glories of Rome at our backs and the Legend of the Seas before us, we now begin the seafaring part of our vacation. As we drove to port we could see the giant ships docked and loading up with cargo and passengers to be transported throughout the Mediterranean Sea. The water was a crystal bluish-green not in great contrast to the blue of the sky and the whites of the few whispery clouds hovering in the heavens above.

Embarkation

Our cab ride was no more than 45 minutes from hotel to port, with almost no traffic on this Saturday afternoon and arrived to the port at a little past 1 o’clock. We stepped out from our cab in the shadow of the port building and within moments gave our baggage to the bag porters and began to make our way to through the embarkation station [we had placed and taped our luggage tags onto our bags when we packed up earlier that morning]. The lines were almost empty (even for customs) and we made our way to the counter, with but a brief detour to fill out the health forms. [Although I had known about the forms, and had even provided a link on the All Things Legend of the Seas thread, I forgot to print them out and fill them out beforehand.] However, the form only took a moment to fill out. We walked right up to a waiting customer service rep and checked in [of course, I had filled out the pre-boarding documents two weeks beforehand. Remember to have the printout of the document, your passports, and a credit card (if using one) out and ready to avoid any delays.] We quickly received our SeaPasses and walked to the exit to board the ship.

A few quick note on the SeaPass onboard account and kids: (1) We pre-purchased both of our daughters the soda package. During most of the year we usually do not let them drink soda except for special occasions and when we occasionally go out to dinner. Since this was a vacation, we decided to let them have the soda if they promised to brush their teeth regularly. The greatest influence on this decision is due to a member on CC posting their reasoning – if their DD is in the teen lounge (or anywhere on the ship), and they put down their soda for a little while they do not want their daughter to drink the soda again and to get a new soda. I agree with this idea, and told my DD13 that if we get her the soda to do the same (if it is out of your sight, just order another one). Since we gave it to my older DD, we kind of had to give it to our younger DD8. (2) We put my older DD on the expense account. We know our DD, and we know her to be very responsible, and wanted her to be able to use the account in case she needed to (throughout the entire trip she only needed it to purchase a few dollars worth of tokens for the arcade room). For our 8 year old, we did not believe she needed the expense account attached to her card (which she did not like carrying around, even on the lanyard) – the crew at Ocean Adventure will punch a hole in the SeaPass and provide a lanyard for your child. We also had the waterproof lanyard/pass holders we got from SeaWorld the year before that my older DD and DW used. (3) From talking to other parents (and from our DD), there were a number of SeaPasses that were lost by kids (mostly teens) during our cruise. The parents were able to get new passes very easily & we had not heard of anyone using the lost cards and placing bad charges on them

On the way to the boarding plank were a few tables with information (i.e., selling) drink packages, excursions, dinner reservations, kids clubs, etc. When I passed by the dining room table, the person asked me “do you know what time you are eating tonight?” I answered “Yes, six o’clock.” The person responded “No. There is no six o’clock seating. Earliest seating is six thirty.” I told him that I had My-Time-Dining (MTD) and I had the printout that displayed my dinner at 6:00. Of course, the website was incorrect and dinning did not begin at 6:00, and my reservations were moved up to 6:30, in fact, all of my dining reservations were moved to 6:30 (his assistant pulled up my reservations on their own screen to show me). I wanted to get onboard and told him I would work it out later. [Note: I will write a future post about my experiences with MTD, and each of the meals will be discussed with the review of that particular day. But to sum it up, this was my first experience with MTD and probably would not choose that option in the future.]

The Ocean Adventure and Teen Club table was also amongst the counters arranged along the wall. While I was in discussion with the maitre de about when we were to dine, my DW talked to the counselors about the kid clubs and youth activities (for both young and old). My younger DD8 received her Kids Compass for that day and my DW received the basic information about when the Ocean Adventure (OA) and Teen Club were open & closed, and about the extra fee after-hours options. She also was told about the different activities they did with the kids. My older DD13 had also received a copy of the Teen Compass and was told that she should go to the meet & greet for teenagers that night. The people at the table, according to my wife, were very nice and helpful. [Note: I will provide a much more detailed review of both the Ocean Adventure and the Teen Club in a subsequent post. But to summarize, both of my kids LOVED it (although the 8yo took a day or two to warm up to it).]

We approached the ship with much exhilaration. Although I was excited about embarking upon another cruising vessel, I was a tad apprehensive as to whether my daughters would enjoy an ocean vacation as much as their parents. Once outside the exit door, we stopped for obligatory pictures in front of a picture of the ship (which we had only purchased once – on our first cruise), and I took my own picture of the girls along side of the actual ship – the Legend of the Seas. The girls bounded up the gangway until my younger daughter became apprehensive about approaching the check-in/security area. She came back to us and we all approached the guards together providing our SeaPasses – they took pictures of each of us and we were allowed permission to board the ship.

The time was approaching half past one and after an early breakfast, we heard the call of the Windjammer (WJ) enticing us to go up to the 9th floor. However, we decided to first undertake a short excursion to take a look at our room. To our astonishment, two of our suitcases were already awaiting us outside what was to be our abode for the week (and we spied the other two atop a carriage on the elevator bay when making our way to the WJ). Having been accustomed to diminutive ocean view and inside staterooms in the past, we were ready to spend close quarters during our time aboard. Although the cabin’s size did not surprise us, the layout with the balcony seemed to enlarge the room exponentially from our previous cruise accommodations. Once I took a quick walk onto the balcony and breathed in the fresh sea air, I knew I was a balcony person and knew I would enjoy our first balcony stateroom. [Note: Since this post is getting a bit long, and I still have more to write, I will go into more details about the stateroom itself and the joys of balcony cruising in a future post.]

Our stop at the stateroom was brief and in no time we climbed the two flights of stairs to partake in the initial day cruising tradition of buffet dining for the afternoon meal. I am not sure if it was because it was almost two o’clock that we arrived, or because most of the other guests has already eaten, but the room was not as crowded as we had experienced during prior first-day Windjammer (WJ) dining [this was also the least crowded of any other days we dined in the WJ]. Although much about the WJ had not changed, the selection of food and desserts had diminished slightly and to our disenchantment, so had the service. [Note: Sorry – yet another item that will be discussed in greater tale at a later date.] Regardless, the noon fare filled our stomachs and we were ready to explore the Legend of the Seas.

Our party of four walked about several decks on the ship and stopped off at the Ocean Adventure. My DD8 took a quick look around and was provided with a wristband. This wristband became a great memento of the trip and she wore it for days after we had arrived back to our homeland. The thirteen year old also took a walk through the teen disco, although no one was stirring within.

Our next stop was back to our room to change into bathing suits (at least the DDs did) and the second pair of portmanteau [luggage] were inside our cabin. All three of my beautiful roommates decided to peruse the ship a little and target the pool area as the destination for their afternoon activities. I, however, was drained of most of my energy and stayed behind for some rest and relaxation in the privacy of the lodging. At first, I walked to the balcony, took some pictures, and just sat outside for a little while soaking in everything through all my senses. I was looking out at the peaceful Italian countryside beyond the port, listening to the noises of the ocean around me and the activities from the dock workers below. The ocean air smelled wonderful as did the cool breeze blowing upon my skin – and I could almost taste the salt in the air. After twenty or twenty-five minutes, I was completely relaxed, so I walked inside the room, rested my head upon the pillow and slept a very restful slumber for the next two hours.

While I took my private tour of the land of slumber, my DW and DDs enjoyed the pool deck. After a little sunning, my DW decided to go into the whirlpool, which attracted my DDs as well. [Yes, kids are allowed in the spa – if you want a non-kids spa, you would need to use the one in the Solarium.] There was also a man with his daughter (11-yo). My DDs and this girl tried to speak to each other, only to find that the girl spoke Italian and my girls speak English. The father, who knows both languages, did try to do some translating. However, the girls, to their desire to communicate used both a multitude of hand signals and expressions along with the slight amount of Spanish that my older daughter and the girl knew. They played for a long while like this until it was time for them to come back to the room to shower and get ready for dinner (unfortunately, the girl was disembarking only two days later). If adults would act even minutely how these kids acted to try to get along, even with huge language barriers, think about how peaceful this world would be.

After a delightful shower (FYI - there was nice pressure in the shower stall) and after everyone also washed and changed to dinner attire [i will be commenting on the dress code in an upcoming post, we did bring clothing with us so that we could be in compliance with the state RCI dress code.] we proceeded to the 5th floor of the Romeo and Juliet Dining Room. This was the upper level of the two floors of the main dining room (MDR) on the Legend of the Seas. The interior of this dining room was cut out so that one may look down upon the other passengers eating on the lower floor. The fifth floor is reserved for the My-Time Dining (MTD) guests, while the fourth floor is for guests with traditional seating (6:30 and 8:30 on this itinerary). We arrived at approximately 6:40 and there was a very short line to the guest services desk where they would look up your reservation and seat you. I briefly went over my seating times with the individual, but a line began forming behind us he told me he would come by and talk to me later.

Our First Night’s Dinner in the MDR

After some confusion, we were seated at table #11. Remember the table number, because it becomes important in my post regarding our dinner seating for the second evening. Anyway, after we were provided with bread and our orders were taken, we were asked to vacate our current table. It seemed that two other guests that had been dining at that table (for four) during dinner the previous few nights (they embarked at Marseilles) wanted to eat at that same table again. The table was situated where it had a good view of the side and aft of the ship. We said okay. Who are we to deny these two people we do not know from sitting at their favorite table, even though we had to be inconvenienced? I speak the truth when I say that it was no biggie. The waiter was apologetic, but being in the restaurant business before, if you are going to ask someone to move for other guests after you had already ordered and started eating (yes, it was only bread), you should do a little something, like offer us a free glass of wine or something – we did get an offer to sit back at that table in two days after the couple disembarked at Marseilles. But, like most things, while on vacation, it really did not bother us, and we sat and ate at the new table. However . . .

From personal experience, I know that being a waiter is not easy. However, for the first time on any cruise ship, I was disappointed with my wait staff. They were slow and very disorganized. There were just little things, like waiting very long until taking our drink order, being slow all-around during the dinner. Not being able to find ketchup for my daughter’s chicken fingers, leaving the dirty appetizer dishes in front of us for a long time, bring us our main course before our soup & salad (yes, really. We received our appetizers, then after a long wait, they brought us the entrees – and we asked where is the soup (for me) and the salad (for my DW)?), the waitress spilling a whole tray of stuff on the floor next to us, etc. Being in the food industry, and having been a waiter for a little while, I know it is not easy. However, I also expect a minimal amount of quality service, especially on a cruise line. There is no need for a waiter to wipe my chin every time I take a bite, but serving the soup before the main dish would be expected. The waitress herself was very nice and very pleasant to talk to, and I hope I do not sound like a whiner, but with all the money I am paying for the cruise, I would like more.

There are two parts to each meal, the service and the food itself. The thing about food critiques is that they are self absorbed in detailing their own individual likes and dislikes of the dishes they consume. That is okay, since the enjoyment of food is subjective. However, many write about the food as though everyone reading their reviews have to agree with what they say, or they do not have any taste themselves. I say phooey!! In the coming paragraph I will convey my own experiences with the food, which will probably be different than each of the other 1,999 passengers onboard. Another item I must disclose before you read my reviews; I did order two entrees each night and many times two appetizers as well. I approach dinner in the MDR as such: I want to make sure I enjoy my food and since I can order more than one dish, I do to ensure that at least one of the dishes is palatable. I want to be able to experience new foods and sometimes I will choose a “safe bet” along with an item I may or may not enjoy, but would like to try. This is a microcosm of a big adventure on the high seas – a culinary adventure to be undertaken every evening. Well, here it goes:

Appetizer: Escargot. I have not had escargot since my last cruise in 2009. It was about time to have them again, so I did so with a vengeance and requested for two orders. They were just as I remembered, delicious with a tasty butter sauce that made my taste buds sing as each piece of escargot entered my mouth. [Note: My DW ordered the shrimp cocktail, and did so on every night of the cruises.]

Soup: Asian Seafood. This is something I would like to try again. There were two distinct tastes in this soup competing with one another – a sweet and savory flavor that competed directly with a sharp earthy flavor from one of the vegetables. The conflict between the flavors was enjoyable; however, I believe the shaper flavoring was too overbearing for this soup and should have been tamed a bit. [Note: My DW had the Caesar Salad (to memorialize the fact that we had just left Rome) and said it was not bad.]

Entrees:

Steak Salad. I had envisioned thick slices of steak atop an endive salad; however, I received what resembled sliced roast beef on top of lettuce. Although presentation is important, the dish was satisfactory. Luckily, I did order a second entrée, since this would not have been sufficient to satisfy me.

Crusted Salmon [i did not write down the full name of the dish]. This was the best choice of the evening and was simply fabulous. The fish was cooked just right and each piece just flaked off and was ready to eat. The dish was served over mashed potatoes, and was done just right. A side note to the meals, it seemed like many of the dishes I ordered throughout the week seemed to be accompanied by mashed potatoes. If I were designing the menu, I would have substituted a rice instead (or perhaps a nice couscous).

Kids Entrees: Macaroni & Cheese / Chicken Fingers. My DD13 did not receive a kid’s menu at first, but we asked for one anyway (she is much taller than her age and looks older). My DD8 ordered the Chicken Fingers with French Fries (both DDs had fruit as an appetizer). She liked the chicken fingers and ordered them on most subsequent evenings, however, the waitress/assistant waitress could not find any ketchup for her (she likes it not only on the fries, but in typical kid fashion, on the chicken as well). My DD13 did not like anything on the adult menu (she could order off of either) and ordered the Macaroni & Cheese (her favorite dish). When it arrived, it looked like a slice of cheese was placed over the macaroni to melt. My daughter, however, did try to mash it together, but did not care for the taste. She ordered a hot dog after she did not eat the mac & cheese, but did not each much of the hot dog as well.

After Dinner

We walked our daughters to deck 10, where the kid and teen clubs were being hosted. We dropped off our DD8 at the Ocean Adventure and were told to pick her up by 10. The teen disco was situated next door and our DD13 entered apprehensively (she is shy at times), we did not go in with her, but did wait outside for a few minutes, then took a quick peek inside and she was already talking to some other girls. We had told her that she is expected back by 1 am (when the teen lounge closes), but call if she was going to leave that area, or if she wanted one of us to get her and walk her back to the room. My better half and I made our way down to the bowels of deck 4 to play bingo at the Anchor’s Away lounge, but to our disappointment, bingo had been cancelled due to lack of interest (only one other person had shown up to play). So, what were to able bodied individuals to do? We went out to the pool area where a blistery wind was sweeping through the Lido deck, turned some lounge chairs around and watched the new Wizard of Oz movie on the big outdoor screen. The move was not great, and it was chilly (I went down to the room to get my wife a jacket), but it was nice being outside on a cruise ship watching the movie.

At a little before 10, my DW left to pick up our younger daughter. Unfortunately, she did not enjoy her time spend at Ocean Adventure. That evening there were not many kids in her age group, and those that were did not speak English (and were not as willing to try to communicate as did that girl in pool earlier in the day). She was also disappointed that part of the room was inhabited by much younger kids.

My DW had also looked into the teen lounge when picking up my DD8, and my DD13 was still hanging out with some other kids, so she left her alone. The three of us went back to the cabin to relax, and my DD8 could not go straight to sleep, so she sat on my lap out on the deck for a little while. At about 11, my wife starting to worry about my DD13. At home, we never let her stay out this late, but figured that she was in an enclosed area, there was no place for her to go. Soon afterwards, my younger daughter went inside and fell asleep. I stayed out on the balcony relaxing and listening to my iPod, while my wife came out every fifteen minutes to say how worried she was. At one time, I did sneak up to take a look into the lounge, but heard my daughter’s voice before entering, so I turned tail and made my way back to the room.

It was not until almost a quarter to twelve that my older daughter, with a big smile on her face, entered the stateroom. Both she and I were hungry, so we decided to take a stroll to the Park Café to enjoy a midnight snack. [A discussion of the Park Café will appear in a later post for this review.] My teen daughter had a wonderful time in the teen lounge / teen disco, and had met some really nice kids her age from all over the world. She was already looking forward to going back thee the following day.

Up Next . . . . . Pictures, and then Day 2 in Genoa

Edited July 23, 2013 by Travel R

[nessz79]

This is an amazing review. We would also like to take our kids somewhere different (we live in Florida and have been doing a lot of Caribbean cruises). We have been seriously considering Alaska, but have also dabbled in the idea of Europe. We are not wealthy by any means (2 teachers), so your review is especially helpful for seeing Europe on a budget. I appreciate your honest reviews and thoroughness!

[lyban]

I am loving your review. I feel like I am along on the vacation with your family.

[Travel R]

Thanks again to everyone for the compliments. As promised, I will not provide you with some pictures. I am not a shutterbug, although I do enjoy photography. I would have enjoyed to spend my time in the European cities at a little more leisure early in the morning where I would have been able to sit and compose the photographs and with less crowds, but I did not have that convenience, so I just took pictures as I walked by most of the sites.

 

The Travel R family strolling around Rome on a warm day in June.

 

 

 

Top of the Spanish Steps - where we found ourselves after getting lost (trying to arrive at the piaza at the bottom

 

 

Looking down towards the bottom of the Spanish Steps

 

 

One of the highlights of the Piaza Spagna at the bottom of the Steps

 

 

 

Trevi Fountain - look at all those people. I just watched "Gigi Goes to Rome" and when she was there the area around the fountain was almost empty

 

 

A closer look at the fountain