Cabin Plusses and Minuses - location

• #7126 - A typical Oceanview Balcony on the front, port side.  All very comfortable and adequate to our needs for two weeks.

Entertainment

.As a Quantum (Ultra) class ship, our expectations were for high quality and varied choices.  The actual offerings were mixed.  Sometimes, a show was truly enjoyable and memorable, but not always.  Highlights included:

• Showgirl! (exclamation provided)
• Beatle Maniac - we always enjoy a Beatles show
• The Book - a multi-media offering in the Two70 venue…interesting
• Gold Art Duo - a pair of flexible artists
• The Barricade Boys
• Various singers

Ripcord - separately, the Odyssey offers a “sky-diving-like” activity.  Usually, there is a significant up-charge to participate.  Ours was complimentary.  Between the safety briefing, and special clothing required, it was a lot of time/trouble for a 3 minute “thrill.”  (Or maybe I just wasn’t that good at it, and didn’t feel it was worth the effort.  However, the price was right.)

Dining (also, see Tips)

• We only visited the Main Dining Room a few times.  It was fine, but not remarkable.
• Room service breakfast was enjoyed on occasion.  Note:  there is no service charge (although we tipped) for coffee and light breakfast; full breakfast choices required an additional $7.95 fee.
• For informal meals, we were satisfied with the Windjammer, El Loco (Mexican), and Sorrento’s Pizza.
• We indulged in two specialty meals (at $42 and $49 for two) at Giovanni's Italian Eatery and Chops Steakhouse.  Very tasty and a nice change of pace - two times on a 14-night cruise.

Malega - We took a short, cruise-sponsored tour of the Village of Mijas.  After, we toured on foot and found a Picasso Museum.  We’ve seen some Picasso elsewhere, but this was a dedicated space, and the artist had a history in this town, worth researching if you have such an interest.

Valencia - We purchased a transfer into town, but the meeting place was obscure and we found a very reasonably priced taxi back to the ship.  In between, we toured the old town cathedrals, but the highlight is Modern Architecture.  The futuristic “City of Arts & Sciences” is worth a separate visit.  (Unfortunately, our subsequent visit in 2025 was cancelled due to a natural disaster - the rain and flooding made it impossible for ships to deposit tourists into the damaged city - we will definitely try to visit in the future.  If you go, plan in advance and purchase a ticket to the aquarium or other Science space; you don’t have to spend time in the aquarium, but the ticket gives you access to space you can’t see from outside.). Despite our limitations in 2023, we loved the photos and have sine seen the area featured on some Netflix shows.

Palma de Mallorca - Many excursions are offered for this Spanish port.  We’ve made this stop a few times in the past; sometimes we visit the 13th century cathedral, a castle or the countryside; sometimes we stay onboard.

Marseille - Another port, another cathedral.  I may not have appreciated Marseille’s own Notre-Dame, after the prior ports.  We took a bus transfer to the Cathedral Major (area), walked to a history museum (which was uncrowded, and thankfully air-conditioned), and took a taxi to Notre-Dame.  We also took a taxi back to the ship.  Taxis were relatively inexpensive.

Pisa/Florence (at the port of La Spezia), Italy - Everyone should sometime, once, see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, up close.  But be aware that a lengthy bus ride is required, and…it’s one of the most crowded touristy sites to see.  We visited it several years ago and took the requisite photos suggesting that we were holding up the tower, as it leaned.  On this trip, after many consecutive port days, we…stayed aboard, and rested up for a few days in Rome, and the remaining 8 weeks of our epic European post-retirement vacation.

Rome - We have visited Rome separately, and it’s good that this port stop is a destination.  You can’t possibly give it justice on a one-day cruise port visit.  Note that the City is not very close to the cruise port.  We chose a cruise provided bus transfer to the City.  Maybe it saved a few dollars, but…never again.  Even after a near-disastrous loading process (many unhappy travelers packed in) and a 90 minute uncomfortable trip, we got off and took a taxi to our final (hotel) destination.  Do yourself a favor and secure a car service front the port to your hotel, or airport if you must.  Highlights are too many to fully list, but you’ll recognize some of the photos below.  (Coliseum, Vatican, Trevi Fountain)