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Review of Voyager May 2-9 2010 cruise - it's a long one


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Well, I think it is time to stop procrastinating and get a review written on our fabulous cruise. My DW Marie and I spent a week (May 2-9) on the Voyager of the Seas experiencing the trip of a lifetime. OK, where do I start? I guess at the beginning.

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We decided to fly to Barcelona several days before the cruise to have the opportunity to explore this beautiful city. Flying from Seattle to Barcelona via JFK was mostly uneventful. We were delayed a few hours at JFK due to high winds and a runway shutdown. For the past year I have been chatting with three couples on Cruise Critic and we set up private tours for all the ports. Well in JFK Marie and I met up with one of the three couples, Brett and Bill, two great guys from Florida and someone I feel will be friends for life.

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Once we landed we grabbed our bags and head off to Hotel Continental where we will be staying the next two days. I was told that the hotel was a quirky little place and that it was. If you stay here you better like pink J. It is on the La Ramblas just south of Placa de Catalunya so it’s all about location. We also stayed here one night after the cruise which we did not enjoy as much as we were a floor closer to the street and there was considerable noise late into the night (fireworks/music/crowd noise). But our pre-cruise stay was great, we had a balcony room and could sit and watch the fun of the street entertainers on the La Ramblas.

To get adjusted to the time zone we decided to just get out and see some of the city right away since it was still mid day. It was a beautiful day (about 70 degrees) so we used the hop on/hop off for the rest of the day to see some sights. We picked up the blue line bus at Placa de Catalunya (which we explore all of before getting on the bus). This route allows you to see some of Antoni Gaudí's most famous architecture: Sagrada Familia, Park Guell. Other sites along the way are Tibidabo (we didn’t go up) and the Barcelona Football Club. Wish we could have done more but fatigue was setting in. We wanted paella for dinner so we asked at the hotel desk and the young lady directed us to a small restaurant about 8 blocks north. Sorry to say we do not remember the name of the place though we did eat there both before and after the cruise. The seafood paella was fantastic with langoustine shrimp, mussels, and squid. Delicious, with a pitcher of sangria to wash it down. Now that is Spain!

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It was Saturday May 1st which was Labor Day and a national holiday. So that limited what we could see today. Picasso museum was closed, so was the market La Boqueria and many stores. But once again the weather was pleasant so we headed out on foot. We headed to the Barcelona cathedral which was something Marie wanted to see. There was a huge labor demonstration going on in front of the cathedral that we watch for a short while before exploring all around and inside the cathedral. It is another building with renovations in progress on the outside. Such a beautiful old church. We moved on to explore some of the gothic quarter then much of La Ramblas. It was there that we had a minor incident. I failed to lock Marie’s backpack so when I was taking pictures of a street entertainer she felt a slight tug on the pack and that was it. A pickpocket got a debit card and about 100 euros. I had the bank on the cell phone speed dial and shut the card off but there went some spending money. Sad thing was I was warned La Ramblas is one of the worst places for thieves, sigh. The definitely did not let that ruin our day as we continued to walk around and explore.

That evening we were going to meet at a tapas bar with the rest of the couples who we would be touring the ports with. It was great to meet everyone before we embarked on 8 hours a day tours in close quarters. The six of them had done a cruise together in 2009 so Marie and I were the new kids. I was a little apprehensive as chatting online is one thing, but meeting in person may not work as well but I had nothing to be concerned about. What a great group of people, by the end of the evening I felt we had been friends forever. The food at the tapas bar was great, such a variety. It was Marie’s birthday and I managed to smuggle a card and present (small blown glass rose) into her backpack for a nice surprise later in the evening. We sat outside and there was some light rain, but the table umbrellas worked well to keep the evening festive.

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The next morning we slept in after a late night and then I took Marie over to the cathedral one last time since it was Sunday. Then it was off to embark on the Voyager of the Seas. During the summer in Seattle I can see the cruise ships from my office window and the size is impressive. But not nearly as much as when standing next to one. I was in the Navy and the aircraft carrier I was on was not as big as this ship. Amazing.

After dropping our bags and clearing security was got in the suite check in line. We were in the suite line thanks to the great advice of the people here on CC who told us to check every day for price drops. We had paid for a D1 balcony but about a month after final payment the price of the junior suites began to drop so we switched. Well the price on the JS dropped two more times. So for our payment of a D1 we ended up with a JS and $850 OBC. Nice way to start a trip, thanks everyone for that tip. Once we had sea passes in hand we got the embarking photo out of the way and headed onboard. It was already late enough that we could go check out our stateroom. Seeing the happy birthday sign on the door told me the decorations I ordered were there. Marie loved them! We then headed to the dining room to see where our table was. The dining room is three decks high and we were on the middle deck towards the middle of the room. Great location to see out the window and to be able to see the sights of the dining room.

We headed up to Windjammer to get something to eat. My apologies to those advocates of the honey stung chicken, but it stunk. It was dry and flavorless. For the next week, except for the underway day, we ate breakfast in windjammer as we were off on tours as soon as the ship moored. For breakfast I would put it a little above Denny’s for food quality but I would not have expecting anything more for a buffet anyway. The food was always well stocked and the table service from the waiting staff was great. Many would ask about our plans for the day and at least seemed genuinely interested.

We had the 6:30 seating in main dining so we were eating at sail away. We had a table for four couples but unfortunately two of the couple rather showed up. Other than one night in Portofinos we ate all our dinners at main dining with the one couple that did show up, Mavis and Sandy from Northern Ireland. Those two made up for the lack of diners at our table as they were very friendly and a delight to spend dinner with. We even exchanged addresses in hopes of communicating again in the future (at least Christmas cards).

The quality of the meals were on average very good. Cooking for that many people can be a challenge so I did not have high expectations. Quality of the food actually varied dish to dish. Some were exceptional some were not. What made the difference was the wait staff. Sorry I am always bad with names and I forgot to write down the names of the two young men who waited on us, but they made dining a joy. The way they attend to our needs, whether it was swapping out dishes we didn’t like, my glass of ice tea each night after we sat, or just conversing about what we did that day, they did a fantastic job of making dining relaxing and enjoyable.

Later that evening we went to the welcome show in the La Scala theater and after that watched the parade on the promenade. Fun things to do to get us into the atmosphere of shipboard life.

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At sea day was something of a blur. We ate breakfast in main dining where I got Eggs Benedict even though they were not on the menu. We then spent much of the day exploring. Went to the ice skating show in the afternoon. The ship is in remarkable shape for being almost 11 years old. It is obvious the staff is proud of the ship by how well they maintain the general areas. Also we were warmly greeted by crew members throughout the day making us feel welcome.

By afternoon Marie found the casino and started her ritual of feeding $10 a day to the slot machine gods. On a good day that could last a half hour or more, on a bad day not so long. Surprisingly on the last night she played a half hour and came away $16 dollars up.

The underway night was formal dress at dining. I had rented a tux through the ship as I didn’t want to haul anything. It didn’t fit the best but I really didn’t care. Marie had brought several dresses/sweaters and accessories to look exceptionally beautiful on both the formal night. We had our picture taken with all the different backdrops they offered. Remember that $850 OBC I mentioned earlier, yup about $400 went towards shipboard pictures. Actually Marie was more restraint than I expected, but they still add up fast. It was a delight to see so many people dressed for the occasion, there were very few men not in a tux or suit.

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As soon as the ship docked we were off on our tour. Eight of us had a tour set up with RomeinLimo. Once again I forget the driver’s name (this will be a reoccurring theme) but he was terrific. The two best points of the private tour was they get you out ahead of the big crowds of the ship’s tour and they are much less in cost than the ship’s tours. The other benefits are more personalized service, moving more quickly from one place to another, the opportunity to chance up the schedule. These companies live and die with the cruise ship industries so we never worried about getting back late. For those of you that are concerned they will not get back in time, my advice is don’t leave the ship. J

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We drove straight out of Naples and over to Pompeii. We spent several hours exploring these amazing ruins before heading out to Sorrento. In Sorrento we had the opportunity to explore/shop before having lunch. Enjoyed the market, I bought a bottle of lemoncello to smuggle back to the ship. There were a few raindrops but not enough to even warrant an umbrella (Seattle bred here). Lunch for Marie was pasta and clams but for me it was what I wanted to eat in Naples, pizza. Margherita to be precise, just mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. Topped off with a local beer and I was in heaven. They even gave us a shot of lemoncello after the meal. Now I need to figure out how to stay awake for the afternoon.

After lunch it was a drive along the Amalfi Coast to the town of Positano. What a beautiful scenic drive, the water, the cliffs and buildings. We stopped above Positano for a photo op, it is wild to see how the buildings are essentially in areas just carved out of the hillside. In many cases, you are almost mountain climbing to get to a neighbor. How do you get groceries home? We walked down through the town to shop and explore ending at a beautiful cathedral down by the water. It was quite a climb back up to the van but here was a cart selling little cups lemon slushies close by the van that helped. After that there stop it was the drive back to Naples in time to get ready for dinner. What a great first port visit.

 

 

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Next day we arrived in Rome, with 10 other cruise ships L. We that scary prospect we head off the ship to catch our van. Our driver was already there so off we go ahead of the buses on the drive to Rome. On the drive our driver gave a history of Rome to get us ready for the city. He had an amplified headset that allowed all of us in the van to hear. All our tours had the same setup and except for Toulon, the drivers were very personable and knowledgeable on their cities/countries.

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Rome in the morning was a whirlwind, we made it to the Colosseum, Circus Maximus, Roman Forum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Wedding Cake, and the Spanish Steps (just a drive by for the steps). Some much history in so little time, it was overwhelming. We stopped in a deli to each sandwiches for lunch before it was time to meet with our tour guide for our trip through the Vatican. Sarah (with an “h”) from RomeinLimos was our guide and that girl was amazing. Throughout the museum she demonstrated her wealth of knowledge on all the art found there. The biggest plus was she took control of our group (not and easy thing to do) and kept us moving so we would be able to see all the sights. She even allotted our group shoppers 2 minutes to buy rosaries and such. It was just amazing to see all the works of art the church has procured/found/stolen over the centuries. Of all the things we saw at the Vatican I have to say the Sistine Chapel was the most disappointing. I think it was a combination of such a mass of people in the chapel combine with the dim lighting and the guards constant hissing and “no photos” that detracted from the beauty of that room. Also the properly lit museum and St Peter’s Basilica were a visual overload that the chapel seemed a little blah in comparison. I am still happy that I had the chance to experience it. After the Vatican it was the long ride back to the port for another fun evening aboard Voyager.

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The driver was a little late in arriving at the pier and I was getting cold as Marie forgot her jacket so I was in shirt sleeves. When the van did get there we realized he was on time and we were early. Oops could have gone back on board for a jacket, oh well. Our day started with a drive through Liverno and a stop in Pisa at the Field of Miracles. First thing I did was buy an Italia sweatshirt jacket for Marie and retrieved mine. One again we were ahead of the crowd so part of our group had the opportunity to head right up the leaning tower. My knees were not going to let me make it up the 300 odds step to Marie and I headed over to the baptistry instead. What a beautiful building and the acoustics inside were astonishing. The Duomo was not going to open until 10am so we missed seeing the inside but it was interesting to see how the Duomo and Baptistry also lean, though not as much as the tower.

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We left Pisa for a drive through the Tuscan countryside, stopping at a small olive oil factory that also made its own. We continued on to Florence stopping at Michelangelo Square for a great photo op. There is a bronze statue of David in that square that is currently green due to weathering so our driver referred to it as the “Martian David”.

The city of Florence is amazing and beautiful, I wish I could spend a week there. Throughout the day we were able to see Santa Croce, The Accademia galleries (I snuck a good picture of David), The Duomo and the Piazza della Signoria. The Duomo was beautiful with so many opportunities for photos. It is astounding how well maintained many of the building are considering there age, not just in Italy but in France and Spain as well. Looking at structures that in some cases are a thousand years old (or older) and thinking about what was in Seattle back then (trees).

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Sorry to say I could not make it to the Uffizi galleries, the best I would have done was 45 minutes there and it just would not have done it justice. That is one of the many reasons I would love to spend a week in Florence. Somewhere in there our driver took us to a lovely little restaurant where I had some pesto lasagna. Some rustic bread, a glass of wine and this was a perfect meal.

There was shopping galore in this city for Marie to do, from cashmere/silk shawls to a beautiful white gold bracelet from a gold shop near Santa Croce. There was a much larger selection of gold on Ponte Vecchio but because of the higher rent to have a shop on such a tourist trap, the prices were just unreasonable.

The drive back to the port was extremely wet, a lot of rain. But we were in the van so who cares. I have to say that this was my favorite stop in the entire trip. Everything has been grand, but this stop will always be special.

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This was the only port where we had to anchor out and take boats into the port. We being the early risers had no problem catching the first boat, no tickets/passes, just hopped on and off we went. Our driver was there, I do not remember the company we used, sorry I didn’t set up the tours. Another great driver, knowledgeable and well versed in English with very little accent. That has been important for me as I am a little hard of hearing (ok, I’ll admit it) so the more clearly the drivers speak English, the easier for me to hear.

Our first stop was Nice and the marketplace/waterfront. It was great to see the fresh fish, produce, flowers, all the things you expect to see in a farmer’s market. I particularly like the spice seller, the smells were delicious.

We then drove through Nice the medieval town of St. Paul de Vence in what I understand is the beginning foothills of the alps. This is a beautiful little town which is known for its artists. There were many shops and galleries to explore along with the beauty of the old buildings and cobblestone road. I think this was the first day we had where we had blue skies all day and it could not have happened at a more opportune time. The views from the town where stunning. One of the photographers of our group was into doors and there was a large variety to choose, from simple to ornate.

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Next stop was Monaco for more shopping and lunch. Not wanting to spend too much time at lunch, we grabbed fresh grilled panini sandwiches at a little deli in the market. A cold beer to wash it down and I was ready to go.

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After a little more shopping/sightseeing we hopped in the van and headed for a lap around the track at Monte Carlo. The race is coming up soon, so not only were the lines on the roads, the grandstands were up and guard rails in place. A little revving of the engine and off we went. Almost like be in the race, not really but it was fun. We then hit the casino at Monte Carlo and actually won. OK, we played the slot machines in the side casino and won 5 euros. But I am did win in Monte Carlo and I am sticking with that store. After a few photo ops in front of the casino with all the super expensive cars, we piled in the van for one last stop, the village of Eze.

Eze is another mountaintop medieval village close to Nice. The difference here is the fantastic panoramic views of the coastline and water you can get from the village. We could even see the ship anchored out in the harbor. It was a beautiful clear day, just right for taking in the breathtaking view. Course it may have been the climb up that took away my breath, either way the view was something worth experiencing.

After that it was a quiet drive back to the harbor and a quick boat ride out to Voyager. Plenty of time to rest up before getting ready for our second formal night in main dining.

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Our last port before heading back to Spain found us in the port of Toulon. I would like to tell you all about this port but as soon as we got on the van we were heading out of town to Marseille. I found that kind of amusing as when I first booked this cruise this stop was suppose to be at Marseille, not Toulon. A few months back RCCL change the port, I can only speculate this may be a cheaper port to dock in. Either way, off to Marseille we headed on what would be the wettest day of the trip. It drizzled off and on through out the day, not really enough for an umbrella. Except later in the afternoon when we had a deluge that rivaled anything I had seen in the tropics during my navy days.

Once in Marseille we headed to Notre-Dame de la Garde, a basilica located high on a hill in Marseille. This is evidently the highest natural point in Marseille. Once again a great panoramic view of the city/water though a bit grey today due to the weather. The view and the church were a great photo op with a beautiful golden statue at the top of the church which I assume was the “ Lady of the Guard”.

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We then traveled to a small market though there was not much there to shop for, may have been too early. We then stopped at the museum of natural history for a photo op at their huge fountain (seemed to be the theme today) before heading out of town for a ride in the French countryside. This was a little disappointing as the weather was not cooperating, rainy and misty.

Our drive in the country end at Aix-en-Provence, a beautiful city about 30 km north of Marseille. We had the chance to explore for about an hour and spent most of that time on the Cours Mirabeau, the main thoroughfare of the city. I was looking for Deux Garcons, a famous brasserie but we just didn’t have the opportunity to walk that far. Many famous people frequented this restaurant include Émile Zola and Ernest Hemingway.

So it was now back on the van and braving what were now becoming torrential rains, we head to the coast and the town of Cassis. It is about 20km east of Marseille and very beautiful with its small cliffs and harbor. We found a nice restaurant at the harbor for lunch. We sat down and the first thing we found was the young waiter for our table did not speak any English. So they brought out an older gentleman, not sure if he was the owner, who took our orders. But once again, throughout the meal it was the young waiter who served us and actually looked to be getting frustrated that we weren’t learning French on the spot. It was hilarious him trying to communicate and we are mostly just shoulder shrugging since we did not have a clue what he was saying. It all worked out though and we had a great meal. I started with a delicious fish soup and followed that with poached sea bream. Once again the wine really topped off the meal in style. Loved it.

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So for one last time it was back on the van for a short trip back to Toulon. This was our shortest tour, we were back at the ship about 3pm. It was nice to have the afternoon onboard to unwind before getting ready for dinner. We packed so much into the past week that by this time I felt I needed a vacation from my vacation. We got our bags packed so we could get them in the hallway by 11pm for pick up. We arrived we 2 checked bags and tow carryon but we ended up with a third checked bag by the end of the cruise, guess we bought a few things.

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Once again we were up bright and early to start another busy day. We booked our only ship tour for the cruise in Barcelona. We were going on a 4 hour tour up in the mountains to Montserrat. There is a monastery up there and a Black Madonna which Marie wanted to see. Some of the people we were touring with went on this tour last year and said it was a nice relaxing way to end the trip. If our trip had ended that way I would have agreed, more on that later. First, before we left the parking lot we almost had a serious mishap. I thought for these tours the ship loaded your checked bags onto the bus and we would get them at the conclusion of the tour. If I had read the paperwork they gave us the day before it said to pick up bags and take them to the bus. Anyway, the driver is starting to close up the storage area on the bus and Marie mentions she did not see our bags. I re-read the paper and see “pick up your bags”. So I tell the tour guide we blew it and hurry back inside, grab the bags and haul them out to the bus. By this time half the buses have left so I may have not made any friends on our bus. Oops.

Things went better after that, the drive into the mountains was relaxing and scenic. When we first arrived up in Montserrat there was considerable fog but it began to burn off shortly after we arrived, actually made for some nice pictures. In the center of the square at the monastery there was a large group of people dressed in older traditional outfits. We were told this was a village the came up to the mountains for a celebration but we never did find out what the celebration was for. However, the dancing and music was very entertaining so I guess we could make up whatever theme we like for the celebration.

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We did go inside to see the Virgin of Montserrat or Black Madonna which they actually allow you to touch as you pass by.

On the trip back down much of the fog had lifted allowing us to see the unusual rock formations which the area is noted for. Some of the formations are suppose to look like the shapes of animals though I did not see any like that. There was one that kind of looked like Elvis (just kidding). Evidently it is a very popular pilgrimage site for Catalan Catholics and it showed as there were a tremendous number of people there.

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So we journeyed back to Barcelona where the bus dropped us off at Placa de Catalunya, just a half block from our hotel. So we headed to the hotel, checked in and then headed out for lunch. Marie was determine to go to Hard Rock Café as she gets jackets from the various cafes so we went ahead and ate lunch there. I know, burgers in Spain just don’t make sense but we did it anyway. We then went on a farewell strolled down the La Rambas all the way down to the waterfront. We then found outdoor tables at a café in the gothic quarter for drinks and olives. Did I tell you I love Spanish olives? Well I do.

We went back to the hotel to relax then it was back to the restaurant we went to the first night in Europe for more paella and sangria. Figured it would be a great way to end the trip as we were flying out the next morning. Little did we know.

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The next morning we get up and the first thing I find is a voicemail on my cell phone letting is know our American Airlines flight from Barcelona to JFK was cancelled. The Icelandic volcano has reared its ugly head. The plane never left JKF so of course there is nothing to fly back. I call AA and after dealing with three different agents (the first 2 weren’t very helpful so I kept calling back) they got us booked on a Delta flight to JFK leaving about 10:30am. Off to the airport to check in which turns out to not be a simply matter. I do not know if it is inherent of the Barcelona airport, Europe or the system in general, but Delta has to get a manual ticket from American before they can issue us a ticket. Thankfully that just takes about 30 extra minutes so we are off the gate.

The flight is boarding late (about an hour) but still seems ok. Well we finally board and the plane is getting moved away from the gate then stops. The cart that moves the plane is stuck on the front wheel. So it takes maintenance about an hour to get that loose and now we still sit as we need to wait for another time slot to leave the airport. To gage how long we have been on the plane, about 20 minutes after we get on the plane, they turned on the individual seat movies. I have watched most of Avatar when they finally announce we are not going anywhere today. So it is back off the plane, back through immigration and we are picking up our bags to find a hotel.

After getting settled in a hotel close to the airport I finally get through to Delta (they now have our leg to JFK). They book us on a 6:50am Air France flight to Paris with a connecting to JFK. So bright and early (5am) we are back in the airport ready to fly. Remember the situation yesterday about the need to issue a manual ticket to pass to the other airline? Yup, same thing today only compounded. We now need American to give Delta a ticket so Delta can give Air France a ticket before they will give us a real ticket. The guy at the Air France desk was great and tried everything he could to get us in the system but no go. Well the Delta desk opens at 7am and the American at 7:30am. 6:50 Air France flight, no more, 7:50 flight? Not happening either. When the Delta desk opened we were third in line and hoping for miracles. When we got to the desk we didn’t get miracles but we did get a guy that worked his butt off to get us on a flight that day. I felt bad because the line was getting long and only two agents were working but we wanted out of Spain and were not giving up till we did. So after 30 minutes at the desk and two trips by the agent back to the AA desk, we finally had a manual ticket for a 10:30 Air France flight to carry over to that ticket counter.

At 5am there was nobody at the Air France ticket counter. At 9am, half of Barcelona was there. So we resigned ourselves to get in line and just wait it out. Our luck began to turn as the agent that waited on us at 5am was still there and recognized us. When he finished with his current customer he wave us up to the front of the line and saved us what was probably an hour of agony. At this point he tells us that somebody must like us as our ticket from Paris to JFK has been bumped to business class. Looks like our luck is really turning.

So we headed through security and out to the gate. Boarding time came and went and we were still there. Little warning bells began going off in my head, we did not want to miss the connecting from Paris to JFK. OK Bill, calm down there should still be time. Well we finally board and the captain come on the line to tell us we will be sitting awhile longer as there is limited airspace into Paris. Bigger bells begin to ring.

After what seems like days, we finally pull away and get in the air. Estimates have us at the terminal just before the gate closes on the connecting flight, but we still need to clear immigration as Paris is our last stop in the EU. More bells.

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After an agonizing hour and 20 minutes we land and get off the plane. There is an Air France person waiting with a sign as it turns out there are 27 of us trying to make the connecting flight to JFK. That bodes well as they are more likely to hold a flight for such a large group. Once the agent has all of us rounded up it is a mad dash through the terminal to and empty immigration desk where our passports are hurriedly stamps and we are ushered onto a bus for a painfully slow ride to another terminal where our flight is located. Then it is up a flight of stairs and another mad dash across this terminal (why couldn’t the bus drop us on the side our flight was on, sigh). As we approach the gate I see a sea of people so I slow my pace. If they have not finished loading, no reason to run anymore. Marie and I get in the business class line and things are looking up. Right until we get to the agent and she refuses to scan the ticket. The original manual ticket is attached and she sees the code was changed (written over) from ‘Y’ for economy to the business code. She has us step aside and goes to confer with the other agents. She returns and asks whether our ticket should be economy or business. No being born a fool I answer obliquely, “it’s a business ticket” . Back to the agent conference as we sweat out whether we are going to get on the flight. Finally she returns, scans the ticket and smiles. We smile too and head onboard. Wow, don’t need anymore of those stress points!

Well, we get onboard and once again we get the announcement that due to limited airspace (we now have to fly north and around Iceland) we will be delayed taking off. Remember Marie and I are from Seattle? Well all this work is just getting us as far as JFK in New York. We still have a ticket that American Airlines controls that is suppose to get us from JFK to Seattle leaving about 7:30pm New York time. If we had got on the original 6:50 Air France flight we would have arrived about 1pm, an ungodly long layover but we would take it. This new connection flight would now get us into JFK about 3:45pm, much more manageable layover. But it was leaving late AND it was flying longer to get around Iceland. Oops. So by the time we take off, they estimate we will arrive at the gate in JFK about 7pm. Let me see, get off the plane, clear immigration, get bags, clear customs, take train to another terminal to check in, blah blah blah. It’s not going to happen. But for the first time in the past day and a half I don’t care. We will be on the right side of the pond and that is a major leap forward. So the two of us sat back and enjoyed 8 hours of pampering in Air France business class. Sweet.:D:D

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Let’s fast forward to the east coast of the US. We are getting ready to land and sure enough it will be 7pm, too late to connect. As we get off the plane I called American Airlines and they tell us don’t leave Air France area as they need to protect our ticket. By the way did you know in JFK you cannot use your cell phone in the customs baggage claim area? I do now (putting away my phone before the little old man with the gun decides to pistol whip me). Ok, so we get our bags, go to Air France only to be told Delta wrote the ticket so we need to see Delta (the next desk over). We go wait in that line, finally get to counter only to be told by the agent there that Air France flew us in, it’s their responsibility. Now the two agents start yelling at each other. I actually found it entertaining, I was going to suggest they step in the back room and fight it out. I think the old Delta Agent wouldn’t have stood a chance. The woman from Air France would have kicked his butt. Finally after a few minutes of high volume discussion, they look over my ticket and decide neither of them are responsible. They determine it is not a conjunctive ticket (whatever that is) and it falls on American Airlines to get us home. So we pack up our belongings and head to the train to get over to the AA terminal.

Once there, the AA agent say sure we will get you home, on tomorrow nights 7:30pm flight (its now only 10pm). After asking if she could do any better she says not in this airport but if we are willing to head to LaGuardia we could get on a 6am flight to Seattle that connects in Chicago but gets us home at 11am. Sold!

Well while we are at the ticket counter a large group of AA passengers that just got in from Barcelona show up having missed their connnectings. Two of them were Gregg and Max, part of our touring group in all the ports. The end up shifting airports as well so we share a cab to LaGuardia. By the time we get there it is 11:30pm and since we can check in to the flight about 4am we decide to just find chairs in the airport by the AA check in desk. So did about 30-40 others. So we hunker down for a few hours, me with my Kindle to do some reading and Marie under the Air France blanket I “borrowed” from the flight (who says I don’t think ahead).

About 20 minutes later airport maintenance shows up to do duct work in the hallway by where we are sitting/sleeping. For the next 1 ½ hours, as I sat there attempting to read I watched three “gentlemen” do there darnedest to make as much noise as possible. They dropped everything just to hear it clang off the floor, their tools, the ducting, the scaffolding. If their butts had been made of metal they probably would have drop them to just to make noise. So in went the earplugs and I began to read.

Well, the rest of this journey ended up being thankfully uneventful. We got on that 6am flight, made the connecting in Chicago and got to Seattle at 11am. Thirty-nine hours after we had arrives at the Barcelona airport. And as much fun as we had on the cruise and our stay in Barcelona, we would do it all again. In a heartbeat. For those of you still here at the end of this story, I hope you enjoyed our trip as much as we did.

Bill and Marie

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Couldn't tear myself away from you and Marie....Loved it! Learned a lot about Med cruising from your review...thanks a lot! So glad you finally got yourselves home. One day we hope to make that cruise (we booked and then had to cancel last year):(

You should post some of your excellent photos on the Cruise Photos thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=814616

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Update on drivers and tour companies. These are the drivers we had and the companies they worked for. Thanks Brett!:)

Rome in Limo Drivers

Naples driver was Genato

Rome driver was Mauro

Florence driver with the olive oil stop was Gian

Nice/ Monaco driver was Jerome and he works for Riviera Premium Tours

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I really enjoyed all stops on this cruise. One of my big reasons for going was to get to see Pompei. I have to agree with you though my favorite area on the whole cruise was the Pisa/Florence stop. My favorite driver though was Jerome for the Villefranche/Nice stop.

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