Middle Aged Drama Queen's Eastern Med Review: Serenade, Pics, Surprises & Fun!

[Donna_In_India]

Sherri - I enjoyed reading your review so much! Our last RCI cruise was on the Serenade of the Seas and we loved her. Having been to many of the places you visited (although not by cruise), it was easy to visualize what you were doing. The whole "David" thing had me cracking up. I must also say that I understand the photos your children took. Although I have fewer photos of pigeons (I still have many), I rarely miss an opportunity to take photos of dogs (or cats) around the world.

 

I admit that I was very surprised that you were able to see and do as much as you did on shore excursions - although I know the pace must have been frantic. You have confirmed one thing I always thought was true about port-intensive cruises - the ship matters much less than the itinerary!

 

Your family is absolutely lovely and you are blessed. I know your children will fondly remember your cruise forever!

[KansCocoa]

Really loving this review, I am up to page 25.

 

Sherri, Can you or someone tell me the post number where the list of companies that you used is? TIA.

 

It's Post #949...here's the direct LINK.

 

:)

[KansCocoa]

Sherri - I enjoyed reading your review so much! Our last RCI cruise was on the Serenade of the Seas and we loved her. Having been to many of the places you visited (although not by cruise), it was easy to visualize what you were doing. The whole "David" thing had me cracking up. I must also say that I understand the photos your children took. Although I have fewer photos of pigeons (I still have many), I rarely miss an opportunity to take photos of dogs (or cats) around the world.

 

I admit that I was very surprised that you were able to see and do as much as you did on shore excursions - although I know the pace must have been frantic. You have confirmed one thing I always thought was true about port-intensive cruises - the ship matters much less than the itinerary!

 

Your family is absolutely lovely and you are blessed. I know your children will fondly remember your cruise forever!

 

Thank you! It WAS indeed an amazing trip...and as I've tried to say, the mediocre food and service did not prevent us from having an amazing time. But yes - we were EXHAUSTED when this was over! So much to see and do and absorb.

 

The kids are still talking about it, and they especially love the "David" story. :p Any time they can see Mom make a fool of herself, they love.

[jewelinthesand]

I purchased a Mobal phone...it was pretty reasonable. Someone upthread asked about adding international to my iPhone - which, yes, I could have done...but I didn't want to carry my more-expensive iPhone in the ports and have it be stolen or lost or dropped. And I was so worried about accidentally turning on roaming charges and being charged a fortune!

 

My Mobal phone worked great, and it's now mine to keep for any future international traveling we do. I paid for the phone...and now I only pay every time I use it. If I don't use it - I don't pay. :)

 

thanks so much! i will check it out. i love the idea of not having the more expensive phone in ports with us. but didn't you use your iphone for the steve guides?

[LUV2BAKE]

Hi Sherri

 

Thanks for trying to send me the link for the game, that was played at the M&M. maybe I can look around the internet, and find some there. Is that were you found yours? Or did you make the game up? I'm not very creative, I need some kind of a guide.HAHA!!

 

I hope all the blessings that you have given to others, will come back to you and more. You have touched so many peoples lives, by sharing your story and tips.

 

Thanks again

Colleen

[john160]

O....M.......G!!!!!!!! Your are on my dream trip and this picture almost brings tears to my eyes, it is so beautiful, I have to make this my computer wallpaper!!! Thank you so much for sharing!

 

This was Monte Carlo correct?

[fire marshal]

Another thank you for your entertaining review - I agree that it is the best I've ever read. We are going on a similar itinerary in November on Celebrity's Equinox. After reading all of your comments, I'm ready to go NOW!

Claire

[ShellDil]

Hi Sherri! I'm not sure if you are planning another appendix installment, but could you list the movies you showed your Klingons before the trip? I'd love to watch some with my kids before our Med trip next summer. What a great idea for trip preparation for the kids!

 

Thanks!

[barbienj]

I just finished the review....I feel like I am at the end of the Amazing Race where Phil is announcing.....12 days, 5 countries, 425 miles.....Sherri, you are the winner of the Amazing Race!

 

Sorry I don't have a million bucks to give you...but I thoroughly enjoyed your trip and living vicariously through you.

 

Thank you!

[RacerGirl88]

Sherri,

 

I have compared my pace in racing (I manage car racing events) to what you did in Europe and there is no comparison..... You win! :D

 

My boyfriend and I fly to Barcelona this October to go on the Serenade to visit all the places we have always dreamed of in the Greek Islands and your review was pointed out to me by another member of CC that is on ANOTHER board that we are also a member of for an upcoming cruise in January, 2013. However, the upcoming Europe cruise will finally make us the all-important-glittery-DIAMOND-status!!!!!

 

Your review was well worth the 3 day read. Even though James and I are going without children, it reminded both of us of the cruises we took (him with a different spouse who is now deceased) with our daughters and granddaughters. Mine was about the same age as yours when she started "cruising with Mommy" and now is married and has my only grandchild :-) But, good memories none-the-less. He is now reading it after I read him half of it.... :p

 

I'm trying to find you on FB. But, it says you don't exist. We live in Orange, TX and cruise all the time. Hoping to see you, your Mike (with the green shirt) but not at the early stretch class, and possibly a child or two in the near future...

 

LisaKay (or, on FB, LisaKay Whitmer Golde)

[attitudeda]

OMG!!! i am crying i'm laughing so hard! i'm sitting in my office with tears running down my face! you are soooooo funny!!!!

 

Hello Polly, how are you and Ken doing.

 

Doug

[jewelinthesand]

Hello Polly, how are you and Ken doing.

 

Doug

 

 

great doug! how's michelle and Lisa? wasn't this review fantastic!!! ken and I are doing this same itin next sept so this has provided a wealth of info, not to mention tons of laughs!!!!

[Jax129]

I spent about 5 days reading your review, soooo amazing, I'm sad it's over, you have made me decide that I WILL do a Med cruise in the future!!

Thanks so much for sharing, I feel like I know your family, I hope to find myself on the same cruise as you one day!

 

Now on to your Freedom review (which I am going on in 276 days):D

[QueensChick]

Hi. I'm just getting started reading your trip report, but I can tell it's going to be great. Thanks for sharing.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I927 using Tapatalk 2

[Iamthesea]

Sheri,,,, or anyone else.... Is there a direct link to this trip report someplace else, maybe on your blog - with photos? I want my husband to read it, but he is not going to sit at the computer and read all 52 pages and weed through all the replies. ;)

 

I loved it! Took me over a week to read the entire thing. I just finished, and now feel like I am back from my cruise (that doesn't even start for another 6 weeks :D) and I feel sad. :(

 

I have taken your advice and booked some of the same tours, like with Barcelona Taste and Jo. Really excited about that!

 

I have already looked into booking our airport transportation with Transfers from Barcelona. I am not touching Barcelona Tours for transfers, and will never pre-pay.;)

 

PS - Ordering your shoes from Zappos, too! My Keens are pretty worn out from our last Med. cruise.

 

Thanks again for the great review!

Edited August 16, 2012 by Iamthesea

[My2Kitties]

 

 

 

Love the video...used to sing that with my father when we were young...

[alohanails]

I bought the pair Sherri recommended and have been wearing them everyday to break them in....really no need to do so since they are really quite comfy...and they are extremely lightweight as well!

Thanks Sherri!

Bonnie

[dlorenzo]

I bought the pair Sherri recommended and have been wearing them everyday to break them in....really no need to do so since they are really quite comfy...and they are extremely lightweight as well!

Thanks Sherri!

Bonnie

 

Yep! I love my Clarks! (Don't worry not the same ones that Sherri had) :)

 

Diane

[Barbiegator]

Just finished reading your Splendor review. You are a talented writer and should be an author. I hope you don't mind but I pinned some of your pictures to my pinterest board -Cruised Mediterranean, Greek Isles,Turkey and Spain. They brought back such great memories of our cruise.Love how you surprised your daughter.Cruising is all about making memories with our family.

Looking forward to the rest of this review as we will be on our favorite ship Freedom very soon.

[Iamthesea]

Sherri must be out doing Red Cross work. Thank you for all you do, Sherri. ;)

 

WOW! Ordered my Clark's from Zappo's yesterday afternoon and guess what was sitting on my porch a little while ago...my shoes! I may have to send them back fro a half size larger, though. They seem to fit in the footbed alright, but the Velcro strap just barely reaches around my fat ankles. :rolleyes: I have a couple of heel spurs. :( I'll be wearing them in the house this afternoon to see if they stretch any. Otherwise, I love them! Got them in pewter to match everything.

[Barbiegator]

Just finished reading your Splendor review. You are a talented writer and should be an author. I hope you don't mind but I pinned some of your pictures to my pinterest board -Cruised Mediterranean, Greek Isles,Turkey and Spain. They brought back such great memories of our cruise.Love how you surprised your daughter.Cruising is all about making memories with our family.

Looking forward to the rest of this review as we will be on our favorite ship Freedom very soon.

 

oops meant Serenade review

[ollienbertsmum]

I have posted comments a couple of times dring this review but I have not actually thanked Sherri for the mammoth task - and of sharing her wonderful family with us, they are now famous too.:)

 

So Sherri, thank you so much for this review which will have helped so many people... those who were not quite sure if the Eastern Med was for them, those who are planning trips and need advice and those who just enjoy well written reviews. It has helped me spend a cruise in the Royal Suite because I think that is probably as near as I will ever get.

 

Can I add one more thought that struck me when reading the Santorini day - and this is advice to all planning Med cruises, especially those with families. Always go on your trips with swimwear at the ready. Maybe you when you plan Caribbean ports it is very much either/or, but in the Med you can suddenly come across a beach and the kids will really thank you for the opportunity for 20 minutes bathing.

 

I always wear a bikini as underwear when I am on trips and we have a very small towel that we purchased at a sports shop that does not take up the room that the ship towel would. Light flip flops can also be thrown in amongst Mary Poppins' other necessaries.

 

Opportunities to have a quick bathe can come up on any day - even Civitavecchia - if you use the train, when you are walking back to the ship, if you catch an early train back ( we have done this after the 3.45 pm train for a 7 pm sailaway) it is a bit rocky but you can get into the water along the shoreline.

 

Just my opinion

 

Happy travels everyone.

[jewelinthesand]

hi Sherri, i was wondering if you could post in one place here, all the movies you and the family watched prior to your trip to familiarize yourself with the ports. i know i could go back and read through your review again to find this info but if you know it off the top of your head, would really appreciate a list here.

 

thanks so much again for everything!

[KansCocoa]

thanks so much! i will check it out. i love the idea of not having the more expensive phone in ports with us. but didn't you use your iphone for the steve guides?

 

I had Rick Steves on my lesser-expensive iPod, instead, so if I dropped it - or lost it - it wasn't TOO tragic!

 

 

Thanks for trying to send me the link for the game, that was played at the M&M. maybe I can look around the internet, and find some there. Is that were you found yours? Or did you make the game up? I'm not very creative, I need some kind of a guide.HAHA!!

 

I hope all the blessings that you have given to others, will come back to you and more. You have touched so many peoples lives, by sharing your story and tips.

 

Thanks again

Colleen

 

Aw, thanks, Colleen! Yes, it was a game I did myself - I'm still determined to get this posted here. I don't know why it won't attach; it attached to my Roll Call perfectly!

 

This was Monte Carlo correct?

 

Yes, it was, indeed! At that Super-Secret-Spot that our guide took us to....!

[KansCocoa]

Another thank you for your entertaining review - I agree that it is the best I've ever read. We are going on a similar itinerary in November on Celebrity's Equinox. After reading all of your comments, I'm ready to go NOW!

Claire

 

Thanks, Claire! You will have a wonderful time, I'm sure! Bon voyage!

 

 

Hi Sherri! I'm not sure if you are planning another appendix installment, but could you list the movies you showed your Klingons before the trip? I'd love to watch some with my kids before our Med trip next summer. What a great idea for trip preparation for the kids!

 

Thanks!

 

Will do - post to follow!

 

I just finished the review....I feel like I am at the end of the Amazing Race where Phil is announcing.....12 days, 5 countries, 425 miles.....Sherri, you are the winner of the Amazing Race!

 

Sorry I don't have a million bucks to give you...but I thoroughly enjoyed your trip and living vicariously through you.

 

Thank you!

 

I'll be honest...knowing that this review has helped/entertained others - that's all the million bucks I need! :) But I love the idea of being the winner of The Amazing Race - one of the best shows EVER and one I'll never be able to compete in...can you imagine the DRAMA I'd have on THAT show??!! Yikes!!!