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I've done 2 Western Med cruises (albeit not on RC) and been on the Rhapsody out of Venice for the Greek Isles. We've enjoyed all of the cruises and most of the ports we've been to.
Barcelona and Venice are easier (and cheaper) to get from airport to port and vice versa than Rome (Civitavecchia). All of the ports are well organized, though. Sailing out of Venice is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Rhapsody is an older ship, but the crew is fantastic, my 3 youngest girls (7, 5, and 3 at the time) loved Adventure Ocean, and we still found plenty to do.
It depends on what you want to do/see. The Greek Isles cruise lends itself to be a little more laid back, while a Western Med cruise would be go-go-go to see everything. Italian ports tend to be at least an hour from where you want to go (Rome, Florence, Amalfi coast, etc). 
Here's a live blog from my Rhapsody cruise in November: 
 
 

Ah...I am showing this to Hubby!!! ?
Very sweet.....

Day 9 - Afternoon
Shortly after leaving Endicott Arm and re-entering the Inside Passage there were dozens of whales in the area.  A tell tale sprout of water was the easiest way to spot them.

Some were closer to the ship but many were more distant in just about every direction I looked.


When Humpback whales prepare to dive deep they go through a series of breaths designed to prepare their lungs for an extended submersion.  It starts with surfacing to deep breathe.

The body barely skims the surface as they swim shallow for several breaths.

Here you can see the blow hole they exhale and breathe through.

After several deep breathes they are ready to dive which is characterized by curving their body driving their back higher above the surface.  This is why they are known as Humpbacks.

Then they began to dive sometimes forcing their fluke or tail into the air.


Once you see the fluke disappear like this they have likely submerged deeper looking for food or to swim underwater for a greater distance.  They can stay submerged for several minutes.


Our position as we started the trek to Seattle.

Sometime after 4:30pm I headed down to the Diamond Lounge for happy hour while continuing to whale watch.

Dawes Glacier
My reservation for the $49 North Star Alaskan Experience was for 10am.  Best times for glacier viewing on this sailing were between 9am and 10am.  This will vary for each sailing depending on arrival time and ice conditions.
After check in for the North Star Alaskan Experience there is a waiting area in a roped off section of the North Star Bar.    Hot chocolate is complimentary.

As we waited the ship began it's turn.

Incredible weather compared to the drizzle we sailed through earlier today.  That's Alaska weather.

The glacier is approximately 1 mile away at this point.  This illustrates just how big it is - that's it's this visible from this distance.

When it was our turn we were led up to board the North Star.

By the time we boarded North Star the ship had turned and pointed down the inlet in the direction had had arrived from.


We started our way back down Endicott Arm.
I used wide angle lens for this next shot so it makes the glacier look small but the views are pretty impressive.  Seeing the ship from outside the ship really makes you appreciate the scale of the mountains beside us.



Rotating out over the side of ship is pretty awesome.  On Anthem the North Star only goes up and does a slight left/right move.  This ride takes you right over the edge of the ship looking down at the glacial ice floating below us.



It's a pretty awesome experience.  

When I first learned of the $49 charge I was skeptical but having done it at both Hubbard and Dawes Glaciers I am sold and would do it again on another cruise to Alaska.
Plus I still had my complimentary ride in the North Star booked for later today.

Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier, continued...
It's been a struggle but here are some of my favorites pictures from several hundred taken this day.  However I wanted people who are taking this awesome cruise to get a preview of what to expect so here comes a bunch of photos.
After breakfast I ran back to my cabin to clean my lens.  Looking forward to where we are going. 

Looking down from my balcony it's amazing to see these pieces of the glacier floating by so close to the ship.

We had entered a section where there were a lot of small pieces of glacial ice.

I remember this side channel from a previous cruise.  It was estimated this is where the face of the glacier was ~100 years ago.  Note the presence and size of trees.  It takes several decades for trees of this size to arrive.  Remember 100 years ago this was solid glacial ice and no vegetation was present as the ice moved down the channel. 

I like to move around the ship so back to the bridge wings off the Solarium.

They were getting more crowded but people tended to move forward, take a picture and back away so someone else could.

For those that sought to stay in place the Solarium has awesome views.


Starboard bridge wing.

Looking back where we came from.  The walls of the canyon are very steep and drop off several hundred feet.  We are in deep water.


First signs of the glacier!  
Time 8:30am

The paid North Star Alaskan Experience ride was carrying guests at this point.



Larger pieces of glacial ice was becoming more common.  These pieces are called growlers.  Actual icebergs are pretty uncommon at these glaciers which tend to calve resulting in these smaller pieces which are harmless to the ship.  


We slowed and inched closer to the glacier.

Each growler is unique and display what has been locked inside the glacier for scores of years.

With my telephoto lens I was able to see the glacier quite clearly even at the distance of over a mile from where we were.



Crowds where starting to form to take it all in.

Large waterfalls line the sides of Endicott Arm.  These are pretty massive and the volume of water in each is pretty impressive.




Here a mile or so from the glacier the vegetation is very different compared to where the glacier was 100 years ago   
This early low vegetation is beginning a life cycle that will eventually turn into a soil that eventually will support larger and larger vegetation   One hundred years from now trees will most likely be found here just as they are in that earlier photo of the side channel.


I took a time lapse video approaching this point.
 
The North Star Alaskan Experience review has been posted to Royal Caribbean Blog here:
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2019/05/23/review-north-star-alaska-experience-ovation-of-the-seas

I think a lot of people become focused on Dawes Glacier and miss an incredible experience in Endicott Arm.  Glaciers are cool but you can only take so many pictures of a glacier.  Endicott Arm is constantly changing as you sail down it.  For me it's as incredible as the glacier is if not more.
While I was down here on deck 5 I thought I'd check out the outer viewing areas on this deck.  I like being down here when we are sailing through lots of ice.






I thought I saw something on a piece of darker ice.

Sure enough a Bald Eagle was perched on the ice, watching.  




The surrounding terrain is pretty amazing.  Remember that drizzle we sailed through?  Beautiful blue skies now.  That's Alaska weather.



Incredible volume of water coming down these waterfalls.

Time to head up for a different perspective.

They were running the North Star on a test run without any passengers.


The Solarium was a popular viewing location but I still prefer being outdoors and moving around too much to try to anchor in a chair.


It really is pretty amazing.

I knew we were getting closer and I didn't want to be fading at the glacier without anything in my stomach I popped into the Windjammer for a quick breakfast.  Talk about a meal with a view!
Time 7:34am

Ah..maz...ing! Great pics, I especially love the one with the floatplane in front of the ship. One of my (half-joking) potential future careers is Alaskan bush pilot.
 
And crap, I can feel my wallet opening for a future Alaska cruise...

Ah..maz...ing! Great pics, I especially love the one with the floatplane in front of the ship. One of my (half-joking) potential future careers is Alaskan bush pilot.
 
And crap, I can feel my wallet opening for a future Alaska cruise...

We have arrived in Juneau, the capital of Alaska.

Given an early Royal excursion I went to the theater, got my sticker and waited.  Shortly after our number was called and off we went up the pier.

The tour company offers a Five Glacier Float Plane tour and a Taku Lodge and Salmon Feast Float Plane tour.  As we waited our chariot arrived. My tour is the Five Glacier version.


Conveniently located close to the ship the float plane base is an easy walk.



At this point I'm going to hit the pause button. 
I have some video clips as well as still photos and I want to see how it will work out if I clip together the various short video clips to compliment the still pictures.
Back in a day or two.

This visit to Hubbard Glacier is a special one. 
Hubbard Glacier is not a regularly scheduled stop for Ovation of the Seas.  This may be one of those rare occasions when an itinerary lines up like the stars.  Who knows when Ovation of the Seas might return?  
While the day started out cold and wet in full Alaskan fashion that didn't last long and we we treated to a fantastic finish.




From North Star as we swung out over the side of the ship.

Pretty cool seeing Ovation slowly navigating through large pieces of glacial ice in the water.










Zan Ma and Li Bao's first visit to an Alaskan Glacier.

Not a bad seat in the house.








Talk about a change in the weather?  What a glorious day!

Alas it was time to leave...




My third stop here at Hubbard Glacier and this is the best weather I've experienced.  
What a special day!

Day 6 - Hubbard Glacier
Our progress at 4:22am:
 



I was hoping for a sunrise and managed to get a glimpse of a sunrise through the breaking cloud cover.



Our destination began to appear in the distance.  It was pretty windy at this point but seas were pretty calm.

Here at 7:30am the Solarium was still pretty empty.


Some guests secured a front row seat.

You can't see it here but it was pretty windy.

The glass panels did a great job deflecting the wind but allowed me to stick my camera through the space between.


Weather like this isn't unusual here.  I've seen it be like this and clear up later so I wasn't too concerned about the high winds and drizzle.

The shops had set up on the pool deck selling hats, gloves, jackets and stuffed animals.



As we got closer the winds died down so they were able to run the North Star through a test cycle.  This allows them to validate winds at elevation and ensure the ride is ready for guests.



Something you don't see very often is the North Star going over the sides of the ship, at least not here in North America.  This is part of the new North Star Alaska Experience that is a paid option.    



At this point it's 8:50am and we've entered Disenchantment Bay.

Click here for more details on the North Star Alaskan Experience.

Day 9 Azores, Ponta Delgada:
We booked the “Sete Cidades Hike” through Royal Caribbean for todays adventure. Now bear with me as this story may get long winded.
We had breakfast and headed to the Pacifica theatre to be assigned to our bus/guide for the day. We showed our tickets to the attendant and we were given a red “9” sticker and were told it was a “6” (if you looked at the sticker like a normal human you would assume it was a 9 because there was “shore excursions” watermarked into it). I verified we were to use it as a 6… Our number was called, and we headed to board our bus. There was someone at the entrance of the bus to take our tickets that said “Sete Cidades Hike” and told us to find a seat. Our bus started the tour and made it maybe 5 minutes from port before our guide announced overhead that there were two passengers on the bus that were supposed to be on a different tour. I’ll give you three guesses who…  The bus went back to the port dropped us off and we found the right bus. Now remember we were explicitly told that our 9 was a 6 right? Guess which number bus we were supposed to be on? 10 that’s right, bus 10. So we were given a 9 and told it was a six, handed our tickets to the to be checked and given back and still managed to end up on the wrong bus… WOW. We boarded bus 10 to actual applause that we made it (and made them 15 minutes late). Thankfully it all worked out and our guide was kind enough to inform the group that it was not our fault for the mishap. The RCCL shore excursion staff must have been hit with a confundus charm that morning.
The hike was very good. The pictures don’t do it justice. We got back to the port around 1pm and we were both starving. We decided to quick board the ship to eat lunch and then get off again for a couple hours…or so we thought. The line to board the ship was longer than expected so we boarded and ended our day in Azores without any shopping ?

I just got off a cruise in Rome (Civitavecchia) Wednesday, so I can also speak to questions about that port, in addition to @Traveler‘s great info. Also cruised out of Venice and Barcelona. 
Awesome idea @Traveler!!

Rubbing is cruising!

Day Four - Icy Strait Point
My day starts with an excursion booked through Royal Caribbean called Glacier Bay Flightseeing.  Originally $399 but offered on sale for $319. 
The meeting point was inside the first building at the end of the pier where many excursions depart from. 

It's very well organized with large displays that matched the number printed on my ticket.

We boarded a bus for the 10-15 minute ride to the Hoonah airport.

Our chariot to Glacier Bay on this occasion.

The right seat or copilot's seat was offered so I jumped at the chance.

On the taxi out to prepare for take off our pilot spotted a couple of deer.


Soon we were airborne with a great view of the town and local marina.

Not long after I spotted Icy Strait Point with the profile of a familiar ship in the distance.

Hard to miss North Star.

Our pilot made the turn and we headed off towards Glacier Bay. 

Everyone gets a window seat!

Alaska is quite beautiful.

As we flew North and the peaks increased in altitude so did the amount of snow.

In the distance I could make out the ice fields that feed the glaciers. 

We were in the mountains now at an elevation of around 7,000 feet.

The ice fields are massive.  It's hard to appreciate the scale but it's basically a sea of snow.

What's amazing about this excursion is not only to see some glaciers, but to fly above and behind them, to see the ice fields that feed the many glaciers in this area.   

Climbing still we head towards some of the highest peaks in this region. 


You can see how the snow has deformed from it's own weight pushing down slope beginning the multi-decade process of moving towards the face of a glacier. 


Flying in close proximity to the peaks and seeing this with your own eyes is incredible.  

Pictures don't do this justice.
Again you can see the snow where it has advanced downslope from it's own weight, like a land slide, compressing the layers below it into glacier ice and squeezing oxygen out in the process.

At this point we are flying above a valley of snow and ice with peaks on both sides.

In the distance another valley of glacial ice is approaching from the opposite direction.


Flying beside these rock peaks is an incredible experience.  They are so beautiful and experiencing them up close like this will stay with me when I see a peak way off in the distance.

More evidence of motion in the sea of snow and ice below us.


We are literally flying around these peaks, not above them.

As we descend along with the valley of glacial ice below us we begin to see signs of melting with pools of turquoise blue water on the surface.

Turning around one more peak...

We are presented a magnificent view of the John Hopkins Glacier as seen from the glacier.

You can clearly see the moraine or dirt trails on top of the glacier.


With a banking turn so both sides can see the glacier below us you somewhat appreciate how wide this glacier is but it's hard to fathom the scale of all this.

At this point more peaks are right beside us.

Then we turn to follow the channel of water, the John Hopkins Inlet.

Turning the corner the scale of this all suddenly becomes clear when a tiny ship appears.

Originally looking small next to the rising sides of the valley (and the highest peaks are well behind us) I realize it's the Norwegian Bliss.  The Bliss is pretty much the same size as Ovation being slightly smaller than Ovation by a narrow margin.  In other words it's a pretty massive cruise ship, the largest to visit Alaska until Ovation arrived on this cruise, yet it seems so small in the vastness of the space. 

Seeing something familiar, a large cruise ship, set the scale for what we had just seen and it blew my mind just how big all of it really was.

Continuing our flight down Glacier Bay I spot another glacier.  The Lamplugh Glacier, something the folks on the Bliss will reach soon after our flyover.




Next is Reid Inlet and Reid Glacier.


We continue to fly South back toward the entrance of Glacier Bay park and with the peaks of the mountain range behind the snow capped peaks of these smaller mountains give way to lush green vegetation below the snow line at lower elevations.

It's all still very breathtaking and I could have taken many more pictures.

A suspended frozen lake in a bowl on the side of this mountain.



Our pilot does a fantastic job bringing us safely back towards Hoonah.

In the distance to the South I spot the North Star.  Not that North Star...

Ovation's North Star and Icy Strait Point.

Our pilot spots a whale excursion boat so we bank overhead in time to see a whale surfacing near the excursion boat.  No pictures of that one, had to see it live.
With the lush green land near Hoonah below us we gently land from where we had departed. 

Back in our van and heading to Icy Strait Point my mind raced to process all that I had seen.

Our driver dropped us off near the entrance to Icy Strait Point by the old cannery. 

I chose to walk back to the ship along the shore.


Here is this excursion compressed into a 7 minute video made from clips I took in between taking photographs.
At the 3 minute mark is the John Hopkins glacier and around the 5 minute mark you can see Ovation at Icy Strait Point. 
It's hard to put into words everything that I experienced on this excursion.  At $319 it was the most expensive excursion on this trip but I have to say it was well worth it.  I've heard naturalists and others countless times talking about "The Ice Fields" but now I've seen them first hand.  I can visualize the process of snow falling, compressing, hundreds of feet deep turning into glacial ice, having oxygen squeezed out and turning blue then slowly creeping it's way down a slope to the eventually find itself on the face of a glacier where we get to watch it calve countless years later.  
Pretty awesome experience and I look forward to seeing Glacier Bay by ship now that Royal can begin sailing there in future years.  When I do all this will come flooding back to me having seen this same area from high above it and from the opposite perspective.

I just got off a cruise in Rome (Civitavecchia) Wednesday, so I can also speak to questions about that port, in addition to @Traveler‘s great info. Also cruised out of Venice and Barcelona. 
Awesome idea @Traveler!!

I just got off a cruise in Rome (Civitavecchia) Wednesday, so I can also speak to questions about that port, in addition to @Traveler‘s great info. Also cruised out of Venice and Barcelona. 
Awesome idea @Traveler!!

Country rooooooads take me home....

So I’m sitting on my balcony drinking coffee right now and realized that I am in the port I embarked my first ever cruise (Barcelona on the Disney Magic), docked behind the last ship I was on (Rhapsody of the Seas, I see you @Jaymac Radio) while on my current cruise (MSC Seaview). It’s a bit surreal. Anyone else have an experience like this? I know the frequent RC cruisers probably have this all the time. 

I'll see you in Barcelona! I just realized that Rhapsody arrives there the same day my cruise makes port... I'll wave from the Seaview as we pass

Day 2 update:
I was woke by the sun rising through our balcony window and was lucky enough to be able to grab a decent picture. Quite honestly day 2 was a bit of a blur I swear we did a bunch of things but I can’t really remember them. We did some exploring and saw the show which was the  instrumental men’s singing group Revoiced. We attended the Captains welcome aboard reception and it just so happened to be formal night in the minstrel dining room.

Cruise Compass Day 2 (sea day)

This blog may be what I need to convince my wife for a future Alaska cruise...

The victory ship was a self guided tour. I believe they do guided ones on the weekend. $10 adults $5 veterans. Very cool and it took us a little over an hour to see everything at a very relaxed pace. Tomorrow we board Brilliance!

There is nothing not to like about Brugge...beer, chocolate, fries, and waffles!
I was just in Cobh (pronouced "cove" btw) a couple of weeks ago, very cute town on the water, with a decent musuem about Irish Emmigration, if that is your thing (or just have a few Guinness).
Have a great time!