Gotta Getaway - Semi Live From NCL Getaway - June 16th-25th

[ggTexasGal]

7 minutes ago, zqvol said:

Since when did they change the rule. The FAQs don’t have a limit as to the number of bottles you can bring on board. Just has to be carried on. 

@zqvol You are correct! NCL has not changed the rule.

 

For those wanting a link...

https://www.ncl.com/faq#!#can-i-bring-water-or-soda-board 

(Scroll to the bottom for information regarding wine, which does not state a limit).

[cruiseny4life]

13 minutes ago, ggTexasGal said:

@zqvol You are correct! NCL has not changed the rule.

 

For those wanting a link...

https://www.ncl.com/faq#!#can-i-bring-water-or-soda-board 

(Scroll to the bottom for information regarding wine, which does not state a limit).

Thanks! I knew there wasn't a limit, but the talk of having to carry it on concerned me. We packed on our hotel's welcome bottle when we boarded in Barcelona. We didn't have any issues getting our luggage, with the wine included. I'm not seeing in the FAQ any mention of needing to carry the bottle on. 

[ggTexasGal]

Just now, cruiseny4life said:

Thanks! I knew there wasn't a limit, but the talk of having to carry it on concerned me. We packed on our hotel's welcome bottle when we boarded in Barcelona. We didn't have any issues getting our luggage, with the wine included. I'm not seeing in the FAQ any mention of needing to carry the bottle on. 

You are correct! It can be inside your luggage. That might get some people called to the "naughty room" (but should not, if FAS has been purchased pre-cruise!) 

[rigs32]

Back before the Sixthman charters were allowed to sell drink packages, lots of people carried more than 2 bottles of wine on board.  My triple cabin brought a whole case.  We just had to pay the $15 corkage fee for each bottle.  The biggest hassle is that "regular" cruises don't have nearly the volume with the Free At Sea promotions and so the line is often much longer than it should be because the staff at the corkage table (only 1 or 2) write REALLY slowly and there are multiple handwritten forms they have to fill out.  Last time I brought wine, we only had about 5-6 people in front of us and waited over 30 minutes to actually finish paying for them.

[Spinelli1107]

9 hours ago, ggTexasGal said:

https://www.ncl.com/faq#!#can-i-bring-water-or-soda-board 

(Scroll to the bottom for information regarding wine, which does not state a limit).

Apologies if I misspoke on the wine!

As mentioned this was my first time bringing any on board for NCL or otherwise but I’ve mistakenly merged the rules of several cruise lines.
 

It’s funny though, as through our carry on scan no one asked who I was with and I said to my husband we could’ve brought more than 2! Guess we really could have 😅

[Spinelli1107]

Before I get too ahead of myself, let me just say, San Gimignano….wow!

[Spinelli1107]

Let me wrap up yesterday before I get into today!

 

After we got back to the tender port there was quite the line yet were not the last bus to arrive. Funny enough 41 arrived after us. Go figure!

 

Anywho we got back on board and headed straight to sugarcanes. I love me some Coco Loco Mojito’s they are absolutely delicious.

 

We enjoyed our mojitos before it was time to get ready for dinner.

 

Tonight is Le Bistro because well France. 
K and T are joining us tonight so the 4 of us meet up at 8 for dinner which was delicious.

 

I got the Escargot and French onion soup to start. Hubs also got the French onion soup and goat cheese salad. Naturally I enjoyed some of his goat cheese balls because I’m a fiend for cheese. Our friends got the escargot each and the steak tartare and the goat cheese salad as well. For mains K and I got the lamb while T got the Filet and hubs got the pork. For desserts hubs got the chocolate and rice crispies sans raspberry, T got the floating dessert, K got the Frasier and I….well I got the cheese. Par for the course.

 

We all shared a French press pot and some baileys on the rocks with our desserts.

 

After dinner, we crossed over to headliners to catch Howl at the Moon. It was ok. I remembered it being much better in the past and felt bad for how much I hyped it up but it’s all contingent on the requests they get. I enjoy when it’s a rambunctious bar crowd singing along to don’t stop believing and the entire audience is involved rather than some tunes that maybe only one or two persons know but again, it’s all in the recommendations! 
 

We left shortly after to check out the karaoke. I was surprised at how small the draw was but perhaps we got there too late as only 3 or 4 songs were

performed before it was time to wrap it up. 
 

I guess it’s all for the better as we do have to meet at 8am tomorrow it’s high time that we call it a night. 
 

But before we do, it’s time to head to sugarcanes for one last coco loco of the night and while we’re here, let’s make reservations for the Ice Bar. Cool!

 

Before I go wrap it up, let’s get a little personal. Only because it’s moderately relevant.

In 2017 I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s and for the last 3-4 years I’ve been dealing with severe edema and joint degradation. With the level of heat and activity, this Mediterranean cruise is impacting on me quite significantly and I’m starting to greatly slow down. Although my husband tells me I’m not allowed to complain because he thinks it’s solely due to my consumption of water or lack there of but no this has become increasingly and highly uncomfortable especially all the walking on unpaved and uneven cobblestone. Considering, we’re only 5 days in to our 16 day trip, I’m doing my best to keep up not only with this review but also with my overly ambitious itinerary. But enough about me, back to the trip. 
 

We make our way back to the room for the evening and set our alarms for another early day! 

[Spinelli1107]

Today is an absolutely beautiful day so Bongiorno from Livorno, Italy. It is currently 3:45pm, but let’s rewind.

 

At about 5:30 this morning my brain decided to say wake up! How rude. I popped a couple of Motrin and watched the sunrise. With my alarm going off at 6:20, I decided, may as well just get up now and start getting ready. So getting ready I did, while husband still slept. I wish I had half a mind to soak my feet but in all honesty, nothing works/helps, and it’s just one of those things I have to deal with. But today I woke up feeling extra puffy and stiff so I downed a can of water. 
 

Before long hubs woke up and we were ready to take on the day.

 

I went to Starbucks, while the hubs grabbed breakfast. Divide and conquer! 
 

We met our friends at Spice H2O.

Have to make sure we check in for our excursion together so all 4 of us made our way to theater to check in.

 

Less than 5 minutes from arriving, our tour was being called. Within 10 minutes we were already on the bus. A far cry from yesterday’a tender debacle. 
 

Today our tour is San Gimignano and San Donato Farm.

 

First up SG, and about 2 hours of free time to enjoy all this town has to offer.

 

But first?

Nap-time, for the 2 hours drive back to the ships. 

[Spinelli1107]

San Gimignano was such a beautiful area. It is a small medieval village fitted with dozens of small shops, cafes and gelatteria’s.
 

We had about 2.5 hours to stroll around this lovely town stopping for gelato, some Vernaccia and Chianti wines and popping into endless shops. The scenery was picturesque and words can not even begin to describe it. Wrought iron balconies overlooking winding alleys dotted with an abundance of flora. It was absolutely stunning. 
 

After picking up a few souvenirs we made our way out but not before being beckoned into a chocolate shop. They provided samplings of hazelnut, pistachio and other types of chocolate along with chocolate and cappuccino cookies. 
 

They were absolutely delicious and it didn’t take much convincing to walk out with a box of chocolates. Luckily we know exactly what we’re going to get with this one! 
 

After leaving San Gimignano, we took about 10 minutes to arrive at San Donato Farm and Winery. A small family operated business producing 18 types of wines. We had the pleasure of sampling 2 different types of wine. Another Vernaccia and Chianti with our lunch along with Vin Santo a dessert type wine.

 

Lunch was a splendid farm to table spread with breads, vegetables, olives and cheeses and everything was delicious. 
 

The farm house was set up with tables of 6 and as we were only 4, 2 lovely young ladies from Florida joined and we had a fun time chatting and sipping our wines with them. 
 

We even had the opportunity to meet the farm dog Merlot a gorgeous tracker (I think he was coonhound mixed with setter) and he was such a sweetheart. 
 

Sadly as all good things must come to an end, so too must this tour. But not before a 2 hour drive back to Livorno. 
 

It was a long busy day in the sun and we all took naps. But upon returning to the ship we felt restored and refreshed so we hopped into our swimsuits and hung out in Spice until dinner. With no specific dinner plans made, the 4 of us decided to give O’Sheehans a go. 
 

We ordered some wings, pretzel bites and spinach artichoke dip to start. In the past I remember the wings being much crispier but these were soggy. While the flavor was good the texture was off for me. And with the pretzel bites I miss the “logs”. While the roll bites were good they just didn’t hit the same way. 
 

For dinner I got the burger which was actually very good. Huns and T got the Reuben and K got the Cobb Salad. I think everyone’s main was better than the apps. But overall no complaints. 
 

After dinner we caught the Million Dollar Quartet. This was such a fun show! The cast did a phenomenal job with their portrayal and I thoroughly enjoyed it despite not particularly being an Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis or Carl Perkins fan. But I do like Johnny Cash. None the less I have an appreciation for the music and the history. I would throughly recommend it to anyone however parents keep in mind there are some inappropriate gestures, innuendos and humor.

 

As we have another long and early day tomorrow (technically today!) we decided to call it a night as it was already 11:30pm so good night and well now, good morning! 

[Spinelli1107]

Today, yet another early morning. With a tour meeting time of 7:45 we were up and at ‘em by 6:15. As our tour today is to the catacombs and the pope’s summer home the “need to know” advises knees and shoulders must be covered so hubs and friends begrudgingly don their pants. This will be important.

 

We make our way to buffet for a quick bite before heading to Starbucks. The staff is quickly beginning to recognize me….this might be a problem lol.

 

Our meeting spot is at the illusionarium and upon arriving we received our stickers and off the ship we went! 
 

Our bus was ready and waiting for us so we climbed aboard and off towards Rome we head. 

[Mommapadraig]

What a great trip! San Gimignano was one of my favorites in the past. On the side note.,I am hypothyroid and also have edema problems.I am sorry you also are cursed with this. The worst it has ever been is always on a cruise ship. I attribute it to the salt they use when cooking.Much more than I do at home. I have friends who normally do not have an issue and they too get huge ankles.I don’t know a way around it. I’ve drank less water and I’ve drank more water. Neither seems to help. It took about 5 days after I got home for the swelling to go down. 

Edited June 19 by Mommapadraig

[Spinelli1107]

As soon as we boarded the bus the first thing we noticed was there were A LOT of knees. Having spent time in Rome prior as well as visiting some religious spots in Spain, I advised the guys how strict they are with these coverings and will not permit access speaking from past and personal experiences. So when we saw all these knees the boys were mad at me. Whoops!

 

Apparently, they have relaxed on some of their restrictions and knees and shoulders could be exposed in the catacombs now. I felt horrible as it was 90+ today and these poor guys wore pants. 
 

Luckily the AC on the bus was in full working order and the chill in the catacombs made it a little bit more comfortable. 
 

Speaking of, we visited the Catacombs of Santa Domatilla, believed to be the world’s oldest Christian cemetery. Ranging 5 levels of underground area and spanning 8 miles the labyrinth is quite extensive. 
 

Unfortunately we only spent about 25-30 minutes here and saw a small piece of it but it was quite interesting to learn the differences between the terracotta and marble grave markers as well as the grave robbers that raided the catacombs in search of valuables. The section of catacombs we explored were all open and empty graves. We also had an opportunity to see the “underground” church before renovating our coach and heading to Castel Gandolfo.

 

Castel Gandolfo is the Pope’s summer residence however in 2014, Pope Francis moved to have it transformed into the museum it is today where visitors come from all over the globe to see. 
 

We had a short 30 minutes of free time to explore the village and overlook Lake Albano. We enjoyed the quaintness of this town and stopped for some gelato before meeting back up with our tour guide.

 

[Spinelli1107]

9 minutes ago, Mommapadraig said:

I am hypothyroid and also have edema problems.I am sorry you also are cursed with this. ….I don’t know a way around it….

Likewise, I am sorry you live this life too! 
And yes, it is absolutely worse on cruises compared to other vacations for sure but has seemingly, for me, gotten significantly worse and borderline debilitating over the last 2 years. Naturally I attribute this to age but I’ve yet to uncover any magic tricks around this either. I am planning a trip to my endo as soon as I get home because while I do my best to power through it, the level of discomfort this time around has been severely impacting. 

[Spinelli1107]

We reboarded our bus and took off to the beautiful village of Nemi. Classified as one of the most beautiful towns in Italy, Nemi is most well known for their wild strawberries and they use it every way they can. 
 

We enjoyed some lovely strawberry tarts and pastries and sampled some strawberry crème and liquors.

 

While I particularly thought this stop would have been better after lunch, it was absolutely divine. The views most certainly didn’t hurt either. 
 

Nemi sits on a volcanic crater lake of the same name with restaurants along the rim boasting exterior terraces overlooking the lake. I can understand why it received its designation for one of the most beautiful areas. 
 

Finally we got back on our bus to head off to lunch. 

[cruiseny4life]

1 hour ago, Spinelli1107 said:

Unfortunately we only spent about 25-30 minutes here and saw a small piece of it but it was quite interesting to learn the differences between the terracotta and marble grave markers as well as the grave robbers that raided the catacombs in search of valuables.

First, this sounds like a perfect adventure for me. I absolutely love the underground Roman ruins in Barcelona. I can only imagine seeing something as large as the catacombs. 

 

My question - you spent 25 - 30 minutes there. Is that due to the tour you booked or are folks only allowed to spend such little amount of time in the catacombs? From the sounds of it, I could spend hours and hours down there! 

 

Thank you for letting us know about the existence of this fantastic place.

[PelicanBill]

8 hours ago, Spinelli1107 said:

The staff is quickly beginning to recognize me….this might be a problem lol.

 

Badge of honor!

 

The Starbucks on my way to work is like walking into an episode of Cheers. Instead of everyone working there shouting "Norm!"  it is shouts of "Bill!"

 

Also I got an email from Starbucks in January telling me I was in the top 10% of stars earners.  Yikes.

[cruiseny4life]

1 minute ago, PelicanBill said:

Badge of honor!

 

The Starbucks on my way to work is like walking into an episode of Cheers. Instead of everyone working there shouting "Norm!"  it is shouts of "Bill!"

 

Also I got an email from Starbucks in January telling me I was in the top 10% of stars earners.  Yikes.

Knowing you're in the Rochester area, I so want to know which one (don't worry, I don't expect you to tell). I used to be a frequent Starbucks regular in Greece, Gates, Irondequoit), purchasing too many drinks for my team and I! 

[schmoopie17]

10 hours ago, Spinelli1107 said:

San Gimignano was such a beautiful area.

 

Who did this tour? We went to San Gimignano and Siena in 2022, but your tour sounds much better than what we did. Going back to Livorno in September, so maybe we can duplicate your tour.

[schmoopie17]

10 hours ago, Spinelli1107 said:

 

We ordered some wings, pretzel bites and spinach artichoke dip to start. In the past I remember the wings being much crispier but these were soggy. While the flavor was good the texture was off for me. 

 

Long-time CCers know that the secret to wings in O'Sheahan's (or the Local) is to order them "crispy" with the sauce on the side. Makes a HUGE difference. Try it next time. You're welcome.

[cruiseny4life]

Just now, schmoopie17 said:

Long-time CCers know that the secret to wings in O'Sheahan's (or the Local) is to order them "crispy" with the sauce on the side. Makes a HUGE difference. Try it next time. You're welcome.

Extra crispy for even better results! 🙂 

[schmoopie17]

3 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Extra crispy for even better results! 🙂 

Damn...I meant to say "extra crispy" but (as you'll find out in several years) old age sucks.

[cruiseny4life]

16 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

Damn...I meant to say "extra crispy" but (as you'll find out in several years) old age sucks.

Oh, it's started! Just ask my husband...

[PelicanBill]

6 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

Knowing you're in the Rochester area, I so want to know which one (don't worry, I don't expect you to tell). I used to be a frequent Starbucks regular in Greece, Gates, Irondequoit), purchasing too many drinks for my team and I! 

No worries, I live far enough away... I pass the Penfield Road store on my way to work. They build a new one with a drive through but my loyalty remains to the original one.

 

And just to get back on topic... that alarm is going to go off in a few hours for Naples! Getaway is 3 hours from port.

[AlmiranteChurruca]

On 6/17/2024 at 4:10 PM, stellarose33 said:

so no plain fish (tuna, salmon or cod ) for example? being a pescatarian is hard looking at these speciality restaurants. 

 

This is the steakhouse. For fish/seafood you have Ocean Blue and they have a choice of four plain grilled fish (salmon, sea bass, cod and tuna). I tried all four and they were all good.

[PelicanBill]

Love the bridge camera view facing the city of Naples today. Reminds me of Breakway in NYC.