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😉 Welcome new and regular readers! My husband and I travel a lot, but we were on a cruise for the first time. A cruise in the Mediterranean Sea will be unforgettable! I share my impressions!
For the cruise, the liner “Emirald Princess” of the cruise company PRINCESS CRUISES was chosen, following the Mediterranean route: Barcelona, Marseille, Florence, Pisa, Rome, Kotor, Athens.
Cruise on the liner
Boarding the liner began in Barcelona. We arrived in Barcelona two days before the cruise. The hotel was booked in advance. Time flew by with benefit: got acquainted with the main sights of Barcelona. A city map can be taken at any hotel.
Barcelona
Full day sightseeing tour in an open bus. A single ticket costs 27 euros. You can ride this bus all day, get off and on where you need to. Information in all languages with headphones.
In two days we managed to:
- Walk along the Ramblas – 3 times.
- Visit Plaza Catalunya.
- View the Plaza de España.
- Sagrada Familia.
- Panoramic view of Barcelona from the observation deck of Montjuic.
- Barcelona Cathedral.
- Gothic Quarter (walk).
- Fabulous Casa Batlló by the great architect Antoni Gaudi.
- Monument to Christopher Columbus.
- View the house with umbrellas.
- Port.
Day one
The Mediterranean cruise begins! Boarding the liner takes several hours from 13.00 to 17.00. Having checked in the luggage, we went through the customs and passport formalities. Brief description of the liner:
Liner “Emirald Princess”, passengers 3082, staff – 1200 people. 19 decks! It’s a whole city!
Each of us was given a key to the cabin in the form of a plastic card, which was a pass to the ship and a credit card for payments on the ship (shops, spa, payment for alcoholic drinks in bars and restaurants). The same card was used as an identity card for the duration of the cruise.
About plastic card
To activate the ship card, you need to make a security deposit of $ 300 per person. Each card was automatically withdrawn $ 12 daily to pay a tip for the liner staff.
For a week-long cruise, $ 84 will be charged from each card regardless of whether you want it or not. These are the rules. It is not accepted to pay in cash on the ship.
On the last day of the cruise, you will receive a refund of the remaining money and a printout of your onboard account: where, when and how much. If you do not meet the $ 300, you will have to pay extra. By the way, you can exchange dollars for euros at the decision. If you did not manage to pay for the excursions at the travel agency when buying a cruise, you can do it on the ship.
You will be given a yellow card to replace your passport for the duration of the cruise. Passport during the cruise is kept at the reception for passport control in the countries visited. If you want to pick up your passport upon arrival at any of the ports, you will be asked for this card in return. But in the evening of the same day, the passport must be returned to the reception.
Once on the liner, we never ceased to be amazed at the luxury that was present all around! Carpets, mirrors, paintings, gilding … a 19-deck liner is a whole city! There is a theater here, the auditorium of which can seat 2000 spectators. There is no such theater in many cities.
Open-air cinema, many restaurants and bars, several swimming pools, casino, golf and tennis courts, gym, spa. In short, there is everything for recreation and entertainment for every taste.
Our cabin with a balcony! The beauty! Only pluses. At any time of the day you are close to the sea.
Admire islands, cities with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine! Take sun baths, peace and quiet.
You can choose a cabin without a window, so it is much cheaper and enjoyable on the deck. There, too, no one bothers anyone. 🙂 There is enough space in the sun for everyone!
About alcohol
We will remember a cruise in the Mediterranean for a lifetime and how we brought wine and cognac to the ship in our suitcase. Three bottles in total. It’s good for mood and budget! But there were also downsides. We checked in our luggage at 12.00. All passengers received the “correct” luggage by 15.00 and started to rest.
We found out: where is our suitcase? We contacted the reception several times. Imagine: the liner leaves at 19.00. The clock is 18.45, but our luggage is not there and no one can answer. Instead of resting, we were anxious. Finally, by 19.00, a suitcase appeared at the door of our cabin with a bottle tag!
Inside the suitcase, we found a letter in English. It said that in the event of our poisoning with the contents of the bottles, the ship’s crew is not responsible. The bottles were in the suitcase. 🙂 They came in handy for relieving stress!
In the cabin there are life jackets and a plan of the ship. On the first day, instructions on how to use the lifejacket.
Food
Buffet on the liner (breakfast and lunch). Dinner in several restaurants to choose from or in restaurants for an additional fee. You can order food in your room or at a table on the deck around the clock. The choice of food is huge! The restaurants offer a varied and sophisticated cuisine. We tried snails, lobsters and mussels.
Language
There are very few Russian passengers on the ship. The staff speaks only English. My husband and I do not speak English. We took a Russian-English phrasebook with us, but it was not useful. As long as you find the necessary phrase in it, you will quickly figure it out “on gestures” yourself. 🙂 How deaf and dumb!
In the central foyer of the ship, on deck 5
We were assisted by Ukrainian and Russian waiters who worked on the ship. We counted 7 people from the staff. The restaurant also has a menu in Russian, but if you know 20-50 English words, you won’t be lost!
This is the theater auditorium on the liner. Capacity 2000 seats! There are many cities that do not have such auditoriums.
The ship’s crew includes Americans, British, Filipinos, Ukrainians, Russians, Chinese, Italians, etc. In a word, an international crew! A cruise on a Mediterranean liner is an amazing vacation!
Day two
Our next stop is France, the city of Marseille. The stop of the liner is from 7.00 to 17.00.
At the pier, the guide of the travel agency Breez-Line was waiting for us for an excursion in Russian to Avignon and Marseille. The duration of the excursion is 8 hours with the road. There were about 15 Russians on all excursions.
Our walking tour began in the lovely town of Provence – Avignon. This is the hometown of Mireille Mathieu. The romantic town of Avignon is one of the most interesting cities in France. The beautiful location and the historical events associated with it will not leave you indifferent!
We visited: the Papal Palace – the seat of the popes (period from 1309 to 1378), one of the largest feudal castles in Europe. Pont Saint-Benezet, St. Peter’s Church, Opera House, City Hall, wine tasting shop.
On the way back to the port – a sightseeing tour of Marseille. There were three stops here:
- Longchamp Palace.
- The embankment, from where the castle of If is visible at a distance of 4 kilometers.
- Basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde on a high hill.
I was surprised that after each excursion, in order to get on the liner, you must wash your hands. Therefore, at the liner you will be met by the staff with a pile of wet terry napkins-towels. 🙂 Commendable!
Day three
Arrival at the port of Livorno. Italy. The stop of the liner is from 7.00 to 19.00. Here is the excursion Pisa-Florence. The road from Livorno to Pisa is only 30 minutes. From Pisa to Florence – 1,5 hours.
In Pisa, we saw the world famous Leaning Tower and the Square of Miracles.
In Florence:
- The Dome Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore with the famous Brunelleschi dome is the main attraction of the city.
- The Babtistery of John the Christite.
- The famous bell tower is the immortal creation of Giotto.
- The Cathedral of Santa Croce is the tomb of the most famous Florentines such as Galileo Galilei, Machiavelli, Michelangelo and many others.
- We visited the Signoria square with the town hall, the house of Dante Alighieri and the Golden Bridge.
Day Four
Arrival at the port of Civitavecchia, Italy. The stop of the liner is from 7.00 to 19.00. The road from the port to Rome takes 1,5-2 hours.
Rome. Sightseeing 4-hour bus tour with several stops:
- Triumphal Arch of Constantine.
- Coliseum.
- Visit to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
- Trevi Fountain.
In 2014, Rome passed a law abolishing the privileged entrance to the Vatican for large groups, so any group will have to spend time in a general queue. Well that’s fair. You can take a photo at this time in the square, near the obelisk, near the fountains.
During the sightseeing tour, you will see:
- Roman forum.
- Palatine Hill.
- Trajan’s Forum.
- Venice Square and the “Altar of the Fatherland”
- Castle of the Holy Angel.
Day five
The liner was at sea. Rest on the liner. 🙂 Your own director!
Sixth day
Arrival at the port of Kotor, Montenegro. Anchorage of the liner from 7.00 to 18.00. We got to the shore by shuttles of our ship. Boarding the shuttle and driving to the coast will take 30 minutes.
Excursion to the ancient city of Kotor, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Walking tour, duration 2 hours.
Free time after the excursion. The main thing is not to be late for the ship! Rules: you must return 1 hour before departure, no later! The guide handed out to tourists maps of Kotor in Russian for orientation in the narrow streets of Byzantine and Romanesque architecture.
Kotor is a city of sailors, which is more than 2000 years old! It is surrounded by Mount Lovcen, walls and ancient towers.
The main attractions:
- Cathedral of St. Tryphon.
- Church of St. Luke of the XII century.
- The Clock Tower at the Armory Square.
- XNUMXth century fortress
- Maritime Museum.
The city is surrounded by a wall like the Great Wall of China and ranks second after it in length.
Seventh day
The liner was at sea. Rest on the liner. Freedom and comfort!
Day eight
Greece, Athens. Disembarkation from the liner from 7.00 to 11.00. Receiving luggage at the pier.
Everything! The fabulous Mediterranean cruise is over! 😉 “Little bit of good”! But our journey continues!
We stayed in Athens for two nights. Many good impressions. The prices are much lower. For example, a sightseeing tour by bus costs only 16 euros per person. The bus ticket is also valid the next day. Very convenient: ride all day, see the sights, get out, get in. The beauty!
On Sundays, flea markets are everywhere in Athens, just like in Paris. You can buy literally everything! Remember the phrase: “Greece has everything!” And the changing of the guard at the Parliament with soldiers in full dress (on Sundays). We were lucky we saw it!
We examined the main attractions of Athens:
- Acropolis.
- Arch of Hadrian.
- Temple of Olympian Zeus.
- Honorary changing of the guard at the Parliament building.
- National Garden.
- Famous complex: library, university, academy.
- Monastiraki district.
- The stadium of the first Olympic Games.
- Embankment.
We got home through Prague, where we stayed for a couple of days. We were delighted with this fabulous city! Stunning architecture, beautiful buildings. Well-preserved historical monuments:
- The Charles Bridge!
- Powder Tower.
- Prague Castle!
- Old Town Square with the legendary chimes.
- Dancing House.
- Giant Cathedral of St. Vitus.
- 🙂 All this must be seen!
There is an English-style library on the liner! There are not enough readers …
Conclusion
This was our first cruise, a cruise on a liner in the Mediterranean Sea, moreover, on a luxury liner! Despite this, cruises are profitable. In one trip, you can see several countries and their main attractions.
- Note: The cost (one person) of our cruise on the “Emirald Princess” liner in September is $ 1000 + plane tickets + payment for excursions. The same cruise costs $ 600 in March, even cheaper in February.
The cost of a cruise depends on the class of the ship, on the category of the cabin, on the season, and on the duration of the cruise. You can choose a cruise for any wallet. In total, all cruise operators are divided into three classes: standard, luxury and premium. The choice depends on the travel budget, your personal preferences and the travel itinerary.
Detailed advice and assistance in choosing a tour will be gladly provided to you at any tourist office in your city. They will find what you desire!
Why cruises are beneficial for travel:
- Every day you visit a new city or a new country, without making tedious travels, without unpacking and packing your luggage.
- A huge amount of entertainment on board the ships. Around the clock!
- The highest level of comfort while relaxing. Cabins on cruise ships are in no way inferior to those of the best hotels. Infrastructure and service on board the cruise ship meets the highest demands of passengers. There is everything for a pleasant trip!
- A cruise is an all-inclusive vacation, where only alcoholic drinks and some types of exclusive services are paid additionally. If we compare it with the cost of a land rest of the same quality, it is obvious how much sea cruises benefit.
The most popular of all cruises is the Mediterranean Sea Cruise.
Friends, was my information helpful? Leave your feedback in the comments to the article “Cruise on a liner in the Mediterranean: a tourist’s story”. 😉 Go on a cruise urgently, life is short!