Review of Pisa/Florence/Rome April 2004

[stingraynz]

Here is an except of my review from my 21-day cruise I took in April 2004. We used the services driverinrome.com and loved our visit to Italy.

 

APRIL 26TH LIVORNO ITALY 7AM TO 7PM

 

TEMP 13C/55F

HIGH MID 60S/LOW 20S

FRESH BREEZE

 

Here it was the second last day of our trip and I was actually up early enough to go out and watch the sunrise. We were just pulling into the harbour at Livorno Italy. Today we reserved a tour to take us to both Pisa and Florence with the tour services of http://www.driverinrome.com The tour we booked was called the 'Exclusive Florence and Pisa tour' on their website. We just did it myself and my sister, so there was only two of us in the van but the van could accommodate a lot more. I would think that six people would be the most I would have because with six pax everyone could have a window seat.

 

 

We got off the ship about 8am and Pepe was waiting for us. He had a brand spanking new van with only a few kms on it. That was nice. Everyone had their own controls for heat and A/C. But we didn’t have an entire vanload it was just me and Lisa. After our introductions with Pepe (Guiseppe), we were off to Pisa right away.

 

It took about 20 min to drive to Pisa by way of the Italian Countryside. When we got to the square ‘Campo dei Miracoli’ where the Leaning tower is. Pepe told us exactly what to look for, where to go, what to see and we said we would be back in 40 minutes. He stayed with the van. When you walked through the gates there is a long pedestrian street. One side is filled with souvenir kiosks, the other side is the lawn where the baptistry, the Duomo and of course, the leaning tower. We some how managed to get one of those days where there was not a cloud in the sky and the blue sky against the white tower made for some outstanding photos. To the right and the left of the tower were the offices where you could get tickets to climb up to the top of the tower. Lisa and I knew we were taking this tour and so we ordered (and paid) for the tickets in advance. Daniele & Monia from driverinrome.com whom we were in contact in the weeks prior to leaving told us what time to book the tickets for and there was a link to the ‘tower ticket’ website from their wesite. It was easy to follow along. You must pick the data and time and fill in the required information including credit card and passport numbers. It cost about 17 euros. We had 9:30 reservations to climb the tower. Unfortunately, after the ‘Spire Stairway’ incident from the day before in Barcelona. There was no way I was climbing this. If they would have let me start out and come back down it I didn’t feel comfortable, I may have given it a try. Also you had to climb up to the eighth level before you could go out on the balconies. I wasn’t going to climb that high up to realize what I already know. I hate spiral stairs…so I was out. It was fairly regimented. You went up with the group and a guard and you had certain amount of time up there. For those interested, don’t think I am talking you out of it. If I didn’t have this affliction I would have loved to go up just to say ‘I was up there’. It is well worth it. It is even more worth it to get the tickets in advance and avoid the lines. I bought the tickets a month ahead of time and here are the directions the website gave me when I printed out the ticket vouchers…..

 

Due to the tower restorations, we regret for the inconveniences may occur during the visit.

SALE INFORMATION

 For security reasons, children under 8 years are not allowed to access the Leaning Tower .

 After downloading the voucher, the tourist will have to go to the ticket offices of Opera della Primaziale Pisana working in Piazza del Duomo di Pisa at least 1 hour before starting the visit.

 At the voucher handing the cashier will be given the ticket valid for the visit in the time showed on the voucher itself.

 You must show the cashier the same document printed in the tickets purchase procedure..

 Tourists will have to go to the proper left-luggage office to leave voluntarily bags/luggage before starting the visit.

 The visit will last about 35/40 minutes on the whole and tourists will be led by the staff of Opera della Primaziale Pisana.

 

I guess we were still early enough in the season, it was empty on the lawn and a mixture of people around the tower. I have heard from others that have visited more during the tourist season or even later into the day that this area gets jammed packed. We are so lucky we saw it when there was no one around.

 

The tower was begun in 1174 and finally finished in 1350. Unless engineers can put a halt to it's tilt, it is speculated that the tower structure will collapse in the next two hundred years. Currently it is leaning 16 feet out of perpendicular.

 

On the way back to the van we came across a little kiosk selling ‘knock off’ designer purses. This was on my list to get a bag from the Louis Vuitton ‘Rainbow’ collection. I saw them as I walked by and the first thing I thought is ‘they are going to be a rip off in this tourist trap of all tourist traps’. I mentioned to Lisa and she said ‘we better check them out’. Again, I went in with my mind set on what I wanted to pay as well as what I would be willing to pay. Since I really wanted this bag, I was willing to pay about 20 to 30 euros. Then we went in with all the set rules;

1. know what you want to pay before you start

2. enter the area smiling (flirting doesn’t hurt) making small conversation – be very friendly

3. act like you don’t know what you’re doing

4. inquire about a (similar) item that you are not interested in at all and start setting precedence

5. when he highballs – you lowball

6. when you aren’t getting anywhere yet you feel you’re getting a response

7. this is the time to go to what you really want, all the while you are acting nonchalant and are ready to ‘pretend’ to walk away.

8. At this point go in for the kill and take no prisoners

 

Well he came out with the initial price that I thought was totally doable (it must have been this guys first day). Lisa didn’t think it was low enough. I think he asked for 20 or 25 euros. We banded together (which always works) she had two or three bags, I just wanted the one. It was a real whirlwind & we were all over the place. Then Lisa said ’40 euros for everything’. He didn’t know what hit him. We slapped the money into his hands and he was packing up the bags.

Victory was enjoyed. He sold four bags and we were proud new owners.

 

I can’t stress enough to the shoppers, ‘strike while the irons hot’! This is my new motto and I haven’t been disappointed since I adopted it. Buy the item and never look or price it out again. Move on to the next item!! I’ll have you know we did not see those bags again the whole day in Florence and once we got to Rome we were way to busy to shop so if we didn’t ‘strike’ we would have been ‘out of luck’!! I think that purse in my favorite purchase of the trip. Since then I have only seen the knockoffs (fakes) on the internet and they are around $149USD for the exact same bag same wrapping and everything. I think we did quite well.

 

After we put our wallets back into their holsters, we met Pepe and we were off to Firenze via the autostrata for a 90 minute drive.

[stingraynz]

It was a Monday so we knew that none of the Museums would be opened. That was OK because you couldn't do both the outdoor sights and museums. There just would not be enough time. So we figure we would do all the driving around with Pepe get a great overview and go back some other time to do the museums. Had they been open I would have seen David for sure at the Accademia Gallery. But there was so much to see, having the museums closed almost relieved us of some of the ‘pressure’ to get it all done.

 

As it was we saw a lot! We drove to the hill where you get that exquisite vantage point of Florence. I think it is called the Piazzale Michaelangelo and it was the best views of the various bridges and the Arno river. This is ‘the’ spot that everyone who has been to Florence has a photo of all the terra cotta roofs, steeples and domes of Florence. It is quite exquisite.

 

The next stop was the Santa Croce Church and the piazza di Santa Croce square, we had free time there. Dante, Michelangelo, Galileo Galilei were all buried inside this church and you can see the funeral monuments. You can spend some time in the square and there are some gardens as well as a leather school to the side of the church. We took about 40 mins and we went on to the next stop. The time was all up to us we could stop where we wanted and spent as much time as we wanted. Since he was the expert we let him tell us how much time we should be spending to get a good idea and then move on to the next item.

 

Pepe had mentioned some interesting tidbit such as Italy had 92,000 churches. All Italian words come from Greek or Latin origins. The upper class spoke Greek and the ordinary folk spoke Latin. Pepe also mentioned that Caesar named Florence. He was traveling from Rome through the valleys and he came upon many flowers, hence the name ‘Florence’. You never know how true this stuff is, so bear this in mind.

 

Next we went to the Piazza Duomo and the Santa Maria del Fiore church. Work began in 1296 and 140 years later it was opened. The Duomo itself was frescoed in 1572-1579. Here we had free time there to have lunch in a cafe just around the side of the church. We looked around inside the cathedral and the Bapistry as well as the museum to see the Unfinished "pieta" of Michaelangelo and get a good idea of the history of the cathedral. I still don’t understand why that museum was open? My sister climbed the 464 steps to the very top of the Duomo. I thought she was crazy, but she said it was great. Outside in the square I bought a painting of a scene of the red roofs of Firenze. I also bought a book of Florence called the ‘Golden Book of Florence’ I bought the same book of Rome as well. These books are great. They are cheap easy to pack and have Maps, history, they describe all the art and things in the museums that you forgot. They are a great aid to use to decipher where and what the subjects of your pictures of. They are about 8 euros and they sell them everywhere.

 

After we met back up with Pepe about 2 hours later. We were off to the Piazza della Signoria ‘the heart of Florentine life’ and then to the Ponte Vecchio to check out all the jewelry shops. On the way to the square we drive by the Pitti Palace which was also closed on Monday. The Pitti palace was home of Medici family rich in the history of Florence.

 

The Piazza della Signoria is the square out front of the Accademia Gallery where we would have seen the sculpture of David. In the square was a replica of David (but just not of the same greatness as the original) and there was also a huge fountain dedicated to Neptune. My favorite sculpture, Perseus sculpted by Cellini in bronze 1500-1571 depicting the ‘killing of Medusa’ is also in the square. It’s just such a cool statue. This is the square where everything in the movies depicting Italy is filmed. I have seen this square so many times in the movies I felt like I had been there already.

 

Florence is overwhelming in its wealth of art, history and culture. It is the ‘Renaissance city’ and it is a ‘must see’. I couldn’t see getting tired of going to Florence it is absolutely fabulous and almost fairy-tale-esque.

 

Here are some general Notes from the tour’s website at http://www.driverinrome.com.

 

Please dress respectfully for visiting religious monuments; local custom requires covering knees and shoulder. Comfortable walking shoes recommended.

The vehicle will escort you for the entire tour. Walking is limited unlike bus tour where you have to walk approximately 5 miles during the whole day.

The tour sequence may be altered to avoid congestion but always covering mentioned sights.

!! Keep an eye on your wallet and purses at all time. Do not wear jewelry or carry large amount of cash

It is best to make an advanced reservation for the Accademia museum and the Uffizzi gallery. If needed please ask us and we will provide it at no extra cost.

 

Again, if it were not Monday, there would be more options in Florence, but perhaps it would be busier. Monday or not we saw some great things and I knew going in that we would have to return to Florence someday anyway, so the way I see it ‘A Monday in Florence is better than a Monday at home’.

 

OTHER SHIP TOURS: Same as other ports Full day tours range from $100-200 going to Florence (and Pisa) or to the Tuscan countryside. There is also the ‘Florence on your own’ option for $70. The half day tours go for about $50 and went to Lucca, Tuscan wine tasting and Pisa.

 

A word on the ships tours:

 

Of all the trips I have been on, or organized on my own, either privately or through the ship. I have had probably four completely horrible experiences and they have all been half day ship tours. I was never reimbursed or compensated for any of them. I find the ship’s half day tours are often ‘hit & miss’. Since our bad experiences, I avoid these ship’s tours like the plague. If there is nothing else offered such as a private tour or something I can organize myself or even a ship full day tour, only then I will take the ship half day tour. They (the cruise lines) don’t seem to care if you have a good tour or good value of the tours. The long and short of it is they charge through the nose and don’t always deliver. The full day tours are very expensive so I guess they must do a better job because they couldn’t take that money in good faith and deliver mediocre tours. Actually I must admit the full day ship tours have always really been enjoyable and I have taken many.

[stingraynz]

APRIL 27TH CIVITAVECCHIA (ROME) ITALY

 

TEMP 16C/61F

SUNNY

 

Today we had to say goodbye to Royal Princess. It has been a great voyage, it seemed like we were in Brazil ages ago. It didn’t whiz by but I was in no means to leave the ship yet. I was getting to feel very comfortable on the Royal. It’s no wonder that people live on this ship.

 

Again we booked a tour with driverinrome.com. They were coming to pick us up at the ship and drive us back to Rome and give us a full day tour of Rome. From there we were even spending the night at ‘Angela & Remo’s apartment, the B&B they rent out for $90 euros/night.

 

This was one of the best disembarkation’s we ever had. We slept in, then had a leisurely breakfast. We were probably the last off the ship and that was about 9:30 or 10:00. We did not have to present ourselves to immigration, we weren’t sure why, perhaps the European Union doesn’t have strict rules.

 

We met Remo (who was driving someone else to the Airport in Rome) and we also met Aldo our guide for the day. To say the least Aldo is a ‘character’. You would be lucky to have him as your guide for the day. Within 10 minutes of leaving the pier, he claimed he had us ‘all figured out’. I felt like saying ‘that’s funny – men have been trying to figure women out for hundreds of years!’ and oddly enough, he wasn’t married! Anyway, his diagnosis consisted of telling us we were judgmental and picky…and his point was??? Then we diagnosed him and told him he didn’t know what he was talking about. Then we proceeded to talk about all the subjects you aren’t supposed to talk about…religion, politics, and so on (and he called us judgmental!!) Oh we had a great time picking on each other and then finally we were in Rome.

 

This was a very busy day. Also being the expert knew the right times to see certain attractions. He said because it was lunch time, we should go directly to the Vatican museum to see the Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina). He told us exactly were to go and what to look for and he stayed with the van and our stuff and we went into the museum.

 

The Vatican is the smallest state in the world. When you walk towards the Sistine Chapel you pass through many galleries with amazing tapestries Maps. There was the Candelabra Gallery and the magnificent Raphael Rooms that eventually lead to the fifteenth century Sistine Chapel. The chapel is famous for the invaluable collection of masterpieces like the Michelangelo's ceiling painting of the "Creation of the World". We looked around just a little and then we went back to the van to meet up with Aldo.

 

After that we went to a great little place with Also to get a bite to eat. We asked him to choose a nice spot that wouldn’t take too much time. He referred to it as at ‘bar’ but it was more of an Italian bakery. They had tons of pizzas and sandwiches on panini and focacchia (sp?). This was just what we wanted. All three of us had sandwiches, a drink and espresso after lunch and Lisa and I even had some homemade gelato and it all came to about 18 euros. It was just a few streets over from the Vatican and there were a bunch of guys working there that Aldo knew well. I wish I was eating lunch there today!!

 

Afterward we went on to St Peters Square where the Pope addresses the masses in front of St Peter’s basilica. We went inside st Peter's Basilica (basilica of San Pietro) and it was absolutely incredible! One of the only words that come to mind is vast, it is the largest church in the world. It includes 800 pillars and 44 alters. There was a structure in the centre near the front ‘the gilded Papal Canopy’ suspended over the the altar where the Pope celebrates mass. This bronze sculpture was made from the bronze that was taken from the dome of the Pantheon. This is a little fact that Also told us during the tour. Of course there is also one of best known pieces in the world - Michelangelo's Pietà. Everything was a wonder the alters, sculptures, even the floor was a masterpiece. I’m not one for churches and this was probably the one that awestruck me the most, not for it’s riches (trust me, it had a mother load), but for the draw it had over me, it’s immense sense of being was quite powerful. I enjoyed it more than the Sistine chapel. That was also powerful in it’s art but it was just too crowded for me to enjoy. We spent quite a bit of time wandering around and taking pictures inside the Basilica and out in the square. Could you believe walking out in the square we saw some friends from our Cruise Critic group. How does this happen? You couldn’t meet people like that if you planned it. There they were in St Peter’s square. We talked for a few minutes, it was nice because we never got a chance to say goodbye on the ship. When we met back up with Aldo, we said ‘what happened did you get lost?’ I guess we were gone longer than expected. I must add that just across the street from St Peter’s square, there is some souvenir stands. Here we got a pack of 20 post cards for 1 euro. They were a great collection all the sights and they were wrapped in a little map of Rome. This was an excellent buy and you couldn’t have got anything cheaper. They were cool like they were from the 1970s I really liked them and wished I got another pack, they are good to put in the album next to the your pictures.

 

Aldo was such a character, we would be kidding around with each other, then he would say ‘we are at the next stop we must be serious’ and he would switch to his tour guide persona and he would be completely serious and factual. He took his duty as a guide very seriously. You won’t be unhappy with his service at all. He told us an interesting story how at the fall of the Roman empire, the Pope was the king of Rome. The pope at the time of 1505 was Julius II. He was very money oriented and was extremely ruthless, everyone hated him. Everyone except for the Swiss, in fact the Swiss protected him, this is why to this day the Swiss guards are the guards of the Vatican state. Aldo I hope I got that right? He also told us how in 2005 it will be the 500 year anniversary.

 

Next stop was the Piazza Nevona, a beautiful square with many souvenir shops, artist’s selling their paintings and cafes. It was a real centre of life. Here I bought my ’Golden Book of Rome’ in one of the newsstands. Piazza Navona was described by Aldo as the ‘nicest square in Rome’

 

Next we were off the Centre of Rome, including Capitoline Hill, Palzzo Venzia in it’s Venician style architecture (that was Mussolini’s Headquarters) and the Wedding cake building. A Monument to Victor Emmanuel II, tomb of the unknown soldier, one of the newer buildings being circa 1911. It is so hard for me to imagine the age of these areas in Europe. In North America, a building for the 1800s or even the turn of the century is considered old. It is hard for me to conceive things from the pre 1500. In Rome and Florence that was almost everything. When we visited the Pantheon built in 27 BC. It was very hard for me to believe Aldo. How did they do it? The structure, the floors were just incredible how have it lasted? How has it survived? The Pantheon is the ‘nicest monument of Rome’ not to mention a architectural marvel.

 

Then of course, it was a whirlwind of structures being presented to us; Trajan’s Forum dating back to 113 AD, the Colosseum, Arco de Constantino, Circus Maximus all right there in downtown Rome. I could tell you pages of thoughts and information on our visit to all these sights but I would double the size of this review. Let just leave it to Aldo to show you.

[stingraynz]

SEVEN WONDERS OF ANCIENT ROME

7. CIRCUS MAXIMUS (Emperor Trajian (sp?) 100 AD) - This is where the Christians were eaten by Lions.

6. TRAJIAN’S FORUM (Trajian’s Market – the world’s first shopping mall)

5. ROMAN AQUADUCTS (Trajian)

4. ROMAN BATHS (Caracalla – begun building in 212 AD) He was a tyrant that ruled after Nero and Caligula.

3. ROADS – Credited with the 1st road system The Appian Way

2. PANTHEON – Temple to the Gods. Emperor Hadrian

1. COLISEUM - Construction of the amphitheatre was constructed after Emperor Nero in 70AD. During the inauguration , 5000 exotic African wild animals were killed. Sometimes 5,000 animals were killed a day.

 

We still had more to see…. We went to the Trevi fountain to throw our coins in. Throw it over your left shoulder and you will return to Rome. We were starting now to wind down, Aldo took us to the Spanish steps and we got a little treat…they were covered in flowers, Aldo told us only the flowers are there only during the month of April. What shocked me was how Aldo navigated all these little streets and Squares, we drove right through the square at the Spanish steps. To look at it you would not think you would be permitted to drive a car in there.

 

On the way towards Remo’s home we drove past the famous shopping area of Rome as well as a bunch of other monuments and obelisks dedicated to emperors and others. I have to read up in my Rome book to figure out everything that Aldo was telling us. He certainly had a lot of facts and information to share.

 

Entrance fees and notes

 

You must remember to dress appropriately when visiting the churches and religious monuments

 

Colosseum is 10 euros

Vatican Museum is 10 euros

Catacomb is 5 euros

 

Once back at Remo’s house we took some goodbye pictures with Aldo and we then said our goodbyes to dear Aldo. We were tired!!! Remo and Angela invited us to eat dinner with their family so we had a nap and got ready for dinner about 8:30pm. The apartment was great, it was 2 bedrooms, a bathroom, a large sitting room with a dining area and kitchen. I would definitely recommend it and I would stay there again on my next trip to Rome. You can see pictures of it through the links on their website.

 

Dinner with Remo, Angela, Daniele and Monia was great. They reminded me of my family and my Italian friends’ families. They were great dinner companions and Angela is one hell of a chef. She had all my favorite italian dishes. They had antipasto including Olives from their own trees. An appetizer of proscuitto and melon. The pasta course was penne alla vodka and the main course was chicken with a white wine sauce and salad of course. For dessert she had fresh strawberries and vanilla ice cream. How lucky are these people to have cooking that that available to them all the time. It was superb. After dinner we talked for a while and they were so hospitable. Then it was time to retire to our apartment and drop into bed.

 

The tours are described on their website http://www.driverinrome.com. It is a family run business and I couldn't say enough of their hospitality and their professionalism and knowledge and love of their city. Staying at their Bed & Breakfast was a lovely end to a fantastic trip of a lifetime. There are some places we must return to and Italy is definitely one of them. We can't wait to visit Rome and see all these people again that we met through driverinrome.com.

[stingraynz]

APRIL 28TH ROME ITALY

 

Here we are on the last day. We woke up early to get to the airport by about 8am. The night before Angela asked us what we wanted for breakfast and we just requested coffee and toast. When we went into their dining area she had a variety of cereal and rolls and she was making the foam for the top of our cappuccinos. How nice was that! There is nothing like a really good cappuccino. She had told us she got the little foam pot in Toronto. They had previously lived in Toronto for 20 years. Angela and Remo were married in Toronto and built their house there. They moved back to Italy in the late 80s. Their son Daniele who is the Director of DriverInRome was born in Toronto. This familiarity created an instant connection between us and their family. We e-mailed quite a bit before we left on the trip and Remo was even in Toronto a month before we left. We found out when we got to their house Remo was in a private hospital for a hernia operation. This hospital is literally in my backyard – probably a five minute walk from my house. What a small world.

 

We were using their service to drive us to the airport as well so after breakfast Remo to us to the airport in Rome. It was 60 euros for the airport transfer. Once we were at the airport he parked out front and helped us with the bags. We were worried about him doing this since he was not supposed to aggravate his condition. This is why he was only doing small runs to the airport and not the full day tours at that point in time. Anyway, he came into the airport with us and helped us find the correct check-in and line up. Then we had big hugs goodbye, until we meet again. They really were special. When he left the people in line asked us if he was our uncle? Little did they know he was our tour guide and we had just met him the day before.

 

This is the end of our wonderful voyage onboard Royal Princess. I will end with a few travel notes and some closing thoughts.

 

NOTES:

 

RULE : Bottle it, boil it, peel it, cook it - or forget it! This is the rule I follow regarding eating on shore this doesn’t really apply to Europe or North America. Unless I know of a water problem.

 

STICK TO: Good quality beer, carbonated water, bottled water (that you open), tea & coffee

 

AVOID: uncooked fruit & vegetables, ice cubes

 

MEDICATION: CIPRO for diarreah

MEFLOQUINE: for malaria

start taking one day before travel

take with lots of food & water avoid alcohol

Could have G.I. upset, dizziness, insomnia, vivid dreams, anxiety

 

JET LAG: don’t overeat, over drink & avoid alcohol. On the plane get up and stretch, walk around, drink lots of water. Try to adapt to local time immediately

 

WEATHER: I did not know what to expect in regards to weather in April. Spring weather can really be a ‘crap shoot’ in regards of temperature and precipitation. At the same time I never let weather get me down. The weather will not ruin my vacation. As it turns out; not only was it ‘shoulder season’ but it was a great time to be in the Med. The attractions were not busy yet, it was a great temp. for walking around and the air was very fresh. It was also fabulous weather for Senegal and Morocco. Not to hot but hot enough that you didn’t need a jacket.

 

Brazil of course, was very hot and humid and that was to be expected when it is right on the equator. But again we had very bright sunny days.

 

CLOTHING: I always prepare for the worst and dress appropriately. In fact I was expecting it to be cold and rainy in the med. Well we couldn’t have had better weather. I brought enough underwear for every day and a few extras, so 30 pair. I brought good rain gear and good running shoes (both made of ‘gore-ex’). I brought a pair of mitt and a hat in case any mornings were cold (these are made of a light breathable microfibre). I always keep them in my raincoat/windbreaker pocket.

 

For the amazon I brought a long sleeve t-shirt and pants that I could tuck into my socks to keep from being bitten by mosquitos on my night excursion. I brought and extra pair of runners for use in the amazon in case it was muddy I didn’t want to wreck my good runners. I didn’t need any of these clothes (but I was glad I had them) so I gave them away in Boca de Valeria.

 

I had a denim shirt that could have doubled as a jean jacket but would pack a lot smaller. I tried to bring clothes that could both be worn to some casual dinners or out on a shore excursion in Europe (a little more dressy than Brazil or Africa). I brought one pair of shoes for formal nights and wore the same shoes for each one. Then I had a second pair of shoes that I wore every non-formal night for dinner, so only two sandals for night time use. I brought two very good pairs of comfortable sandals for walking in port. So altogether I only had about six pairs of shoes. The Royal had self serve laundry rooms so we did wash about 3 times. If I had to I would have got the ship to wash some of my pants and a few shirts at least.

 

In the ports if it is cool in the morning when going to shore I always dress in layers. I have a light t-shirt underneath, then a long sleeve microfibre shirt that breathes, but can be very warm and my windbreaker on top. I strip off layers as the day wears on and it start to get hot. I just tie them around my waist or put my shirt in my knapsack.

 

I always leave bulky sweaters, sweatshirts & jean jackets at home. They are just too big to put in my luggage. I always have a hat for sun protection. I don’t bring a lot of t-shirts because I know I will end up buying a couple so I just wear the ones I buy.

 

 

SHOPPING:

1. Price out what you want at home first, know what things cost. This goes for housewares, electronics, food, toys and especially jewellry. Especially for the amber, They sell it everywhere there and I couldn't tell what was a good price or not so I didn't get it. But price it at home in the mall first you would be surprised what they offered at the neighbourhood TJ MAXX.

 

2. If you see something you like get it!!! Don't be dispointed later when you don't see it again. 'Strike while the iron's hot' then don't look for it again.

 

REGRETS:

 

I can’t say I didn’t do enough shopping because as it was I had to buy another suitcase on board. I love the stuff I picked up on my travels.

 

I knew going in that some of these places I would not have enough time to see them and I would want to return. I don’t at this as a regret, in fact, I think that is a positive in regards to cruising. You get a flavour of some great ports that will give you a feeling if you want to return and further explore. I know I will want to come back to Manaus (Amazon & Brazil in general), Marrakech, Costa Blanca Spain, French Riviera, and of course, Italy.

 

I felt we had busy days and time was well spent. I didn’t feel overwhelmed at all and we got some great overviews of most of the ports.

 

So I guess I can come away saying…’No Regrets’! And for me that is success.

 

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed….Thank you Princess!!!

 

Next up! Southeast Asia, Istanbul…the world!

 

Nancy

 

 

Previous Cruises

CHANDRIS/MV Victoria S.Caribbean Dec 1984

EPIROTIKI/The Oceanos S.Caribbean Dec 1986

NCL/ The Dreamward W.Caribbean Dec 1997

PRINCESS/Regal Princess Panama Canal Jan 1999

NCL/Norwegian Crown Bermuda Oct 1999

PRINCESS/Pacific Princess Bermuda Sep 2000

RENAISSANCE/R IV Tahiti&FR Polynesia Mar 2001

NCL/Norwegian Dream South America Feb 2002

PRINCESS/Pacific Princess Bermuda Sep 2002

PRINCESS/Sun Princess Mex Riviera Dec 2002

RCCL/Radiance Of The Seas S.Caribbean Mar 2003

CELEBRITY/Constellation Northern Europe Jun 2003

PRINCESS/Dawn Princess S.Caribbean Dec 2003

PRINCESS/Royal Princess SA/Africa/Med Apr 2004

NCL/Norwegian Sun W.Caribbean Exotic Dec 2004

PRINCESS/Sapphire Princess ASIA Mar 2005

 

Have a great adventure and remember be a traveler not a tourist.

[Unionville]

Stingraynz:

Loved your review. Very detailed. We are from Markham (Toronto) and it sounds like you are not far away. We are cruising on the Star Princess in September and have booked Driverinrome for our day in Rome. We are staying 2 days including the day of arrival but thought we would do a whirlwind tour on the day of arrival and then return to places we wanted to see more of or some new ones the next day.

I have a couple of questions for you:

1. Where was the B&B you stayed in in Rome located?

2. We are wrestling with whether to take a private tour to Florence or to just take the cruise bus there and walk around ourselves to see things. We'd miss Pisa of course but can live with that. What are your thoughts having done it?

 

thanks for your reply,

David

[stingraynz]

Hi Unionville

 

I am very close by in Thornhill so we are certainly neighbours.

 

1. Your plan for Rome is good. Have a whirlwind the first day and have them drive you around and then the second day return to all the sights you want to see more in depth.

 

We actually stayed at Remo's B&B of driverinrome.com fame. It is an apartment off of their house. We figured since they were picking us up at the ship, taking us around Rome and driving us to the airport, why not stay at their house. They lived in Toronto for 20 years and Daniele was born in TO so we had that 'tie' you would have as well.

 

You can take a look at the apartment right on the website. It's 1000 sqaure feet very big, comfortable in a homey way vs. an urban hotel. They are located right in Rome but not downtown. About 20 minutes drive up in the hills surrounding Rome. They are on the subway route, so that may be an option if you plan to use the subway to get around. You can verify this with Daniele, but I think they will drop you off at the subway station and pick you up but I'm not positive - I thought I read that on their site. The website will give you the location on a map. Check it out!

 

The apartment was about 90 euros which was a great price considering the prices of Hotels downtown. You have to weigh those options.

 

2. You are on the right track with Florence as well. Pisa is not a highlight, yes the tower is cool but that is all that is there and if it wasn't on the way, I wouldn't have bothered. So don't feel you are missing out. Florence on the other hand is a 'must see'.

 

You can take the cruise ship bus - I think it is about $70USD pp which is a lot cheaper than using a private tour. We had a very expensive day and I wouldn't have changed what we did. However, having been there I could see that everything in Florence is pretty close by and if you don't mind A LOT of walking it is definitely walkable.

 

I personally would not be comfortable taking the train in on my own, even though many from the ship were doing that. I would be worried the whole time about getting back and I don't like that feeling. If I wasn't to take a private tour, I would take the ship tour that brings you there and brings you back. I would not take the guided ships tour!! But the the ride in could certainly be an option. I think they even stop at the Piazza Michelangelo to get the view of Florence as part of it. A few people at our table used that tour and they seemed to enjoy their day.

 

What I would recommend if you do the 'Florence on your own' ship tour is to read up as much as you can a get a list of what is important. If you are at all interested in shopping make sure you go to the Market it is not far from the 'Duomo' and it is very good. That is one thing I wish I had gone to.

 

They sell these 8.5 x 11 paperback books everywhere in Florence (I think every city in the world has them, I bought one in Rome as well) The one I bought was called the' Golden Book of Florence'. In this book it gives history, maps and all the main points you should see. Buy this book, in any souvenir shop as soon as you get there and use it as an aid for the day. I started reading it after I came home and it really would have made more sense to have read more when I was there. The one for Rome was really good too. The maps will be a great help.

 

When you are at the 'Duomo' there is a great little Trattoria just around the left side if you are facing the front of the church. It is just on the left just past where you can line up to climb the stairs to the top of the dome. Going up there will also give you a great view of Florence. If you don't go to the Piazza Michelangelo. Anyway, back to the trattoria. It was a cafe with seats inside and outside. We sat outside, it was not expensive and very good.

 

If you are doing Florence on your own, again I would list in order of importance the things you really want to see and if you get to the first few you have done well. It's a city of alleyways and piazzas that you really must take it all in, even if you don't get everywhere. Enjoy what you get to. I would imagine in Sept. the weather will be great for walking around and soaking up the atmosphere.

 

Let me know if you have anything else you need to know.

 

I noticed you posted a question regarding Morocco. (it's a good thing you mentioned Unionville and that is your name - otherwise I probably wouldn't have pieced it together) Anyway, I can e-mail you my full review of my cruise if you want. We visited Merrakech (Casablanca), Agadir, Dakar, Gibraltar, Alicante, Barcelona and Cannes. If you want me to e-mail the review let me know StingrayNZ@aol.com (case sensitive).

 

I got a lot of info from these boards but I also had to do a lot of work for other lesser known ports. So anything I can do to help I don't mind. I wrote a huge review and they took the 'review' section away, so now I don't know where to post.

[janine543]

David,

 

I saw your posting above mentions you are sailing on Princess in September. I will be on the Star Princess sailing from Venice Sept. 1st. Are you on the same one?

[wwwmarge]

What is the heading or folder when your on their website for the Remo's B&B. I couldn't find it. Do you have the address also.

 

Thanks for all the info.

 

Marge

 

 

Hi Unionville

 

1. Your plan for Rome is good. Have a whirlwind the first day and have them drive you around and then the second day return to all the sights you want to see more in depth.

 

We actually stayed at Remo's B&B of driverinrome.com fame. It is an apartment off of their house. We figured since they were picking us up at the ship, taking us around Rome and driving us to the airport, why not stay at their house.

You can take a look at the apartment right on the website. It's 1000 sqaure feet very big, comfortable in a homey way vs. an urban hotel. They are located right in Rome but not downtown. About 20 minutes drive up in the hills surrounding Rome. They are on the subway route, so that may be an option if you plan to use the subway to get around.

[stingraynz]

Hi

 

The link to information regarding Remo and Angela's apartment in Rome is

 

http://www.remoapartmentsinrome.com

 

or http://www.driverinrome.com there is a bunch of links down the left side look for the one that says 'B&B/FLATS' that will take you to the apartment sight from there they have descriptions, pictures, prices etc. Their apartment is in Rome but in the outskirts, since we were using their services it was very handy to stay there. You are not walking to any Roman sights from there. There is subway close by and they will drive you to the subway and pick you up if you want.

 

Let me know if you have any other questions.

[Unionville]

Stingraynz: Thanks for the great insights. I'm sorry I haven't been on here for awhile, I had forgotten that I made this post. We are using Driverinrome for our whirlwind tour. In Florence I have booked Papillon tours with 6 cruisecritic mates at a cost of E60 each. Should be a blast.

 

One question: did you take Euro Travellers Cheques or cash? If you took TC's did you have any trouble cashing them? I've got to decide this week how much to take of each.

 

Janine: We are on the 9/13 out of Barcelona on Star Princess. Since you leaving TOMORROW! you probably won't be reading this. Have a great trip though. Perhaps we can compare notes when we both get back. September 28 for me.

[stingraynz]

We took Euros cash and traveler's cheques.

 

The only reason we took TC's is that is how we paid Daniele from Driverinrome.com for our tours and apartment etc. We did a lot of things with them so the bill was pretty large and they don't take Visa so we brought TC's for him only. We did not want to be carrying that much money. So we had no problem cashing them because we just signed them over to him and he took them.

 

As for the rest of the med countries (Spain, France, Italy) for spending money we brought a few hundred euros each and then used Visa or the ATM if we needed more. We never usually use TC's anymore as a rule - they are a pain. We like to arrive with some money and then we look for an ATM if we need one. The EU using all the same currency makes it really easy - even though the Euro has a high exchange rate.

 

Hope that helps

 

Have a great trip.

[Unionville]

Bought some Euro TC's today, but mostly cash. We pay $1.65 in Canada for Euros - how do like that ! Ouch!

Getting excited though.

Ciao

[Northern Bear]

I just stumbled upon this partial review. Did you ever post the entire review? I'd love to read it!

 

NB.

[stingraynz]

Hi Northern Bear

 

Thanks for your interest. Just after I finished writing the review, the CC boards changed to their new format. Even though I prefer these new boards to the old ones, I really miss the 'cruise review' forum. I didn't post the entire review anywhere because the trip was from Brazil to Rome with Africa in between so I sort of put up excerpts here and there. If you would like to read the entire Royal Princess Manaus to Rome review I would email it to you. Someone may as well read it. ;)

 

My address is StingrayNZ@aol.com - just put cruise critic in the subject line please.