Cruise Vacations
Cruising! Ahhhh, cruising! For those who try it and love it, there is no other way to vacation. One stop, the ship, then your ports along the way. There are cruises almost every where in the world. There are big ships, small ships, river cruises, barge cruises, short and long cruises, all with varying prices and itineraries. When you cruise you have excellent service. There is someone to wait on you or assist you for anything and everything. You can relax, be alone, be with other people, eat, play, learn something new and be entertained. A wonderful way to travel and experience the world!
Vision Vacations Cruise Review
Cruising the Western Mediterranean
The most recent cruise I went on was the Celebrity Cruise Line's Century. I cruised the Western Mediterranean for eleven days. It was very port intensive, so enjoying the ship was not on my schedule. The service on the ship was excellent, but they were not geared to accommodate vegetarians. The staff tried to accommodate me, and some nights I had several entrees, complements of the wait staff and matre'de. My days were spent getting off the ship, returning tired, and resting to get ready for the next invigorating day. That was my choice. You can cruise and vary your activities to meet your needs and desires.
The Ports of Call were changed due to security. It is nice to know that the cruise lines will change itineraries to protect the passengers, whether it is due to weather or for political issues.
This port intensive cruise was excellent for learning about the primary ports in Spain, France and two port areas in Italy. It is hard to describe each port. Each one had something special to offer. We started in Barcelona, went to Marseilles, Nice, Pisa, Florence, Rome, Corsica, Gibraltar, Malaga, and Valencia and back to Barcelona, Spain. We were supposed to go to Morocco, but that was canceled.
In France, rather than go to Nice I did a tour to Monaco and Monte Carlo, driving along the French Riviera. The actual port for Nice is Villefranche. It is a lovely town. One could get off at Villefranche and roam the streets, rather than go elsewhere. There are several options at this port. You can choose Monte Carlo and Monaco, Nice, Cannes or a trip to Eze. Any of these excursions are worthwhile.
Marseilles, France is an unattractive city, not to say that there are no attractive parts or things to see. The Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde over looks the city and port. Marseilles is the largest, major seaport in the Mediterranean. It has a strong emphasis on industry and is a large commercial and industrial center. Marseilles, the second largest city in France, was founded by the Greeks in 600 BC. We went through Marseilles, which was good to see, and went to a cozy fishing seaport, having a tour of the countryside and vineyards along the way. Cassis is a lovely seaport. There are white wine vineyards in the area. The area is a summer resort that attracted such famous painters a Matisse, Vlamak and Dufy. Cassis is at the foot of Europe's highest sea cliff, the 1,300 foot Cap Canaille.
Italy ports, Livorno and Civitavecchia, included a stop at Pisa on the route by bus to Florence. Pisa has the 800-year-old famous leaning tower. Florence, the capital of Tuscany, has many museums and monuments, including the statue of David. Planning is best when visiting Florence. It is busy, overcrowded, culturally rich, full of fashion, but largely not air-conditioned. Rome is an hour and a half from the port of Civitavecchia. There are many historic sights to see in Rome, the Forum with the Coliseum, Vatican City and St. Peters (the most famous Christian church in the world), Trevi Fountain and more.
Corsica is an island off of Italy, but part of France. The reviews I read for Corsica before going were not good. But I loved it. Snow capped mountains (highest peak at 8,892 feet) and beaches all on one island. Along with seaside cafes and reasonable, enjoyable shopping, a reasonably priced tram ride will take you around to the city of Ajaccio, Corsica and surrounding area. Ajaccio is an industrial city, but has maintained an attractive environment. It is noted for anchovy fishing, coral diving, ship building and the manufacturing of cigars and macaroni. Corsica was a pleasantly surprising, enjoyable port. Napoleon was born on Corsica. Although Corsicans are not happy with that fact! Quite a variety for an island.
Gibraltar was added to the itinerary instead of Morocco. A trip to the Rock is recommended if you have that port of call. Also, go to the caves on the Rock. But, be mindful of the Barbary apes that live on the side of the Rock. I was not excited about the Gibraltar port stop. After being in vibrant European cities up until this time, Gibraltar did not have much to offer. Plus, the value of the dollar is worse in Gibraltar as it is based against the British pound, Gibraltar being part of the English government/United Kingdom.
Malaga and Valencia were charming and interesting Spanish cities. Malaga is the birthplace of Picaso and I found a wonderful vegetarian restaurant. Malaga is one of Spain's most important seaports and a well-known resort area. In both Malaga and Valencia I did my own walking tours. Shopping was wonderful in Valencia at the Central Market area. Valencia has long been a major economic and cultural power in the Mediterranean. It has not developed its beaches due to it focus on economic and cultural issues. The museums are a must see. There is the IVAM (Museum of modern art), City of the Arts and Sciences, Oceanographic Center (which when combined with a Planetarium and IMAX theater will be the largest science and leisure center in Europe). Valencia is, also, the home of the Paella and offers a wide range of delicious foods, which include locally grown rice and vegetables. I would go back to both cities. I found the Spanish cities to have a flavor and energy not present in the Italy and French cities visited on this cruise.
Barcelona was by far my favorite. I felt that Barcelona had everything you would want. Most of Barcelona can all be explored on the "ride on and off bus." Barcelona has all of its neighborhoods, each one offering something special. Las Ramblas in Barcelona was invigorating. Barcelona has food, shopping, entertainment, culture, religious history, museums, monuments, and parks. It is a vibrant city, colorful, alive, scenic and diverse.
A short ride from Barcelona is Montserrat, a 16th century monastery. It is high on the edge of "The Saw Toothed Mountain". It is also the home of the Black Madonna. This is a place of pilgrimages of Catalans. It was built and maintained by a group of Monks in the 16th century. It’s an easy trip from Barcelona and an amazing setting. It is hard to imagine building this monastery at this altitude in the 16th century, with no roads or modern equipment. Just another amazing look at history!
All of these ports offered something different. You can take your pick. You can do a walking tour, use public transportation and set your own destination, do a ship sponsored tour, shop, experience history and culture, or do nothing and relax on the ship. One thing nice about Celebrity, they will give you information about getting about independently. Some cruise lines do not do this in order to encourage you to book their excursions. However, when in a new situation and unsure, it is safer to book a group shore excursion.
Cruising is a wonderful way to get a taste of various destinations. Then if choose you can go back and spend more time in the places you liked. I will be cruising soon to the Panama Canal and will report on that cruise upon my return.
If you are considering cruising, contact me if I can assist you in planning the cruise that meets your Vision. I am a Certified Cruise Counselor and can help you find the cruise to meet your interests and destination choices.
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