OCD Planner's Mah-valous Mediterranean Adventure on Serenade of the Seas

[ace1zoe2]

Try to remember that some of these remains date back to 8th century BC!

 

 

The view from the Coloseum:

 

 

Other pictures:

 

 

 

[ace1zoe2]

After touring the Forum we decided to head up to the Alltare della Patria (Alter to the Fatherland), which I read on another review, would allow you to go to the top of the building for free for panoramic views. I believe this building is referred to as the Wedding Cake building by some. The building is actually a monument to the first king of the unified Italy. It was complete in 1925.

 

 

Right at the top of the central stairway is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier which holds the remains of a WW I who was buried here in 1921.

 

 

 

We walked and walked and walked. Climbed stair after stair after stair. We were down to 8 of us by this time as 2 couples went back to their apartments to rest. About half way up the stairs we lost 2 more... it was just too much walking for one day. We finally made it to the (almost) top which did have panoramic views.

 

BUT, if you wanted to go to the very top you had to take an elevator on the side of the building and pay something like $7-$10euro per person. We were happy with our view and pictures so we skipped the very top.

 

By this time after all the walking & stair climbing we were hungry! And hungry for something other than Italian food. Today was my 2nd cousins 62nd birthday. No one had mentioned it and I'm sure she thought no one knew. Our friend Deb who was sharing a cabin with her had reminded me earlier in the day. So we set out for the Hard Rock Cafe to enjoy some American food!

 

After a few wrong turns and about a 45 minute brisk walk we finally arrived. We had to wait about 20 minutes or so for a table for 8 and we were rewarded with a fantastic waiter from India, I believe. He had worked there for 8 years and was excellent at taking care of us, bringing refills, making suggestions, splitting the tickets, etc. My daughter had talked to the waiter when we first arrived and was able to surprise Darlene with a chocolate Sundae with a candle and a round of Happy Birthday in an Italian dialect. It was fabulous! She was so surprised it made all the extra walking worthwhile.

 

Once everyone had our tummies full we decided to take the metro back to our "neck of the woods" near the Vatican City and call it a night. By the time we returned to our apartment this night, we had walked 23,390 steps or 10.2 MILES!

 

Next up... one last tour on Wednesday morning and then we are headed to the SHIP!

[ace1zoe2]

Ok, that's all you get for today!

 

I did mean to tell you the following about booking tickets for the Coloseum from my blog I posted a few months ago:

 

So call me crazy but the truth is I stayed up until 2:20am this morning in order to make reservations in Rome for the Underground & Third Ring Tour we wanted to take at the Colosseum!

 

This is a special tour that takes you down to lower level of the Colosseum where the animals and props were kept. It includes the regular two levels of the Colosseum that are open to the public, as well as the third ring which can only be accessed thru the tour. An English speaking guide conducts the tour for no more than about 20-25 people. Our group of 12 will make up at least half the tour.

 

The website http://www.coopculture.it is the official website to purchase tickets for the Colosseum. For standard tickets you can easily purchase them online for 12e each adult plus a 2e per ticket reservation fee. However, to purchase the tour you must call them direct at 39 063 996 770 and choose option 0 for purchase. They will answer in Italian but just ask if they speak English, which they did very well.

 

The ticket office is open Mon-Fri from 9-1 and 2-5 and on Sat from 9-1 only. The only problem is they are 7 hours ahead of Central Time and with work I could not ever get thru during the week. My solution? Stay up until they open at 2am my time!

 

I called using Skype and the entire call on a Sat. at opening time was less than 5 minutes on hold and less than 15 minutes total. I was able to purchase our tickets for 10/28/14 even though online tickets are only available 60 days in advance (out to Oct. 9). The cost for the call was less than .50 cents.

 

Another advantage to purchasing tickets online is that it allows you to bypass the ticket line on site which can takes hours at times.

 

Well that's one more piece of our itinerary which is now set and paid for. Next up will be tickets to Sagrada Familia when they become available at the end of August.

 

Buying tickets, getting confirmation numbers and setiing plans in stone make my OCD self happy!

[Hoopster95]

Buying tickets, getting confirmation numbers and setiing plans in stone make my OCD self happy!

 

Superb review and pics so far!!! I know you posted on my Serenade thread a couple of months ago so I wanted to make sure I let you know that I'm following you here as well since you started. You have some better photos than me of the Colosseum underground... awesome tour wasn't it?!? Totally worth the extra $$.

 

Thank you for taking the time to do this review. I know the effort and time it takes. Looking forward to the rest. :D

[lemonade-sails]

The SHIP! The SHIP! I can't wait :D

[Nana57]

Thank you for sharing. What Insurance did you use for your trip? We are in the process of booking and was wondering what you used?

[ace1zoe2]

Superb review and pics so far!!! I know you posted on my Serenade thread a couple of months ago so I wanted to make sure I let you know that I'm following you here as well since you started. You have some better photos than me of the Colosseum underground... awesome tour wasn't it?!? Totally worth the extra $$.

 

 

 

Thank you for taking the time to do this review. I know the effort and time it takes. Looking forward to the rest. :D

 

 

Thanks for following along on my review.

 

Yes, it is totally worth the extra 9euro pp to get to do the underground and third ring.

 

Plus I love having a guide who can give lots of information and answer questions.

 

Cindy

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ace1zoe2]

The SHIP! The SHIP! I can't wait :D

 

 

Hopefully by tonight's posting we will be on the ship ;)

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ace1zoe2]

Thank you for sharing. What Insurance did you use for your trip? We are in the process of booking and was wondering what you used?

 

 

Nana,

 

Sorry I can't help you. I'm a risk taker when it came to travel insurance and didn't purchase any.

 

In the past we have used the cruise care insurance thru RCI.

 

Maybe someone else can offer suggestions.

 

Cindy

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wensydnic]

Count me in as following along! This would be a dream vacation for me! Definitely a bucket list vacation!! Can't wait to see the pics from this ship. We will be sailing on Serenade during Spring Break 2015. Have heard good things about her so far, so hopefully that hasn't changed.

 

We'll be sailing on a 7-night out of NO, onto Key West, Nassau & Coco Cay.

 

Looking forward to reading the rest of your fabulous trip report! And love even more that your OCD about your planning! Love diving into the details of it all!

[ace1zoe2]

Count me in as following along! This would be a dream vacation for me! Definitely a bucket list vacation!! Can't wait to see the pics from this ship. We will be sailing on Serenade during Spring Break 2015. Have heard good things about her so far, so hopefully that hasn't changed.

 

We'll be sailing on a 7-night out of NO, onto Key West, Nassau & Coco Cay.

 

Looking forward to reading the rest of your fabulous trip report! And love even more that your OCD about your planning! Love diving into the details of it all!

 

Yay! Another OCD planner! Thanks for taking time to comment and to follow along on our adventure. Serenade was great & you will have a fabulous time onboard.

 

Cindy

[ace1zoe2]

Wednesday was day 5 on land and would be the day that we boarded Serenade of the Seas! We started our morning with a transfer arranged thru the apartment. They have someone that picks up from the airport so I sent an email and ask if we could arrange a private transfer on check out to take us across Rome near the Colosseum.

 

At 8:00am our driver arrived in a van and loaded up all of the luggage within about 10 minutes. By 8:15 the 6 of us were on our way. We paid 35euros for the transfer and split if between 3 couples.

 

I had booked our tour online thru Rome by Segway for a tour called Ancient Rome. The tour is 3 hours plus they allow an additional 30 minutes training on the Segway. The tour was offered at 9:30am but I was able to email and make arrangements for our tour to begin at 9:00 so that we would be finished by 12:30. Normally, when booking online they require payment in full up front with no refunds for weather, missed planes, trains or buses. They do allow cancellation up to 72 hours in advance and will make refunds up until that point.

I was also able to negotiate paying on 1/2 down since we booked almost a year in advance and then each couple paid the remaining balance when we arrived.

 

The website is: http://www.romebysegway.com

 

 

There were 12 of us for the tour, all family & friends. Pretty much everyone had been on a Segway at least once. My daughter, SNL and 2 family friends got to experience it their first time on some of the busy streets in Rome! Hubby and I have taken a Segway tour in Fort Worth, Anchorage & San Juan previously - it is just like riding a bike, once you do it, it's like second nature the next time.

 

We arrived around 8:45 and shortly thereafter our guides arrived to open the shop, bring out the equipment, take payment and let us store a ton of luggage, backpacks and carry-ons. It was all securely inside the store with employees watching it at all times. Each person was outfitted with a safety helmet and then we went out onto the sidewalk for everyone to practice for 20-30 minutes.

 

 

Here's one of our group pictures along the way:

 

 

And this one... Look mom! No hands! (you actually have to be somewhat coordinated to pull this off for more than a few seconds)

 

 

More to come later... lunch time is over and it's back to work for me.

 

Cindy

[Raxter54]

More to come later... lunch time is over and it's back to work for me.

 

Cindy

 

I have to admit - I started out following along, waiting til you got to the Serenade. But - I've really enjoyed the pictures and your commentary. I think I'll enjoy your port excursions along with the ship descriptions. Keep 'em coming :D

[ace1zoe2]

I have to admit - I started out following along, waiting til you got to the Serenade. But - I've really enjoyed the pictures and your commentary. I think I'll enjoy your port excursions along with the ship descriptions. Keep 'em coming :D

 

Thanks Raxter! I'm glad you guys are still with me. We did something pretty much every day so there's lots still to come.

 

Cindy

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[ace1zoe2]

Our first stop on the Segway Tour was at the Church of Santa Maria en Cosmedin which features a striking bell tower. I'm guessing at the name of the church because I didn't write it down. After looking at other pictures on the internet that's what I've come up with anyway.

 

 

Our guides showed us nearby how Rome is a city built on ruins. The previous building were so strong they just built on top of them over the centuries. In this picture you can see how buried below the current building are the arches of a previous one. And the bell tower above was built right over something else as well.

 

 

 

 

Pretty amazing, huh? I'm throwing this picture in just because I like cobblestone! This was the entire parking lot at the back of the church.

 

[ace1zoe2]

Speaking of guides, we had the two best guides, Eric & Panama, who were both students at the University. Panama told us his parents were big Van Halen groupies. Later during the tour I asked him if Panama was his real name because I didn't believe him. Sure enough, he's from Panama and that's what the other guides call him. His real name was Roberto and he was really nice and was quite the looker.

 

Both guides were very knowledgeable and shared lots of information with us at each stop. When we had to cross busy roads they got us all together in a group and one of them would roll out into the intersection to stay while we all crossed with the other guide. They took pictures of us, laughed with us, asked questions about our lives, they were fabulous!

 

This is the back of the church that we entered. This was a surprise for me as I had no idea we would actually be entering any sites during the tour.

 

 

We walked inside and WOW! this is what we were greeted with:

 

 

The picture quality is not as great as it could be as I did not use my flash on the inside of any churches. I think you can still get a feel for what we saw though.

 

The ceiling was beautiful:

 

 

The intricate design in the mosaic floor tile:

 

 

One of the many beautiful stained glass windows:

 

[ace1zoe2]

I can't remember the story that goes with the next couple of pictures but notice this alcove. Inside this area is a glass coffin with an actual body on display. I tried to find information online about it but I am at a loss. I saw several pictures of other similar coffins but not this one. So if anyone else has been here or knows the story please share.

 

 

 

Looking up into the dome:

 

 

More stained glass:

 

 

After leaving the church we went by Circus Maximus, which was the largest stadium in Rome and was used for chariot racing.

 

[ace1zoe2]

There is lots of excavation and restoration going on in this area as well. It seemed like everywhere we were on this trip that this was going on and as much as I hated not to get to see things like Trevi Fountain, I realize it is necessary to make sure these sites are available for future generations.

 

 

 

From our location at Circus Maximus we had a wonderful view of Palentine Hill and remaining parts of the Imperial Palace. Back in the day these would have been covered in granite but all has been stripped away over the centuries. This is part of the Flavian Palace which was completed in 92AD.

 

 

 

 

[ace1zoe2]

The next area we stopped at was Piazza die Cavalieri di Malta (Piazza of Knights of Malta) high up on the Aventine Hill, luckily we rolled right up to it on our Segways. When we arrived we were the only 12 people there.

 

There is a long wall decorated with military objects, and then you come to this wonderful wooden door with a keyhole. Hundreds to thousands of people visit this door every day to get a glimpse of St. Peter's dome. On the day we were here you could just see if, framed perfectly by the keyhole. I tried to take pictures but the camera picked up the mist around the dome and you cannot see it. If you google Rome Knights of Malta Keyhole you will see hundreds of great pictures.

 

 

This is what you see on a good day and what a good photographer can capture (image from the internet)

 

 

This is the location of the door and how it looked about 10 minutes after we arrived when a tour group showed up (this picture is from the internet):

 

 

It is said that you can see three countries thru this keyhole: Rome, Vatican City (which is it's own country) and Malta.

 

This monument is directly across the piazza from the Keyhole Door:

 

[ace1zoe2]

We rolled a short way to the Orange Garden with it's breathtaking view of St. Peter's Basilica and panoramic views of Rome. Coming into the garden, it appears the dome of St. Peter's is right there.

 

 

But when you get to the viewing platform you realize how far away it really is.

 

 

I normally don't like pictures of myself but I thought this one turned out pretty good so I'm going to share. Charlie & I with the panoramic view of Rome in the background.

 

 

A view of the park itself with huge Umbrella Pines. The lower limbs are trimmed as the trees grow.

 

 

We stopped at the Bocco della Verita, or the Mouth of Truth in English, which is located in the Portico of the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. The huge granite stone has a face carved in to it and was originally a drain in a fountain or manhole cover dating back to the first century. It is featured in the movie Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. This piece was placed in the portico in the 17th century. From the middle ages it has been known as a lie detector. It was believed if you told a lie with your hand in the mouth your hand would be bitten off. The line was too long to wait for a chance for a picture so I just took mine from outside.

 

 

Here is a better picture from the internet:

 

[ace1zoe2]

We made a quick stop by Capitoline Hill and had some great views of the Roman Forum.

 

 

 

And then we made our last stop by the Colosseum. In this picture you can see the "cleaning" work happening on the side of the Colosseum.

 

 

Various pictures of the exterior:

 

 

 

Our group of family & friends!

 

 

We had a fantastic time with Rome by Segway. We covered a lot of area and saw unique places that we would have never seen or known about had we not taken the tour. The guides made the tour interesting and fun. Segways are fun to ride and easy to get the hang of. We were 30-62 years of age and everyone did great. I highly recommend the tour if you have limited time in Rome you can do the tour the morning before you board the ship with plenty of time to spare (with a direct transfer to the ship, of course). Their website is http://www.romebysegway.com

 

www dot romebysegway dot com

 

After a quick ride back to the Segway office we were heading to the ship. I had prearranged our transfers thru RomeinLimo and when we returned to the office they were already there and waiting 15 minutes early. We were picked up in 2 Mercedes vans by very nice drivers in full suits and ties who loaded everything for us and whisked us away to Civitavecchia to board Serenade of the Seas! The cost per van was 180euros or 30euros per person. There was plenty of room inside to stretch out. There were built in USB ports to charge iPhones, they offered us free water and answered any questions that we had. We had brought snacks to tied us over since there was no time for lunch until we boarded the ship.

 

It took about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes to reach the port. They gave us exceptional service and I would highly recommend them for transfers to the port, especially if you are in a group and can share the cost. You can find them online at http://www.romeinlimo.com

 

www dot romeinlimo dot com

Edited November 22, 2014 by ace1zoe2

[ace1zoe2]

By the time we arrived around 2pm boarding was well underway and the crowds were minimal. This was a first for us, arriving after noon. We normally arrive around 10:30am and are in one of the first groups to board the ship. I like to get there early to take pictures of an almost empty ship so that I don't have random people in all of my pictures. However, this time I wanted to make sure that we spent as much time as possible in Rome seeing the city.

 

It worked out well because by the time we arrive the cabins were open and we could drop off our carry-ons and head to a less crowded Wind Jammer for lunch. I would say from the time that we stepped out of the vans, went thru security, check in, sea pass pictures and were on the ship it was less than 25 minutes total.

 

 

We were in cabin 1100 which is a corner aft junior suite on the 10th deck. I had originally tried to get 9256 which is a standard cabin and even called when it didn't show available online. The rep told me it was not available so we booked 1100 instead. Five minutes later when my friend Debbie was booking her cabin she was asking what my favorite cabin was and I told her 9256, but it's not available. She say, hmmm it says it is and I just now put it on hold. Five minutes later she got MY cabin! No really, I was happy for her. We had been trying to talk them in to cruising with us for 10 years and they finally said yes. So I was hoping they'd have a great experience in a great cabin and hopefully cruise with us again in the future.

 

Our cabin:

 

 

 

Some how this is the only picture that I ended up with on the balcony. This only shows about 1/2 the balcony with the two chairs and table. The other half has 2 loungers facing out to sea. Even though we were off the ship more than on it, I really enjoy the balcony in the mornings and evenings. It's nice to make a cup of hot tea and sit out on the balcony watching things happening in the port. Or in the evening enjoying the views of the wake while sipping a glass of wine.

 

 

The fan that I ask for and received. You can contact special_needs@rccl.com to make special requests for mattress pads/eggcrates, fans, DME type equipment such as bath chairs, mats, etc. ahead of your cruise or you can ask your stateroom attendant if they can get you one if available.

 

 

This is Henry. He always makes me smile every time that I see him in the hallways.

 

[ace1zoe2]

I've debated on where/when to put in all the compasses, daily offers, ship info, etc. and I guess that I have decided that now is as good a time as any. I'm just going to post them all together at one time and get it over with. So if this is of no interest to you, you will just have to scroll on by for a few posts.

 

Here is all the welcome information first:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ace1zoe2]

The following information was delivered the night before each port stop along with our cruise compasses. This was something new for us. I don't recall having every received this type of information on our previous cruises.

 

 

 

 

 

[ace1zoe2]