Ocean princess venice to rome

[Bimmer09]

Norris

A bellisimo review! (I hope the Italian spelling is correct.)

So glad for you and Carol that you arrived in Venice safely and set about to enjoy that unique city.

I am looking forward to the continuing review.

Thank you for sharing your adventures.

Will you be going to Florence? I so enjoyed visiting there many years ago -a beautiful city rich with art and history!

I am wondering if the water in Venice being so close to the buildings causes mustiness in the interiors of hotels,restaurants,theaters etc? Just a practical question!

Ciao!

 

MJ- we are home in Chicago and didn't have Florence on our itinerary.

There was nothing unusual about the interior of the hotel regarding mustiness and the canals just smelled of seawater.

 

The hotel was small but beautifully maintained and clean.

 

Norris

[DLSHS_Mom]

Norris,

 

I look forward to your review. We went on the Caribbean Princess a few months after you did and followed all your recommendations.....including the steak restaurant in Texas...settled in for the ride :)

 

Julie

[Bimmer09]

Norris,

 

I look forward to your review. We went on the Caribbean Princess a few months after you did and followed all your recommendations.....including the steak restaurant in Texas...settled in for the ride :)

 

Julie

 

Julie-welcome and I am glad you ate at Perry's Steakhouse. Dee-lishus!

 

Slow uploading to youtube at the minute....

 

Norris

[kruzinRiva]

I'm here, too! What a thrill to see your review show up on the boards -- this is the first one I've followed in real time and I'm DELIGHTED! Ten days away from our 28 days on the Crown and I was so hoping you'd get back and get posting before we leave. It's been 30 years since I was last in Venice and your pictures and narrative make me ache to return.

 

Glad you had such a tremendous trip!

 

Becca

[bigenna]

I am loving your review and pictures and videos, thank you Norris.

Never been to Venice, have wanted to see it, now I am really getting interested.:)

I have been pondering flying into Venice spending several days, then either flying or ground transport to Barcelona, followed by the TA to Fort Lauderdale, then flying home to Vancouver.

Edited October 7, 2014 by bigenna

[Bimmer09]

I'm here, too! What a thrill to see your review show up on the boards -- this is the first one I've followed in real time and I'm DELIGHTED! Ten days away from our 28 days on the Crown and I was so hoping you'd get back and get posting before we leave. It's been 30 years since I was last in Venice and your pictures and narrative make me ache to return.

 

Glad you had such a tremendous trip!

 

Becca

 

Becca thanks for the kind words and thanks to everyone who is following along. I realize this will be very long but to do the places we visited justice I can't take any shortcuts but it's shorter than it could be as I have a life to live and am limited in the amount of time I can spend on this.

 

It will be finished by the time you return from the Crown.

 

I have to restrain myself from getting ahead of myself. Chronologically we are only into our first 9 hours of our 11 day sojourn. It was the only cruise we have taken where the bookending ports-Venice and Rome were overwhelming in their beauty. Anchorage and Vancouver -I love them both. Ditto Ft Lauderdale but they all pale into insignificance when compared to two of the great unique cities of the world and in Rome's case perhaps the greatest city ever with it's origins still on display within a modern framework.

 

Along the way we will visit Pompeii and the Amalfi coast and ...well, you'll have to wait and see. I'll get as much done as I can before you leave and hope that you enjoy an amazing cruise on the Crown Princess.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

I am loving your review and pictures and videos, thank you Norris.

Never been to Venice, have wanted to see it, now I am really getting interested.:)

 

There is an absolute boatload of Venice to come, including sail away on the Guideca Canal and many Vaparetto videos/church bells ringing/couples getting married etc. Oh- and a 7 day cruise on a little gem of a ship.

 

Keep reading!! And thank you!

 

Norris

[Jasperdo]

I have about 25% of the photos on Flickr so far, so much still to do.

I've been "peeking" at your Flickr photos. They look fabulous. Can't wait until you explain them in more detail here.

[perfect match]

Maybe the photos and video yet to come can help sway your DH....

 

That's what I'm hoping! However, we're talking about a man who fell asleep in the middle of a Blue Man Group show in Vegas due to jet lag, and if Blue Man is anything, they're very loud. :eek: It's going to take some work but I do think the trip would be worth it.

 

Nancy

[Bimmer09]

I've been "peeking" at your Flickr photos. They look fabulous. Can't wait until you explain them in more detail here.

 

So far I am not 100% happy with Flickr. I don't like the fact that the words Flickr, IMG and the photo number and my name get plastered on the board-a mess when all I want is the photo. If there is a cure I'd like to know it. On a full screen view which I have (perhaps you don't) they are in a random, not chronological order which is like rummaging through a box of photos. When I organize I get small pictures at the bottom of the screen to work with. I may switch back to Picasa-Google Plus.

 

I ilke photos that are explained too.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Well, seven hours after I uploaded this video to youtube yesterday it still hadn't been processed so I went to bed and let it work through the night.

 

It got dark around 7.30 while we were eating at da Raffaele and after that we walked for less than 10 minutes, stopping to look in a couple of shop windows before arriving in St Mark's Square.

 

We had hoped to stop and sit and listen to one of the bands there but our tiredness and the big meal were taking their toll so we just strolled through this magnificent public space.

 

The Queen of Public Transportation (a title well deserved) had bought 24 hour Vaparetto passes on line back in the USA. You print them out from a PDF in e mail and when in Venice have to get them exchanged to a ticket from a machine.

There were two machines at the airport baggage claim (with instructions only in Italian) and neither were working. Luckily at the Vaparetto stop by St Mark's there was a ticket office with an attendant who converted them to tickets. We now had 24 hours worth of Vaparetto travel. Each trip costs 7E. You can also pay on board if need be as the crew person who opens the gate and ties the boat up can take your money.

 

It was certainly good to see Venice from the water at night and fun to take a boat home to our hotel.

 

Once there we enjoyed a drink outside as the bar is open until 1 a.m and Bobby was ready to serve.

 

It ends with shots of the room.

 

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Next will be photos and videos from my early morning walk/Vaparetto ride which took place between 5 a.m and 7.30 a.m, starting at a deserted Rialto Bridge. Venice slowly comes awake....St Mark's with me and the street sweepers and some cruise ships coming in.

 

That will be posted on Thursday most-like.

 

Followed by a visit to the Frari church, a Vaparetto ride with tons of photos of the Grand Canal, an excellent outdoor lunch, an Opera afternoon then a water taxi ride to the Ocean Princess followed by a steak dinner.

 

So- lots to come!

 

Norris

[Deck Chair Queen]

Watching this video I am amazed at all we packed in our first day after flying all night and most of the morning! Gorgeous night videography!

[Bimmer09]

I've been "peeking" at your Flickr photos. They look fabulous. Can't wait until you explain them in more detail here.

 

Looking through the Flickr photos this morning I see about 40 missing and I will now have to find which ones and upload ( I uploaded as a batch) as I need them to keep the chronology straight (reaching for Advil).

 

Jasperdo thanks for your response on Flickr to my Venice supermarket photo where I got the reflection of the old building in the modern store windows. I regret not taking the time to go in and see what is on their shelves. I'm always interested in foreign soaps and toothpastes etc and to see what American brands make it onto the shelves there.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Watching this video I am amazed at all we packed in our first day after flying all night and most of the morning! Gorgeous night videography!

 

DCQ it's fun uploading video I know you have never seen....the surprises will keep on coming.

 

Stay tuned!

 

Norris

[Deck Chair Queen]

Also dear readers I want the women among you to know that this was not the only shirt I wore on the trip! But you will be seeing a lot of it as it was my "modest attire to visit European churches" shirt. Easy care no-iron cotton from Chico's!

[Bimmer09]

Next up will be me and the early-morning Venice workers riding the Vaparetto to St Mark's Square at 5.40 a.m. Venice will awake.

 

Here is a taster shot of the Rialto Bridge-with no people on it!

 

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5597/15250622868_e188a599c5_b.jpg' alt='15250622868_e188a599c5_b.jpg'>IMG_1848 by norris_adair, on Flickr[/img]

 

(approx 5.30 a.m)

 

Norris, off to work

[slc22]

Also dear readers I want the women among you to know that this was not the only shirt I wore on the trip! But you will be seeing a lot of it as it was my "modest attire to visit European churches" shirt. Easy care no-iron cotton from Chico's!

 

No worries, it's a great choice!

[ar1950]

............

 

That will be posted on Thursday most-like.

 

....................So- lots to come!

 

Norris

 

No worries here. Like anything really good in life it will be well worth the wait. :cool:

Edited October 8, 2014 by ar1950

[New York Nana]

How excited I was to find your current blog/review/trip report!

Your pictures and descriptions are worthy of being a published travel guide!

I was fortunate to have been stationed in the mid-70's in Vicenza, Italy - a quick trip up the Autostrada from Venezia. Your photos are bringing back many great memories - one my favorite cities in the world.

Thank you for sharing so much with so many of us who travel vicariously with you.

Me thinks I will have to put this cruise/trip on the planning board!:)

[RNGALNG]

Also dear readers I want the women among you to know that this was not the only shirt I wore on the trip! But you will be seeing a lot of it as it was my "modest attire to visit European churches" shirt. Easy care no-iron cotton from Chico's!

 

Oh, Carol. . . I would say you were a great traveler, know ing how to pack so that you didn't have too many things to lug around! I love trying to travel with as little as possible too and if it works. ..use it - over and over and. . . .

 

After all, they will only see you on that one day, right?

 

I have followed Bimmer through his travels as well. It's good to see you got to have another trip with your travel mate! We too just got back from Alaska (you spoke of it earlier) and we too had a fantastic time on the Grand! I do plan on putting up a photo free review but I am still trying to get rid of a stowaway that came back with me from the trip. A few days after getting through the front door, I was diagnosed with the flu. Way too early in the season for it and I have never had it before - I always get my shot! I went down hard with it and will now do my public service announcement - the flu is already in the states and elsewhere. EVERYONE - GO GET YOUR FLU SHOTS NOW! This bug is not worth getting because you just don't like shots! I have been down for a little over three weeks now!

 

Can't wait for the next chapters. . .

[MGnut]

Hi Bimmer. I'm kind of late to the table, but I'll catch up soon.

 

We did a Med cruise that had 2 days in Venice, so I am really enjoying the story and the pictures & videos. I may need to go back!

 

I am also looking forward to most of your ports, since we hit mostly the 'big' ones. Mostly southern and eastern of Venice, then back to Barcelona.

 

We will be boarding the Ocean Princess in Dover, UK in July (if it still belongs to Princess, LOL), so I'm looking forward to your thoughts on the ship. We have been on her twice (as the Tahitian Princess) in French Polynesia. We loved her then, and can hardly wait to return to her.

 

Looking forward to the next installments.

 

Howard

[Jasperdo]

So far I am not 100% happy with Flickr. I don't like the fact that the words Flickr, IMG and the photo number and my name get plastered on the board-a mess when all I want is the photo. If there is a cure I'd like to know it. On a full screen view which I have (perhaps you don't) they are in a random, not chronological order which is like rummaging through a box of photos. When I organize I get small pictures at the bottom of the screen to work with. I may switch back to Picasa-Google Plus.

All that extra stuff that's added to the Flickr photo here on CC is fairly new. When I first started posting my photos here none of that was there. I don't know if it's at Flickr's end or CC's end, but it's something new. And I don't care for it either.

 

I order to get things in chronological order on Flickr you need to do that before you upload them. After they're on your Photostream page you can't change the order. One thing I've noticed is when you put a bunch of photos in the Drag and Drop Uploader, they're not in chronological order. That's probably what's happening to you. How I correct that is this: before hitting the upload button, click on the pull down "Sort" menu at the top of the Uploader. It will give you different options for arranging the photos. You can even manually arrange them by clicking and dragging individual photos around in the uploader. If you want the photos to upload to Flickr in a particular order, you need to do that before you actually upload. After it's on Flickr you're stuck with that order.

 

I hope that didn't confuse you even more:). I've been on Flickr since 2005. I don't like a lot of the changes they made last year, but I still think they're one of the best photo sharing sites out there.

Edited October 9, 2014 by Jasperdo

[rdsqrl]

I was able to remove that little Flickr tag before posting here. When I copied and pasted from Flickr into the CC message box, the link for the "id tag" (for lack of a better word) was separate from the actual photo URL link, so it was easy to delete the former and not mess with the photo itself.

 

I hope this (a) makes sense and (b) addresses the actual problem you're having, Norris!

 

What a great review so far. I had to have spaghetti carbonara tonight, thanks to your mouthwatering meal photos!

[Jasperdo]

I was able to remove that little Flickr tag before posting here. When I copied and pasted from Flickr into the CC message box, the link for the "id tag" (for lack of a better word) was separate from the actual photo URL link, so it was easy to delete the former and not mess with the photo itself.

Thanks for the tip. It does seem to work!