Vista 7/1/16 8 day Med Review - a Vista like no other

[kidstwo2]

When I laid out the agenda for this day, working with Joe Bananas, I had wanted to include a lunch somewhere appropriate and price the excursion to include the lunch. They responded quickly with a recommendation that I accepted based upon their expertise. I cannot find the name of the place now (I do have it somewhere but cannot put my hands on it), but the plans were to spend some time in Positano then go to lunch and then go to Revello.

 

As we did this the group grew hungry and we start climbing through the hills. Saying it was tight and narrow roads would be an understatement and twice we had to backup for other traffic but we finally made our way to the lunch stop. Here are some pics of a look back down to Positano......

 

 

 

 

 

The name of the restaurant is La Tagliata. We did this same excursion with Joe Bananas on the 6/21 Athens-Barcelona cruise. Yes it was wonderful!

[jimbo5544]

Even Flat Stanley enjoyed the meal and the vino.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jimbo5544]

Fully sated, we headed to our last stop for the day, Revello which is at the far and up from Positano. On the way there, I happened to check my phone and saw on cruisecritic that someone from the roll call had posted that "official" Meet and greet" was supposed to happen at five that day and it had been posted in the fun times the evening before (which I never saw). More on that later..... next up Revello.

 

[sjn911]

Jimbo....So excited to read this.....nothing like Europe and so lucky I was young one time to do...so looking forward to a ship experience there....thanks for review.

[jimbo5544]

Jimbo....So excited to read this.....nothing like Europe and so lucky I was young one time to do...so looking forward to a ship experience there....thanks for review.

 

 

Hey Sarah, thanks for the kind words.... You don't have to be young to do it again (I am proof of that). Thanks for following along.

Edited July 20, 2016 by jimbo5544

[lhuggi1]

I need to divert a bit to discuss roll calls. Roll calls have a life of their own, sometimes taking off and flourishing and sometimes dying on the vine. The roll call fro our cruise was one of the bigger ones I have ever been part of, I think about 64 cabins participated to some degree.

 

 

 

I noticed a couple of interesting things during the life of the roll call here on CC. The first was that I have never seen such a large amount of posts regarding people using their own excursion companies and looking for others to join in. It dominated the posting on the roll call the last month or so (I am not saying it was a bad thing, just that it caught my attention. I think some joined the roll call for that purpose.

 

 

 

The second thing was the amount of roll over from the roll call here to FB roll call. I don't have a FB account but I do stalk my wife's and saw the activity over there. Again, not bad but more than I have noticed in the past. This leads me to meet and greets.

 

 

I have agree with this. I've had amazing roll calls where life long friendships were made. My recent experience is the same I feel it's just a one stop shop for private excursions and if your not interested in that, your kind just left hanging. Not necessarily a bad thing just nothing I've experienced before in a roll call to this extent.

Edited July 20, 2016 by lhuggi1

[cjcruiser27]

I could easily spend 4 or 5 days here. One of my favorites in Italy, at least until the next stop..... We made our way back on the buses and then onward (and upward)..... next up Positano.

 

 

I have done that and you would love it[emoji41]totally amazing to really enjoy the fabulous atmosphere...Italy gets into your soul and it will call you back for more!

[clarkg]

Looks like you had an Amazing time.

[jimbo5544]

I have agree with this. I've had amazing roll calls where life long friendships were made. My recent experience is the same I feel it's just a one stop shop for private excursions and if your not interested in that, your kind just left hanging. Not necessarily a bad thing just nothing I've experienced before in a roll call to this extent.

 

It certainly was interesting.... I will be checking to see if it was more of a Med thing than overall and I had not noticed it before.

[jimbo5544]

I have done that and you would love it[emoji41]totally amazing to really enjoy the fabulous atmosphere...Italy gets into your soul and it will call you back for more!

 

I agree, the other really interesting thing is how much language does not get in the way. No matter where we weer, we could always find a way to communicate, either finding someone that understood us or just "working it out".

 

We could easily spend two weeks in the different regions in Italy. So much to see and do and the food is fantastic.

[jimbo5544]

Looks like you had an Amazing time.

 

It really was a great trip. More highlights of another great stop coming up.... Cinque Terre.

[CruzinScotty]

First for those who don't know me, a little about us. I post here quite a bit and began doing reviews of our cruises about 4 years ago when after reading some of the reviews posted here, I suddenly understood that doing a review really accomplished two things.

 

First it gave others a view (or a vista if you will....pun intended) of what your experience was of your cruise and some insights that they might find useful. It also may give them information for that ship or itinerary that may prove useful. Almost as important, but not as evident as that time, was it allows the poster to relive their cruise experience.

 

 

Jimbo, I'm just finishing a trip report of my own. I've seen this one on the boards and finally have time to "dig in".

 

Looking forward to it and I couldn't agree more about the reasons to do a trip report.

[sjn911]

I could easily spend 4 or 5 days here. One of my favorites in Italy, at least until the next stop..... We made our way back on the buses and then onward (and upward)..... next up Positano.

 

The whole if Italy I flew through on a bus for 18 to 35's....at 20..it was wonderful..I had 3 whirlwind tours at 20...but Italy remains so deep in me as somewhere I want to go and stay....a week each in several places you are covering now..watching Rick Steve's Europe shows again on youtube..oh boy...these are just heaven...Jimbo..I was 20 and then at 26 just did Paris and Brussels and London, SOLO...for a month to celebrate Masters..heaven too. This is a so very cool way to register your event and your group...just to die for. Thank you..that group feeling CAN BE GREAT.

 

I really wonder about going for just a short week and a half but with help on a ship or tour...and time limitations and maybe being older that is ok now..that is hard part..but that Carnival goes...and other mainstream options..THANK GOD.

 

Sorry so wordy..I also appreciate the comfort seat idea on Delta..those are my miles..

Edited July 21, 2016 by sjn911

[jimbo5544]

Jimbo, I'm just finishing a trip report of my own. I've seen this one on the boards and finally have time to "dig in".

 

Looking forward to it and I couldn't agree more about the reasons to do a trip report.

 

I just finished reading yours. Nice Job! The Ecstasy holds a special place in our cruising history. We sailed her out of Galveston after she moved there from New Orleans (after a quick dry dock) and was used for housing workers assisting with Katrina recovery. Right after boarding and we had pulled away from the pier we were paged. Thinking something had happened at home (and we had left the pier:eek:) we answered the call and found out they were in a bit of a sticky wicket and wanted to move us to the owners Penthouse Suite (top of the atrium - one on each side) those privacy glass windows you see from the main pool. It was suite (pun intended).

 

More coming on the review, thanks for following along.

Edited July 21, 2016 by jimbo5544

[jimbo5544]

The whole if Italy I flew through on a bus for 18 to 35's....at 20..it was wonderful..I had 3 whirlwind tours at 20...but Italy remains so deep in me as somewhere I want to go and stay....a week each in several places you are covering now..watching Rick Steve's Europe shows again on youtube..oh boy...these are just heaven...Jimbo..I was 20 and then at 26 just did Paris and Brussels and London, SOLO...for a month to celebrate Masters..heaven too. This is a so very cool way to register your event and your group...just to die for. Thank you..that group feeling CAN BE GREAT.

 

I really wonder about going for just a short week and a half but with help on a ship or tour...and time limitations and maybe being older that is ok now..that is hard part..but that Carnival goes...and other mainstream options..THANK GOD.

 

Sorry so wordy..I also appreciate the comfort seat idea on Delta..those are my miles..

 

It is the getting there (the destination - Europe in this case) that is hard to get your arms around....Delta comfort seats sure don't hurt....would have loved business class but it was off the charts in terms of cost. Your trip(s) sound great, I am sure those are great memories. I remember my 20's.....vaguely....;) The majority of our group is friends and family, like an extended family. It makes it much easier as a group leader, and they all get together (for the most part). I do have a story along these lines of what happened in Marseilles, so stay tuned for that. It is something that has never happened to us before.

 

Lastly, you never have to apologize for being wordy on any of my posts....;):) Consider you a friend, and who knows, we may sail together some day.

[jimbo5544]

Revello

 

The ride to Revello (really was the way we were to go back to the ship as well) was climbing up the mountains on the far side of Positano. We were dropped off the explore on our own for a couple of hours before heading back to the ship.

 

There are times on a cruise or an excursion when you think something is a throw in and you have very little in terms of expectation. This is how I felt about Revello as we got off the bus. I had felt the same way about Dubrovnik on our last cruise on the Carnival Liberty (mainly because I had such high expectations for the following stop - Venice). I really enjoyed Dubrovnik then, and I really enjoyed Revello as we explored this bigger yet wonderful town. Here are some pics.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jimbo5544]

and some more....... we were beginning to wilt, but Flat Stanley was still going strong.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jimbo5544]

and some more looking down to the sea.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jimbo5544]

and just a couple more.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jimbo5544]

It was time to head back to the ship. We boarded up on the buses (these were Mercedes 15 passenger type) and began our way back. The way back was not the way we had come, but through the mountains. Holy crap, the drop offs were upwards of 1,000 feet and no guard rails. Most of the people slept on the way back, I keep my eyes glued to the road....not that I was driving but I thought I had a vested interest. :o

[KPfromCT]

Amazing pictures Jimbo!!!!:D:D

Loving this review.....

[jimbo5544]

Amazing pictures Jimbo!!!!:D:D

Loving this review.....

 

Thank you very much! I am really enjoying doing the review. It keeps the cruise so fresh in my memory. More coming......

[cjcruiser27]

I agree, the other really interesting thing is how much language does not get in the way. No matter where we weer, we could always find a way to communicate, either finding someone that understood us or just "working it out".

 

 

 

We could easily spend two weeks in the different regions in Italy. So much to see and do and the food is fantastic.

 

 

...so is the wine[emoji1]

[jimbo5544]

...so is the wine[emoji1]

 

 

An excellent point! Even everyday wine was very good.

[cjcruiser27]

An excellent point! Even everyday wine was very good.

 

 

Did you try the chocolate filled with limoncello ?