Cruise reviews seem to diverge, those who are new to cruising and amazed at the value, offerings and options followed by veteran cruisers who are noting the continued changes and decline of what cruising used to be. In either case, this was a great cruise full of fantastic ports and met some of the most interesting passengers from around the world. This review is written from a perspective of a single passenger who was trying to keep costs to a minimum while still enjoying the ports and opportunities. One option for the getting tot he port in Rome is using public transportation. I spent a couple days in Rome prior to the cruise and took the train from Termini to the port. Fare was about 5 Euros. From the train station walked to the port, approx. 6 blocks and met the port bus who took passengers to the ship for check-in just outside the ship. Luggage drop off, check in all went smoothly. The cabin was spacious, had good storage and a well laid out bathroom. The age is beginning to show with tears in the curtains, holes in bed linens and stains in the carpet. However it was clean and neat over the duration the cruise. The ship is also beginning to show wear. The wood railings, the Sculptures by the pool by "Brito" suffering from rust and badly stained carpet in many public areas. The ship, as my room was kept very clean and crews were constantly seen cleaning, wiping and keeping things neat. The itinerary was terrific. Here are some tips on what to do and see if on a budget. In Messina, met up with other passengers and took a public bus to Taormina. Walked to the bus station, next to the train station and had option of bus or train to Taormina. Fare was about 8.00 euros r/t. In Athens walked to the train station (about 15 minutes) and took train r/t into Athens. Piraeus, the port is the final stop on the green line. If you take it to Monastiraki which is in the Plaka and at the base of the Acropolis. From here you can walk to all the major sites. Haifa-Israel there is a bus station and train station just outside the port for destinations in the vicinity of Haifa. There is a great tourist information office with maps and general information for Haifa including public transportation. In Ashdod had arranged as part of a group on cruise critic a trip to Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. It was a great trip, too much to see in one day. Used GTI which is mentioned many places in Cruise Critic. The guide was informative, but disappointed that we were not allowed any time in Jerusalem to shop or wander and then later herded to some truck-stop for food and souvenir shopping with a kickback to the guide. The Dead Sea was fantastic, but on a short day excursion, it was too much driving and would have enjoyed spending more time in other settings. Rhodes was fantastic and you are able to walk right into the town from the ship. Many other passengers rented a car and drove to Lindos. In Kusadasi, the main highlight is Ephasus. Since I had been there the previous year, spent the day shopping and wandering the city. Some visitors went to a hammam and thought it was great. A tip for the shopping. Always bargain and start very low. I had been generally advised start at 1/2 the price they mention, but many things were selling at about 20% of the original price quoted. Maybe even lower. people looking for a knock off of almost any watch or handbag will be thrilled. Leather goods also seemed to be popular. Chaina in Crete offered a city bus for 3.00 Euros roundtrip to the center of the city while the cruise offered a trip for 20.00 USD per person roundtrip to the center of the city. Naples was a great stop off point for many great excursions which are easily accessed by public transport. The hydrofoil to Capri was a 5 minute walk from the ship and others took the train from the main train station to Pompeii, Sorento, Herculaneum and others. On ship observations: the cruise director staff had very low visibility initially on the cruise. Daily activities were filled with music in the various venues and pay for activities sponsored by the spa and other cruise services. The meet and mingle was pathetic. the idea is not giving away a bunch of cheap trinkets but to get people excited about the cruise, interacting. The cruise line also missed out on the opportunity to really sell the itinerary. Later in the cruise they started to offer port lectures with experts while initially it was a "scare" the people into taking the ships shore excursions. The information for Israel was pathetic. The food on RCCL as on other cruises was bountiful but hit or miss. Service for the dining room and cabin was excellent. Breakfast in the dining room was very slow. The cruise was hitting some new ports and the lack of preparation was notable. The biggest complaint by me and many others were the ways they try to "cheat" you out of your money. For example, the day the cruise left, there were sweatshirts on sale outside the shop on main street. Sign marked 1/2 off. the tag was 36.00 USD. Over that price was a sticker saying $72.00 USD. So they doubled the price, then put up a sign that they are 1/2 off to get you back to the original price. They would frequently advertise specials such as drink special of the day only to charge a different amount. they posted a soda package price, but when tried to purchase were told, it was for a shorter cruise and not this cruise. Explaining they had it advertised at that price, an apology was offered. Overall, it was a good cruise, met fantastic people from around the world and the ports were unbelievable. Keep your expectations in check and you will have a fantastic time.