HOLLAND AMERICA DROPS THE BALL - Western Mediterranean "Ports" Review by Castlefield509

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Home > Member Reviews > Castlefield509's Port Reviews of Rome (Civitavecchia), Monaco, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Tunis (La Goulette), Naples

Castlefield509's Port Reviews of Rome (Civitavecchia), Monaco, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Tunis (La Goulette), Naples
Noordam cruise in August 2011

Member Name:	Castlefield509
Cruise Date:	August 2011
Embarkation:	Civitavecchia
Destination:	Western Mediterranean
Member Review:	Castlefield509's Noordam Review

	Rome (Civitavecchia) Port Rating: Prior to our trip we went on line and purchased admission tickets to the Uffizi Galleria in Florence. We went past the long crowds into the admission area and presented our on line reservations. The woman behind the desk claimed that we had purchased an opportunity to make a reservations and were not in possession of offical Uffizi tickets. We had purchased the tickets from the offical Uffizi website so we knew that she was just trying to cheat us. We asked to speak to a manger who told us that our tickets were real suggested that the woman has misunderstood us. It is an incredible museum and is a must see. We Next went to the Ponte Vecchio and the town hall of Florence. ANother must see is Il Duomo, a magnificent Church. We paid to get into the Pitti Palace, but this was not a very exciting stop.
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	Monaco Port Rating: I expected Monte Carlo to be more exotic than what is actually is. It is more like most towns in Spain. We went to the Jardin Exotique which are beautiful gardens over-looking the city and well worth a visit. The Oceanographic Aquarium was ok, if you are traveling with children, head downstairs to where the fish are on display. The casino is lovely, but also not worth all the hype they make over it. we went into the lobby, but we did not pay to enter the main casino. The groundsaround the casino are quite nice. If you like expensive sports cars, hang around this area as that is where they will all be.
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	Barcelona Port Rating: We spent 2 days in Barcelona and there is a lot to see and do. Most people start off at Las Ramblas, a busy tourist infested area of souvenir vendors and tourist shops. The highlight of Barcelona was the Picasso Gallery. The gallery has a fantastic array of his paintings from the beginning of his study as an artist until his death. The Sagrada Familia Temple is another must see stop, it is a magnificent Church. We also went to see Gaudi's buildings and the Gothic Quarter. We went to a Flaminco, however it was more guitar playing than it was dancing. We expected fancy costumes and a big show and it was performed without elaborate costumes on a small stage.
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	Palma de Mallorca Port Rating: Palma de Mallorca is closed on Saturdays and Sudays. Most stores, museums and toursit attractions were not open, so there was little to see or do.
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	Tunis (La Goulette) Port Rating: The boat as well as most websites had us quite frightened about the unrest in Tunisia. We were told not to travel around on our own, so we rented a van and tour guide. Women were told to keep themselves covered. I was the only one who wore a long skirt and shirt and there was no problem about wearing shorts or short sleeved clothing. We were taken to the down town area and food market, to a stall where rugs were being made and to a shop where they make perfume. The tour guide took us to her friends shops and people bought their products. We all had a good time, but we did not do a lot of sight seeing. This is a poor country so he agenda was to have us purchase local goods. They sell pretty hand made bowls and the fruit from the market was very sweet. You must becareful of all the pick pockets around this place.
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	Naples Port Rating: We went to the Castel Nuovo and castle often called Maschio Angioino. We saw the Royl Palace of Naples which is incredible. Naples is a very dirty city as the mafia does not allow for out garbage removal so it is really filthy. There is a lot of theft so watch your purses and wallets. Piazza del Plebiscito is the largest square in Naples and very pretty. With all the port stops, prior to the trip I went to the library and took out travel books for each port. The internet is also a great resource for top attractions. The boat also has a good library of books on each port for you to review. You really have a limited amount of time in each port so you have to research prior to departure which of the major attractions you want to see.
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