Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[Momof3gurlz]

A day late, but Happy Anniversary @ReneeFLL and Happy Engagement day to @Sea Dog. 
 

@dani negreanu after your terrible travel day, I hope you and DH are enjoying & celebrating in Venice.  
 

@Ocean Boy glad you’re starting to feel better. 
 

 

 

[Momof3gurlz]

In some  exciting news (to us anyway), we’ve put a hold on a 9 night Med cruise on the Celebrity Reflection. Here’s the itinerary: 

 

This will be a belated celebration of our 35th anniversary which is coming up this weekend.  Our first time on Celebrity, first Med cruise and Andy’s first time in Europe.  I lived in Germany for 3 years in the early 60’s when my Dad was stationed there with the Army.  We visited several countries when he had time off and it’s foggy, but I do have some memories of Italy.  We’ll spend a few days in Barcelona pre-cruise and a few extra in Rome post cruise.  I’ve been scouring the Med Ports boards and I just ordered Rick Steves book on Med Cruise Ports from Amazon.  
@dani negreanuI see you contribute quite a bit on those boards, so I may have questions for you and I welcome any other advice or suggestions from those here who have cruised the Med.  

 

[George C]

4 minutes ago, Momof3gurlz said:

In some  exciting news (to us anyway), we’ve put a hold on a 9 night Med cruise on the Celebrity Reflection. Here’s the itinerary: 

 

This will be a belated celebration of our 35th anniversary which is coming up this weekend.  Our first time on Celebrity, first Med cruise and Andy’s first time in Europe.  I lived in Germany for 3 years in the early 60’s when my Dad was stationed there with the Army.  We visited several countries when he had time off and it’s foggy, but I do have some memories of Italy.  We’ll spend a few days in Barcelona pre-cruise and a few extra in Rome post cruise.  I’ve been scouring the Med Ports boards and I just ordered Rick Steves book on Med Cruise Ports from Amazon.  
@dani negreanuI see you contribute quite a bit on those boards, so I may have questions for you and I welcome any other advice or suggestions from those here who have cruised the Med.  

 

Fantastic love the ports we did similar cruise for our 25th , loved Barcelona would love to sail from there again, overnight in Florence area sounds great , only port we haven’t visited is Genoa. When do you sail? You can watch most of Rick Steves  videos on YouTube, I have his his videos on dvd. 

[dani negreanu]

14 minutes ago, Momof3gurlz said:

In some  exciting news (to us anyway), we’ve put a hold on a 9 night Med cruise on the Celebrity Reflection. Here’s the itinerary: 

 

This will be a belated celebration of our 35th anniversary which is coming up this weekend.  Our first time on Celebrity, first Med cruise and Andy’s first time in Europe.  I lived in Germany for 3 years in the early 60’s when my Dad was stationed there with the Army.  We visited several countries when he had time off and it’s foggy, but I do have some memories of Italy.  We’ll spend a few days in Barcelona pre-cruise and a few extra in Rome post cruise.  I’ve been scouring the Med Ports boards and I just ordered Rick Steves book on Med Cruise Ports from Amazon.  
@dani negreanuI see you contribute quite a bit on those boards, so I may have questions for you and I welcome any other advice or suggestions from those here who have cruised the Med.  

 

The best part of the itinerary is the overnight in Livorno. We’re still reeling from our runs all over the airports, but when I’ll be back I’ll be “all in” for you 😘

[Tree_skier]

I'm finally back to work... thankfully.  I've been bored to tears for the last five days and it's starting to get expensive.  Online shopping and YouTube have been my only entertainment.  There has been a tab open on my browser to my cruise planner for days now.  I'm shocked I haven't booked another cruise, just more excursions and spa treatments so far.  And last night the algorithm at Youtube decided I needed cat videos.

 

You know you've reached the end of the line when that is all that is left.

[TravelGirlinDallas]

30 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

And last night the algorithm at Youtube decided I needed cat videos.

 

You know you've reached the end of the line when that is all that is left.

Sounds like a WIN to me!!

[Jimbo]

1 hour ago, Momof3gurlz said:

In some  exciting news (to us anyway), we’ve put a hold on a 9 night Med cruise on the Celebrity Reflection. Here’s the itinerary: 

 

This will be a belated celebration of our 35th anniversary which is coming up this weekend.  Our first time on Celebrity, first Med cruise and Andy’s first time in Europe.  I lived in Germany for 3 years in the early 60’s when my Dad was stationed there with the Army.  We visited several countries when he had time off and it’s foggy, but I do have some memories of Italy.  We’ll spend a few days in Barcelona pre-cruise and a few extra in Rome post cruise.  I’ve been scouring the Med Ports boards and I just ordered Rick Steves book on Med Cruise Ports from Amazon.  
@dani negreanuI see you contribute quite a bit on those boards, so I may have questions for you and I welcome any other advice or suggestions from those here who have cruised the Med.  

 

Here is the itinerary we have booked on Celebrity Equinox  for June 2024 , a lot like yours, wondering though why we have a sea day between Barcelona and Marseille, France and you don't? Are those 2 cities close enough to get there in 14 hours on a cruise ship?

 

• • Day 1: Barcelona - Spain
  • Thu Jun 13 2024 | Depart 05:00 PM
• • Day 2: At Sea
  • Fri Jun 14 2024 |
• • Day 3: Provence(Marseille) - France
  • Sat Jun 15 2024 | 07:00 AM To 06:00 PM
• • Day 4: Nice (Villefranche) - France
  • Sun Jun 16 2024 | 08:00 AM To 07:00 PM
• • Day 5: Santa Margherita - Italy
  • Mon Jun 17 2024 | 08:00 AM To 06:00 PM
• • Day 6: Florence/Pisa(Livorno) - Italy
  • Tue Jun 18 2024 | Arrive 07:00 AM
• • Day 7: Florence/Pisa(Livorno) - Italy
  • Wed Jun 19 2024 | Depart 06:00 PM
• • Day 8: At Sea
  • Thu Jun 20 2024 |
• • Day 9: Naples - Italy
  • Fri Jun 21 2024 | 07:00 AM To 06:00 PM
• • Day 10: Rome (Civitavecchia) - Italy
  • Sat Jun 22 2024 | Arrive 06:00 AM

Edited February 15, 2023 by Jimbo

[George C]

14 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Here is the itinerary we have booked on Celebrity Equinox  for June 2024 we have booked, a lot like yours, wondering though why we have a sea day between Barcelona and Marseille, France and you don't? Are those 2 cities close enough to get there in 14 hours on a cruise ship?

 

• • Day 1: Barcelona - Spain
  • Thu Jun 13 2024 | Depart 05:00 PM
• • Day 2: At Sea
  • Fri Jun 14 2024 |
• • Day 3: Provence(Marseille) - France
  • Sat Jun 15 2024 | 07:00 AM To 06:00 PM
• • Day 4: Nice (Villefranche) - France
  • Sun Jun 16 2024 | 08:00 AM To 07:00 PM
• • Day 5: Santa Margherita - Italy
  • Mon Jun 17 2024 | 08:00 AM To 06:00 PM
• • Day 6: Florence/Pisa(Livorno) - Italy
  • Tue Jun 18 2024 | Arrive 07:00 AM
• • Day 7: Florence/Pisa(Livorno) - Italy
  • Wed Jun 19 2024 | Depart 06:00 PM
• • Day 8: At Sea
  • Thu Jun 20 2024 |
• • Day 9: Naples - Italy
  • Fri Jun 21 2024 | 07:00 AM To 06:00 PM
• • Day 10: Rome (Civitavecchia) - Italy
  • Sat Jun 22 2024 | Arrive 06:00 AM

Sounds totally great may need to book that or something very similar about that time since that ends on my 75th birthday, most likely we will wait about another year till wife retires. 

[Jimbo]

3 minutes ago, George C said:

Sounds totally great may need to book that or something very similar about that time since that ends on my 75th birthday, most likely we will wait about another year till wife retires. 

Make it really special and do like we are doing,  Cruise from Amsterdam on Jewel of the Seas  first on May 30th, then on June 11th fly to Barcelona for a 2 night stay before jumping on Equinox on June 13th.  12 nighter followed by 9 nighter. 🙂

 

• • Day 1: Amsterdam - Netherlands
  • Thu May 30 2024 | Depart 04:00 PM
• • Day 2: At Sea
  • Fri May 31 2024 |
• • Day 3: Geiranger - Norway
  • Sat Jun 01 2024 | 10:00 AM To 07:00 PM
• • Day 4: At Sea
  • Sun Jun 02 2024 |
• • Day 5: Tromso - Norway
  • Mon Jun 03 2024 | 10:00 AM To 07:00 PM
• • Day 6: Honningsvag - Norway
  • Tue Jun 04 2024 | 07:00 AM To 05:00 PM
• • Day 7: At Sea
  • Wed Jun 05 2024 |
• • Day 8: Alesund - Norway
  • Thu Jun 06 2024 | 11:00 AM To 06:00 PM
• • Day 9: Flam - Norway
  • Fri Jun 07 2024 | 08:00 AM To 06:00 PM
• • Day 10: Stavanger - Norway
  • Sat Jun 08 2024 | 08:00 AM To 07:00 PM
• • Day 11: Kristiansand - Norway
  • Sun Jun 09 2024 | 07:00 AM To 06:00 PM
• • Day 12: At Sea
  • Mon Jun 10 2024 |
• • Day 13: Amsterdam - Netherlands
  • Tue Jun 11 2024 | Arrive 06:00 AM

[Ocean Boy]

 

Supposedly it is in the lower 50's here but there is a stiff breeze blowing and it feels cooler to me. The North Atlantic is feeling a bit playful today. 

 

 

 

 

 

[dani negreanu]

@Momof3gurlz Deb,

 

Meantime, pls. check out hotel Jazz in Barcelona  (Graham recs this one too. @grapau27)
and Argentina Residenza in Rome.

 

Some pics from today —

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by dani negreanu

[Jimbo]

KC Chiefs Parade is on NFL Network. now............having speeches now on a stage, can't understand why it isn't wall to wall people down there listening to the speeches. I can actually see the ground with no people.

Edited February 15, 2023 by Jimbo

[Ocean Boy]

I love Venezia. I will never forget the first time I walked out of the train station and saw the city with my own eyes. 

[grapau27]

6 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

@Momof3gurlz Deb,

 

Meantime, pls. check out hotel Jazz in Barcelona  (Graham recs this one too. @grapau27)
and Argentina Residenza in Rome.

 

Some pics from today —

 

 

Lovely photos Dani.

Our last cruise from Venice we stayed in the 

Hotel Hilton Molina stucky before boarding Splendour of the seas in October 2014.

Graham 

Edited February 15, 2023 by grapau27

[Momof3gurlz]

24 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Make it really special and do like we are doing,  Cruise from Amsterdam on Jewel of the Seas  first on May 30th, then on June 11th fly to Barcelona for a 2 night stay before jumping on Equinox on June 13th.  12 nighter followed by 9 nighter. 🙂

 

• • Day 1: Amsterdam - Netherlands
  • Thu May 30 2024 | Depart 04:00 PM
• • Day 2: At Sea
  • Fri May 31 2024 |
• • Day 3: Geiranger - Norway
  • Sat Jun 01 2024 | 10:00 AM To 07:00 PM
• • Day 4: At Sea
  • Sun Jun 02 2024 |
• • Day 5: Tromso - Norway
  • Mon Jun 03 2024 | 10:00 AM To 07:00 PM
• • Day 6: Honningsvag - Norway
  • Tue Jun 04 2024 | 07:00 AM To 05:00 PM
• • Day 7: At Sea
  • Wed Jun 05 2024 |
• • Day 8: Alesund - Norway
  • Thu Jun 06 2024 | 11:00 AM To 06:00 PM
• • Day 9: Flam - Norway
  • Fri Jun 07 2024 | 08:00 AM To 06:00 PM
• • Day 10: Stavanger - Norway
  • Sat Jun 08 2024 | 08:00 AM To 07:00 PM
• • Day 11: Kristiansand - Norway
  • Sun Jun 09 2024 | 07:00 AM To 06:00 PM
• • Day 12: At Sea
  • Mon Jun 10 2024 |
• • Day 13: Amsterdam - Netherlands
  • Tue Jun 11 2024 | Arrive 06:00 AM

Great trip Jimbo.  Re: your sea day question, Barcelona to Marseille, seems like it can be done without a sea day in between since that’s what our itinerary is. Maybe it has to do with the # of ships in port for yours?

[Momof3gurlz]

15 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

@Momof3gurlz Deb,

 

Meantime, pls. check out hotel Jazz in Barcelona  (Graham recs this one too. @grapau27)
and Argentina Residenza in Rome.

 

Some pics from today —

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the recommendations Dani.

Gorgeous pictures!  Now you have me thinking maybe we should take the train from Rome to Venice and fly home from there!  Might as well see as much as possible once we’re ‘across the pond’.  

[Jimbo]

6 minutes ago, Momof3gurlz said:

Great trip Jimbo.  Re: your sea day question, Barcelona to Marseille, seems like it can be done without a sea day in between since that’s what our itinerary is. Maybe it has to do with the # of ships in port for yours?

Found the schedule, all ready 2 other ships in port on the 14th..............have the 15th all to ourselves.

13 June, 2024 Thursday	ms Oosterdam	10:00	20:00
14 June, 2024 Friday	MSC Orchestra	09:00	17:00
14 June, 2024 Friday	MSC Seaside	14:00	20:00
15 June, 2024 Saturday	Celebrity Equinox	07:00	18:00
16 June, 2024 Sunday	Arvia

 

[Jimbo]

Here is your's @Momof3gurlz

 

 

1 October, 2023 Sunday	Celebrity Reflection	07:00	17:00
1 October, 2023 Sunday	Costa Smeralda	08:00	18:00

[grapau27]

2 hours ago, Momof3gurlz said:

In some  exciting news (to us anyway), we’ve put a hold on a 9 night Med cruise on the Celebrity Reflection. Here’s the itinerary: 

 

This will be a belated celebration of our 35th anniversary which is coming up this weekend.  Our first time on Celebrity, first Med cruise and Andy’s first time in Europe.  I lived in Germany for 3 years in the early 60’s when my Dad was stationed there with the Army.  We visited several countries when he had time off and it’s foggy, but I do have some memories of Italy.  We’ll spend a few days in Barcelona pre-cruise and a few extra in Rome post cruise.  I’ve been scouring the Med Ports boards and I just ordered Rick Steves book on Med Cruise Ports from Amazon.  
@dani negreanuI see you contribute quite a bit on those boards, so I may have questions for you and I welcome any other advice or suggestions from those here who have cruised the Med.  

 

Lots of excellent ports Debbie with lots to see.

Excellent idea to have at least  2 nights pre cruise in Barcelona and 2 nights post cruise in Rome.

These are the 2 main ports and the extra time will be very worthwhile.

[bobmacliberty]

2 hours ago, Momof3gurlz said:

In some  exciting news (to us anyway), we’ve put a hold on a 9 night Med cruise on the Celebrity Reflection. Here’s the itinerary: 

 

This will be a belated celebration of our 35th anniversary which is coming up this weekend.  Our first time on Celebrity, first Med cruise and Andy’s first time in Europe.  I lived in Germany for 3 years in the early 60’s when my Dad was stationed there with the Army.  We visited several countries when he had time off and it’s foggy, but I do have some memories of Italy.  We’ll spend a few days in Barcelona pre-cruise and a few extra in Rome post cruise.  I’ve been scouring the Med Ports boards and I just ordered Rick Steves book on Med Cruise Ports from Amazon.  
@dani negreanuI see you contribute quite a bit on those boards, so I may have questions for you and I welcome any other advice or suggestions from those here who have cruised the Med.  

 

 

For your Nice stop, I highly recommend Ingrid Schmucker at Best French Riviera Tours if you want to go with a private tour.  We used her in 2017 and she was excellent.  Very knowledgeable and personable.  If I remember correctly, she's German, lived for several years in Italy, and has been a private guide in France since the 90s.  My contact info for her at the time was kultours06@gmail.com (Kultours Private Tours) so she may have changed the name of her company (she is a one woman company).  You might need to complete the form on the Contact page of her website to reach her.  She has a 6 person Mercedes van that is very comfortable if you want to share the cost with anyone else.  In 2017, it was 500 Euro for an 8 hour tour.

 

We went to Eze before all of the bigger buses got there.  Beautiful in the morning without crowds. We then toured Old Town in Nice where she picked up some food and wine for a picnic lunch.  We drove to a spot at the top of a mountain where we could see the ship in the distance from one side of the mountain and looked down over Monico from the other side.  Amazing place for a picnic lunch.  From there, we drove through La Turbie to see the Trophee d'Auguste (ruins of an ancient Roman monument) and then drove down to Monte-Carlo.  Ingrid is very flexible and can tweak a tour to do whatever you want.  

[George C]

1 hour ago, Jimbo said:

Make it really special and do like we are doing,  Cruise from Amsterdam on Jewel of the Seas  first on May 30th, then on June 11th fly to Barcelona for a 2 night stay before jumping on Equinox on June 13th.  12 nighter followed by 9 nighter. 🙂

 

• • Day 1: Amsterdam - Netherlands
  • Thu May 30 2024 | Depart 04:00 PM
• • Day 2: At Sea
  • Fri May 31 2024 |
• • Day 3: Geiranger - Norway
  • Sat Jun 01 2024 | 10:00 AM To 07:00 PM
• • Day 4: At Sea
  • Sun Jun 02 2024 |
• • Day 5: Tromso - Norway
  • Mon Jun 03 2024 | 10:00 AM To 07:00 PM
• • Day 6: Honningsvag - Norway
  • Tue Jun 04 2024 | 07:00 AM To 05:00 PM
• • Day 7: At Sea
  • Wed Jun 05 2024 |
• • Day 8: Alesund - Norway
  • Thu Jun 06 2024 | 11:00 AM To 06:00 PM
• • Day 9: Flam - Norway
  • Fri Jun 07 2024 | 08:00 AM To 06:00 PM
• • Day 10: Stavanger - Norway
  • Sat Jun 08 2024 | 08:00 AM To 07:00 PM
• • Day 11: Kristiansand - Norway
  • Sun Jun 09 2024 | 07:00 AM To 06:00 PM
• • Day 12: At Sea
  • Mon Jun 10 2024 |
• • Day 13: Amsterdam - Netherlands
  • Tue Jun 11 2024 | Arrive 06:00 AM

That cruise is similar to my sisters this June she and her husband will celebrate there 50th this year so they are taking there three children with there spouses and there three grandchildren with them , also leaving from Amsterdam. 

[A&L_Ont]

1 hour ago, dani negreanu said:

@Momof3gurlz Deb,

 

Meantime, pls. check out hotel Jazz in Barcelona  (Graham recs this one too. @grapau27)
and Argentina Residenza in Rome.

 

Some pics from today —

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your photos are amazing Dani. 

[bobmacliberty]

1 hour ago, dani negreanu said:

Meantime, pls. check out hotel Jazz in Barcelona  (Graham recs this one too. @grapau27)

 

I agree with your Hotel Jazz recommendation.  Nice hotel and a great location by the top of La Rambla and near a Metro station.

[bobmacliberty]

@Momof3gurlz Deb - A couple of other suggestions for Barcelona that you may not find from others:

 

In the gothic quarter of Barcelona, visit the Barcelona History Museum.  It doesn't get as much publicity as other attractions, and we honestly were just going to kill a few hours there while waiting for someone to fly in, but the roman ruins in the basement were fantastic.  Very informative look at what life was like in those times, if that sort of thing interests you.

 

We took a regional train to Girona and did a walking Game of Thrones tour of the old town.  Several scenes were filmed there.  The company that we used had pictures on an iPad of the scene in the show that you could compare to the real world in front of your eyes.  Since we were GOT fans, it was a fun way to see the city.

[Sunshine3601]

4 hours ago, Momof3gurlz said:

In some  exciting news (to us anyway), we’ve put a hold on a 9 night Med cruise on the Celebrity Reflection. Here’s the itinerary: 

 

This will be a belated celebration of our 35th anniversary which is coming up this weekend.  Our first time on Celebrity, first Med cruise and Andy’s first time in Europe.  I lived in Germany for 3 years in the early 60’s when my Dad was stationed there with the Army.  We visited several countries when he had time off and it’s foggy, but I do have some memories of Italy.  We’ll spend a few days in Barcelona pre-cruise and a few extra in Rome post cruise.  I’ve been scouring the Med Ports boards and I just ordered Rick Steves book on Med Cruise Ports from Amazon.  
@dani negreanuI see you contribute quite a bit on those boards, so I may have questions for you and I welcome any other advice or suggestions from those here who have cruised the Med.  

 

Awesome Itinerary.    Weather should be great early October and much less crowds than peak summer months.     Fantastic😃

I hope this reservation has made you feel even better today!

Edited February 15, 2023 by Sunshine3601