Sunday, October 11, 2009
Oct 9: Day 6: Sea Day
There was a beautiful sunrise this morning. Today is a sea day to rest up for the port days ahead. After a leisurely morning I go to the cruisecritic.com meet and greet and Tim goes to a golf tournament where he wins the 2nd place medal. It was a simulated, closest to the pin challenge. We decide to sooth our aches and possibly help my mosquito bites by going to the spa where we both had a sea weed treatment and massage. After the 2 hours in the spa we were both refreshed and ready for the 5 port days ahead. Tonight we had a birthday dinner party for Jim, one of the Bellini Bunch. It was our first of three formal nights and a good time was had by all. Just as dinner was over we were sailing through the Messina Strait and watched from our balcony as we sailed past Sicily. We were very close to land on both sides of the ship as we sailed through this strait. Since I hadn’t earlier today, we went to the laundry room to find plenty of empty machines and got our laundry caught up.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Day 5 photos
Apartment balcony, LR on left and Harry & Judi's bedroom and bath on right side
View from apaprtment balcony
Luggage ready for porter
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Day 6- Sail away
I had a fairly restless night last night because of sinus drainage and coughing, but after I find the meds I finally get some sleep. After breakfast Tim and I decide although we are very tired with sore feet we will make one last trip into Venice to wonder around another neighborhood. The fog is real heavy today. While we are out, I recognize we are in an area with the good chocolate shop I have read about and easily find it. As soon as we enter we are overwhelmed with the wonderful smell of chocolate. It is hard to choose which ones to get, but finally make our purchase. We follow the signs back to P Roma and then the ship for our 1 pm sailaway. Just before 1 the fog starts to lift and we have much better visibility for sailing out of Venice. Just an hour earlier we were wondering if we would be able to see anything! Venice is unlike no place we have ever visited before and our favorite city and favorite place to sail out of. We decide to enjoy sailaway on our own balcony this time instead of with the crowds on the public decks. The ship plays an Italian music salute as we sail out of Venice and we have our TV broadcast of it turned up. Fist I get misty eyed and soon so does Tim. Venice is such a magical place!
After the lifeboat drill we take a little nap before dinner. While in the dining room line we run into some people we know and join them for dinner which features two of my favorites tonight --pina colada soup and prime rib. It is nice already “knowing” people on the ship through the message board because it makes it wonderful to dine with others and not have to go through all the introduction formalities you find dining with strangers which I find exhausting sometimes. We then spend a little time in the casino and then off to bed after another wonderful day.
After the lifeboat drill we take a little nap before dinner. While in the dining room line we run into some people we know and join them for dinner which features two of my favorites tonight --pina colada soup and prime rib. It is nice already “knowing” people on the ship through the message board because it makes it wonderful to dine with others and not have to go through all the introduction formalities you find dining with strangers which I find exhausting sometimes. We then spend a little time in the casino and then off to bed after another wonderful day.
Day 5--Time to Board the Ruby Princess
A fog covered most of Venice this morning and I find myself getting a little congested again. I think is because of the humidity we are having today. I was almost over the upper respiratory crud I had for the last few weeks, but I am now starting back on the drugs to ward over another bout.
Right on time, our porter showed up and carried all our luggage to our awaiting water taxis to the ship. Soon we find ourselves alongside the Ruby Princess cruise ship about noon and find no lines at the check-in counter and the boarding is just starting with long lines but after they get the hand luggage x-ray machines going we are on the ship in no time since most of us are Princess Elite or Platinum members, but Harry & Judi are delayed 2 hours before they can board. We can already tell Ernie, our cabin steward, is one of the best we have ever had.
After we get a bite to eat we decide to go back into Venice and wonder around some more. We are slowly getting through the different neighborhoods of Venice but still have some we have never visited. On the way back to the ship we stop by the CoOp supermarket for some bottled water and a few more bottles of wine to take back to the ship. We have booked the St Marks after hours tour tonight through the cruise line and have a water taxi back into Venice 4 bridges away from St Marks. We enter the Basilica and are allowed to take a few pictures without flash. Regular tours are not allowed to take any photos inside. We enter the main chapel and are seated in low lighting and after both groups are seated, they slowly start turning up the lights and it is amazing. We get a close look at the golden alter with hundreds of precious stones and then go to the basement to see the crypt which is only open to the special night tours through the cruise line. We have a wonderful time on tour. Back to the ship around 10 pm and wore out, we make a quick trip to the buffet for a late dinner and then to bed.
Right on time, our porter showed up and carried all our luggage to our awaiting water taxis to the ship. Soon we find ourselves alongside the Ruby Princess cruise ship about noon and find no lines at the check-in counter and the boarding is just starting with long lines but after they get the hand luggage x-ray machines going we are on the ship in no time since most of us are Princess Elite or Platinum members, but Harry & Judi are delayed 2 hours before they can board. We can already tell Ernie, our cabin steward, is one of the best we have ever had.
After we get a bite to eat we decide to go back into Venice and wonder around some more. We are slowly getting through the different neighborhoods of Venice but still have some we have never visited. On the way back to the ship we stop by the CoOp supermarket for some bottled water and a few more bottles of wine to take back to the ship. We have booked the St Marks after hours tour tonight through the cruise line and have a water taxi back into Venice 4 bridges away from St Marks. We enter the Basilica and are allowed to take a few pictures without flash. Regular tours are not allowed to take any photos inside. We enter the main chapel and are seated in low lighting and after both groups are seated, they slowly start turning up the lights and it is amazing. We get a close look at the golden alter with hundreds of precious stones and then go to the basement to see the crypt which is only open to the special night tours through the cruise line. We have a wonderful time on tour. Back to the ship around 10 pm and wore out, we make a quick trip to the buffet for a late dinner and then to bed.
Day 4 photos
Bellini Bunch & Honorary members. Next 2 pictures posted in wrong order--of Markets and should be at bottom
Morning trip to Rialto Market
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