Great itinerary/Food??

Item: Grand Princess
Rating: 3
Author: RonK9

Grand Princess Cruise Review to Europe - Mediterranean

RonK9

Contributor Level: Deck Hand

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 68

Overall rating:

3 out of 5

Verified Review

12 Night Grand Mediterranean (Barcelona To Venice)

Sail date: September 25, 2006

Ship: Grand Princess

Cabin type: Balcony

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 18 years ago

Review summary

The Itinerary was great with a lot to do and see. The ship was good, but in need of drydock repairs which it has planned after the next run. It was early to bed and early to rise for tours, and no dining room adjustments to compensate. You had to do buffet. Buffet food and dining room food was a C+ rating at best and had to resort to Fine Dining (7 times in 12 days). Fine dining rating a A-. .

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5

Breakfast was very mundane. Nothing cooked to order so no fresh eggs. Dining room was very difficult to get into at breakfast because of tours schedules. Staff got a b rating. No adjustments when the at sea for any mid morning sleeping. Dinner was so-so for food with little imagination. Fine dining was very good. We ended up eating at the more costly fine dining there because it was the only alternative. Fine Dining should get a A- for food and an A for service. mundane.

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Cabin Steward was great. Research on the cabin said that it came with a DVD player. Got there an "not". Needed it to go over a DVD of a project we are working on and the Steward got one for us. Many staff including the assistant cruise director knew our names after meeting us once. Impressive... We got tired of asking how are you today because the answer 99% of the time was a programmed "excellent".

Ship Quality

3 out of 5

As one of the largest ships in the fleet, it was clean, but had a sulfer odor. Pax were encouraged to always sanatize their hands. Cabin classifcation of Mini-suite was misleading and should have been just a large stateroom with balcony. Cabin problems included no hot water and plugged facilities; windows falling apart and wood laminates on tables lifting. .

Cabin / Stateroom

3 out of 5

Cabin classifcation of Mini-suite was misleading and should have been just a large stateroom with balcony. Cabin problems included no hot water and plugged facilities; windows falling apart and wood laminates on tables lifting.

Ports of call

Istanbul, Turkey

3 out of 5

Tour of monuments, palace and mosc's were good, but did not like being pawed at in the Grand Bizaar. That was a wate of time. Been there and so not need to return.

Thumbs Up 0

Naples, Italy

3 out of 5

Naples itserf is a -0-, but get to Pompei. Sorrento or Capris are great, pompei blows you away.

Thumbs Up 0

Don't Miss: Pompei

Venice, Italy

3 out of 5

Watch where you sit for the local beer. Get the price first as 2 bers cost 27 Euros in the square. You can wonder the streets for hours and it is delightful. Look for a small resturaunt that has a lot of people who may not be tourists. You can get a great Pizza.

Thumbs Up 0

Don't Miss: Gondola ride

Mykonos, Greece

3 out of 5

Nothing to do but have a nice walk, have a coffee or a local beer and a little local food. have a Gyro. The best ever!!!

Thumbs Up 0

Don't Miss: Gyro and a Beer

Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy

5 out of 5

It can move you to tears at times...

Thumbs Up 0

Don't Miss: Vatican (no mater what your faith is).

Livorno (Florence & Pisa), Italy

5 out of 5

Florence let you see the beauty of the "Club" from architecture to art.

Thumbs Up 0

Don't Miss: A long walking tour with all of the siites / sights.

Piraeus (Athens), Greece

3 out of 5

Eyes will burn from the polution, but a ride to the Parthanon is great. Shopping is the same everywhere...

Thumbs Up 0

Don't Miss: Parthanon

Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey

5 out of 5

Ephasis tour was great. Tour switched from what I ordered and I was not pleased. They even called me at home to clarify what I wanted and was suppose to receive.

Thumbs Up 0

Don't Miss: Ephasis

Marseille (Provence), France

5 out of 5

The small village tour had more than expected. Lunch was a superb taste of local food.

Thumbs Up 0

Pros: Itinerary was great

Cons: Food was a C+ except for the Fine Dining

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Pretty good cruise