Mebert

It's all very nice that Carnival is doing this itinerary but I don't see it as that exotic. It's great for folks who live in the Miami area but I don't think I would fly to Miami to do it. I wish Carnival would come up with a Caribbean itinerary that would really wow me. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy the Carnival experience, but Puerto Rico and St. Thomas are pretty regular stops. I find that I end up in most of the same places in the Western and Eastern Caribbean. I still love Carnival but wish there was some way they could really be exotic and different on Carnival and not its sister lines.

I would say Christmas is the most commercialized. I'm not sure if it's over commercialized because the advertisers only have the power over us that we give them. Some of the displays help me get into the season. It's great to see the decorations and the special display windows of the large department stores celebrating the season. I don't mind the commercialism because it keeps many people employed and it even offers parttime jobs to some unemployed people during the season.

CMan, Bon Voyage and have a great cruise. May you have smooth sailing.

Joanandjoe, Bon Voyage and have a great cruise. May you have smooth sailing.

Hi Seabeacon, I had a great tour just by walking to the taxi stand right outside the pier. I got a chance to see both sides of the island and do some shopping too. The driver got a group together from the ship to defray the cost.

DaCruzNut, I'm glad you had a great time on the Regal Empress.

DaCruzNut, Welcome back. I hope you had a great weekend on the Regal Empress.

eagle_forest, Thanks for sharing the great pictures.

Seabeacon, To Cruise Crazies.

spgurt, To Cruise Crazies.

JoeyandDavid, I found that when I was lost in Venice, it didn't seem like I was lost. I seemed that I was in a giant museum that I never wanted to leave.

I don't have much to compare Carnival to. However, I find the service, food and entertainment on board good to excellent. The passengers are usually very orderly with few exceptions and there are formal nights and casual nights for dinner. Although this is very subjective, I have never been on a Carnival cruise that I did not enjoy thoroughly.

OceanAngel, To Cruise Crazies.

I carry a tiny bottle of hand sanitizer in my pocket. Additionally, I constantly wash my hands, particularly if I haven't been in my cabin for an extended period. I noticed that trash cans on Carnival are placed strategically near the bathroom exit. I usually use the paper towel to turn off the tap and also use it to pull the bathroom door open, then I discard it in the conveniently located receptacle. Sometimes there is a box of paper adhered to the door just for use in using the door handle. 700 people sounds like a huge number. I feel badly for all of those people.

Robert, To Cruise Crazies.

JohnG and CruiseSpecialist, Congratulations on your election to the Advisory Board for Cruises. Do Cruise Crazies have an in now? :grin: :grin:

DaCruzNut, Bon Voyage and have a great cruise. May you have smooth sailing.

zebra, I'm sorry about your bad experience with Air France. Sometimes those unexpected layovers can be a real pain in the neck. Sometimes, if one has the time and the proper meds on hand it can be interesting. I'm glad you're back in one piece with your luggage intact.

JoeyandDavid, Thanks for the wonderful photos. Were you in Monaco, Monte Carlo as well?

JoeyandDavid, Thank you for the quick review. Is the last in your message a picture of steps in Croatia? It looks very familiar and typical of several European towns.

Gregswife, Thanks for the info. I like the Travel Channel most of the time but when channel surfing I usually end up catching the poker matches which I'm not interested in at all. I don't know what poker has to do with travel. The scene stays in the card parlour for the entire game.

profamily, To Cruise Crazies.

lawrence, To Cruise Crazies.

caza1518, To Cruise Crazies.

Hi The Skipper, When I was in Rome I stayed at the Hotel de Petris which is a quaint little hotel that serves a buffet breakfast in the morning. It was centrally located and not far from the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and Via dei Condotti, a major shopping street. The only problem is if you have a lot of luggage the elevator is really, really, small, but the hotel definitely has great value and the location is great.