Carnival's Freedom takes on the Mediterranean

Dining pleasures
Carnival is great at food, and Freedom offers a wealth of menu options and wine selections, many created by the talented French master chef Georges Blanc. I found the cuisine in the Posh and Chic dining rooms to be contemporary and exciting. Freedom's chefs produced several memorable moments, including Hudson Valley duck with sweet turnip purée and peas; slow braised osso buco in red wine sauce served over polenta with mushrooms and roasted garlic; green beans and stewed cherry tomatoes and a to-die-for mushroom risotto; and an amazing molten chocolate cake. The kids could eat pizza, pasta, chicken fingers and hamburgers to their hearts' content — and they did. All meals were served by exceptionally attentive and professional crew members, who truly enjoyed pleasing their guests.

For an out-of-this-world culinary experience, try Sun King, the ship's reservations-only supper club (there is a $30 cover charge), which offers superior a la carte fare including seared lobster tail over tomato confit, a huge (24-ounce) porterhouse steak, grilled filet mignon over cardamom-braised carrots, and pumpkin ravioli. I was impressed as each course was prepared and presented with consummate flair. I felt I was on a luxury liner.

For casual breakfast, lunch or dinner, the festive Lido Deck Restaurant features "Taste of the Nations," which has a grand buffet as well as Asian and fish-and-chips specialty sections. Other food venues include the Meiji Bar (serving sushi or tapas), a grille, a deli, the Viennese Café Patisserie, a 24-hour pizzeria, as well as a soft-serve ice cream and frozen yogurt bar.

Euro family fun
The itinerary is so ambitious that it's hard to enjoy everything the ship had to offer. Thank goodness for the three "Fun Days at Sea," when I could catch my breath, sleep in, relax by the pool or stay out late. (In fact, most guests are so exhausted from touring that staying up into the wee hours often proved difficult. I managed it only once.)

The priority, of course, is to take in all those great port stops. Let's face it: The whole point of flying all the way to Europe is, well, to see Europe. Freedom's port-packed schedule certainly allows you to do that. Just take a deep breath first, especially if you are traveling with children.

A European cruise exposes kids to a variety of cultures along with important museums, cathedrals, ruins, architecture and other must-see attractions. My daughters experienced firsthand the Pantheon, the Parthenon, Pompeii and Ephesus. We roamed Rome, saw the Vatican and gawked endlessly at the Sistine Chapel. We observed prayer at Istanbul's Blue Mosque, got lost in the Grand Bazaar, climbed the Leaning Tower of Pisa and sipped limoncello (the kids had lemon Grenache) in Positano. Fortunately, Carnival offers family-friendly shore excursions and I found these to be truly terrific, particularly in Naples and Istanbul. Of course, all this was seasoned with socializing and making new friendships on board. Yes, it was overwhelming, and yes, we'd do it all over again.

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Sailing Carnival in Europe is an entirely different experience from sailing Carnival in the Caribbean. The infamous "Hair Chest Contest" made it across the Atlantic, as did some other silly Carnival fun and games. And the lines were just as long in Europe, both at the buffet and for reboarding the ship after a long day of touring, but they didn't frustrate anyone because the crew's system was efficient. The big difference on this cruise was the passengers: Among the 3,400 people onboard, some 20 nationalities were represented. After a round of bingo in the Victoriana Theater one evening, I talked with a woman from Japan about finding interesting treasures in Istanbul's Grand Bazaar. In the Jacuzzi, I met a family from New Zealand who said this was the best vacation they'd ever had. On the ship's jogging track, I met walkers from Minneapolis and Moscow; we traded tales of cold-climate walking and reveled in the Mediterranean views as we slogged around the track.

Ciao, Sonoma Fine dining, delicious wines make region a popular draw

The bottom line for Carnival Freedom European sailings: They're ideal for enthusiastic travelers who'd like a quick taste of the best of the Mediterranean on a budget. If you can handle the rigorous schedule and don't want to waste a single minute, this cruise is for you.

If you go:
Carnival is currently accepting reservations for Carnival Freedom's 2008 Europe departures. Prices for the 12-day voyages begin at $1,199 per person, based on double occupancy; there are special rates for third and fourth guests sailing in the same stateroom. Carnival also offers round-trip airfares from a variety of North American gateways, as well as pre- and post-cruise land packages in Rome. The ship will be based in Miami during the 2007-2008 winter season (November through the end of April), sailing seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises; prices begin at $569.

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