Ocean princess venice to rome

[Bimmer09]

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No shortage of traffic in Palermo and even in the narrow streets drivers park on the corners. Consideration for others doesn't seem paramount. Do not walk across the street on a "walk" light without looking left and right and watching the cars rapidly approaching you.

 

 

Anyone know what this splendid looking building on the mountain is?

 



 

 

This pile was by some "rickshaws" for hire. Not exactly a compelling purchase like the horse carriages of Medina.. Dustpan? Brush? Civic Pride anyone?

 

[SpinnerCOyyy]

I may post the video-not sure whether it will earn me my favorite horse's severed head on the pillow next to me in the morning.

Norris

 

Going to have to go back and read from the beginning to understand that one! Favorite horse's severed head on the pillow.....

[Bimmer09]

The shop where I bought our fridge magnet. Police truncheons with Sicily written on them? I forgot to get me one! Gotta go back.

 

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That building again

 

 

Back on the dock and I turned around to take one last look at a place I had wanted to love.....

 

[Bimmer09]

Here's the video which I may take off Youtube before the Palermo Chamber of Commerce sees it....

 

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Going to have to go back and read from the beginning to understand that one! Favorite horse's severed head on the pillow.....

 

It's a scene from the Godfather movie where someone falls foul of the Mafia and wakes up next to his favorite horse in bed. Well, part of the horse.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

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A very welcoming face indeed

 

 

No steep ramps for this little tub. Entering on deck 3.

 

 

Back on board and in need of a cold drink by the pool.

[SpinnerCOyyy]

It's a scene from the Godfather movie where someone falls foul of the Mafia and wakes up next to his favorite horse in bed. Well, part of the horse.

 

Norris

 

We found walking around in Palermo a physical gauntlet. We did the "do not hesitate when walking in a crosswalk" ploy which seemed to work. I also ended up holding my hand out (like that would stop a determined Sicilian) when crossing.

 

Did you hear the saga of our missing passenger?

[Bimmer09]

We found walking around in Palermo a physical gauntlet. We did the "do not hesitate when walking in a crosswalk" ploy which seemed to work. I also ended up holding my hand out (like that would stop a determined Sicilian) when crossing.

 

Did you hear the saga of our missing passenger?

 

I did not.

 

Norris

[I_r_a]

Hi Saw,

 

> Is her sister ship, the Pacific Princess similar in decor? <

 

In addition to Princess (Ocean and Pacific) there are the Regatta, Nautica and Insignia at Oceania and The Azamara Journey and Quest.

 

These are all "R" ships, and are nearly identical.

 

You can see pix at the websites of their respective lines.

 

In addition, HAL has The Prinsendam. She was once one of the larger cruise vessels at 38,000 tons.

Now she is one of the smaller, finer ones.

 

Seabourne has a fleet of smaller, very lux ships that you might find interesting.

 

Ira

[I_r_a]

>I stopped into a shop for a fridge magnet and walked back to the dock (in the rain) <

 

Very Hemingwayesque, Norris :)

 

((I))

[SpinnerCOyyy]

I did not.

 

Norris

 

One of our passengers (passenger X) who got off the ship in Malta, didn't make it back on in time. They announced on the PA, if X was on-board to contact them. I hung out on our patio waiting to see a running passenger but it never happened. X had not set their watch to ship's time and thought they had an additional two hours ashore. I over-heard X's entire saga while waiting for the tender in the lounge. I can relay X's entire story if anyone is interested.

[juakkers]

Hi Norris

 

Can I ask were you and Carol able to get a table for two each night in the restaurant?

 

I have read previously that you prefer them and so do we - I'd be glad to hear they were attainable on one of the little girls.

 

Thanks & still loving the review

Julie

[Bimmer09]

Unlike on all my other voyages I didn't eat breakfast each day at the Buffet. I got up later than I normally do on a Grand Class ship. I visited the buffet each morning around 6 for a cup of coffee so I walked though it every day pretty much. .

 

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There is a specialty coffee bar on the left as you go in port side but in the morning, after tasting the fresh-brewed, which you need a coffee card for, I stuck with the free coffee-syrup which is found outside on the open-air dining area. On the way there you pass by a window to the kitchen which is where the made to order omelets are in the morning and the famous Princess Pizza in the afternoon.

 

 

This is a wonderful feature of the buffet-open air dining overlooking the wake

 

 

 

My one and only buffet meal of the week-lunch in Palermo on the outside deck. Everything in the buffet looked good and everything on this plate was consumed with delight. Fresh tasty food and they were vigilant about re-filling the trays. Note to self-eat in the buffet more often. I know many of the people I sat and talked to each day preferred the buffet as the food was there when you felt hungry and no need to dress-up. My compliments to the chef. On a side-note a waiter came by and took my order for a drink-and was never seen again.

 

[Bimmer09]

Hi Norris

 

Can I ask were you and Carol able to get a table for two each night in the restaurant?

 

I have read previously that you prefer them and so do we - I'd be glad to hear they were attainable on one of the little girls.

 

Thanks & still loving the review

Julie

 

We were originally assigned a table of 8 but I asked a Head Waiter for a two top.

He spoke to Oscar the Maitre 'd and we got an excellent table for two. Table 15.

 

Norris

[KruzeKrazy!]

My bet (and hope) would be that as Suite holders getting priority dining reservations they were able to. We also prefer a table for two and have a suite booked on one of the little sisters next year.

[msmoger]

We were originally assigned a table of 8 but I asked a Head Waiter for a two top.

He spoke to Oscar the Maitre 'd and we got an excellent table for two. Table 15.

 

Norris

 

My bet (and hope) would be that as Suite holders getting priority dining reservations they were able to. We also prefer a table for two and have a suite booked on one of the little sisters next year.

 

We just disembarked the Ocean on the 19th. We also wanted a table for 2 but were assigned a table for 8. After asking Oscar if a change was possible our request was granted. We had a great table, great servers and Oscar was a gem the entire cruise.....and we were in a lowly balcony :D:D Loved the Ocean Princess.

[Belle]

Thank you for taking time to post,

write and do all the pictures. will

read to the end.

 

Love seeing the pictures and hearing

about the places we have visited in

the past. Brings back the good memories.

 

Thanks Again.

 

Spinner did the passenger make it back

to the ship at another port?

[Bimmer09]

Thank you for taking time to post,

write and do all the pictures. will

read to the end.

 

Love seeing the pictures and hearing

about the places we have visited in

the past. Brings back the good memories.

 

Thanks Again.

 

Spinner did the passenger make it back

to the ship at another port?

 

Belle thank you for popping in to say hi. It's nice to know who is reading and following along as it unfolds (unravels maybe?)

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

We just disembarked the Ocean on the 19th. We also wanted a table for 2 but were assigned a table for 8. After asking Oscar if a change was possible our request was granted. We had a great table, great servers and Oscar was a gem the entire cruise.....and we were in a lowly balcony :D:D Loved the Ocean Princess.

 

Good to hear that you got your two-top. We like quiet when we eat.

Hard not to like the Ocean Princess-so intimate and low-key and as you saw from some of my pics at dinnertime you can sometimes be the only person on a particular deck.

 

Thanks for reading along!

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Norris, Your day in Palermo reminds me of a day I had in Italy when I was a junior in college. I was trying to return to Geneva from Venice and the train tracks were being repaired. The train was, of course, delayed. My friends and I missed our connection in Milan. I was trying to find a cheap place to spend the night. I was asking for information but the person did not speak English. I asked if they spoke French, Spanish, or German and the reply was, I speak Italian. I told my friends, "Now I know why my grandparents left Italy."

 

I also laughed because the story reminded me of Paris (where I lived as a child in the late 1960's.) There were no pooper-scooper laws back then.

 

Yes, I have been researching river cruises and it is a daunting task. I am interested in AMA, Uniworld, Vantage, and Viking. It is VERY hard to compare cruise lines because some are inclusive and some are not. You also have to compare the ships (which might be called boats), the itineraries, whether they cruise at night, when you have to pay, etc. I do my research and I'm still confused. I think it will come down to a spreadsheet and the best price for what you get. I read reviews and the itinerary I am looking at tells me that the boat for one of the lines I was considering is old and tired and has small cabins. And they are not cheap!

 

Keep up the good work.

 

What is the itinerary and time you are thinking? Old tired and small cabins are not great attributes...so many new builds have come out. Luckily CC has lots of reviews of these lines you mention.

 

Norris

[searoses]

Norris....answering your question from 2 pages back.....I swim to move and this beautiful ship does not have stairs for the pool so I am left out.....again......I am planning our one and only cruise to europe next fall on the island princess that pretty much covers the important places on my list....I will mourn if we have to skip mykonos.....will combine the cruise with a few days in paris.....we are of modest circumstances and now retired.....if that driver that hit us head on a few years ago hadn't been asleep this dream might never had been fulfilled....we are making lemonade out of that giant lemon! I continue to enjoy every word and am excited to see your rome adventure....

[SpinnerCOyyy]

Spinner did the passenger make it back

to the ship at another port?

 

Yes, brave passenger X did make it back onto the ship at the next port. Passenger X had to take the LAST ferry from Vallatta to Pozzallo, then a taxi from Pozzallo to Palermo, driving through dark unlit countryside in the middle of the night. The luckiest thing I think that Passenger X had going for them was they had their passport with them. Very fortunate because they would have had to have an emergency passport issued which takes 24-48 hours. I don't usually take my passport off the ship when visiting different ports. I've had people warn me that they are very hot commodities and you should leave it in the safe. I carry a laminated color photocopy of it, but it wouldn't have helped in this situation.

[Bimmer09]

Norris....answering your question from 2 pages back.....I swim to move and this beautiful ship does not have stairs for the pool so I am left out.....again......I am planning our one and only cruise to europe next fall on the island princess that pretty much covers the important places on my list....I will mourn if we have to skip mykonos.....will combine the cruise with a few days in paris.....we are of modest circumstances and now retired.....if that driver that hit us head on a few years ago hadn't been asleep this dream might never had been fulfilled....we are making lemonade out of that giant lemon! I continue to enjoy every word and am excited to see your rome adventure....

 

Wow- I am so sorry to hear you were in a head on collision. You "swim to move"-does that mean you are in a wheelchair?

 

If you are going to Europe and cruising the Island Princess then those are two great decisions right there. I've been on the Coral.

 

A few days in Paris? Now I am officially jealous- I love France, speak a few words and in fact my passport photo has me in a blue and white hooped shirt with a beret, a Gauloises hanging from my mouth, a string of onions around my neck and I am riding une bicyclette.

 

I have been driving in the USA for 28 years without an accident until 3 weeks ago when an SUV backed into my car at a traffic light and destroyed the hood.

Nothing compared to your accident of course but maybe says no matter how good a driver you are someone falling asleep at 50 mph can change your life forever.

 

I hope that your cruise in Europe exceeds your expectations just as ours did.

 

As for the Rome piece I will have to write at some point- I am showing restraint and if you knew me you'd probably say "that Norris needs to restrain himself!" I am not even looking at the Rome photos and have not seen ANY video this far out.

I've been taking it a day at a time and the next day (after Palermo) there are wonderful experiences in store for us....

 

Norris

[ar1950]

Here's the video which I may take off Youtube before the Palermo Chamber of Commerce sees it....

 

 

Norris

 

Comment about the Italian word for Polermo not withstanding, I doubt that you need worry about anyone from the Corleone Family paying you a visit in the middle of the night..........:cool:

[atlantic cruiser]

Hi Again Norris,

 

Just loving your review!. Have been on the Pacific Princess so very familiar with your wonderful photos. We had an interesting cruise to the Med. in Sept. 2001. Yes it was when 9/11 happened and instead of a 12 day cruise we ended up with a 24 day cruise on the MS Rotterdam. A fabulous cruise doing the black sea and then the western Med. A wonderful itinerary under very sad circumstances. Your cruise however has been so wonderfully highlighted by your great photos and exquisite sense of humor. I am enjoying this so much. Thank you again. Rhonda