Jump to content

Europe Here We Come! Vision of the Seas July 29,2019: 12 day Mediterranean/Greek Isles


mom2mybugs

Recommended Posts


Look...I'm back and didn't drown!   voom has been slow and sprint free data in Europe is really slow.  That's partly why I haven't scoped muchI have to add my exciting, exciting news!  Our pins came!!!!   Platinum here we are lol!

20190801_225950.thumb.jpg.cdbd5ee0d816d4d2297c6d39e3a198c5.jpg

We got invited to our first to tier event lol, but I don't think we can go.  We will see ..we have izumi at 630 and the event is at 745.  If we are done, we will go!  

CANNES day 2. We have spent a fortune on excursions so decided to be cheap and low key in Cannes.  We slept in and caught the tender boat after all the numbers were called.  If you want to get a tender do a royal excursion or get there early because they were still calling tender numbers after 11!  

When you have a 16 year old fashionista, you shop.  I bought some soap and we went to a million little clothing boutiques... Mads had a blast!

20190730_122341.thumb.jpg.29628e26e9cacd1d2a5717023bfdf9ae.jpg  

We walked around for a while and then hit the public beach just to the left of the port when you really by.   Madison has now experienced 2 public beaches without flinching too much. There were only a few topless today.  It was warm but not horrible and we enjoyed it.  

20190730_140535.thumb.jpg.634c09e2a43009543425fe1585c13e4f.jpg

20190730_135553.thumb.jpg.12075e11a1b763cda05680a11fce2307.jpg

20190730_140607.thumb.jpg.edd9a004097f024533989744943179a2.jpg

20190730_140618.thumb.jpg.b63c36da87dde0194018c60403b962fc.jpg

We were back on the ship by 430 to relax and get ready for chops.  

Chops service was very good.  When we mentioned Madison's vegetarianism, he offered a couple options and she chose the eggplant parmesan from Giovanni's, which she enjoyed.  Our food was very good...my steak was a bit overdone but if that's all I'm complaining about, I'm happy!!  The steak pics liked kinda gross, lol, but here are some other pics!  I apologize for all the Jane, Jeff and Madison pics but I'm trying to use this as a memory as well!!!   

20190730_185027.thumb.jpg.68089f573a661fd5a6bf0784aa250bb5.jpg

20190730_185208.thumb.jpg.e85bb541c0f3e7589a49816130448b06.jpg

20190730_190111.thumb.jpg.39663c6ef77b5491f87c9ddf7209f874.jpg

20190730_192942.thumb.jpg.3452e9e87473088b4f7742cb60075602.jpg

20190730_200814.thumb.jpg.e04f3adc97a4d4a3dfddc4e50b5e2f5b.jpg

20190730_200824.thumb.jpg.a94dcf825d5a33031caac1f03fc7e563.jpg

After dinner we headed to the show... The barrade boys are 4 theater singers who all performed at some point in Les Mis.  They did a wide selection and we enjoyed it.  Red velvet cake martini and off to bed!  

20190730_191134.thumb.jpg.dcc7aad53328c67441c41b75270a4a9e.jpg

20190730_194938.thumb.jpg.5c87a2b61559f1d07cf0f24b7e2cab8c.jpg

20190730_204250.thumb.jpg.faab7ce8b575b4f1290b86fde2ae7881.jpg

 

 

20190801_173322.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just FYI...6 seats on solarium by pool by 8am available...by 830 none.  These chairs have been empty since 8

20190802_091537.thumb.jpg.1f3c58a2964fb1a4530a540875c3d514.jpg

20190802_091556.thumb.jpg.190696d2e4421f381fe731c545169f8e.jpg

20190802_091542.thumb.jpg.ee949e7a05f4fbd066d45101400a553a.jpg

The roof has been closed at least since yesterday... Not sure why ?

20190802_091546.thumb.jpg.9bd62d14e418f1349db8f1f362130be3.jpg

Wow.. and that's my thumb.  Pics take too long to upload so my thumb is staying!  Jane 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DAY 3 FLORENCE

Florence was both amazing and frustrating.  I would have liked to find a tour that got us into the duomo, the duomo museum and the uffizi and ended up with a general tour of all the outside areas.  We probably should have done more research and gone private.  It was all a bit overwhelming.  Anyway, Florence was amazing and beautiful and a port I want to go back to on my own with more time.   The guide was very good, the bus was comfortable and we did enjoy our day.  We started with wandering...

20190731_092733.thumb.jpg.8d31faddb5332b13a9d000f251438959.jpg

20190731_101134.thumb.jpg.0070c63ac9c3888593b4cff34b2fca63.jpg

20190731_122058.thumb.jpg.ca15ec93e1c58b265a95523da5e6733a.jpg

20190731_123200.thumb.jpg.5c53415fa2038f43dbedaf281c899fbf.jpg

I was amazed at the colors on the duomo.  Unfortunately my really good pics are on my camera and I can't believe I didn't take at least one pic for everyone of the gates of paradise...ghiberti's amazing gold doors on the baptistry next to the duomo.  There have been many moments of tears of joy on this trip and seeing those doors and bruneleschi's (so not spelled rightdome were two of them.  

We then had 3 hours of free time.  It wasn't super crowded and we probably could have gotten into the uffizi but we knew the wait for the duomo was at least 1.5 hours and here is where we dithered and it kinda broke down.  But we walked around outside for a while longer, saw the Victoria's secret and Disney store less than 2 football fields away from the duomo (weird contrast of old and new) and then found an amazing cafe with wonderful Chianti classico and lasagna that melted in your mouth.  Madison had a vegetable rigatoni.  We ended that trip with gelato.  Yum....

20190731_133932.thumb.jpg.5f7cd09f76784282c8e1401085621b7d.jpg

20190731_133935.thumb.jpg.39d45e267d57f4ecff6b02d807c9bcb1.jpg

20190731_133941.thumb.jpg.c5626527f4ed7b9aabdf296055719078.jpg

20190731_132650.thumb.jpg.4711c4ed8050b0592de245dac3cdcf59.jpg

20190731_133426.thumb.jpg.a23f06fd7449e1d7cf88f3f48c65ec15.jpg

20190731_140121.thumb.jpg.7009e1320eae93a92b9289720249c700.jpg

We got back to the ship and were tired.  Nothing looked good in the main dining room so we went to the windjammer for dinner.  We relaxed and missed the first production show so we went to the second at 1015.  It was truly pretty not great.  I love the shows usually and the talent on the ship is very very young and energetic but the choice of music and staging was kind of baffling!  Oh well!  Jane

20190801_150903.jpg

20190731_122058.jpg

20190731_123707.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chair hog update!!! For the first time ever, a royal Caribbean person is marking chairs!!!!   These chairs have been vacant for almost 2 hours!  

20190802_094902.thumb.jpg.cc4a17e96ada9d4b35de80f50790ed50.jpg

Ack.... Just lost 30 mins of blogging.  Argh.........   Hit read next instead of enter.   Ok... My beautiful Rome blog is gone... Argh....   You will be happy to know they gave those chairs away!!  

Ok ..no ❤️  to redo Rome right now.  Ugh so sad.  Anyway I will give the condensed version.  We met at 7am with our first guide and then added a tour guide to give history in Rome.  Both were excellent!  Our first stop was the ancient Roman area

20190801_100620.thumb.jpg.c8c7761341a42ebe9729bcb807aaf055.jpg

20190801_101445.thumb.jpg.2e05dbb80d91503cf64a866ae14cd185.jpg

20190801_102926.thumb.jpg.4e7bbb1a69369450ec97703f5a625634.jpg

20190801_102918.thumb.jpg.2856892befe97583bc6c540a5d0c0283.jpg

It was really not very crowded and I felt really pretty safe from pickpockets.  I'd love to spend days walking around this area!  

Next we went to St Peter's in chains to see the st Peter relics and most amazingly, Michelangelo's Moses!  So incredible!  

20190801_103705.thumb.jpg.65ef35dd0bc1a3c4eb2fe9add1422699.jpg

20190801_103709.thumb.jpg.8ab6eb4e60c6ca9ccbbc6c0e5681330b.jpg

20190801_104828.thumb.jpg.418b8256c69383381ccaada71252471e.jpg

After that we went to lunch.  The cafe had 2 other tour groups but the food was pretty good and the service was efficient.  The wine... Not so great lol!  

20190801_115457.thumb.jpg.c3427449a74aad9e640ba9bfbc40f142.jpg

20190801_115500.thumb.jpg.f893d0f8414456674b20b76b4bf9ad2b.jpg

20190801_115454.thumb.jpg.816ce4ba20ee73406e7856b5e13758bc.jpg

20190801_121722.thumb.jpg.eae6cba8e0bb3665cdb2678c3d356743.jpg

20190801_123925.thumb.jpg.ed253c7a47f9e8cdfb273e2b3192628a.jpg

Madison was able to get a vegetarian salad and enjoyed the lasagna.  Then it was on to the Vatican and the Sistine chapel.  I'm not sure I can express it again (I did so well in the deleted one) but it was one of the most treasured memories of my life to look up at Michelangelo's ceiling. You could spend a whole day in the Vatican museum, but like Versailles and the Louvre, it is hard to absorb all the ceiling art, tapestries sculpture etc.  We kind of raced through that but then were able to spend 5-10 minutes I think ( I lost track of time) in the Sistine chapel.  They don't allow photos or videos there but I will remember it forever.  The art is amazing.

Next we went to St Peter's basilica to see  Michaelangelo's pieta and Bernini's alter.  So beautiful in that church and outside in St. Peter's square

20190801_143927.thumb.jpg.94a6da306daace71951f8fc73c05dbe4.jpg

20190801_144617.thumb.jpg.32eefa07f4bb17b232feecb973aed007.jpg

20190801_144621.thumb.jpg.af88ec400c6e072ef5cb8a82f7617f19.jpg

20190801_144814_029.thumb.jpg.b2f72b27dc1e9c1028684919df7660a0.jpg

20190801_144804.thumb.jpg.0e5a02bc98b003e8dc8534d4d7f648b3.jpg

20190801_150258.thumb.jpg.6ea9162d6187e0974af96f90f54dca77.jpg

20190801_150548.thumb.jpg.ca06e445e50b0e4ae271ddc5d44cf69f.jpg

20190801_150551.thumb.jpg.dfeb1ccc5893498330167e002e407d80.jpg

20190801_150859.thumb.jpg.9714fb5408eaa59adb1f04e5c7955fde.jpg

20190801_151005.thumb.jpg.55d04f99c92253247bbdc455bf49545f.jpg

20190801_150919.thumb.jpg.285283833734571b205ef0ce706ce437.jpg

We got back to citiavechia around 545.  It is interesting in the industrial port to find old Roman ruins!

20190801_173318.thumb.jpg.f4ff4d90bf3e6d6849f7d4db0f15566f.jpg

20190801_173341.thumb.jpg.72ca3c1a53aec14f8ea0924b49e3ed24.jpg

We decided while we could find stuff in mdr, we would windjammer it again for dinner American night.  I ended up eating fajitas lol!   I found red velvet cake for @Sweety

20190801_190707.thumb.jpg.43c101872ffa72823fc401d88f0ed6bd.jpg

All the cakes were yummy!

20190801_190719.thumb.jpg.6db20bd3c30b7bd131a53a7c9b1cddea.jpg

20190801_190712.thumb.jpg.f96f89bb23ca44735636493196a64f57.jpg

We finished the night with drinking blue drinks in the schooner bar... They have a pianist and violinist playing until the main piano guy comes at 945, watching the orchestra show and just relaxing.  It amazes me the people that come to shows late, flounce right up to the front row, stay for 5 mins and then leave.  Argh!  Jane

 

20190801_101627.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, ellcee said:

Felt the same way. Loving the pictures, I now need to look at mine. Loved Florence.

Florence is one we knew we'd need to go back to on a land cruise but I should have totally found a private tour.  We missed way too much :(. But Rome the tour did everything right!  These are my B team pics lol...I keep remembering at the last second to grab the phone so glad you are enjoying them!   Jane

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've never seen a Miami vice work kracken melt so fast lol!  Gotta drink faster!20190802_155807.thumb.jpg.6ba802692bf4b326d2810148b86a6c00.jpg

We are sailing in btw sicily and Italy I believe right now.  If I were a good blogger like @twangster I would get pics from the front of the boat, but that involves moving from my very carefully guarded solarium chair lol!

20190802_155926.thumb.jpg.c46abf73056f8cbacef3dde40fab60b7.jpg

20190802_155953.thumb.jpg.c9e109019a4771aae87e62b7e2091f15.jpg

Random thoughts... @Joe01 I do like Steve as a cruise director and I think the thriller dance thing is unique!  Fun!  

Vision has not really felt crowded.  Solarium has chair hogs...I will check the pool and Sun deck tomorrow.  There are big table/sitting couches in schooner so a little trickier to sit as a couple but we have managed.  We haven't spent a ton of time there... Pacing it til the end.  It's nice to realize this is day 5 and I have a whole 7 day cruise ahead lol.  Gonna be devastated in dry dock till March (and maybe later if we go for GB next summer).  

Main dining room was excellent day 1 but to be honest the selections day 3 and 4 were kinda meh and we decided to windjammer. I think for us the balance of 4 night PKG, one night chefs table, and 7 nights combo of mdr/windjammer will be a really good one for us.  UDP can work on a bigger ship but if we do that, we will build in the lost cost of simply not doing a big restaurant every night.  It would be totally wasted on vision class for sure.  

@Lovetocruise2002  @Matt the key port boarding thing is way wasted on the little ships. We've never waited in line and really we've never had an issue on the bigger ships either.  I think they are adding things trying to justify the 19.99 a day and for myself as a cruiser I could never justify it.  ESPECIALLY on the smaller ships!!!

Ok... My sun has left my solarium so I'm heading to sky deck!!! Jane

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, mom2mybugs said:

 

 the key port boarding thing is way wasted on the little ships. We've never waited in line and really we've never had an issue on the bigger ships either.  I think they are adding things trying to justify the 19.99 a day and for myself as a cruiser I could never justify it.  ESPECIALLY on the smaller ships!!!

This is why I don't agree with people that get upset about the key and think it's stealing benefits from loyal cruisers.  Royal has found a new revenue stream with little impact to existing cruisers.  That will keep cruise fares low for all us.  I have no problem with that.

Sounds like you are having a great cruise!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the key , small ships and boarding. As other said I think 90 of the times we never experienced a queue to come back to the ship that was more than 5 minutes . Small ships tend to have more tendering ports in that case the key might be helpful as long as there is visible signs how to bypass the queue or even separate tendering exit. But if you have only one or two ports which has tendering I find it cheaper just to book a cheap shore excursion ... Just make sure you tell your guide you are not going to join (if this is what you are planning to do) . For example there are many 1 hour walking tour near the port.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Did you try the Lavender Tonic yet??  Schooner bar does make it. I asked ?. Looks like you are all having a great time!

The guy said they didn't have lavender syrup so they made me a rose one.  I am going to reask just to see if they were clueless.  The one waitress was a little confused for example when I asked for at. Germaine and champagne...my drink ended up red and had a cherry in it!  Jane

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, twangster said:

This is why I don't agree with people that get upset about the key and think it's stealing benefits from loyal cruisers.  Royal has found a new revenue stream with little impact to existing cruisers.  That will keep cruise fares low for all us.  I have no problem with that.

Sounds like you are having a great cruise!

I totally agree... No impact on me at all!  We are having a great cruise!!!   Trip of a lifetime though I miss my puppies at home (not so much the other 2 kids lol). Jane

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, DDaley said:

Loving all the pictures!! I am suddenly remembering tiny details about the Pieta and the Sistine ceiling from my years of memorizing art history test note cards. Brunelleschi's dome was buttress-free which was unheard of! haha 

Also, you have so many great summer dresses!  ?

Lol... Thank you!!   I'm not a shorts person so I wear all Target, lands end and now Zulily dresses!    The weather has been absolutely wonderful... Way less hot than the last couple weeks!!  Really hoping we don't broil in Athens!  

I took an art history class my sophomore year of college and it was amazing... It made me dream of seeing all of this!  You are right... He built the dinner with the bricks angled a different way that was revolutionary and could support weight differently than the old Gothic Churchs.  Ahhh...I need to go back already!  Jane

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Traveler said:

If you have the chance  try the food and the ice cream in the south parts of Italy they are excellent . Also remember in Italy as you go south the food and drink price goes down. 

We actually had no time to eat in Rome... Except at the "group"restaurant.  I didn't even get pizza lol.  But the Florence meal will go down as the best lasagna ever!  We now are on sea days heading for Greece!  Jane

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Bmederson said:

Loving your blog as a Mediterranean cruise is on my bucket list and I have wondered how it would go with teens. Do go back to Florence on a land trip-my husband and I spent a week there in June and even with summer crowds, it was one of my favorite places I’ve visited.

I really haven't found the crowds to be horrible.   There wasn't a line outside the uffizi... Well the line outside the duomo was bad but still overall we haven't felt like sardines yet.  Jane

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's office view!! It's our 2nd sea day!

20190803_093051.thumb.jpg.a23c8d6d08199b368fad41d01a40ab7e.jpg

So yesterday the sea day was wonderful.  Spent the day in the solarium being annoyed by the group of 10 who kept those chairs all day even though they had maybe 3 or 4 there at a time.  Sigh... Anyway decided to do the sky deck today... Less stress!  And I think a little more breeze, though they opened the roof and that made a huge difference at 1130am.  

I did do the first thriller class.  I really like Steve Davis and I'm not really a cruise director person who notices.  But Steve is everywhere (he was the main singer at the centrum rock and roll party last night) and he just really seems friendly.  So anyway I will be back at 1 for class number 2.  Here was the party from 1 deck above... We didn't get seats on the main floor because we went to the theater show first.

20190802_221158.thumb.jpg.a11657f06c060de8d9f906aef07a3c79.jpg

20190802_221332.thumb.jpg.c203f5b24be5cbf9e7a6693bdc72faec.jpg

We had izumi at 630.  They have Madison several options and she went with the vegetable tempura and the veggie roll, and loved both.  Jeff and I ate the firecracker spring roll,  champagne lobster and California rolls and the hot rocks with tenderloin and seafood.  It was really good.  I found the service to be just ok... It wasn't bad but he didn't really explain anything, and we had to ask for more water and drinks.  The $35 per person worked because Madison didn't eat much... Otherwise we'd have gone over.  As was I think we spent 5.  I needed Jeff to go make a pizza run at 1am lol...I was hungry... But the food really was excellent.  Forgot to take pics of the rolls (as usual) but here are other pics

20190802_190739.thumb.jpg.44047017ca8d16877264707cd228f54f.jpg

20190802_191130.thumb.jpg.5d6a8a234c97f1e58bdc4b0be6dbd5f2.jpg

20190802_191134.thumb.jpg.bb83c2e6cdf04824cafed1b10e2dbb47.jpg

20190802_194532.thumb.jpg.f30f1b578bd106185d9a21a2cb64990e.jpg

20190802_194548.thumb.jpg.76454834cba9d7c49005f4341a896c90.jpg

After izumi, as I said, we went to the theater for the Lomax brothers...4 hands, 2 brothers, 1 piano.  It was a fun show and we enjoyed it.  I'm pretty sure I have seen them before but not sure when or which ship!  After that we raced to centrum for the rock and roll party and then called it a night... Til I sent Jeff to grab me park Cafe pizza! Jane

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok... May be no Scopes... Pool deck and voom... Actually voom anywhere... Is weak.  I can get online, I can check email, I can upload pics here but I can't download my next Disney emoji blitz level (arrrrghhhh) and I can't get pericope to find the internet.  

 Today's schedule is sunbake, thriller class, sunbake and then chefs table.  We will try and hit love and marriage at 1030 if I can stagger from the food and ? coma, but we will miss the theater show tonight, which is ok because it's just a Celine Dion impersonator and I think I've seen her before too.  

Just FYI... Most announcements have been in English and Spanish.  Definitely all the staff speaks English (except the poor Russian drink waitress) and it's been easy to communicate.  They are running the love and marriage in English but offering it at the same time in Spanish in the some enchanted evening lounge.  

Deck chairs at 10... Mostly taken on the sky deck but not occupied.  Of course, I still haven't seen Jeff lol....

They pushed us ahead 1 hour today to match with Greek time and will push the clock back on our way back.  That made last night tiring but will be awesome when they give it back!   

Happy weekend everyone!!!  Jane

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, mom2mybugs said:

Most announcements have been in English and Spanish. 

Did they do that for Muster also? When we sailed out of Puerto Rico on Adventure everyone had to stand outside in the oppressive heat and humidity for two full presentations-1 in English and 1 in Spanish. There was  LOT of multilingual complaining!

7 hours ago, mom2mybugs said:

Celine Dion impersonator and I think I've seen her before too.  

We saw one on a royal ship that looked NOTHING like Celine at all, but if you closed your eyes, she was PERFECT.

Loving your blog. Keep it coming.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, Skid said:

Did they do that for Muster also? When we sailed out of Puerto Rico on Adventure everyone had to stand outside in the oppressive heat and humidity for two full presentations-1 in English and 1 in Spanish. There was  LOT of multilingual complaining!

We saw one on a royal ship that looked NOTHING like Celine at all, but if you closed your eyes, she was PERFECT.

Loving your blog. Keep it coming.

 

Yes muster was in both!  Ugh!  Jane

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So yesterday was pretty quiet with the sea day until chefs table.  Chefs table on vision is in its own separate little room off the main dining room.  It was a nice location... Windows to look outside and you could actually hear people and converse!  

20190803_191702.thumb.jpg.f5d3b66c2f6557bb076c640c15839e62.jpg

20190803_191341.thumb.jpg.ec9586d5d3f780b55ce5ae034a2b4bcf.jpg

20190803_191031.thumb.jpg.978578648e63b70f266f0eb3186d6c81.jpg

20190803_191038.thumb.jpg.c3b8fc2bc8f42b8f0edabf09ed33e277.jpg

We started off in the that with a fantastic drink L'aristocrat.  It's st Germaine and Champaign like I've been drinking but also had mint and ?.  

20190803_190037.thumb.jpg.0dc2ceed570f2cb5a31517aa9d338a35.jpg

I have lots of food porn pics, but suffice to say the food and wine was very very good.  The dessert was disappointing... It wasn't really the traditional world dessert... They served it on a plate and it was good but not the same.  

20190803_224445.thumb.jpg.8f4ae3e66be93c39d0a8b33fb534b493.jpg

By then i had had waaaay too much wine anyway to really eat it.  Overall we really enjoyed it, and the sommelier picked excellent wine pairings.  Unfortunately the pacing was really weird... The wines were poured significantly before the food came... And the chef was very very uncomfortable talking to us.  Even though it was the same menu we'd had before, it was good to see the different pairings and the subtle flavor differences.  Jane

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today...DAY 7...dream day of the trip again because today was Athens.  The port is very close (unlike the Italy ports) so that was nice.  The Acropolis was very crowded on the stairs but we were given lots of time to look (it did take over 20 mins to get down though because of all the people).  A few weeks ago they actually closed it because the temps were over 105.  Today was in the 90s but we brought lots of water!  

20190804_095216.thumb.jpg.cd35f80d225562b385af79834af83263.jpg

20190804_093517.thumb.jpg.5a6309404815b0f1bcbfadda2d8eced3.jpg

20190804_100642.thumb.jpg.c008c61b68ee4403bccc1c9fde889723.jpg

20190804_102026.thumb.jpg.75e308608e63a3df7496d4cab4b0abf6.jpg

20190804_101555.thumb.jpg.32e24254f92b5184a5a2f3af8f356f7b.jpg

20190804_095641.thumb.jpg.7dfac6f858f902bbcaa3fc17c456b4bd.jpg

The ruins are so enormous that it helps to see people next to them for scale.  After the Acropolis we were given free time to wander the narrow streets of places.  I find that I enjoy going to the local restaurants but that we get bored pretty quick shopping.  Anyway we found a great Cafe and ate outside!  

20190804_113633.thumb.jpg.a0b41247cbbd1fb16dbbe25c966f356b.jpg

20190804_115105.thumb.jpg.c94a009a2487f1f2aa17f4e4346dc20b.jpg

20190804_115112.thumb.jpg.5904d6240f052644da88bb55d423ab03.jpg

20190804_115119.thumb.jpg.79fc6aadf785268ceb0494aba371569e.jpg

20190804_113758.thumb.jpg.8858aa6d6b5a4bf440ba3a944a0cc46e.jpg

20190804_125204.thumb.jpg.b46bdc304d90c110c201adfe71341658.jpg

20190804_125216.thumb.jpg.f69570181eb8ab5a1217462c713a0034.jpg

We wandered placa and then finished up at Hadrian's arch.  It was cool to see the Acropolis through the arch!  

20190804_125250.thumb.jpg.6cf2b186d294fb2f72a8cd27b3d423b0.jpg

20190804_130233.thumb.jpg.4ba260ea1215ad6b0192731d33f1df3b.jpg

20190804_130237.thumb.jpg.1ef3aac65aa3061013706dd0610cf7b3.jpg

20190804_133620.thumb.jpg.25ce64c459ae14ae4795bb8cdc1374d1.jpg

20190804_133748.thumb.jpg.172c465b30f3f3a1105fa3d4268bf5bc.jpg

We were back on the ship by 3 and have been laying around in the AC pondering naps.  After last night, I'm not inclined to run around using my drink pkg lol!  No dinner plans for tonight...we will look to see what's up in the main dining room and then likely hit windjammer.  No big shows tonight so we will likely go to bed early.  Tomorrow is Mykenos... We have to meet at 645 for our excursion to ancient Delos!  Jane

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, ellcee said:

It would be great if they changed the menu soon. I loved what I ate and drank but don't feel the need to do it again until the menu is changed!

I agree...we have done chefs table 3 times and this was the first time we repeated a menu.  I would actually like it if they would make it individual... Let the chefs pick their own menu and run with it.  Jane

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, mom2mybugs said:

  I would actually like it if they would make it individual... Let the chefs pick their own menu and run with it.  Jane

With the diverse menus on board, considering all the different restaurants and cuisines, they would be more than enough ingredients to make a really great and interesting menu. I'm sure the chefs would enjoy the creativity process involved, since I'm sure they just follow corporate recipes and procedures now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, mom2mybugs said:

Today...DAY 7...dream day of the trip again because today was Athens.  The port is very close (unlike the Italy ports) so that was nice.  The Acropolis was very crowded on the stairs but we were given lots of time to look (it did take over 20 mins to get down though because of all the people).  A few weeks ago they actually closed it because the temps were over 105.  Today was in the 90s but we brought lots of water!  

20190804_095216.thumb.jpg.cd35f80d225562b385af79834af83263.jpg

20190804_093517.thumb.jpg.5a6309404815b0f1bcbfadda2d8eced3.jpg

20190804_100642.thumb.jpg.c008c61b68ee4403bccc1c9fde889723.jpg

20190804_102026.thumb.jpg.75e308608e63a3df7496d4cab4b0abf6.jpg

20190804_101555.thumb.jpg.32e24254f92b5184a5a2f3af8f356f7b.jpg

20190804_095641.thumb.jpg.7dfac6f858f902bbcaa3fc17c456b4bd.jpg

The ruins are so enormous that it helps to see people next to them for scale.  After the Acropolis we were given free time to wander the narrow streets of places.  I find that I enjoy going to the local restaurants but that we get bored pretty quick shopping.  Anyway we found a great Cafe and ate outside!  

20190804_113633.thumb.jpg.a0b41247cbbd1fb16dbbe25c966f356b.jpg

20190804_115105.thumb.jpg.c94a009a2487f1f2aa17f4e4346dc20b.jpg

20190804_115112.thumb.jpg.5904d6240f052644da88bb55d423ab03.jpg

20190804_115119.thumb.jpg.79fc6aadf785268ceb0494aba371569e.jpg

20190804_113758.thumb.jpg.8858aa6d6b5a4bf440ba3a944a0cc46e.jpg

20190804_125204.thumb.jpg.b46bdc304d90c110c201adfe71341658.jpg

20190804_125216.thumb.jpg.f69570181eb8ab5a1217462c713a0034.jpg

We wandered placa and then finished up at Hadrian's arch.  It was cool to see the Acropolis through the arch!  

20190804_125250.thumb.jpg.6cf2b186d294fb2f72a8cd27b3d423b0.jpg

20190804_130233.thumb.jpg.4ba260ea1215ad6b0192731d33f1df3b.jpg

20190804_130237.thumb.jpg.1ef3aac65aa3061013706dd0610cf7b3.jpg

20190804_133620.thumb.jpg.25ce64c459ae14ae4795bb8cdc1374d1.jpg

20190804_133748.thumb.jpg.172c465b30f3f3a1105fa3d4268bf5bc.jpg

We were back on the ship by 3 and have been laying around in the AC pondering naps.  After last night, I'm not inclined to run around using my drink pkg lol!  No dinner plans for tonight...we will look to see what's up in the main dining room and then likely hit windjammer.  No big shows tonight so we will likely go to bed early.  Tomorrow is Mykenos... We have to meet at 645 for our excursion to ancient Delos!  Jane

Your pictures from Athens look fantastic! Can't wait to see those sights with our own eyes next Oct.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Jane, you're so bronze !!  I am envious.  I have talcum-white skin that NEVER tans.  Good for you !!

My skin is gonna age badly but being in the sun on sea days is mental therapy for me.   I am in my happy place!  Although yesterday even got too hot for me lol!  Jane

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, mom2mybugs said:

I agree...we have done chefs table 3 times and this was the first time we repeated a menu.  I would actually like it if they would make it individual... Let the chefs pick their own menu and run with it.  Jane

 

18 hours ago, FManke said:

With the diverse menus on board, considering all the different restaurants and cuisines, they would be more than enough ingredients to make a really great and interesting menu. I'm sure the chefs would enjoy the creativity process involved, since I'm sure they just follow corporate recipes and procedures now.

Perhaps everyone who enjoys doing Chef's table should start suggesting this on their end-of-cruise surveys. It seems to me that Chef's table should be exactly that: Chef's table and not corporate table. After all, these are all qualified chefs; I'm sure if corporate just gave them a budget they'd be more than happy to give free rein to their creativity. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Jane, you're so bronze !!  I am envious.  I have talcum-white skin that NEVER tans.  Good for you !!

 

17 hours ago, Skid said:

@WAAAYTOOO I feel your pain. @mom2mybugs, I am also envious. My MIL, rest her soul, used to call me Casper the Ghost.

Haha, this is me too. DH always says that if he loses track of me on the beach he just needs to look for the whitest person in sight and that'll be me. ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/16/2019 at 1:38 PM, mom2mybugs said:

 

Aug 1  Rome (again...not actually rome but far out).  We did a tour that will get us into the vatican museum and st. peters and I will see the Sistine chapel along with a gazillion of my close personal friends.  It will be packed.  I will be heartbroken if things are too crowded or the pope closes something, but again, I'm telling myself nothing is a have to...I will be back!!!  We will drive past the coliseum, but i traded that entry for the religious art!

 

I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed reading your blog, Jane!!!  Your pics, your information, your comments make me feel a little part of your journey!  We hope to someday soon go on a cruise that covers this exact same itinerary!!!  I was hoping to get the name of your awesome Royal ship/shore excursion that your family did in Rome!  It sure seemed very in depth and covered so very much in just one day.  Could you please let me know the name and # of that shore excursion for future reference!  I'm so glad that a Pope/showing did not slow you down with such a limited about of time including the travel back and forth to the port.  Thanks again for the awesome "blog journey" sort of....  Michelle

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...