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We probably arrived at embarcation at the wrong hour (12 to 1PM). There was a long line outside the building in the hot sun where we stood for half an hour.
Checking in was O.K. with far too much hassle over permits for my grandchildren although we are Europeans and the cruise stayed within EEC borders. My wife forgot a manila envelope full of registration papers and child care legalities at that counter which we never recovered later.
The ship is clean, well maintained. We had lunch at the self-service restaurant. Not easy to find a table for the four of us there but that is understandable.
Cabin : smallish for four, yes. But functional. Next time, I'll book a suite if we're four.
The first evening's show was spectacular, children greatly impressed. Another ,later, show with cirque du soleil acrobats was sublime. Another featuring a magician also made an effect. The other evening's shows were of far lesser quality. Some quite boringly amateurish.
We nor the children participated in "activities" which are always identical with those on other cruises we've been on.
Now : one big disappointment was the dining. We have cruised for 12 years now. It is very obvious that there is a big saving effort going on. You do not get lemonade anymore. Desserts are almost identical and cheap every day. Wine is expensive + there is an additional charge of 25% on all beverages ! Drinking water is not easy to obtain outside the restaurants. We saw many passengers lugging heavy bottles of drinking water at every stop.
When we booked this cruise, I was shocked by the rates for excursions. No tourist information booth at terminal in Citavecchia. A cruise-line excursion "Rome Classical" would have cost us 600 US$ for the four of us (with guide). We took a train from the port to Rome on our own and there subway to Colosseum,Trevi-fountain and Spanish steps at a total cost of 55 US$.total (guiding ourselves) Before arriving in Naples I inquired at the "information desk" how we could get to Pompei. They said : take a taxi to the station and then take a train. We disembarked on our own There was again no tourist information booth. So I stepped into a newspaper stand and asked directions. I was informed that there was a bus stop 200m at the right of the terminal that takes you straigt to Pompei for 2,40 euros pp.every 15 minutes. Tickets for entering the city-museum were free for the kids and me (over 65). We paid 11 euros for my wife. So : this excursion cost us total 30 euros (or 38 US$). The ship's half day excursion rate would have been : get this : 340 US$ !!! But -agreed - that is guided .
In Palma :(no tourist information booth again) right in front of the terminal there is a bus (nr.1) that takes you to the city center for 1 euro OW( = 1,26 US$). The ship's bus (return)is : 10 US$ !!!! That a city bus is available at terminal was not indicated on the board at information desk.
It is evident to me that the ship's staff is most unhelpful in directing passengers who want to tour on their own while pushing their own outrageously expensive tours.
My conclusion is that this cruiseline offers cheap rates to get you aboard and once you're there : you're a captive audience for recuperation to profit.
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