The Great Adventure! VISION OF THE SEAS 12-Night Med Cruise: A Full PICTORIAL Review!

[Nicole721]

Laura led an option tour up on the upper floors of the Colosseum for those who were up to climbing the stairs up, so Stephanie and I went up while Mom and a few others stayed downstairs.

 

 

 

 

 

From the upper levels of the Colosseum, you’ll also find the best views of the Roman Forum and other nearby structures.

 

 

[Nicole721]

And I shouldn’t have to say this, but I don’t care where you are – there’s no good excuse to leave your name carved into a historical structure. Names were everywhere and while I’m sure it leaves some kind of significance to those specific people, this is the kind of stuff that gets structures closed down to visitors.

 

 

Besides, seeing the façade defaced isn’t nearly as cool as the etchings protected within the Colosseum.

 

[Nicole721]

The bus met us a few blocks away and we began our drive towards the Via Veneto for our lunch at the Ambassador Hotel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nicole721]

Via Veneto is the Rodeo Drive of Rome – a street boasting five star hotels, top rate shopping and dozens of restaurants. Our tour advertised lunch in a five star hotel and we were even more excited that it was at a hotel on Via Veneto. The Ambassador Hotel was gorgeous on the outside and downright opulent on the inside.

 

 

[Nicole721]

We were led into a private dining room, where bottles of red and white wine were already waiting on every table and sparkling wine was poured and passed around as we sat. The best pasta I’ve ever had was plated fresh and each of us were given a choice of chicken or fish. My notes from lunch? “Holy ****, lunch was good.” And it was.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nicole721]

 

 

[Nicole721]

Each course was served at a leisurely pace and we thoroughly enjoyed chatting with our tourmates over the delicious cuisine and bottles of wine. Exposed knees and shoulders aren’t allowed in Vatican City and restrooms would be limited, so before we left, Laura advised anyone who needed to change or use the restroom to do so at the Ambassador. We had just over an hour at lunch and we left thoroughly satisfied, slightly tipsy and all in all, ready for an afternoon in Vatican City.

 

 

 

 

Vatican City is it’s own state, located in the middle of Rome. Entering Vatican City is like entering another world, both figuratively and literally – though it’s located in the middle of Rome, it is an independent state (the smallest recognized independent state, for that matter, with a population of just over 800) and it is completely enclosed by tall stone walls.

 

 

It’s almost funny – we were standing and waiting for Laura to pick up our tickets and I remember thinking to myself how ironic it was that one of the holiest places in the world was literally it’s own version of hell. If you can’t handle intense crowds, a trip to Vatican City isn’t for you. From the time we entered to the time we left, we were fully surrounded by crowds of people the entire time we were at the Vatican.

 

[Nicole721]

If you can (figuratively, of course) push past feeling like a sardine crammed in a can to observe the art around you, there’s no place quite like the Vatican. Everywhere you turn, every line, every sculpture, every tile, is a work of art. Laura walked us through exhibit after exhibit, continuing to amaze us with the breadth of knowledge she possessed. And with each exhibit we walked through, I was just captivated by the artistry. Some of my favorite pictures from this trip come from our walk through the Vatican Museum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nicole721]

 

 

 

 

 

[Nicole721]

 

 

 

 

 

[Nicole721]

 

 

[Nicole721]

And then, at long last, we made our way to the Sistine Chapel, the one part of our visit I was looking forward to the most. The Sistine Chapel is where the Papal Conclave takes place when the College of Cardinals elect a new Pope but more importantly (to me), is the home of Michelangelo’s grandest masterpieces: the Sistine Chapel Ceiling and the Last Judgment, painted in the early and mid-1500s (respectively).

 

 

Laura mentioned that women aren’t allowed to give commentary or speak in the Sistine Chapel, so she gave us the full history before we entered and mentioned the protocol of visiting: shoulders and knees covered, no talking, no photography, no video and keep walking. The chapel is smaller than I thought it would be, but it was magnificent. Each fresco was more beautiful than the last, and the storytelling through art and color was hypnotizing. The Sistine Chapel held the most beautiful art I’ve ever seen, and walking through it in near silence made the experience of viewing it all the more powerful.

 

 

I walked out of the chapel in a daze. In the span of six hours, I’d thrown a coin in the Trevi Fountain, had the best amarena gelato, walked inside the Colosseum, drank ridiculously good Italian wine while feasting on the best tasting past I’ve ever had and stood in the Sistine Chapel. Best day ever, right? This is what I love about traveling. Every other day is an ordinary day, and then there are days like this that are filled with so much culture and beauty and history. There’s a quote by a 14th century explorer named Ibn Battuta that I put up on my Instagram and Facebook this morning – “Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller” -- and it kind of encapsulates how I left Rome: moved beyond words that somehow manifested themselves into a kind of poetry that lives on in a gilded haze in my memory.

 

 

 

But back to the Vatican. We weren’t done after the Sistine Chapel – right as we exited back up into the square, Laura led us over to the last guided part of our tour through Vatican City: St. Peter’s Basilica.

 

 

[Nicole721]

St. Peter’s Basilica is one of the two largest churches in the world (the other being a church on the Ivory Coast of Africa) and is the quintessential piece of Renaissance architecture. The curvature of the archways, the gilded fixtures and warm colors are mesmerizing. Sunlight streams into the middle of the Basilica through a vaulted, domed ceiling. I was (yep…again…) overwhelmed by the beauty around me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mj]

Enjoyed seeing your pictures of Florence. Your review is continuing to bring back the great memories of my trip. Florence is a great city and I definitely want to go back some day. One of my favorite memories was overlooking the city at the Piazzale Michelangelo.

 

Glad you had a great tour with the cruise line.

[Nicole721]

We kind of just wandered around for a bit as Laura spoke of the architecture and history and fielded questions (yes, people can get married here).

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nicole721]

One of our tourmates somehow lost their husband inside (he’d wandered off taking pictures and eventually met up with us as we were exiting Vatican City) and we headed out to St. Peter’s Square to regroup.

 

 

 

 

 

Laura left us in a meeting spot to have a half hour of free time to grab a snack, use the restrooms or buy souvenirs (the amount of Pope memorabilia you can buy in Vatican City is simultaneously unsurprising and jarring). We were parched from the heat, the crowds and the hours we’d spent on our feet with no breaks to sit as we toured the Vatican, so we beelined for the first café we found.

 

[searoses]

Stunning....I took Latin for 4 years and a lot of the curriculum centered around art and daily living....I am looking to immerse myself for several days before our trip .....your photos just made me gasp....

[4cats4me]

Your pictures are so beautiful and inspiring. We are going on the Vision in approx 3 weeks, and only now, after seeing your pics, am I truly starting to get excited! I am so glad we've booked a private guide for the Vatican.

 

 

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[Nicole721]

Once our group reconvened, we had a bit of a walk back to the bus, which was in an underground parking lot that served all of the tour groups that were visiting.

 

 

The ride back to Civitavecchia was just over an hour and I alternated taking pictures out the window and (like most others on the bus) napping.

 

 

 

 

 

Before this trip, I’d talk to my friends about how I worried I’d burst out in tears at any moment while on this trip because I’d be overwhelmed by what I was seeing and experiencing and on the plus, there were no tears, but on the minus, between the long tours, early wakeups and constant wonder I was surrounded in, I was exhausted by all of it.

[Nicole721]

A Dopo, Roma

 

We arrived back at the port in Civitavecchia just before 6:30 pm and said our goodbyes to Laura, who was truly a phenomenal guide along a memorable day. We dropped our bags off at the room and freshened up before heading up to the dining room for dinner. Our meals were delicious (the salads got high marks from all of us!), but even better than a good meal at the end of a long day was sharing our day with Lloyd and Marc.

 

Royal Shrimp Cocktail

 

Slow-Baked Salmon Fillet

 

BLT Salad

 

Simple and Classic Caesar Salad

[Nicole721]

Beef and Veal Tortellacci

 

Cranberry-Apple Turkey Roulade

 

Grilled NY Strip Steak

 

Honey Walnut Tart

 

Low Fat Peach Melba

 

Drunken Kahlua Cake

[Nicole721]

After dinner, we headed out to the Promenade to get some fresh air and watch Civitavecchia fade into the horizon.

 

 

 

Back in the room, we had a new friend waiting for us with our Compass for our first sea day. The greatest part of this itinerary, perhaps, was the two sea days following Rome – we knew Rome would be our big touring day and we were relieved to have two days to recover before exploring Greece and Turkey.

 

 

When in Rome was playing on the big screen and if we didn’t know it was an all-female trifecta leading the ship (the Captain, the Cruise Director and the Assistant Cruise Director), we probably would have been able to tell in all of the romcoms playing in the outdoor theater. We weren’t complaining, though – you won’t find a family that appreciates a good romantic comedy more than mine seems to, and there are few nighttime activities I enjoy more on a cruise ship than watching movies on the pool deck. The combination of the sea air and the relaxation of watching a movie is the perfect antidote for the ails of a long day of touring.

 

 

There was a toga party scheduled for 10:30 pm that Stephanie and I really wanted to check out, but we were fast asleep as soon as the movie ended when Kristen Bell found her soulmate and we staggered down to the room. I didn’t know what adventures Greece and Turkey would bring, but if they were anything like our first three ports, we’d need all the rest we could get over the next two sea days.

[TxStacey]

Awesome Nicole!! I am loving this review and cant wait until the next installment! My cruise is just way too far off :(

[LizSS]

Wow I am surprised how industrial the port was, especially in the pic you have sailing away from it, just not what I had imagined!

 

Glad you had those 2 sea days to recoup, much needed from what I can see

 

 

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[papcx]

Bella Roma!

 

I'm loving re-living Rome through your review.

 

You really packed a lot into a day, probably enough to make you realise you HAVE to go back.

 

I hope you saw Michelangelo's Pietà in the Basilica?

 

 

He was 23 when he started this sculpture! 23! I couldn't tell you what I was doing when I was 23.

 

And how about this for humble - when people praised him for the work he'd say it wasn't his work. God put the sculpture in the stone, he just removed the bits that weren't needed. Unbelievable!