On April 17, 2014, we arrived at the cruise terminal in Venice via water taxi. We started in Venice with a four night stay in our favorite city in the world, now we board our ship for a 10 night cruise of the Dalmation Coast and Amalfi Coast. Our cruise will take us to five different countries, Italy with stops in Venice, Ravenna; Croatia, with stops in Split and Dubrovnik; Montenegro with stop in Kotor; Albania with stop in Durres; Greece with stop in Corfu; and then back to Italy with stops Sicily, Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento; Ending in Rome, where we stay for three days.
From the time that we stepped onto the pier until we were checked into our suite everything went as smooth as could be. We checked our luggage right at the pier and got on a bus that brought us right to the ship.
We were greeted with a glass of champagne and directed to the theater for check-in. Rooms were not ready until 2, so we went to the outdoor restaurant, La Veranda for lunch. After we gained access to our room, we met our butler, Irfan. Irfan was definitely going to be our new best friend!
Our ship was Regent's Seven Seas Mariner. It had just come out of dry dock the week before and everything had been redone. New furniture, drapes, carpet, fixtures...everything. It is an all suite, all balcony, all inclusive cruise ship. It was tastefully decorated in muted colors and decked out with all new stunning artwork. You have six different dining options with a steakhouse, french restaurant, italian, two american and course by course room service. There were four bars/lounges, a coffee shop and a snack bar. It had a small boutique, a large theater, tennis court and putting green. It also had a fitness center and a Canyon Ranch Spa.
Our suite had a bedroom closed off by glass and curtains, a living room, dining room walk in closet and a nice dressing area.
You tell them ahead of time what you would like your fridge stocked with and it's all there when you arrive. Hence, the all inclusive part.
Unpack once and relax...
The bathroom was a good size with a large shower equipped with Hermes and L'Occitane toiletries!
We unpacked and headed to the observation deck for the sail away from Venice along with our 600 shipmates.
The view as we sailed away was beautiful and seemed like a fitting ending to our time in Venice.
St. Mark's Square, Doge's Palace, bell tower, and the Basilica...
The Grand Canal...
We drank our chilled bottle of champagne and headed to dinner and the show of the evening, a singer who was actually pretty good at impersonating many of our favorites.
Our first port of call was Ravenna, Italy. We decided to stay on the ship and relax. We went to the pool, read and relaxed! We even enjoyed the music at the pool. It was all a very relaxed atmosphere with a lot of quiet! There were only 11 children on board. The service was impeccable. There was always someone checking on us to see if we needed anything.
The shows on board were really nice and we tried to make them every night...
After dinner, I came back to this surprise to celebrate my birthday! Score one for Irfan!
Every night the obligatory chocolate was placed on the bed along with the info for the following day. The attention to detail was amazing. This is what the chocolate was wrapped in and with a different quote every day. "The world is a book & those who do not travel read only one page." - St. Augustine
Our next port of call was Split, Croatia. When I chose this itinerary I wasn't to sure about going to Croatia. The more that I read about it, the more excited I got. I ignored all the people that said, "Why would you go to Croatia?" and I am glad I did. Why wouldn't I? It was beautiful. We went on a 4 hour walking/bus tour. We went to the Mestrovic Gallery (Galerija Mestrovic), the home of the great sculptor, Ivan Mestrovic, Croatia's answer to Rodin. It was very interesting and had a beautiful view of the sea.
Then we did a walking tour of the Split and along the Riva (waterfront area). The windmill looking things in the picture are actually bases for huge umbrellas. It is filled with restaurants, bars and coffee shops. A perfect place to sit and people watch.
This was the day before Easter. There were these beautifully painted eggs everywhere.
In Diocletian's Palace, you'll notice the cushions placed by the restaurant, Luxor, in this square. If you sit on the cushions you are expected to order something. This square, Peristyle, is the centerpiece of Diocletian's Palace.
Baptistry of St. John from the 12th century. The baptismal font is large enough to submerge a person. People place money in the font in return for prayers or I guess just to make a wish.
The Riva from the Palace walls...
We needed a break...
While we were walking around Diocletian's Palace, we came upon a group of singers performing in an ancient rotunda. I imagine this is how their traditional music is supposed to sound with the natural acoustics of the rotunda. It was wonderful.
We ended the tour with a wine tasting at a mediterranean restaurant called Konoba Tinita. We enjoyed traditional mediterranean snacks and three different wines from the region.
As we left to reboard the ship we got to see locals playing a traditional game of picigin, a traditional local sport played on a sandy beach in ankle deep water with a small ball.
We returned to the ship and had lunch on the back deck of the ship.
Hit the Canyon Ranch Spa for a much needed massage...
We ended just about every night with the show in the theater and then in the casino. Didn't win big, but didn't lose either. We had lots of fun playing roulette.
Around the ship...
The next day was Easter and our port of call was Dubrovnik, Croatia. Dubrovnik is know as the Pearl of the Adriatic. Well deserved title. It looks like something out of a fairytale. The whole city is enclosed by giant stone walls with ancient streets lined with stone palaces and bell towers. 500 years ago, Dubrovnik was a major maritime port with the third largest navy in the mediterranean. It is truly unreal that Croatia was at war in the 1990's when it violently separated from Yugoslavia. The city was devastated but has been repaired with amazing speed.
The tour that I booked for the day was a bus tour to the Seaside village of Cavtat and a Riviera cruise. Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate. We went to the seaside town and the first stop (probably because of the rain was a museum that you have to walk up to and it was about 100 slippery, wet stone steps. Thinking we would rather not have to visit a hospital in Croatia, we opted out and had a glass of wine. Others joined us and it turned out to be a lovely hour just people watching by the sea. We were taken by bus back to the city for a walking tour.
We almost didn't go on this tour because of the weather, but we both realized we may never be back here again. It's very rare that the rain stops us. Think Tuscany in the rain, been there done that, this happens no matter how you envision the perfect trip or how much you plan, you just have to roll with the punches. The view from the bus was not so good, but it's Tuscany...you have to go wether it's raining or not. I'm glad that we went to Dubrovnik because the city was very pretty and we enjoyed a nice lunch (pizza-it is right by Italy) on our own. I don't know if it was because it was Easter or if this is a regular occurrence, but there was a group singing in the square. It was magical...I think it's probably a regular occurrence, I mean how could it not be, it's just that kind of place.
Well the rain continued on the next day and we woke up in Kotor, Montenegro. It was a quaint village with mountains all the way around. The scenery was breathtaking. We did not try to brave the rain to walk around, so we enjoyed the scenery from the ship. It may seem like we stayed on the ship a lot. We did, but I think many of these places are meant to be admired close up but afar. Sometimes, the mystic is lost when your too close. I know that goes against some ideas of what traveling is about, but it is what it is. Add rain to the mix and we were just fine sitting on the ship having a nice lunch and a glass of wine in a truly unforgettable setting.
Sitting at the pool bar playing checkers on the iPad, this was the view.
There is a path that leads to the church halfway up the mountain and continues on to the fort at the top. We enjoyed watching other people make this intense trek! We don't hike on flat terrain, much less uphill. My idea of a nice uphill walk is on a treadmill where I control the gradient.
We watched a movie, played games and relaxed. The sail away from Kotor made us feel like we were sailing through the fjords of Norway! Mental note, one day, we will do that.
At most ports, we had Pilot come on board to navigate back to the Sea just because we were so far in the bay, another plus for cruising on a smaller ship. Then once we were on our way, the Pilot would climb down a rope ladder to his waiting ride back to the dock. It was scary to watch, however, I'm sure it is second nature to them.
Castles and so many churches...
Next port, Durres Albania. Well, It looked like Albania was in a state of Distress! It looked very poor and dirty. We chose not to get off the ship. So glad that we did. We heard other passengers saying it was awful, dirty with a lot of people begging for money. I guess they are trying to get tourism money in, but I can't for the life of me figure out why cruise ships would even stop there.
Anyway, we were looking forward to the next four busy, busy days so taking it easy on the ship was perfect.
The next morning the weather had cleared and we were in Greece on the Ionian Island of Corfu. We had chosen to do a panoramic tour of the island. We met our bus at the pier and headed into the mountains. Our first stop was at the Monastery of Virgin Mary of Paleokastritsa.
The monastery is up a very steep hill with a winding road only wide enough for maybe a jeep. We are in a full size motor coach the size of a house. It was amazing to see how they maneuvered those buses in and out of that parking lot that was about the size of swimming pool.
It was very beautiful and serene. The mosaics were beautiful.
A rare shot without sunglasses...
The road up... many traffic jams.
It was amazing how that got those huge busses up there and actually parked. I couldn't look down from the bus! Anyway, the view was great. The turquoise water up against the many rocky coves, emerald mountains covered in olive trees it was all beautiful. It is a very hilly island. If you are walking, this is what you have to look forward to...
Our next stop was the Golden Fox restaurant for a little local culture. We sampled local foods and wine and they had dancers in traditional dress perform for us. It was located at the top of a mountain so the views were wonderful.
Around the island of Corfu, Greece...
After leaving Corfu, we were going to cross the Adriatic Sea on our way to Sicily. At this point we had not had hardly any movement on the ship. We had stayed pretty close to the coast. Well, it got rocky and I got worried. I took Bonine knowing I was probably taking it too late and it was too late. I never got really sick, but I wasn't exactly hungry either. I had made a reservation at the French restaurant on board, Signatures. We had dined there a couple of nights before and had the best lobster dish. Well, on this night I had bread and water while David ooohed and ahhhed about his food. After dinner, the Bonine kicked in and we still managed to go to the show. The boat did rock the whole night, but after I got over the initial butterflies in my stomach and convinced myself that it was perfectly normal to be moving, we were on a boat after all! We have since cruised to Alaska on the Mariner's sister ship, Navigator. I am pretty sure I have overcome this problem, I just have to keep telling myself it's an adventure...and take Bonine! Anyway, we rocked and rolled through the night over to Sicily and it was certainly worth it to wake up to the idyllic view of the hillside town of Taormina on the eastern coast of Sicily.
Giardini Naxos was our fist tender port. They use the lifeboats to go into the small port. We got on a bus and were whisked away to Toarmina. This quaint village sits on a hill overlooking the Ionian Sea and has a great view of Mount Etna, an active volcano.
After a few other countries, it felt good to be back in Italy. Sicily does have a different vibe the mainland, but it is still quintessential Italy in my mind.
And the views...
Perched on the side of a hill overlooking the sea, Taormina exudes a delightful character and offers wonderful photo opportunities. Its original buildings in the picturesque town center remain unchanged, and many have retained their characteristic window boxes overflowing with brightly colored flowers.
After touring the town, we stopped for refreshments and were treated to performers singing in the street. These people sure do know how to live and it shows, they are warm, relaxed and happy. But more than that, they are content, confident, if not downright arrogant that they KNOW how to live...
It makes me jealous that they have mastered the sweetness of doing nothing...Dolce far niente!
and they are smaller than us...
Working on dolce far niente...
After a few hours in Toarmina, we went to the house where the Sicilian scene from The Godfather was filmed. Recognize the house? It's where Abalonia learned to drive!
Castello deli Schiavi, is a private villa that we were taken to for us to enjoy a typical Sicilian lunch. Built as a countryside residence for the Prince of Palagnia and Fiumefreddo, Castello degli Schiavi was subsequently restored during the 1750s. The villa features a large courtyard surrounded by a privately-owned house and small chapel dating from 1544. The wine cellars are the foundation of the original building dating back to the year 600 AD. The villa was used as the home of Don Masino Corleone in the movie The Godfather.
Upon arrival at Castello deli Schiavi, we were greeted in the garden with cocktails while three musicians played.
We were able to tour the inside of the home, which is decorated in traditional Sicilian style, with family portraits hanging on the walls and plenty of antique furniture. The owner showed clips of The Godfather. It was very nice and somewhat surreal.
That's us on the balcony...
Oprah has visited!
When I scheduled this excursion, I didn't even realize that lunch would be a five course meal. This was the first course!
We were definitely wined, dined and entertained...
The chapel in the courtyard...
Lemon trees everywhere...
We had a lovely day. Took the tender back to the ship and headed to the Amalfi Coast...
This is why we had those rest days on the ship...the Amalfi Coast! Our first of two ports was Sorrento.
We hired a private car and driver to "do" the Amalfi Coast drive. Smartest move ever! Filippo was a great driver and stopped often, took pictures for us and gave us so much history.
I should have gotten a better pic of Filippo. He was so nice and I would highly recommend him.
Positano, Italy...
I think you will agree no words needed.
This was a pleasant surprise. We stopped at the Emerald Grotto.
You take a boat into the cave to see the "emerald" water. Because of the rock formations, sunlight comes into the cave and the water looks very, very green.
Filippo took us to a restaurant along the coast that had the most beautiful view and even better food.
Our lunchtime view...stunning!
Back on the road, we went through Amalfi and just took in the scenery while learning about the local Italian culture from Filippo on our way to Ravello.
The view of the coast from Ravello...
Painted pottery everywhere. I oddly ran into a couple from our hometown who was there on their honeymoon.
Definitely a place to grab a gelato and take it easy.
On our way back to Sorrento, Filippo spoke to one of his colleagues and we were told there was so much traffic that it wasn't even moving. So we returned to Sorrento through the mountains instead of along the coast. I had been disappointed that we would not have the time to visit Pompeii. Oddly, the way we drove back took us right by Pompeii but sadly, we could only see it from the highway. So this means we must return!
When I saw this sunset that evening it was like God checking the Amalfi Coast drive off of our bucket list in the sky, but we will be back.
Our ship moved from Sorrento to Amalfi overnight. We had planned to do a boat cruise to see everything from the water. The weather didn't cooperate, but we went anyway. Can't complain about getting wet when you are on a boat taking you to Positano. So we didn't.
Lunch and a walk around Amalfi...
Amalfi was our last port before ending in Civitavecchia and heading to Rome. I know the places that I wish to return to and hope that I will be so blessed. I was so skeptical about this cruise. I can honestly say we enjoyed ourselves so much. The service on Regent is impeccable, the food was excellent and above all the views were gorgeous.
I chose this itinerary because it was so port intensive. I do not harbor any guilt about missing some ports, after all it was a vacation. We'll be back, Italia...Ciao!
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