Live from the Gorgeous Celebrity Solstice - 11 Day Med Cruise 11/9-11/20

[vickykay]

I have really been enjoying your postings! about the spoon, on our Baltic cruise on the connie a year ago, we were seated with several people from Scotland and England. The all cut their desert with their fork and ate it with the spoon (even cake) - must be a European thing, which must be why Celebrity sets table with the spoon for desert - we had never seen that on Carib cruises.

 

Enjoy! vicky

[etsdas]

Great reviews! But, please, do not miss programs to send this - enjoying the cruise has got to be first!

 

I just realized - we will board the day you disembark. We will be waving! Our plans are to take the train after 4 days in Rome - we should be acclimated by then. Since we fly out of Phoenix EARLY tomorrow, Sunday, we have probably read the last installment. It has certainly given us a feel for what to expect on the Solstice, although we are not AC. I think the ship is almost 100% booked. Our itinerary is not quite the same - no Istanbul.

 

Now it is time to pack...

 

Dorothy

[D4]

Can you let us know if they have a laundry special on board where you can fill a bag for a set price? And if so, what is the price? Usually that special is towards the end of the cruise if they offer it.

[sasouth]

Thank you for taking the time to post during your cruise! My husband and I will be on the Solstice on the 20th in an AQ cabin. Your reviews have made the week prior to our first cruise together all that more exciting. I debated on whether to upgrade to AQ, which I did primarily because of Blu, and I know we made the right decision.

 

Enjoy the rest of your cruise!!!

 

Sheryl

[GburyCruisers]

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this post. I have enjoyed every word of it and each day look forward to your next post with great anticipation. My DH and I will be aboard on the 25th of January and will be staying in AQ.

From everything I've read here we have made the right decision on choosing both the ship and the AQ stateroom.

 

Enjoy your trip and thanks again!:o

[stinsowm]

Excellent review so far. I am sailing on the Solstice on November 30th. Was wondering who the cruise director is? Sounds like you are having a great cruise!

 

Walter

[bobbyleduck]

Dear Linda:

 

Your posts make me believe I'm there with you. It helps that I can actually picture you and Chris, and yes, I understand that Chris is along for the ride and doesn't experience the cruise quite the same way you do. Keep up the wonderful posts, but don't let posting get in the way of your enjoyment. We can wait for your return and the full review if any of it takes away from your fun.

 

Happy cruising to all!

 

Bob

[trilind]

We also appreciate your postings as we prepare to leave and join the Solstice on 11/20/09. Your honesty is refreshing. I like hearing both the postive and negative. Seems even the items that are not as expected do not affect your experience.

[tamsno]

Thank you so much for sharing your cruise time we us. You have a charming style. I can't wait to board on 11/30, enjoy Blu and all the other treats this lovely ship has to offer. We have a very large and enthusiastic CC group which will add to the fun. I'm sorry we won't get to meet you.

[wiselindag]

Dear Friends,

 

I love all your comments. As I hope you can tell, I love this ship and love this cruise. Everything is not perfect.... I'm sitting here typing this, three minutes late for the 7 p.m. show which is many decks below me, because I couldn't get on the internet for 25 minutes. So, I'll answer questions next time and just post the next installment. Here it is and I'll be back tomorrow night after Athens. The Ephesus report is almost ready after the most glorious sea day in the history of cruising...

 

Installment Four - Istanbul

 

Friday, November 13 – Cruising on the Sea of Marmara and Istanbul, Day 1

 

It’s a fabulous morning with bright sunshine and very smooth sailing. We began the day with breakfast in Blu, and it’s going to be difficult to go back to the buffet. Lots of good things on the menu and terrific service. We both had French toast with crisp bacon and fruit along with freshly squeezed orange juice and hot chocolate… all just right. We made the acquaintance of Kirk, who serves the evening Blu diners a few tables away from ours…. close enough to ask me if I wanted a diet coke for breakfast… now that’s a little scary! I assured him that I never drink the stuff before 11 a.m., but it was funny that he knew my beverage preference. Later I chatted with Matin, who is a native of Istanbul, and is very excited to be home today. Our excellent Assistant Waiter, Mariano, was on hand as were Lorita and Dejan, who cleared a table next to the window for us, We felt extremely well taken care of and the personal service in Blu is wonderful.

 

On the way back to the cabin I stopped in the Casino – very disappointing. It’s fairly small and doesn’t have any of my favorite machines. I usually play quarter slots and there aren’t very many of them at all, and what they have are not the kind that entertain me such as Stampede or the type that stop and then move up or down… just a few boring quarter machines. That will save me some money since I’m not tempted to spend much time there.

 

We ran upstairs for a quick lunch in the Spa Café since we had just finished breakfast a few hours before. The selection was very limited… salad items and two dressings – balsamic and citrus vinaigrette, vegetable quiche, and a few other items along with fruit for dessert.

 

The sail-in to Istanbul was beautiful. It’s still sunny out and our cabin on the port side afforded us a great view of the Blue Mosque, Haghia Sophia, and Topkapi before we spotted the Galata Tower and the Galata Bridge. I took lots of photographs from our balcony. While waiting for clearance we watched the docking operation from the open deck on 5, and enjoyed the performance of a local band decked out in Turkish costumes.

 

On to our day in Istanbul, which will be a long one since we’re eating in the city tonight.

 

LATER: Now we’re back in our cabin after a most enjoyable day. We were told that after we docked at 1:00 it would be a while before we could leave the ship, but we were actually off the ship and in the port building by 1:10 – amazingly fast. We picked up landing cards to carry with us and return tomorrow on our way back onto the ship since we have neither passports (still collected) nor visas. We walked out to the main street and saw the tram line, which we followed for a few blocks to the right. We crossed at the traffic light (otherwise you risk life and limb!), and immediately went to an ATM at a bank. No problems there… we each got 50 TL (should have gotten more as it turned out, but more on that later). I should add that at this point our group numbered 10. We bought jetons at the newspaper stand located next to the tracks, and re-crossed to the center island. As indicated by many others, we inserted the jetons into the slot

and caught the next tram headed into town (towards the Galata Bridge). We took the tram at the Findiklit stop (closer to the port entrance than the Tophane stop although it means walking away from the direction in which you wish to travel (also good for getting a seat)., The train got crowded at the Galata Bridge stop, to Sultanahmet and were at the area of the two mosques in less than ten minutes.

 

Our group opted to tour the Blue Mosque (which is free), first. This required taking off our shoes and carrying them with us into the carpeted mosque. After pausing to admire the beautiful tiles and windows and taking the requisite photographs, we left the mosque and put our shoes back on. We crossed the area in front of the mosque and walked over to the ticket booths for Haghia Sophia. It now costs 20TL for this mosque-turned museum. We paid and went in, following the same process employed at the Blue Mosque. Then the group split up with four remaining to tour the Upper Gallery, while those of us planning to take the Bosphorus cruise needed to hurry over to the docks in order to catch the 4 p.m. cruise from Eminonu.

 

The walk back along the tram line was quite interesting as we passed eateries and little shops with very inexpensive prices. Along the way one of our party picked up a few of the local simit – sesame encrusted bread rings which both resemble and taste like a pretzel (we each had a taste).

 

We passed the Sireki Train station (Gar) which was the Eastern terminus of the famed Orient Express, and headed for the Galata bridge, looking for the Turyol boats, but not sure which side they would be on. Coming from the Sultanahmet district, it turned out that we needed to pass under the bridge to the side with the frying fish boats to get to Turyol, which was right after the fish sellers. We bought our 9 TL tickets and boarded. There were lots of empty seats so we were able to move from side to side on the Upper (open) Deck to get the best vantage points and take many photographs. A food and beverage vendor kept passing by us with tea and juice on a tray and later with bags of snacks, but we skipped the refreshments and concentrated on the view.

 

The 90 minute Turyol cruise was just about perfect. First we cruised down the Golden Horn and across the Bosphorus to pick up some people from the Asian side and then we cruised up the Asian side and returned down the European side. Along the way were gorgeous homes, some modern and others quite old in the ancient wooden style. I think we were most impressed by three homes part-way up the hill that had their own personal inclines (elevators) and spectacular landscaping. This neighborhood (I don’t know the name) reminded us of Marin County and Sausalito. After we crossed o the other side of the water, we passed a huge fortress with a long wall. Reading Rick Steves, whose guidebook is terrific for Istanbul, we learned this was the Rumeli Fortress, used during the Otttoman siege of Constantinople. The cruise, which took us up the Bosphorus to the second bridge and back, took exactly 90 minutes and we were deposited back at Eminonu, a little chilled although we were bundled up, but very happy.

 

Next on the agenda was dinner at Hamdi’s. I had made an 8 o’clock reservation, but at 6 p.m. we were right in front of the restaurant and feeling hungry. We went up to the third floor and asked if we could be seated early. They checked the reservation book, found my name (I had made it on their website), and gave us a table for six next to the window. The top floor is all glass enclosed so there are great views in several directions. It wasn’t busy at 6, but by the time we left all three rooms were filled with diners.

 

We ordered some cold mezes or appetizers from the tray including olives, hummus, eggplant salad, and grilled vegetables. This was served with delicious warm bread that arrived puffed up like an Indian puri. Next we had a lamb kofte (meatball) and a small lahmacum (which is a type of Turkish thin crust pizza served individually to each of us. The specialty of this restaurant is kebabs, most of which contain large quantities of lamb. For the non-lamb eater in our group there was a chicken kebab, but the rest of us sampled several of the lamb and veal kebabs on the menu and thought they were tasty. Unlike others who have eaten at Hamdi and complained about the service, we had Hakim as our waiter, and he was terrific, so we had perfect service. For the convenience of dining at a spot on the harbor right next to the Galata Bridge and the Spice Market with a great view, we were pleased with our choice. The price was also reasonable. For the six of us with the food indicated (we shared our kebab entrees and only ordered three of them) and a bottle of wine, five Efes beers, two diet cokes and three cocktails (Bailey’s), the total bill was 246 TL about $30 a person with service included. The food was tasty, but there is definitely better Turkish food in Istanbul In fact, I have eaten better Turkish food in NYC.

 

After dinner four of us opted for the tram and two walked back to the ship. We all went up to the buffet and had some dessert (the baklava on the Solstice tastes pretty good). Okay, I admit I ended up sampling some sushi, some pastitsio , spanakopita, and some churros (not sure how the Spanish churros got mixed in there with the Greek and Turkish theme buffet, but they were tasty) so it was a little more than dessert.

 

Saturday, November 14 – Istanbul, Part II

 

I got up at the crack of dawn (or so it seemed) this morning to hit the Grand Bazaar as early as possible. I breakfasted in Blu with the guys since DH opted to skip the shopping trip. Krassimir and Lorita were happy to see us and I enjoyed a fruit plate, fresh orange juice,, eggs over easy with bacon and potatoes, rye toast and hot chcocolate. I asked the person with the pastry tray if she had any chocolate croissants and was glad to learn that she did, although I got the last one. (Later I checked in Michael’s Club, where there is continental breakfast for Elite cruisers and discovered lots of chocolate croissants and other chocolate pastries.)

 

We were off the ship about 9, took the tram to Cemberlitas, walked over to the Grand Bazaar, and I was in shopping heaven by 9:30. First, though, I needed to stop at another ATM and arm myself with 100 TL so I would have some cash with which to bargain., You are never in a position of strength if you try to negotiate with a credit card! I shopped by myself and was a little concerned that I might come in for extra hassles as a woman alone in the Bazaar, but I am happy to report that I had no problem whatsoever. A few guys tried to encourage me to shop, but most just waited patiently to answer any questions I had and were very polite. I bought four shawls (two for gifts), a pair of silver earrings, and four couch pillow covers, and was very happy with all of my purchases and the negotiated prices I paid.

 

From the time I entered, I kept walking downhill and enjoyed the many shops I passed in the GB. I exited from Gate 18 and continued downhill, passing all sorts of stores on the way to the Spice Bazaar. On this Saturday morning many local shoppers were also out shopping and the streets were crowded. In addition to the stores and stalls in front of the stores, some merchants set their wares out on blankets in the middle of the street. N.B. If you ask people to tell you where Gate 18 is located, you will likely encounter shrugs and “I don’t know.” If you ask for the direction of the Spice Bazaar, everyone knows which way to point. That exit turns out to be Gate 18!

 

I stopped to take photographs when I got to the entrance to the Spice Bazaar – piles and piles of spices, nuts, dates, Turkish delight and other candies and who knows what else. I wandered through and had an interesting conversation with an Israeli shopkeeper named Isaac, whose family came to Istanbul from Israel. They have three shops in the market and he said they do a lot of tour business. Since it was Saturday, he told me some family members were over at the Synagogue on the other side of the Galata Bridge.

Next I wandered over to the tram (Eminonu stop) and accessed it through the underground passage that goes under the heavily trafficked ferry dock area. There are lots of merchants in the underpass selling cheap shoes, trinkets, watches, souvenirs and toys. The stairway to the tram is marked with the direction in which the tram travels and there is a jeton-seller at the bottom of the stairs in case you need one (we were well stocked and I’ve still got tokens to use on my next trip to Istanbul)

 

Lunch was in the buffet and as usual, it was varied and delicious. I went back to my favorite section – the Indian Curries and Asian foods area and piled my plate with rice, vegetable curry, roti, samosa, fish curry, dal, yogurt, rice noodles, and fried rice, Theother day there was mango chutney on the counter, but today I didn’t see any, so I asked Shine (from Kerala) if he had any. He went off in search and eventually returned with the chutney. This is one instance demonstrating what happens a dozen or more times a day -- I ask for something and find it gets produced for me with a big smile. I love the waiters and staff people in the restaurant and buffets on this ship – they come from all over the world and are simply terrific. Last night I met a young woman from Kiev serving in the buffet. Her English was extraordinarily good and she was very happy to practice it with us. She said she had hired a private tutor in order to be able to speak fluently, and I told her she definitely had an excellent teacher.

 

I sat with some very nice people from Japan while I ate lunch. They told me they didn’t speak English, but we managed to have a nice conversation, and since I only know one word of Japanese (which you already know if you have read this review carefully), it’s obvious that they had a decent amount of English.

 

As I write this,Topkapi Palace is outside the big Solarium windows where I am ensconced on one of my favorite lounges watching the last of the Sultanahmet District as we sail away. We are sailing out of Istanbul and are on our way to Ephesus. Although it was sunny while I was in town and when I went to lunch (with a haze that hung over the city from pollution I guess), the clouds have taken over and it has gotten chillier this afternoon. I’ve got about twenty minutes left before the big Captains Club party in the Sky Lounge. So I’ll sign off for now and have more to report after that gathering and dinner in Blu later this evening.

 

LATER: The CC party was quite nice. Our excellent hostess, Daniella, presided and the Cruise Director, James, introduced our new Captain… Demetrius I think although I’m not positive about the spelling. They said the guy we started with had gone on vacation. Demetrius did the honors and has quite a good sense of humor. We have been sailing on the Sea of Marmara for hours and it’s still quite smooth so I guess he is an excellent driver (his description of what he does). If there’s any further gossip in this department, I’ll let you know.

 

At the party they had some entertainment and served sushi, crepes, ham, and fruit along with cocktails distributed throughout the room by waiters circulating with assorted drinks. I saw some old friends and met a few new ones. Because I lingered so long, I ended up seeing a great sunset. I hope I got a decent photograph.

 

On to the evening’s entertainment and dining…

 

Dinner tonight was in Blu, which now feels like home on the ship. We enjoyed trading stories with our neighbors at the next table and chatting with the staff as well as with each other. The first starter was a scallops with a macadamia nut crust, served with oranges and some unidentifiable green mushy base. We thought the dish was too bland. Next up was crab bisque, which was tasty, but a little thin. The entrée was Rack of Lamb served with lamb shank in a potato crust… a real winner. Everyone at the table loved the lamb. For dessert we had a special treat. Our neighbors brought a box of baklava from the best bakery in Istanbul and shared it with us. Since as Krassimir now calls me, I am a chocaholic, he also brought me floating islands with chocolate sauce, vanilla ice cream to go with the pastry, and the dessert menu in case my sweet tooth wasn’t satisfied and I wanted one of the items on the dessert menu… needless to say after two pieces of baklava, some ice cream and some floating islands (which had berries on it), my dessert quota was more than satisfied.

 

Quite full from dinner, we managed to make it to the 10:45 show, which was another production show called “Pulse.” Suffice it to say ,it was another production show with lots of loud music and bouncy dancing. We’re headed for bed since tomorrow is a full day in Kusadasi and we have a tour booked for Ephesus and Sirince.

[Domina X]

Hello Wiselindag,

 

Been reading all your posts and really enjoying them. Is the new captain Dimitris Kafetzis ? He's young and full of personality, one of our favourites !!!!!!:)

[Denny01]

I haven't checked the boards for a while and just found your thread. We come aboard on 20 Nov in Rome and your posts are fantastic. Greatly appreciate the time you've put into it. We will use your info a great deal.

 

Hope to see a few more before we fly out on 18 Nov.

 

thanks so much. I'll send these over to my wife so we can read them together and plan out our times a bit better with your assistance.

 

Denny

[MaritimeGirl]

Hi,

 

Could you please check if somebody is on the Soltisce right now? I am looking for Ocha, he is a bartender and he is usually in the Martini bar.

 

Thanks a lot.

 

Suzanne & Luc from New Brunswick Canada

[wiselindag]

sorry rushing off to elegent tea so here is installment 5 with answers to questions another day...

 

Installment 5 - Sunday, November 15 – Kusadasi/Ephesus

 

There was some drama overnight. I promised to let our tour leader, Fatma Accar, the exact number of people going on our Ephesus tour. The number kept changing so I waited until late afternoon to email her. At that time we had seven with the possibility of nine. After I emailed her, I checked back before dinner and found that she had sent me a message saying there was plenty of room in the bus because she had another eight people and had ordered a larger bus. Since this was contrary to our agreement for a small private tour, and because I had told her “no” when she asked me if she could add people several months ago, I was very unhappy after receiving her email. I wanted to reply immediately, but could not get back on the internet on the ship… I kept getting the message that it was down (which happens quite often!) I decided to go to bed and write later in the night or early in the morning. It turned out that I was able to reply at 5 a.m. and I told that I had not agreed to more people and it was not okay for her to send a big bus with more people. I went back to bed, but I worried about how the tour would turn out and didn’t sleep well.

 

We got up early in order to be on the pier at 9. Breakfast was, of course, in Blu, and we enjoyed chatting with another honeymoon couple (I have now met three such couples). The was shining outside the big windows where we sat in the restaurant, and the town of Kusadasi has grown considerably since I was last here. We gathered our group together – now nine people and headed out to the dock. There we found Zehra with a sign for our group. She told me that Fatma had sent her to lead us and because she was very friendly and easy-going, with an excellent sense of humor, we all quickly decided that we liked her and that the day would be fine. We stopped at an ATM on the way to the van to pick up more Turkish Lira for the day. First we drove to the reputed house of the Virgin Mary. As the guidebook says, “traditional has it that after the death of Christ, John brought the Virgin Mary nto Ephesus, where she spent her last days in a small house (Meryemana Evi)”. Now a place of pilgrimage, people flock to walk through the house, although it was built in the 1950’s.

 

Next we drove to the top of Ephesus and began our descent into the ruins as Zehra gave us the background and the overview of the site. Although I had been here before, I was again blown away by this ancient city, only about one third of which has been excavated. Ephesus has some remarkable ruins and is better preserved than many such sites. There are roads, the remains of the walkways, once covered and now open to the elements, the public bathhouse and the communal public lavatory, where you can see the ey-hole shaped toilets used by ancient men and the pipes used to carry running water for the loo. Most remarkable are the façade of the great library, the ancient theater in which you can sit and where concerts are still held, and the terrace houses. The latter, which requires a separate admission ticket, was not open the last time I was in Ephesus. Here you can walk up many flights of stairs and see excavated and reconstructed houses, built in groups around central atria, with gorgeous frescoed walls, mosaic tile floors, running water, thermal baths, and other ancient household necessities for wealthy families. This work is ongoing and they say it will take at least another hundred years to finish the reconstructions and the rest of the excavations of the site.

 

Sirince town was next on our itinerary. We drove through fields and up and over a small mountain to get there, and found on our arrival, that we had been transported to a charming village filled with old houses, grape arbors, olive and orange trees, restaurants, and shops. By this time, we were all starving and ready for a feast, and that's what we had at the Mercan Restaurant. For the seven of us who elected to dine there, we ordered four of the local specialty - Gozleme, called pancakes, but more like crepes with a crispy exterior. Piping hot from the ancient oven, which was just beyond our table, we watched the woman who made them stuff the crepe with mushrooms, potatoes, onions, and eggplant and then bake them on top of the flames. They were delicious. Next we had kofte, scrumptious grilled beef kebabs, local olives, sigaret borek (filled with cheese and deep fried, these were the borek of my dreams), manti (tiny little raviolis served with a yogurt sauce), and iskender kebap (kebab) – gyro-sliced lamb with bread, yogurt and tomato sauce – all wonderful. The kebabs came with rice and sliced tomatoes and we shared everything, much to everyone’s delight, it was all delicious. With two diet cokes, two yogurt drinks, three soda waters and a bottle or red wine, lunch came to 135 TL plus 20 TL for the service (roughly $14 a person and that included treating our guide to lunch). Two of our party opted for a more upscale dining experience at a fancier restaurant up the hill, All of us were quite happy as we set out for some shopping in the little market area. I bought some wonderful “fruit” – pear, apple, banana, watermelon, lemon, kiwi, peach and

Grapes, all made out of soap.

 

We stopped briefly at the Temple of Diana, where only one pillar is left along with a lot of stones from what once was a huge temple. It was so late that only one vendor was left. Zehra asked us if we wanted to stop at the Ceramics Factory, where we watched a bowl get made and where some workers were handpainting seder plates ( bound they said for NY). The ceramics on display were beautiful, but the prices were so high, that none of us bought a thing and we headed back through Selcuk to the ship.

 

As we drove down the hill toward Kusadasi , the view of the sunset and the ship was spectacular. Our driver stopped at an overlook, and we hopped out and took fabulous pictures of the red and pink streaked sky with the resplendent and lit up Solstice in the foreground.

 

There was a shopping Bazaar outside ship, but the prices didn’t seem particularly good, so we headed onboard and up to the Solarium. After a day of walking and climbing, our aching backs were much in need of the hot tub! Persian Gardens was our next stop and both the wet steam room and the dry steam felt wonderful.

 

The evening show tonight featured Turkish Dancers in native costumes. They did a series of folkloric dances followed by the traditional belly dance, performed in several variations by a very talented dancer. They were all good, the costumes were interesting and I enjoyed seeing their performance.

 

Dinner in Blu followed. Many of the passengers opted to eat in Kusadasi and several reported that they enjoyed the fish they ate in the seaside restaurants near the ship. We felt we’d had enough Turkey for one day, and ate in Blu, which was fairly empty. It turned out to be one of the best dinners so far. Since all three appetizers appealed, I ordered all of them. First up was brie breaded with panko (I know this because Lorita was kind enough to obtain the recipe for me) and macadamia nuts and then baked. It was served with pepper jelly and proved to be a great combination. Next was a wild mushroom Napoleon, which was good, but not as good as the brie and finally, a lobster salad served with roe, which was tasty. I also enjoyed the Caesar Salad which Krassimir made for me and loved the short ribs I ordered for my entrée. Unfortunately, I ran out of room about half-way through, but that wasn’t a big surprise considering the huge lunch I ate and the three appetizers. Dessert ,….

 

We had several surprises at the table tonight. Krassimir has thoroughly spoiled me with nightly surprises.

Tonight our dining companions were too full from lunch to eat in the dining room and our Filipino neighbors also ate in town, so we dined a deux. Krassmir wanted our dinner to be romantic so he made us a special cup and candle made out of cloth napkins to set the mood. Of course no open flames on the ship, but our candle looked great and attracted the attention of much of the wait staff. Then, at the end of the meal, Krassimir brought us outside the restauarant (so others wouldn’t ask him to do it for them, too) and made a beautiful rose out of a small paper napkin.

 

I was also touched earlier in the evening when Emilia came over to chat with us. On nights when our companions dine with us, Emelia is a regular visitor at our table because the guys always order wine and love to speak with her about the wine. Tonight she came to talk with us even though our beverage each and every night is diet coke. She said she came over even though we don’t have any wine, because she loves to talk with us. Both Krassimir and Emilia are very special staff members and they, along with Lorita and Dejan and Kirk and Mariano make is such a pleasure to come “home” to Blu each evening (and as many mornings as I can stagger in there before 9 a.m.)

 

We went off to bed and the prospect of a late morning since we will be at sea. It was a long day, but a really good one.

[CruisinManiac]

First up was brie breaded with panko (I know this because Lorita was kind enough to obtain the recipe for me) and macadamia nuts and then baked. It was served with pepper jelly and proved to be a great combination.

 

I am enjoying this review so much. Thank you! :) Would you please share the recipe for brie?

 

Also, where did you stay in Rome?

[joanne59]

I am sure that you don't want this wonderful trip to end. Thank you for sharing the great reviews of food, touring and adventures.

[DebbieMacG]

Thankyou for the fantasic reviews :)

 

The spoon you describe does sound like a dessert spoon here in Scotland we would use it along with a dessert fork to eat cake or on its own for a dessert such as rice pudding.

[wiselindag]

Docked in Rome... have to hurry. All answers and final installment will be posted after we get home tomorrow. Here's Athens:

 

 

Installment Six – Day At Sea and Athens

 

Our sea day dawned bright and sunny and WARM! I think I may have glimpsed the dawn, but we actually didn’t wake up until 10:30. Since this was the day for the big buffet lunch in the Grand Epernay, we dressed and went down there to dine, arriving about 11:30. The buffet was lovely too view – there were stations for scrambled eggs, bacon, and eggs benedict, fried fish and chips, smoked salmon and herring, beef stroganoff, cheeses, ham, a carving station for gravlax among other foods. The dessert table was laden with cream puffs, napoleons, chocolate lava cake, small fruit tarts, and a variety of fruits for dipping in the chocolate fountain… yes a real fountain of chocolate… all delicious. I planned to just sample each dessert, but ended up eating every bite.

 

Because the weather was so glorious, we spent much of the afternoon up on deck visiting with friends. In the evening we headed for Michael’s Club to see our friends there and have pre-dinner drinks. Then the show, which was scheduled at 7 this evening for late seating, and consisted of a medley sung by a talented gentleman named Paul Emmanuel. He sang a lot of Nat King Cole songs and we enjoyed listening to him.

 

For dinner in Blu,, I had the Filet Mignon. Tonight’s surprise was a reprise of my favorite appetizer from the night before – macadamia encrusted brie served with a pepper jelly sauce. A plate was brought for the entire table so the guys, who had missed dinner the night before, could sample this delicious appetizer. For dessert I tried the dark chocolate mousse, but found it rather pudding-like and not as delicious as it sounded.

 

November 17 – Athens

 

We had arranged to meet Vassilis Vassalos this morning at 8. We docked just before 8 and were off the ship about 8:10. When we walked out, we saw tour passengers going to what I thought was a bus parking lot and when we asked, we were directed to a shuttle bus to take us from terminal B to terminal A. We got on the bus and when we emerged, there was no sign of Vassilis. We started to call him, but a friendly driver offered to check for us and he notified him where to find us. Of course, he was in the parking lot for Terminal B and he was wondering what happened to us. He drove around and picked us up, and off we went. He had originally offered tours of four, six and eight hours and initially we opted for the six-hour tour. After we conferred, we decided to do the eight-hour tour and were happy we did. First, we drove to a small marina in Piraeus where he took photographs of our foursome (our guys and us). Then we drove to the Acropolis where we were directed to walk up, tour around, then return to the parking lot. We were glad we got there when we did because the lot was a much more crowded when we returned. As I remembered, there are a lot of steps up to the top and much of it is gravel and marble so it can be slippery. Vassilis had given us a little book so we could read about each of the monuments at the top, but there is also a printed description next to each structure (the Parthenon, the Erechteion, the Temple of Athena, and the Propylaea or gateway), which you can read if you have no extra material. There was a 12 euro entrance ticket which also provided entry to the Temple of Zeus and other historical sites.

 

We stopped off to get some bottled water (another gift from Vassilis along with the booklet), and then headed to the new Acropolis Museum, where we were advised to view the short film describing the history of the Acropolis and the building and subsequent destruction of the Parthenon and other buildings. We wandered down from the third floor examining the reliefs and statues taken from the Parthenon and now housed in the museum It was one euro to get into the museum, a special price for 2009 to encourage people to come and visit.

 

Next we drove to the Panathinion Stadium, built in 1896 for the first modern Olympic games. Throughout the tour, Vassilis pointed out other venues in Athens used for the 2004 games and for the 1896 games. We stopped at the Presidential Palace to view the hourly change of the guards (a very strange ceremony in which they ceremonially march from one guardhouse to the other and switch places.) By standing in the middle, you can get a good photograph of the two as they pass each other, which we did.) Vassilis drove us through Syntagma Square, pointed out the Parliament and other buildings, and then took us past the Academy (where I managed to snap a people-free photograph), the Museum, the Library, and the first Athens University.

 

We passed the Plaka, but did not hang around because the streets in the center were getting blocked off for the big demonstration planned for later in the afternoon. Our goal was to drive out to the area where many Athenians live, near the sea. We went to Glyfada, where we saw some traditional houses and many lovely apartment buildings along the seafront, and then on to Vouliagmeni, where we saw more expensive condos and clubs situated on the water. These are very popular after midnight, according to our driver. Our destination, since we were all very hungry, was the Taverna Voskopoula (Shepherd’s Daughter). Here we were told would be lambs roasted on a spit (at least six hours on the fire), roast pork done in the same way, and other typical Athenian dishes. The huge restaurant was partially filled when we arrived, and crowded when we left. We ordered roast lamb, roast pork, tzatziki, toasted bread, Greek salad, fried zucchinis and fried potatoes. Compliments of the house, we received yogurt, honey and nuts for dessert. With a bottle of water, two diet cokes, and one pitcher of red wine, the tab was 75.50 Euros for the six of us. Throoughly stuffed, we all returned to the car and agreed that the meal had been delightful. I particularly enjoyed a conversation with two people sitting just above us on the next level who turned out to be Cypriots visiting Greece for the day because of an air special to Athens. The young woman told me she was going to travel to Buenos Aires for several months. That was a coincidence because it turned out that she would be there for two days before we leave to take another cruise in January, so we might meet up there to continue our conversation. For travelers, the world can be rather small sometimes.

 

Vassilis drove us out to a resort area along the water where we saw big hotels and lovely beach clubs. We also viewed a hot springs resort where the water cures all ills. We even saw some people swimming in the November sunshine. Vassilis said the water is still warm at this time of year and the day was unusually hot. We stopped to take photographs and noted that the water was so clear you could see clear to the bottom.

 

On the way back, we stopped in an area with a large church (one of the group had asked for a chance to see one) and some shops for a little gift shopping. Then we headed back to the ship and arrived about 4:45, in plenty of time for sailaway at 6. After the little confusion at the start of the day, we had a great day with Vasillis. By the end of our tour, we were all invited for dinner on our next visit, (I hope his wife doesn’t have to cook for tourists all the time, although he assured us that she likes to do that!)

 

Tired from climbing steps, we headed to the hot tub and the Persian Gardens. I opted to skip the show (I think I saw the performing artist on another cruise and badly needed a little rest before dinner),.

 

The guys were too tired and too full from lunch to eat in Blu. DH and I valiantly headed in for another dinner despite eating at least as much as they did (and maybe even a little more speaking only for myself.) Our dining neighbors were back and had pre-ordered something not on the Blu menu, but something they had enjoyed from the MDR called Chiquita Chicken, which is chicken cordon bleu with banana on top – although I didn’t have room to sample it, it looked delicious. I had empanadas, tortilla soup, duck breast, and another dessert surprise – more profiteroles (gorgeously arranged on chocolate sauce with berries artfully arranged on the plate) and my favorite ice cream – coffee (this was Lorita’s surprise since I asked her about that flavor several nights ago), For extra added value, Krassimir did more towel tricks and then performed several feats involving spoons and forks and toothpicks balanced on the edge of a glass. He promised Part II of his act tonight if I can manage to remember to bring a quarter with me to dinner.

 

We tried to stay up for the Starring You talent competition, but sleep was winning out, so we headed for the cabin and a decent night’s sleep since we turned the clocks back an hour to return to Italian time.

[CruisinManiac]

wiswlindag - Hope you had a a nice trip home.

 

Because of your informative and beautifully highly detailed review, my DH and I feel like we have been on the cruise with you. We have been reading each installment in bed. :D

 

Looking forward to reading the final installment.

[wiselindag]

Wednesday, November 18

 

Another gorgeous morning! We got up in time to dash down to Blu and get there just before 9 – last folks in and last folks out! I had promised Krassimir that I would try the Muesli Presentation (not something you can do every day!) so that is what we had… musesli with lots of add-ins including walnuts, granola, apricots, bananas, grapes, raisins, and cinnamon. I brought my fruit made of soap to show Krassimir and he said to watch out in case there are little ones in the house who might eat it… no problem there.

 

After breakfast it was off to do the daily errands --- check on the debarkation time, pick up the passports which had been collected when we checked in, and let Daniella know I would like to attend the elegant tea at 3:30., and get a booking number for my next Celebrity cruise from Camilla, the very friendly and helpful cruise consultant. I went to the cooking demonstration, which was a contest between our own Blu chef, JP Colombo and another chef (JP won – yeah!) Then they had the staff and crew of the ship on stage to do the thank you that used to be part of the evening show. Next up was the hot glass show, which I watched long enough to see them do two beautiful pieces – a vase and a fish. The show is interesting because they not only do the intricate work in front of you, but they explain each step in detail and answer questions as they work. Now that it was lunchtime, DH and I headed for the buffet and my last lunch of roti, dal, curries, fried rice, mee krob, and spring rolls – all delicious. I skipped dessert since I’ll have several no doubt at the elegant tea later this afternoon.

 

I should mention that the sun is shining and sitting in my port cabin with the balcony door open, it is actually hot. We have a very strong afternoon sun heading in this direction and there isn’t a cloud in the sky at the moment. We are quite surprised that the temperatures have been so warm. Vassillis told us it was about ten degrees above normal in Athens, and it must be more than that here (wherever we are at the moment.)

 

Elegant Tea time was a special treat for Elite cruisers. It was held in Tuscan Grill, a restaurant I didn’t sample on this cruise but would like to try on another. They served tiny canapes first (too small to consider them to be sandwiches). I had one with shrimp, which was tasty. Next came the scones. My dining companions told me on Millennium they had scones every day and missed them on Solstice. These were served with the traditional clotted cream and strawberry jam. I hadn’t even looked for them up to this point. If I’d asked for them in Blu, I’m sure they would have produced them. My new friends each took an extra scone for breakfast. Finally the parade of sweets came out and I ate a Napoleon, thus ruining my appetite for dinner

 

Our next stop was the cocktail hour in Michael’s Club. We continued the conversation started at tea and I introduced DH to my new companions since he opted to skip the tea. We ended up with several other new friends we have made during the Elite cocktail time… a very nice way to meet new people in a comfortable and congenial setting.

 

Then it was off to the hot tub, the Persian Gardens, and time to dress for dinner. This was the second Formal Evening so we donned our fancy clothes and returned to Blu, which continues to feel like coming home for dinner with your family. Our dining companions were all in attendance and after several nights without them, we were happy to see them again and catch up on our activities.

 

The menu this evening contained the usual lobster tails for those who like to eat them on cruise ships. I opted for the chicken cooked in phyllo dough, which was quite delicious. (Note: Several dishes I especially liked were recommended to us by Krassimir, who usually steers us in a good direction.) I had another very good soup and a salad (I’ve managed to forget which ones at this point, but they were good. DH was happy with his ham stuffed potato fritters and our companions enjoyed the goat cheese tart.) Dessert featured more profiteroles, this time resting in a white and dark chocolate design. We also had chocolate anniversary cake since the entire staff of the restaurant and all our new friends sang “Happy Anniversary” to us – a lovely moment. (Earlier in the cruise Krassimir said he had heard (via our buddies no doubt) that we were celebrating our 25th anniversary and he asked me which night we would like our cake. When I demurred, he said I couldn’t get off the ship without it, so we said the second formal night, Our dining companions were celebrating their first anniversary and the final evening was designated for their celebration. )

 

The last production show of the cruise, called “Solstice” was excellent. Watching the jugglers, hula hoop spinners, aerial performances, and others in the “Cirque-light” show, I realized what seemed “off” in the Broadway show earlier in the cruise. This is a cast put together for the show we saw at the end and it is in this show, that they really show off their abilities and strengths as performers.

 

This was the last day to relax on Solstice, because the final cruise day is a tough one – a full day in Naples and we have a big tour planned. Then we have to pack and take care of all the last-day activities that characterize life on a cruise ship as debarkation looms.

 

Thursday, November 19 - Naples

 

Another very early wake-up and another sunny day, although we started with a lot of mist or fog around the ship and over the city. We hoped that would burn off in time for the fabulous scenery of the Amalfi coast. We walked off the ship and through the port building to the parking area where the drivers with signs were standing and quickly spotted our sign. Our guide, Priscilla, and our driver, Antonio, were waiting there to take us on tour and we quickly climbed into the van and began the drive South to Sorrento. We hit some traffic on the highway just before a merge from three lanes to two, but Cilla was quick to explain that we were fortunate to be touring in November and not in the high season when the roads become clogged with vacationers and tourists and beach-goers. We drove through and around Sorrento, with a stop for some photographs, and an opportunity to view Mariano’s orchards and the top of his farmhouse. Mariano, with whom I arranged the tour, had another group from the Grand Princess, also in port, and Cilla, who is English, and is Mariano’s sister-in-law, has been working for Mariano for about three years, but has been in tourism in the area for over 30 years. She was an outstanding substitute, although I would have preferred to tour with Mariano since he had been recommended to me by my friend, Giovanni Sirabella, who does tours in Livorno.

 

Because we were in a small van, we were able to drive down into Positano. The last time I was in this area, I took a tour from Sorrento, but it was on a big bus that could only drive past Positano, so I was glad we got to spend some time there, albeit a very brief time since we had a long day planned. We parked and went down the hill to check out the shops. Some were shuttered because we were out of season, but quite a few were still open and we were able to sample some limoncello and check out some gorgeous sweaters and light woolen coats. Lucky for me, there is no room left in our luggage and the dollar is creeping steadily upwards, so there are no bargains in Italy, and I bought nothing.

 

Next we stopped at several spots to take photographs of the gorgeous coastline and the town of Amalfi. We opted to skip a visit to Amalfi in favor of Ravello, which I loved the last time I was down this way. We drove up the hill, past the terraced farms perched on the mountainside, and on up into Ravello. Here we parked and set off to explore for a brief visit. The guys found a wonderful linen shop and bought table linens while the rest of us walked on to my favorite spot – Villa Rufulo. For five Euros (three for those over 65) we were given entrance to the gorgeous gardens, views of the Romanesque buildings, and most important, the spectacular views over the Bay of Salerno.

 

In season, Cilla takes tourists to a restaurant in Ravello, but since this place was closed, we drove on up the mountain to a rustic spot where we could sample local specialties. In the interests of time, the food was pre-ordered and awaiting us, the table was set up with platters of tomato pizzas, small fococcia squares topped with tomatoes, and mushrooms, and slices of vegetable frittatas. Plates of gnocchi with tomato sauce and another short, tubular pasta with escarole were served by the charming and humorous Gilda, the owner’s daughter. When one of our group asked her who made the gnocchi, she brought her mother out from the kitchen to take a bow for the delicious potato dumplings. Mama smiled from ear to ear when we told her the pasta was excellent. In the meantime, Gilda had the two of the guys play a game putting out one, two or three fingers to see who would get the first bite, spooned in by the hilarious Gilda as the rest of us took photographs. My DH “won (or he says perhaps lost” and was pretty surprised to find a napkin draped around his neck and Gilda feeding him lunch! Later the other member of the family (Gilda’s, not mine) got into the act when her brother put on a pizza throwing demonstration. He managed to toss the pizza dough into the air a number of times without dropping it. With wine and mineral water, the lunch cost us each 17 Euros. It was good, but not great, and since we were told this was a pizza restaurant, my stomach was ready for hot pizza and I was a little disappointed we didn’t have any of that.

 

Our drive over the mountain to the highway continued with so many hairpin turns that I needed to move to the front seat ,where I could see the road, and where Cilla and Antonio made room for me. We quickly drove to Pompeii for the final stop on our tour. Cilla gave us information about how to do the “express tour” (we wanted to get back to the ship before 5 although we didn’t sail until 6, and after paying 11 Euros each for admission tickets, we obtained our free maps, and entered the archeological park. Although we didn’t hire a guide, there were many escorting other groups and we picked up quite a bit of information as we strolled about. We spent time in the Forum area and then walked up and down the streets, matching the sites to the map so we would know what we were looking at. The going was rough since the paving stones lining the streets are large and uneven. We missed Ephesus, where the walkways were much smoother and easier to traverse.

 

As we walked around, we ran into some friends from the ship. After an hour, we walked down the steep slope to the area where we were scheduled to meet our guide. Half an hour later we were walking back onto the ship, totally exhausted, but very pleased with our day.

 

It would have been great to take a long nap, but time was limited, so we barely managed to rest for a few minutes. I wanted to take a look at the balcony cabin occupied by one of my friends, so I ran down to do that. Then it was time to pack so we would have the suitcases ready to put out in the hallway by 11 o’clock. Tips were automatically charged to our accounts, but I always like to add some money and hand it to those who have offered exceptional service. As a result I hurriedly got out some cash and put it in envelopes for the extra tips. I had managed to fill in the guest survey while waiting for the others to finish up at Pompeii, so that was completed and we dashed down to Blu for our final dinner. In the interests of time, we skipped the last show, a reprise of some of the acts we had previously seen (although, of course, they had new material). It’s impossible to do everything on a last day when you are in port for the entire day.

 

We had a fun-filled evening, with lots of jokes and celebrations. For dinner I had the soup and the Lamb Chop Salad. I don’t know who decided to put the Lamb Chops with salad instead of plating them with some nice roast potatoes or other starch, but it didn’t make much sense to me. My lamb wasn’t cooked enough, but Krassimir quickly replaced it with some chops that were well done and nicely browned on top. For dessert, Lorita remembered I had enjoyed the chocolate lava cake and plates of this cake were served to everyone at the table with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was also Anniversary Night. First we celebrated the fifteenth anniversary of a couple we had gotten to know over the course of the cruise (engineered by our tablemates) and then it was time for the first anniversary celebration of our tablemates, accompanied by more chocolate anniversary cake. Then it was time for difficult farewells, picture-taking and hugs and promises to keep in touch with Dejan, Lorita, Emilia, Krassimir and Mariano, plus Mildred and Kirk from the staff side and our great table neighbors – the three Filipino couples who were terrific company every night.

 

I had almost $10 left on my internet account and tried to go online to check email one last time before going to bed. Unfortunately I could not get on. It kept saying the system was down and to try again in a few minutes. Sixty minutes later, I had still not gotten on, and gave up to get some sleep. This happened numerous times during the cruise. The night before Ephesus I lost another hour trying to get on in order to get in touch with our tour guide for a last-minute issue, and had to get up at 5 a.m. in order to communicate with her. This time I had to get up at 6:30 in order to get on and finish up the minutes I had paid for… not good at all. I love the ship-wide WIFI, but it shouldn’t be so difficult to access it.

 

Friday, November 20 – Debarkation

 

We planned to debark at 9 a.m. We got up and breakfasted in the buffet (we could have gone to Blu, but DH thought it would be anti-climactic after all the big farewells the night before), I had one last Celebrity waffle and DH abstemiously breakfasted on cold cereal and a banana. Then we went back down to the cabin to pick up our hand luggage and on to the Ensemble Lounge to meet our friends. I had received a letter saying to debark at 7:15, but when I asked to exchange my tags, the Guest Relations rep explained that the tags and our number (59) simply meant I should look for my luggage in the “59” section of the terminal. She said we should leave when we were ready to go and that the last call would be at 9:45. Since we were in no great rush, her advice worked well for us. I like the way Celebrity does debarkation – no announcements and basically, you get off the ship when you’re ready.

 

Debarkation was quick and easy and would have been flawless except that two pieces of luggage put out by our neighbors were missing in the terminal. After a search through every bag still left there, they filled out a lost luggage form and we went out, much concerned about the missing suitcases. Our friend, Mario Sepe, was out there waiting for us and we quickly hopped in his van, stowed the bags, and took off for FCO. Two of us were bound for the airport and a flight to Paris for the weekend. The other four headed for the Airport Hilton and a final day in Rome.

 

We checked in, but had to wait about an hour and a half for our rooms to be ready. We stored our luggage, and spent most of this time in the Hilton Honors Lounge, wishing we could take a nap, and feeling exhausted from our vacation. When the rooms were ready, we had our luggage delivered and then dashed out to catch the free noon airport shuttle bus to Rome. We started the last day in the city by strolling from the drop-off point on Via Petrocelli (seemingly the spot for many hotel shuttle buses to pick up and drop off passengers) to the Tiber and then walking along the river enjoying the scenery in the afternoon sunlight. We walked across the river, crossing the Isla Tibertina once again, and then following our route from the pre-cruise walk we had done here in the rain two weeks ago. We showed the guys the shopping streets we had previously traversed since they wanted to do some holiday shopping, recommended they visit the Maria of Trastavere church, and then decided to lunch at Carlo Menta. This casual trattoria had been recommended by several travelers, and we were truly surprised when we saw the prices on the menu posted outside… a genuine bargain in a pricey neighborhood. We ordered a pasta dish and a pizza for each pair (gnocchi and a ham and mushroom pizza for the guys and lasagna a la casa and mushroom pizza for the two of us). Along with a bottle of mineral water, a litre of red wine, and two cokes, the tab was gentle ((I would tell the exact amount if I knew, but the guys treated us in return for my 105 pages of trip notes. Suffice it to say that the mushroom pizza was four Euros, the lasagna was five Euros, and I think the Mushroom and Ham Pizza was five or six Euros.) Both the pastas and the pizzas (extremely thin crust) were delicious and I would strongly recommend this place. (In fact, as I’m editing this while sitting in my living room, I’m dying for another pizza like the one we ate at Carlo Menta!)

 

After lunch we split up since they were going shopping and meeting friends for dinner and we were going to do some final sightseeing. First I wanted to find the Gelateria Scalinata and sample the artisanal gelato, which had been recommended in several foodie trip reports. I am happy to tell you that I found the store (we had to wait a few minutes since it was locked when we got there while the sales guy ran an errand). I had two scoops – chocolate and coffee gelato and they were marveous – rich and delicious. This was a gelateria worth finding!

 

We walked back towards the Forum, but by the time we reached the area where we would later pick up the shuttle bus, I ran out of energy. Legs still sore from climbing steps in Ravello and Pompeii, not to mention the Parthenon and Ephesus, gave out and refused to climb the Palatine Hill. We sat for a while in front of the round Temple of Hercules (also known as the Vesta Temple since according to the guidebook, some people mistook this temple for the one that belonged to the Vestal Virgins, known to be round, but actually in the Forum). We made a decision to return to the hotel so we could reorganize the suitcases and have an early night. We met some nice people while sitting on the steps and then met some other people who had been on our ship so the wait was pleasant and went by quickly. The bus pulled up fifteen minutes early and we climbed on. At five o’clock the bus took off, back to the Hilton. We thought about dining in the restaurant, but were still full from lunch, so we ended up eating a snack in the Honors Lounge and very much enjoyed an early bedtime. The Hilton bedrooms and bathrooms are excellent and the beds are very comfortable. The Honors Lounge stocks drinks and snacks in the evening (sandwiches, salads, little egg rolls and assorted other goodies along with desserts), and has a very good breakfast in the morning including scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, tomatoes, smoked salmon and cream cheese, rolls and croissants, juices, and a wonderful machine that at the press of a button makes you a cappuccino, espresso, macchiato, latte, or hot chocolate.

 

We enjoyed our last hurried breakfast with our companions for the trip, who had still not gotten word on their missing luggage (thank goodness for excellent trip insurance!) and agreed that it would be strange to go back to our lives and not dine together every day.

 

While they opted for the hotel shuttle to Terminal Five, we decided to walk to Terminal Three (since the shuttle had just left and our flight was earlier). We took the elevator up to the walkway and used the moving sidewalks to travel to our Terminal. Check-in was uneventful and we were delighted to find that when we got on the plane, we were sitting in aisle and window seats with extra leg room. After a completely smooth flight home, we arrived back in NY, exhausted, but very pleased with our wonderful trip.

[wiselindag]

Dear Friends,

 

As you know, I just posted the Final Installment of my opus. It turned out to be a lot more work than I expected, but having just read it again, I have to say that I enjoyed it (both the writing and the reading!)

 

Here are the answers to some of your questions and a summary of our trip:

 

Keith - We didn't try the pillow menu. As you know, there were quite a few pillows on the bed with two excellent ones meant for sleeping. I'm sure the other types would have been interesting, but I associate body pillows with post-surgery (sorry, but that's when I have needed one!) and I sleep so well on what they provide, that I've never felt the need to request additional options in any of our premium cabins including Aqua Class, Sky Suite or Concierge Cabin.

 

Sanjay was indeed excellent and I sent your regards to him and to Daniella (also excellent and happy to hear from you.)

 

Walter -The Cruise Director was James Calhoun. James is what I would consider to be one of the more understated Cruise Director types which Celebrity favors and so do I. He's always smiling and seems to do his job well, but he doesn't over-do it as some people do in that position. I did chat with him briefly for several seconds (notice how Cruise Directors are on schedule all day and always running to their next event?) on two or three occasions and he was very nice.

 

Domina X - Yes, Dimitris Kafetzis was the second Captain (and apparently the original Captain of the Ship, who had been on vacation and who is much loved by the staff members with whom I spoke about him). One person told me that they liked him because he always stops to talk with the staff and seems genuinely interested in them and their work. I mangled the spelling because it took a while before we saw his name in print. They gave us a big description (and resume) of the first Captain who started the cruise and then didn't put anything in writing when they made the switch... just announced him at the CC party. Celebrity should have given us the same type of written information about Dimitris, but for some reason they didn't. If nothing else, his experience would have been reassuring. As it was, he joked about his experience and while the staff and crew were in on the joke, the passengers, who didn't know him, had no idea who this guy was.

 

Maritime Girl - Sorry, never made it to the Martini Bar. This is always a popular area on Celebrity ships and several of our friends raved about it, but it's a bar I'll have to visit when I am on the ship again in June with one of my groups.. it will be interesting to see at that time how many of my friends on the ship are still around or will have returned.

 

D4 - Yes they had a "fill the bag" laundry special. On Century last year I think it cost $20, but on Solstice I think it is now $29.95 (or maybe $29... but definitely too much!) I loved the CC Elite coupon for one free (regular) bag of laundry - 30 items for free and the coupon for dry cleaning one item.

 

Cruisin Maniac - I laughed at your comments about reading my review in bed... sounds like the Chinese fortune cookie joke where you add "in bed" to every fortune....

I will share the recipe for the brie as soon as I locate it. I'm still looking for various items... that's the problem with my less-than-organized packing scheme... wherever things fit, that's where they go in no particular order. Today I finally found my container for Thursday's vitamins, which is good because tomorrow is Thursday!

 

Tamsno - I'm sorry I won't get to meet you, too. Maybe on a future cruise.

 

BTW, I did pay for one of those Future Cruise coupons they sell on board. You don't need to book a specific cruise, but when you pay $100 per person for a deposit, you get a booking number. Then when you get home and find a Celebrity cruise you want, you use the booking number on the certificate and get an OBC (since it depends on the length, I always use mine for longer cruises and then the OBC is higher, but it could be from $50-$300 depending on cruise length). You can specify a cruise agent on the certificate or transfer it to your agent when you get home. The process is easy and all you do is fill out the form (available in the Future Cruise Consultant's Office) and then hand it back in to her.

 

Thanks to all dessert spoon posters... I am now enlightened, but it is way too big for me to use for dessert. I'll stick to forks for cake and smaller spoons for ice cream, mousse, etc.

 

Anthony - Daniella is from Romania. It's so funny that you asked me that question and I didn't recognize it was coming from you... It's been a long time since I have seen your personal email! Hope you are enjoying your Asian trip.

 

Stella - We like to think of ourselves as sort of high brow and enjoy lectures and performances of a historical, cultural or scientific nature. Unfortunately, on this trip there was nothing of the sort. Although I was so busy on the sea days that I didn't really miss that (and would have hated to come in from the sunshine to attend a lecture), my DH specifically asked if there were any lectures and was sorry that the only offering pertained to filmmaking. He would have enjoyed hearing about the volcanoes we were passing or more information about the antiquities we saw throughout this cruise. On our trans-Atlantic crossing we had a wonderful pianist (also saw him again in the Med last year)... nothing like that on this cruise either and I think there was a large audience of well-educated and cultured passengers who would have enjoyed it.

 

Having said that, there was a great deal to stimulate the mind on this trip. The port visits alone were filled with learning opportunities, so perhaps Celebrity thinks that's enough.

 

Finally, as to post-cruise thoughts... someone said they imagined we didn't want the cruise to end. Actually, I love planning cruises, love going on them, and also love returning home and starting the process over again. There is such a concept as too much of a good thing! After 11 days, I have gained weight (I thought I had gained 10 pounds and was surprised to find out it was only six, but that six pounds needed to come off asap). Continuing to eat dinners in Blu was not going to help get the pounds off. I love the attention and wonderful service, but after a while, I need a break. I'll admit that washing the kitchen floor yesterday, I did yearn for the Solstice, but at the end of the trip I was exhausted and ready to return home.

 

This was a wonderful cruise... one of the best I have ever taken. Century has been my favorite ship for a long time, but I think Solstice is now #1. I loved the ship, loved the service, and most of all loved the people I met on this trip... both passengers and those working on the ship. Although I have some negative comments about the itinerary (see the installment on Santorini and the day after), I thoroughly enjoy cruising in both the Eastern and Western Mediterranean, and I have been extraordinarily fortunate to have good weather for the four sailings I have done in the Med in November. I know the cruise before ours did not have our weather luck (I like to think of it as my excellent travel weather luck, so you might consider traveling with me next time!). I'm told they had lots of rain, and we, of course, had lots of sunshine. That undoubtedly influences ones opinion of the cruise experience.

 

I think Celebrity continues to provide extremely good value, and small concerns aside (see Persian Gardens and Santorini), they are my cruise line of choice. That said, I'm off to South America next month, and after some time in Buenos Aires, we'll board the NCL Sun for a 14 day cruise around the tip of South America. Why NCL? Well, first and foremost, it is the cruise line our son prefers, and if we want his company in January (and we do!) we have to use his cruise line. He finds more people his age and has a better time on NCL ships, traveling freestyle. Second, the price difference when I booked was about $1000 per person for the same cruise itinerary on Celebrity, too steep a difference for the three of us! Nonetheless, I know it will be very difficult to go from Aqua Class on Solstice to Oceanview on the Sun and I am spoiled for life after 11 nights in Blu with Krassimir.

 

BTW, we learned from the Blu management that Krassimir was up for a promotion. I told him a story about a waiter I had on Lirica who was promoted to Asst. Maitre D' on our last day on the ship. On our last evening in Blu, Lorita and DeJan told us his promotion had come through... very exciting and very well-deserved. I wish him luck and much success.

 

Thanks again to those of you who were on the virtual voyage with us. Your words of encouragement got this written in a fairly timely manner. I have sorted through my photographs and will post the link soon for those of you who would like to see them.

[GORGEOUSONE]

Do you know which Rome Hotels that Celebrity uses for post cruise? Thanks.

[LadyDivot]

Great review, Linda! Sounds marvelous! Did your friends ever find out what happened to their luggage?

[wiselindag]

I can't find any hotels listed under the Celebrity pre and post packages. It may be that they haven't made their arrangements for the 2010 season yet... but in the past, their hotels have been pricey. I always prefer to make my own arrangements. This trip we stayed at the Albergo del Senato in order to be in the center of everything (and we did end up walking everywhere we went in Rome plus the view of the Pantheon from our window was quite special). I recommended the Britannia to friends and they enjoyed staying there... better value than the Albergo del Senato, but in a different neighborhood, closer to Termini and around the corner from the Opera House.

 

Pam, They haven't turned up yet. My colleague says his clients often have gotten their bags back after the ship returns from its next cruise (i.e. they turn up during the cruise even though they weren't found in the few hours of the turnaround), so we're hoping that happens here. They have started to put together the paperwork for insurance reimbursement and have coverage for $2500 per bag, which is very good, but it's still a big headache.

 

Thanks for your positive comments. I'm trying to decide whether or not I want to do the review this way for our upcoming South America cruise. There will be more time to write that one since it's a 14 day cruise so I probably will.

[RhondaPerr]

One of the best reviews I have read... Not only did you help me remember portions of my Med. cruises...but also made me look forward even more to our 2nd time on the Solstice. We loved it so much after our Easter cruise last year, that we booked everything the same. I loved aqua class..and the food....We did make the mistake of making it to breakfast in blu until the second to last morning...had we known how great it was we would have made a point to eat there in the morning! We will this time!!