Apr 02

Port of Call: Crete, Greece

Heraklion Crete

Crete, the largest and most populous island in Greece, about 100 km south of the mainland, has 2 cruise ship ports, both on the northern side of the island was our next Port of Call. Our port was going to be in Heraklion, the capital of the island, located just northwest of the ancient Minoan capital of Knossos. The first human inhabitants of Knossos probably came there from Anatolia (Asia Minor) in the 7th millennium BCE and established an agricultural society based on wheat and livestock raising. The central mountain range rises up to 8,000 ft above sea level, most of the 625,000 population lives on the northern side of the island which is a little less than twice the size of the State of Delaware.

Before I start informing you about our visit to the Birthplace of Zeuss, I have to tell you that we had a Meeting of the Minds on the High Seas half way between the Italian Island of Sicily and the Greek Island of Crete. Still dealing with the fall out of the Covid 19 pandemic, one of Regal Princess sister ships, the Diamond Princess was experiencing a shortage of medicines available to treat passengers. So we witnessed a highly unusual, but impressive encounter on the high seas, when our ship, the Regal Princess, marked the occasion with a loud rendition of the Love Boat theme to welcome its needy sister ship and transferred the necessary medicines via a tender boat.

Princess Cruises features a variety of tours in Crete, focusing on the main ports of Heraklion and Chania (Souda), including visits to the ancient Minoan Palace of Knossos, the historic Spinalonga Island, and cultural experiences like the Arolithos Village.

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Mar 31

Port of Call: Naples for a Day in Pompeii

Mt.Vesuvius on the right in the back

With a little more than 130 nautical miles to go, the Regal Princess still took off for Naples early in the evening, which told me that the Captain wanted to get to the next Port of Call: Naples for a day in Pompeii, early rather than the next morning.

Although Naples has a handful of interesting sites to see, most visitors only frequent the city for great pizza and as a start off  for a trip to the nearby Amalfi Coast and the island of Capri or the historic wonders of the ancient Roman ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Naples is a typical Mediterranean Port City; industrious, loud and busy and the entrance to Southern Italy, which is a totally different experience from the central and northern parts of the country. Southern Italy is laid back, agricultural or seafaring, yet fiercely proud. There is no pretense in fashion, food and family.

This was already Han’s  5th or 6th  trip to the area as his family often came to a camping in the town of Terracina, about midway between Rome and Naples. Since our grand Liam was just studying the events of the year 71AD in Pompeii in school, we decided that our destination for the day would be Vesuvius and Pompeii.

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Mar 27

Port of Call Rome

Vatican City across the Tiber River

The storms over the water had disappeared for our second day in Civitavecchia’s port and we were ready for a trip out to Port of Call Rome, the Eternal City. We used the free port shuttles to the main gate, walked over to the train station, and boarded the train to Rome’s Termini station, a trip of about 55 minutes at a cost of $7 per one way ticket. This option worked best for our day in Rome plan.

Rome is nicknamed the Eternal City because ancient Romans believed that no matter what happened to the world or how many empires came and collapsed, Rome would go on forever.
Well to a degree they were right, so far.. The city is still there almost 3 thousand years after the empire started and Rome excels in Roman Empire architectural antiquities, global Roman Catholic presence, fashion, shopping and an all around cosmopolitan atmosphere.

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Mar 26

Port of Call Civitavecchia, Rome

The south part of the Port of Civitavecchio

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 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.

The Welcome sign says it all

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
Walking the streets of Civitavecchia
Historic Center of Civitavecchia
Walking tour in center of Civitavecchia
Today's Living built on yesterday's foundation
Cruise port entrance at sunset

Mar 23

Port of Call: Marseille France

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.

Marseille’s Friendship Locks

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.

Marseille old port panorama

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