cruisemom42

Inflation. 😏

This is a really great point and one that I have reminded myself of on several occasions. We tend to think of some of these places or sites through the lens of the "Grand Tour" in the 1700s-1800s when travel was difficult and mainly for the rich, and many of these places had become backwaters. It was only a couple hundred years ago that cows were grazing inside the Colosseum in Rome and Athens was a dusty little town with some ruins on a hill.... But if you think back to their heyday, these were bustling places. Ancient Rome must have been absolutely heaving with people living in buildings of up to 5-6 stories within a crowded area inside the city walls. People complained of the noise of carts and traffic all day AND all night. Imagine the crowds on a day when there were events at the Colosseum -- or worse, the Circus Maximus which could hold up to 150,000 people. Nowadays you can visit it with far fewer crowds than that. 😉

Ephesus is a half hour by vehicle from the port in Kusadasi. Again, I really urge you to consider getting to this wonderful site. So many people come back after a cruise and say that this was the surprise highlight for them. Not sure why it is not better known. (That doesn't mean it's not crowded though...) Here are a few photos:

Those ARE cute. They remind me of some Taos sneakers I tried hard to love a few years ago. I've given up on Taos -- maybe they are comfortable for some but they do not fit my feet. Unfortunately though I don't think the sizes are high enough to help the OP.

I agree with the above that Capri is one of the easiest places to do on your own, and there is more than enough to keep you happy and occupied for a day. My only advice would be to not delay purchasing your return tickets to Naples as the afternoon ferries can get full at the desirable times when a lot of ships are in port. You can purchase at the same time as your fare over OR for additional choices you can wait until you arrive at Capri (the ticket office where you arrive will give you every option for all of the lines). But whatever you do, don't leave the port area of Capri without a ticket in hand for return.

What's wrong with that? Looking at, for example, Koningsdam, the Pinnacle suite is 5.5 times the size of a regular Veranda cabin. If you want that kind of space on a ship, where space is a very valuable commodity, why shouldn't you expect to pay at least 5.5 times more? But then I'm not a suite customer, nor a fan of a "ship in a ship".....

Understood -- hope it all works out for you. I do think it is a little misleading, though to say that they have good reviews here on CC. At best, I'd say mixed reviews.....

If you plan on using the metro in Rome, the BIRG ticket makes sense and may save a little time. The ticket (more like a pass) is valid only on the regionale trains though (not on the Frecce or fast trains). Unfortunately, unless things have changed recently, you can only buy the BIRG ticket at the station on the day of travel. I remember hearing that they are not always available through the train ticket office but that you can get them at the newsstand, which is what I did.

It's a confusing topic. Turkey doesn't have as many cruise passengers as some other Mediterranean countries; much less those actually disembarking and returning home from Turkey. somehow it doesn't occur to them to clarify the issue. Here's another thread confirming what I've said:

The difference being that if you are in the grocery store and they don't have hot sauce, they won't make you pay for it.

Looking specifically at Schengen info, I have to wonder if this person is either a) a green card holder or b) if a US citizen, whether they have exceeded -- or will exceed with this trip -- the requirement to not spend more than 90 days in any 180 day period in the Schengen zone. Do they travel alot? See here, for example: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/italy-visa/us-citizenship-passport-holders/ Edited to add: I just noted that they said "US Residents" and not "US Citizens" so possibly it is the green card issue rather than the travel days.

A little off topic but if I read your schedule right, you're not doing anything in Kusadasi? I really would advise you re-think that and visit the ruins at Ephesus. They are among the most spectacular in the Mediterranean.

Is your fellow passenger not a US citizen? That's the only thing I can think of. There is certainly no requirement that I am aware of for a US citizen to need a visa to enter Italy unless there are some kind of specific circumstances, e.g., if they have already spent 90 days or more in the previous 180 days in the EU, or if they reside in the US but are not US citizens, or..... What was the precise wording that was used?

I have first-hand experience, granted it dates to pre-COVID but I don't think things have changed. The wording you cite is confusing but in my opinion refers to leaving by cruise ship, not by plane. See info here: https://www.visasturkey.com/evisa-for-turkey-on-a-cruise/

Totally agree with your ratings!! No such thing as too much Nutella. I wish I'd taken a photo of the food store/bar located in the train station in Florence -- there was a giant, and I mean GIANT nutella dispenser. I swear it was at least three times the size of this one:

I tried those on at Nordstrom's but unfortunately they looked more like slippers than shoes on my feet. Felt comfy though.

Do you have plans for the day? I ask this because there is not that much to explore in Civitavecchia. Plan to get off the ship at the last call (around 9:00 usually) and make your way to where you are staying. Are you sure you cannot drop your luggage off there? Most hotels allow you to leave luggage in their care, even if they are not ready for you to check in.

Yes if you are flying into or out of Turkey, you need to get the visa. If just there for a day on a port visit, you do not.

Have you done a search about this hotel? They seem to overbook their hotel as a regular practice and then try to send travelers somewhere else less desirable (or cancel them altogether). Read, for example here: There have been several more in that vein that I have seen as well. I wouldn't stay in a place that engages in such practices. Here is another one I was able to locate: .....and yet another one. Believe me, there have been others too as I still haven't run across the one I specifically recall!

I don't know if you've heard this already, but I do not recommend the HOHO buses as effective for a single day of sightseeing in Rome. There is too much traffic, too few buses, and due to the pedestrianized areas and traffic flows, the buses often do not even pass by the places of interest (in other words, you can't see them from the bus) so you have to get off, walk to the site, walk back to the stop and wait (sometimes for upwards of 30 minutes) to get back on the bus -- only to go another 10 minutes and repeat the whole process again. In certain areas you will make much faster progress just by walking. This is particularly true if your must-sees include Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and Spanish steps. There is a fairly easy walking path from one end of these monuments to the other. Doing it via HOHO would take hours. If you've been to Rome three times, you've probably got a fair idea of the must-sees already. And you've eliminated the Vatican, I guess? (Or is it just that you don't want a tour?) What about the Colosseum -- are you happy just to see it from the outside or do you want an inside look? If I were to make suggestions for a day in Rome starting from Civi it would be: Follow directions given in recent posts to leave the train at Ostiense (rather than Termini) and take the metro to Colosseo stop. Budget yourselves some time to look at the Colosseum from the outside, then walk up Via dei Fori Imperiali looking at the ruins on both sides of the street (several overlook points) of the Roman Forum and the Imperial Forums as well as Trajan's column. Get a taxi at the taxi point at Piazza Venezia (very close by; take a look at Mussolini's balcony as you're getting into your taxi) and have them drop you in Campo dei Fiori. If you're early enough you may still see some of the market. Walk from Campo dei Fiori to Trevi Fountain -- Follow the path roughly outlined in Rick Steves' "Heart of Rome" tour. Map here but you can find details in his Rome book or I think there is also an mp3 you can download. If you do this, you'll hit most of the high points of sites that can be experienced without a reservation or long lines, although the Pantheon can get busy. (Still worth the wait.) This will take several hours depending on your speed and how long you linger at places or over lunch. Reward yourselves with lunch somewhere along the way -- if you want a lunch "to go" treat yourself to the porchetta sandwich at the Antica Salumeria near the Pantheon (just to your right on the piazza if you are facing the front of the Pantheon). Once you reach the Spanish steps, hop on the metro line back to Termini station, which is the best place to catch your train back to Civitavecchia as Termini is the origin point. Be sure to leave a good 15 minutes to walk to your track though -- it is a LONG way. Should you end up with a lot of extra time after the Spanish Steps, there is a wonderful church just a block or so from Termini station that covers two significant eras of Rome history and makes a nice summary or ending: the name of the church is Santa Maria degli Angeli. It originally formed part of the Imperial Roman baths built by Emperor Diocletian. After the baths lay in ruins for centuries, Michelangelo created designs for a church to fill part of the old baths. (Other parts today are occupied by a planetarium and a museum). Because it's Rome, you ought to go to at least one beautiful Renaissance church that was touched by the hand of Michelangelo, and also contains traces of Rome's ancient past. You can read more here: In Rome, I Stumbled on This Church Designed by Michelangelo - The Basilica de Maria Degli Angeli del Martiri (keepcalmandwander.com) This is assuming that my interpretation of you not wanting to visit the Vatican is correct.

Ran into the same problem with cherry-blossom time in Japan. Climate change is leading to earlier blooms but agencies aren't adjusting trip times quickly enough. This is one area where a cruise is really a good solution because a) hotels are booked up very far in advance for key viewing areas and are charging top dollar; and 2) because Japan is a group of islands that string north and south, if you find a cruise that circumnavigates most of them, you're likely to hit cherry blossoms at some point during a (several week) period.

If you're not interested in the stunning scenery and old world architecture of Perast and the interesting boat ride to Our Lady of the Rocks, perhaps you could let us know what does interest you so we could provide better recommendations.

There are a lot uglier ships out there (I'm looking at you, Epic). And it's the design of the Millennium class stern that allows for the breathtaking views from the MDR: Don't know about you but I don't spend a lot of time looking at the stern from behind it. I do spend a fair amount of time in the dining room each cruise. At any rate, my favorite ship ever is certainly no beauty. She was a former ferry, remade into a 350 passenger ship. I love her not for her looks but for the places she's taken me and the fun I've had onboard.

I'm probably one of the cruisers who goes back farther than most, as my parents started taking me on cruises around 1970-71. Cruising then was a lot of fun -- the idea of "cruising just for the sake of cruising" was in its infancy -- as opposed to cruising to go from one destination to another. Ships were smaller and there were fewer options: no buffet open for B, L, D. No specialty restaurants, no real room service although cabin stewards might bring you a pot of coffee in the a.m. before breakfast in the MDR. Dining codes were not very relaxed. I recall three dress codes: Casual (usually only on the first night), Informal or Semi-formal, and Formal. Formal attire was enforced and was truly formal. My mom, sister and I would bring an entire suitcase just for all of our shoes and evening purses (we each brought several). Dresses were the norm for all nights except casual. I was a kid then, so didn't particularly like all the fuss and bother of dressing up. I still have a pic of me, aged around 9, shaking the captain's hand with my hair up -- and I still remember hating that hairstyle -- it hurt! Enter the 1980s -- the era of Dynasty, Princess Di and conspicuous consumption. Ships got bigger and fancier, midnight buffets were endless displays of food and dining was even more formal with tableside preps, formal nights featuring caviar and mid-dinner palate cleansers in the MDR (never would find that now!). I have photos from those days of me in satin taffeta gowns with enormous puffed sleeves and dyed-to-match shoes, wearing glitzy faux-diamond earrings, necklace and more. I didn't cruise much in the 1990s -- newly married, house mortgage and a baby meant we didn't have extra cash. But we did take a 10th anniversary cruise on Celebrity, NY to Bermuda and it seemed just as dressy as ever. Celebrity had just hired Michel Roux to transform dining from the "old classics" to "nouvelle cuisine" and it was great. I still remember packing a lot and spending time in the laundry room ironing cute outfits (even shorts!). Then in the 2000s things started to change for cruisers. Formal started to feel less like fun and more like a chore. I got tired of feeling like a general marshaling my troops (clothes) every time I packed for a cruise. I realized that I was bringing back clothes unworn and un-needed. Throughout that decade formal nights also seemed to decrease and the guidelines regarding what was considered appropriate for formal nights also changed. Throughout that decade I found myself slowing learning to pack less -- especially as my trips started to involve overseas travel before and after cruises in Europe. By the 2010s I was pretty good at packing light. I prioritize differently now -- I still bring whatever the appropriate clothing is to meet requirements on board (and probably above basic requirements for most nights), but I bring less of it and do more mix-and-match. Fabrics have changed so that most things are lighter, more comfortable to wear and don't wrinkle as much (if one avoids linen, the bane of my existence....) I bring very little jewelry, as few pairs of shoes as I can get away with, and one evening purse. I no longer travel with a hair dryer. And I don't think I've worn pantyhose since 2000! As someone else mentioned, my Kindle has also made a huge difference. I am a picky reader and now I can bring as many books and references with me as I want without taking up any extra space. I don't have to depend on maybe, hopefully finding a book or two in the ship's library. I've never been one to pack a lot of extras other than clothes. No pop-up hamper, over-door hanger, flameless candles, or door decorations. I guess the one addition is my laptop -- it's a MacPro and is very light. I tried tablets but because I like to take notes on my travels and I type a lot (as well as taking lots of pics), my laptop is much more compatible with my needs.

I cruise Celebrity in a lowly inside or sometimes outside cabin and I like the shipboard experience far more than HAL. The thing that brings me back to HAL are the itineraries. I find the Celebrity ships beautiful on the inside -- sleek and modern design with the occasional "wink". Particularly on the M-class ships there are many places where you have a good connection to the sea. Both M and S class ships have a forward-looking observation lounge with large glass windows; I feel Celebrity utilizes the space better (e.g., that's where trivia is usually held and in the evening after dinner it's their lounge for live music, usually themed...such as 60s night, new wave night, etc.). M-class dining rooms are beautiful with huge windows aft and fantastic sea views. The cabins and bathrooms are well laid out although I think slightly smaller than HAL staterooms. As I am not one who spends much time in my cabin, I am fine with this -- the shower has a glass door, the storage is fine, the bed is comfortable. For my tastes, Celebrity food is better than HAL, particularly recently. Let me say, in fairness, that I like fancy food, rich food, ethnic food, food with a lot of seasoning. Not for me a big hunk of meat, some scalloped potatoes and a limp, unseasoned veg mix. Celebrity's offerings are varied and I find them better seasoned and tastier than most lines. Not only do they offer a greater number of entrees each night than HAL, they of course have the "always available" items that includes at minimum a steak, chicken, and salmon. (And on my recent Celebrity Silhouette cruise they even varied the "always available" items so there were additional options....). The apps tend to be very tasty and they do excellent creamed vegetable soups -- even my son loves them. Only the salads are "just okay". Basket of bread always on the table at dinner with different tasty varieties each night as well as three different types of butter! And yes, they have sommeliers. I also think Murano (on all S-class ships) is far and away the best extra-charge restaurant I've tried at sea. The whole experience just spoils you, from amuse-bouche and table-side preparation for some dishes to delicious souffles and a really excellent cheese cart. Entertainment is more lively on Celebrity. There is live music playing in one lounge after dinner, there is a large stage with something each night (including aerialists), and often there is a late-night comedy show. The ice bar is lively at night. That's not even to mention the bands playing and other activities in the Atrium area. During the day you'll find live music in various places including one of my favorite hangouts, the Cafe al Bacio (premium coffee and free patisserie) -- where you might find a quiet acoustic guitarist playing. Celebrity does not have a wrap-around promenade, it's true. That's something that has never mattered to me. When I cruise I get my exercise ashore. But there are places to sit outside, in sun or shade, and I think all Celebrity ships have a dedicated inside pool area for cruises where the weather isn't cooperative. The buffet model is many individual stations. I mainly eat there for breakfast only, with the occasional lunch. It works fine, no real plus/minus from HAL. Since the restart there is no self service. I find the crew just as pleasant as HAL -- just as happy to see me, greet me, fulfill my request. The ship officers, unlike HAL's, are often to be found out and about the ship, engaging passengers, participating in shows, and clearly enjoying their work. I don't gamble or go to the spa, so can't help there. But in terms of checking the boxes of what I like to do when onboard a ship, Celebrity does pretty well, and I find the ships very easy on the eyes. Caveat: I have not sailed their newest class of ships which have come in for their share of criticism about both cabin design and overall ship decor. Most of their cruises now include their basic drinks package, basic internet package and gratuities. On my last cruise I got off the ship with something like a $32 credit for OBC I couldn't even use up, and that's after spending some on a couple of shorex (since I wasn't sure whether we'd be allowed off in all ports on our own...)