Live Celebrity Constellation 23 April 2024 Rome to Ravenna

[hcat]

18 minutes ago, surfnsun said:

Thank you hcat!  I'll miss you!

til next cruise review..

. we are  sailing  in Dec  24 on Silhouette,  and again Jan 2025 APEX.. Nothing booked after that!

[dani negreanu]

Thank you so much for your riveting review.

 

I came for Split and Kotor, and ended up staying for the whole trip. Absolutely love your sense of humor.

 

[Ciaranaman]

Thank you for your wonderful review - great pics, great humour, and looks like you made lots of great memories!

~Bernadette

[jbirds]

Surfandsand, Thank you for your wonderful posts. You can’t imagine what help it has been. I booked this cruise last week for June 14,2024, and have been running at full speed ever since. Your recommendations for tours has helped tremendously and I’m following in your footsteps in several ports. I wanted to let you know how wonderful and gracious the tour operators have been, helping us get our confirmations. You are a fantastic storyteller and I join all the others in expressing my appreciation. Thank You so very much.

[sushraya]

surfnsun - this might be a long shot, but do you have any idea how cabin 2152 is on this ship?  Friends have been assigned this cabin and from what I can find online, it looks like this might be next to where the pilot boat comes in?  So perhaps a bit noisy in the morning?

[surfnsun]

4 hours ago, jbirds said:

Surfandsand, Thank you for your wonderful posts. You can’t imagine what help it has been. I booked this cruise last week for June 14,2024, and have been running at full speed ever since. Your recommendations for tours has helped tremendously and I’m following in your footsteps in several ports. I wanted to let you know how wonderful and gracious the tour operators have been, helping us get our confirmations. You are a fantastic storyteller and I join all the others in expressing my appreciation. Thank You so very much.

Thank you so much, jbirds!  It makes me very happy to know I've been so helpful in your trip planning!  It's funny, you are now running as fast as you can, and I can't seem to get out of the recliner, after 110,000+ steps in the 3 weeks we were gone, today is as relaxing day.  D-O-N-E.  Just stick a fork in me!  🙂  I'm happy to answer any additional questions.  Enjoy your cruise and safe travels!

[surfnsun]

2 hours ago, sushraya said:

surfnsun - this might be a long shot, but do you have any idea how cabin 2152 is on this ship?  Friends have been assigned this cabin and from what I can find online, it looks like this might be next to where the pilot boat comes in?  So perhaps a bit noisy in the morning?

Although we are no longer on the ship to check for sure, I think I can help with your question.  I'm posting in this reply a video of the ship from an earlier post from our tender ride while in Kotor.  Cabin 2152 is 19 cabins up on deck 2 from the back of the ship on the starboard side.  If you pause this video at 1 min 41 seconds and count up from the back smaller port windows to the 19th cabin...you will see a space between that cabin and the next.  The 19th cabin before the space is 2152.  So, my dear Watson says Sherlock Holmes,  I deduct that cabin 2152 is in fact next to and one floor up from at least where some of the tenders come and go.  Not sure about the pilot boat but it's possible.  Pause the video again at 1 min 57 second and you get a closer view.  I hope that helps.

[sushraya]

Thank you so much!  That's a great view and lets us know what to expect.  We were late to the party - so only guarantee cabins were left.  Interestingly enough, of the four couples that booked, only one has been assigned a cabin thus far and it is this one.   We are still a few months away from cruise date though.

[surfnsun]

26 minutes ago, sushraya said:

Thank you so much!  That's a great view and lets us know what to expect.  We were late to the party - so only guarantee cabins were left.  Interestingly enough, of the four couples that booked, only one has been assigned a cabin thus far and it is this one.   We are still a few months away from cruise date though.

I've had pretty good luck with guarantee cabins and sometimes you don't know even without a guarantee.  Not much wakes me up on a cruise, but our neighbor this time wasn't very easy on the ears when shutting the cabin door.  Didn't keep us from enjoying our cruise!  Have a fun, safe trip and I'm happy to answer any additional questions!

[Travelling2Some]

32 minutes ago, surfnsun said:

I've had pretty good luck with guarantee cabins and sometimes you don't know even without a guarantee.  Not much wakes me up on a cruise, but our neighbor this time wasn't very easy on the ears when shutting the cabin door.  Didn't keep us from enjoying our cruise!  Have a fun, safe trip and I'm happy to answer any additional questions!

We had one of those last time and, unfortunately, they kept late hours.  I think many new cruisers do not realize that cabin doors are heavy and naturally slam hard enough to shake the cabins next door if you don't hold back on them.  Might be a good idea for the cruise lines to publish this in the dailies or make a few announcements about it in the first day or two of the cruise.

[Eliza-do-little]

On 5/3/2024 at 5:54 PM, surfnsun said:

Oh, but you are paying attention!  😆 And thanks for your kind comments and for following along!  I recommend practicing it at home!  Sometimes, pushing the button could catch a finger if you have it placed on the floor, and it could be awkward pushing the button.  If on the floor, most cameras allow you to simply hold you hand over the screen while standing just slighly bending and with your fingers slightly apart and then you will see the seconds count down and remove your hand, stand tall, and it will automatically snap.  Less yoga moves necessary if you use the hand trick.  😆  The alternative is to simply put it on selfie, hold the camera facing up straight out in front of you, tilt it until you get the right balance, and then click the photo with your finger.  Just remember, that trick requires more of a steady hand, but not too bad.  Anyway, on to some Ravenna commentary and photos!  Enjoy your cruise with smooth sailing and safe travels!

Or you can say "smile" and the phone takes the photo itself, without having to press any button.  Wonderful!

[jbirds]

Surfnsun, I apologize if this has been asked, but what was the weather like? I’m planning on packing lightweight clothes, raincoat, and jacket. Basic layering. We were in Lake Como and Rhine region last year in June and it was sweltering. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[sofietucker]

Just a note that Get Your Guide sells water taxi tix to the airport (one way) for 40 euro. We did that a few years ago. Or you can also see the ticket machine where you can buy them on the pier in a couple of the photos above. I would book it ahead/ make advance reservations though...

[surfnsun]

12 hours ago, jbirds said:

Surfnsun, I apologize if this has been asked, but what was the weather like? I’m planning on packing lightweight clothes, raincoat, and jacket. Basic layering. We were in Lake Como and Rhine region last year in June and it was sweltering. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi jbirds!  It really depends on the time of year you are cruising.  For our trip in late April/early May, layering was key as the morning could be a little cool and the afternoon warmer.  Keep in mind, we were a little in Northern Italy before heading way south and then northeast again.  For us, layering worked, until we went south and then it was warm so no layers required.  Judging by our experience, it can was very good weather, but imagine it could get very hot and humid beyond our sailing timeframe.  It really all depends on the time of year.  We tend to travel in the not so hot months and prefer the need for layering.  Enjoy your travels!  Happy to answer any additional questions! 

[steelrerlen]

The weather also depends where you're starting from! We are from the UK and found everywhere warm, even Northern Italy. However people we met from Florida were a bit chilly. We packed mostly t shirts and shorts or light trousers for the daytime, I only needed an extra layer once, when it was a chilly morning start to Pisa, and a rain jacket once in Split (for about 15 mins!). 

[jbirds]

Thank you for the weather and packing tips. I think I’ll pack light and save room for some trinkets to bring home. Surfnsun, there was a pitcher in one of your photos that caught my eye.

[surfnsun]

2 hours ago, jbirds said:

Thank you for the weather and packing tips. I think I’ll pack light and save room for some trinkets to bring home. Surfnsun, there was a pitcher in one of your photos that caught my eye.

I don't recall that.  Feel free to point me to the post number and photo and I'll tell you more about it.  I did my share of shopping and contributed much to other country's economy!  🙂

[surfnsun]

6 hours ago, steelrerlen said:

The weather also depends where you're starting from! We are from the UK and found everywhere warm, even Northern Italy. However people we met from Florida were a bit chilly. We packed mostly t shirts and shorts or light trousers for the daytime, I only needed an extra layer once, when it was a chilly morning start to Pisa, and a rain jacket once in Split (for about 15 mins!). 

Agree!  We like to travel early in the Spring for just that reason, so this trip was later than normal for us and further south.  My touring attire is normally boots, jacket or vest, and scarf, and walking at a good pace to stay warm.  Love the UK, anytime of year!

[TwinMamainMN]

23 hours ago, surfnsun said:

I don't recall that.  Feel free to point me to the post number and photo and I'll tell you more about it.  I did my share of shopping and contributed much to other country's economy!  🙂

Oh! Tell us about shopping results! I would like to buy leather gloves (we live in MN so they would get plenty of use) and probably a small leather purse in a stunning color like eggplant purple.

[jbirds]

On 5/14/2024 at 9:07 AM, surfnsun said:

I don't recall that.  Feel free to point me to the post number and photo and I'll tell you more about it.  I did my share of shopping and contributed much to other country's economy!  🙂

lol, it’s post 107 and I realize now that it’s your lunch libation. Would love to have one though.

[Sun Lover]

Surfnsun, your live review has to be the best I have ever read.  The details and information you provided is amazing.  Congrats on your award!

 

We have the Rome to Ravenna Mediterranean cruise on courtesy hold until tomorrow while I try to decide what to do.  If you have time to answer some questions, it would be very helpful.

 

Which ports used tenders? About how long did they take?

 

Which ports were far from city centers and in those ports how long did it take to get to the city?  Did you always use the shuttle buses that were provided?

 

Did you do any excursions through the ship or were they all privately booked?

 

I'm trying to avoid booking excursions where most of the time is spent driving to and from a place and you don't have much time to actually spend time there. If you feel anything you did was like that, could you please let me know.  

 

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[surfnsun]

57 minutes ago, Sun Lover said:

Surfnsun, your live review has to be the best I have ever read.  The details and information you provided is amazing.  Congrats on your award!

 

We have the Rome to Ravenna Mediterranean cruise on courtesy hold until tomorrow while I try to decide what to do.  If you have time to answer some questions, it would be very helpful.

 

Which ports used tenders? About how long did they take?

 

Which ports were far from city centers and in those ports how long did it take to get to the city?  Did you always use the shuttle buses that were provided?

 

Did you do any excursions through the ship or were they all privately booked?

 

I'm trying to avoid booking excursions where most of the time is spent driving to and from a place and you don't have much time to actually spend time there. If you feel anything you did was like that, could you please let me know.  

 

Thanks so much for your help!

 

Thank you for your kind comment @Sun Lover!  I'm much better typing on my laptop than phone, but in the interest of time, I'm responding on my phone.  So this may be a bit cryptic response and I'm happy to answer any additional questions.  

 

Two ports used tenders, Portofino and Kotor.  But Kotor did have one ship docked, so it could be possible to dock if Celebrity is the only ship, but that is just a guess on my part.  Both tender rides were about the same distance and between 10 to 15 minutes.  We actually loved the return ride from Kotor as we sat on the upper deck on a glorious weather day.  That is the video I took of the ride around the ship.

 

Cities away from docking locations...Brindisi did not dock at city center this cruise, although sometimes they do.  Shuttle was free.  15 min ride.  We had a full day private tour and made sure we caught the first shuttle.  Returned from tour a little earlier than planned to catch the shuttle back to the ship.  Also, Split was a good distance to reach the main area of attraction to the palace, although it is walkable somewhere between 1/2 to almost a mile.  We took a taxi there and three wheeler bike ride back.  Kotor was far, not walkable.  Shuttle not free, rather contracted it seemed, although you had the option to purchase a one way Shuttle ride.  10 min ride each way.  We should have bought a one way instead of round trip as we booked with Eco Tuk Tuk and they would have brought us back to the ship.  We chose to end that tour back in the old city to hang out longer.  EcoTuk Tuk might have picked us up directly from the ship but I'm not sure about that.

 

All excursions privately booked.

 

As far as excursions with a lot of driving and not enough time at the location.  I would say they were all well balanced, except our private tour was rushed at the end but I chalk that up to our selection of four locations instead of three.  If I had to do it again,  I would skip the long lunch and spend more time in the 3 towns we visited.  I did not consider any of the tours simply a panoramic type tour in a vehicle as I've been disappointed in the past with some of those.

 

You didn't ask but I have one regret, but it's a personal preference.   If I could rewind,  totally would have done a Tuscany wine and countryside tour instead of Florence and Pisa.

 

Finally, there is a lot to be gained with private tours, albeit pricey.

[surfnsun]

@Sun Lover some additional feedback to my post above, about the ship...we knew going in that this is one of Celebrity's oldest ship and might not compare well to some of our other cruises in terms of newer accommodations.  We set our expectations as such.  This cruise was port intensive with one sea day and 110 miles walking otherwise.   In other words, we were flippin exhausted on the ship and it was really about the itinerary and the ship took us to the desirable destinations.   Still, we were pleasantly surprised how much we enjoyed the ship...at least what I remember about it, because, you know, I used ninja powers with the premium drink package!  Otherwise,  i could not have stood the pain of 110 miles!  😆

[Sun Lover]

Thanks for replying so quickly!  This information is so helpful.  Wow, 110 miles!  That's a lot of walking.  We like to walk and are used to walking 2-3 miles a day a few times a week but that doesn't even compare!. 

 

You said all your excursions were privately booked.  Were you at all concerned about not getting back to the ship on time?  We've been on several Caribbean cruises and we almost always book our own excursions, but I'm really careful about getting back to the ship way ahead of time and in that case we're on islands that are really small.  I'm not at all familiar with any of the stops on this itinerary and would want to be careful about the time.

 

How did you find the private tours - is there a site for each city that has listings and reviews or recommendations to know which ones are reliable?

 

When you booked your hotels in Rome and Venice, did you book directly with the hotel or did you go through a booking site?  

 

Did you purchase the airfare through Celebrity or on your own?

 

Sorry to ask so many questions but your information is invaluable, especially for someone like me who has never traveled to this area before.  Thanks very much.

[surfnsun]

9 minutes ago, Sun Lover said:

Thanks for replying so quickly!  This information is so helpful.  Wow, 110 miles!  That's a lot of walking.  We like to walk and are used to walking 2-3 miles a day a few times a week but that doesn't even compare!. 

 

You said all your excursions were privately booked.  Were you at all concerned about not getting back to the ship on time?  We've been on several Caribbean cruises and we almost always book our own excursions, but I'm really careful about getting back to the ship way ahead of time and in that case we're on islands that are really small.  I'm not at all familiar with any of the stops on this itinerary and would want to be careful about the time.

 

How did you find the private tours - is there a site for each city that has listings and reviews or recommendations to know which ones are reliable?

 

When you booked your hotels in Rome and Venice, did you book directly with the hotel or did you go through a booking site?  

 

Did you purchase the airfare through Celebrity or on your own?

 

Sorry to ask so many questions but your information is invaluable, especially for someone like me who has never traveled to this area before.  Thanks very much.

@Sun LoverAs far as getting back to the ship on time, we were not concerned as we used companies who have much experience with excursions that need to accommodate cruise schedules.  They have done it so many times.  I say that with the exception of one occasion, which was the excursion from Messina to Mt. Etna and Taormina.  We were in a small group of about 8 folks in a minivan and the majority of the folks on the excursion mentioned to the driver that they would want less time in Taormina to keep back to the ship earlier.  I personally thought a full hour early was too much and 30 minutes earlier would have been sufficient, but we agreed with the majority.  We definitely had time to spare, but it wasn't a bad idea.  The point is with a private or small group, you can usually adjust anyway you desire.

 

I found out about the private tours simply by googling and researching.  I found our private tour folks in Brindisi from CC, actually, and just one review that was very positive, so we booked it.  It was fabulous.  "Tours by Locals" is something folks use frequently, so I've heard.

 

As far as booking directly with hotels, etc.  The discount at the hotel was cheaper by booking directly on their website.  And full discloser, I have a travel industry background, so I always book on my own.  Except I usually turn the booking from the cruiseline direct to a travel agent that can either give me a further discount or more on board credits, or both.  But only because I trust I can still troubleshoot any potential issues.  I went to work for Braniff Airlines in 1978 in reservations and then later at LAX at the ticket counter and also gate agent.  I've worked for a small commuter airline and also a tour operator, putting together tour options from a trip to China in 1983.  I prefer to do it myself.  Rule of thumb, since I'm throwing out advice here, never rely on a second or third party vendor when it comes to travel.  Go right to the source.  Body armour firmly on now as I'm sure there are some travel folks out there that would disagree.  It's just me.  There are benefits to using a travel provider that will "own" and constantly watch your trip details.  If you don't go right to the source, find one of them.

 

Ditto on the airfare, on my own.  The last time I booked through a cruiseline, they booked a cheap ticket but it was a circuitous route with stops and long layovers.  Which worked financially, but you get what you pay for.  

 

As you can tell by our signature, we too did a lot of Caribbean before heading to Europe.  Different environment, for sure, but the travel concept is the same.