Hidden costs

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 44

Review summary

The base cost of the Mediterranean cruise out of Rome was acceptable but there was hidden cost add-ons at every turn. The cost of transfers and excursions ended up costing almost 65 % of the cost of the basic cruise price. Then Gratuities, internet, exchange rates, etc. ran the bill up to 80% of the booking. Avoid shopping on-board because the mark up on merchandise is enormous and the pay back in the casino is frugal. Excursions and port transfers booked thru your travel agent will save you hundreds of dollars. An example was the cost of NCL transfers to the port ran $150.00 for two of us, where as a airport to port shuttle cab ran half that price. We surmised that the gratuity recommendation is actually a scheme to subsidize labor costs by the cruise line and there is no guarantee the waiter or steward will receive what is charged to your bill. Free style dinning may offer some benefits but count on a 15 minute wait before you are seated. By the end of the cruise the buffet served more meals than the dinning rooms because passengers opted for serving themselves over the long wait in dinning rooms.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

Service and Staff

Ship Quality

Cabin / Stateroom

Ports of call

Katakolon (Olympia), Greece

Piraeus (Athens), Greece

Alexandria (Cairo), Egypt