This is a VERY active itinerary with only 2 sea days at the beginning of the cruise. Also, this part of the world does NOT have the kind of ADA accommodations we have in the states so it's a very difficult terrain for those with any type of mobility issues
Embarkation
5 out of 5
By far the easiest and best embarkation ever. We got to terminal earlier than expected. After handing luggage to porter we walked in and sat down. There wasn't a crowd of people waiting and within 15 minutes they started boarding suites/platinum/ diamond guests. We were onboard at 10:35am! Also, if taking a private, liscenced car service, they can drop you off right at the terminal. Otherwise other vehicles have to drop you off outside the terminal to catch a shuttle.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We don't expect "gourmet" fare on Carnival so we're more than satisfied with all food offerings.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
This cruise was so port intensive there wasn't time for us to take part in most of the onboard activities but there were trivia games all day.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
All the musicians were great - especially the violin trios. They brought in 2 special guest singers for the theatre - Angelique - (simply amazing!) and a British opera/pop singer on the last night. She was also brilliant but few people attended that show. The regular shows by the cast were also enjoyable.
Children's Programs
didn't travel with kids
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Everyone goes out of their way to be friendly.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Easy to get around. Never felt crowded
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
This suite is absolutely wonderful. There is a completely separate bedroom that can be closed off. It has a chest of drawers and a nice walk in closet with additional shelves. The little sitting area with sofa and one chair was comfortable enough to entertain 4 people. Having double sinks and a tub/shower a great plus but the piece d' resistance is the huge wrap around balcony with two loungers and 3 chairs. The only reason this did not get a 5 star rating was due to unattached portions of the drapes (clips were broken), no tie backs for drapes (we used shoelaces to keep them open), and a desperate need for caulking around the tub. Initially, our cabin was far too warm for our liking and the thermostat didn't change anything. However, we told our steward who contacted engineering and the issue was almost immediately rectified. It was almost TOO chilly but we left well enough alone.
Cute, walkable town with several harborside restaurants. Our tour drove us around the island and ended with a walking tour of the old city but one can easily do the latter part on their own.
One goes for the ruins - along with thousands of other visitors. We did an excursion with a guide that tried to keep us one step ahead of the surging crowds. At the end we were subjected to a rug factory tour. Unless you really want to purchase an expensive rug, don't show any kind of interest or -heaven forbid - ask a price because these folks are relentless in trying to make a sale. Tip: they will negotiate.
Nothing is walking distance from the port. We did a panoramic tour of Athens and battled (then abandoned) the mobs of people walking up the Acropolis. In the Plaka (?) there was time to grab a quick gyros and souvenir.
The pier at the base of the mountain to where most cruise ships tender is narrow and tiny making for chaos when hooking up with an excursion. Heading up to the top of the mountain from that location is either via stairs (this is like climbing stairs of a 30 story building), cable car, or mule (they're not donkeys). The way down is the same except one can wait a good two hours for the cable car. OR, do a non-ship excursion like ours that put us on a boat to a different pier where we boarded a coach bus taking us up the mountain with an island tour. After time to walk and eat, we boarded the bus back down the hill to meet our private boat that tendered us directly back to the ship.
Such a pretty little town walking distance from the cruise terminal. I spent 10 euros to board a hop on bus to see a bit of the countryside on the ride into the main city. The cruise was there on a Sunday so no point in getting off the bus as all businesses and restaurants were closed. Only ones open were in the area next to the cruise port.
This is the first time we waited until almost the bitter end to leave the ship. Everyone needed to be off by 9am. Again, we had a private car service taking us back to Rome and the driver was able to meet us at the terminal. There is no customs or passport line to navigate. Just grab your waiting luggage and leave.
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