My Jun 4, 2006 Brillance Review!

[chica]

Just got back from the 12 day Brillance of the Seas Cannes/Florence/Rome/Mykonos/Kusadasi/Santorini/Athens/Naples cruise.

Here is my quick feedback/review. I took this cruise with my two sisters (all of us 40-something) and my nine year old son. We booked the cruise air and all of us had terrible/way too tight connections and one set of missing luggage for three days. Suggestions #1 is to book your own air. RCCL does not seem to have customer in mind at all when making air arrangements and based on our experience, if you are on Air France or Iberia, good luck to you. We did have a great flight back on British Airways, but our luggage has an extra day abroad. We had an inside cabin on Deck 4 and loved the location. This was my first inside cabin and it was perfect for resetting the internal time clock. I will always book one for European cruises. Ship was great, service was great and the shows were entertaining. We loved the pizza in the Seaview Cafe and thought the food overall was pretty good.

 

Now for the ports:

Cannes--booked the cruise line tour of Grasse and the perfume factory and St. Paul de Vence. We got off the ship early and walked around town. We were lucky to get on the first tour bus out and had a great guide. She had the driver take us on Scenic routes and insisted on giving us a little tour of Cannes in addition. It took an extra hour and was great. If you have difficulty walking St Paul is not for you. We got a free sample at the perfume factory. This was a tender port.

 

Florence/Pisa--We did this on our own. We got off early and got a taxi to the train station---no problem getting a taxi to take us. We got the train --6 euros each one way into Firenza and it was easy. Got off a couple of blocks from the Duomo. Looked it over and headed the Accademia. I was too late to get reservation when I called three weeks earlier so we were in line from 10:10 to about 11:20. One of us held the place while others shopped. Bathroom note--there is a McDonalds about two blocks away with a great bathroom :). We saw David and looked around a bit and then shopped a bit and had lunch near the Duomo at a cafeteria type place---would not recommend--food was passable but nothing great. Got back on the train to Pisa (5.60 euro) and got there around 3:00 pm. Signage at the train station and tourist info was hard to find, but we did get a bus for .50 euro to the tower. Found the grounds enjoyable and had a good time there. Took photo of us eating a piece of pizza in Pisa and got back to the train station and on the train to the port (1.70 euro) Took a taxi back to the ship from the station. Taxi was 15 euro each way.

Rome---Hired a private driver from limos in rome (Claudio) and our driver was Roberto. Shared this tour with two others and also arranged for private guide of the Vatican for two hours ( Michele). Cost 105 euro each and was money decidedly well spent. Saw all the highlights and Michele was able to cut us to the head of lines in the Vatican to at least see those highlights in our two hours there. Did the Colliseum, Forum, Spanish steps, Trevi Fountain, a couple of churchs, and more than I can remember right now. A great day!

Mykonos--walked into town, saw the windmills and shopped. It was a cool, cloudy day and rained a bit. A mellow, easy day. It is about a 1 1/2 mile walk. The ship shuttle was $4 each way. We just walked and it was not bad, but you had to pay attention and watch the traffic.

Kusadasi--I arranged for a tour with Meander travel. Hakan was our guide and he is an archeologist in the winter and tour guide in the summer. We visited Mary's House, toured Ephesus, St. John's, Temple of Artemis, the Museum and drove to a rug weavering place that is a private/government partnership used to encourage and train women in continuing the art of handmade rug making--yes, I bought one :) and it is beautiful. Hakan was gracious knowledgable and decidedly proud of his country. This tour was a steal at $49 each and included lunch of local cuisine. I can't recommend Meander enough and Turkey was one of our favorite stops. We shopped for a while which leads me to another hint---if you liked any of the evil eye jewelry that is all over Mykonos, wait and buy it in Turkey for a fraction of the price. We also bought the apple tea and the ceramic bowls as well as Turkis Delight and olive oil. You can bargain but only go about 20% below the asking price---less would be rude per Hakan and we found that we could get everything down by 20 %.

Santorini---beautiful island. We took the morning Volcano and hot springs tour through the ship. Be forwarned that the hot springs are more like lukewarm springs, but we loved this tour anyway. It was fun jumping out the boats and swimming after a rather strenuous hike to the top of the volcano. There were a few elderly cruisers who absolutely could not do this tour with our group. You don't have to be young and athletic, but it is strenuous and if you don't want to swim in the ocean to the springs, it would not be a worthwhile tour. We got to the port around noon and had cable tickets so went up top and rented a "paper mache" car for four for 30 euros and drove from one end to the other. Had lunch in Oia, walked and shopped and got pastries from a bakery on the other side of the island. Finished up shopping in Thira before heading back to the ship--this was also a tender port.

Athens---probably our least favorite, but at least we have now seen the Pantheon. We took the train again from the port ---70 cents I think and got the on/off tour bus for $5. It was some holiday when we were there and the sights were free! This was by far our cheapest day. We had a gyro near the station and the bus passed by all the sights. We got off at the Acropolis and walked down back to the station. It was again a rainy day, but not bad.

Naples--Another do it yourself day with the train to Pompeii for the morning and then on to Sorrento and pizza for lunch. Shopped and then back to the port.

 

We found it very easy to do touring on our own and there actually ended up being a group of do-it-yourself types we would see each time. The weather was good this trip but heating up and I can't imagine doing it in July/August. If you are---good luck and bring cool clothes!

[wwinfl91]

Thanks for the good review. We did a cruise in 2003 that had some of the same stops.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[skyboy]

Thanks for the great review!! In Santorini, you mentioned a "paper mache " car. What is that?

[chica]

Just our little joke---it was a small little car with 50,000 miles on it, no dash board and was so light weight we joked that if it broke down we could just pick it up and carry it with us. Since I drive an SUV at home it seemed like a tin can to us, but it was cheap and it did the job.

 

Oh and since getting our luggage back this morning I have a new hint---do not pack your bottle of olive oil in the same bag as your formal clothes. Do you think people will believe it was actual suppose to have big dark blotches all over it?

[marteuge]

HI

 

Thank you so much for your reviews. My DH and I will be on Brilliacne on 22 Jul for Med cruise. I'm also doing private tours in Kudadasi. (not the same company) It looks like almost same kind of tour you did including Turkish lunch and rug place. I did't know what to think about the Turkish rug. First of all , How can I bring a rug home? Second of all, What are the sizes and how much are they? Are they much better price than the U.S.? I know that If I see something I like, I have to get it.:p

 

In Santorini, what were the things to buy ?

 

Thank you again.

[marteuge]

Hi Chica

 

I have one more to ask. When you went to Civittavecchia, Did anyone you know did the ship's tour called "Olive oil tasting and scenic drive"? We've been to Rome, so we are planning to do this 4 hour tour and relaxe on the ship.

 

I'll be in instate room on Deck 4. Is there a refrigerator?

 

Thank you.

[envy4u]

Great review ...thanks .

[dock]

Enjoyed your review. Thanks.

[chica]

I brought my rug home as carry on--it was 4 X 6 and they gave me a duffle bag to bring it in. They will however ship the rug directly to your home. The rug I got was wool on wool, handwoven with a pattern from that region. It cost $900. Considering the quality I feel it was a good value and I love it. The rugs come in a wide range of sizes.

 

In Santorini you can buy olive oil, olive oil soap, evil eye jewelry, several types of art, etc. I also bought some greek seasoning packets for different foods. There are wineries on the island and you can obviously buy wine too. Oh and we did get some awesome pastries there (like you need more of that on a cruise, right???).

 

There are refrigerators in the cabins and we asked to have the items removed so we had the ability to use it for our soda and snacks. This was no problem for staff. I did not hear of anyone taking an olive oil tasting so can't comment on that, however I did see Samatha Brown doing that on one of her programs and it sounds like fun to me :).

[marteuge]

Chica,

 

Thank you so much for your reply. I also watch Samantha Brown's show. I've recorded Amalfi coast, Naples, Florence, Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, Nice, Monaco, and Rome on my TIVO. I like that show a lot, but I've never seen one with Olive oil tasting .

 

Thanks again. You've been a big help.

[ama22]

Where can I find the Samantha Brown show? I'd be interested in watching it, if its about travel. We will be doing the Med from Istanbul to Rome in Sept '07.

[pinebro]

Samantha Brown Is On The Travel Channel. She Did A Med Cruise On The Brilliance Of The Seas. Also, A Series Of Shows From Many European Cities. Quite Good, Actually !! We Always Setup Tivo To Record Her Show.

[jstducky]

chica, thank you for your review. I am also on the July 22nd sailing of Brilliance.

 

were you the same cruise with madforcruising?

 

anyhow, you said that people who booked flights with air france and iberia had issues and that you had tight connections. can you elaborate on that?

 

i booked air on my own with an AA flight out of LAX, catching an Iberia flight at Heathrow into Barcelona. I am worried about the connection time and hoping for the best.

[Juliadlf]

Thanks for posting your review. Although we won't be sailing the same cruiseline it does have some of the same ports we will be visiting.

 

We have also booked Meander based on the very positive feedback here on CC and other boards for our trip next year. Definitely will build in time for the "must do" shopping.

 

Loved the reference to the "paper mache" car...

 

Julia

[Suzy Q]

Could you elaborate on why Athens was your least favorite? Food? Weather? People?

Thanks.

[chica]

jstducky,

Yep it was the same cruise.

My son and I were flying out of Phoenix. RCCL arranged for a flight on US Airways to San Francisco and then we had SFO to Paris on Air France with a connection to Barcelona. The time between our flight's arrival and our connection was an hour and 20 minutes. Of course our flight out of Phoenix was delayed and we arrived 40 minutes before departure. We could not go directly to the gate because they were unable to ticket us through from US Air so we had to run to the check in counters ( in the international terminal/gate area) and then were escorted through the security and to the gate by an Air France person. The connection in Paris was again about an hour and 10 minutes. In Paris we had to go through customs and be taken to another terminal in order to make the flight. We were lucky because that flight ended up delayed by about 40 minutes so we got there with time to spare. It was just frustrating because US Airways has a flight from Phoenix to Philadelphia which could have connected with their direct flight to Barcelona from there. It was stressful and rushed when it did not need to be. The Air France plane from SFO to Paris was not updated at all. No individual screens or entertainment choices. It looked run down in general. The attendants did the bare minimum.

 

My sisters were on Iberia. All of their connections were overbooked. They flew Omaha to Chicago. In Chicago they were to go to JFK. That was overbooked so they sent them to La Guardia with taxi vouchers because "they had plenty of time". Well of course that flight was delayed, but at least they had the experience of a wild taxi ride (running up on curbs, past traffic) to JFK. :) Then they get to JFK and check in, get to their seats and surprise those seats were already occupied with people assigned to their same seats. After going to the effort to call ahead as directed and book seats together they were lucky to get a seat at all and we stuck in middle seats far apart for the flight from JFK to Madrid. In Madrid they got on the flight and were at least first in the double assigned seats there. They absolutely refused to leave those seats when asked and finally made it to Barcelona. One sister got her bags, the other got none. She filled out the report, etc. and went to the ship. When she had not heard anything after our port in Cannes, she asked the purser about it. Iberia had not even done a report on it. RCCL worked on it and she got one bag the next day and the other on the fourth day of the trip.

 

Hope your experience is better. We are all happy to at least make the ship. It just could have been easier.

Shari

[chica]

Suzy Q,

I am not saying Athens was not worth it, but from my observations (and it was a cloudy day) it was dirty, the ruins were very crowded and just not as impressive after seeing Ephesus. I am sure it is just a cultural difference but the vendors and restraunt people seemed pushy and not too customer friendly. When I ordered a coke instead of wine the waiter actually rolled his eyes at me--this after practically dragging us in. The food however was very good. But, the most disconcerting thing about Athens was the packs of dogs roaming all over. When we were at the Acropolis two of them starting fighting and actually knocked over a woman beside me and fighting on top of her for a bit. She was really shaken up. Then while walking back down and through the Agora there was a pack of about 6 or 7 of them running up and down along a wall barking wildly. My son was walking around and tried to cross a bridge and there was a dog growling at him preventing him from going. Nothing happened to us and the natives seem to think nothing of them, but I found it disconcerting and my son (age 9) made the comment that he felt sorry for all those dogs without a home.

 

Shari

[producegirl]

I always book my own air! I am going direct from Philadelphia to Barcelona and the same going home. I would rather pay more and know that I don;t have to worry about making connections or being on a tight time schedule.

[Packing Light]

We returned from the same cruise on May 23 (See my review earlier on June 11, 2006 where I discuss several other subjects). We booked our air independently on Iberia. We had slightly over an hour stopover in Madrid each way and everything went very smooth - no lost luggage, no delays, easy connections. Also the price was much less than through Royal Carribean. Best site to check prices at all sites is http://www.sidestep.com where you can put in travel requirements and get prices from many sources. It is a good start.

 

Also, let me mention that you are doing yourself a disservice if you do not take the tour of the Amalfi Coast in Italy during your stop in Naples. Naples is not worth seeing. It is dirty and has a high crime rate. The Amalfi Coast including Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi is probably the most beautiful location on earth and must be seen if you are in that area. Whether you take a ship tour or a private tour is your option but don't miss the Amalfi Coast. I am sorry chica missed the boat (no pun intended) by seeing Naples on her own but that is the time to book a tour and see the Amlfi Coast.

 

We also liked Turkey but as far as bargaining, you will not insult anyone by offering a price lower than 20% off. The price they quote is much higher than they expect to get. I purchase a rather expensive ring for my wife and our final price was about 60% less than the original quote. I had quick appraisal by our jeweler here in the states and I did not overpay (but I would have if I only got 20% off). The wholesale value was about $300 roughly more than I paid. Offer anything and if you are too low they will work the price up. The Turks are excellent business people and very good salesmen. When we were negotiating we were served hot apple tea on china and sat with the sales people and owner for some time. It was fun as well and educational.

[Suzy Q]

Chica-

Thanks for the input. Feral dogs and cats are upsetting for me to see too. Did you go out to Delphi by any chance? We are planning two days post cruise in Athens.

[Packing Light]

Hi Chica

 

I have one more to ask. When you went to Civittavecchia, Did anyone you know did the ship's tour called "Olive oil tasting and scenic drive"? We've been to Rome, so we are planning to do this 4 hour tour and relaxe on the ship.

 

I'll be in instate room on Deck 4. Is there a refrigerator?

 

Thank you.

 

 

We took the olive tasting tour and enjoyed it. It is very relaxing and you get a good view of Tuscany and the countryside. The owner of the olive farm is very cordial and my wife was enamoured over how young and handsome he was. She said he looked like he came off a movie set. They serve various flavored olive oils with bread, wine and other snacks. It was very good and I think you will enjoy the day.

[marteuge]

Packing light,

 

Thank you so much for your reply. You are the only one I know who's been to Olive oil tasting tour so far. I've seen Tuscany country side only on the movie. I hope that it's going to look just like the movie, so that I can take a lot of pictures.

Thanks again.