Our family of 4 sailed May 31st on the Carnival Liberty 12 night trip in the Mediterranean. We consider ourselves frugal cruisers and enjoy finding ways to make the trip more economical, preferring to do things on our own rather than purchase shore excursions. We traveled lightly so we could easily haul our own luggage, with each of us taking a pull suitcase and an individual backpack (since the children are now 14 and 11, they were able to help tremendously).

The journey began with a drive to Chicago, as the least expensive flights we could find were on Aer Lingus from Chicago to Dublin, then Dublin to Rome. Flight times resulted in our needing to stay a day in Dublin, so we booked the Holiday Inn City Center for about $100 (one of the few hotels that allowed children in the room). Bus transportation from airport to City Center was 8Euro for the entire family (they offered a family pass for that price). By the luggage area in the airport there was an information desk where the pass could be purchased. This was a great introduction to Europe since we spoke the same language. We spent the day walking about Dublin to stay awake, so we would adjust to the correct time more quickly. We took a cab to the airport for our early morning flight to Rome.

After arriving in Rome, we took the Leonardo Da Vinci train from the airport (there are signs directing you to the trains) to the Termini station which is approx 20 minutes. Cost was 9 Euro per person, and we purchased the tickets from a vending machine at the station. Trains run every 30 minutes, so there is no need to worry about the schedule. Signs marking each station were easily seen from the windows on the train, so there was no confusion about which station we should exit. Arranging lodging was somewhat of a challenge, as many hotels in our price range required us to book two rooms to accommodate 4 people (they only allowed a max of 3 per room). To save money we contacted the Hostel Des Artistes and arranged for a family room in the hostel for 108E credit card or 105E cash. I was a little nervous about this but it turned out to be a great part of our adventure. The hotel itself is approximately 3 blocks north from the Termini station. (Tip -- make sure you exit the north end of the station. We exited the south side which resulted in our needing to walk the entire way around the station, mostly uphill. In hindsight I would have done this walk inside the station where there are escalators. Just do not take any steps down when exiting the train and head to the main part of the station. The train from the airport comes in on the South side.) The directions provided by the hostel were easy to follow and we went to the 5th floor for check-in. The lift was very small and only accommodated two people with luggage. The room we booked was a family room which had 4 single beds and a color TV with basic cable. We did not pay for a/c, since we were traveling in late May and the windows provided a lovely breeze. Our room had a sink but the toilet/shower was down the hall. One floor up was a beautiful garden with plants, tables, and chairs. It was nice retreating there to write post-cards, read, or enjoy beverages which they sold at the hostel. We were pleased with our decision to stay here two nights, and it allowed us to get over any jet lag before starting our cruise. Within walking distance were local restaurants and pizza places. Our original plan was to walk to the Colosseum, ruins, and Trevi Fountain and take a bus back, but the walk wasn not that taxing so we did the entire day on foot (with frequent stops for gelato.) Read more