Europe - Mediterranean Cruise Reviews

The ports featured on this cruise were excellent.  Chania was a real surprise as I have not seen it on other itineraries.  I would love having a clock in the cabin or the time displayed on the TV screen. Our room attendants, Chris and Vlad were most attentive and helpful.  The restaurant staff was equally impressive with Marina, Ally and JV assigned to our table.  Kosta was also very humorous and kept us laughing when ever he would visit our table.  Shows were good as well.  Beautiful theatre and very professional. Food was excellent!

We loved this cruise, the ship, and the staff.  The only issue is related to smoking.  Celebrity designated a smoking section on the jogging track, which is used to walk and run.  There are plenty of other spaces for smokers but no other space to jog.  Request to close the jogging track smoking section for a few hours early in the morning was denied by Celebrity staff.  Note that there are smoking sections on almost all levels of the ship.

The Epic is very clean and all areas have an updated elegant appeal.  This itinerary was great.  I'd recommend getting on in Rome because it's nice to have the break at Sea after several days of excursions.  We talked to others that got on in Barcelona and they felt we had the better itinerary - they were exhausted.  We flew in early and spent 3 days taking nite and half day tours (we wish we had a few more days in order to visit Venice - which is the only additional place we wanted to see).  This did allow the us time to get accustomed to the time change and enjoy more sights than you would see on the full day excursions to Rome.  We opted for the Haven thermal spa suite and would definitely recommend it.  We enjoyed having our special "haven" area away from the crowds on board.  The thermal spa suites are located in the Aft of the ship near Madara spa instead of directly in the Haven area (forward) so be prepared for a walk to get to the Haven amenities.  Our room was on the 14th deck with the water slide area / rock wall above us.  We assumed that there would be noise during the day but the running and jumping noise continued throughout the entire night, every night long after the slide, rock and bars were closed.  If you are a light sleeper bring earplugs or opt for the Haven area versus the Spa area on deck 14. Otherwise the room itself and balcony were lovely and it's a convenient location!  The complimentary access to thermal spa at Madara (when you book Haven Thermal Suite) was wonderful - you just have to show your room key to the desk to gain access.  On our first day on the ship we made sure we had swimsuits and other necessities in the bag we carried on; even if your room is ready (and most are) your bags won't get to your room for several hours, you can hang out in the Haven or use the Spa.  We opted for private excursions and would highly recommend that as well if you don't like traveling with crowds or on buses.   Scott with Delta was extremely helpful making recommendations and giving me great tips on dining, shows and the ship...can't wait to start planning our next trip.

Loved the ship, spotlessly clean, nice size standard cabin, Staff always attentive, friendly and helpful. Food excellent choice and nice atmosphere in the main restaurant. Bars and lounges very relaxing and good array of drinks. Strongly recommend Celebrity and Equinox 

It's really hard to pick a favorite but if we had to, it would be the restaurants, except the Garden Cafe which was pretty standard fare for a cruise ship. It wasn't bad, just ordinary. There are some really good complimentary restaurants.

The service overall was terrific.

it would have been nice to have towels changed at least twice in a week.

The best way to see all of the best port cities in the Mediterranean is by taking this cruise. The Epic was clean, the food was good and the entertainment was excellent! I would definitely do this again! Oh and the unlimited beverage package was the best part of it all!

We are ready to rebook immediately, We  will do the same with same ship. Prior to the embarrment and hotel celections will stay at the same motels. We will pay for the same drink package....classic it included everything we need. We would also take advantage of the on board sale we bought quality gifts for family to bring back home. Overall we enjoyed all the shore excurtions just wish had a little more time on each one. We did not take advantage of the speciality restrants did not need to because of the wonderfull 3 locations to eat. We made some good friends while on the ship and with their cooperation will keep in contact with them from around the world.

Itinerary was great with plenty of time in ports for exploring. Ship was fair but has a very attentive staff. A little too much cruising between time Dubrovnik/Kotor/Venice (would have been a plus to arrive in Venice before 10 PM).

We love the ports we visited. Toulon was a magical city, Florence (Tuscany) was like a dream. Naples (Pompei) was a awe inspiring experience. Exploring Naples was fun and having Pizza at a sidewalk cafe topped it off. Mykonos was breathtaking, so we're Dubrovnik and Kotor. We would return in a heartbeat!

We loved our balcony stateroom and the ship was beautiful. We enjoyed the casino, the shows and the ships band. The crew was very friendly and service was great. The food was delicious and the only complaint I have was the lack of a midnight buffet. Finding something to eat after a night of playing in the casino or dancing in galaxy of the stars was difficult.

The best part of the cruise was all the wonderful stops. For the most part the ship was good but does need some updating. We had a nice room but bathroom was small and the shower needed a good cleaning some mold and broken tiles. The staff were pretty friend but when getting off in different ports if you didn't use NCL they weren't always so helpful. The food was good but the 1 buffet that everyone used for breakfast before leaving the ship could get a little crazy and they ran out of coffee a couple of times. We loved Henrys Pup for drinks the bartenders were excellent but they did run out of the draft beer a few days before the cruise was over. Overall it was a good Cruise but not great but with some changes I think it could be great.

Ports were very interesting.  Unfortunately had to cut the cruise short by two days.  Husband had an accident and had to be taken to hospital in Dubrovnik.  Medical staff on board were fantastic.  Royal Caribbean arranged a port agent to assist me with hotel, flights home etc and he was excellent.  Could not have managed without his help.  Didn't get to see Venice.  Will have to return sometime.

Food was great,  room was great , service was great , the shows were great --- my only complaints were number one -  there was not much to eat after midnight unless you wanted to order room service or have pizza or a little finger sandwiches the casino was open late and  my group and I were always hungry after .  Number two -  they did not sell cigarettes or alcohol on this cruise and I am used to purchasing those items when traveling on Royal Caribbean .  Number three -  there was no Ben & Jerry's or cupcakes or any place to get a good dessert after hours.  Johnny Rockets closed at 11:30 and there were no buffets except at mealtime .  Number four -  this was a seven day cruise and the only day they had a slot tournament or blackjack tournament in the casino was the last day at sea .  However the slot machines  gave you a fair chance of winning they paid more consistently then the other crew ship casinos I have been in .  I love Royal Caribbean cruises and will continue to cruise royal Caribbean I just hope that they have more food options open late . 

So first the high- great SERVICE! Crew members knew our names after the first meeting! Ship was clean, and organized and always in good standing. the dining was the best I have experienced of the 3 cruise-lines I have traveled. Our room was thoroughly cleaned and organised for us 2 times a day. The casino was quaint, and the atmosphere comfortable- I payed at the tables every night. All the staff and crew we encountered were first rate.

Now the low..... get your ice cream by 9:30pm- after that ..... NO ice cream on the entire ship. I spot for coffee 24/7...... 1 small pot or snacks pizza, cookies etc.  till 2 am. The shows could be better- they did not capture our interest   

We loved the ship, the ports we visited, the cabin, the food & the crew. We had so many amazing attractions all week long, on-board and off, that we could have used another 1-2 days at sea to rest at the end.

For those who like all the amenities of the big city while cruising, this is an excellent ship. A variety of restaurants,shops, shows and family activities such as the Abyss slide make evenings and sea days a real vacation. On-board internet was great and a bargain for our party of four. Jaime's Italian experience was our favorite restaurant. 

An internet/electronics issue early on the cruise, but were handled by the second day.

We liked cabin location on deck 7; liked having the balcony with great views.  The solarium was very relaxing; really enjoyed my massage in the spa.  We agree our favorite evening was the one we spent at the "Chef's Table".  We met some wonderful people on board; both other cruisers as well as Royal Caribbean employees.  

An area that could be improved; based on other cruises I have taken, this one seemed to have a large number photo ops, but not much time or thought was taken or given to the quality of the shots.  

Quality of food at the Windjammer Cafe was not the best that I have experienced on previous cruises or vacations.

The shows, entertainment options and drink package were all satisfactory.

This was exactly a trip to celebrate my daughter's accomplishments from Graduate school.  She will be starting her full time career shortly.  We both love to travel and the itinerary was perfect for us.  The average age of the passengers was 62 and above.  My 24 year old daughter did not mind though.  She liked the gentleness of the atmosphere.   The Oosterdam did not disappoint.  Our cabin was 6024, VERY quiet and in a wonderful location on the ship.  We were on the Port side or the ship, we did not have very good views once in port, Starboard had the terrific views while in port.   I waved hello to the captain each morning, we could see one side of the bridge.  The captain was professional and had a wonderful voice to listen to for announcements.  We often had room service on the balcony for breakfast.  The Oosterdam is showing it's age, but still a comfortable ship.  Anything plastic was aging.  The hallways are dull and old.  The cabin was roomy for two. The sheets on the beds were fantastic. The staff was efficient and courteous, memorizing our names and room numbers.  The rooms were clean.  The package laundry service was the highlight, really great since the Oosterdam does not have a coin laundry on board like other ships.  Since this was a 24 day cruise laundry was a big deal.  We found that clothing did not dry rapidly on the ship. We mostly ate at the dinning room.  Lido was our last resort.  The views from Lido were really good, but the tables by the windows were usually occupied.  Sailing into Venice was a highlight.  This was the perfect Mediterranean sampler cruise the destinations were fascinating, 9 countries.  It was a dream vacation come true...we loved it.  I would have rated it 5 stars, but the boat is aging and not all travelers could stand being on a ship for so long.  Rick Steve's Mediterranean Cruise book help immensely with the cruise ports.    

Specialty dining was fantastic... especially Wonderland..  very creative.  Wonderland bartender was fun, nice quiet spot on the ship.

My Time Dining is a joke. We had reservations at 8 and stood in line fire 30 minutes.  The staff is super friendly, but I'd you have a problem...they a ate not at all flexible. 

This was my husband & my 11th Cruise & we have sailed most with Carnival this ship was quite different in many ways mostly good.

A few issue's but I am sure in time hopefully these kinks will be fixed.

Start with a positive LOVE LOVE LOVE the Havana Suites & area it was so nice having the extended balcony & private pool & bar for the busy sea days. Worth the extra $$.

The dinner open times was ok for us since it was just the 2 of us but we did have to wait for regular dining room at prime time but they accommodated us nicely just have patience they are trying. The food was good but not the best we have had on previous cruises with Carnival maybe it's due to the length of the time on ship ?

We tried most of the alternative dining (up-charge) we LOVED the Italian, the Steakhouse was good but not GREAT! JiJi's Kitchen is very good (be hungry).

We felt less FUN ship on this cruise by far which was ok since we spent so much time out on excursions nearly every day but we tried to find the fun & it was tuff FINALLY the Comedy Club had a 56 year old black man that we cannot remember his name he was hilarious if he's playing GO! The bike's, rope course & water slides are so much fun. We felt like kids. LOVE the self serve tap beers in the Brewery both taste great & only $4 a swipe. Really nice staff.

Negative is the spa which makes me sad they need to get better with the scheduling & hire more experienced (seasoned) massage therapists for sure. The up-selling is a little annoying when all I wanted was a blow dry & style 7 a massage they just kept trying I guess that's good for carnival I just want to chill on my vacation not have to be sold constantly (picture's, spa,).

All in all this was a great trip.

Cheer's to Carnival Vista

kitchen chief for dinner is bad cooker. Tiger shrimps are not tiger shrimps. Vegetables are not tasted at all. Bread are hard and cold. Lunch chief is better.

I have never heard any cruise line movies on board need be paid.

Not much entertainment