Med Cruise on the Brilliance~ June 7, 2016 ~ My Diary

[maxs mom]

This is a very nice area and we enjoyed our lunch at the café.

 

 

 

It was delightful there.

 

We went back to the HOHO stop and had to wait quite a bit before the bus came along again.

 

 

Then we rode a few more stops.....circling around the same area about three times. It was kind of like the twilight zone!!

 

 

We finally made it back to where we could catch the bus back to Villefranche. And the funny thing was .....that stop was really close to the Promenade Anglais. We could have easily taken a taxi for a very short ride to get to the PA. Oh well!!

 

Luckily the bus to get to VIllefranche was right there, so we hopped right on and made it back to the port in no time. When we got back.....the walk down the hill to get back was much easier. Still a little daunting for those of us with mobility issues.

 

 

[txcowboy10]

We were on exactly the same cruise so following this excellent thread with interest. I remember seeing you onboard. I have to agree about Ricardo. We've had him once before on Navigator and he really is excellent. Although we didn't get the same issue with Charmaine we have been made to feel the same on a number of other ships. We barely used either lounge on the evening as we had a drink package on this cruise. We loved them for coffees during the day.

 

I too had issues with her on my Brilliance cruise couple months ago. She "checked me off" her list the first night, but asked me to plz use my 3 drink D+ vouchers around the ship and that she was using the CL to cater to her suite guests! I wasn't too happy and addressed this on my post-cruise survey. So I just hung out in the DL with Ricardo and echo everyone's accolades about him...GREAT GUY!! I think he'll be concierge in CL for our sept cruise so really looking forward to seeing him again...thank goodness Charmaine will be gone...

 

Mark

[maxs mom]

The port area is very beautiful.

 

 

 

 

There are some little shops set up.....market style..... there by the tender station, so we browsed there a few minutes before getting a tender back to the ship. So if you have mobility issues and don't want to venture over to Nice or Monaco......there is something to do right there and I imagine you could get a nice lunch or coffee somewhere nearby. Also .....it is just as easy to get the bus over to Monaco and look around as long as you can do a good bit of walking.

 

 

 

Just a beautiful port and an enjoyable day. I needed to prop my feet up on the balcony when we got back to the ship, though!!

 

[maxs mom]

I too had issues with her on my Brilliance cruise couple months ago. She "checked me off" her list the first night, but asked me to plz use my 3 drink D+ vouchers around the ship and that she was using the CL to cater to her suite guests! I wasn't too happy and addressed this on my post-cruise survey. So I just hung out in the DL with Ricardo and echo everyone's accolades about him...GREAT GUY!! I think he'll be concierge in CL for our sept cruise so really looking forward to seeing him again...thank goodness Charmaine will be gone...

 

Mark

 

Hmmmmm........good to know it wasn't just me that felt that way!! Ricardo has always been a Concierge in the CL. This was the first time he has been in the Diamond Lounge and I think he was just a little bit sad about that. He was wonderful!!

 

[George C]

I too had issues with her on my Brilliance cruise couple months ago. She "checked me off" her list the first night, but asked me to plz use my 3 drink D+ vouchers around the ship and that she was using the CL to cater to her suite guests! I wasn't too happy and addressed this on my post-cruise survey. So I just hung out in the DL with Ricardo and echo everyone's accolades about him...GREAT GUY!! I think he'll be concierge in CL for our sept cruise so really looking forward to seeing him again...thank goodness Charmaine will be gone...

 

Mark

 

I kind of had opposite thing on my 1st GS cruise on Navigator concierge lounge was full ( I am sure mostly diamond plus) and Ricardo asked us to just use Diamond lounge, not big thing we are diamond and also had drink package, but not what you want to hear on 1st cruise in a suite

[maxs mom]

We rested just a little bit before getting ready for the evening. We made it to the DL and sat with Ann and Vic, who were going to join us on a tour to Florence the next day. Had a great time chatting with them. Andrea and Michael came in. We enjoyed being in the DL with Ricardo. He made us feel very welcome.

 

 

We all went to My Time for dinner and we were able to get a table for 6 so that Ann and Vic could join us. Dinner was OK. We ordered a big plate of vegetables for the table and we got a mixture of cabbage and sweet potatoes that was excellent. I had the sea bass entrée.....just ok. No dessert.....just coffee.

 

 

We ended up in the casino again and I won $6.75. Woo Hoo! Called it a night after that!

 

[Sea Viewer]

,

 

Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk

[riclop]

Thanks for the review.

[mj]

Enjoying your review so far.

[CRUISEMAMI]

Finally I got to this review! Couldn't sign in!

Not pics showing, but at one point, they started to showing and guess which one was the first? You ladies, with my boy!!!

Hopefully he will be there in Nov!!!

Great review, as always!

Just a little sad, for not be able to be there with you guys!

 

We love the breakfast at Chops and we go every day!

We love the different juices, that they make with the fresh fruit!!!!

 

Waiting for the rest....

Thanks for doing it!!!!!

[maxs mom]

We missed you, Franca!! Thanks for stopping by! We will have a large time in October!!!

[maxs mom]

Thursday ~ June 9, 2016 ~ Livorno/Florence/Pisa

 

Up very early this morning.....before 6. Coffee in the DL where I watched the sail in.

 

 

We ate breakfast in the Park Café......no one there......nice and quiet. I just can't deal with the Windjammer at breakfast time.

 

We got our gear together and met our group in the Schooner Bar. It was threatening rain, so made sure we had our rain gear. There were 8 of us traveling together today with Rominlimo. We used them the last time we were here and were very pleased, so I got groups together in three ports to use them again. They are wonderful to work with. Our group consisted of the 4 of us, Ann and Vic from Maryland, and Linda and John from California. Very congenial group!

 

We were to meet our driver at 8 and he was right there holding a sign with my name on it.

 

 

We had a beautiful Mercedes van that was very comfortable.

 

 

We were soon on our way to Florence.

 

 

Our driver was Giovanni and he was very, very, very good!!!

 

As soon as we got to Florence, we went directly to the old city and right to the Ponte Vecchio. The crowds hadn't gotten there yet and we had a pleasant stroll over the bridge and did some window shopping.

 

 

[maxs mom]

Forget about the jewelry!!! We went straight for the good stuff!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 8, 2016 by max'smom

[maxs mom]

More from the Ponte Vecchio:

 

 

 

 

 

From there, we went from one site to another. Giovanni was fearless!! He drove that big van all over the place. We saw way more this time than we did the last time we were here.

 

We went up to the overlook above the city......spectacular views!

 

 

 

Giovanni kept us well informed on many things.

 

 

[EMED2010]

Rome in Limo are wonderful! We had Giovanni in 2010. I'm glad to see he's still there.

[maxs mom]

Rome in Limo are wonderful! We had Giovanni in 2010. I'm glad to see he's still there.

 

That's great! Giovanni was so good with us. That is what is so good about Rominlimo. Their people work with them for a long time and are so experienced and knowledgable.

[SteveinPhilly]

Jane _ I’m following your narrative and accumulated a few comments, in case useful to others taking same itinerary.

 

Re: Nice – we took bus too. Sorry you didn’t discover Castle Hill. It was literally a few blocks from where the bus dropped you off. A FREE elevator and a great park with old ruins and GREAT view and lots of trees for coolness. I put a lot of the views in my video on You tube for that day.

 

I was going to attach some stills but they are too large to attach.:(

 

 

S

[SPhillips]

Following along :)

[CRUISEMAMI]

More from the Ponte Vecchio:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From there' date=' we went from one site to another. Giovanni was fearless!! He drove that big van all over the place. We saw way more this time than we did the last time we were here.

 

 

 

We went up to the overlook above the city......spectacular views!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giovanni kept us well informed on many things.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can't get some of the pics!

When you went to Florence, you were close at were I was born!!!

[Scotland01]

Thank you for posting all the great photos. We were on 26 May cruise.In JS1586! Wonderful room attendant Foster! Made sure we had a supply of Tetley teabags. We had no problem with Charmaine in CL. She was always very friendly to us She is leaving RCI this month. Not so Richardo who ignored all us mere D+ on Navigator TA a few years ago.

We were not aware we could have breakfast in Chops!!

Margaret

[CRUISEMAMI]

Thank you for posting all the great photos. We were on 26 May cruise.In JS1586! Wonderful room attendant Foster! Made sure we had a supply of Tetley teabags. We had no problem with Charmaine in CL. She was always very friendly to us She is leaving RCI this month. Not so Richardo who ignored all us mere D+ on Navigator TA a few years ago.

 

We were not aware we could have breakfast in Chops!!

 

Margaret

 

 

Other people had the same issue, (Jan 2016 and Apr) not knowing about breakfast at Chops! We knew because we got a letter from the Diamond concierge (Rafael) and cruised on Brilliance many times.

When I mentioned it to Charmaine, the other guests didn't know about it, her answer was: if they are D+ means they have cruised before, and should know that is a special breakfast, somewhere on the ship. ......

Never got a letter from the concierge, only from the diamond concierge!

[croosieloosie]

That's great! Giovanni was so good with us. That is what is so good about Rominlimo. Their people work with them for a long time and are so experienced and knowledgable.

 

Folowing, we will be using RomeInLimo for this tour soon. Would you suggest we request Giovanni? Or are they all as good would you think?

[maxs mom]

Folowing, we will be using RomeInLimo for this tour soon. Would you suggest we request Giovanni? Or are they all as good would you think?

 

We have been on 5 trips with Rominlimo and all drivers have been wonderful, but you might want to request Giovanni.....that way you would be sure. We were all happy with him.

[croosieloosie]

We have been on 5 trips with Rominlimo and all drivers have been wonderful' date=' but you might want to request Giovanni.....that way you would be sure. We were all happy with him. [/size']

 

Thx, will do :)

[maxs mom]

OK.....continuing on in Florence.

 

Next we had reservations for the Academia. We made those on line ahead of time. Giovanni got us right in without standing in line. And the line was waaaayyyy down the street and it was raining! We were there about 30 to 45 minutes enjoying the artwork there. David was spectacular.