**Trip of a Lifetime Review - Italy and Rhapsody of the Seas 9.16.2016**

Please, ask me all the questions you need. I love talking about anything related to this trip!

 

With insurance, I paid about $920, which was good for me, since I set a budget of $1,000 CDN for my flight. I checked maybe twice after I booked it and it had increased to about $1,100 before insurance.

 

The hotel had free breakfast but it was nothing to write home about. I believe the only hot item was oatmeal.

 

My cabin was a category K inside I believe and it was pretty big for an inside. I had a lot of room even though it was just me.

 

 

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'was about to make a move on Hotel Caprera, then i read 'mosquito bites' .. What's up with the window?.. Caprera is the cheapest right now though.

Does your cabin have a sofa? and hows the AC on that one? Can i stash a luggage under that bed?

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Oh that lemon soda is the best!! I had it in Venice, too!

I'm thoroughly enjoying your blog! Good for you for taking yourself on your dream trips!!

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'was about to make a move on Hotel Caprera, then i read 'mosquito bites' .. What's up with the window?.. Caprera is the cheapest right now though.

Does your cabin have a sofa? and hows the AC on that one? Can i stash a luggage under that bed?

 

 

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Yes it was the cheapest when I looked as well and I quickly understood why. If it's for one night, it's manageable but I personally wouldn't do 2 nights there again. The window was high and I'm short so I couldn't reach it. I'm sure if I asked, they would've closed it though. The staff was great.

Yes I had a couch in my cabin. I believe it shows it in my room post. I never touched the AC and my luggage fit perfectly under my bed.

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Yes it was the cheapest when I looked as well and I quickly understood why. If it's for one night, it's manageable but I personally wouldn't do 2 nights there again. The window was high and I'm short so I couldn't reach it. I'm sure if I asked, they would've closed it though. The staff was great.

 

Yes I had a couch in my cabin. I believe it shows it in my room post. I never touched the AC and my luggage fit perfectly under my bed.

 

 

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Thanks[emoji846]

Deon, if you have to do this trip again, where will you stay? Mestre, Piazzale Roma or those hotels near the Marco Basilica? I gotta admit, i got intimidated by the density of the whole area when i looked it up. Did you also researched the places where you ate there?

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Oh that lemon soda is the best!! I had it in Venice, too!

I'm thoroughly enjoying your blog! Good for you for taking yourself on your dream trips!!

 

 

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Thank you so much! What I wouldn't give to have one of those lemon sodas again - they were amazing!

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Thanks[emoji846]

Deon, if you have to do this trip again, where will you stay? Mestre, Piazzale Roma or those hotels near the Marco Basilica? I gotta admit, i got intimidated by the density of the whole area when i looked it up. Did you also researched the places where you ate there?

 

 

 

 

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I wouldn't stay in Mestre. It's too far from all the action. I'd stay in the same area - near the train station, but a different hotel. I switched my hotel at least 3 times and I only ended up saving about $40 in the end.

The only restaurant I researched that I ended up going to was La Terrazza Dei Papi in Rome. I actually found I did way too much planning with this trip - I ended up ditching a lot of the plans and reservations I made and just went with the flow. There's no shortage of restaurants to discover [emoji2]

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As you can see by the pictures, it was a damp day in Venice and it started to rain lightly while I was on the water bus. I finally got to the San Marco stop and once again, I am in awe (yes, this happens quite frequently during the trip, so you've been warned!)

 

 

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With this vaporetto tour, can you still remember the time it took from your hotel stop to San Marco? (I'm booked there at S. Zaccaria). With your vantage point of Rhapsody so close, will it be possible to walk to the cruise terminal?

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Thank you so much! What I wouldn't give to have one of those lemon sodas again - they were amazing!

 

 

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After I saw the brand name via your blog, I googled it to see if maybe it could be ordered in the U.S., but no, it's only in Italy! *sigh* Time for a return trip! [emoji16]

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With this vaporetto tour, can you still remember the time it took from your hotel stop to San Marco? (I'm booked there at S. Zaccaria). With your vantage point of Rhapsody so close, will it be possible to walk to the cruise terminal?

 

 

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You can't walk to the cruise terminal. You have to the people mover over which is 1.50 euros if I remember correctly.

When I saw the Rhapsody, it was the day before my cruise. It was doing an overnight in Venice so it was going past San Marco. That's when I took my pictures.

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Thanks so much for your review. It was so helpful! And I'm so excited for my trip. I've not been in one of the small shops in a long time E and am a bit worried about it but we only have one sea day so I am sure it will be fine. Inhad forgotten about the open promonade deck. I love to read and nap there. Thanks is available .

Thanks so much for your review. It was so helpful! And I'm so excited for my trip. I've not been in one of the small shops in a long time E and am a bit worried about it but we only have one sea day so I am sure it will be fine. Inhad forgotten about the open promonade deck. I love to read and nap there. Thanks is available .

Glad you enjoyed it! I love reliving this trip [emoji4] have a great trip yourself!

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I ran across this thread by accident. Deon you gave an awesome review of your vacation. I truly admire you as a solo traveler who is not afraid to really venture out! Kudos to you, I want to be just like you when I grow up. LOL

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I ran across this thread by accident. Deon you gave an awesome review of your vacation. I truly admire you as a solo traveler who is not afraid to really venture out! Kudos to you, I want to be just like you when I grow up. LOL

 

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LOL thank you! Easily the best experience of my life and so glad I decided to go solo :D

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This is really my 'go to' thread for anything about our cruise so pardon for waking up this classic again. So on to my query , Did you see any kids on this cruise? Was there an Adventure Ocean?.. Thanks a lot:)

This is really my 'go to' thread for anything about our cruise so pardon for waking up this classic again. So on to my query , Did you see any kids on this cruise? Was there an Adventure Ocean?.. Thanks a lot:)

Hey!! Wake this thread up anytime you'd like lol I don't remember there being a lot of kids unless I was far away from them.

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This is really my 'go to' thread for anything about our cruise so pardon for waking up this classic again. So on to my query , Did you see any kids on this cruise? Was there an Adventure Ocean?.. Thanks a lot:)

I did this cruise last summer and I had my 2 children with me, ages 13 & 18. The 13yo certainly found a group of kids his own age to hang with on-board. They often went to the teen club near Adventure Ocean so I know that there is one, but I don't know how many children were in it at any given time. I was there over summer break so there were probably more kids there then when school is in session, but my DS met kids from Netherlands, Germany, England, and the US.

I did this cruise last summer and I had my 2 children with me, ages 13 & 18. The 13yo certainly found a group of kids his own age to hang with on-board. They often went to the teen club near Adventure Ocean so I know that there is one, but I don't know how many children were in it at any given time. I was there over summer break so there were probably more kids there then when school is in session, but my DS met kids from Netherlands, Germany, England, and the US.

Mine are 6&7.., yep the Lil' ones.

Today, we woke up to gorgeous weather and the lovely island of Mykonos. This is known as the party island of Greece and I can easily see why. As I was on the bus ride to the beach, we passed a multitude of clubs and lounges along the waterside. I wouldn't have been surprised if people left them shortly before the ship pulled in.

 

Virtopia, I can't seem to find the Elia beach excursion/transfer on my cruise planner, so mind me askin' if this somethin' that Royal only offers onboard? .. Did you tendered or did Rhapsody docked?..Thanks

Virtopia, I can't seem to find the Elia beach excursion/transfer on my cruise planner, so mind me askin' if this somethin' that Royal only offers onboard? .. Did you tendered or did Rhapsody docked?..Thanks

It was purchased through Royal and it was done before I got onboard. The shuttle is worth it as the drive was easily 20 minutes or more.

I believe Mykonos was a docked port but I will have to double check.

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Deon, my wife and I are thinking of cruising out of Venice on Rhapsody in May 2018, visiting Dubrovnik, Kotor, Santorini and Katakolon. You may have just made up our minds!

A superb review, witty and enthusiastic, but also honest and informative.

an amazing review! one of the best ever!

Deon, my wife and I are thinking of cruising out of Venice on Rhapsody in May 2018, visiting Dubrovnik, Kotor, Santorini and Katakolon. You may have just made up our minds!

 

 

 

A superb review, witty and enthusiastic, but also honest and informative.

That's great and thank you! Kotor and Santorini are worth the trip alone [emoji4] I had such an amazing time!

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an amazing review! one of the best ever!

[emoji3] Thank you! I still go through this review about once a month for the memories.

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This got moved to the top of the forum today because of the recent posts and I spent my lunch hour (maybe a little more than that, but who's checking) :) reading your full review and I feel like I can now start to truly plan a trip to Europe. It's on my bucket list of course, but every time I think about it, I get so overwhelmed with all the details and transportation and hotels and such. Your information and itinerary was fantastic. I know that you enjoyed being solo, but I would have loved to stow away in your suitcase for this adventure!

This was really a great review and I'm so glad I came across it today!

This got moved to the top of the forum today because of the recent posts and I spent my lunch hour (maybe a little more than that, but who's checking) :) reading your full review and I feel like I can now start to truly plan a trip to Europe. It's on my bucket list of course, but every time I think about it, I get so overwhelmed with all the details and transportation and hotels and such. Your information and itinerary was fantastic. I know that you enjoyed being solo, but I would have loved to stow away in your suitcase for this adventure!

 

This was really a great review and I'm so glad I came across it today!

Aww thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. I have family members who have seen the same pictures and are now planning their own European trip [emoji4]

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