Solstice Live/First-Timer Reports/Pix’s: Italy/Croatian June 7-19

[TLCOhio]

Happened across this story/feature rom the Daily Mail in London last month. It's a super good one. They had this headline: "Croatia's crowning glory: Could Dubrovnik be the ultimate city break?" on a story/profile with lots of pictures that is very glowing on this wonderful city and its people. They note worries on the many ships that dock and tender there. The writer describes these crowds as to what "amounts to an invasion of sorts, and one that is very much the norm in Dubrovnik. Coping with one's fellow tourists - or, ideally, outflanking them - is crucial in this spectacular, walled city where the population is less than 50,000 but which welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors a year."

 

There are many nice pictures and details connected with this story. If you are planning an upcoming trip to Dubrovnik, this story is worth checking out. Here are some more of the highlights: "Everyone we meet is friendly and helpful. The city itself is spotlessly clean. There are no hawkers, no tacky shops, no ugly fast-food joints. And very little hassle for what is one of the world's stellar UNESCO sites. There are, of course, lots of people doing exactly what we are doing. If I were running a cruise company I would bring my passengers here every day of the week because Dubrovnik is so accessible, so much smaller than I had imagined and utterly adorable as a result. It can be done in a couple of hours if you don't dawdle. But a couple of days is a far wiser option."

 

The writer also skillfully summarized: "The earthquakes of 1667 and 1979 took their toll, but it's the six-month siege in 1991 following the break-up of the former Yugoslavia that still hangs menacingly in the air. As you enter through Ploce Gate, there's a map showing where the shells fell. They fell everywhere. But such has been the painstaking restoration work and the money pumped into Dubrovnik that only those with a trained eye would spot the difference between old and new. At times, the city reminds us of Corfu Town; at others, Venice, Rome, Portofino and even parts of ancient France, all in miniature. The little cathedral has the most lovely façade and is a feminine web wisdom."

 

Full story at:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2186676/Croatia-Could-Dubrovnik-ultimate-city-break.html#ixzz25Xcxsylq

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 101,173 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[djwcruisejunkie]

Hi Terry, thank you SO much for posting all of this info, and your great photos. we are on the very same cruise on the solstice on October 14th, and your posts have really brought it to life for me! It's our first time on Solstice, so was great to see the pics on board, as well as the amazing ports of call

 

thanks for all you hard work, and to Mrs Terry, the 'blog widow' :)

 

Deb

[elvis2451]

Terry from Ohio:

 

Just another fan of your excellent "blog" of your trip. Hubby and I are doing the same cruise Oct. 2nd, and both of us have read through this entire thread many times for tips and just to enjoy your fabulous photos.

 

Thank you for sharing. This has been the best of the best from CC.

 

Cathy from Chicago

[TLCOhio]

Hi Terry, thank you SO much for posting all of this info, and your great photos. we are on the very same cruise on the solstice on October 14th, and your posts have really brought it to life for me! It's our first time on Solstice, so was great to see the pics on board, as well as the amazing ports of call thanks for all you hard work, and to Mrs Terry, the 'blog widow' :) Deb

 

elvis2451: Terry from Ohio: Just another fan of your excellent "blog" of your trip. Hubby and I are doing the same cruise Oct. 2nd' date=' and both of us have read through this entire thread many times for tips and just to enjoy your fabulous photos. Thank you for sharing. [b']This has been the best of the best from CC.[/b] Cathy from Chicago

 

Appreciate so much the super kind and nice comments from both Cathy and Deb. Good luck to both of you with your fun, upcoming cruises in Europe on "our" Solstice. Take good care of this great ship and don't drink her dry!!

 

We're in the early but serious planning stages for our Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Celebrity Solstice sailing, departing Sydney, doing 14 days on this nice ship, finishing in Auckland. That trip is some time off, ahead, but lots to consider on what we do on the various port stops, plus the many great potential pre-cruise options in Australia and post-cruise potentials in New Zealand. Yes, Deb, my wife does suffer a little as a "cruise blog widow" on the cruises, but that give her more time to sleep in, read and relax without me bothering her too much.

 

Let me know if any added questions for your stops in Europe and/or on this ship. Report back on how things go, what you enjoyed the most, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 81,668 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Edited September 20, 2012 by TLCOhio

[TLCOhio]

Coming in tomorrow morning's New York Times travel section, they have this headline: "36 Hours in Dubrovnik, Croatia" with these highlights: "the bad news: Dubrovnik is no longer anyone’s best-kept secret. Some 17 years after the end of Croatia’s war of independence, the city’s medieval walled Old Town is gridlocked with tourists during the summer. Yet go in the fall and you’ll quickly see what the fuss is about. Jutting out on a peninsular chunk of the Dalmatian coastline, the former Republic of Ragusa is a Venetian Gothic marvel. Columned porticoes and loggias rim marble-paved Renaissance squares buffed to a sheen by centuries of foot traffic. Yes, many businesses unabashedly cater to cruise ship passengers and other mainstream tourists, but there are plenty of creative local standouts."

 

This interesting travel feature goes through a number of various options to see and do in this great location, including the Cable Car ride, dining options, nearby wine potentials, people-watching areas, historic locations, local music sounds, etc. In their view, "Dubrovnik isn’t exactly a shopper’s paradise. But there are a few recent additions worth checking out." They note some of those suggested shopping places/options. Much of this profile is designed for those having more time in Dubrovnik than just a cruise port stop, but this story could be a good source for different ideas if it is your first trip there or you are going back to visit here on a second or third visit.

 

There is also a nice "slide show" with this story of twelve different of their visuals from Dubrovnik that bring back nice memories from our visit there last year. We super loved Dubrovnik!!! See more details and lots of great visual samples/examples at this newspaper story link. Below are just a few of my photo highlights with many more from what is on my longer, linked posting. Some of these Dubrovnik pictures were posted earlier here, but I'll have them here in case somebody catches this posting in this segment. Have had over 9,875 views on this posting and appreciate those who have tuned-in and dropped by. Don't be shy. Feel free to ask any follow-up questions or comments.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439227

 

See the full NY Times travel story at:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/09/30/travel/36-hours-in-dubrovnik-croatia.html?ref=travel

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 104,795 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

We started in Dubrovnik with a local cab driver who gave us a “panoramic tour”, including crossing their unique bridge near the main cruise ship docking area. He called this bridge their “Golden Gate” like in San Francisco. It is nine years old. Then we drove up and up through narrow twisting roads to the high point overlooking Dubrovnik and near the cable car high station. From this point, we could also see part of Bosnia and and Montenegro. The “super star” view was down below with this angle of the harbor and walled city. Beautiful!!!:

 

 

 

Here is the view of the Cable Car going down from the high point over Dubrovnik with interesting areas and islands west of the city shown. This cable car has been re-built since the early 1990’s war years. It’s a dramatic coastline with great views here!:

 

 

 

This is the Stradun or Placa, a 300 meter-long, limestone-paved, pedestrian main shopping street of Dubrovnik. Here is the view as it stretches through the walled town in the east-west direction, connecting the western entrance called the Pile Gate to the Ploce Gate on the eastern end. Stradun became the city's main thoroughfare in the 13th century and its current appearance was mostly created following the 1667 earthquake which destroyed most of the buildings. Both ends are also marked with 15th-century fountains (Onofrio's Large Fountain in the western section and Onofrio's Small Fountain on the east end. There are also bell towers (the Dubrovnik Bell Tower to the west end and the bell tower attached to the Franciscan monastery to the east). The buildings along this way all have shutter painted in the same color. The Stradun and some of the surrounding houses were damaged in mortar shelling during the Siege of Dubrovnik in 1991–92 but most of the damage has been repaired. When you look at the tile roofs, you can see the difference between the older and newer based on that battle damage. Don’t miss walking the wall in this great town.

 

 

 

This is a view of the historic Dubrovnik wall at an upward and outward point built on top of the rocks and where it overlooks the Adriatic Sea. Walking this wall is a wonderful and unique way to sample and see up close and personal what makes this city so special.:

 

 

 

For our lunch at Komarda restaurant, here is the view from our table. Could you ask for a better location on a perfect weather day? It is about 1000 feet just east of the Ploce gate. You can go to this website in order to see lots more about

http://komarda.hr/index.php?lang=en:

 

 

 

As seen from the high wall, here is Onofrio’s Large Fountain that sits near the Pile Gate and a church.:

 

[KrusII]

Absolutely amazing review..........Thank You for posting.

[TLCOhio]

Absolutely amazing review..........Thank You for posting.

 

Appreciate the very nice comments above from our Georgia friend. This posting is about to go over 106,000 views and am glad so many have dropped by, made comments, etc. Don't be shy in asking any questions of interest!

 

On Saturday, Oct. 20 in Columbus, I am going to do another National Geographic photo program with two top national experts. In March, I did a one-day program on travel photography in Philadelphia that was excellent. This October program is titled "Creativity With Light". There is space available and you easily Google these program or let me know if anyone needed added info on this or other programs they offer. Among the areas to be covered will be:

* Learning to Recognize and Take Advantage of the “Perfect” Light

* Photographing in Difficult or “Bad” Light

* Case Study: Getting the Shot: How to plan and prepare for a situation so that you can put yourself there at the best possible time for great light.

* What’s in the Bag: Take a peek inside their photo bags to see what equipment they carry so they can handle any lighting situation.

* Flash for the Travel Photographer: Make the most effective use of flash techniques to expand your shooting opportunities.

* The Technical Side of Capturing Great Light

* Workflow in the Field: Equipment to bring on your trip to help you store and back up your images

* The Technical Side of Capturing Great Light

 

One of the two experts presenting will be Pulitzer-Prize winner Jay Dickman whose career has included three months living in a stone-age village in Papua New Guinea, a week under the Arctic ice in a nuclear attack sub (both these for National Geographic) and being the co-author of the best-selling book, “Perfect Digital Photography”, published by McGraw-Hill. His website: http://www.jaydickman.net

 

Nevada Wier is the other expert. She is an award-winning photographer specializing in the remote corners of the globe and the cultures that inhabit them, SE Asia, India, China, Nepal, Africa, New Zealand, South America and other obscure regions of the world. Her website is http://www.nevadawier.com.

 

I plan to ask Nevada about her NZ adventures as we are looking forward to our Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Celebrity Solstice sailing, departing Sydney, doing 14 days on this nice ship, finishing in Auckland. Plus, doing some pre-cruise options for Kangaroo Island near Adelaide and then the Great Barrier Reef before departing from Sidney’s scenic harbor.

 

If of interest, I will share some of what I learn from both of these great photographer later this month. If nearby, sign up and join the fun and learning during this one-day program in Columbus. From that program in March, I did a complete posting on these CC boards for what was shared with a number of photos and tips from the program, etc. You can see those details from the Philadelphia NG travel photo seminar at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1590698

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[JOSEPHP]

hi

What a brilliant posting the. Photos are beautiful and the write ups so informative. We are first time cruisers and have booked sillouette for 15 June 2013 Italy and Croatia trip from Venice. One question that comes to mind is is there anywhere else you can get free food and soft drinks/coffee other than the MDR or ocean cafe? Thanks so much again for the wonderful insight on what to expect

[djwcruisejunkie]

hi

What a brilliant posting the. Photos are beautiful and the write ups so informative. We are first time cruisers and have booked sillouette for 15 June 2013 Italy and Croatia trip from Venice. One question that comes to mind is is there anywhere else you can get free food and soft drinks/coffee other than the MDR or ocean cafe? Thanks so much again for the wonderful insight on what to expect

 

Hi, you will love the ship and the ports of call!

 

Breakfast/ lunch also available at the Spa Cafe in the Solarium, with help yourself tea, coffee, water & juices.

Cafe al Bacio on level 5 is a specialist coffee shop. You pay for the coffee but the sandwiches, cookies and pastries are free. These are lovely, and they have paper bags at the ready so you can take them with you - we loved these, and often had them for lunch - a picnic on deck!

 

Room service food, tea & coffee is free ( we always gave a tip) and I am sure there are other venues, I just don't remember them.

 

Enjoy your trip!

 

Deb

[TLCOhio]

hi What a brilliant posting the. Photos are beautiful and the write ups so informative. We are first time cruisers and have booked sillouette for 15 June 2013 Italy and Croatia trip from Venice. One question that comes to mind is is there anywhere else you can get free food and soft drinks/coffee other than the MDR or ocean cafe? Thanks so much again for the wonderful insight on what to expect

 

Appreciate so much the kind comments above from JOSEPHP. Deb did a super job on summarizing the many "free" options on the ship for food and drinks, etc. You won't go hungry on these great Celebrity ships. We really like the many options and flexibility with the Oceanview Cafe, grabbing things quick there, enjoying the food and views from the back of the ship. On a busy, port-intensive cruise in the Med, that help for breakfast and lunch. Even did dinner there a few times on busy port days. I don't drink coffee, but the free iced tea worked well, especially with a little lemon added to give things an added "twist".

 

Keep up your good planning. Don't be shy!! Happy to answer any added questions, share more as needed.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 86,285 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[TLCOhio]

Appreciate that this posting/blog is now at over 110,000 views. WOW! That's lots and I am glad to have shared and been helpful. The wonderful Solstice will not be in the Med for this coming summer. The ship is now been shifted to the Pacific, doing Alaska in the summers and then Australia, New Zealand and other Southern Pacific areas during our winters.

 

We are looking forward to our first “down under” visit, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Celebrity Solstice sailing, departing Sydney, doing 14 days on this ship we loved in the Med in June 2011. We will be finishing in Auckland. Plus, doing some pre-cruise options for Kangaroo Island near Adelaide and then the Great Barrier Reef before departing from Sidney’s scenic harbor. And, probably post-cruise in Queenstown and stopping in Tahiti on the way home to break up that long, long flight back. We have a nice and active roll call going at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1614754

Welcome to any who want to join us for this trip and/or travel along via the web as we get prepared for that "adventure".

 

Then in early 2014, I can report for how the Solstice is looking, being maintained, etc. We will try, but not succeed, in drinking the ship dry. Keep posting any questions, comments, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 86,621 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[CruisingGiants]

Hi, Freda! Yes, our original plan was to do Cinque Terre, but, we had to make an adjustment that morning when we arrived in the port that day. Weather conditions were marginal and limited up there when we arrive in that port near Pisa. We were working with the good folks with RomeInLimo and they had people up there knowing what was happening along that rocky coast in Cinque Terre. We made a "field decision" to shift to "Plan B" by going to Pisa and Lucca (which we had seen previously) and drop by old favorite, San Gimignano. We had visited this famed tower city in 1999 with our son, but it is a wonderful town that is always impressive in history and architectural styles. We had lunch here. Things worked out well. We really loved Lucca.

 

That leaves Cinque Terre as a "future to-do" and gives us a very good reason to go back to Italy . . . AGAIN and again!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 80,665 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

Hi Terry! Thanks so much for all the great info and pictures! I noticed you said you loved Lucca -- can you tell me more about the area? My husband and I are debating between Pisa and Florence or Pisa, Lucca, and hopefully a local winery with Rome In Limo. I've been to Florence before, but my husband has not. I feel we should save it for another time when we can spend more time there for him to see all the major sights in and around the city. It just seems too rushed for me for a port trip (and a bit farther away).

 

Would you recommend going to Lucca on a Sunday when most shops/museums are closed? We've heard local artists have a market there the last weekend of every month, so that might be fun (we're going Sunday, June 30, 2013). I'm not one for museums, but I hope we can at least rent bikes and ride around the city wall.

 

Any advice/pictures would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks again for all you've posted so far!

[TLCOhio]

Hi Terry! Thanks so much for all the great info and pictures! I noticed you said you loved Lucca -- can you tell me more about the area? My husband and I are debating between Pisa and Florence or Pisa, Lucca, and hopefully a local winery with Rome In Limo. I've been to Florence before, but my husband has not. I feel we should save it for another time when we can spend more time there for him to see all the major sights in and around the city. It just seems too rushed for me for a port trip (and a bit farther away). Would you recommend going to Lucca on a Sunday when most shops/museums are closed? We've heard local artists have a market there the last weekend of every month, so that might be fun (we're going Sunday, June 30, 2013). I'm not one for museums, but I hope we can at least rent bikes and ride around the city wall. Any advice/pictures would be greatly appreciated! Thanks again for all you've posted so far!

 

Appreciate your kind comments and good follow-up about ALL that is possible in wonderful Tuscany. YES, we really loved the charm and character of Lucca. Tough, tough challenge!!! There's just too, too much to do, see and enjoy in and around Florence and these various scenic, historic areas, countrysides, etc. Last year was our third visit to the area. First time was back in 1970 as a college student focused on Florence. Then about four days in 1999 for both Florence and Tuscany. The good news is that Pisa can be seen and experienced in fairly quick order, assuming you don't want to walk up to the top of the tower.

 

Below is a little more on Lucca. Lots of cute and interesting shops, nooks and crannies to explore. Much depends on your personal interests, city versus countryside choices, travel style, etc. Hard to do even half or a quarter of the great options in this wonderful region of Italy during a one-day port stop. Sorry, don't know on their Sunday options, markets, etc. Haven't research those aspects.

 

Reactions and added questions, needs? Need more, added visuals on Lucca?

 

ADDED BACKGROUND ON LUCCA:

Lucca is a bit of contrast/conflict as Europe's mightiest Renaissance walled city that has not seen a battle since 1430. Its ramparts are like a circular park. It is a two-and-a-half mile circuit around the walls. Lucca's walls took lots of work and money, but they combined with clever diplomacy to earned the city a long period of independence, wealth and power.

 

In its heyday, Lucca was packed over 100 towers within its walls. Each tower was the home and private fortress of a wealthy merchant family. Towers were single rooms stacked atop each other: shop, living room and then the kitchen, etc. One of Lucca's tallest surviving tower is famous for being capped with a bushy little forest. As the home town of famed composer Giacomo Puccini, Lucca has many connections with one of the world's greatest opera composers and other artists. Puccini's arias capture the spirit of this wonderful part of Italy.

 

Lucca's appeal is in its relaxed, old-world ambiance. Walk around!! Take the time to let this city unfold to capture your heart. Romanesque churches seem to be around every corner, along with piazzas and interesting architecture. The main pedestrian street is Via Fillungo. Strolling here, past classy old store fronts, you will get a samples of Lucca's rich past and charming present. Piazza Amphitheater was built around an ancient Roman arena. The arena is long gone, but its oval shape is a reminder of the city's classical heritage. Locals have been gathering here for two thousand years. Piazza San Michele also has ancient roots. It has hosted a market since Roman times, when it was the forum. Today, it's dominated by the Church of San Michele.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 87,812 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

In Lucca, this is a closer view of the architectural details for the Chiesa di San Michele in Foro church with its exceptionally tall facade. It was built in the 11th-14th centuries and is in the heart of this walled town.:

 

 

 

The most famous son of Lucca might be the great composer Puccini. Here is his statute on the main street of this charming town that wonderfully lack much contemporary development. Just lots of historic charm and character.:

 

 

 

Lucca has so many cute and interesting shops. Here is one example that we enjoyed so much. It is the Antico Caffe Dei Simo at Via Fillungo 58. Its origins date back to 1846 and has seen famed artists such as Verdi and Puccini pass through its doors.:

 

 

 

In Lucca, this is the Duomo Cathedral, dedicated to St. Martin, built and re-built in the 11th-15th centuries. It has a slim and powerful Campanile. Inside are several famed works of art and sculpture.:

 

[u2cruiser]

Hi Terry,

 

I was on your beautiful Solstice a couple of weeks ago. Saw this and thought of you :D :D :D.

Not quite as scary as your picture ;)

 

 

[TLCOhio]

Hi Terry, I was on your beautiful Solstice a couple of weeks ago. Saw this and thought of you :D :D :D. Not quite as scary as your picture ;)

 

Yes, enjoyed your picture. Appreciate your sharing. While my picture was "up close and personal", others might like your more "distant" approach for these types of carvings. Assume the Solstice is still looking good, well taken care of, etc., right? Looking forward to our first “down under” visit, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Celebrity Solstice sailing, departing Sydney, doing 14 days on this ship we loved in the Med in June 2011, finishing in Auckland. Getting closer to that next big adventure.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 110,951 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[YOW]

Hey Terry! What are you shooting these days? And what are you shooting with?

 

I plunked down for one of those Sony NEX mirrorless systems... despite a few drawbacks as compared to the DLSRs I'm used to shooting, the NEX is nice and small, unobtrusive, ideal for travel. Looking forward to shooting with it in Europe later this month. :)

[u2cruiser]

Yes, enjoyed your picture. Appreciate your sharing. While my picture was "up close and personal", others might like your more "distant" approach for these types of carvings. Assume the Solstice is still looking good, well taken care of, etc., right? Looking forward to our first “down under” visit, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Celebrity Solstice sailing, departing Sydney, doing 14 days on this ship we loved in the Med in June 2011, finishing in Auckland. Getting closer to that next big adventure.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 110,951 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

Solstice was immaculate. Beautiful ship.

 

 

 

Here we are docked in Singapore, where we left her. She's sailing on to Sydney now.

 

[CruisingGiants]

Thanks for the Lucca info and pictures!! I think we really just need to come and stay in Tuscany for a few weeks. ;) You also mentioned Cinque Terre. I've done some research and am very intrigued by this as well. Were you planning on doing it with Rome in Limo or with another affiliated tour company? You are awesome by the way :)

[TLCOhio]

Hey Terry! What are you shooting these days? And what are you shooting with? I plunked down for one of those Sony NEX mirrorless systems... despite a few drawbacks as compared to the DLSRs I'm used to shooting, the NEX is nice and small, unobtrusive, ideal for travel. Looking forward to shooting with it in Europe later this month. :)

 

Appreciate, YOW, your asking. Still using a Nikon D3100. My camera and lenses are doing well, including a couple weeks ago with about 200+ pictures, plus video, of our first two grandsons, ages 25.5 months and 3.5 months down in Charlottesville, Va. Working well and performing fine. Both the grandkids and camera!!

 

At a National Geographic photo seminar here in Columbus in October, one of the presenters, a Pulitzer Prize winner, talked about how he is now using and liking one of these mirrorless camera systems for some of his photography uses/needs. He is liking it much, especially in cases where he does not want to be lugging lots of big photo equipment. Seems like something worth considering for the future. Let us know things work for you in Europe with yours.

 

THANKS for dropping by and saying HI! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 87,812 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[TLCOhio]

Solstice was immaculate. Beautiful ship. Here we are docked in Singapore, where we left her. She's sailing on to Sydney now.

 

CruisingGiants: Thanks for the Lucca info and pictures!! I think we really just need to come and stay in Tuscany for a few weeks. You also mentioned Cinque Terre. I've done some research and am very intrigued by this as well. Were you planning on doing it with Rome in Limo or with another affiliated tour company? You are awesome by the way

 

Appreciate the excellent' date=' first-hand report from u2cruiser about [i']how fine things are looking now with the Solstice[/i]. Great to see your two pictures and that this fine ship is on the way to Sidney. Hope you share more pictures and details on the ship and what you enjoyed in these Asian areas. Glad that the Solstice is now doing these NZ-Australia cruise and getting ready for our Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, adventure in these areas.

 

Yes, for CruisingGiants, Cinque Terre is very special and unique. We were not able to get there in 2011, but have that dramatic and scenic area on our future, to-do list. Lots of wonderful options in Italy.

 

Now at 111,256 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and appreciate those who have tuned-in and commented.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 87,990 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[TLCOhio]

Coming in the Sunday morning New York Times travel section, they will have this feature and headline: "36 Hours in Naples, Italy" with these highlights: "Naples, capital of the Campania region, has a reputation sullied by corruption and crime, both petty and organized. But change is afoot. A new mayor has ushered in initiatives to clean up the city, beginning with the unclogging of streets by disposing of uncollected trash and redirecting chaotic traffic flows. A thriving contemporary art scene — in museums, galleries, and even metro stations — is propelling the city’s cultural revival. In April, cars were banned from the waterfront streets Via Caracciolo and Via Partenope, officially transforming these traffic-choked arteries into a pleasant pedestrian lungomare, or seaside promenade."

 

As is done in these travel features by this newspapers, they offer a wide variety of information and options for local food, museums, art places, tourist highlights, hotels, etc. There are also some good maps, pictures, etc. Among other key comments: "The Teatro di San Carlo is among the oldest and most beautiful opera houses in Europe. You can’t visit Naples, the birthplace of pizza, without eating at least one pie. The most exciting thing underground these days is the subway, where contemporary artworks have been installed in 13 metro stations as part of the continuing 'Art Stations' initiative."

 

We did a four-day land trip in the Naples area in 1999, but focused near Sorrento doing Pompeii, Positano, Capri, etc. In June 2011, we had a port stop here, but didn't spend any time in Naples itself. Our wonderful focus 18 months ago was along the super scenic Amalfi Coast, plus Herculaneum. Hopefully, we will be able to do much more within Naples during a future cruise stop.

 

If you have future travel plans for the Naples area, it might be worth checking out this story/feature for an idea or two. I would still rate the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, Capri, etc., as the highest, best priorities, but it is good to know more on Naples seeking to improve, offer different potentials, etc. We still want to see the famed Naples museum with some many of the archeology treasures from Pompeii, etc. Our brief exposures to Naples in 1999 and 2011 are still mixed about the rough edges of this city and its urban grit, but it will be good to see if things improve as they are now seeking.

 

Full story at:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2013/01/13/travel/36-hours-in-naples-italy.html?ref=travel

 

SOLSTICE UPDATE: We are now about only one year away from being back on the Solstice and doing our first “down under” visit, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014. We will be on the Celebrity Solstice, departing Sydney, doing 14 days on this ship we loved in the Med in June 2011. We will be finishing in Auckland. Plus, doing some pre-cruise options for Cairns/Port Douglas, the Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef, then Kangaroo Island near Adelaide before departing from Sidney’s scenic harbor. Any special secrets and tips from those who live there and/or have traveled in these areas?? And, probably will do post-cruise in Queenstown and stopping in Hawaii on the way home to break up that long, long flight back. We have a nice and active roll call going at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1614754

Welcome to any who want to join us for this trip and/or travel along via the web as we get prepared for that "adventure".

 

114,000+ POSTS: Appreciate those who have tuned into for some sampling of this live/blog. Views are now over 114,000. Keep those good questions and comments rolling along. Lots of interest by others in traveling for these great and amazing Med ports.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 91,673 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[TLCOhio]

Coming in the Sunday morning New York Times travel section, they have a feature on "46 Places to Go in 2013" with this headline: "Montenegro: Baltic gem that's small, spectacular and cheap." Here are some of the informative highlights: "It’s been almost seven years since Montenegro peacefully parted ways with Serbia, long enough that Russian oligarchs and former Yugoslavs aren’t the only ones in on this booming Balkan jewel. On the Adriatic near Budva, a six-year renovation of Sveti Stefan resort, which includes a three-acre island with rooms set in repurposed 15th-century cottages, draws to a close in May with Aman Resorts opening 10 suites, a spa and restaurant on the island. Some 1.2 million international tourists came to Montenegro in 2011. That’s double the population and an 11 percent leap over 2010, a rate that beat nearly every country in Europe. Still, the country remains affordable. Comfortable hotels go for $75 a night or less. Heaping plates of cevapi sausages, tangy cheese and oily red peppers might set you back $12 with wine and dessert. Imagine Dubrovnik before the cruise ships or Switzerland before the cable cars. Go before it becomes either."

 

There is a nice picture of Sveti Stefan as a part of this feature. Lots of interesting locations around the world are featured in this long story.

 

Full story at:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/01/10/travel/2013-places-to-go.html?hpw

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[YOW]

At a National Geographic photo seminar here in Columbus in October, one of the presenters, a Pulitzer Prize winner, talked about how he is now using and liking one of these mirrorless camera systems for some of his photography uses/needs. He is liking it much, especially in cases where he does not want to be lugging lots of big photo equipment. Seems like something worth considering for the future. Let us know things work for you in Europe with yours.

 

Hi Terry!

 

Just a brief note to say we got some good results with the Sony mirrorless in Europe:

 

http://smu.gs/14wmIC9

 

... lenses were the Sigma 30mm prime for Sony NEX; and the Tokina 12-24mm & Nikon 55-200mm (lenses for Nikon with an adapter for the Sony, sans auto-focus). Would it have been better with only dedicated NEX lenses? They are smaller, to be sure, and the AF might have been nice... but cost-wise this worked out well and we ended up splurging on some meals. :) High ISO performance is a big plus; I used a tripod (collapsible travel kind) exactly once, and Lightroom 4 is great for (among other things) getting rid of the excess noise. Less imposing of a camera for street photography and other people candids, and less lugging around to be sure.

 

Ooh, I should add that I also had the iPhone 5 and got some decent images with that... ideal for posting to facebook in almost-real-time, and a few shots in the end mix as well.

Edited January 30, 2013 by YOW

[TLCOhio]

Hi Terry! Just a brief note to say we got some good results with the Sony mirrorless in Europe:

http://smu.gs/14wmIC9

... lenses were the Sigma 30mm prime for Sony NEX; and the Tokina 12-24mm & Nikon 55-200mm (lenses for Nikon with an adapter for the Sony, sans auto-focus). Would it have been better with only dedicated NEX lenses? They are smaller, to be sure, and the AF might have been nice... but cost-wise this worked out well and we ended up splurging on some meals. :) High ISO performance is a big plus; I used a tripod (collapsible travel kind) exactly once, and Lightroom 4 is great for (among other things) getting rid of the excess noise. Less imposing of a camera for street photography and other people candids, and less lugging around to be sure. Ooh, I should add that I also had the iPhone 5 and got some decent images with that... ideal for posting to facebook in almost-real-time, and a few shots in the end mix as well.

 

Appreciate the update and added info from our Canada friend. I do want to check out more on the mirrorless options before doing our Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, cruise on the Solstice from Sydney, Aust. to Auckland, NZ. Got plenty of time. BUT, it would be good to know more on how this type of technology is working and progressing. Might make some added camera purchases before going "down under" to see those great areas.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 94,022 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[DoulaAnn]

If you are visiting St. Peter's for the first time, it would be good to read up on this history and background to better appreciate ALL that it is there and around this famed location.

 

Terry, I know I'm late in this thread, but we are heading that way this Fall. Do you have any recommended readings for the history/background of the Vatican and its surroundings? We are practicing Catholics, but Church history isn't my strongest suit.

 

Your blog and photos are amazing so far and so informative.

 

Ann