Personal background - Retired traveling with my wife on 24th RCL cruise and 44th cruise overall. We were asked to join our long time friends on their 1st European trip. We are Diamond +. We love cruising! ---- we like seeing the world without multiple hotels and flights from place to place. Don't read another word if you must eat your meals in a specialty restaurant, cruise in a suite or have your own tour van and driver waiting for you at every port. We love and respect you guys but that isn't who we are. This review is intended for the cruisers that might want to be bold and venture out on their own and save some money in the process. --- Here we go!

Arrived in Rome by air one day early (so that our friends could see some of Rome). We took the train into Roma - Termini. The option here is local (8 euros with one train change) or express (14 euros direct with no stops). We took the local - take the express! too much hassle to move bags to the other platform. Stayed in pleasant B&B within two blocks of station. They had our rooms ready at 10am. Took Metro to Colosseum for 1.5 euros. Trevi Fountain on Metro for another 1.5 euros. We purchased Vatican Museum tickets from home on Vatican site cheaper than travel agents and used them on our return to Rome after the cruise.

Day 1 Rome cruise Departure - took train to Civittavecchia (Rome's Port) - 5.10 euros. Local bus at port train station was 2 euros to cruise port. Cruise bus picks up at cruise port entrance for FREE ride to ship. Check in - very fast and efficient before noon ON BOARD! Cabin ready before 1PM - 3056 port side ocean view - we like to see the water but don't need a balcony. Windjammer open for lunch but notice cruisers can serve themselves!!!!! Typical Windjammer fair - good selection. Dinner MDR table with our friends. Read more