After completing our last season as managers at the Beaver Island Lodge, we were exactly back where we were 10 years ago when I wrote the story “Wide Open Spaces Ahead of Us”. Our first …
Port of Call : Civitavecchia/Rome Storms have been severely affecting the port of call schedules on this cruise, probably a result of the time of year. The new captain of the ship, who took over …
Port of Call: Marseille France. Here is a thing to remember for the future: the guests on a transatlantic cruise are completely different from the ones embarking for a Mediterranean cruise. The first group is …
Our next Port of Call Barcelona was also going to be the end of our Transatlantic cruise. Impulsive as we are, especially where it comes to travel, we looked at options to extend our cruise …
The next port of call Málaga, had been on the menu for several days and finally the weather allowed us to anchor in the cruise port. It was still mostly overcast, but a visit to …
Again there was a last minute change as future Port of Call – Palma de Mallorca was placed ahead of the Andalusian City of Malaga. Reason? The same storm system that had taken Gibraltar out …
The message from the Captain came the evening before, while departing Madeira: a weather system in the southwestern Mediterranean forced the ship to set course for Cadiz, rather than Malaga. Perhaps because of its out-of-the-way …
After seven days on the Atlantic, the time had arrived for a day at Port of Call Madeira, Portugal’s Year-round Resort Island. The weather had been pretty good, so the island of Madeira was on …
A Fourteen day trans-atlantic Princess cruise was on the menu, now that a land vacation seemed out of the question because of Covid concerns and different international procedures. Beyond a 5 days Bahama’s cruise on …
After a couple of years globetrotting as interim innkeepers, we decided in 2019, to reply to a job offer on the website workingcouples.com, for a seasonal management job on Beaver Island in northern Lake Michigan. …
After completing our last season as managers at the Beaver Island Lodge, we were exactly back where we were 10 years ago when I wrote the story “Wide Open Spaces Ahead of Us”. Our first trip then was also to Nashville, where Han’s oldest friend in the US had moved to. Sadly Ric passed away a couple of years ago, so now we visited Kay his widow in Brentwood TN, a suburb of Nashville, for almost a month in Dec/Jan of 2026. This is also our last trip south in our trusty Nissan Murano which we purchased exactly 10 years ago. And the end of this trip she goes to another dear friend, while we take a transatlantic cruise over to Europe for an extended stay. But first some travel impressions from this last north-south trip.
There are so many amazing restaurants near her home, that we did not have to venture far to experience something new and delicious.
Storms have been severely affecting the port of call schedules on this cruise, probably a result of the time of year. The new captain of the ship, who took over the reigns in Barcelona, is a native Italian. He first tried to get us to Livorno, after the port city of Genoa became a serious non option. From Livorno the cruise director could service the Florence, Pisa, Siena, Volterra of the Tuscany region better, while even waterfront areas like gorgeous Cinque Terra could still be reached inside of 90 minutes by bus.
But the storm weather was relentless and in the early afternoon the captain announced that we were going to race another cruise ship for the last safe berth available at the Civitavecchia Cruise Port, which is Rome’s primary seaport, located about 45 miles northwest of the eternal city.
During our 2016 visit to Italy, we never made it to Rome. Florence was as far south as we came and we were not impressed by (mainly) the Italians. But with Civitavecchia we now had access to Rome, the Eternal City, Civitavecchia often only considered as the sea gateway to Rome, offers an extra opportunity to explore its historical sites and local culture as it dates back to the early Roman society. Whether you’re interested in history, architecture, or local markets, the city provides a variety of experiences to enrich your visit. Here is what we did during our extra time at the port.
Civitavecchia War Memorial
Storage of fishing nets
The Port of Civitavecchia, built by Emperor Trajan (one of the 5 Great Emperors) at abt. 100 AD, throughout its 2,800 year history has played a central role in the exchanges and contacts of all Mediterranean peoples.
The port of Civitavecchia is clearly divided into a northern and southern area. The southern area is dedicated to tourist activities and cruises. Serving as a major hub for Mediterranean home base and port of call cruises and ferries to islands like Sardinia and Sicily, the port offers sometimes complex shuttle/train connections to Rome’s city center via the Largo de Laachcee train terminal. We found out on our second day in port, how complex the connections can get.
As we are getting a bit older (and wiser) we have learned to pace ourselves when it comes to visiting big cities. For this reason we decided to use the first day in port to explore Civitavecchia and dedicate the second day to Rome.
We used the free port shuttles to the main gate and from there we walked Civitavecchia’s old town center from Piazza Leandra – in the heart of the old Medieval district where there is the small Chiesa della Stella (“Church of the Star”) – then through the Archetto Passage which leads to Piazza Saffi: in this square you can see the old city walls built between 1513 – 1521.
San Lorenzo Fresh Market
The San Lorenzo Market (not to be confused with the San Lorenzo Leather market in Florence) – is located in the heart of the historic city center, near Piazza Regina Margherita. Here local people come to buy fresh food products (such as fruit and vegetables) and to buy fish in the well-known Fish market, which is the flagship of the city. Visiting the morning market is a pleasant experience, because it is very lively and busy: there are not only market stalls, but also many bars, pizzerias and shops.
The Cathedral of Civitavecchia is devoted to Saint Francis of Assisi, the Saint of the Animals and was destroyed in 1943 during the second world war, the church was rebuilt in 1950.
The National Archaeological Museum of Civitavecchia is located a few steps away from Fort Michelangelo, inside the eighteenth-century building commissioned by Pope Clement XIII in the eighteenth century. The museum has got three floors and presents a dive into the past among Etruscan finds, bronzes and ceramics from the dawn of Western civilization, the ancient and the Middle Ages.
If you have the time, grab a taxi (abt $12) and visit the Taurine Baths of Civitavecchia, also known as Baths of Trajan, are a remarkable archeological site located in the northern area of the city, about 3 miles from the port. They are open all year long from 9.30 a.m. to 13.30 p.m. and gave a concise insight into how Roman elite spent their daily afternoons.
If you can pull yourself away from the cruise ship fare and decide on an Italian treat, Civitavecchia is a maritime city and the real specialty is represented by fish restaurants. Traditional cuisine is bound to the sea, so there are many typical fish dishes like Civitavecchia’s Fish Soup, “Fettucine allo Scoglio” (long fresh pasta with seafood), Civitavecchia’s Poached Baby Octopuses, Periwinkles, Filled Calamari and much more.
MacDonalds for great WIFI
We decided instead to visit the local McDonalds, right outside the port gates, because it was time to check on family and friends with the help of McDonald’s guaranteed WIFI. Italy’s Wifi network is a still a little iffy for us spoiled people. After a couple of hours checking upon family, answering emails and learning more about the Russian aggression against Ukraine, we went back onboard the ship.
Cruise Ship port of Civitavecchia
Seaman' statue Civitavecchia
Fort Michelangelo in Civitavecchia cruise port
Cathedral of St Francesco di Assisie in Civitavecchia
Of course our day in Marseille was rainy and blustery. Not at all like this beautiful shot of the Basilique de Notre Dame de la Garde
Port of Call: Marseille France.
Here is a thing to remember for the future: the guests on a transatlantic cruise are completely different from the ones embarking for a Mediterranean cruise. The first group is mostly adult, attentive and respectful, the latter act much more entitled and the pools and sundecks are all at once covered with children and teenagers. Gone is the quiet, respectful and laid back atmosphere from the wide open spaces of the Atlantic and noise levels are up several decibels beyond a car engine’s roar.
It sounded like the “newbies” had taken the city loudness of Barcelona with them on board. True, the night before arriving in Barcelona, we had partied loudly with our new Australian friends Jason and Kathi and closed down (if that would be possible) Churchill’s cigar lounge, but our quiet stroll down Barcelona’s Las Ramblas did not prepare us for the return back to the ship. The smoker’s lounge on deck 16 was taken over by a Kardashian type crowd that spoke Italian and acted as if they had just purchased the ship. Dancing, screaming, making out, running?! Well, just let’s wait and see what would happen after they disembarked in Rome, before we pass final judgement.
The weather did not significantly improve during the first couple of days of the central/eastern Mediterranean part of the cruise and the French Port City of Marseille became hazily visible through the rainy portholes this morning.
The Port City of Marseille France marks the point where the Provence (Rhone River) dives into the Mediterranean Sea and the famous French Côte d’Azur begins. As a port city, it is the oldest ( founded by Phocaea Greeks from what is today Western Turkey abt. 600 BC) and second populous city (almost 2 million people) in France. Marseille’s openness to the Mediterranean Sea has made it a cosmopolitan city marked by numerous cultural and economic exchanges with Southern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Asia. In Europe, the city has the third largest Jewish community after London and Paris.
Han, being very familiar with this part of France, suggested we walk into town, grab some lunch (after all this is the area where his favorite Bouillabaisse comes from), take some pictures and settle back aboard.
The ship’s organized tour bus took us from the cruise port to a spot just around the corner from where the old marina connects with the old town. It’s a good walk and the sidewalks are safe and protected from traffic. Where the stores and restaurants start, catacomb like passage ways keep the heat and rain away and you can leisurely make your way up to town. Considering the blustery weather that day, we enjoyed our walk and stretching our legs. The old Hotel de Ville, built in 1653, the brand-new Museum of Civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean, the Palais Longchamps and a nice walk around the city marina were all we got in before a nice lunch was consumed and we returned to the ship.
Palais Longchamp with ornamental fountains
Town Square in Marseille
The Old Lighthouse in Marseille Port
A blustery day in Marseille
A rainy day in Marseille
Museum of Civilisations & Europe and the Mediterranee
New Museum of Civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean in Marseille
Ornamental Façade on City Hall built in 1653
Graffiti Artistry and Car parking
Anchors Away
Marseille's stairs to the city
Marseille's Old Town up to the Basilique
Lunch in The city Marina in Marseille
Bullabessa or Bouillabaisse originated in Marseille
Even though Marseille is an interesting city with a very cosmopolitan culture and character, it is a primary port city and thus not really well suited for cruise ship visitors. It’s a workmen’s city, the largest port in France and the second largest in the Mediterranean Sea. We think the cruise ships made it a port of call because of the attractive tour packages to the Gypsy area of the Camargue (1 hr by car) and Aix en Provence (32 min. by car or bus). Even Cannes is only just over 100 miles away.
Tomorrow’s schedule calls for another Mediterranean port city in Italy with the name of Genoa (Genova). We spent several days there about 6 years ago when we traveled Europe by bus, train and car. The same conclusion goes for that city (birthplace of Cristoforo Colombo); it’s a working port city and probably only of interest for the cruise ship day trip tours to Tuscany (Florence, St.Gimignano), Siena, Pisa and Livorno. We’ll see if we will even get off board.
Oh here’s another tip for starting cruisers. The cruise ship companies inform you that they will charge you a standard 15% gratuity tip for the crew and service on board. We felt that we would only tip our direct service personnel (cabin steward, favorite restaurant servers, bartender(s) and whosever service we thought to be exceptional). YOU CAN DO THAT, but let guest services know at the beginning of a cruise.
Our next Port of Call Barcelona was also going to be the end of our Transatlantic cruise. Impulsive as we are, especially where it comes to travel, we looked at options to extend our cruise and found that a bunch of our newfound friends were continuing the ride from Barcelona into the Mediterranean; some were going to Rome and some even further to Athens. We looked at each other, kind of reminded each other that visiting the Greek Islands had been part of a Christmas or Anniversary promise and we went to see the cruise director to buy a 2 week cruise extension that would take us all the way to Athens, with a day stop in Istanbul. Oh yeah, we were living it up, and our next 6 months of working hospitality would be arriving soon enough, inspite of Covid and its dangers. (little did we know that the 2022 season would be the most intense one in the history of the Lodge).
Anyway, with another 14 days booked on the ship, we were not that interested in deeply diving into Barcelona’s belly on what looked like was going to be a rainy day. We were more interested in a smooth cabin transition, so we didn’t disembark until close 11am. Han knew the city quite well from his years in Europe – the last time he had been there was in 1998 – during an Iberian Peninsula monthlong vacation that included Lisbon and the Portuguese Algarve region and Spain’s Sevilla, Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona region. His take was that the city had become a bit too trendy and international and therefore also way too expensive.
Las Ramblas Port end with Columbus statue
But beyond that we have learned that a cruise should be enjoyed without pressure and trying to include a Port of Call’s total offering is pure lunacy – a bit like how Japanese visitors to Europe in the 1980s just came to take pictures. So we decided to just walk from the ship into the port and stroll onto Las Ramblas. The monument to Christopher Columbus (Colon) – very visible from the docked cruise ship -, marks the foot of the southern most end of the Ramblas and therefore a useful landmark to find your bearings when walking toward La Rambla from your cruise ship.
The entire length of Las Ramblas to Plaça Catalunya is a bit over 2/3 of a mile. La(s) Rambla(s) runs through the heart of the city center of Barcelona and divides the Barri Gòtic and El Raval neighborhoods. There is plenty to see and do all within a few minutes walk of this mostly tree-lined boulevard. About half way to the right, directly opposite from the famous La Boqueria Market, you will find access roads that will take you to the Cathedral in the Gothic Quarters and the very lively Plaça Real with the popular fountain to sit around. Pedestrian roads to the left, coming up from the Port, will connect you to MACBA, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona, famous for the display of major contemporary artworks created in the last 50 years. Admission is about $14.
Within walking distance from Plaça Catalunya (5 minutes) you can connect to the Rambla de Catalunya which takes you to one of Antoni Gaudi’s famous architectural designs, that are spread all over Barcelona. La Pedrera, aka Casa Milà is one of his more livable designs and the website focused on this building shows all Gaudi in one place. Personally I think wandering the twisting lanes of the Gothic Quarter and Passeig de Gràcia is much more interesting than the commerciality of Las Ramblas. Also another nice street for strolling …similar to Las Ramblas but much less crowded.
Han enjoying a beer and cig on a sidewalk café on Las Ramblas
Las Ramblas drinking water fountain
Cristopher Columbus Statue and Memorial
Mercat (Mercado) La Boqueria on Lass Ramblas during aftermath of Covid
Mercado de Boqueria Fresh Fish market
Narrow Street in historic Gothic Quarters
Interior of the Cathedral off Las Ramblas
Catedral Interior with pond and swans
Plaça Real with water fountain off Las Ramblas
TJ on Las Ramblas enjoying a drink while people watching
Shopping and dining on Square off Las Ramblas
The always popular Las Ramblas Mercado
But if you are short on time in Barcelona, -like one day cruise ship stop days – either make Casa Batlló and Sagrada Familia your main Gaudí visits in Barcelona, or do what we did, because there is so much more to see and do in Barcelona.
If you do have the time, like two or three days, your must-see attractions include, but are not limited to: La Sagrada Família, Park Güell, Casa Batlló, La Rambla, the Gothic Quarter and the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc (make sure to take the funicular up). This fountain puts on a display of color, water, and music several nights a week, depending on the season. People who watch the show rave about it. The fountain will not run during drought conditions.
By 3pm we started our route back to the ship to find our new cabin. Unfortunately the mini-suite of the first two weeks was not available for our continuation, but at least we had a balcony. Our steward had re-moved all our belongings and moved them to the new cabin. All good and excited we concluded our first 2 weeks of cruising!
The next two weeks would take us to Marseille, Genova, Civitavechia (Rome), Naples (Pompei), Crete, Kusadasi (Turkey), Mikonos, Istanbul and finally Athens.
Casa Batllo & Casa Amatller (chocolatier)
Casa Milà Barcelona - Antoni Gaudi
Casa Batllo architectural detail
Parc Guell - Designed by Antoni Gaudi
Sagrada Familia (Sacred Family) Antoni Gaudi design
The next port of call Málaga, had been on the menu for several days and finally the weather allowed us to anchor in the cruise port. It was still mostly overcast, but a visit to this summer tourist jewel is a must for its renaissance architecture, magnificent food culture, waterfront avenues and close proximity to the City of Granada and the world-famous Moorish Castle “The Alhambra”.
Just like Cadiz, Málaga was founded by the Phoenicians around 800 BC and later shaped by the Romans, who built the amphi-theatre that still stands today. The Moors arrived in the 8th century, leaving behind the Alcazaba fortress and Gibralfaro Castle that dominate the skyline. After the Christian Reconquest in 1487, grand churches and plazas were built.
Málaga’s history is evident throughout its streets, from ancient ruins to Moorish arches and Renaissance facades, there is over 2,800 years of fascinating settlement stories waiting to be explored. Just as most port cities, there is an air of acceptance and tolerance, created by centuries of exposure to human interactions.
It is the sixth-largest city in Spain and yet it doesn’t feel huge. One of the many pluses of Malaga is that you can explore most of its highlights on foot. Málaga Park, also known as Paseo del Parque, is the city’s green oasis and considered one of the most important subtropical gardens in Europe. Built in the late 19th century on land reclaimed from the sea, it was part of a project to expand the port. Planting began in 1899, and today the park covers 30,000 square metres with more than 350 plant species from five continents, from Mexican fan palms and Madagascan screwpines to Australian ficus trees. There is information on the flora for the green-fingered visitors!
The park isn’t just about nature. Scattered among its shaded paths are 19th-century fountains, sculptures, and monuments, like the Fountain of the Three Graces and the Nymph with a Seashell.
Again there was a last minute change as future Port of Call – Palma de Mallorca was placed ahead of the Andalusian City of Malaga. Reason? The same storm system that had taken Gibraltar out of the line up, prevented us from going to Malaga. So, the Regal sailed north to the island of Mallorca and then returned south a day later to visit Pablo Picasso’s birthplace on the Costa del Sol.
Mallorca, the largest of the Balearic Islands, gave birth to Spain’s best tennis player ever Rafael Nadal and today hosts celebrities like Catharina Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas, Brad Pitt who owns seasonally and many European celebrities. The island has a population of over 480,000 spread over about 1,400 square miles (about the size of Long Island), offering diverse landscapes from mountains to beaches. Even our Cuban friends Juan and Acéla from Matanzas, whom we visited in 2017, have moved since to the island of Mallorca.
The message from the Captain came the evening before, while departing Madeira: a weather system in the southwestern Mediterranean forced the ship to set course for Cadiz, rather than Malaga.
Perhaps because of its out-of-the-way location, Cadiz is a hidden gem that not everyone seems to know and visit, so we were happy with the change. Its historic old town and its many unique surrounding villages, make Cadiz a perfect destination for exploration. Gorgeous beaches, amazing local cuisine and an accessible city that is more than 3,000 years old, dating back to the Phoenician merchants from the Levant.
Located on Spain’s southwestern Atlantic coast, due west of Malaga in the Mediterranean, Cadiz played a significant role in Spain’s colonial history, serving as a launching point for expeditions to the New World. The city itself is a coastal gem—rich in history, lined with golden beaches, and exuding a laid-back charm that feels worlds away from the tourist-heavy spots further east.
After seven days on the Atlantic, the time had arrived for a day at Port of Call Madeira, Portugal’s Year-round Resort Island. The weather had been pretty good, so the island of Madeira was on the schedule. A great indicator on a cruise ship that you’re nearing land is that you all at once see birds sitting on railings or flying next to the ship. No diversions needed. Madeira is part of Portugal, as are the Azores, which are often featured on other cruise stops, and lately has become particularly known as the birthplace of soccer phenomenon Cristiano Ronaldo. Besides his own statue at walking distance from the cruise port, the islands international airport is also named after him.
Cristiano Ronaldo, son of Madeira and first billionaire soccer player in history
Madeira
Madeiro was “officially”discovered sometime in the 14th century as an unpopulated island in what later became and archipelago of 4 islands about 430 miles to the southeast of the Portuguese mainland, although archeological evidence exists that the Vikings were there between the years 900 and 1030. Today the island is an autonomous region of Portugal and part of the European Union, so the Euro is their official currency. The island has a population of a little over a quarter of a million people, with an additional million or so tourists annually.
The island, and especially its capital Funchal, became prosperous early on in its development, as a major producer of cane sugar. Sadly the island was used to test the concept of sugar plantations being worked by slave labor. Later, after sugar production was abandoned, the now famous Madeira wines became prevalent in its economy, which today is based on year-round tourism. Continue reading
A Fourteen day trans-atlantic Princess cruise was on the menu, now that a land vacation seemed out of the question because of Covid concerns and different international procedures. Beyond a 5 days Bahama’s cruise on Carnival in 2016, we had not done much cruising except for some Caribbean Tallship Trips when Windjammer Barefoot Charters operated several Tall Ships like the Polynesia and the Mandalay in the Caribbean Islands. Actually that’s how we met, when TJ had booked a graduation present for her son Drew on the Polynesia, departing from St.Maarten.
Since May 2019 we manage a summer boutique hotel on Beaver Island in northern Lake Michigan which means we have the 6 winter months off to do whatever we like to do. Taking care of guests in the summer time meant to us that during our winter travels we should bathe in the luxury of at least one long cruise where others would take care of our needs. We quickly surmised that on our salary, cruises would be the only real “luxury” that fits our budget, especially because we would book in what is considered the Off Season for cruises, such as February/March. The previous year (2020/2021) we couldn’t travel internationally because the world was locked up in a global Covid-19 pandemic, but this year (2022) we had received our shots and were ready for some real discovery.
After a couple of years globetrotting as interim innkeepers, we decided in 2019, to reply to a job offer on the website workingcouples.com, for a seasonal management job on Beaver Island in northern Lake Michigan. Boutique Hotel Beaver Island Lodge with 14 rooms and suites and a separate log cabin was looking for operational managers between May and November. After an online interview we were offered the job and our first season of seven in total became the 2019 summer.
The Lodge was built in 1950/51 on the island’s northern shoreline as a hunting and fishing lodge, mostly to attract guests from the Traverse City area in Northern Michigan and some Chicago families en route to Mackinac Island. At a distance of 32 miles from the mainland, the island can only be reached via daily ferry, puddle jumper airlines with daily service from the town of Charlevoix or private boats and yachts from the Upper Peninsula or areas around Mackinac. With 55.9 square miles of mostly forested surface, the island is home to a year round population of about 600, many of Irish descent; hence the nickname “Emerald Isle”. There are only a handful of small hotels, motels and inns on Beaver Island, with one grocery store, one gas station with convenience store, 5 or 6 restaurants and a couple of bars, but a summertime visit is more than worth your while, as the island is truly a gorgeous piece of historical relaxation. Probably the reason why we returned for 7 seasons in total.
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