Regal Princess July 2014 Review

[G&T Cruisers]

We flew into Venice on the 12th and stayed at a hotel that was very quaint and full of charm. It was located very close to St. Marks Square so it was very easy to see all the sites. We had rain and thunderstorms on our first day but that did not stop us from going out and exploring and we had a blast.We had bought Rick Steve's book Mediterranean Cruise Ports and were very thankful we had. We headed out early the next morning in order to beat the crowds, as he recommends. We were one of the first people in line at the clock tower and the first group to go up. We had a panoramic view of Venice as the bells rang right above our heads (what fun).Then off we went to see the rest of Venice while the city was still quiet. After exploring, and picking up some wine at a grocery story, we checked out of our hotel, got on a vaporetto and headed over to the ship.

Embarkation was a bit of a zoo. There was no lining up procedure. People not listening to the numbers being called and rushed to the security area, clogging it up and making it difficult for the preferred boarding. When we did get through security, it was a breeze. We were amazed to see the beauty of this ship, the piazza, the colours, and the layout.

We had a regular balcony cabin on Aloha Forward. It was great with a much improved shower and a more than adequate balcony. My only complaint was the noise of our neighbour’s tv. The television sets are now affixed to the walls. The volume of our neighbours’ shows often woke us up at 2 or 3 in the morning.

Our room steward was excellent (Henry). He kept our room neat and tidy the whole trip without being obtrusive.

We had traditional dinning at 5:30 and our dinning servers were fantastic (Natalia & Filomena) After the second night, they knew our likes and dislikes. They were an efficient team and made our experience in the dining room great.Princess has made a vast improvement in the coffee in the Horizon Court. They use real coffee machines that grind beans per brew and have done away with the coffee syrup. We hope this this change will go fleet wide.

We ate at Sabatini's once on this cruise. The food was delicious as usual, but our server was unfriendly. That brought down the experience a little for us.

We booked all but one shore excursion through Princess and we were very satisfied with what we had chosen. We went on our own in Debrovnik and used a Viator in Florence.

Debrovnik: We used the Princess shuttle to get to the old city and Rick Steve's book to guide us. Little did we know that half the wall would be closed because of the German Chancellor Angela Merkel would be visiting that day and security was tight. We were able to walk the rest of the wall and explored the town.

Athens: We went on a Princess excursion and we were very happy we did. Driving in this city is nuts and having some one else take care of everything was great. Our driver got us to the Acropolis early before the crowds and the heat. We were one of the first groups in and we got to watch the Greek soldiers raise the flag and then march down the hill. After touring the site, we went to Corinth and then walked across the Corinth Canal. Lunch was provided at a hotel. It was a buffet that included Greek dishes. Delicious! The views from hotel over a lake were amazing. We were surprised by how dirty Athens is. Garbage on the streets, sidewalks and on the roadside. As a city that depends heavily on tourism, we would think they would try to keep it clean.

Kusadasi,Turkey: We went on a Princess tour of Ephesus, Mary's house and then John's temple. We went early to beat the extreme heat. We enjoyed touring the ruins of Ephesus even with all the crowds. Mary's house was OK but not worth the time or the crowds and heat. John’s temple was good and we enjoyed it. There was also four course lunch served at a beautiful hotel overlooking the sea. During the meal, we were treated to a cultural dance.

Mykonos: Did a Princess excursion but found it to be a waste of time and money. It would have been better to go on our own. After the tour, we did explore the harbour on our own and found a lovely little restaurant for lunch. We were seated on a tiny balcony that had views of the famous windmills and the sea. Wonderful!

Naples: We used Viator to see Pompeii and drive to Sorrento. What a mistake using this company. Our tour bus was 30 min. late and our guide could hardly speak English. During the “tour” she chatted more to the driver in Italian then she spoke to us. We felt as if we were just getting a ride. We were late getting to Pompeii so our tour was cut short. After the tour, we were left at a restaurant for our lunch, but given no instructions. We were told by the manager that we were allowed a margarita pizza and a glass of juice. The pizza was half baked and we were unable to eat the middle of it. After waiting a very long time for our “guide’s” return, we were off to Sorrento. The coast drive we were expecting turned into a very long drive through the newly opened tunnel. Fortunately there was one opportunity for a scenic stop. In Sorrento, we did a little shopping. because we were behind schedule. The drive back was a joke. The “guide” didn’t acknowledge us at all, but bantered with the driver the entire time. Then, an hour before our tour ended, our van pulled over to the side of the road. She got out with a, “this is where I live. Ciao”, leaving us alone with the driver who spoke no English. We made it back a little late but safe and sound.

Civitavecchia: We used a Princess shuttle to Rome and was dropped off at St. Peter’s Square. We followed Rick Steve's book and walked everywhere on our own. We had a great time although we had some severe thunderstorms to deal with (thankfully we brought our umbrellas). The sun did finally appear and we were able to visit a lot of the sites.

Livorno: We chose a Princess excursion to Lucca which is a medieval town that still has its walls circling it. It was a very interesting place to visit but we found the excursion too short and would have liked to have had more time to explore on our own.

Toulon:We booked a Princess excursion to Bormes les Mimosas, a little village in the mountains. The views were amazing and so were the prices: 8 euros for 2 coffees! We enjoyed this place and found that a half day excursion here was perfect.

Barcelona: This cruise is very port-intensive which left us tired and in need of a couple good nights sleep. We stayed for two nights in Barcelona at Hotel Lleo (which we would not recommend if you are looking for a quiet place). On the plus side, it was centrally located being right off the Ramblas and near the metro. Barcelona is the exact opposite of Athens as it was a clean and beautiful city. We enjoyed our paella and sangria while there. Rick Steve's book came in handy again with information about places to see and prices for taxies and museums. We recommend using this book if you are traveling the Mediterranean cruise ports. It will make this journey a lot easier.

 

Happy Cruising!

[Sea Day Cruiser]

Thanks for doing the Regal review. Sounds like you had a great cruise.

 

 

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[MicCanberra]

Thanks for the review, I too hope the coffee syrup is ditched on all the ships.:D

[gailjen]

Thanks very much for your review, off on Regal on Tuesday 😀

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the report!

[azdmelani]

Thanks for the review! 4 weeks to go :)

[Warrior Princess]

Thanks looking forward to ours other way round though, can you tell me how much it is from ship into Venice and best transport to use, also is it true that shuttle to Toulon is 20 dollars per person as the dock is so far away. Have booked tours for Athens and Istanbul but as we have been to all other ports except Toulon we want to do our own thing:)

[sunsetbeachgal]

We, along with our extended family, all stayed at Hotel Lleo in Barcelona and had no problem at all with noise although I read a complaint about noise on tripadvisor when I was researching hotels. We all loved it, especially the wonderful location and nice accommodations and breakfast. Did your room face the street or was the noise from other guests in the halls or rooms??

 

We are disembarking a ship this fall in Barcelona, and are staying at a B&B as the rate at the hotel Lleo was way higher than what I paid last year. Completely different area too, closer to the harbor.

 

Loved the rest of your review. Thank you!

Edited August 1, 2014 by sunsetbeachgal

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for the review,

 

What hotel did you saty at in Venice? How much?

 

What tour/operator in Athens?

 

Can you post Patters please? :D

[lovevacadays]

Thank you for your review. This itinerary looks amazing.