Got2Cruise

It was our second time visiting the Venice area and we loved it as much as the first time. Simply magical. Just soaking up the ambiance and beauty.

Yes we did Torcello. That was a hidden gem. A place I never knew I wanted to visit, but blessed that we did.

Yes. In Milan. Leonardo’s Last Supper is in an unassuming Convent The viewing is run unbelievably well Your ticket is for 15 minutes only Only 50 persons at a time is allowed in, and controlled by locking glass doors. The room contains 2 wall sized paintings on opposite ends This is the painting on the opposite wall as The Last Supper. This is the unassuming convent where The Last Supper is kept. There is no line, or crowds. Timed tickets that is run precisely.

That’s not true. Ama had extra excursions when I went— for example the concert in Vienna and Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna. That’s why checking the itinerary is so important.

Hi. I’ve done both Uniworld and Amawaterways. I’ll try to help. First, is there a specific itinerary you are looking at? Once you have it narrowed down look very closely at the INCLUDED excursions. They are not exactly the same. Next, understand that Uniworld is all inclusive. So, any alcoholic beverage you wish is included all day. Also almost all gratuities are included with Uniworld. Amawaterways is additional. So crunch the numbers. The food and wine in the restaurants similar. Amawaterways also includes a Chef’s Tasting Restaurant. We have found the service basically the same with both brands. Is there a reason you have not considered Tauck? They are considered top notch and the pricing reflects that. If one wants to save some money look for flash sales for the weeks that are not selling as quickly as other weeks.

We’ve been to Venice also. The cruise is a different experience. Relaxing on the ship and socializing is part of the experience. Also just showing up and having all these special tours was great also. When coupled with Milan, it’s a wonderful “Northern Italian” vacation. We met a few couples who spent a couple of days in Lake Como before joining us in Milan. You could also go from Milan to the Swiss Alps by train for the day. I wanted to do that, but I couldn’t be away that long due to other obligations.

This was our 2nd time to Venice. The first time was an independent precruise stay before an Adriatic Sea Cruise. There are pros and cons of the cruise vs a hotel on the canal. You are 100% immersed in Venetian culture if you stay in the hotel. The cruise is more relaxing and you get the cruising atmosphere of lounging and making new friends between excursions. And yes watch the Stanley Tucci episode from Venice! I love the Rialto area of Venice. Lots of little lanes with shops and not all touristy.

I hope you can see the videos. I have a bunch more but don’t want to bore everyone. Plus I take them with my iPhone I don’t pretend to be a videographer. Lol. Here’s one I didn’t post. Let me know if you can see it. IMG_4524.mov

Just returned from a Cruise on Uniworld around the Venice Lagoon. Similar excursions can easily be booked thru TripAdvisor or Viator. 1. After-hours small group tour of Saint Marks. Simply amazing. It includes closeup views of the golden altar and the original crypt. iPhone photos can’t capture the full experience. 2. Take the vaporetto to Burano. Simply beautiful.

No question EWR to get to Cape Liberty. Please consider coming in day before. As mentioned lots of cancellations this summer at the NYC airports.

Back home! Both Milan Airport and Venice Airport are a pleasure. So here are the pics from Milan. I have to say we loved everything about Milan. We arrived a day early so I booked 2 tours myself. The Duomo Rooftop tour and LaScala Opera House tour, so when you see the pics know that those are not part of the Uniworld extension. Also Lake Como was additional fee, but worth every penny. Again a private boat just for the Uniworld pax.

IMG_7540.mov LaVenizia has a pizza restaurant Cirelo’s with its own pizza maker. Yummy

Day 7 pm we walked around the area by San Basilio where the ship is docked. Plenty to see.

Day 7 Do As The Locals Do Rialto Fish Market and local “cichetto and umbra” at a restaurant. Transportation to and from ship by local water taxi. We started with a trip to the market with the ship’s chef to choose ingredients for todays meal.

Day 6 Catajo Castle, a villa in the hills. No indoor photography allowed but the inside had amazing frescos on each wall. Then we cruised back to Venice for our last full day, Saturday. IMG_7577.mov

Day 5 Chioggia After lunch we selected the excursion to the wine estate in the countryside.

The Azamara ship is in Chioggia today also. Compare sizes😆

Day 4 - a short boat ride to the Island of Torcello before it is open to the public. What a lovely surprise. Torcello is known as the birthplace of Venetian civilization. The cathedral circa 625 AD has amazing mosaics. No photos allowed inside but perhaps Google it. It was amazing especially considering it’s age. After the cathedral a stop at a beautiful restaurant for coffee and biscotti. Another restaurant on the island, Cipriani’s is where Ernest Hemingway used to hang out. I’m so glad we were given the opportunity to visit Torcello, it was a lovely respite.

Day 3 pm and Day 4 we spent time in Burano. Loved Loved Loved. A picture postcard come to life.

Day 3 am Vicenza or Padua was the choice. We chose Vicenza which we enjoyed very much. Authentic Italian city but nice and quiet. The highlight was Teatro Olimpico a working theater since 1500’s.

It was beyond expectations. The guide was excellent almost a historian. To be able to sit there would have been enough. But to be able to see the Golden Altar close up was a wowza.

I actually stayed at the Doubletree Stone Street. The location is excellent. If the price is less expensive than the other choices it’s good. The only issue is that the elevators are terrible. You sometimes have to wait longer than you want.

At 6:30 pm a smaller daytripper type boat picked us all up to ferry across the canal to St Marks Basilica for a private entrance for the Uniworld pax only. Amazing once in a lifetime experience. We were able to view the original crypt and also the golden altar encrusted with jewels.