LIVE From the Ruby Princess - Our European Adventure - July 4th to 16th

[Woobstr112G]

Day 11 – Livorno/Florence

 

My good friends in Cruise Critic-Land, you have been witness to a transformation; a Renaissance, of sorts. It is fitting that I write of this after spending a day in beautiful Florence, Italy….the home of Renaissance Art and Culture. My understanding of the term Renaissance is change, more or less. It is out with the old, and in with the new. It is seeing things from a more informed and educated perspective. It is represented in Art through the works of the Renaissance Masters, many of which we saw today. Historically, it was a time of change from the Classical to something more informed….more applicable.

 

Kim and I are also experiencing a Renaissance of sorts. Over the last 10 days, we have certainly had our eyes opened in so very many ways. From the ruins of Ephesus and the Acropolis, to the carefree attitude of Mykonos, to the beautiful and varied country of Italy, we have seen the world from a different perspective. We, too, are changing. From the fearful travelers, to the confident explorer, we are more in tune with what we seek, and we bring with us a sense of direction and self-reliance that will send us home as better people.

 

Oh yea….and a little bit fatter. lol.

 

Our day began with that damn phone calling me to wake up. I wish Princess offered a service where, on the last day of the cruise, you could throw the phone over your balcony and watch it sink into the sea. (Sorry, but on this trip, waking up is hard to do.) Oh how I miss my snooze button. We, yet again, had some tea, coffee, croissants and fruit brought up to the room for us, and were down with the rest of the cattle in the Explorer’s Lounge. This time, though, it would be different. Muahahaha! Today we were going to be free from the little headset thingies….free from the waving signs….free from the lunch seating for 40. Kim had booked ticket’s for the Uffizi Gallery at 10:30 AM, and the Academie to see David at 3:30PM.

 

I slept the way into Florence, which is about a 90 minute drive by bus. We arrived in town at around 10:00. Our guide (AKA the crappiest guide in the history of guiding) then took us for a walk to where we would meet later on. By the way, we had signed up for Florence on Your Own, which, to us, meant that we would get a drive into Florence, and explore on our own. As we walked into the main shopping square, she took us all into a leather store. We asked where we would meet later, as we had to get going to the Art Gallery for our allotted entry time. She told us she would tell us all in a minute. As we walked into this leather store, a lady there was all ready with a leather demonstration! Now to me, a proper leather demonstration would certainly begin with a live cow, but apparently she wanted to demonstrate something. We finally got it out of the guide that we would, again, meet back as a group in this leather store. It was then we decided that, although we were planning to buy some leather today, we were certainly not going to buy it here. She also told us, now that it was 10:20, that we would be leaving at 3:15 PM. Now, when Kim booked our tickets, all that we knew was that we would be docking at 7 AM and departing the port at 7 PM. When asked why we were leaving at 3:15, she just told us that was how long the tour was. It was very disappointing, as it meant that we wouldn’t be able to go see the Statue of David. Oh well.

 

We left the leather shop and started walking towards the Gallery. It was quite easy to find, and we got in quite quickly. After walking up to the top floor, we began moving through the gallery. Now, to be honest, Renaissance Art is not amongst my favorite. I am more of a fan of art after 1800. Kim, however, really loves this art. We wandered through the gallery, which was really quite impressive, for about 2 hours. The Caravaggio exhibit was very good. We are more or less sculptured out at this point, so we just focused on the painting, which we both love.

 

After the gallery, we were hungry. We love the challenge of finding the perfect meal, and have had great success thus far, when we’ve been on our own. We wandered around for awhile, crossing over the Ponte Vecchio Bridge, which was absolutely packed. We headed off the beaten path and found what looked like a great spot for lunch. We walked down a couple flights of stairs, and took a seat. As we looked through the menu, in came the tour group. There had to be 40 teenagers in the group. Now the restaurant itself was very small. Not for us. We apologized to the waiter, and resumed our search.

 

We eventually found an outside patio restaurant, overlooking a small square. We sat and enjoyed a wonderful lunch. Kim had a pasta that was stuffed with fresh pear in a cream sauce that was incredible. We sat and watched the people passing through the square for a couple hours. We were able to give our tickets to the Academie away, as we asked a nice couple from China if they could use them. They told us they had tried to make a reservation there and failed, and would love the tickets. We were happy to see they would be used.

 

After lunch, we continued to walk around the streets of Florence, slowly making our way back to the meeting point, as it was now 2:30. Kim ended up buying a beautiful leather coat from one of the hundreds of leather stores we saw.

 

Florence is a beautiful city….clean and warm. It reminded me of Venice, somewhat, minus the canals. While it is wonderful to walk, there certainly is some separation of the many things to see. If we were interested in seeing more of the sights, rather than soaking up the city, I think we would have opted for the double decker bus pass (30 Euro each), and moved around at our leisure as well. The only way I would choose a Princess Full Tour here is if we wanted to include Pisa as well, which was not high on our list.

 

As we returned to the leather shop at 3:10, the tour guide angrily told us she was waiting for us to arrive! WHAT WAS THE RUSH!!!!!! She then proceeded to wave her sign and start walking briskly to the bus. Now, none of us knew where the bus was going to be, yet she seemed to be practicing for her power walking race. About ten of us couldn’t keep up, including one lady who was probably around 80, who was walking with the great assistance of a cane. The bus was parked about a kilometer away, but she was gone while Kim and I and a few other good people walked with the woman with the cane. We tried to keep an eye on where she was going, but she turned a corner way up ahead. It was brutal that she had to take us to her Leather Store to meet, while many of the other groups were just told where the bus would be. We finally found the bus, with our fearless guide waving her little sign in the distance, at around 3:40. She, again, laid into us for being slow, while we tried to explain to her that we were trying to help the old lady with the cane. It is safe to say that idiocy can be universal.

 

I slept again on the way back, and we arrived back at the boat at 5:15. To give you an idea, we have just put out to sea as I write this, sitting on my balcony in the sun, at 7:12 PM. All in all a wonderful day in Florence, minus the guide. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I don’t like to worry about things I can’t control, so it is easy to put her out of mind. We wanted to see some art, eat some food, and shop for some leather, and we were successful in every way. There does seem to be a correlation between how much your Princess Tour costs, and how good your guide is. Keep that in mind.

 

We have no plans tonight, but hope to have a late dinner, and go see our friends in the casino. I was unable to find an open piano today, so the word of the day in the casino tonight is parlay. lol. We are planning a nice dinner with all of our friends (Hillbillies, BT’s and NY’s) tomorrow night after Monte Carlo to say our goodbyes, and exchange our information. I must say that it will be sad leaving the ship, as we have managed to make some good friends over this short time. We are blessed for having met many of the crew, but we know that when we leave the ship, our times together will end for good. Cruising is somewhat of an escape from reality. While I love my reality back home, I do wish I could take some of these friends home with me.

 

The greatest aspect of our day today is our feeling of freedom. We are no longer nervous in the least about exploring foreign lands on our own. We are cautious, which is simply prudent, but certainly not afraid in the least. We have transformed in so many ways over these last 10 days. In the back of my head, though, I am cautious…..I never want to become a seasoned traveler. I have met a great many on this ship, and find that a lot of what they seek is going to different places for the sake of going there. What is the point if, at the end of the day, your goal is simply saying you’ve been there? One traveler we have met has been just about everywhere you can think of. This is his 8th Mediterranean Cruise, and he has been to Rome ten times. Yet, I think we got more out of our 8 hours there than he has gotten out of his 10 visits. He seems to have seen it all, but experienced nothing. It is difficult to explain, and I certainly don’t intend on painting everyone with the same brush. I’m simply saying I don’t understand why people travel for the sake of travelling. I like greeting each new experience with open arms…..smelling the roses, so to speak. While I would love to, one day, be in a position where we can travel more extensively, I wouldn’t want that privilege without the same perspective I have managed to keep on this wonderful Adventure.

 

One last port tomorrow, and then we are off the boat. While we are looking forward to our five nights in Paris after the cruise, we are trying to savor every last minute of what we have left. Kim is rested, and it time to enjoy our night. Ciao from Florence.

 

A truely outstanding day. I really enjoyed Florence for the two times I've been there. Are you gonna post anything for your five days in Paris.....?

 

Bob

[ceilie1]

Kimmer, Thank you for taking us on your special cruise though your eyes and heart.I do not want to end. I will continue to enjoy,thank you!

[Coolcruise02]

Can't wait for more!

[Lovincruisin1321]

Day 11 – Livorno/Florence

 

My good friends in Cruise Critic-Land, you have been witness to a transformation; a Renaissance, of sorts. It is fitting that I write of this after spending a day in beautiful Florence, Italy….the home of Renaissance Art and Culture. My understanding of the term Renaissance is change, more or less. It is out with the old, and in with the new. It is seeing things from a more informed and educated perspective. It is represented in Art through the works of the Renaissance Masters, many of which we saw today. Historically, it was a time of change from the Classical to something more informed….more applicable.

 

Kim and I are also experiencing a Renaissance of sorts. Over the last 10 days, we have certainly had our eyes opened in so very many ways. From the ruins of Ephesus and the Acropolis, to the carefree attitude of Mykonos, to the beautiful and varied country of Italy, we have seen the world from a different perspective. We, too, are changing. From the fearful travelers, to the confident explorer, we are more in tune with what we seek, and we bring with us a sense of direction and self-reliance that will send us home as better people.

 

Oh yea….and a little bit fatter. lol.

 

Our day began with that damn phone calling me to wake up. I wish Princess offered a service where, on the last day of the cruise, you could throw the phone over your balcony and watch it sink into the sea. (Sorry, but on this trip, waking up is hard to do.) Oh how I miss my snooze button. We, yet again, had some tea, coffee, croissants and fruit brought up to the room for us, and were down with the rest of the cattle in the Explorer’s Lounge. This time, though, it would be different. Muahahaha! Today we were going to be free from the little headset thingies….free from the waving signs….free from the lunch seating for 40. Kim had booked ticket’s for the Uffizi Gallery at 10:30 AM, and the Academie to see David at 3:30PM.

 

I slept the way into Florence, which is about a 90 minute drive by bus. We arrived in town at around 10:00. Our guide (AKA the crappiest guide in the history of guiding) then took us for a walk to where we would meet later on. By the way, we had signed up for Florence on Your Own, which, to us, meant that we would get a drive into Florence, and explore on our own. As we walked into the main shopping square, she took us all into a leather store. We asked where we would meet later, as we had to get going to the Art Gallery for our allotted entry time. She told us she would tell us all in a minute. As we walked into this leather store, a lady there was all ready with a leather demonstration! Now to me, a proper leather demonstration would certainly begin with a live cow, but apparently she wanted to demonstrate something. We finally got it out of the guide that we would, again, meet back as a group in this leather store. It was then we decided that, although we were planning to buy some leather today, we were certainly not going to buy it here. She also told us, now that it was 10:20, that we would be leaving at 3:15 PM. Now, when Kim booked our tickets, all that we knew was that we would be docking at 7 AM and departing the port at 7 PM. When asked why we were leaving at 3:15, she just told us that was how long the tour was. It was very disappointing, as it meant that we wouldn’t be able to go see the Statue of David. Oh well.

 

We left the leather shop and started walking towards the Gallery. It was quite easy to find, and we got in quite quickly. After walking up to the top floor, we began moving through the gallery. Now, to be honest, Renaissance Art is not amongst my favorite. I am more of a fan of art after 1800. Kim, however, really loves this art. We wandered through the gallery, which was really quite impressive, for about 2 hours. The Caravaggio exhibit was very good. We are more or less sculptured out at this point, so we just focused on the painting, which we both love.

 

After the gallery, we were hungry. We love the challenge of finding the perfect meal, and have had great success thus far, when we’ve been on our own. We wandered around for awhile, crossing over the Ponte Vecchio Bridge, which was absolutely packed. We headed off the beaten path and found what looked like a great spot for lunch. We walked down a couple flights of stairs, and took a seat. As we looked through the menu, in came the tour group. There had to be 40 teenagers in the group. Now the restaurant itself was very small. Not for us. We apologized to the waiter, and resumed our search.

 

We eventually found an outside patio restaurant, overlooking a small square. We sat and enjoyed a wonderful lunch. Kim had a pasta that was stuffed with fresh pear in a cream sauce that was incredible. We sat and watched the people passing through the square for a couple hours. We were able to give our tickets to the Academie away, as we asked a nice couple from China if they could use them. They told us they had tried to make a reservation there and failed, and would love the tickets. We were happy to see they would be used.

 

After lunch, we continued to walk around the streets of Florence, slowly making our way back to the meeting point, as it was now 2:30. Kim ended up buying a beautiful leather coat from one of the hundreds of leather stores we saw.

 

Florence is a beautiful city….clean and warm. It reminded me of Venice, somewhat, minus the canals. While it is wonderful to walk, there certainly is some separation of the many things to see. If we were interested in seeing more of the sights, rather than soaking up the city, I think we would have opted for the double decker bus pass (30 Euro each), and moved around at our leisure as well. The only way I would choose a Princess Full Tour here is if we wanted to include Pisa as well, which was not high on our list.

 

As we returned to the leather shop at 3:10, the tour guide angrily told us she was waiting for us to arrive! WHAT WAS THE RUSH!!!!!! She then proceeded to wave her sign and start walking briskly to the bus. Now, none of us knew where the bus was going to be, yet she seemed to be practicing for her power walking race. About ten of us couldn’t keep up, including one lady who was probably around 80, who was walking with the great assistance of a cane. The bus was parked about a kilometer away, but she was gone while Kim and I and a few other good people walked with the woman with the cane. We tried to keep an eye on where she was going, but she turned a corner way up ahead. It was brutal that she had to take us to her Leather Store to meet, while many of the other groups were just told where the bus would be. We finally found the bus, with our fearless guide waving her little sign in the distance, at around 3:40. She, again, laid into us for being slow, while we tried to explain to her that we were trying to help the old lady with the cane. It is safe to say that idiocy can be universal.

 

I slept again on the way back, and we arrived back at the boat at 5:15. To give you an idea, we have just put out to sea as I write this, sitting on my balcony in the sun, at 7:12 PM. All in all a wonderful day in Florence, minus the guide. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I don’t like to worry about things I can’t control, so it is easy to put her out of mind. We wanted to see some art, eat some food, and shop for some leather, and we were successful in every way. There does seem to be a correlation between how much your Princess Tour costs, and how good your guide is. Keep that in mind.

 

We have no plans tonight, but hope to have a late dinner, and go see our friends in the casino. I was unable to find an open piano today, so the word of the day in the casino tonight is parlay. lol. We are planning a nice dinner with all of our friends (Hillbillies, BT’s and NY’s) tomorrow night after Monte Carlo to say our goodbyes, and exchange our information. I must say that it will be sad leaving the ship, as we have managed to make some good friends over this short time. We are blessed for having met many of the crew, but we know that when we leave the ship, our times together will end for good. Cruising is somewhat of an escape from reality. While I love my reality back home, I do wish I could take some of these friends home with me.

 

The greatest aspect of our day today is our feeling of freedom. We are no longer nervous in the least about exploring foreign lands on our own. We are cautious, which is simply prudent, but certainly not afraid in the least. We have transformed in so many ways over these last 10 days. In the back of my head, though, I am cautious…..I never want to become a seasoned traveler. I have met a great many on this ship, and find that a lot of what they seek is going to different places for the sake of going there. What is the point if, at the end of the day, your goal is simply saying you’ve been there? One traveler we have met has been just about everywhere you can think of. This is his 8th Mediterranean Cruise, and he has been to Rome ten times. Yet, I think we got more out of our 8 hours there than he has gotten out of his 10 visits. He seems to have seen it all, but experienced nothing. It is difficult to explain, and I certainly don’t intend on painting everyone with the same brush. I’m simply saying I don’t understand why people travel for the sake of travelling. I like greeting each new experience with open arms…..smelling the roses, so to speak. While I would love to, one day, be in a position where we can travel more extensively, I wouldn’t want that privilege without the same perspective I have managed to keep on this wonderful Adventure.

 

One last port tomorrow, and then we are off the boat. While we are looking forward to our five nights in Paris after the cruise, we are trying to savor every last minute of what we have left. Kim is rested, and it time to enjoy our night. Ciao from Florence.

 

 

Kimmer: I have a fabulous restaurant recommendation for Paris. I will look it up and let you know.

[ootsie123]

LovinCruisin- I would love to know the name of the restaurant in Paris too.

 

Kimmer- love reading your posts! going on this cruise 8/21 and reading about your trip is getting me very excited! :)

[cruisemom42]

Day 11 – Livorno/Florence

 

She also told us, now that it was 10:20, that we would be leaving at 3:15 PM. Now, when Kim booked our tickets, all that we knew was that we would be docking at 7 AM and departing the port at 7 PM. When asked why we were leaving at 3:15, she just told us that was how long the tour was. It was very disappointing, as it meant that we wouldn’t be able to go see the Statue of David. Oh well.

 

 

 

Sorry I keep interjecting myself into this thread, but your posting is such a vivid description of why it is often better not to take the ships transportation, and I hope others reading will appreciate some additional info when deciding how to spend their days in port.

 

Here is a post I made a couple of months ago illustrating that by taking the train on your own to Florence, you would have gained a minimum of one hour (and more likely up to 2 hours) of extra time in Florence. Considering that you had a total of 5 hours with the Princess excursion, that's like getting a 20% bonus! (And it's also a fraction of the cost.....;))

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=23833601&postcount=20

 

Kimmer -- you did ask about timing of this excursion on the Italy board (specifically regarding your museum entry tickets) and we did answer you, so you knew before you left that you wouldn't be able to use your tickets. Methinks you're being a little disingenuous on that one.

[squeakieca]

How much is the Santuary to book for the week? Do you get the same seats every day? This cannot be reserved ahead?

I am on the Ruby - September 26th Barcelona to Venice. Maybe there will not be such a demand for lounge chairs?

[squeakieca]

I should mention that I am enjoying your experiences very much. My husband and I, along with another couple are doing your itinery only in reverse. We are having a excursion planning dinner tomorrow evening to discuss what we want to prebook with Princess and privately. I must say that the rest of my group want to book with Princess because they are afraid they will miss the boat. I have emailed a few private companies and think that is the way to go. 3 against 1 ---- I hope I win.

Any suggestions of must do's with Princess would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks from a fellow Canuck and Ontarian!!

[tartanexile81]

Kimmer17- You absolutely deserve an award of some sort for this thread. The cruise is really port intensive but nevertheless you've found time every day to tell us all about it and really given is a flavour of each port. Thank you so much! We're on Ruby out of Venice in a couple of weeks and I get more and more excited when I read your posts! Sleep well and enjoy your five days in Paris!

[Kimmer17]

Hi all. While we've had a great day again today, our revelry and saying goodbye to friends has left us spent for the night. I will post tommorow night in France.

[margord]

Hi all. While we've had a great day again today, our revelry and saying goodbye to friends has left us spent for the night. I will post tommorow night in France.

 

 

Oh good we are going to France with you now.

[rdsqrl]

Oh good we are going to France with you now.

Uh, oh -- I don't think I packed enough . . . .

[bigjer]

I am so excited that you are going to take us to Paris with you. we have enjoyed your trip so far and know you will continue to entertain us for the rest of your trip. We loved being on the Ruby last year on your same cruise. We did mostly private tours and thought they were the best. The only Princess tour we did was in Istanbul and it was terrible. Going back to Istanbul next year and will do a private tour or on our own.

 

Waiting for Paris. Hope you love it as much as we do.

 

 

Helen

[DGSFlorida]

Sorry I keep interjecting myself into this thread, but your posting is such a vivid description of why it is often better not to take the ships transportation, and I hope others reading will appreciate some additional info when deciding how to spend their days in port.

 

Here is a post I made a couple of months ago illustrating that by taking the train on your own to Florence, you would have gained a minimum of one hour (and more likely up to 2 hours) of extra time in Florence. Considering that you had a total of 5 hours with the Princess excursion, that's like getting a 20% bonus! (And it's also a fraction of the cost.....;))

 

 

Well you are much luckier than the couple who cruised the Med with us 2 years ago and planned their own tour/transportation on a train to save money. Unfortunately the French railway workers decided to call an impromptu rail strike in the afternoon and they missed the ship. :mad:

[Lovincruisin1321]

LovinCruisin- I would love to know the name of the restaurant in Paris too.

 

Kimmer- love reading your posts! going on this cruise 8/21 and reading about your trip is getting me very excited! :)

 

 

The name of the restaurant is Montparnasse 1900. Address: 59 Boulevard de Montparnasse, 75006 Paris, France. Tel: 0145491900

 

I had fun digging through my old journals and so happy to find what I wrote about this. We were there in August 2007 on a cruise tour in Paris. Our tour guide, Chris gave us a personal invitation to dine with him because he knew the waiter and staff. We had 5 star treatment the entire night. This is an excerpt from my journal: " The restaurant was decorated in the French Classic 1940's colors and textures. Street lamps were lined down the middle of the dining room with translucent ceiling of a make-shift sky light. The staff was extremely welcoming from the moment we entered. They obviously knew Chris, so we had extra special treatment. We feasted on pate, duck with potatoes, cheese and lots of wine. Interesting fact: Cheese is served after the entree and prior to dessert. The cheese helps close up the stomach to digest so you can have room for dessert."

Here is a link I found on the internet so you can see a picture:

http://lartnouveau.com/restaurants/paris06/montparnasse1900.htm

[Lovincruisin1321]

Hello Kimmer and other Paris traveler want to be's:

 

Since I have my journal out from my 2007 cruise tour to Paris, I thought I would share some fun tips and sights in case you would like to go:

 

"Passage Panoramas" this is an amazing alley of shoppes and cafes. It was actually a street at one time thn covered the entire alley with a transparent roof. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passage_des_Panoramas

 

"Le Grand Colbert" this is the famous restaurant from the movie, "Something's Gotta Give". My husband and I happen to stumble upon this but it was closed for renovation at the time. The reviews say it is a "must" http://culinarygetaways.com/le-grand-colbert/

 

Tips when dining(by our tour guide):

 

1. Waiters won't automatically wait on you. You have to play the game that you are waiting for them and start reading a book or the menu. It's a cultural game.

 

2. When finished with dinner you have to ask for the check. It is considered an insult for the waiter to bring it to you without asking.

 

3. Tipping 15 - 20% same as USA

[Lovincruisin1321]

My cousin just returned from this cruise on the Ruby. She was getting off the ship as Kimmer17 was was boarding!

 

She asked me to post her review with a very good tour. What impressed me was how her guide handled the situation when her friend got sick:

Rome/Florence/Pisa/Pompeii/Amalfi Coast

This summer my friend and I traveled to Italy. I found a couple of very positive reviews on Trip Advisor about Fabrizio Melaragno and his company All Around Italy. The reviews were so good, I decided to contact him. Fabrizio was very accommodating and helpful in planning our time in Rome, Pisa, Florence, Pompeii, and a beautiful ride down the Amalfi Coast via email.

Once in Rome, Fabrizio's associate, Peppe picked us up at our hotel and we began a full day tour of Rome. Peppe was very knowledgeable and bright. He has a real passion for the history of Rome. It was so refreshing to listen to him and ask many questions (and he gave many answers!) If you really want to learn about Rome...ask for Peppe in Rome...he is a delight!!

When we cruised to Livorno, Fabrizio met us and we drove first to Pisa to see the tower and other beautiful sites. He then suggested that we take the route to Florence via some of the Tuscan countryside. He showed us some of the vineyards and olive trees...gorgeous countryside! Then we were off to Florence...what a beautiful city. Not only did we see the town, Fabrizio introduced us to our first real Italian sandwich...he took the time to go with us and order it. Fabrizio was delightful and imparted a wealth of knowledge about the area. He is full of joie de vivre.

The next port we met Fabrizio was Naples (Napoli). During our excursion, Fabrizio drove us down the Amalfi coast which is boasted to be the most beautiful coastline in the world. The boast is quite accurate. We drove to Sorrento first all the while being filled in on the history of the area and tidbits you wouldn't hear about normally. We stopped to see where music boxes are made...lovely. Then we were off to Positano. This is where Fabrizio went over and above the call of duty. My travel companion became quite ill. So ill in fact that we needed to get her back to the ship. We still hadn't got to Pompeii or the dinner that Fabrizio said was going to be exceptional. Fabrizio said to me...I will take your friend back to the ship, but first, I'm going to take you to Pompeii, drop you there then I will return in 2 hours. He told me exactly where to meet him and even showed me where a friend of his was so I wouldn't feel like I was alone. He got my friend safely back to the ship and came back exactly as he promised.

If you're looking for a personal and memorable time in Italy...call Fabrizio! He'll be sure to take good care of you!!

Ciao!

[caribill]

How much is the Santuary to book for the week? $15/day times the number of days on the voyage

 

Do you get the same seats every day? Yes, if you are able to book for the entire cruise.

 

This cannot be reserved ahead? Not before boarding.

 

 

see above in red

[J&Jtravelcouple]

Hello Kimmer and other Paris traveler want to be's:

 

Since I have my journal out from my 2007 cruise tour to Paris, I thought I would share some fun tips and sights in case you would like to go:

 

To avoid paying for water (the famous "flat or gas" question, but both are costly...) ask for "l'eau du robinnet" [low due rowbin-A] (tap water) or "une carafe d'eau" [oon caraph dough] (a carafe of water - they fill the carafe from the tap and it's free). This might be the very best tip we got for France, except Rick Steves tip for avoiding museum lines was even better - get your museum multi-day visit pass at one of the low traffic sites such as Les Invalides (which you can tour a bit as well), then head over to the major museums and walk right past the large lines to the entrace with ticket in hand! There are many web sites and books were you can get more details and a list of all the sites covered by the tickets where you can buy them away from the major sites.

 

 

 

3. Tipping 15 - 20% same as USA

Tipping is quite limited in Europe. Americans notoriously over-tip because they feel guilty leaving a small token of appreciation. 15-20% is definitely far beyond European norms and is not expected. Of course, you can leave as much as you want.

 

 

,

[cruisemom42]

Well you are much luckier than the couple who cruised the Med with us 2 years ago and planned their own tour/transportation on a train to save money. Unfortunately the French railway workers decided to call an impromptu rail strike in the afternoon and they missed the ship. :mad:

 

That's a shame. Rail strikes do happen, although they are not nearly as frequent as many people think. I've been traveling in Europe for over 25 years and have yet to encounter one that impacted my plans. Also, in Italy they are announced in advance.

 

Also, I always have a plan B. In any given port where I am DIY and depending on public transportation, I know exactly how much a taxi back to the ship would be and how to find one. Not cheap, but better than missing the ship. As I say, I've never had to use this option, but I feel confident knowing what to do "just in case".

 

It also makes sense to consider all scenarios. If you are in Rome one day, for example, and the ship continues to Florence the next day, it's not a huge deal to miss the ship. A train to Florence is only a couple of hours and pretty inexpensive, and a night in Rome or Florence isn't a bad thing in my mind! On the other hand, if your port of call is Mykonos and your next port is Alexandria Egypt, I would make darn sure to be onboard that ship! :D

[maninmontreal]

I have so enjoyed reading about your adventure and personal "renaissance" I will be doing a similar cruise in Oct. and thanks to your compelling writing, my anticipation and excitement has risen considerably.

I think the most important thing you wrote, when talking of a 'seasoned traveler' you met, and it will become my mantra is:

"I think we got more out of our 8 hours there than he has gotten out of his 10 visits. He seems to have seen it all, but experienced nothing".

 

Thanks for bringing us along !

[fridaythecat.u.k.]

Tipping is quite limited in Europe. Americans notoriously over-tip because they feel guilty leaving a small token of appreciation. 15-20% is definitely far beyond European norms and is not expected. Of course, you can leave as much as you want.

 

,

 

Thanks to Kimmer for such a superbly written diary of your travels in Europe, I hope you have many more and I am looking forward to reading about your adventures in Paris.

 

In terms of tipping in Europe, and having travelled in many countries quite extensively (with them being just a hop and a skip across the English Channel), the above quote is not strictly true: around 10% is expected as the norm in most countries, unless a service charge has been added. Speaking from experience, touristy places in cities such as London will be most likely to automatically add a service charge, but if you go off the beaten track, it becomes less likely.

 

Here is a guide to tipping in Europe... http://www.fodors.com/news/story_1892.html

[Kimmer17]

Day 12 – Monte Carlo

I think we’ve finally been able to pick out an appropriate yacht for ourselves, moving forward in life. lol.

As we sit here in the beautiful Barcelona Airport waiting to fly to Paris, I look back at the last couple of weeks realizing we have been a part of something very special. And in saying this, I am completely serious…..Barcelona has a beautiful airport. Oh….and the rest too.

Our Monte Carlo began with a wake up call at 8:00AM….a virtual sleep-in. We decided to get going and get into Monte Carlo to find breakfast. There were no plans for today…no tours….and crowds were our sworn enemy. The port in Monte Carlo is very convenient to get going. We walked by all the yachts (we’re going to pick up Atlantis, I think……did anyone get the lotto numbers?) as we headed up along the shoreline, and up a series of stairs, elevators and escalators to get to the top, and into Olde Town.

Apparently, rule number one about Monte Carlo is rich people don’t eat breakfast. We searched the streets for some breakfast, with little success. Fearing that we would actually look like the tourists we are, we decided to sit down outside a Bakery/Café and have a croissant and coffee. Actually, we needed two. We sat, as we often do, and watched the people walking through the street. It was quiet and peaceful. Although lots of people strolled by, it was an intimate experience for Kim and I as we sat and chatted. I can safely say that, although we’ve been together for almost 20 years now, we never fail to have something to talk about. I can only feel blessed to have her.

Now in Monte Carlo, French is the language of the day. While I have tried to learn some of each local language (even Greek!!!!). Now, with French, we are somewhat back in our comfort zone, or so we would think. With ten years of French lessons in school, you would think I would have picked up a thing or two. We decided to go French only for a while, which was the quietest time we’ve had. lol.

As we walked through the beautiful Olde Town Shopping section of Monte Carlo, we decided we wanted to go and check out le petit poisons nager sur la mer. (Rough translation – The little fishies swimming in the sea), which was code for going to the beautiful Aquarium in Monte Carle. I knew I was going to have language difficulties as I went up to the ticket booth, and asked for, ’Deux billets pour le petit poisons nager sur la mer, sil vous plait.” The man in the booth gave me a look, and took our 20 Euro (I think) and gave me our billets (tickets). I remember getting similar looks from my grade school French teacher, Madame Kassermali.

The Aquarium was just what we needed. The tanks and displays are wonderful, and the various species of Sea Life were incredible. All captions are translated to English, as well. We wandered around for a couple hours, and then slowly walked back to the boat.

By the way, getting on and off the boat has been an absolute snap this entire trip. The tours have been very organized. When we just want to go and explore Princess has provided us transport to a place where exploring can begin. The lines coming back on to the boat, and sometimes been a little long, but have all moved very quickly. We love the iced towel staff give us as we get back on the boat, to cool down…first class treatment all the way.

We spent the rest of our day meeting up with various people we have met these past days, some at the pool, some at the casino, and some in the bars and restaurants. We had an early dinner at Da Vinci’s with the Hillbillies, the New Yawkers and the Springfield Connection. We sat, ate and laughed a lovely meal, as always. Da Vinci’s has become our first choice for dining, as it is convenient, and the staff have always been great. It also happens to be steps from the Casino. We went to the Casino for the rest of the night, making our final donation and saying goodbye to the staff there, who are some wonderful people to get to know. While we had the chance to say goodbye to most of them, (Andrea, Hector(the Collector), Gerry(Student), Anne, David (All Jacked Up), Chip, Loradena, Alina(So sweet), Charlene(Sugar Momma), Angelo(Mr. Bingo…lol), Cecilia, Alex(Sleep In?), Onca (Our Girl), Ivo, Evgeny, Angelina, Vera, as well as the greatest server ever, Jack, who is also the hardest worker on the ship), we missed saying our goodbye’s to our friend Olga, and my favorite dealer, Sava. While we were able to track down Olga in the morning, I hope Sava sees this, as I wish him the best, and will miss our conversations. I also bid goodbye to the rest of the regulars at the three-card poker table, particularly Bill the Vet, Goatie Guy who took my seat, Marty, the best poker player never to win, Maria, the most beautiful woman in Mexico, and my friend Sergio, who I will miss. I am actually getting a little teary-eyed here in the airport as I know that I will likely see none of these people again. It is these people that we connected with. It takes a certain kind of person to work a cruise ship, and do the same thing day after day, often working 10-12 hour days, with no home to go to each night. I am better for having met each and every one of them.

Our Disembarkation process was a snap, as well. We put our bags outside the room at 2:00 AM, with the proper bag tags. After a quick breakfast and a couple last goodbyes, we were off to our meeting point, where we got off the ship, brought our bags to the bus, and hopped on. Barcelona looks like a huge city, and is quite beautiful. We will have to visit here again some time. We were led to an easy check in spot, just for Princess passengers. The Barcelona Airport is bright, and easy to find your way around. We now sit, watching the planes come and and depart, as we wait for the next site in our European Adventure.

I remember sitting down on our firm, yet comfortable mattress twelve days ago thinking I was writing this journal just to keep track of our experiences. As I looked last night (I’m not online right now), I think the thread was over 200 posts, and over 12,000 hits. It is overwhelming reading everyone’s take on my journal these last couple of weeks (except one smarmy twit), and I appreciate all the wonderful comments. I will continue to post through Paris. Au Revoir.

[Clutterlady]

Thank you for taking us along on this wonderful journey. Looking forward to your Paris highlights:)

[numbersix]

3. Tipping 15 - 20% same as USA

Tipping is quite limited in Europe. Americans notoriously over-tip because they feel guilty leaving a small token of appreciation. 15-20% is definitely far beyond European norms and is not expected. Of course, you can leave as much as you want.

 

 

Yes--but remember that most restaurants in Europe...certainly in France, include service....a small extra tip may ("may") be in order, but be aware of the "service compris" on the bill or 'carte' (menu).

 

Kimmer--Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time, effort, at, no doubt, some considerable expense, to tell us of your travels. If there's one thing most travellers love to do, besides travel, is to read about it!

 

Bravo!

 

Kevin