cruisemom42

Sherry, enjoy your cruise & rest up for your eventful summer! (Your DH is clearly no dummy.... 🤣)

I got a new mattress/box spring and then (like you) I returned it. Second round I got a Saatva mattress that gets raves, but I'm only somewhat satisfied with it. I wish I could've just duplicated my old set!! I wouldn't have replaced mine at all except that one of the springs had un-sprung and without exception I always seemed to manage to turn over onto it and have it poke me in the side!

Really a fabulous site. Even for those not as interested in the ancient world, the extent and construction is amazing. And when it was first rediscovered in the Renaissance, both Michelangelo and Raphael visited the site (having to be lowered down on ropes!) and were hugely influenced by the remaining frescoes. The buried pleasure palace loved by Michelangelo and Raphael | art | Agenda | Phaidon

We're expecting stormy weather here today -- it's as dark right now as it usually is around 6am! One fun thing at my new digs is that I get a more panoramic view of any weather around the area.... I have a furniture delivery tomorrow (new headboard), then I plan to run errands and maybe get to Trader Joe's (haven't been in a while) -- I need a few basic items for my pantry as I never fully restocked after the move. I agree with @slidergirl that their marinara sauce is worth keeping a couple of jars on hand, among many other things....

Seems like a question only you can answer. If the volcano is what you most want to see, isn't it worth the extra 2 hours? It wouldn't be for me -- but on the other hand if it was a Roman ruin that I wanted to see, the extra two hours would mean nothing to me.

Yes. Just flew back from LHR to US last Sunday. The email test result on my phone was fine, I did not need a printed version. Don't forget you also have to complete an "Attestation Form" (each airline seems to have their own link but I think the form is the same) when flying back to the US. https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/pdf/ATTACHMENT-A-COMBINED-PASSENGER-DISCLOSURE-AND-ATTESTATION-4-4-2022-p.pdf

I'm not sure a tour guide in Venice is really needed... The ticket to the Doge's Palace, for example, can be purchased with a tour. St. Marks in busy season is unfortunately usually a quick shuffle in, around, and out and I don't think they let guides give spiels inside. Taking the vaporetto to Murano and Burano is quite easy to do on your own and the places themselves are fairly small. I'd agree with the thought of getting a guide like Rick Steves or similar and just seeing the sites on your own.

Siracusa is a wonderful stop. There are a number of ancient ruins to see in and around the area, see here: Syracuse Archaeological Site - History and Facts | History Hit And the lovely town of Ortygia is a very charming place to wander and enjoy a delicious meal or coffee and cannoli. You'll also find a couple of ancient temples near the town, including one that's been totally encased by a later church. This gives you an idea of the place: How To Spend A Day In Siracusa, Sicily (azamara.com)

Seems all the cruise lines are "washing their hands" (nice expression) of COVID as soon as they possibly can. Celebrity is not offering testing at the end of their cruises even in Europe -- although at least at Southampton last week they were letting you buy a test at the port. But in other ports not so much.... They are also being very cagey about quarantine procedures and about how much COVID is actually onboard. While I enjoyed my cruise, I found the evasiveness very off-putting. And people wonder why regulatory authorities don't trust the cruise lines to regulate themselves. 😳

If all goes to plan, I'll be in Rome in late November/early December, following a stint in Naples. My usual cycle of visiting what's new (archaeologically speaking) in both places.

You don't mention the age of your child. But if, like most children, they rely on the internet (social media, entertainment, perhaps home schooling), keep in mind that on a world cruise there will be long periods where the ship probably will have poor reception/connectivity.

Here's the link to the roll call for your Apex cruise:

Most of these so-called solo options are so few that my take is that the cruise lines' intention is primarily to be able to tell the solo-sailing potential passenger base that yes, they do offer something that is solo-friendly. Rather than offer a significant number of such cabins. On some ships, like Silhouette, they are retrofitting a very few solo cabins into small, oddly shaped spaces; I'm not sure they could even fit two bunks in some of these.

Last season they tended to re-run the previous week's episode right before the new one.

Again, it depends on the type of cruise. On a TA cruise then definitely. On the other hand, on the Med cruises that I tend to book annually the average time in port is 12 hours and on a 12-14 day cruise you're likely to only have perhaps 2 sea days. Assuming you spend 8 hours sleeping (in which case the ship doesn't really matter unless the bed is terrible for some reason), that doesn't leave a lot of time onboard to enjoy the decor, service, food, etc.

The price differential.

The problem is going to be finding someone with recent experience. I researched hamams a few years ago -- I was more interested in getting inside some of the classic, architecturally beautiful hamams in Istanbul than in the actual bathing experience. If that's what you're interested in, Istanbul would be the better bet -- but do keep in mind that the men's baths have the most beautiful architecture and decoration, the women's are a bit of a disappointment in comparison. Kusadasi used to have a hamam in town that was touted as a "real" experience but reviews were mixed. This was pre-Covid, not sure if they survived (or possibly improved). Some of the deluxe tourist hotels along the beach also advertise "hamam" experiences but they are more like a spa than the real, traditional thing. Perhaps if you post your question on TripAdvisor, you'll get more recent info. The Istanbul board in particular used to have some very good contributors, locals and frequent visitors.

Have a wonderful, wonderful trip -- two of my absolute favorite locations are London and Rome.

As stated in the first post, the green pass is no longer required. 🙂

There are good options for getting to Athens on your own, you don't need to depend on the cruise line. There is an express bus from the main port entrance to a drop-off point close to the Acropolis and there is also a HO-HO bus option that takes longer and has more stops in between. In the morning, trust me, you want to get into Athens ASAP before it gets too hot and too crowded at the Acropolis. At Chania there is also a local bus that operates when cruises are in port at Souda to get you to Chania. Fairly inexpensive, maybe 2-3 euros per person each way.

You're right, and I tend to overlook that because I so rarely book those Caribbean itineraries.

You're just skirting the issue.

It's not necessarily that the ship doesn't matter -- but the reality is that it is often so far down on my list of priorities that in actuality it "doesn't matter" because there is no equivalent choice to be made. Itinerary will always win out over ship -- for me. Heck, I had an O cruise booked that went to Iceland/Greenland and then ditched it for a better itinerary on a line that I once swore I'd never cruise on again -- NCL -- because their itinerary was closer to my "ideal".

First be sure to spend AT LEAST 2 days in Rome before your cruise; 3 days is better. There is a lot of discussion and recommendations on the various Ports of Call boards (Mediterranean for some of your ports and Middle East for Israel....) I would recommend visiting the Acropolis, Greek Forum and Acropolis Museum at a minimum in Athens. Most of the historic sites are very close to each other, clustered around the Acropolis. Easy to get to on your own if desired. The port for Ephesus is Kusadasi. What you must see are the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus. You will be amazed. Private tours are fine and less $$ than ship tours. From Katakolon (the port for Olympia) most people choose to visit the ancient site of Olympia, home of the original and best known athletic competition of ancient Greece. You can still see some of the temples built there as well as the original stadium (you can even put your feet in the starting blocks). With two stops in Israel you have some choices based on what appeals to you -- Christian or Jewish history, Roman history, archaeology, etc. I would spend at least most of one day in Jerusalem seeing some of the many sights there. On the second day (from Haifa) there are a lot of choices: Caesarea, Akko, Sea of Galilee, etc. Limassol -- my choice would be to head to Paphos but there are other sites closer to Limassol worth visiting too. Just don't stay IN Limassol, it's probably the LEAST attractive place in Cyprus!

It was posted on this board recently by a local (see posts #14 and #24):