I enjoyed the Mediterranean area and the places I got to visit, Although the ports were so far from any excursion points. For example, Civiitavechhia is about an hour from port, by train, 1 1/2 hours by bus to get to Rome. So that takes a lot of time out from the time allowed for being off the ship. The ship was a newer one but apparently, they cut corners to have more cabins. The pool were very small and the ship was not as elegant as most I've been on. And I've been on a lot of Norwegian ships. They also want to charge extra for so many things, like some of the shows, the entrance to the ice bar, cover charges for the specialty restaurants has really increased (so choose the dining package if you are able), etc. And if you like to use the casino while cruising, this ship had very little activity - the least I've ever seen. The solo cabins were nice and sufficient for one person. And the access to the solo's lounge and snacks was very nice also. It made it easy to meet other solo travelers so that is one of the best ideas they've had in a while.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
I ate at one of the free restaurants and food was not as good as usual. The specialty restaurants were very good and the buffet is always good too - there is a lot of variety
Onboard Activities
2 out of 5
Entertainment
2 out of 5
I went to one free show which was a play about gay men. This is the 2nd cruise that I've been on where they like to offer this as a free entertainment. I found it offensive and I know others did too but they didn't feel comfortable leaving as easily as I did. The other entertainment had a charge. There were small acts in the bar area which was very good - wall to wall people. All in all, it was not wonderful.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
Most of the staff were pleasant and helpful as needed.
Ship Quality
2 out of 5
Design was ok - you can find everything you need pretty easily. And the cleanliness was very good, as always. I did not care for the small pools...it was more like a dip pool. There were plenty of loungers. And the casino extended along the most part of a hallway on one deck which felt very strange. There were side areas with machines also.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
The solo cabins were nice, sufficient for one. The bed was queen size and comfortable. If you wanted to watch TV, you might like to turn sideways on the bed as it was pretty tight. The shower was in one corner and the toilet in the other. The first night was pretty rocky and the shower water ran all over the floor and to the door. So my towels were used to clean it up. There is a special lighting system (mood lighting) which was kinda fun. There is no desk area to speak of, or table, nor any chairs. The bed was your chair. The storage was plenty for one person.
Ship tip
If you like to swim, choose another ship. Pick the dining package if offered. I had a very large lobster dinner one night and a lobster/filet mignon another night. These would have cost over $25 if I had not picked the dining package. Bring a bottle as you cannot bring drink on board.
I heard the hop on/hop off bus work very nicely. I did not try it since I was traveling solo and my first time there. I did take an excursion after the cruise to Montserrat thru Julia's travel - fabulous.
I had planned to walk to the train station and go into Rome as I had researched this extensively before going. But it just happened that I met a friend on board and she booked us on an excursion bus which was just fine. Enjoyed Rome, seeing the Pope and the Sistine chapel. To skip the lines, get your tickets on-line!!! The lines are horrendous and you won't have time to see anything
This is a beautiful French city. My friend and I chose to visit a beautiful cathedral on a hill and it was a great choice. The taxi driver was a bit curt with us but otherwise, it was a pleasant visit
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