Are you excited about the Gem and the Mediterranean?

[cruisin' judi]

Hi everyone -

First I want to thank all of you for taking the time to post all of the valuable information, which I took extensive notes on. We are 19 of us going on the Gem next month, and I love, love ,love, planning this trip. We are flying into Barcelona a couple of days early, staying at the Grand Hotel Central. We recently discovered that Saturday is a holiday (the Assumption), and so I think we may have a hard time making a restaurant reservation for that night. All of the churches, etc. seem to be open though. We are thinking about not doing the HOHO bus, because it will be so hot, and there is no AC on it. We have Rome in Limo booked for the three Italy days - we need three vans, so three drivers, any recommendations would be great (I read a recent review that said that a couple of their drivers were not the best). We are going to try to stop by a town on the way to Sorrento, because that is where my great grandparents are from; my parents are coming on this trip, so it should be really special for them. Some of us are in the penthouse suites, so I am thinking that they will be able to arrange a family dinner for all of us each night - otherwise, I think that 19 people will be hard to make reservations for.

 

Keep all of that great info coming!!!

Can't wait...

mapsmom

 

I can't wait to see your review!!

[mickeysgal]

Just popping in to say hi to everyone. Hi Gem friends!

[daring]

Just popping in to say hi to everyone. Hi Gem friends!

 

 

Stay in touch and let me know when you are planning your next cruise.

[DadofLostBoys]

While in Barcelona in 2007, our group (~25 adults and kids) dined at Mesón David the night before our cruise. We had lots of food, drink, and fun. Staff was very helpful and friendly - owner even came outside with us for a group picture when we left.

 

 

Hi everyone -

First I want to thank all of you for taking the time to post all of the valuable information, which I took extensive notes on. We are 19 of us going on the Gem next month, and I love, love ,love, planning this trip. We are flying into Barcelona a couple of days early, staying at the Grand Hotel Central. We recently discovered that Saturday is a holiday (the Assumption), and so I think we may have a hard time making a restaurant reservation for that night. All of the churches, etc. seem to be open though. We are thinking about not doing the HOHO bus, because it will be so hot, and there is no AC on it. We have Rome in Limo booked for the three Italy days - we need three vans, so three drivers, any recommendations would be great (I read a recent review that said that a couple of their drivers were not the best). We are going to try to stop by a town on the way to Sorrento, because that is where my great grandparents are from; my parents are coming on this trip, so it should be really special for them. Some of us are in the penthouse suites, so I am thinking that they will be able to arrange a family dinner for all of us each night - otherwise, I think that 19 people will be hard to make reservations for.

 

Keep all of that great info coming!!!

Can't wait...

mapsmom

[HKG]

I was on the Gem May 2009, excellent cruise, ship and staff, especially the Happy Happy Team

[mickeysgal]

I was on the Gem May 2009, excellent cruise, ship and staff, especially the Happy Happy Team

 

Which sailing were you on?

[steviek49]

Hi everyone -

First I want to thank all of you for taking the time to post all of the valuable information, which I took extensive notes on. We are 19 of us going on the Gem next month, and I love, love ,love, planning this trip. We are flying into Barcelona a couple of days early, staying at the Grand Hotel Central. We recently discovered that Saturday is a holiday (the Assumption), and so I think we may have a hard time making a restaurant reservation for that night. All of the churches, etc. seem to be open though. We are thinking about not doing the HOHO bus, because it will be so hot, and there is no AC on it. We have Rome in Limo booked for the three Italy days - we need three vans, so three drivers, any recommendations would be great (I read a recent review that said that a couple of their drivers were not the best). We are going to try to stop by a town on the way to Sorrento, because that is where my great grandparents are from; my parents are coming on this trip, so it should be really special for them. Some of us are in the penthouse suites, so I am thinking that they will be able to arrange a family dinner for all of us each night - otherwise, I think that 19 people will be hard to make reservations for.

 

Keep all of that great info coming!!!

Can't wait...

mapsmom

 

Hi,

We will be on the Aug 23rd gem and booked private tours on the 3 Italian ports with sorrentlimo.

Any recommendations for those 3 stops would be appreciated.

We are a family of 4 (19 and 17) and have a car with english speaking driver all day.

Any help would be appreciated.

[mapsmom]

Yes, we hired Rome in Limo - three vans, three drivers, for all three days in Italy. First, we are going to Sorrento (on the way we will stop at my great grandparents hometown), and then on the Amalfi coast to Positano. In Roe, we will see the Vatican and sistine, of course, (with Romeinlimo's private guide), the colosseum, and we also want to see the Castel Sant'angelo and Santa Vittoria (where the St. Theresa statue is). We will do Florence first, on the third day, and then if we have time, go to Pisa. I have heard nothing but good things about this company, so I expect to have a wonderful time.

[mapsmom]

dadoflostboys - Thanks for the recommendation for Meson David - I checked it out, and if they are open (which it looks like they are) before 8 PM, we will be eating there. Looks like a blast!!

[RoosCruise]

Wow what a great read. 51 pages and over 1000 posts. Got a lot of research to do out of a lot of suggestions.

 

My Wife and I are on the Gem for a belated 10 year wedding anniversary trip sailing Nov 22. Due to better air rates we have three days in Barcelona before and after the cruise. So really two vacations in one.

 

This will be my first trip to Europe (wife has been there for both pleasure and business) and both of our first trip on NCL. It has been great learnign from all of you and can not wait for this thread to continue. So thanks for those that went before and shared great reviews and trips.

[daring]

:) My husband and I were thinking back over dinner the other night and decided if we could go back to just one of the places that we visited in June on the Gym, it would be Lucca. What a charming village it is. Malta was a close 2nd.

[mickeysgal]

:) My husband and I were thinking back over dinner the other night and decided if we could go back to just one of the places that we visited in June on the Gym, it would be Lucca. What a charming village it is. Malta was a close 2nd.

 

For us, it would be Florence...it was enchanting.

 

Or anyplace without a bat. Did I ever tell that story?

[JunPOA]

:) My husband and I were thinking back over dinner the other night and decided if we could go back to just one of the places that we visited in June on the Gym, it would be Lucca. What a charming village it is. Malta was a close 2nd.

Hey there Lucca (my fellow rock/ sea glass collector ! ):D

Maybe you already posted somewhere else - your comment about Lucca sparked an interest e.g. "charming". Can you tell us more, why it was your # 1 pick to return to? What port is Lucca?

Take Care Daring, Leah, RN

[daring]

Lucca is a beautiful little town in Tuscany (northern central Italy) protected by massively thick 16th-century walls and is only a short distance from Livorno. In 1805, Lucca was taken over by Napoleon, who put his sister Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi in charge as "Queen of Etruria".

The walls around the old town remained intact as the city expanded and modernized. As the walls lost their military importance, they became a pedestrian promenade which encircled the old town, although they were used for a number of years in the 20th century for racing cars. The walls are still fully intact today; each of the four principal sides is lined with a different tree species. You can walk or bike around the city on the wide shaded walkways atop the walls.

Lucca features some of Italy's finest medieval and Renaissance architecture, superb dining, antique markets, and has easy access to the surrounding hills and beaches less than half an hour away. It is a city of merchants who know how to woo the visitor and the shopper, but the pace of life varies between slow and slower. It is a wealthy and colorful town where store clerks and shoppers arrive on bicycles with baskets. We braved climbing up the Torre Guinigi - the 130 ft. tower with a ancient oak tree on top and viewed the main shopping street in downtown Lucca with elegant traditional shops, medieval towers, and noblemen’s palaces which can be visited.

[JunPOA]

Lucca is a beautiful little town in Tuscany (northern central Italy) protected by massively thick 16th-century walls and is only a short distance from Livorno. In 1805, Lucca was taken over by Napoleon, who put his sister Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi in charge as "Queen of Etruria".

The walls around the old town remained intact as the city expanded and modernized. As the walls lost their military importance, they became a pedestrian promenade which encircled the old town, although they were used for a number of years in the 20th century for racing cars. The walls are still fully intact today; each of the four principal sides is lined with a different tree species. You can walk or bike around the city on the wide shaded walkways atop the walls.

Lucca features some of Italy's finest medieval and Renaissance architecture, superb dining, antique markets, and has easy access to the surrounding hills and beaches less than half an hour away. It is a city of merchants who know how to woo the visitor and the shopper, but the pace of life varies between slow and slower. It is a wealthy and colorful town where store clerks and shoppers arrive on bicycles with baskets. We braved climbing up the Torre Guinigi - the 130 ft. tower with a ancient oak tree on top and viewed the main shopping street in downtown Lucca with elegant traditional shops, medieval towers, and noblemen’s palaces which can be visited.

Thanks Daring, such a pictureque description, no wonder you'd love to return. Hey maybe you could retire there...we only wish!;) So it sounds like it's pretty cose to the port - any guesses on time it would take to do fairly good private driver tour of the area - we'll have a few extra hours to spare IF we decide to do the Capri Isle of romance through NCL. We'r enot risk takers in terms of missing the ship , thus we're thinking IF we do Capri it wil be through NCL - their tour 8.5 hs. Thanks a lot again for your travelogue of Luccca!

LeahRN

[daring]

Hmmm Capri, Isn't that the Naples stop? Next stop was Livorno for us and I think Lucca was less than an hour away. We were there only 2 hours, not enough time, then we went to a wine tasting in the mountains.

[Bannda]

Its been awhile since I have been on here. Reading the latest posts makes me a little sad that our trip is in the past. But, we do have wonderful photos to keep reliving it!

 

For anyone considering Rome In Limo, I highly recommend Mauro for Rome! He was fabulous!!

[JunPOA]

Hmmm Capri, Isn't that the Naples stop? Next stop was Livorno for us and I think Lucca was less than an hour away. We were there only 2 hours, not enough time, then we went to a wine tasting in the mountains.

You're right, Daring, sorry I got confused - that happens a lot lately.

Like my daughter says, there's multi tasking and there's multitasking. The question is not whether or not you can multi task but how effectively do you multitask ! :rolleyes:What can I say?:D Hopefuly I will not become disoriented during the cruise :o

[RoosCruise]

Any updates from those who have cruised since the end of June early August? Looking forward to hearing your reviews.

[konig_otto]

Any updates from those who have cruised since the end of June early August? Looking forward to hearing your reviews.

 

Seconded, I'd like to know too. For those that have just returned, how full was your ship? We're leaving on September 27th but our Roll Call board seems really quiet.

[JunPOA]

Ditto - anyone recently back?

Looking specifically for feedback even hear-say from your on-board fellow passengers on the NCL excursion to "CAPRI - Isle of Romance"

 

In advance, many thanks!:)

[daring]

Its been awhile since I have been on here. Reading the latest posts makes me a little sad that our trip is in the past. But, we do have wonderful photos to keep reliving it!

 

For anyone considering Rome In Limo, I highly recommend Mauro for Rome! He was fabulous!!

 

 

Me too! Do have any other trips planned? I hope to do the Eastern Med. next year but not sure I can swing it yet.

 

Konig,

 

Our roll call did not pick up until a few weeks of sailing and our ship was full in June.

[Bannda]

Me too! Do have any other trips planned? I hope to do the Eastern Med. next year but not sure I can swing it yet.

 

Konig,

 

Our roll call did not pick up until a few weeks of sailing and our ship was full in June.

 

Hi Daring, I was hoping to plan either an East Med cruise or an Alaskan cruise for next year. But, now it looks like my son will be getting married next October or November. So there go my travel funds! :o)

DH and I are trying to work out a quick trip to the beach next month. At least it is a little something to look forward to.

If you decide to do the East Med cruise, I'd be interested to hear what you pick!

 

To all: our roll call was like Daring's. It suddenly picked up as the date grew closer. A lot of people were scrambling to find tours the very last week.

[Gregor4500]

Daring, I can't believe this thread is still active.

 

We are now thinking about maybe departing out of Venice in 2010.

 

If I were a faster typist there is a lot I would say about the Gem and the Med (all good) but I'm not so I won't.

[chapichapo]

We're traveling next week :D

And next year I'm thinking of northern Europe!