Europe - Western Mediterranean Cruise Reviews

The Silver Muse is beautiful. Interior is simple elegance, comfortable and relaxing. 

The beds were amazing and the food was outstanding.  The Veranda staterooms were all that I expected. We didn't use the outdoor veranda or dinning venues because the weather was chilly and it was not comfortable. In the summer months it will be awesome. The reservations for dinner situation was confusing and difficult to at first. Once we got cruising we were able to contact the restaurants directly to obtain reservations.  Not what I would expect for a 6 star cruise.  They need to tweek that. La Tarazza should be made into open dinning. I personally don't want to plan every night in advance. We enjoy large tables for dinner to socialize and meet new friends. The way it is set up now you don't really have that opportunity so you dine alone. If you make friends and want to dine with them you have cancel made reservations for all involved and try to get a larger table. That is a task. 

This was my first cruise and I had an amazing time! Staff was so nice and accommodating, facilities were beautiful, and excursions were well planned. Thanks!

We had an amazing week, the food was delicious, and the staff were helpful and kind. The entertainment was fun and the shows were spectacular. I would go again in this ship because it was amazing. The cabin was quite small but we booked an Inside Premium cabin. The restaurant was fantastic. In the buffet area we had a lot of choices and the food was delicious. The service was good. This was the first time with Costa and it was amazing.

The info regarding dinner times.  If you are later than 15 minutes it is closed - not communicated.

Ensuring that you have credit in your card before  the cruise and not going back to reception every day to rectify and reception still don't tell you!!!

They kept loading an excursion that we did not want every day til I when to the tour manager!

had a great time met some other English speaking people as the majority of passengers were Italian,French and German,when we docked at Malta we wasted an hour trying to get across to Valetta as another MSC cruise docked there also,be prepared not to dock at Valetta,it was school holidays so a lot of children on board also running up and down corridors,food was great,we only bought the water and wine pack as my husband doesn't drink and was cheaper for me to buy cocktails when I wanted 1 as everyone in cabin has to buy same drink pack and during the day your off the ship at ports anyway,would we do another MSC cruise...definitely :)....was great when leaving ports and they played "time to say goodbye"

Second time on Magnifica , great crew, staff go all the wy to assist you,  food fabulous,  animation excellent yet again. Overall 10 out of 10 . I WILL BE BACK. 

While the ports we visited were all exceptional, warm friendly people and amazing things to see, please note this is a review of MSC only. 

Our room was always clean and the gentleman that was in charge of our balcony room was excellent. Our dining room staff were always kind, friendly and helpful. the food was very good. With that being said, i was very disappointed with the cruise overall. About 2/3 of the remaining staff were rude and snobbish and pretentious. We attempted to add an excursion while on the ship. There was some confusion and we were signed up for the wrong one. they were less than apologetic. Blamed us for not knowing what we were requesting. offered us a 10% discount on the excursion and sent some old fruit to our room. When we asked if we could speak to the manager, we were told "he will not want to speak to 'YOU'!" we opted to have pictures taken, and purchased the digital package so we would have them when we got home. It was blank!!! no memories and we paid for it. it has been a month of multiple calls to MSC (15 total) at first trying to get them.... because they had no sense of urgency the photos were deleted and we have yet to been offered any kind of refund, compensation, or apology. 

It is a cheap cruise that offers little in the area of extras and EVERYTHING on board is grossly overpriced. the salon, spa, drinks, souvenirs. 

please just be aware of what you are getting when booking. the experiences on shore really made up for it. Southern Europe is beautiful and friendly! 

The cruise was good-but not the best.  We were disappointed that the excursions were so far away from where the ship docked.  Loved Henry's Pub and their staff!  Loved Cagney's !  Monica was a fabulous concierge.

We picked this cruise because of the unusual ports like Tunis and Algiers - true , we had to be on escorted bus tours in Algiers - but not many Americans are willing to take taxis or go on private excursions in those countries of north  Africa . In the other ports, we hired our own private tour guides so we didn't have to go on the bus tours provided by the ship . The Viking Sea is a beautiful vessel - spotlessly clean. Very helpful staff. Shows were nice enough - outdoor Beatle  show was fun .

I'd the tour was run very efficiently and am surprised at some negative comments . I think those were due to bad weather the week before we sailed - you have to be lucky with that - no fault of the cruise line - we'd take another cruise any time Viking has some unusual ports of call . 

This was our first time on Oceana and we will definitely cruise with them again. The ship is small and intimate,the stateroom was very nice and in a great location. The food and the service were outstanding.

The package value attracted us to the itinerary and a previous three day coastal, no port visits cruise convinced us that eight days was do-able. Holland America and the great staff of the Oosterdam did the rest. We upgraded to a Signature suite - well worth it. On the entire cruise I wore a light raincoat once, only for the morning in Cadiz. The crossing was the best weather, the smoothest the captain had experienced in 23 years! Late dining with great table companions and wonderful entertainment. Even the Casino let us win on our last day. Can't wait until our next cruise. 

The entire cruise was wonderful after we checked in on board.  Our cabin was large and spotless, the cabin steward, Vina, was excellent.  The entire experience on and off the ship was top notch and we highly recommend Windstar for anyone looking for a small ship experience.

We loved this cruise and visited many small villages and nice places. A busy program with less sea days. We recommend this cruise special for starters who want cruising.

I was so excited to take this cruise. First of all, this ship is huge! I was expecting a beautiful ship inside, but it wasn't anything special since I've been on a Princess and Carnival cruise. RC got a couple of things right. Getting on and off the ship was easy and stress free. Entertainment shows were alright, the performers were really good. The bad: unless you paid extra to pay at one of the specialty restaurants, the buffet and other food that came with the price of the cruise were the same every day. Thank God they had a Starbucks. I just wish I had filled my Starbucks gift card with more money before I got on board.  Everything on the ship cost extra. Each picture you took on formal nights were $20! That was way overpriced and they didn't have a great package to purchase pictures. Sharing a cruise with 6000 other people was not really a vacation. It was so crowded in the buffet that it took a while to find a table. I got bumped a couple of times and maybe just one or two people would apologize. They need to work on their buffet and their main dining room. The first day I found a table but the waiter for the section told me I couldn't sit there because it was a table for four! OMG! I should be able to sit where I want! On another occasion, I saw one waiter argued with a group of other workers. I didn't understand what they were saying, but I could tell they were telling him off right by where we get our beverage. That was not cool! It is cool that this ship accommodates everyone, but it's not ideal. I saw one guy's foot get run over accidentally by a lady's wheelchair when she got on the elevator. Ouch! Lots of entertainment and areas for kids. They have an area for the smokers too. I love the Solarium area and Central Park. I'll remember if I ever go again on a cruise to just turn off my phones since internet is so expensive! I got charged $50 for using data while sailing and I didn't even sign up for data on the ship! This ship is good if you don't mind crowds and bumping into other people and spending lots of money for just about everything! Everyone was really nice on the ship, but some just didn't really help you out. I'd go to Guest Services and the person that helps me out while I'm in line didn't really help answer my questions, but as soon as I got to someone behind the guest services counter, they were more willing and nicer and helped answer my questions. I was hoping RC would win me over with this ship/cruise, but I think it did the opposite. Also, their spa and spa staff sucks. I tried to take some classes and got there early, but none of the spa staff knew what I was talking about. Cmon.....if you work in the spa, you should know!

Review of NCL Epic 25th September from Barcelona

Early morning flight from Manchester to Barcelona and took the NCL transfer to the ship. Check in was very smooth and efficient and we were on the ship by 12 Noon. Headed straight to the Garden café on deck 15 which was very busy but not too much of a problem. After a leisurely lunch, we then w ent to find our B6 cabin, 11075 which was a large balcony. We were fully aware of the non-bathroom set up which personally was not a problem, but my Wife was less than impressed. She suggested that the designer should be sacked and that is probably why the Epic has no Sister ship.

The balcony had 2 loungers, 2 chairs and 2 small tables which was fine.

Went to explore the ship and remembered that the blue carpets were Starboard and the orange were Port. Same colours also on the lift buttons. With the ship full, it was obviously very busy, but never felt there was any problem.

Dining

Of the 7 nights we went to the Garden café buffet on 4 nights , twice to Taste and the last night to Manhattan. The buffet was good with plenty of choice and obviously if you liked a dish you could then go for seconds. We always looked for a suitable table first and one of us would sit whilst the other went for their food. The menus in the Taste and Manhattan are the same and very nice food with no need to pay for any supplements. There is always the standard steak and chips if nothing else takes your fancy. Excellent service from very attentive staff and well organised restaurants.

We went every day to the Garden café for breakfast which was slightly tricky to find a table. Part of the problem is that 2 people would sit on a table designed for 6 or 8, and a lot of wasted space, as we prefer not to dine with strangers. Be prepare to wait for around 15-20 minutes if you wanted a freshly cooked omelette as this station was very popular, although you could walk round the back and find another station. Also went to outdoor area for lunches close to the Waves bar for a welcome beer.

Ports

Tuesday morning, we alighted and walked into Naples. A very busy city and trying to cross the roads was a real problem as the Italians simply do not stop even on designated crossings. Went for a coffee and trooped up via Toledo but not really much different than walking around your own town and not really much to see. After less than 2 hours, we were back on the ship and relaxed on the balcony.

Wednesday morning docked at 6.00am in Civitavecchia on pier 12 Bis (N) and I was first off the ship and decided to walk all the way to the railway station and was on the train at 6.45am which was in the station. There was no sign of any shuttle at that time in the morning. My Wife decided not to bother with Rome, so I went alone. Off the train at Roma Ostiense and took the subway to Piramade for the 2 stops to the Colosseum. I had pre-booked my ticket and was there when the gates opened at 8.30am and straight inside. Took a few photographs and then headed for the Trevi fountain which were being cleaned and the fountains were not working. Walked then to Spanish steps and then to the Pantheon which was lovely inside. Quick walk to Piazza Navona and then headed across the river to Castel Sant 'Angelo and climbed to the top for a few more pics. Proceeded up the main street to the Vatican which was busy to say the least as it had been the weekly audience with the Pope. Past the security check but never made it into St Peters Square as at 11.15am, everybody was leaving and the police were blocking entry until 1.00pm.

Headed to the station at Roma S. Pietro and back on the train at 12 Noon to Civitavecchia. No shuttle bus around at the station and so walked it all the way back to the ship.

Thursday morning paid 5 Euros on the pier for a shuttle into Livorno to pick up a pre-booked coach by Tuscany Bus to Pisa which left at 10.00am. 2 hours in Pisa was long enough to see the Tower, Cathedral and the Baptistery. Bit of a trek from the car park to Miracle Square, going through a housing estate, over the railway line and trying to avoid all the African sellers of watches, sunglasses, etc.

Friday took the 10.05am tender to Cannes which we had booked on the TV screen in the cabin. Had a lovely coffee in a harbour restaurant and decided to walk to the old town. Followed a sign which took us climbing a steep hill which ended up at a church and never really saw Le Suquet  .

Headed back into the harbour and trooped along La Croisette looking at the very expensive shops before returning to the ship for lunch.

Final day was Marseilles which saw rain for the first time. Found the green line when getting off the ship, went past the Seaman’s club and boarded the port free shuttle bus into Marseilles. NCL will charge you $15 for their shuttle. However, the rain was pretty bad so headed straight back to the ship.

Entertainment

Priscilla Queen of the desert was excellent. Found it interesting that they warned families that it was not suitable for children because of the course language and sexual innuendos, but nobody moved.

Listened to Siglo in The Cavern who were a good rock band. Most evenings, sat around the Shakers cocktail bar and had a few Black Russians and Pina Coladas and listened to various piano players/singers. We had the UBP which was good to try various cocktails and not worry about the cost. Tried the Bliss lounge one evening which was karaoke night which was not our favourite and the atmosphere was flat.

Overall

A very relaxing cruise with good service from Orlando, our cabin steward. One comment about the general waiting staff around the Garden Café was that they did not appear to be enjoying their job, never smiling or trying to make conversation. The staff however in the MDR's were very friendly and helpful.

Having previously sailed on the Pearl and the Jade, I would probably prefer these two Jewel class ships over the Epic.

The Harmony is a beautiful ship! And we found the general staff very helpfull. But the ship really needs a lot of help with crowd  control!!!the Windjammer cafe opens too late, and when it does they only open one side! Which creates a very long wait to get in. We did have a soft drink package but the fountains were out of order most of the cruise .

And my time dining still created a long wait into dining rooms so it became very frustrating to eat or get a drink!

So going to guest services to complain was the only way to get dining room seating worked out. And we were credited for the drink package. Once that problem was solved the dining room staff was wonderul! I will say the tours were very well organised, and we enjoyed them but coming back to the ship to now deal with the mob scene every night made it unfortunate! We've traveled with Royal Caribbean many times and will continue to cruise with them . But this ship by far was our least favorite 

Beautiful ship overall. Its VERY similar to its sister ship, The OASIS.   So if you have sailed the later expect the same layout overall. 150 Central was by  far absolute best restaurant!  My time dining is good if you are out all day and cant get back in time for dinner.

The deck is overcrowded at the pool area with screaming kids that also use the Jacuzzi as their personal swimming pool. They should have added a pool the adults only solarium area. That would have been an excellent addition. Central park is nice. Great addition of Vinos. Cartier store should sell the "Love" bracelet since its what they are know for. Not everyone wants a watch, overkill on watch sales.

Although initially excited about our first Mediterranean cruise holiday with Costa our trip soon turned into a nightmare.

The first day we were told our door keys and suitcases will be deposited in the room and the room doors will be left open.

When we went down to our room our cases were there but only 1 key, but didn’t think anything of it. Later that night around 10pm we got a call and the person hung up when we answered it.

The next day I left my wallet out for a couple of hours while I went to dinner and when I returned our holiday money had been stolen.

When I reported this, the security staff went through our room, cases and all our personnel belongings, asking us for receipts for any purchases, my wife stood crying after our interrogation which lasted 2 hours due to their poor grasp of English.

After reviewing the door access logs we found someone had been sneaking into our room looking for something to steal each time we were out.

The Costa staff then said they would get back to us which they never did, when we chased them they just said they were looking into it, all the way up to the end of the holiday. They just couldn’t have cared less which makes me think this is a regular occurrence.

If we could have got a flight home from one of the ports mid holiday we would have.

When we got home we contacted Costa and got the same response, ‘looking into it’ then no reply.

On top of this breakfast had to be sent back every day as uncooked and every order to room was wrong due to poor English.

There are plenty of cruise lines to choose from, don’t waste your money and precious holiday time on Costa you’ll regret it !!!

Having read some reveiws I was  dubious I am a diamond  member and have cruised 15 times with royal caribbean .However we were delighted sailed 25th Sept round the med from barcelona  the  balcony  cabin on deck 6 was spacious  plenty of storage  comfortable  bed great cabin Stewart .we always select classic dinning  table 116 icon restaurant  the food and service  wee  wonderful  nothing was to much trouble. All the service we received was excellent. Wind jammer  food great never had trouble getting  a table .the adult solarium  is brilliant  and so was the service. Overall excellent  experience. My one and only  criticism  is the casino  which I normally  visit this time once only the smoking in there is shocking  one area for none smokers but you were overwhel med by  the  smell which also went through to dinning room  entrance this issue seriously  needs attention  otherwise would certainly  recommend  the harmony  

The great customer service received at Cheap Cruises help make our cruise perfect.  I was amazed that we were assigned a real travel agent who stayed with us from the time we booked up until the trip.  Where to you find that these days?