Our families viewpoint of our Meditterreanean cruise

[tidygirl]

We were off the ship by 7:10 we were trying to get the 7:35 train. We did walk to the La Spezia train station I believe if we would have went to the left as we got off the ship we would have seen signs but we just started walking and asking for the station and we were pointed in the right direction(took 20 -25 min). We missed the train by 5 mins so caught the next train at 8:15 I think it was the Regionale train and one way was 35e for 5 of us. We didn't purchase a return ticket then as we weren't sure if we were going on to Florence which we did (an additional 40 e for all of us for an hour there) We got off at the Pisa Centrale stop not the first Pisa stop!

If you are headed to the tower and walking just start walking straight you will come to a monument,behind that will be an alley more on the right go there, you will come to another monument do the exact same thing. You will then come to a bridge over a canal go over it and keep going straight till you come to a cement wall you have to go left of right -go left and start walking within a short distance you will see the tower straight ahead.

Hope this helps! Just keep your valuables well hidden as we did hear a man trying to get to a police station as his credit card, passport and I'm not sure what all else was taken. We were very cautious and only had one incident (in Rome) of a woman trying to get in my hubby's pocket, but all he had was an umbrella hidden under his coat tied around his waist. She was also using her finger to feel his front pocket to see if he had anything in there. So just realize if you have something in your front pocket they can and will get it out!

[Retirement]

Thanks for the info! Was there a shuttle to the port entrance? We walk whenever possible, so 20-25 minutes to the train station doesn't sound that difficult!

Anita

[roseshayit]

Love this. Keep it coming!

[tidygirl]

@ Anita- I checked with the kids none of us seemed to remember one, but I am not completely positive to say no. It really wasn't a bad walk we didn't think but we walk frequently so that may help. If you are active I can't see you having any problems making it!

What other ports are you visiting?

Edited October 21, 2014 by tidygirl

[Retirement]

I'm wondering what happened when you got off the ship? Were you able to walk out of the port area? I was under the impression that you have to take a shuttle bus--for which there's usually a charge!

 

We're on the Serenade out of Rome for 8 days and are visiting Livorno, Villefranche, Ajaccio (Corsica), Palma de Mallorca, Vallencia, and ending in Barcelona. We're then doing the 16 day Transatlantic to New Orleans.:)

Anita

[tidygirl]

I'm sorry none of us remember for sure. It is crazy how it wasn't that long ago and I did take quite a few notes but don't have that written down and they are all blending together.

I do know 2 or 3 stops we took a shuttle but we didn't pay for them.

The only place we did pay was in Barcelona and they had a shuttle for 2e a person to get you out to the Christopher Columbus Statue which is pretty close to some metro lines.

Sounds like a great trip!

[Retirement]

Thanks! Looking forward to hearing more about your cruise!:)

Anita

[cindivan]

Thanks! Looking forward to hearing more about your cruise!:)

Anita

 

Totally unrelated to this topic (SORRY!) but you are my inspiration. I stopped listing cruises because I dislike scrolling through the cruise countdown thing that I don't even know how to do because it's annoying to me when people's signature or listing exceeds their comment 30X. You have so many cruises but stick it just a few lines. So much fun - no need to make it big! ;)

[Retirement]

Thanks! I'd make the list even smaller, but I don't know how! Oh, and that reminds me, the list is not up to date!!

Anita

[tidygirl]

We got off the ship as soon as possible 7:25 AM and hurried to the train station had hoped to get the 8:01 train missed it by 5 min! Next train was 8:44 got off at the St Pietro Station around 10 I [had bought tickets online

Our entrance time was at 10:30 and we just made it as we had to walk a block or so to the Vatican museums entrance we did the audio tour was there maybe 2 hours I am sure we could have spent more time there but time was limited and we atleast got to see it.

 

We then took the Metro to the Spanish Steps my hubby was shocked it was not what he imagined!I guess he thought they were going to be something grand! That's what happens when you do no research before hand and let your wife do it all! He thought I was joking when I showed him the steps LOL!

Edited October 22, 2014 by tidygirl

[tidygirl]

Next stop was the Trevi Fountain it was recommended that we don't take the time to see these sites as it was under construction and not worth our time,but this was our first time and not sure if we will every get back so we wanted to see as much as possible even if it was briefly!

 

 

 

Edited October 22, 2014 by tidygirl

[cdwh1902]

Thanks for the info! Was there a shuttle to the port entrance? We walk whenever possible, so 20-25 minutes to the train station doesn't sound that difficult!

Anita

 

The quickest way to the train station is via taxi and doesn't cost very much. Definitely the way to go and there are taxis waiting at Livorno.

[tidygirl]

We actually came into La Spezia on our cruise.

[tidygirl]

On to the Colosseum

We got to the Termini Station to get the 4:12 train back to the port at 6:00 took the (Free shuttle) back to the ship was on by 6:25 boarding was 6:30! Too close again for me!

We had a very busy and full day with not a lot of time at any one place, but we were happy we saw everything we wanted to see and more!!

We saw the Vatican, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Roman Forum and the Colosseum.

Watched the Saturday Night Fever and fell into bed exhausted!

[tidygirl]

We have been on several cruises and I can honestly say I have never had a bad bed on any of our cruises, but I did fail to mention the first day we got on the ship and my daughter and I sat down on the beds, they felt WONDERFUL! Not sure if they were nicer than normal or our legs and back were so tired from walking we imagined it!

This greeted us one evening after a long day. These have to bring a smile to your face or your an old scrooge!

I am sorry I failed to get pictures of our room and different things on the ship I had promised myself I would and didn't realize it till after I got home this is about all I got!

[tidygirl]

We had originally planned to do Pompeii and Mt Vesuvius on our own, but while on the train from Rome a man came through passing out pamphlets on doing a tour of Sorrento, Almalfi Coast and Pompeii for 65 e a person (a savings of 225 e from what I had found online) My husband thought it may be worth doing as we would get to see much more of the area. We walked off the ship and looked for the sign and ask if we they had room for 5 and luck was with us as they had openings. We later heard another couple come up and ask and they said they were full:( We were glad we did take a tour as we learned and saw so much more than we would have!

Almalfi coast (they called it the" ma ma mia highway")

A stop in Positano

These lemons were unreal!

 

[tidygirl]

This was on our must do list!

Streets in Pompeii the big stones you see in the picture was their "bridge" as you can imagine what the streets were full of after the horses came through!

 

 

 

My daughter was disappointed here as she thought we would see more body plasters not in the cases. Not sure if the pictures we had seen while researching was accurate or we just missed it as we didn't have much time here.

 

 

Back to the ship by 5:30 and sail away was to be at 6:00. We went to the upper deck to watch us sail away and we waited and waited! We kept seeing people come onto the ship. The last 3 ladies came meandering towards the ship with a bunch of shopping bags (they were from that huge group that had charted part of the ship if they wouldn't have been with them I think we would have left before they got on!) Now I don't know about you but on the previous days when we were running late we were alternating jogging and walking as fast as possible so I didn't have to find out if they would really leave us!!!

The security guy went down to the last lady grabbed her bags so she would hurry she got on at 6:40!! Finally left the pier at 7:00

Edited October 24, 2014 by tidygirl

[tidygirl]

I was ready for a day of rest, though with my hubby that's difficult to do! Off to the flowrider for him and the SIL , then volleyball of course I have to watch for awhile to see how they do then I finally tell them I was parking myself on the deck above the pool and RELAXING!

Now comes dreadful time of the cruise time to pack up and get ready for the day of departure:(

[tidygirl]

I believe we were in group 7 to disembark we were off the ship at 7:30 and took the port shuttle for 2e back to the Christopher Columbus Statue andon to the Metro to Hostal Sans. This was close to the train station that would take us to Monserrat. We left Placa Espanya to Monserrat then had to switch to the rack railway.

View of Monserrat

 

As we were headed up it started to rain and by the time we got to the top it was pouring. We should have asked about the weather before going as we were so unprepared! Left rain ponchos in our luggage and only had 1 umbrella for 5 people and I was the only one with a jacket! We did go to the souvenir store and purchase 2 umbrellas for 7e (the quality was on the level of the dollar stores they were both breaking within a half hour) the temperature was 17c. We did ride the fenicular to the top and tried to do a little hiking but we were so cold and wet we decided to just call it a day and head back.

Now this would have been something our family would have really enjoyed on a nice day the views would have been so nice and the hiking would have been fun! Took the cable car back down, again views were hindered by the rain and fog.

Fenicular

Edited October 29, 2014 by tidygirl

[tidygirl]

Went back to the Hostal and changed into dry clothes and went to get supper. It was still raining so we just went back to the room the family played a card game for awhile and I caught up on facebook (I had been without for 9days!)

Now remember I had told my family we would go see the fountain tonight as this would be our final chance? I kept watching out the window to see if it had quit raining it seemed to let up to a drizzle about 8:30 so we went to the desk and asked if they would have the light show if it was raining? The answer "maybe yes- maybe no" Not too helpful! We decided we would go check it out as we were bored just hanging out in the room. We lucked out we got to see it! Rain let up for the most part only a light drizzle occasionally.

 

 

 

 

[tidygirl]

Headed to the airport using the Metro figured it would take and hour which it did, but if I ever do it again I would give myself more time as the lines to check in was extremely long we got to our gate and barely had time to grab a sandwich at Mc Donalds (there was nothing open close to were we stayed early in the morning. We saw some mcDs didn't open for breakfast till 8 or 9:00 am!) Our flight took off about 15 min late and when we landed in Philadelphia we only had an hour and a half layover which we had to collect our bags and go through immigrations. As we gave our suitcases to the guy to put back on the belt he caught my SIL bag and said to the other guy this goes to Pittsburgh so he put it on a different belt. Before I gave him the last 2 I said these need to go to Pittsburgh to as well as the other 2 that was put on there. He said no problem! Joking with the SIL we said you watch when we get to the airport your luggage won't be there!

Our next connection was in Chicago (this was 3 days after the fire) We knew we only had 45 mins. connection time so my SIL check on his phone to see if the gates we close they were so we could breathe easy right? Well landed in Chicago and the pilot kept taxiing in further and further. he pulls up to Gate H and said sorry last minute gate change! Great we got in late and had 10 mins to get to the other side of the airport! So we were these crazy 5 people running through the airport trying not to miss our flight! Hubby is trying to run in slippery dress shoes (his tennis shoes were soaked from the day before!) I'm trying to run carrying my 25# suitcase and a BIG purse and the running triggered an asthma attack on me and my daughter who also has asthma and was having trouble too! We sent the other daughter and her hubby ahead figuring they could stop them from closing the gate.

After feeling like I may croak got to the gate and they switched the sign to 30 mins delayed! Now they couldn't have put that on the sign earlier?

Well lots of funny memories to go home with LOL

Made our flight and got into Pittsburgh 2 hours later than we were supposed to. Now remember everyone at this point is getting very tired and we go to pick up our bags and there were a few on the belt and we got 1 which was my SIL and the belt shut off. We waited and waited thinking they just hadn't got the luggage there yet. Well after about a half hour I went to the baggage office and asked if they would have more luggage coming she said no that was all! Great we are missing our 4 suitcases! The lady tried to track them down and informed us they were pulled off the plane and still in Philadelphia!

Thanks for letting us know we would have been a half hour into our 2 hour drive!

I do have to say if my luggage was going to be delayed or lost I'd rather it be when vacation was over then at the beginning as I had clothes I could wear at home!

I wasn't sure if my hubby would enjoy this trip with all the historical sights, but I overheard him tell someone he would do it again, though I'm sure he wouldn't want to do the historical places again once was enough! The hiking areas he'd go back no problem!

We had a very enjoyable trip both on and off the ship and would highly recommend to anyone that enjoys travelling and seeing the world!

Hope you enjoyed my families view of our trip and sorry it took way longer than I thought it would!

Leaving Spain

 

[tidygirl]

Should have made my heading a review of the Western meditterenean :(

[madra2112]

Excellent review - Only spotted it this week, the day you posted it, we were docked in La Spezia!

 

Loved the pictures of the Calanques, we just went to Notre Dame de la Garde when we were in Marseilles, and then walked around the old port.

 

If you were to come back, I would recommend you do the Cinque Terre, wonderful ares for hikers. There are pictures in my review, link in my signature.

 

Our guide on the Amalfi Coast called it the 'Mamma Mia' highway as well, it's what the passengers say as they take in the beauty, and what teh drivers say as they turn corners with sheer drops six inches from the wheels!

[denamo]

Wow! Thank you for a most informative and delightful review. Totally inspired living your travel adventure with you. Pictures were such an added bonus.

[tidygirl]

We wish we could have went to Cinque Terre I checked to see if we could squeeze it in,but one bad thing about cruising you are limited on time and always have that worry off making it back to the ship on time! Oh well maybe we will just have to go back and hit a few of the spots my hubby would have liked to had more time at!