OUR TRANSATLANTIC CRUISE - Day 3 - NICE

If it's day three of the cruise it must be France! Although Nice has its own port, for whatever reason our ship stopped at Villefranche, and we were tendered from the ship to the small town of Villefranche. In addition to Nice, it was also possible to visit Monaco, as well as other small towns in the area. One of the nearby towns is known for its perfumes, so I’m sure this is a busy place when the ships arrive.

Once again we decided not to take one of the ship’s excursions. In addition to being (in my opinion), very over-priced, there’s also the whole group thing to contend with: everybody off the bus, everybody into the shop, everybody back on the bus, everybody into the museum, everybody back on the bus……you get the idea. Also there’s no chance to linger if you find someplace you want to explore further, no time to wander and browse, or just relax and enjoy the view. We had decided to take the bus rather than the train to Nice, based on the advice of people from the CruiseCritics message board. It was a short ride, only cost €1 each way, and allowed us to watch the scenery as we rode.

Unfortunately arriving in Villefranche meant we had to be tendered in, and although the process went smoothly, it was still just another delay. In order to facilitate things, in addition to the ship’s tenders they also used locally operated tenders, which was what we ended up on – much to our dismay. As we disembarked from the tender, the gangway from the tender to the dock was a curved piece of metal, not the usual straight piece with raised edges for ‘steps’.

There was a man standing on the dock, presumably to take our hand as we disembarked. He didn’t offer Art his hand, and as Art walked down this curved gangway his feet just slid out from under him and he came down HARD! on his back. I looked at the man and said “Sir! You should be offering your hand to everyone! This gangway is dangerous” His reply? Not “I’m sorry”, not “Sir, are you okay?”, but to me, “Why didn’t YOU help him?” I said, as calmly as I could, “Because he was in front of me, and because it’s YOUR job!” He turned to the woman behind me and said (in French) “These Americans should learn how to walk.” Gosh, I wonder how that stereotype of the arrogant French got started! Welcome to France!

Luckily Art wasn’t seriously hurt and decided that the best thing to do was to keep moving, so we walked up the hill to the bus stop. We wanted to get to Nice as early as possible before the open air market closed, and because this was the off season, we weren’t even sure there would be an outdoor market. The bus for Nice arrived in just a few minutes, and luckily Art was able to get a seat. When we arrived at the bus station in Nice the old town was just a short walk away, so of course that’s where we headed.

The old town of Nice was very, very charming. Seeing the strings of lights zigzagged over the narrow streets made me wish we could be there at night when it must be magical. We wandered past cute shops, noticing both the differences and similarities in the shops and goods from what we were used to seeing in Italy.





Eventually we came to the open air market. I’m sure it was much smaller on that December day than it is in the summer, but it was still a respectable size, and not crowded to boot. Olives and mushrooms, spices, sea salt, handmade soaps, flowers, fruits and vegetables, and of course fish! Through the city walls we could see the ocean, just across the street. All in all a very charming place!
















 
 

After browsing through all the stalls and making a few purchases, we crossed the street to the broad promenade, called the “promenade des Anglais” – “walk of the English”. The curving bay of Nice is beautiful, lined with a rocky beach and going on for what seems like miles. We strolled for quite a while, just enjoying the sun, the ocean and the people.

We headed back to the old part of the city to find something quick for lunch, and a bakery window filled with pizzas and quiche seemed the perfect choice. We sat at the one tiny table outside the shop, watching the world go by, including this man who was filling his containers with water from the public fountain.





After lunch we went in search of an amazing wine shop we’d seen earlier. I know very little about wine in general, but this shop was so interesting it didn’t really matter. Art spoke with the clerk, who spoke English, as well as Italian (and of course French), and we bought a bottle of red wine on his recommendation. It didn’t cost much, but later we were glad it didn’t, since it wasn’t really that good.













We meandered back towards the bus station, and caught the next bus back to Villefranche. The walk back down to the small harbor was pleasant, and Villefranche looks to be a nice town. The cafes were filled with people sitting outside enjoying the sunny day, but by now Art really wanted to take a hot shower and relax a bit after walking all day.

When we got back to the ship we did report the disembarkation episode to guest services, and later in the evening Art stopped by the medical unit. The doctor there was outraged to hear what had happened and how we had been treated. He gave Art some pain medication and a muscle relaxer to help him sleep. Luckily he didn’t feel too bad the next day, as is sometimes the case, so I guess we were lucky that our vacation wasn’t ruined by an inattentive and arrogant boat worker.

There are more photos from the cruise and all the ports we visited on our FLICKR PAGE.

OUR TRANSATLANTIC CRUISE - EATING AND DRINKING

When you think of a cruise what’s the first thing that comes to mind? I think for most people it has something to do with food – as in unlimited food, non-stop eating, midnight buffets and room service. Because people on a cruise ship are more or less a captive audience, the food does have to be good, otherwise, who’d bother? On warm weather cruises I’m sure drinking is just as important as eating, but for now let’s just talk about the food.

The setup for eating during out transatlantic cruise on the Celebrity Solstice was this: Breakfast was available from very early until late in the morning at the Oceanview Café, a large buffet style restaurant with food islands for every type of breakfast food you could want. There were omelet bars and waffle bars, cold cereals, hot cereals, yogurt, breads of every type, sausages and bacon, fresh fruit and more. This is where Art and I had breakfast every day. We usually found a table by the window first, then wandered through the various sections until something struck our fancy.

If we had preferred something more intimate and with table service we could have opted to have breakfast in the Bistro on 5, the creperie restaurant. The Bistro charged $5 per person to eat here, and I heard it was very nice, but somehow we just never made it there.

For an even more intimate and relaxed breakfast we could have ordered room service for breakfast. We would have filled out the menu the night before and indicated what time we wanted our breakfast delivered. I think if we'd had a balcony and the weather was nice this would be a wonderful way to start the day, but since we didn’t have a balcony we never did order room service. There’s no additional charge for room service, but I guess you’d be expected to bump up your tip for the cabin steward at the end of the cruise.

Lunch offered even more choices. In the Oceanview Café each station featured a variety of cuisines, some changing from day to day and others being offered every day. Pizza, sushi, Indian, Mexican. There was a pasta bar, and soup and sandwich bar. You could have a Caesar salad made which you waited, or assemble a selection of cold salads, cheeses or fresh fruit. There was fried chicken and baked chicken, fish, pork, and a roast beef waiting to be carved.

In addition to the three options listed above, you could also eat in the main dining room, the Grand Epernay. Although not stuffy formal, it was still a very nice experience with white tablecloths and table service. You could also opt for a burger at the outdoor bar by the pool, the AquaSpa Café, but tables seemed to be in short supply here – I guess you were expected to take your food back to your lounge chair. There was also an outdoor grill on the same level as the Oceanview Café, but most days it was just a little too cool for eating outdoors.

Dinner of course was the main event. Once again you could opt for any of the above listed options for dinner. For the most part we ate dinner in the ship’s main restaurant. The Grand Epernay dining room was a two level restaurant, and it was very attractive. Each evening when the doors opened the crowds would come pouring through, and everyone was greeted by the wait staff who were lined up to greet us. I don’t like to eat my largest meal at dinner, so it was always a struggle to resist the temptations on the evening menu, especially when we were eating at the late seating.

the Grand Epernay dining room





In addition to all these options you could also opt to dine in one of the specialty restaurants on board. Blu was available only to those who had booked the AquaSpa class rooms, but the other three specialty restaurants, The Tuscan Grill, Murano, and Silk Harvest were each open to anyone for an additional charge of $25 per person. The specialty restaurants, while not requiring coat and tie, were a bit more discriminating about their dress code, and although you certainly wouldn’t wear shorts and flip-flops to the Grand Epernay dining room, the specialty restaurants were just a bit more formal.

I have to admit that I was puzzled about this ‘specialty dining’ idea. It seemed to me that it was a little insulting to be told that if I wanted the REALLY good service and the REALLY good food I had to pay an extra $25, but a travel agent friend explained the reason to me. In order to keep the basic cruise price down, most cruise lines now offer these specialty restaurants as a way to generate additional revenue, and it must be working. I’m sure there were people who ate in a specialty restaurant every night. The one night we ate in the Tuscan Grill was fabulous – both the food and the service – but still the cost of wine and alcohol is nothing to sneeze at.

This is another area where the cruise lines have upped their prices. Back in the late 1970’s when I cruised on Royal Caribbean I’m sure that soft drinks were included at no additional cost, and that alcohol was cheaper than the average bar back home. Now the only drinks that are included are coffee, hot and cold tea, and water. Bottled water is available for an additional charge, as are soft drinks. For one flat fee, I think $5 per day, you could buy a soft drink package that allowed you unlimited soft drinks throughout the cruise. Similar packages were also available for wine and alcohol, and although I don’t remember the prices, I do remember thinking that in order to justify the daily cost you’d be ready for the next AA meeting as soon as the ship docked.

Daily drink specials were available for $5, but otherwise were no bargain. The cheapest wine I saw was Chianti by the glass for about $8, although up in the Oceanview Café you could get a carafe of wine for a reasonable price. Luckily I don’t require a drink before dinner, or even a drink with dinner, so this wasn’t a problem for us. We did have a glass or two of wine a few dinners, but only because we had our onboard credit.

After being on the ship for a few days I did learn a few tricks, like taking some fruit, cheese slices and bread back to our cabin to enjoy later with a glass of (our own) wine. You’re allowed to bring two bottles of wine on board, which you can of course drink in your cabin. Our steward, noticing that we’d had wine, thoughtfully let some wine glasses in our room for the next time. If we’d wanted to have one of our bottles of wine with dinner there would have been a $25 corkage fee – which would have been more than the bottle cost in the first place!

I also learned to stop by the ice cream bar to ask for a bowl of peanut M&Ms for a snack, rather than topping my ice cream. Other than fruit and cheese, there weren’t any snack foods around other than the bar munchies provided when you bought a drink. I guess that was good news for my waistline, but still, there were times when I wished I had something crunchy to nibble on.



Murano Restaurant

OUR TRANSATLANTIC CRUISE - Day 2

Our first port of call was supposed to be Livorno. Most of the passengers would use this port as their gateway to Florence, Pisa or Lucca. The ship of course offered their own (pricey) tours, others had made arrangements for private tour guides, and others would strike out on their own. Since we’d spent a few days in Florence in October, we decided to take advantage of the morning to explore the ship, and thought maybe we’d walk into Livorno after lunch if the weather permitted.
Everyone’s plans changed dramatically when we discovered that we had NOT docked in Livorno, but rather an hour to the north, in La Spezia!


The storm and resulting rough seas from the night before had resulted in a cargo ship taking our place in Livorno, and we were now anchored off the coast, meaning that everyone wanting to go ashore would have to be tendered, and then travel the additional hour. The seas were still choppy, the skies still threatening, and for everyone with plans to go ashore, there were some serious logistical problems.


Normally tours offered by the cruise lines are very expensive, but the one guarantee you do have with one of these tours is that if for some reason you’re late getting back to the ship, it won’t leave without you. If you head out on your own and miss the last train, it’s YOUR responsibility to get to the next port where you can reboard the ship. For those people who had booked tours of Pisa/Florence/Lucca through the ship, someone else had been up all night making adjustments to the schedule and figuring out the transportation issues. Those who had arranged for private tours hopefully had cell phones or some way to get in touch with their guides and drivers, but of course no one knew this until first thing in the morning, so I can only imagine the panic and confusion! For those who had planned to take the train to Florence or wherever on their own, they now had to figure out a whole new schedule based on taking the train from La Spezia, and they also had to remember to allow enough extra time to get back to La Spezia in time for the last tender. Although the ship did delay it’s departure an additional hour to compensate for that additional travel time, I’m not sure whether everyone leaving the ship was told this or not. I felt so bad for everyone who had their plans ruined, or at least seriously altered, and I was glad we weren’t affected.

We started out the day as we would every day thereafter, with a light breakfast up in the Oceanview Café, then headed to the gym for an hour on the treadmill. The treadmills were facing the shore, and as we walked we watch the storm clouds roll in, then back out. We watched the tenders bouncing on the waves as they made their trips back and forth from ship to shore. I think it must have been a pretty confusing day, weather-wise, for those on shore.

That evening we had our first dinner at our assigned seating, the late one at 8 o’clock. For those days we were in port, the late seating made more sense because we could have a full day of sightseeing yet still have time to relax before dinner.

We had requested a table for eight so that we could get to know some of our shipmates. Our table for eight turned out to be a long, rectangular table, which doesn’t facilitate conversation nearly as easily as a round table. When we arrived another couple was already seated next to the window, facing one another. We followed suit and introduced ourselves. The other couple turned out to be a woman and her adult nephew, both from Mexico.

We waited for the rest of our tablemates to arrive, but only one other couple showed up, and although the smiled and said hello, they sat facing each other at the end of the table, leaving an empty chair in between us and them. Apparently they weren’t interested in meeting new people!

Our table was tucked away in an alcove, meaning that it was quiet and there was no through traffic except for the wait staff. The menu had a list of ‘standards’ that would be available every day, as well as the featured menu of the day with several choices in each category.

Our service was impeccable that first night: each course was presented correctly and in a timely manner. Water glasses were refilled automatically and unobtrusively. The food was very good – all good signs for the days to come!

When it was time to go to bed the ship was making it’s way from La Spezia to our next stop, Villefranche, France. This would be our gateway to Nice. It was still quite windy, and yes, you could feel some side to side movement of the ship because it’s so tall – 15 decks high. I never found the movement uncomfortable or bothersome, and although Art complained about it, he never felt sick. Our cabin was located pretty much in the middle of the ship, front to back, but we were on deck 10, so rather high up. I think if we had been in the same location on a lower deck the movement would have been much less noticeable.

There are more photos from the cruise and all the ports we visited on our FLICKR PAGE.

OUR TRANSATLANTIC CRUISE - Day 1

Cruise – Day 1, November 30, 2009

The drive down to Civitavecchia from Umbria wasn’t nearly as stressful as the drive to FCO, mainly because we didn’t have to get on the A1 or fight city traffic. Once we left the E45 at Orte, it was just a two lane road. Altho the scenery wasn’t breathtaking, it wasn’t ugly, and we did pass sections of an ancient aqueduct, which was amazing. The wind was blowing hard, and we drove through patches of rain here and there. Once we reached Civitavecchia we immediately saw the ship – hard to miss! – but how to get there wasn’t very clear. In the end we just headed in the general direction of the ship and eventually found the entrance.

Because we were in a private car, not a taxi or shuttle bus, we weren’t allowed to drive up to the check-in point. Of course this was news to us, and worse yet, there was no place to pull over and unload our luggage. On top of that, I had to walk into the restricted area to retrieve a luggage cart and roll it back to the car. Art had to back the car up and try to turn around – there really wasn’t room for that either. I guess people who arrive by private car are in the minority, but still, it would be nice to have a few luggage carts available at the gate.

Once we waved goodbye to Belinda we rolled our luggage to the large tent that was serving as the check-in point. We had to get tags made due to our late booking, and the fact that we were in Italy; personalized tags hadn’t been sent to us in advance. We walked to the next area with our carry-ons and began the check-in process, which was very simple and quick. And then we boarded the ship!

Champagne was handed to us as we boarded, then we headed upstairs to the Oceanview Café for a buffet lunch. The selections were overwhelming, and everything we had was really good, not dried out or tasteless, which is so often the case at buffets. There were many, many different stations, each offering something different – one just for breads, one for cheese (cheddar!!!), salads, meats, veggies, Mexican, oriental, pizza and pasta, fruits and desserts.

We chatted with the other people around us, and met several couples who were back-to-backers – people who had taken the previous cruise on this ship and were now continuing home on this new itinerary. We later found out that originally the ship only had about 70 BTBers, but now there were over 300! I should have asked one of the people what kind of deal they were offered – must have been a good one!

Around one o’clock the announcement came that our cabins were ready and we made our way to deck 10 to search for our cabin. After wandering what seemed like the entire length of the ship, we discovered that we were on the side of the ship with the ODD numbered cabins, and of course ours was an even number. Eventually we did find our cabin, and were very pleased. Yes, we would have liked a cabin with a large window, or better yet, a balcony, but we went into this knowing that we could only afford an inside cabin. Although I think the lighting could be better in these inside cabins, generally it didn’t feel cramped, and we actually had enough shelf and hanger space for all our stuff.

The bathroom only had a shower stall, but it was spacious. There was plenty of storage in the bathroom as well, which was a very pleasant surprise, but then, I guess cruise lines have learned some lessons that hotels just don’t seem to get.

We decided to wander around since our luggage hadn’t arrived, and I went to guest services to ask about the extra wine we had packed. The official policy is that you’re only allowed 2 bottles of wine, and any extra is stored for you until the end of the cruise. We were taking wine back to the states both for ourselves and for gifts, but we hadn’t thought to mention that fact when we checked the luggage in. I was told that our luggage, or at least those pieces with wine, would be held, and that we would be contacted. We would then have to remove the excess wine for storage.

As it turned out, when we arrived back at our cabin an hour or so later, there was all our luggage, complete with all the wine! I guess these things are just hit and miss!

We took an introductory tour of both the ship itself and the specialty restaurants. I don’t know when cruise lines added this feature, but now, for an additional $25 (per person!) you can make a reservation in one of several ‘specialty’ restaurants. Each one has a specific theme – Asian, Tuscan steakhouse, etc. and all are relatively small. The service is supposed to be impeccable and I’m sure it is, and of course the food is supposed to be over the top, but really, I can’t imagine paying EXTRA for something I’ve already paid for – and although I’m no food expert, I think the meals in the ‘regular’ dining room are pretty good, as is the service.

Although our plan was to really explore the ship on day two, we still had plenty of time to wander around and check out some of the bars, lounges and public spaces. There was a 2 story library, a computer room, card room complete with board games, an art gallery, casino, and of course plenty of high end shops. The spa and gym area offered every possible way to physically better yourself – the standard exercise machines like treadmills and free weights, a variety of classes, massages, acupuncture, teeth whitening and beauty services like facials and manicures. Oh – and their very own café, serving, I assume, only very healthy foods.

We had the late seating for dinner, so after unpacking and relaxing, we headed to the main dining room for the 8:30 p.m. seating. We’d requested a table for eight, hoping to meet some of the other guests. Although our table was in a nice quiet location, and we had a window (a moot point since it was dark by 5 p.m.!), our table was a series of 4 small tables arranged in a line, making conversation much more difficult than a round table. On our first night we were only six. One ‘couple’ was a woman with her adult nephew. There were both from Mexico, and both fluent in English, but we really didn’t have much to talk about after exchanging basic information. The other couple chose to sit at the far end of the table, leaving an empty place between us and them, making conversation a little difficult, and making us think that’s probably how they wanted it!

The food was excellent, as was the service. I started off with a caprese salad, then salmon with roasted veggies. Art had mushroom soup, a salad, and an entrée I don’t remember, which he thoroughly enjoyed. He couldn’t resist ordering a slice of cheesecake with raspberries, and I couldn’t resist having a bite or two myself!

On the way out we met the sommelier and signed up for a few of the wine tasting classes that will be held on the days when we’re at sea. We took another stroll around the ship, just wandering and enjoying before heading back to the cabin for a relaxing shower and a good night’s sleep.

The weather in Rome had turned nasty not long after we boarded, and it rained pretty hard, and for quite a while. We were really glad we had arrived early in the day and didn’t have to schlep our luggage across the parking lot in the pouring rain! The wind that had blown all day continued into the night, and once we left Rome at 6 p.m. we were surprised at how much movement there was. Because the ship is so tall the wind really does affect it, even though it’s so large. I was hoping that the movement would rock us to sleep, but Art said he woke up several times due to the movement of the ship. I wasn’t sure how long it would take us to reach Livorno, but knew it wouldn’t be all night. At some point things calmed down and when I woke up the next morning I could tell that the ship had stopped.


There are more photos from the cruise and all the ports we visited on our FLICKR PAGE.

CRUISING - Days 7 - 13 - AT SEA

Okay, that's it until we dock in Fr. Lauderdale on Sunday, Dec 13th! We'll be a speck upon the ocean, and hopefully have calm seas for a nice smooth voyage. Once we've docked we'll be spending a few days with our friend Nedra, who very conveniently lives in Ft. Lauderdale.

Even once we're in the states I can't guarantee how long it'll be before I can post again - there will be lots and lots of photos to be edited as well as posts to be written, and to be honest, that just won't be my first priority.

We'll fly to Louisville for one day then take off to see the grandgirls - a visit that's LONG overdue. By the time we get back to Louisville it'll be December 23rd, then Christmas, then my birthday - although Art's having dental work done that day! Anyway, that's my excuse, like it or not, so I guess I'd better take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy holiday season just in case I don't post anything before it's over! Buon Natale, ed auguri!

CRUISING - Day 6 - MADEIRA PORTUGAL

Today we're stopping at the Portuguese island of Madeira, at the city of Funchal. Because it's Sunday none of the wine factories will be open for tours, but I'm sure it'll be possible to buy a bottle or two of Madeira's famous wine somewhere along the way. To be honest, I knew the name of the wine, but not much else. Here's some history: Madeira is a fortified Portuguese wine made in the Madeira Islands. The wine is produced in a variety of styles ranging from dry wines which can be consumed on their own as an aperitif, to sweet wines more usually consumed with dessert. Cheaper versions are often flavored with salt and pepper for use in cooking!

The islands of Madeira have a long winemaking history dating back to the Age of Exploration when Madeira was a standard port of call for ships heading to the New World or East Indies. To prevent the wine from spoiling, neutral grape spirits were added. On the long sea voyages, the wines would be exposed to excessive heat and movement which transformed the flavor of the wine as the wine producers of Madeira found out when an unsold shipment of wine returned to the islands after a round trip.

Today, Madeira is noted for its unique winemaking process which involves heating the wine up to temperatures as high as 140°F for an extended period of time and deliberately exposing the wine to some levels of oxidation. Due to this unique process, Madeira is a very robust wine that can be quite long lived even after being opened.

When doing research for this port it quickly became apparent that the sights weren't as easily accessible as most of the other ports. We'd need to have some way to get around the island to best appreciate it's many vistas. Rather than book one of the cruise line's tours, I once again turned to the CruiseCritic.com message board, where I discovered that many people there also booked private tours.  I contacted one of the companies recommended by others, and also posted that I was looking for other people to share the tour.  Eventually we ended up with a group of 14 people, and we'll take our tour with Daniel Madeira Taxis.  Our 4 ½ hour tour will begin when we're met on the dock, then we'll tour the island as described here: 

• If you're interested in taking the Cable Car up to Monte, the driver will take you, first, to the Cable Car station in town, for your ride up. In case some of the people in your group are not interested in doing the Cable Car ride, they will go to Monte in the van.
• Once you reach Monte the driver will meet you again and, if you're interested, will show you the way to the Toboggan ride. Here again, those not interested in doing the ride, will continue in the van. The Toboggan ride is a 2km downhill run in a wicker basket, controlled by two men.
• Next, Pico dos Barcelos, where you'll admire Funchal and all the suburbs.
• Curral das Freiras, the center of the vulcano that was in the origin of Madeira, an impressive sight.
• Câmara De Lobos, interesting small fishing town.
• Cabo Girão, a beautiful sea cliff, is the highest in Europe and the second highest in the world.
• Madeira wine has been famous for many, many years. Wine Factories are closed on Sunday, alternatively you can have your wine tasting in a wine shop.
• At the end of the tour you'll be dropped off where it may be more convenient for you.

The funniest part of this tour is the toboggan ride.  I'd read that you went down the mountain in a wicker basket guided by two men, but I really wasn't sure what that meant.  Of course YouTube came to my rescue, so I'll let you see for yourself.  It certainly doesn't look like the most scenic route, and now I'm not so sure I'm that interested. 

CRUISING - Day 5 - AT SEA

Today will be our first full day at sea, and I'm sure there will be plenty of onboard activities scheduled if we're so inclined.  If we're not interested in playing the cruise version of "Family Feud" or whatever other fun and silly games are planned, I'm sure we'll have no trouble finding some interesting things to see and do.  Tomorrow we arrive at our last stop before we reach the states:  Madeira, a Portugese island.  Then it's six full days at sea - and time to relax!

CRUISING - Day 4 - CARTAGENA SPAIN

If it's Friday it must be Cartagena!  We'll be here from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., and it looks as though there are plenty of things to see and lots of great views.  Here's a little history: 

The Phoenicians, Romans and Moors all used Cartagena for its natural deep-water harbor. The entrance from the Mediterranean is protected by rocky fortified headlands that act like claws, pincering enemy ships. Inside this perfect sea port, a walled city was built. The city walls remained intact until the beginning of the 20th century, creating a dense historic center.

Although there are some ruins from the Carthaginian ages, such as the remains of the Punic rampart (built in 227 B.C. with the foundation of the city), most of its oldest monuments date from the ages of the Roman Empire when Cartagena flourished.  The view from La Concepció Castle takes in great views of the old bull ring, built on top of a Roman gladiatorial arena, the 18th-century autopsy theatre and the interior of the old cathedral.

The 18th century la Navidad was built to protect the entrance to the port of Cartagena.  It was restored in 2006 as part of the ongoing project to make Cartagena more tourist-friendly. From the hill above the castle are wonderful views of the great natural  harbor and its city.

This sounds like a relaxing day without too much of an agenda and plenty of photo opportunities! 

CRUISING - Day 3 - BARCELONA

Today we'll visit Barcelona. The ship is here from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., and once again we'll do our own thing, trying to see the highlights but still having a relaxing and enjoyable day.

Barcelona's beginnings, much like Rome's, are subject to myth and a bit of mystery. The first myth attributes the founding of the city to Hercules 400 years before the building of Rome, thus the name Βαρκινών;. The second myth attributes the foundation of the city directly to the Carthaginian Hamilcar Barca, father of Hannibal, who named the city Barcino after his family, in the 3rd century BC.

Barcelona has several important museums, including a Picasso museum, but we'll pass on those. We'll be concentrating our efforts into thre areas: the Gothic Quarter, the olderst part of the city, the Sagrada Familia, a work in progress, and Las Ramblas, the mostly pedestrian street that cuts through the heart of the city.

Once again our plan will be to start at the furthest point and work our way back towards the ship. This means that our first stop will be the Sagrada Família, which has been under construction since 1882, and is still financed by private donations. It's expected to be completed by 2026. This massive, impressive and over-the-top church was designed by Antonio Gaudi, who's work is spotted throughout Barcelona.  We'll have to take the subway  to get to the Sagrada Familia, but it looks pretty straightforward - fingers crossed! 

The Barri Gòtic ("Gothic Quarter" in Catalan) is the centre of the old city of Barcelona. Many of the buildings date from medieval times, some from as far back as the Roman settlement of Barcelona. Catalan modernisme architecture (often known as Art Nouveau in the rest of Europe), developed between 1885 and 1950 and left an important legacy in Barcelona. A great number of these buildings are World Heritage Sites.  This area is filled with narrow, medieval streets, and the gothic  14th century Cathedral of Santa Eulalia, often called simply Barcelona Cathedral. 

The cathedral is dedicated to Eulalia of Barcelona, co-patron saint of Barcelona, a young virgin who, according to Catholic tradition, suffered martyrdom during Roman times in Barcelona. One story is that she was exposed naked in the public square and a miraculous snowfall in mid-spring covered her nudity. The enraged Romans put her into a barrel with knives stuck into it and rolled it down a street.  The body of Saint Eulalia is entombed in the cathedral's crypt.

Once we've wandered through the Gothic Quarter we'll stroll down Las Ramblas, a 1.2 kilometer-long tree-lined pedestrian mall.  Here we'll find the legendary La Boqueria Market. It's a foodie paradise ithat's a feast for the senses – groaning stalls of every food imaginable in an elegant market hall. It's said you can buy anything here from fresh fruit to edible beetles, but the Jamon Iberico, Manchego Cheese, freshly squeezed juices and pizza make an excellent and cheap picnic.  Hmmmm-  lunch?  

Las Ramblas ends at the dock, so we'll be sure to find our way back on board.

CRUISING - Day 2 - VILLEFRANCHE/NICE

This morning our ship will be tendered at Villfranche, France.  this means that we won't be docked at the shore but will be taken to shore by boats. 

Many of our shipmates will take this opportunity to visit Monaco, and a variety of other small towns in the area.  If you've ever taken a cruise before you know that the ship always arranges several excursions for each port.  Sometimes, given the time contraints, it's worth it to pay the slightly higher costs, but other times, when the ship is docked not far from what you really want to see, there's just no point. 

We really have no interest in Monaco, the casinos of Monte Carlo or the Gran Prix course, so we plan to arrive in Villefranche, take the bus to Nice, about 4 miles away, and wander through the old town.  I'm hoping to be able to wander through the local market, since from what I've heard, France's markets are much better than Italian markets.  I'm sure there will be plenty to see and do in Nice, given it's long history.  According to what I've read, the first known human settlements in the Nice area date back approximately 400,000 years. Nice (Nicaea) was probably founded around 350 BC by the Greeks of Massilia (Marseille), and was given the name of Νικαία ("Nikaia") in honor of a victory over the neighboring Ligurians (Nike is the Greek goddess of victory). The city soon became one of the busiest trading ports on the Ligurian coast.

During the Middle Ages, Nice participated in the wars and history of Italy. As an ally of Pisa it was the enemy of Genoa, and both the King of France and the Emperor endeavoured to subjugate it; but in spite of this it maintained its municipal liberties.  In 1942/3 the city was occupied and administered by Italy during World War II.

Perhaps after lunch we'll take the bus back to Villefranche and spend a little time there.  Because Villefranche is a smaller town, and because it's December, I'm not really sure how many shops will be open or what there'll be to see or do, so we'll just play it by ear.   Here's what I've read about Villefranche:  The site of what is now Villefranche and surrounding Beaulieu-sur-Mer and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat has been settled since prehistoric times. Celto-ligurian tribes roamed the area and established farming communities on the surrounding hills. The Greeks and later the Romans used the natural harbour as a stop-over en route to the Greek settlements around the Western Mediterranean. After the conquest of Gaul by Julius Caesar, the Romans built an extension of the Via Aurelia (Aurelian Way), which passed through the settlement of Montolivo.

Villefranche's bay is notable for reaching a significant depth only a short distance from shore. As a result it has become an important port over the years. Since World War I, the United States Navy has called on a regular basis, making Villefranche the home port of the U.S. 6th Fleet from 1948 to 1966. Since the 1980’s Villefranche has been used by cruise ships and is the most visited cruise ship port of call in France.

The ship is scheduled to depart at 6 p.m., and of course we'll have to take the tender back to the ship, so being in Villefranche in the afternoon means we don't have to worry about missing the bus from Nice or otherwise (literally) missing the boat!

CRUISING - Day 1 - LIVORNO

Today, the first full day of our cruise, we're in Livorno.  Because it's only 82 Km from Florence , 20 Km  from Pisa and 40 Km from Lucca, most of the passengers will take advantage of the 12 hours we're docked to visit one or more of these enchanting cities. 

We, on the other hand, have a different itinerary in mind.  We plan to spend all morning just exploring the ship - I think it'll be a great time to wander around while (most) everyone else is gone.  After lunch we'll take a stroll around Livorno, which sounds rather interesting, and it's certainly not someplace we'd make a special trip to visit.  Here are some notes I've gathered about Livorno, which has some canals:

The origins of present day Livorno date back to the 15th century. A small port called Liburna existed in Roman times, built from a natural cove, which was under the domination of Pisa for all of the Middle Ages. A 1017 document mentions the presence of a castle named Livorna.


In 1421 the small port, under the reign of Genoa, was sold to Florence, at that time undergoing major expansion and needing an efficient outlet at the sea. From this time on Livorno was ruled by the Medici family who for more than three centuries transformed the small village into one of the most important ports of the Mediterranean. At the end of the 16th century Francesco I assigned Buontalenti with the task of making Livorno a full-fledged city and he made it able to house 20,000 people inside the walls and 300 ships in the port.

This was the origin of the oldest part of Livorno, a fortified city with a pentagonal shape surrounded by navigable canals, the Fossi Medicei, and cut down the middle by the present day Via Grande. The main sights of Livorno are concentrated inside the Medici part of the city.

 Fortezza Vecchia (Old Fortress) is an impressive pentagonal fortress surrounded by moats, built in the 16th century to defend the Medici port. It contains a medieval (11th century) keep and cylindrical tower. The fortress is enclosed by powerful ramparts reinforced in the 19th century to house artillery.

Venezia Nuova is a charming quarter filled with canals, islands and bridges, many from the 17th century, which was designed in the same century to house the mercantile class. The network of streets and canals was designed so that goods could be easily transported to and from the nearby port. The dwellings of the quarter perfectly met the trade and living needs, and concealed elegant buildings divided into apartments, which contained warehouses on the first floor. These buildings can be best seen in the centrally located Via Borra, one of the prettiest streets of the city.

This will just be the first of several new cities we'll discover along the way.  Tomorrow, Villefranche and Nice, France!

TODAY'S THE DAY!

Yes, today's the day we begin our transatlantic cruise from Rome to Ft Lauderdale.  Because online internet connnections are expensive (about 60¢/minute in a package!), I won't be posting during the cruise, and probably not for a week or so after that.  Once we arrive in Ft. Lauderdale we'll spend a few days with our friend Nedra, then fly to Lousiville.  On Friday the 18th we'll head off to N. Carolina for a long-overdue visit with our grandgirls, then get back to Louisville just in time for Christmas!  Whew!  I guess I'd really better relax and enjoy this cruise!

I'm setting up several posts in advance, mostly on the days we're in port.  I'll tell you a little about where we'll be, but remember, this information will only be what I've read in books or online - once we're finally settled I plan to write my own impressions and will include LOTS of photos (gotta make full use of that new camera!).

Our ship, the CELEBRITY SOLSTICE  will take us to a variety of ports, but we're leaving from Civitavecchia, which is the port city for Rome.  It's located about 80 km northwest of Rome, and has an interesting history all it's own. 
 
Civitavecchia means 'ancient city'.  The modern city was built over a pre-existing Etruscan settlement.  The harbor was constructed by the Emperor Trajan at the beginning of the 2nd century. The first occurrence of the name Centum Cellae is from a letter by Pliny the Younger (AD 107). The origin of the name is disputed: it has been suggested that it could refer to the centum ("hundred") halls of the villa of the emperor.

In the high Middle Ages, Centumcellae was a Byzantine stronghold. Captured by the Saracens in 828, it was later acquired by the Papal States.

The place became a free port under Pope Innocent XII in 1696. The main port of Rome in modern era, it was occupied by the French in 1849. On April 16, 1859 the Rome and Civitavecchia Rail Road was opened for service. The Papal troops opened the gates of the fortress to the Italian general Nino Bixio in 1870.

The massive Forte Michelangelo ("Michelangelo's fort") was first commissioned from Bramante by Pope Julius II, to defend the port of Rome, and was completed in 1535 by Giuliano Leno and Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, under Paul III. The upper part of the "maschio" tower, however, was designed by Michelangelo, whose name is generally applied to the fortress. The edifice, measuring 100 x 82 m, has four towers with a diameter of 21 m. The main tower, of octagonal shape, has sides of 12 m. The walls have an impressive thickness of 6-7.6 m. The fortress was built over an ancient Roman construction, probably the barracks of the classiarii ("mariners") of the Imperial Fleet.

Unfortunately we'll probably see very little of Civitavecchia itself, but maybe we'll get a nice overview from the ship, and a beautiful, twinkly night-time view as we set sail!

Here's our itinerary: 

Tomorrow morning, (or probaly sometime tonight) we'll dock in Livorno, the port city for Florence and Pisa.

AMAZING PRICES!

Incredibly, the price of an inside cabin for our transatlantic cruise just dropped from $699 to $399!!!  For a 13 day transatlantic cruise!  Of course other cabin categories dropped in price as well, but rather than upgrade to a different cabin, we chose to receive $300 EACH in onboard credits!  I wonder what treats we'll pamper ourselves with???  Wine with dinner? 

Cocktails in the piano bar? 

Dinner in one of the more 'upscale' restaurants?

Or maybe a massage? 

I'm sure there will be plenty of things to tempt us!  Care to join us?

THE CRUISE: AN UPDATE!

Ever since we booked our cruise I've been going to a site recommended by our travel agent, CruiseCritics.com.  In addition to cruise deals they also have information and reviews about ports of call, cruise lines and ships.  They also have a message board where we can get info and ask questions about a variety of cruise topics.  There is also a  message board for each cruise line, each ship, and even each specific cruise on any given ship.  What this means is that for the past few weeks we've been 'talking' to the people we'll be cruising with later this month, asking questions and learning a lot. 

Many, many of these people are dedicated cruisers who proudly list their past (and future) cruises along with their name.  These are cruise-savvy people who have lots of insider tips to share, and who are more than willing to share their knowledge. 

If you've read my original post about the cruise you know that we jumped on the $699 per person price for this 13 day cruise.  Not surprisingly, just FIVE days after we booked the cruise Celebrity had another sale for this cruise, and offered outside cabins for just $799!  I called our travel agent to see if we could pay the $100 each to upgrade, but found out that this offer was for new customers only.  I hate it when that happens!  How often do you see deals for cable TV or cellphones that are WAY cheaper than what you, a longtime customer, are paying?!  It's so frustrating that the idea is only to GET more customers, not make the current customers happy! 


Anyway, I kept reading on the message board that people were being upgraded or getting onboard credits (OBC) due to a drop in the prices, and I wondered how that was possible.  Eventually Celebrity did drop the price of our cabin category to $599, and it was a fare that anyone could get, not some 'special' special, so I contacted our travel agent again, based on what the members of the CruiseCritics.com message board told me. 

As I understand it, if the difference in the fares was equal to the cost of the next higher cabin, they would upgrade us, and if not, we would be issued a total of $200 in OBC.  Either way was fine with us, but I was pretty sure we would get the OBC.  Altough we don't plan on having wine with every dinner or making many onboard purchases, I'm sure there will be occasions when we decide to have a drink in the bar or maybe have one load of laundry washed and pressed.  A $200 credit would allow us  (me) to enjoy a few treats without feeling guilty!

Just as we had been told, our travel agent emailed us to say that yes, we now had $200 in OBC!  He also told me that it couldn't hurt to ask for an upgrade when we board.  We'll certainly ask, but you know me, ever the pessimist, I'm certainly not expecting it - and it certainly won't affect the fabulous time we're going to have!