Cool Girl & Crazy Mom do the Med-Venice: A (very delayed) review of a Serenade voyage

 

Lol -- a tiny request. It doesn't really matter and I'm just being picky, but sometimes when you write my screen name you switch the e and the u...When I read it, it feels odd, since nueling sure isn't a word I know...sounds like some sort of furry animal.

 

I'm sorry I picked such a hard name to pronounce for you guys, but would you be so nice to switch it around in the future (you probably won't mention me anymore anyway) just for my peace of mind?

 

Lol -- thanks.

 

Stef

:eek::eek::eek: Oh no! You should have said something sooner. I would never have wanted you to think I thought of you as a furry fairy tale animal :D I think I have it entered wrong in my dictionary. I will absolutely be sure to change it so I am sure to spell it right from now on (it's the least I can do after you have stuck with me on this longggggg review!)... because I am quite sure I will still mention you through the review, and I always want folks to be able to search on your "correct" screen name to find your fabulous reviews :)

Melissa

Melissa,

 

just come back from another wonderful cruise on Serenade !

We had good time,good weather and smooth seas.

I also met the wonderful Janet onboard and spoke about your enthusiam and your ability to transmit your emotions !

I also took a picture together and wait for her authorization to post it here when she will read us here.

The only downside of this cruise was...disembarking !

 

A big ciao from Italy

 

Alberto

Hi Alberto - how wonderful to hear from you! I am thrilled you met up with Janet on the Serenade. I hope she will allow you to post the picture of the two of you here. I would love to see it!!!!

Maybe you could do a review of your cruise :D:p I would love to hear all about it!

And I agree... disembarking is such a mean thing for the cruise lines to make us do!

Melissa

Just checking.....

If you need something to read while waiting for the next chapter, I found this amusing review. It is not the same ship (???) or cruise line (gasp!!!!) but some of the same ports and a lot of great pix...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1848309

Melissa,

 

just come back from another wonderful cruise on Serenade !

We had good time,good weather and smooth seas.

I also met the wonderful Janet onboard and spoke about your enthusiam and your ability to transmit your emotions !

I also took a picture together and wait for her authorization to post it here when she will read us here.

The only downside of this cruise was...disembarking !

 

A big ciao from Italy

 

Alberto

You may post it, Alberto. Nice meeting you and your whole family/group.

You may post it, Alberto. Nice meeting you and your whole family/group.

Thank you !

Here below the link to our picture together , taken at Viking Crown lounge ,deck 13, on october 12,2014 !

Thank you so much Janet :)

Alberto

http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc381/AMOILMARE1/DSCN3557_zps220ed877.jpg?t=1414131457

Hi Alberto - how wonderful to hear from you! I am thrilled you met up with Janet on the Serenade. I hope she will allow you to post the picture of the two of you here. I would love to see it!!!!

 

Maybe you could do a review of your cruise :D:p I would love to hear all about it!

 

And I agree... disembarking is such a mean thing for the cruise lines to make us do!

 

Melissa

Thank you Melissa ! I believe that the full tour atop of the Dubrovnik's ancient walls i the best possible experience to really enjoy this wonderful city, the Venetian Ragusa.

I posted the picture of me and the sparkling Janet here , it's a really small world, isn't it ? :

http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc381/AMOILMARE1/DSCN3557_zps220ed877.jpg?t=1414131457

Alberto

Thank you Melissa ! I believe that the full tour atop of the Dubrovnik's ancient walls i the best possible experience to really enjoy this wonderful city, the Venetian Ragusa.

I posted the picture of me and the sparkling Janet here , it's a really small world, isn't it ? :

http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc381/AMOILMARE1/DSCN3557_zps220ed877.jpg?t=1414131457

 

Alberto

Thanks for sharing Alberto! It is good to see my friend Janet, and meet a new friend Alberto! I love the smiles on your faces!

Denise

Thank you Melissa ! I believe that the full tour atop of the Dubrovnik's ancient walls i the best possible experience to really enjoy this wonderful city, the Venetian Ragusa.

I posted the picture of me and the sparkling Janet here , it's a really small world, isn't it ? :

http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc381/AMOILMARE1/DSCN3557_zps220ed877.jpg?t=1414131457

 

Alberto

What a fabulous pic of you two!!!! I am so glad you were able to meet up on the cruise and take this photo. You both look positively amazing!!!

Melissa

PS - If Dubrovnik would let me pitch a tent up there (complete with air conditioning and... facilities...:eek::p) I would live atop those walls. It's my favorite place in all of the city!

Just checking.....

 

If you need something to read while waiting for the next chapter, I found this amusing review. It is not the same ship (???) or cruise line (gasp!!!!) but some of the same ports and a lot of great pix...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1848309

Ooooooo... I will definitely have to check out this review. You have me intrigued by the use of the word "amusing"....lol :D !

Mleissa

LOL - you two are funny!!!! I am just waiting on my pic to finish uploading to Photobucket and then I will post a couple new segments (woohoo!)

 

Melissa

Hey Melissa,

Enjoyed your thread. Thank you for taking the Time. sounds like you are super busy. you must share with us how you get your photos up on CC. Must be another site to go through?

Share some of your secrets with us ( Photo Wise) lol. Or at the bar on the BOS after a Pub Crawl. ;)

Don

Hey Melissa,

 

Enjoyed your thread. Thank you for taking the Time. sounds like you are super busy. you must share with us how you get your photos up on CC. Must be another site to go through?

 

Share some of your secrets with us ( Photo Wise) lol. Or at the bar on the BOS after a Pub Crawl. ;)

Don

Hi Don - thanks for stopping by!!! (To the rest of you, Don is head honcho over on the roll call for my TA next year.... and he's doing an AMAZING job!)

The photo part is really what delayed me the most in the beginning. For whatever reason, it just seemed to take forever for me to figure out how it worked (and to find a "photo sharing" site that worked for me). Personally, I have been using photobucket for all photos in this thread with the exception of the first dozen or so. If folks are interested to read about how "I" do it (which may or may not be the best way), I will be quite happy to add the steps in a post at the end of the review (although I would be up for a post pub crawl discussion during the cruise as well...lol) Not only will this maybe help others figure out how to do it, but someone might also chime in and tell me a much easier/faster way to do it so I will know for the next review :D)

Melissa

Once off the wall, we all realized we were starving! So, we headed down one of the side streets (the one that parallels the main street) until we came across an amazing pizza place called Mea Culpa.

One thing I had always remembered about my previous visits to Dubrovnik, was how extremely friendly the people are… and this time was no different. We had an excellent server, great drinks and fabulous pizza. If you stop by here, trust me when I tell you that one pizza is more than enough for two people to share (notice in the photo below that 1/2 is almost as big as the placemat). Here’s what CM and I split (and the server was kind enough to bring it out on two separate plates for us so that we wouldn’t have to split it at the table):

And here’s Ernie with one of his “Big Beers” (the big beer, small beer things was a running joke throughout the cruise)

So, bellies full, each couple decided to split up and meet back on the ship. CM and I did what we do best… shopped! I was on a mission this visit to get earrings to match a necklace I had purchased on an earlier trip. Dubrovnik makes these special pieces to replicate the buttons worn on the old soldiers’ uniforms. It’s quite a beautiful design IMO. So, we found a little shop and went to town. The silver prices are really good in Croatia and Bosnia (well, to me they are). They also sell by weight. So you might be looking at two pairs of earrings that look similar in size, but they will put each on a scale before giving you the price. I found my perfect earrings and CM ended up buying her own set of “Dubrovnik Button” earrings and necklace. Mission accomplished, I was now free to just browse around the little shops along the street. Of course, I also had to buy some slivovitz…. The fruit and herbal brandies they are known for there. This stuff packs a punch and takes a bit of getting used to. Most of the little shops though will allow you to taste before you buy….

Bonus!

Shopping done, we decided to just relax with a glass of wine at a little café. When the bill came, we suddenly realized they only took Kuna. No credit cards, no Euros… just Kuna… which we had none of. So, off I went in search of an ATM (which wasn’t too hard to find) and took out the smallest amount I could. After paying, we still had 30 Kuna left (about $6). So, we forced down some gelato from another shop (yes, it was pure torture to have to eat that creamy yumminess…lol) and I gave my remaining coins to a street musician playing near the gate as we made our way to the bus stop. We didn’t have to wait long and by 5:30, we were back on the ship.

So, to sum things up, Dubrovnik is an extremely easy town to DIY. It’s also very affordable. The people are fantastic and there is something there for everyone from culture, to history, to shopping, to scenery. If you ever have the chance to visit, please don’t pass up the opportunity.

Up next, Halloween Night!!!!

CG :cool:

Thank you !

Ehehe...remember , for your Dubrovnik tent , to order one in medieval style, with all flags etc.etc...and don't forget to send me an invitation !

What a fabulous pic of you two!!!! I am so glad you were able to meet up on the cruise and take this photo. You both look positively amazing!!!

 

Melissa

 

PS - If Dubrovnik would let me pitch a tent up there (complete with air conditioning and... facilities...:eek::p) I would live atop those walls. It's my favorite place in all of the city!

Thank you Denise ,

even if could not seem at first sight ,in reality I'm quite shy but with Janet I was immediately able to speak about different arguments ( and not in my mother language that's obviously more difficult for me ) and I found myself completely at ease with her, sharing same points of view . So happy to have the opportunity to met her and so... unhappy that both were so busy during this cruise of not having more time to speak more together but she had her group and I had mine , so I hope to meet her on another cruise .

Never know : we probably would have never met without this wonderful Melissa's thread :)

A big arrivederci from my beautiful Italy

Alberto

Thanks for sharing Alberto! It is good to see my friend Janet, and meet a new friend Alberto! I love the smiles on your faces!

 

Denise

Thank you Denise ,

even if could not seem at first sight ,in reality I'm quite shy but with Janet I was immediately able to speak about different arguments ( and not in my mother language that's obviously more difficult for me ) and I found myself completely at ease with her, sharing same points of view . So happy to have the opportunity to met her and so... unhappy that both were so busy during this cruise of not having more time to speak more together but she had her group and I had mine , so I hope to meet her on another cruise .

Never know : we probably would have never met without this wonderful Melissa's thread :)

A big arrivederci from my beautiful Italy

Alberto

Alberto, I posted our photo on my FB page and friends think you are quite good looking, especially the red suit. You are a hit in America!!

Some would like a place to stay in Italy ... hahahahaha. Only kidding.;)

It is amazing the people you meet on CruiseCritic and become friends.

Hi Don - thanks for stopping by!!! (To the rest of you, Don is head honcho over on the roll call for my TA next year.... and he's doing an AMAZING job!)

 

The photo part is really what delayed me the most in the beginning. For whatever reason, it just seemed to take forever for me to figure out how it worked (and to find a "photo sharing" site that worked for me). Personally, I have been using photobucket for all photos in this thread with the exception of the first dozen or so. If folks are interested to read about how "I" do it (which may or may not be the best way), I will be quite happy to add the steps in a post at the end of the review (although I would be up for a post pub crawl discussion during the cruise as well...lol) Not only will this maybe help others figure out how to do it, but someone might also chime in and tell me a much easier/faster way to do it so I will know for the next review :D)

 

Melissa

Looking forward to learning how to post photos.:)

Ahahaha... thank you ! I'll take my red suit to the Caribbean in 2016 :D

Ciao :)

Alberto

Alberto, I posted our photo on my FB page and friends think you are quite good looking, especially the red suit. You are a hit in America!!

 

Some would like a place to stay in Italy ... hahahahaha. Only kidding.;)

 

It is amazing the people you meet on CruiseCritic and become friends.

Melissa,

I am totally loving this review. You are doing a fantastic job!

I love the main characters, you and mom! But FILs, Alberto, Stef and so many others that are contributing are so enjoyable.

BTW, are you from Pittsburgh originally, I grew up in the S. Hills and now live east of the city, N. Huntingdon. Loved the fry pie!!

Keep it up, we all appreciate it

sigh ... saturday night...still a couple of hours left...

:eek: the suspense is killing me :eek:

God -- woman -- this is rough -- you're torturing us -- how about TWO posts a week?!

Please please, pretty please????

Stef

Melissa,

 

I am totally loving this review. You are doing a fantastic job!

 

I love the main characters, you and mom! But FILs, Alberto, Stef and so many others that are contributing are so enjoyable.

 

BTW, are you from Pittsburgh originally, I grew up in the S. Hills and now live east of the city, N. Huntingdon. Loved the fry pie!!

 

Keep it up, we all appreciate it

Hi PesterGal! From one "yinzer" to another, thank you so much for your kind words and for following my review!!!! Like you, I am just thrilled that this review has picked up such a great "cast of characters" along the way. I think all of the folks you mentioned (along with Windjamming, Irish Cath, Ayasha and so many more) have really made this review so much more fun than if it were just my ramblings :D

Yes! I am originally from Pgh. I lived there until 2000 when I finally found a way to move to a much warmer climate (where people freak if there is even a forecast of flurries within 100 miles :eek::p) I grew up near the airport (Moon Twp), but also lived in your neck of the woods (Irwin) for a couple of years. We actually have a pretty thriving ex"pit" community here in Wilmington (kind of like expats in the rest of the world, but these are folks from Pgh). However, finding a decent sauerkraut pierogi or loaf of Mancini-like bread is still proving difficult :mad:

Melissa

sigh ... saturday night...still a couple of hours left...

 

:eek: the suspense is killing me :eek:

 

God -- woman -- this is rough -- you're torturing us -- how about TWO posts a week?!

 

Please please, pretty please????

 

Stef

Haha! I swear, I am not doing it on purpose. Every time I plan to write up a "bonus" segment mid-week, something gets in the way (working and maintaining a household as a single gal is so darn time consuming.... and having two giant dogs who seems to trek shovelfuls of dirt into the house daily doesn't help with freeing up much time :mad:)

I have a lofty goal for today.... finish up the post about Halloween night on the Serenade and get through all of day 11 (2nd sea day). Maybe I can even get started on the final sea day (which my notes indicate was packed with activities!). Then, that will get us to the end of the cruise. I will continue the review to include our post-cruise days in Rome, but for anyone that isn't interested in that, they can sign off feeling proud that they made it through the whole cruise portion of the trip...finally :D

Melissa

Before we move on to Halloween night aboard the Serenade, I wanted to add a few more photos of Dubrovnik....

A view from atop the wall

The "main" square in town

A "side street" in town. Can you imagine having to haul all your "stuff" up those stairs??? Remember, there are no cars within Old Town.

A side street that runs parallel to the main "street". I just love the crooked tree growing up the side of the building. In the distance, you can see the outdoor seating of a nearby restaurant. Most of the eating establishments in town have fabulous outdoor seating like this.

In keeping with the "side street with crooked tree" theme....

CM and I drinking wine... big surprise there....lol

Another view from the main square... this time looking back toward the Pile Gate (main entrance to town)

From the wall, looking towards the fort on the other side of the little "bay"

I just love the red tiled roofs of Old Town. I have almost as many "roof" pics as I have "laundry" pics...almost.

Even though I was on the trip of a lifetime, I was still missing my pup back home. So, when I came across this fella (a Saint Bernard like my dogs), I had to stop everything I was doing and give him some love

Some of the BEST folks you could ever meet on a cruise!!!!

Goodnight Dubrovnik

PHOTO DISCLAIMER - these are actually from one of my trips there in 2008, but these are still some of my favorite photos of Old Town. Enjoy these "bonus" photos :D

I was enamored with the roofs even back then....lol

I want this handrail bracket in my house one day

This was what I saw as I turned the corner on the wall.... this little guy was just peeking out of an attic window on house right next to the wall. To date, this is one of my favorite photos I have ever taken.

CG :cool: