Liberty Grand Med and Transatlantic B2B review / BLOG

[zaandam_2]

First a bit about myself. I'm a 40-ish male professional solo cruiser. I've cruised twice before on Carnival and twice on Holland America Line. I've chosen a 'travelogue' or blog format for my review. I kept a travel journal, the old fashioned kind on paper because I did not want to bring a computer along. Day-to-day excepts are presented first. For those that want only details of the ship, you can skip to the end. Happy reading.

Pre-cruise Day One. Thursday, 10-19-2006, Flight to and arrival in Roma

I received the full security pat-down, probably because of the one-way ticket to Roma. Lunch at Chili's while waiting for my flight. The plane was packed to FCO. Of course several people felt justified imposing their kids on all 300 passengers. Most were well behaved except for one who screamed on the five minute mark the entire flight. Skipped dinner, some heinous smelling mystery meat. The sun was rising as we flew into Italy. Beautiful. Views of the mountains and the sea. Sliver of an orange moon was visible. The countryside we flew over looked much like here in Iowa except not laid out as geometrically - more in a rambling fashion. Roofs were all terra-cotta.

Arrived on-time.

All of my luggage made it. Too good to be true? Si! Viator's vendor for the transfer to the hotel, Margana group, was awful. After a fun and wild ride to the Hotel Miami (The right-of-way seems to belong to the largest or boldest vehicle) the driver, Paolo, took off with 2 pieces of my luggage in his van when I turned my back. Horrors! Sonja from Hotel Miami was of great assistance getting them back by 4:30 PM. "I kill them” she kept saying. LOL. Hotel Miami is very nice. Mario, Sonja and Anthony were all friendly and very helpful. Received a free upgrade to a corner suite. Great views onto Via ****onale. Great tile bath with a 2 button toilet I need to ask about. Had a delicious lunch outside (even though weather was cool with a slight drizzle) of a mezzo platter at Cafe John Byrne, located on Via ****onale across from Mc Donald's. They took pity on me, explaining how the mezzo platter worked. It contained selections of pork, marinated veggies, pasta, bruschetta and a quiche-like thing price at only 8.50 euros. Emailed mom from an internet cafe on Via Napoli. Found tobacci shop and bought a lighter. Bought fruit from street vendor for Sonja. Wandered around the neighborhood and unpacked some. Exhausted from no sleep, I went to bed.

Pre-cruise Day Two. Friday, 10-20-2006, Roma

Quite a day in Roma! Woke about 6:30 AM. The shower is VERY small I had to get out to soap up. No wash clothes (all of Europe?). Went across the street for cappuccinos (breakfast room doesn't open until 7:30). Had breakfast at the hotel - more cappuccinos, ham, rolls & OJ. Took cab to Borghese Gallery. I think he took the scenic route. I left my reservation number at the hotel but they looked me up by name. Admission was 12 euros. The villa is very impressive. Not a surface left undecorated. Ceiling frescoes, mosaic floors, gilding, faux painting and columns everywhere. I suppose the decoration gave the eye something to do before TV. The villa was built by Cardinal Scipione Borghese in the 17th century. The villa is now a museum stuffed with important art, some of it ill-gotten. One tale of Borghese says he imprisoned an artist who refused to turn over a sculpture commissioned by another Cardinal. My favorite works were the marble sculptures by Bernini. Incredibly life-like, down to pressure of a finger on the flesh or the weight of a body reclining on a sofa. Far too much artwork to go into any detail, which has filled books. Wandered around the extensive grounds, heading for the Spanish Steps.

Didn't get lost too much. Saw things normal tourists don't. Beautiful 4-story balconied buildings lining narrow streets. I somehow found myself at the top of the Spanish steps, instead of the bottom. What good luck! Bell tower played nicely at noon. Hung out at the top a while admiring the view then walked down. Packed with tourists. Filled my water bottle from the boat-shaped fountain at the base of the steps. Cool and refreshing. The fountain, like all the fountains in Roma is still fed by the aqueducts. Samantha Brown said its fine to drink the water.

Went in search of the Trevi fountain. I always wondered what was behind Trevi Fountain. Now I know - lots of buildings. The fountain is very grand. Looks just like the pictures. Very crowded. I tossed a coin in, so I'll be returning to Roma someday. Speaking of coins, I saw a guy stealing coins from the fountain with a telescoping rod. Hope my pictures of him turn out. Too funny. I had a gelato - chocolate and pistachio - while taking in the ambiance. My guidebook says the fountain was built in honor of the reopening of the aqueducts. It was interesting to see different views than one sees in movies and photos.

Started wandering back in the general direction of the hotel. Stopped at the Baths of Diocletian. Most of the structure is gone now. The main building is now a church. Huge inside. Very ornate stone floors (not original, which were wooden) in the central hall which once housed the 'tepid' area and exercise rooms. A 7-story high dome has had the oculus filled in by stained glass. Interesting and free.

Found a great place for lunch across from the baths - Cafe Piccarozzi. The cafe is located in a half-circle shaped building across from the baths. Lunch was proscuitto & melon, cannelloni and a salad. Very Good. Sat for 1.5 hours eating, smoking and people watching. The cranky waitress went home without leaving my check. Between my limited Italian and another waiter’s limited English we got it sorted out. Went back to the hotel for a siesta. I walked A LOT and was very tired.

Watched some TV read and worked on the journal for a bit. Explored the neighborhood some more and window-shopped. Dinner at the same place consisted of antipasto, lasagna, veal cutlet with lemon and a side of artichokes (stem on). It’s nice not to be rushed through dinner, which was perfectly timed and took 3 hours. Finished with that about 11 PM, and then went to bed. Another big day tomorrow.

Pre-cruise Day Three. Saturday, 10-21-2006, Roma

WOW, WOW, WOW! What a wonderful day in Roma. Breakfast at the hotel. Left about 8:30 AM, walking down Via ****onale. Passed under the arch of Titus, the ceremonial arch where the conquering heroes returning from battle entered the forum. Next was Palatine Hill. This is where, as legend has it, Romulus and Remus were raised by a she-wolf. The brothers would raid the neighboring tribes for their women and bring them back to Palatine hill. It was also the hill where the Emperors' palace was located. Not much left today but ruins. Very interesting anyway. There's a small museum with a lot of artifacts and statuary. Your ticket to Palatine Hill is also good for the coliseum - and no waiting in the long ticket line there.

The next stop was the Roman Forum. The forum is about 25 feet lower than modern Roma. It was abandoned after the fall of Roma, vandalized, stripped for building materials and finally covered over. The entire Forum is paved with cobble-boulders (as opposed to cobblestones) that are very difficult to walk on. The 1st major ruin is the hall of justice with an interior space larger than a football field. Lots of other buildings and columns, some fairly intact. The spot where Caesar’s body was burned is here. The citizens of Roma kept the fire burning for five days in tribute. There's really too much to describe here. Very interesting.

The Colosseo (coliseum) was next on the 'list'. This is where Christians were slaughtered by the thousands. It’s bigger than I imagined. A lot of it is still intact. The outside was stripped of its marble covering after the fall of Roma. They say the stench of death was surpassed only by the smell of perfume worn by attendees. Again, so much written already there no need for a lot of detail. You do have to pass through metal detectors and x-rays - a sign of the times I suppose.

On to Circus Maximus - site of the famed chariot races. Nothing left today except the patch of ground. At its peak 250,000 could be seated. Its about 4 blocks long. I walked the length of the same track where Ben Hur once raced his chariot.

Made my way over to the Tiber River and walked along its banks passing several ancient bridges and an old mill. Headed north along very narrow streets past balconies festooned with the day's laundry towards Campo di Fiori. What's amazing is how you walk along these narrow streets and then boom - you're in a grand square. Campo di Fiori is the 'farmer's market'. Ornate, old buildings and the obligatory fountain. I got there around 2-ish as things were winding down. Lots of stands selling flowers, vegetables and trinkets. I bought a 'University de Roma' cap. Watched while they broke down the stands. Public employees assist the vendors. Lots of trash left behind which of course attracts pigeons. Probably attracts rats too, but I didn't see any.

Proceeded north to P.zza Navona - once the center of Roma's social set. Said to be the most beautiful piazza in Roma. I can't argue with that. It’s stunning. Statuary, fountains and an obelisk all by Bernini. The 7 rivers (or was it 4?) fountain was very impressive. The obelisk was being cleaned and restored so I couldn't see much of it. There's a very old cast-iron drinking fountain at the far end. Looked a lot like our fire hydrant. Good, cool water.

Continued walking to the Pantheon. The Pantheon, built over 2000 years ago is the only ancient building used continuously since its construction in all of Roma. It’s the most mathematically perfect building ever built. Forty 40 foot columns support the portico. HUGE bronze doors guard the entrance. The dome is 142 high and wide with an open oculus. The floor slants to drain away rain water. All religions were welcome here. Very ornate floors and walls, but a lot of it is not original. Notable people entombed here include the 1st and 2nd kings of Italy, the artist Raphael and Queen Margherita (of the pizza fame).

The final site today was the massive white-marble structure that towers over all of ancient Roma. It’s about 10 stories high with a colonnaded area at the top. I only went half way up - too many stairs. The structure functions as Italy's 'Tomb of the Unknown Soldier'. There's an ornate bronze wreath and eternal flame part way up, guarded by armed soldiers.

Walked back to the hotel, arriving at 6 PM. Quick nap before dinner as I was exhausted. I walked several miles. Just enough energy left for dinner at the same place. Pasta Carbornara and a salad. Delicious. Back to the hotel to pack-up for my transfer to the ship, then bed.

Pre-cruise Day Four. Sunday, 10-22-2006, Transfer to Civitavecchia & Embarkation

Woke up early to finish packing. No time for breakfast or coffee because I needed to meet the CC group at 8 AM for our tour and transfer to the ship. Great group. James and Maria, Karen and Greg, Heather and her parents and me. Driver spoke virtually no English - were supposed to have an English speaking driver and guide. He got us were we needed to go, though. Civitavecchia is about 1.5 hours outside of Roma. Nice countryside that was not dissimilar to Iowa. We made a ‘pit stop’ at a gas station where we about had a heart attack when we noticed a pump jockey was filling a gas tank while smoking! Fields were mostly plowed under - not sure if they were prepping for winter or planting a new crop. The farm buildings were similar as well. Katypie spotted a John Deere dealership - the company she just retired from - so we stopped for a photo op. Passed Civitavecchia enroute to the ancient city of Tarquinia.

First stop in Tarquinia was at the museum where all the 'goodies' from the excavated Etruscan tombs are. The building itself is a beautiful 14th century palazzo with an inner courtyard and a 4 story tower. Inside, there are several sarcophagi dating from 200 - 300 BC. Lots of personal effects and pottery from the same era. We could've spent hours looking at everything. It would've been much more interesting if there were signs available in English - everything was in Italian. There were some informational cards in English for the major rooms. It’s amazing the amount of pottery that has survived for 2000 years. Had an espresso across the street while waiting for the group to assemble.

After the museum we went to the site of 6000 Etruscan tombs - the single largest site in the world. They look like mounds of earth on the outside. Rich people had their tombs carved into hillsides made of pumice stone. The longer the path to the tomb, the wealthier the person buried there. Inside, the tombs looked like ornately painted bunkers. Stripes in red and white were prominent. The entrance to the tombs, usually at the bottom of a modern staircase, was glassed off so you could only look in. All the contents had been moved to the museum. Ate some berries from a tree on the way out - locals were distributing them, so it seemed ok to eat them. They looked prickly, but were quite tasty - a cross between an apple and cherry.

We drove on, stopping at an ancient walled city for lunch. I forget the name of it. Someone suggested an hour stop. I thought that was too short for an Italian lunch - they like to linger here, which I like also. Went through the ancient gates, searching the very pretty area for a restaurant. It was only 12:15 and the 1st place we checked was closed. Wandered around some more and found someplace that was open. It was very authentic. Lots on the menu, including horse. Several of us had cannelloni, which was excellent. Not what we think of at all. Just flat sheets of pasta spread with tomato sauce and rolled. Not a lot of cheese. Probably the most authentic Italian meal I'll ever have. Wine flowed freely.

Got back on the bus about 20 minutes late, and then drove back to Civitavecchia where we caught our 1st glimpse of the Liberty. Drove into town to see the 'crying Madonna' that allegedly cried human blood back in the 1990s. The place was closed until 3 PM. Of course the vendors were open for business. They had pictures outside for us to look at, since the church was closed. Looked like ketchup to me. We referred to her as the 'ketchup Madonna' afterwards.

On to the port as it was getting late, about 3 PM. The driver had a bit of trouble finding his way to the ship, but it did allow us to see the Fort of Michelangelo. Driver finally found the right gate. The monstrosity named Carnival Liberty towers before us. Embarkation was a snap. I was on the ship in less than 5 minutes. Went to cabin 8209 and dropped off my hand luggage. The inside cabin was nicer than I though it would be. Plenty of storage and a nice sized bath. Very functional. Explored the ship for a few minutes, then it was time for our CC gathering by the aft lido pool. There was a nice turnout. Kay had made nametags for everyone on the roll-call. It was a nice, chatty bunch. So good to meet the people we had been chatting with for months.

Muster drill was at 5:30. It was pretty standard, lasting about an hour including waiting for stragglers. Checked cabin for my luggage, which was not there yet. Went exploring the ship some more. It’s VERY big and VERY gaudy (and I don't mean in a Gaudi way), but not as bad as I had expected. Kay and I went in search of a bar where we could sit and have a drink. This was complicated by the limited smoking areas. Absolutely no bar servers around the lido or the sports bar. Where are they? Any other ships I've been on they've been a nuisance. I asked the bartender and he explained they had to help with dinner service. Got our own drinks and got caught up. Before getting ready for dinner I went to the Purser's desk to complain about the lack of servers. I explained I didn’t feel a 15% tip was justified when I had to get my own. They removed the tip from my bill.

Went to the cabin, my luggage had arrived. Unpacked just enough to put something acceptable on for 'smart casual' night. They had put Kay and I at a table for 2 in the golden Olympian dining room (8 PM seating but it was move to 8:30 for the 1st day). We requested and received a change to a large table but could not change until the next night. Dinner was terrible. The menu listed rack of lamb, but lamb chops and a 'mystery cut' came out. Sent that back for the NY Strip with peppercorn sauce. A plain sirloin came out, overcooked. Too ticked to give them a 3rd chance and Kay was done eating by then. Talked to the maitre’d - Lloyd Lewis - who said it was a fluke. This, coupled with the lack of smoking areas (more on that later) made me go to the Purser's desk again and ask about the 'vacation guarantee'. I wanted out of this cruise as I refused to put up with 28 nights of bad dinners. I was told the guarantee does not apply to European or transatlantic cruises. I'm stuck. No show tonight so I went back to the cabin and unpacked.

Monday, 10-23-2006, Napoli

Private tour today through Drive Amalfi. A group of eight CCers - James and Maria (who organized the tour), Frank and Sharon, Tim and Julie, Kay and I. FANTASTIC day! Met everyone except Kay at the Lido buffet at 7:30 AM after breakfast in the dining room. Passable eggs Benedict, but the yolks were hard. No time to re-order them. Found Kay outside the ship and met our wonderful driver/guide Adrian. Very excellent guide, who knew everything about the Amalfi coast, told jokes ("as long as the shoes and belt matches, everything is OK") and even sang. Drives like a maniac, but so does everyone here. I wondered how he drives when he didn't have passengers. Headed out of the city in rush-hour traffic.

Vesuvius was on the left. Another mountain - where we would go was on the right. The coast is incredibly beautiful! Words cannot describe. The very narrow, winding roads hug the cliffs. Only an idiot would rent a car here.

We made our way to Postiano, Sorrento and Amalfi (maybe not in that order) stopping frequently for photo ops and descriptions by Adrian of what we were seeing. Glad we rented a private van and the busses cannot stop as much. Many ancient buildings built high in the cliffs for protection. They had to avoid raiding parties back in the 14th century so they made their homes inaccessible. I can't imagine how they built these structures. Saw a small truck crushed by a boulder - the driver must have been killed. Our stop in Sorrento was pretty touristy. Lots of high-end shops, tastefully done of course. Everything was very expensive. Bought nothing. Amalfi had a beautiful square and church, complete with statue and fountain.

Continued along a road so narrow traffic is one-way only, controlled by a stop light that switches the flow of traffic every 15 minutes. This road led to Ravello, where we stopped for lunch. Restaurant had a 'to die for' view of the coast, located high up in the hills hanging off the cliff. Food was mainly seafood & very expensive. I ordered a risotto with sausage dish - 10 euros. Took one bite - it tasted like seafood. Yuck. Waiter never checked back but I couldn't have ordered anything else anyway. When he finally came to clear the plate he carried it off with his head hung low, like he was carrying a body. I joked with Kay that he looked like he was going to throw himself off the cliff.

Continued around the back side of the same mountain. More of the same. Beautiful villages clinging to the hillsides.

Arrived in Pompeii around 2 PM. We combined 2 CC groups in separate vans to share an official guide for the ruins. Pompeii had been stripped of almost all of its artifacts. They are now in a museum in Napoli. Many ruins but no signage to tell what they are. I suppose they want you to hire the guide. The streets are paved in stone troughs. At the intersection of these troughs are raised stone blocks allowing people to cross without stepping into the trough. You really have to watch your step. Saw a couple of the body casts. One was of a boy, head in hands, crouching in resignation of his death. Very sad and touching. Saw an artifact storage area but it was fenced off - couldn't see much. Several of the buildings remaining are in very good condition. The baths still have many of the original frescoes visible. There were a couple residential houses in very good condition also. Our guide rushed us through all of this. If there's a 'next time' I'll allow a lot more time and rent the audio guide. Back on the van and to the ship at 4:45 PM.

This was our 1st night at our new table. Three other fun couples at table 186, a very nice group and table (round table for 8). Dinner tonight was prime rib - OK but not much flavor. The chocolate melting cake was wonderful. The 'welcome aboard show' was tonight. Odd to have it on the 2nd night. Did not attend. Enjoyed some jazz in the Cabinet lounge. This is the cigar bar, so smoking is encouraged. Definitely a man's room with lots of paneling and beams in a blondish wood. Nice coffered ceilings but they were spoiled by neon green backlighting. Large crystal ashtrays everywhere. Went to bed after about an hour there.

Tuesday, 10-24-2006, Sea Day

Relaxing day at sea today. Much appreciated after 4 days of running around. Slept in. Had breakfast in the dining room - blueberry waffles (cold) and delicious chicken sausage. Got scowled at for ordering a cappuccino. Had a nap. Lunch in the dining room - steak and sesame salad. More napping and updating the journal. Smoking, reading and avoiding the 'activities' occupied the rest of the afternoon. Ate delicious veggie sushi at 6 PM. This was the 1st of 2 formal nights. Got a corsage for Kay and a boutonnière for me, both made of red roses ($12 & $6). I wore my black and white herringbone dinner jacket. Kay was in a black formal. The captain's party was tonight. Drinks were plentiful as well as some good finger food. We were the only ones at the table in formal wear. Oh well. I had the beef wellington, which was OK but not the classic preparation. More like a pig in the blanket. We promenaded a while, had several pictures taken, hung out at the cabinet then went to bed.

Wednesday, 10-25-2006, Dubrovnik.

What a day! Croatia is stunningly beautiful! I want to go back someday for a longer visit. Started the day with breakfast at Emile's buffet. Nasty scrambled eggs, no doubt made from a powdered egg product. Kay and I booked the ships Best of Dubrovnik tour. Full bus, but we scored seats across from the rear exit doors. Our tour guide, Dubrovna, was excellent, but strict. No talking allowed while she is speaking or you would hear "do you have a question for me?" in a scolding tone. Drove along the coast into the hills. Stopped for a photo op of the walled city.

Arrived at a small, ancient fishing village set in a cove named Cavtartar (pronounced Sav-tah-tah). Lots of small fishing boats in the bay. Kay forgot her memory card so we shared my camera. Did some window shopping. Everything was VERY expensive. Tried on a bracelet made of a thin strip of black leather and a couple bands of sterling silver. I really like it but it was priced at 600 kuna (about 85 euros or 100 dollars US) so I passed on it. Kay and I both fell in love with a couple of oil paintings, not the same one like we usually do. We both made a purchase. Mine is of a lady sitting at an espresso bar, smoking. Price was 400 kunas which I withdrew from an ATM. Kay’s was a bust of a female that looked to me like Mary Tyler Moore. The kuna looks a lot like the Euro. I named the lady in my canvas 'Dubrovna' after our guide. Left Cavtartar on time. Don't be late returning to the bus as Dubrovna runs a tight ship.

Drove further inland through what was the occupied territory during the 1991 war, when Croatia was struggling for independence from Yugoslavia. The war was over the valuable coastline and the old city of Dubrovnik because of the tourist dollars they generated. A few burned out ruins visible - a 'scorched earth' policy was in affect during the war.

The next stop was at a small village in the mountains for lunch. I forget the name. Lunch was sandwiches of a locally made dry cured ham on crusty bread. Delicious. Local wine was available if you wanted. The restaurant was on the site of an old mill, complete with waterwheel. There’s a mini-aqueduct that diverts water from a stream and traps trout (available for purchase).

Back on the bus, backtracking to the walled 'old town' portion of Dubrovnik. We were dropped at the east gate where Dubrovna gave us a quick orientation walk to the main city square. We were then on our own. Kay and I stopped at a cafe. I had an espresso that was beautifully presented with in a porcelain cup fitted into a silver tray. A glass of water also had its own separate fitting in the tray. Kay had a local orange soda in a pretty bottle which she kept for a vase. About 2 euros apiece. Very nice waitress. They like and appreciate tourists here.

Bought tickets to 'walk the walls' - 12 euros. The walled city was built from the 7th through 12th centuries. The walls are 10 – 14 feet thick, about 4 stories high on average and made of a light colored stone. There are a few guard towers that rise well above the walls. Great views of the city. Visible in some places are the 'chutes' where boiling oil and/or shot was poured down through the wall for defense. There's a very medieval feel up here. Dubrovna told us the light colored tiles on the roofs are new, after the war. The darker colored tiles are original. There are far more new tiles than old. The city took a beating. How could such a pretty city be bombed? Outrageous. We spent about 2 hours walking all the way around the walls. The different colored roof tiles are the only evidence of the war within the walled city. They've cleaned up everything.

Next was exploring a bit of the old town itself. There was a market selling mainly lace products. We got ice cream - chocolate for me. Emailed Mom from an internet cafe on one of the side streets. Smoking allowed indoors - how civilized. The main avenue is paved in gleaming white marble. Not a speck of litter anywhere. Window shopped our way back to our shuttle bus to the ship. Kay bought a book on the war. I bought a cap. Admired an oil on canvas painting of Dubrovnik, priced at 6000 euros. I have very good taste. It’s still in the gallery. Kay and I got separated when I stopped to take a picture.

We both made it back to the ship around 4-ish. Met up at the grille with some other CCers for hotdogs. Sad to say it, but the hotdogs and sushi are consistently the best food on the ship so far.

Lounged around chatting until dinner. Tonight, rack of lamb was on the menu. I asked Daniel if it really was rack of lamb, not chops, and he said it was. It was perfectly cooked and delicious. Dinner 'shows' have been every night. Very annoying to have service stop for this nonsense. I've been escaping for a smoke while they do this. Went to the cabinet after dinner, then some reading and writing before bed.

Thursday, 10-26-2006, Venice

Slept in a bit this morning. Breakfast in the dining room. The 'repeaters' party was this morning at 11:00. The usual movie and an attempt at comedy by John Heald. Had 1 mimosa, the drink servers were scarce. I'm pretty sure the people selected to win the champagne were plants as they came up in gold wigs and false buck teeth. Nonsense.

Sailed into Venice about 1:30 PM. It was quite hazy so it wasn't the best viewing. Still, it was the prettiest sail-in to date. Pavarotti was played over the PA system, very appropriate. We entered the lagoon then sailed up the outside of Venice. Great views of St. Mark's and the Doge's Palace. The Church of Hope, built in honor of the plague victims, was the largest structure (on the left, white marble and domes). I viewed all of this from deck 9 forward, atop the bridge. We docked at the maritime terminal. The Marco Polo - built in 1965 as the Alexander Pushkin, a Russian cruise ship - was also in port today. Such a beautiful ship with classic lines. I will sail her someday. Had a late lunch with Kay in the dining room to allow the herds to debark.

Left the ship about 3 with James, Maria, Tim, Julie and Kay. Walked into port instead of taking the 5 Euro shuttle. It was about a 20 minute walk. Wandered around looking at the canals and buildings. We had no real plan for the day, which it best sometimes. We waited to buy our 24 hour vaparetto pass to coincide with the time we planned to head back to the ship tomorrow. Found the 'academia bridge', which is the only bridge over the grand canal constructed of wood. It’s burnt down a couple of times. They have plans to rebuild it out of Lucite. Wandered around some more. Found a mask shop where James and Maria made purchases. I couldn't find anything to work with my glasses so I passed. Bought our vaparetto passes about 4 PM and took a ride. Wandered some more taking in the sights. Venice is a maze. Beautiful ancient buildings - mainly 3 stories, balconied and shuttered, stucco facades. Lots of small canals everywhere.

Headed back to the ship about 5:30 on the #1 - slow - vaparetto up the Grand Canal. Nice ride. Driver got in an argument with a gondola driver. Lots of yelling. We don't know what he said, but the natives were cracking up laughing. Got back to the ship about 7:15 PM. Had sushi. Excellent Osso Bucco for dinner. The production show tonight, Around the World, was outstanding. Read, updated the journal and went to bed.

Friday, 10-27-2006, Venice

Woke up VERY early at 4:30 AM. Kay and I were on the vaparetto at 6:30 AM because we wanted to see St. Marks's Square in the dark. We took the #82 - fast - vaparetto which takes the outside route around Venice, making limited stops. The fog was as thick as pea soup. Very interesting. Got a lot of great photos. We were the only tourists on the boat and snagged the front seats outside. A bit damp but worth it.

Arrived at St. Mark's about 7 AM. Hardly anyone around. Still very foggy and mysterious looking. Even the pigeons were still sleeping. Took a lot of photos and video. We wandered around the maze of narrow side streets and canals. Lots of ancient buildings with shops on the 1st floor and apartments on the upper levels (mainly 2 and 3 story stucco buildings with shutters and balconies). We stumbled upon a pretty hotel offering buffet breakfast for 15 euros. Sat outside with a view of an intersection of a couple small canals. Watched a canal traffic jam. Lots of honking and yelling. Delicious croissants, jelly, nutello, fruit, eggs, ham, bacon, fruit - the works. Of course good coffee too.

Walked back to the Grand Canal to the rialto bridge. Took photos. This is the most famous bridge in Venice and the most beautiful. Made our way back to St. Mark's Square in time for our pre-reserved tour of the Doge's Palace.

We had booked the 'Secret Doge's Palace' tour ahead of time for the 9:55 AM time slot. A lot of other people from our roll call had also. It was quite interesting. The Doge was the ruler of Venice, appointed for life by 'The Council of Ten'. Not the greatest job as it came with a lot of restrictions. The Doge was not allowed to leave Venice, ever, under penalty of death. Beautiful, old, ornate building. Saw some torture chambers, Casanova’s cells, offices (small, dark, unimpressive) and the old archives chamber. The guide went into excruciating detail. Left Kay at the end of the 'secret' portion of the tour. She wanted to do the regular tour. I had had enough of the 'art' for one day. Wandered around and ‘people-watched’ in St. Mark's Square. Its amazing people let the pigeons cover them. Dirty flying rats. Gross. Rode the vaparetto around some more, a good way to sight-see. Made it back to the ship for our 5 PM sail-away. Weather was much nicer on the way out. Liberty draws a lot of attention when she sails in and out. Lot of people waving and taking photos. Probably out of amazement the big thing doesn't sink under its own weight.

Had my usual sushi and a nap before dinner. Prime rib again. Read, wrote, and went to bed.

Saturday, 10-28-2006, At Sea

Blessed sea day today. Slept in. Ate, napped and read on deck 3 (under the lifeboats). This turned out to be my favorite spot. Quiet (no announcements), and uncrowded. This is the classic sea day activity to me. Nothing more needed than a deck chair, blanket and a book. Crappy dinner at Emile's tonight. Ended up with just soup and salad. The carved beef was inedible. Mashed potatoes were like soup. Tried the pizza which was worse than cheapo frozen pizza. Embarrassing. Full day tomorrow in Sicily so I went to bed early.

Sunday, 10-29-2006, Messina, Sicily

Today was absolutely amazing! I booked the ship's Mt' Etna @ 2900 meters several months ago. It was $189 and worth every penny. Woke up early. Had eggs benedict (perfectly cooked today) in the dining room. Went to the theatre at the appointed time to be herded onto the bus.

The bus was light - only about 40 people so I got my own seat. Quick stop at the local duomo but we didn't get out. Not a lot of traffic as it was a Sunday morning. Messina is relatively modern because an earthquake destroyed the city in 1909. Lots of tunnels on the way to the countryside. Took about 1.5 hours to reach the point on Mt. Etna where we transferred to the cable car. The driver explained Mt. Etna is the place to go on Sundays for the locals. They come up to gather chestnuts along the road, but never venture into the woods. She says it’s not uncommon to see people picnicking in the middle of the road. Took a 15 minute cable car ride further up the mountain. Looks like the moon. No vegetation at all. Boarded a 15 passenger bus for the final ascent to 2900 meters (about 9000 feet above sea level). Our guide tells us nobody has ever died from an eruption of Mt. Etna, but several people a year commit suicide by throwing themselves into the lava. Not a good way to go in my opinion.

It’s quite a bit cooler up here. Glad I packed my parka and gloves. Parkas can be rented for 2 euros. The texture of the ground varies from large, sharp chunks of volcanic rock to fine pumice dust. The volcano is in an active period. Several areas are venting lots of steam about 1000 feet above us. Smells strongly of sulfur. There is a trail laid out where it is safe to walk, about 1.5 miles in total. Passes by a couple active vents where I could look in at the bright orange lava flowing. It’s very hot by the vents. Got some great photos of the lava. One guy stopped too long taking photos and melted the soles of his shoes. In some places the stones are orange and yellow from sulfur and iron discharges. Went back down to the bus after about 1.5 hours. It’s a strenuous trek, but worth it.

Lunch was served at a restaurant a short distance away, still on Mt. Etna. Delicious - pasta for the 1st course followed by a veal cutlet and salad. White nut cake for dessert. Lots of wine.

Napped on the way back. This was a once in a lifetime experience. Got back to the ship just in time for sail-away. Fillet mignon with béarnaise for dinner (passable). One of the sides was better - some kind of asparagus mousse thing. Heard a call for ‘sierra team, deck 9 aft’. Turned out this is code for an injury. One of our fellow CCers was pushed down the stairs. Made a stop at Stromboli – another active volcano – where we witnessed a couple of orange flashes in the dark. No energy for anything but bed.

Monday, 10-30-2006, Sea Day.

The usual sea day routine. Horribly overcooked duck for dinner. It was like rubber. Ordered a burger which was inedible. Gave up on ordering anything else.

Tuesday, 10-31-2006, Barcelona

Halloween today. Kay and I were off the ship at 8 AM after breakfast in Emile's. Due to where the ship docks, the 5 Euro shuttle is all but required. It can be walked, but it is a LONG walk. The shuttle dropped us at the base of Las Ramblas next to a huge column topped with a statue of Columbus. Walked up Las Ramblas (everything still closed) heading to La Sagrada Familia - Gaudi's Cathedral. It was about a 1 hour walk through beautiful neighborhoods to reach the cathedral. Lots of photo op stops along the way. Lots of public space given over to parks and fountains.

The cathedral, which will be the largest in the world when completed, has been under construction since the 1800s. They won't commit as to when it will be completed. Lack of funds and interest and civil war has caused the delays. The different eras of construction are pretty apparent as well as the section that was burned during the war. All of Gaudi's original plans and models were lost in the fire. Almost no line for tickets - 11 euros. We also opted for the 3 Euro charge for a guide. It is an amazing structure with virtually no straight lines. Gaudi was only the architect - he had no idea how to actually build the structure. He did not design the statuary for the facade, which came later. It looks organic, with tree-like buttresses and columns. Parts appear to be melting. Only 4 of the planned 10 spires are completed. You can walk or take the elevator to the top of one of the spires. The lines were too long so we did not do this. Next time, perhaps. The guide was very good. He explained the stories depicted by the facades. The main one is of the life of Christ. There was a near-riot when Christ was depicted nude (anatomically correct) on the cross. There were calls for the sculptor to be executed. They are building the structure from back to front. The guide tells us the surrounding buildings will be leveled when the structure is finally completed so the front facade can be viewed. Stayed about an hour looking at all the details.

Wandered around some more, spotting a few of Gaudi's famous buildings. Barcelona should be experienced on foot at some point. Lovely tree-lined streets. LOTS of traffic, both pedestrian and vehicles. Made our way back to Las Ramblas. Stopped at el Cortez Ingles to stock up on supplies. Very interesting food and liquor market in the basement.

Las Ramblas is a street market gone wild! Everything, including live animals, is available for purchase. Shopped our way down. Bought flowers - alstroemeria - for the cabin and a cap. Kay bought a bunch of stuff. Watched some 'living statues' and a flamingo dance demonstration. Went to the large public open-air market just off Las Ramblas about half-way down. Produce of every description available. Hanging meat, rabbit and fowl covered with flies. Gross. Lots of stinky fish booths - I made a hasty retreat. Kay got some kind of smoothie. I passed. No way would I eat anything uncooked there.

Made our way back to the ship with little time to space before sail-away. The usual sushi and nap before dinner. Many people did dress up for Halloween. I decided my costume was lame, so I dressed in all black as a warlock. Kay went as a deviled egg. Dinner was delicious tonight - stuffed Quail with a side of prime rib. Went for a bit of Jazz, then reading, writing and bed.

11-01-2006, Wednesday, Cannes

Somewhat of a wasted day today. Had a private tour arranged by one of the CC members of our roll call, through Dream Tours (75 euros). I was told we were to have a guide, but all we had was a smart-alick driver that dumped us off at various touristy shopping areas. He had no info on the places we visited. As we were to have a guide, I did no research for this port. The organizers were happy to just have a scotch at each stop. Good grief.

Stopped briefly in Cannes at the film festival building.

Monaco was next. We had about 25 minutes to admire the architecture of the Casino. Saw a few Ferraris. Beautiful Beaux-Arts architecture. Dropped at the Prince's palace in time to see the changing of the guards. We were only allowed an hour here so there was no time to see Princess Grace's grave. This is when a guide comes in handy. They know how much time is needed to see the major sites.

Made a couple photo op stops overlooking Nice. Very beautiful views from the cliffs of the city and harbors filled with yachts.

Stopped at St. Paul de Vince and Eze. Both similar looking walled cities with nothing to offer except expensive shopping. Tourist info is unavailable. You're just expected to walk around spending money. Ugh. Watched some people playing bocce ball, which was the most interesting thing all day.

Finally made it back to the ship. Sushi bar closed tonight. Don't know why. Poor menu again for dinner so I had a flavorless, overcooked rib eye. The production show - Rocking Broadway - was excellent. The usual routine before bed.

11-2-2006, Thursday, Livorno

Great day today! James, Maria, Frank, Sharon, Bob and I went to Pisa. It was pretty easy. We started off using the shuttle into town (1 Euro) then bought bus tickets (1 Euro) for the #1 bus. Walked about a block to the bus stop. Good signage in English. Took the public bus to the train station. Bought a roundtrip to Pisa for 12 euros (should have been 6 euros but our destination of Pisa was lost in translation and we ended up with tickets to Florence). After a 15 minute train ride we arrived in Pisa. It was about a half hour walk to the fields of dreams, where the leaning tower is located. Scenic walk. Architecture very similar to elsewhere in Italy.

Milled around looking at the tower and the other buildings. We had a reservation for 10:55 to climb the tower, so we went over and got our tickets. Took a lot of pictures during the short wait. Once again, pictures do not do it justice.

They say there are 300 steps to the top of the tower. It’s worth the stairs. The stairs are marble, and they wind around the center shaft of the tower getting narrower and narrower the close to the top you get. There are no handrails. Ascending was an odd experience. I could feel the gravity pushing in different directions, depending on which side of the tilt I was on. Several people said it felt like the tower was moving, including me. The steps get grooved and slippery near the top from centuries of use. There are a couple places on the way up to go on the outside of the tower for photo ops. The final level before the summit has several large bells. There's also an area, glassed over, where you can look directly down the center shaft of the tower. Everyone in our group, save Sharon who stopped at the 'bell level', made it all the way to the top. The final flight of stairs is very narrow and steep. I had to turn sideways. Better not have a fear of heights on these as they go on the outside of the tower. Outstanding views from the top of the cathedral, and Pisa. You can really see and feel the tilt from up here. Crowds are not a problem because they strictly control how many people are allowed in the tower at one time. Frank and I had the top to ourselves for a few minutes. Everyone made the descent safely.

Next we went to take a look at the cathedral. Pretty. There was an extra charge of 8 euros to go in the other buildings. One looked like a highly decorated cake. We all opted not to spend the extra money. As a group we went to lunch at a cafe with a view of the tower. I had my 1st pizza in Italy. Very good - not at all like what we get at home. Nice thin crust with tomato sauce and only a bit of cheese. It had four toppings, divided into segments: peppers, sausage, ham and mushrooms. It was a single serving that covered a large plate. We also had some good table wine. I believe it was 15 euros with the wine. The restaurant's logo was the tower of Pisa holding a pizza. Funny. Checked out the many vendors. Maria bought a beautiful green purse. I bought a cap.

Got back to the ship without incident. The usual sushi and nap. Dinner was ham but done up like beef wellington in a pastry shell. Interesting. This was the last night of the Grand Med Cruise, so the mood on the ship was a bit ‘down’. Said our goodbyes to our fun tablemates. My new sign and sail card, for the transatlantic segment was waiting in my room when I got back from dinner (filled out the paperwork a couple days before). Read, wrote and went to bed.

11-3-2006, Friday, Civitavecchia - Turnaround day

Tried to sleep in a bit but it was impossible with all the announcements for people to debark. At 8:15 AM, 'mouth' (John Heald) was on the PA system at telling people that if they didn’t go ashore to collect their luggage it would be impounded by Italian customs. I highly doubted that. Talk about the 'bum's rush'. Those of us staying on the ship were required to get a new security picture taken, but that was it. We were told we still had the run of the ship. It was nice to have it all to myself. I went around taking pictures of the various categories of cabins. I only got scolded once, but I pretended to not speak English. The category 12 suites are NICE, if you want to spend the money. Kay was off to Roma for a full-day tour with the JUGS.

By 10:30 AM an announcement was made that embarkation had started. Masses of confused people were soon in my way. Went down to get my new picture with Deb. As we were B2B, we got to go straight to the head of the line. That was about the only benefit of doing B2B, except we also had full access to our cabins all day. We were told there were 140 people doing the B2B. One other benefit to doing the B2B - the shop lets you take liquor purchases to you cabin the last night. They don't track who is doing B2B so my cabin was well stocked for the transatlantic cruise.

Did a lot of reading, people watching - checking out the fresh meat - and napped the rest of the day. We received our new table assignment – table 433 - because the 8:00 seating was in the silver Olympic dining room for the transatlantic. Dinner was rack of lamb, perfectly cooked. Same day 1 menu as the Europe segment. Fun tablemates, 4 other couples as we were at a round table for 10 this time.

[DGP1111]

Ooooooo, this is excellent. Awaiting the rest, to get all the 'scoop'.

 

Thanks for posting.:)

[I Luv Crusin]

Thanks for the review! It brings back memories of our trip in May! It's interesting to read a different prespective of the same cruise!

 

Tell me about artichokes. I tried to get some in May and was told that they were just out of season!?!

 

I found that the smoking areas to be more than adequate but then I'm a non-smoker!

 

Can't wait to hear more of your review.

[zaandam_2]

Tell me about artichokes. I tried to get some in May and was told that they were just out of season!?!

 

Can't wait to hear more of your review.

 

They were baby artichokes, steamed with a lemon butter sauce. Absolutely delicious. Thanks!

 

I'll have the rest done in a couple days....

[Cruising89143]

Very nice review. I am doing a one way from Venice to Barcelona in September and almost all of the ports you visited are on my itinerary. I am looking forward to spending a few pre and post cruise days in Venice and Barcelona.

[janisutx]

Your review/journal was a pleasure to read. We did see some interesting ports. Too bad the food quality was so poor on many nights. Foxglove and I loved our waiter George but not the food. The buffet was awful too.

 

We enjoyed meeting you and Kay. I look forward to your next installment.

[cod]

Yes, Zaandam2, very good review! And I'll also be watching for part 2.

[amyr]

Fabulous review! It really makes me wish I had been with you. Can't wait to read about the second cruise.

[luvz2run2000]

Thanks for the review! It brings back memories of our trip in May! It's interesting to read a different prespective of the same cruise!

 

Tell me about artichokes. I tried to get some in May and was told that they were just out of season!?!

 

I thought of you instantly when I read the artichoke comment. It's all a matter of timing....

I agree it's very interesting to view a trip you've already taken through someone else's eyes. I loved our Liberty med cruise and would go again tomorrow if I could.

[zaandam_2]

thanks for all the comments. still working on the transatlantic....

[maryann2]

Great review Zaandam,looking forward to your next installment.Actually l travelled transatlantic from Montreal to London on the then Alexander Pushkin in Sept 1977,now Marco Polo.lt was fantastic back then.Also went on the Stefan Batory,polish ship, from London to Montreal transatlantic in June 1973.No or little stabilisers in those days so the crossings both ways were rough but exhilarating.Hope you enjoy your upcoming trip on Marco Polo.Mary

[cod]

Just 'bumping' this up for you Zaandam2, making it easier for you to find when 'part 2' is ready.

[I Luv Crusin]

I thought of you instantly when I read the artichoke comment. It's all a matter of timing....

I agree it's very interesting to view a trip you've already taken through someone else's eyes. I loved our Liberty med cruise and would go again tomorrow if I could.

 

I would do the Med cruise again too! Probably the other itinerary.

[jckvpa0]

Wow, I don't know what to say ! This is some review, Thank-You.

[zaandam_2]

11-4-2006, Saturday, Sea day

The usual sea day activities. Read, ate and napped. Two days in a row ‘off’. It’s starting to feel like a vacation. Prime rib for dinner, again. There’s a new jazz group. They’re not as good, there’s no trombone player. They like to turn up the ‘volume’ too high also.

11-5-2006, Sunday, Barcelona

Norovirus is onboard. Buffet no longer self-serve. Deb and I took the shuttle into town. Looked around at a flea market just setting up. Bought tickets for the hop-on-hop-off bus for 17 euros. Scenic ride to Park Guell – Gaudi’s park, that dropped us at the base of a long, steep hill below the park. It was quite a hike up. Very Gaudi. Very beautiful park and architecture. Loved the dragon fountain done up in mosaic tiles. Great views of all of Barcelona. Lots of local people out for their Sunday stroll, which made for great people watching. Park Guell was originally going to be a housing development, but it never ‘sold’. Gaudi’s house was the only house constructed. His house is now a museum, which cost 4 euros to enter. We passed. Quite a few vendors – probably illegal because they had their wares on sheets, ready to flee. Deb bought a lot of stuff.

Made our way back to the bus stop. Deb wanted to go to the Spanish village. It was a nice, long scenic drive. Bus was very crowded. Barcelona is BIG. We looped around the city on the way. Spanish Village was a rip-off. Most of the shops were closed for lunch by the time we got there. The village is a reconstruction of what a typical village would’ve looked like. We were there all of 15 minutes. Asked for and received a refund, it was 7.50 euros each or I wouldn’t have bothered.

Back to the bus stop. We waited about a half hour for the next bus. Very panoramic ride back, passing the Olympic village. Great views across the city, back towards Park Guell. Deb needed a shopping ‘fix’ – after the Spanish Village – so we took the bus all the way around again to the top of Las Ramblas.

We walked – shopped - our way down. A lot of the souvenir stands were open but not as many as the 1st time. None of the live animal stands were open. Apparently in Spain there is a law mandating that stores be closed Sundays. An exception is made touristy stuff. I bought more flowers for the cabin (a bouquet with carnations and roses), a sterling silver necklace, bracelet and ring. Very similar to what I liked in Croatia but reasonably priced. Deb bought lots of gifts.

Got back to the ship around 7 PM. No sushi tonight as they had a tapas bar setup there. Tried some of that, but a lot of it was seafood. Not worth the long line. Dinner was filet mignon. So tired of steak. The usual routine before bed.

11-6-2006, Monday, Palma de Mallorca

Took the shuttle into town for 5 euros. Lots of road construction near where they dropped us off, which made it difficult to get into the city. Headed to el Cortez Ingles for Listerine and photo CDs. The ipod started acting up today and I wanted to get the photos transferred to CD, just in case.

Wandered around, admiring the architecture. It’s much the same as the as I’ve seen in Italy. Perhaps more natural stone buildings instead of stucco. Very pretty. Very clean. Lots of balconies and shutters. Cobblestone streets. Found the cathedral that Gaudi did the interiors for but they wanted 4 euros to go in. I passed.

Made my way back to the shuttle and then the ship for a quick lunch at Emile’s before my afternoon excursion. ‘Mouth’ (John Heald) was on the PA system during lunch denying there was a major outbreak of norovirus, as posted on the internet by a passenger onboard.

Went to the theater and then onto the bus for the ship’s Caves of Drach tour. After about an hour’s drive we arrived at a pearl shop. A Pearl shop! I was quite ticked about this as it was not in Carnival’s description of the excursion. We stayed about an hour. Another half-hour drive and we arrived at the caves.

The caves were a big disappointment. They’re dead, probably because of all the parking lots & excavations. No information given, no guides. Only people stationed here and there to tell you ‘no photos allowed’. I took some photos anyway, but without flash so I’m not sure how they turned out. We were herded into an amphitheater for a ‘show’. Boats with Christmas lights and music floated on the largest underground lake in the world, in the dark. It would have been good enough for me to see the lakes, with lights on, without all the crap.

The countryside of Mallorca was pretty forgettable. Flat, some crops and assorted limestone buildings. The only redeeming feature was the all the old windmills which were used to pump irrigation water in days gone by. They are no longer used. Long ride back to the ship. The guide wouldn’t shut up, even though there was nothing to talk about.

Argued with the shore excursion desk about the pearl stop. They refused to show me where it said there was a stop for pearl shopping. Wouldn’t give a refund. Spoke with Ricardo and Michael Le Rouxe. The usual sushi and primping for dinner, which was veal chop. The veal was outstanding! Best meal of the trip so far. Went to bed early.

11-7-2006, Tuesday, Sea Day

The usual sea day activities of reading, eating and napping. This was the 1st formal night of the transatlantic cruise. Kay wore a beautiful red formal gown. I wore my herringbone dinner jacket again. I had roses from Las Ramblas for Kay and I. Dinner was chili rellanos – edible – not what we think of as rellanos at all. Promenaded a bit more and had photos taken. Early tour tomorrow so I went to bed.

11-8-2006, Wednesday, Malaga

A wonderful day today! The rain in Spain does not stay mainly in the plains, however. Serious flooding in Malaga the day before we were arrived. People died in the flooding when they were caught in normally dry riverbeds and swept away. Full day ship’s tour to Granada and Alhambra (the ‘h’ is silent). I figured out how to get a good seat on the bus – go to the theater and get sticker with bus assignment. Then go directly out to the bus without waiting for the herd to be called. Worked like a charm – got the seat right behind the guide.

We had an excellent guide for this tour. Very knowledgeable. Again, he wouldn’t shut up. Why do these guides feel the need to fill every second with chatter?

Headed out of Malaga, but there wasn’t much time to see the city itself because of the distance to Granada. Still raining and gloomy. Drove through the countryside, which looked much like eastern Colorado with vineyards. Once over the Sierra Nevada range the weather cleared. Beautiful country. Made a ‘pit stop’ at a hotel/truck stop. Biggest bathroom I’ve ever seen. There was an area to purchase snacks. I got some ham-flavored Lay’s potato chips labeled ‘Jamon’, a bottle of water and some almonds. It was about a 2 hour drive before we arrived at Alhambra.

Alhambra was built in the 12th and 13th centuries by the Moors (Muslims). Legend has it that during the Spanish Inquisition and war the battle was fought in the countryside because the palace was too beautiful to destroy. It’s not much to look at from the outside because of the belief that wealth should not be displayed. Absolutely beautiful on the inside. Ornately molded walls like lattice work. The ceiling and arches are of molded tiles made to resemble leaves. Too ornate to describe, took lots of photos and video. Our guide told us all the openings in the lattice showing daylight now were once covered with blue stained glass. The glass was stolen by the French at some point in time. We didn’t have nearly enough time to see the entire palace, but we did get to see the highlights – the harem, several courtyards and the bedrooms (referred to by the guide as ‘baby makers’).

Also of note here was the modern palace added by Charles the 5th. It is connected to the ancient palace but built taller in a show of dominance. I was able to glance inside the modern palace during a shopping break, for 15 minutes. I’d really like to go back here someday.

Next, we toured the more modern gardens passing over the dry moat. Very ornate mosaic walkways. Lots of beautiful fountains. Wonderful views of Granada as Alhambra sits on the high ground above the city. A portion of a huge wall – think wall of China – is visible, enclosing part of the countryside. Meticulously maintained gardens.

Lunch followed after touring the gardens. Asparagus soup, then pork (we hoped) and cake. Bottles of wine on the table. It was all pretty good. This being a Carnival excursion lunch wasn’t complete without ‘entertainment’. Singers in traditional garb sang us the ‘frito bandito’ song. CDs were available. The group was known as the TUNA, a traditional group from the local university.

Back to the bus and ship. Dinner was roast sirloin, which was OK. They mis-timed the announcement for sailing through the Straight of Gibraltar, so we missed it. Can’t ‘mouth’ get anything right? I bet if it featured him he would’ve announced it plenty early. I hate John Heald. Tired from a full day of touring so I went to bed.

11-9-2006, Thursday, Sea Day

The usual, relaxing sea day. Tried the duck again for dinner. It was cooked to rubber, again. ‘Jumbo Black Angus burger’, as listed on the menu, was actually a crusty dried out version of the burger available at the grille. Sent that back, too. Ended up with another ribeye steak. After a bit of jazz I read, wrote and went to bed.

11-10-2006, Friday, Funchal

Amazing day today! I’m not sure what I was expecting of Madeira, but it was amazingly beautiful. Not your typical island at all. After breakfast in the dining room, I debarked for our tour. A bunch of CCers booked with Strawberry World tours. We did the same itinerary as the ship’s Best of the West tour but it was only 29 euros. Very nice bus with lots of legroom, tray tables, leather seats and cup holders. Anna was our very well-informed, native guide.

The 1st stop was a small village on the sea. Very pretty church and square (no fountain). I was wearing shorts so I didn’t go into the church. Wandered around the village admiring the architecture (stucco, balconies and shutters). Very clean. This is the 1st port where they paint their buildings and homes regularly. Looked for a cap, but didn’t find one I liked. Back to the bus after about 30 minutes.

Headed out of town, driving up a canyon. Amazing landscape where they have terraced the sides of the steep canyon. We gained altitude quickly along increasingly narrow and steep roads. No attempt at guardrails here, just some stone blocks that wouldn’t stop anything. Houses are built on the cliffs, so maybe we wouldn’t roll all the way to the bottom if the bus went over the side. Another shopping stop – do Anna’s relatives own these places?

Drove further into the mountains. The Amalfi coast has nothing on these roads! Very narrow roads with sheer 1000 foot drops. No houses now to stop our fall. Very pretty, but torture to anyone with a fear of heights. This part of the island looks like pictures I’ve seen of Machu Picchu with all the terraced land and homes built onto the cliffs. Stunning.

Made our way back to seal-level for lunch at a small restaurant. Everything was seafood, except for a dish listed as ‘meat’. Yikes. Not for me. I walked down to some pools made from cooled lava. Mainly natural pools, but they have been augmented. They’ve built concrete paths among them, where you can walk out quite a ways. Saw a fat man swimming naked. Lots of local fisherman out on the point. Very pretty. Wandered around town some more. Lots of vineyards surrounded by fences made of brush to protect them from the salt spray. Saw a small cornfield with the sea in the background.

Back on the bus where we gained altitude very quickly. This part of the drive was a bit un-nerving, even for me. Went to about 1500 meters – 4500 feet – above sea level. Looked a bit like the alpine tundra in Colorado, far above where trees can grow. Quite a few cows up here are allowed to roam free for a cultural reason I forget now. Elsewhere, cows are required by law to be confined to corrals. The cows have the right-of-way. More stunning scenery. Made our final shopping break. People complained there was no more shopping.

Our final stop was the world’s 2nd highest sea-cliff (the highest is in Thailand). Our savvy guide reversed the order of our tour that buses normally follow so we had the whole place to ourselves. The cliff is a bit over 1000 meters – 3000 feet – high, straight down. Gorgeous views of the sea and a village at the bottom. I saw someone rush down to the edge of the cliff, take 1 photo, then rush back to the 1 vendor selling trinkets there. Too funny.

Very pretty drive back to the ship, arriving at 4 PM. Bought a cap, flowers – birds of paradise – and some Madeira wine at the duty free area of the port. Very pretty sail away. Rack of lamb for dinner – delicious. No land now for 5 days while crossing the Atlantic Ocean….

11-11-2006, Saturday, Crossing the Atlantic – Day 1

Finally some slightly rough seas today. Slept in. Breakfast in the dining room. Caused an ‘international incident’ today. Some old geezer was playing god-awful music on his boombox by the lido pool. No way am I listening to this for 5 days. Called the purser’s desk (7777) to complain. They said they’d send someone up. Security showed up in a few minutes. He started yelling loudly how he spoke 6 languages, used to work for the state department and how dumb Americans are. Even the normally genteel Kay couldn’t keep quiet. Backup was called. He was still arguing with security when we left for lunch.

Lunch, reading and napping in my favorite deck chair took up the rest of the afternoon. Dinner tonight was some roast veal dish, which was inedible. Fortunately I also ordered the vegetarian entrée of roasted fennel and leeks with ricotta. It was interesting and tasty. Some comedian was the ‘show’, which I skipped. Read, wrote and went to bed.

11-12-2006, Sunday, Crossing the Atlantic – Day 2

Slept in. Breakfast in the dining room with Kay. Lunch too. Tried the stewed prunes for breakfast – they work. Kay and I watched ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ on the big screen while drinking lemonade and vodka. Napped and read on deck 3. Dinner was Osso Bucco – excellent the 1st time – and obviously leftover from then tonight. There were scorch marks from re-heating it under the broiler. I was embarrassed for recommending it to the table. Another comedian tonight for the show (heard last night’s was bad) so I skipped it. The usual reading, writing and then sleep.

11-13-2006, Monday, Crossing the Atlantic – Day 3

The weather is warming up nicely as we proceed south, on a heading of 250 degrees, the same as since we left Madeira. Breakfast in the dining room with Kay – perfectly runny eggs on the eggs benedict today. Cleared a table on the lido, where I sat writing, reading and smoking. A woman sat down at the table, without asking, but she was being quiet so I didn’t mind. A friend then joined her, again without asking, and started chattering away in Spanish. I could pick up a bit as I speak a little Spanish but I needed some quiet time. Apparently they do read the comment cards as they had turned down the volume a bit on ‘mouth’s’ morning show on the big screen. I asked them nicely if they could move to a nearby table, ‘no hablo english’ was the reply. I replied ‘vaminos, por favor’, while motioning to the clean table nearby. Got dirty looks, but they moved. Said ‘gracious’, they replied ‘di nada’.

Found Kay for lunch. Discussed all the rude Europeans aboard for this segment. Totally different crowd from the European segment. They have no concept of standing in line. It’s said Americans are loud. These guys are LOUD and aloof. I didn’t experience this on land, so it must be isolated to the people on the ship. Attended the cooking demo after lunch. Unimpressive. The samples they were passing required using common tongs, self-service style which is incredible as the norovirus is still raging through the ship. Kay and I both had words with some guy who was sitting right in front of the water glasses, then was getting offended that people were reaching in to get a glass. Hello – you’re sitting in a service area.

‘Mouth’ keeps announcing they are winning the battle against the virus. Rumor has it 87 new cases were reported this morning. Read and napped on deck 3. Got caught up on the journal. Watched a bit of ‘The Brothers Grimm’ on TV. Terrible. One of our dinner companions was so ill he had to be taken to the infirmary in a wheelchair today. Bad timing as his wife’s 50th birthday is tomorrow. Cindy bought a card and we all signed it. Dinner was good tonight. I ordered the vegetarian entrée – spanakovia and a cous cous stuffed pepper, with a grilled chicken breast on the side.

Show tonight was the guest ‘lack-of-talent’ show. I thought one guy was giving a real estate pitch. Cynical but possible. Left the show early – Kay stayed longer. Went to bed.

11-14-2006, Tuesday, Crossing the Atlantic – Day 4

Slept relatively late this morning. Breakfast with Kay at Emile’s where we snagged a corner table overlooking the wake. Emailed Mom, Laura and Amy – cost $6 dollars because the internet on the ship is so slow. Almost done transferring my photos from Kay’s computer to CD. Stupid ipod, wait until I get home. Kay’s getting a manicure, and then we’re going to lunch. Emailed Mom, Amy and Laura from Kay’s computer. The internet service is so slow it cost $6 dollars US. Read and napped on deck 3.

Tonight was the 2nd formal night. I wore my black tux. Kay had on a grape formal outfit. Once again, we were the only one in formalwear at the table. Dinner was a flavorless fillet. I sent that back and ordered mac-n-cheese and chicken fingers from the children’s menu. While I was waiting for that I went back to my cabin and changed into jeans and a t-shirt. I felt overdressed for mac-n-cheese. Tried to order an espresso after dinner but Francisco told me the machine was closed for cleaning. The show was Rocking Broadway, again, but I wasn’t in the mood. Read and went to bed.

11-14-2006, Wednesday, Crossing the Atlantic – Day 5

Only 3.5 days to go. Thank God. Slept until 10:30 AM. Sea is like glass this morning. Watched a movie – New World – on TV. Pretty good. Starting packing and throwing stuff in the trash in anticipation of getting off this tub. Lunch in the dining room. Read and napped. Had a Rueben about 5 PM. ‘Music man’ was back with his boombox in the lido smoking area. Called pursuer’s desk again. Security came again.

Dinner, late at Emile’s, very good black bean soup and a decent chicken parmagana. Listened to some jazz then went to bed.

11-15-2006, Thursday, St. Marteen

Land Ho! Went for a long walk in the morning, then back to the ship since I’ve been here a few times before. Had a nap, then lunch at Emile’s. Read and napped the remainder of the day. Veggie sushi and a turkey sandwich for dinner, then time for bed. It’s exhausting doing nothing.

11-16-2006, Friday, Sea Day

The usual sea day stuff today. Dinner was beef Wellington. The fillet was overcooked, the pastry doughy. I wonder how they do that.

11-14-2006, Saturday, Sea Day

More of the usual sea day activities. Had a meeting with Chief Purser Laura, during the debarkation talk. Sorry I missed it as John Heald was booed and heckled. Watched it on the TV, it was great fun. Dinner at Emile’s. Horrible. Canned ham was the entrée. I settled for soup and salad. Finished packing. Tomorrow I get off this ship. WOO HOO!

11-14-2006, Sunday, Sea Day

Debarkation day has finally arrived. They finally started calling colors about 9:15 AM – mine was called at 11:30 AM. Made it through the herds of people and got a cab at 12:30. Quick trip to FTL to catch my flight on Midwest Airlines. Nice flight, albeit long. Big leather seats and freshly backed cookies. Arrived home at 11:30 PM. So ends the journey…

[zaandam_2]

that's the end of the blog. sorry it took so long to post. i'll get the 'ship stuff' done ASAP.

[mom&me_cruising]

Thank you for the posts. Very informative. I don't care for John Heald either, but only have 12 days of him during the med cruise. I found some of his information erroneous; it is especially bad since I feel that those mis-information skews people to buy more Carnival excursions.

[jckvpa0]

Thanks for the blog. Will you be sharing pics ?

[janisutx]

Your journal makes me want to go back to Madeira. Our Strawberry World tour was fabulous. I look forward to your comments on the ship. Too bad it wasn't as much fun as some of the wonderful ports. Tell Kay hello.

[winewanderer]

Wow, thanks for your review. You are quite an eloquent writer. I'm sorry the cruise/ship wasn't better. We loved the Liberty in May.

 

I'm taking notes on your TA review as hubby and I are doing a TA on the Freedom in Oct. 2007, hopefully it goes better!

 

The tour in Funchal sounds amazing, can't wait to get there!

[K3cruiser]

Hi to Janis and Dick, as well as all my other new CC friends. Took me awhile to get around to reading Z’s review. Real life got in the way. I was curious as to what his final take on the Liberty would be but I have to say he’s being very fair, as usual. Bravo, Z! However, do you get the idea that he hates to shop???

 

Kay

[Anatresia]

It sounds like the volcanos were a sight to behold!!!

 

Great descriptions!

[zaandam_2]

Hi all. thanks again for the comments. i do plan on posting some pictures. i took around 2500 :eek: so it will take a while to sort them out. i also have all the menus from the med segment that i plan to scan and share.

[zaandam_2]

Hi all. I've started uploading photos to webshots. Use the slideshow feature to avoid the ads. All I have done so far is Rome.

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/zaandam_2

[zaandam_2]

just added naples and dubrovnik....

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/zaandam_2