Our Magical 12 Night Mediterranean Cruise 2016

[trekkie518]

Either is possible for muster taking longer, The ambulance actually showed up around 6 so about 2 hours after muster, so not sure if it was related or not. I'm guessing people didn't show up, I know that there were quite a few people that missed the ship in Barcelona and had to board at other ports.

We really enjoyed watching the dock crew get everything on board, for a 12 night cruise, there was a lot of stuff LOL

 

[eva]

Do you have any pictures of the Castaway Cay gift? We are trying to figure out what type of bag they are giving out. We are gold members too.

 

[trekkie518]

This is the bag. There were also 2 cups with it. My dog decided to stick her head in for a size comparison LOL

 

[eva]

Thanks! Great pool bag. But I think I better look at bringing a small backpack for excursions.

 

[trekkie518]

Yeah, not much room in it, it's a cute bag, depending on how much stuff you are carrying, a backpack would work better.

 

[linetbo]

We got the backpack for our Baltic cruise in July, and the 2 cups.

 

[trekkie518]

Ooops, DH says that's not the bag we got this trip LOL, that's the one we got last trip, Let me find this one. Sorry....

 

[Maribel]

We are doing the 10 night med next year, which has the same stops as this cruise so I'm looking forward to read the rest of your trip report!!

 

[trekkie518]

Best pic I can find of the bag. I still haven't found it since we've been home. I don't know where I put it after I unpacked as shown by the fact I found the one from the last trip LOL

 

[linetbo]

Best pic I can find of the bag. I still haven't found it since we've been home. I don't know where I put it after I unpacked as shown by the fact I found the one from the last trip LOLView attachment 192793

We had the same.

 

[trekkie518]

Sorry for the delay, while we were in Europe, my dog was skunked, and I've been working on getting the house to stop smelling, unfortunately, it's been triggering my migraines, soooo, I've been down for the count.

Palermo
We woke up early and got ready for our shore excursion in Palermo.

We went up to Cabana's for breakfast, and ate, since our excursion wasn't a Disney one, we had to get ashore and meet up on our own. Our tour was at 10 am, we figued we'd get off at 9, and take our time getting to the gate of Massimo Theatre in Piazza Verdi, since we had never ben to Palermo, and weren't sure how long it would take. We had a picture of our guide, and her phone number.

We headed down, and got off the ship. Palermo is worse the Nassau for people trying to sell you things as you get off the ship, very pushy, won't take no for an answer, same thing over and over and over for blocks. It was bad. I actually have social anxiety and I was reaching my limit by the time we were a few blocks away. We finally made it past them, and followed my phones gps to Massimo Theatre. It was a bit of a walk, and not much between the way we took. We got to the Theatre at about 9:30, and looked around and took pictures, and found a place to sit. I played Pokemon go for a bit, and calmed down from the pushy people, there were still some beggars, and people selling things at the Theatre, but not as bad, The Theatre opened at 10 as well. We found Francesca at about 9:45 am, and met the rest of our group. they normally don't take more then 10, but they squeezed us in, so their were 12 of us, 9 adults, and 3 kids. It was a walking tour around Palermo and eating as well.


Palermo has the distinction of being one of the most conquered cities. Founded by the Phonecians, then a possession of Carthage, then Rome Republic, then Roman Empire, then Byzantine, then Greek, then Arab, then Norman, The Kingdom of Sicily, The Holy Roman Empire, the Kingdom of 2 Sicilies under Italian rule. They have architecture from everybody they've been conquered by. It is very interesting to see. We saw the markets, most people don't have refrigerators, and go to the markets daily and get fresh food, the prices were very reasonable in Palermo. The have fresh snails, and seafood, so fresh they are still moving. Vegetables, fruit, meat, you name it, it's probably their, they even have meals, that you can take home and heat up.

We stopped first and tried Arrancine, or rice balls, and Panelle, or chickpea fries, & Cazzilli, potato and cheese croquettes. The Arrancine was very good, the cazzilli was good, the panelle was greasy and not that tasty, but would probably be ok if was with something.



We walked some more, and looked at a small church, very pretty.



Next we stopped and tasted Sfincione, or Pizza, it was Soft, inside, but crunchy outside, and spongy, with a tomato, onion sauce, and amazing, he heated it up in his cart. Mario was great. The pizza was amazing. We all loved it.



After exploring more of Palermo, we tried Pane ca' Meusa, or Lung and Spleen Sandwich. The selling point was it was sweeter then liver. I tried it, but it didn't make it down my throat, The kids in the group liked it, I think they were the only ones. Francesca loves it, says it was very disappointing that we didn't.

We saw the patron saint of the foodie.




We next stopped and got to try some wine. I got sangria, DH got a house wine. It was good. The sangria was very tasty.

It was very warm, and we were getting very tired, it was a 3 hour walking tour, and it was hot and humid. Our last stop of the day was for gelato. Now, we've had gelato in the US, and have never been impressed, OMG, this was soooo good, I don't know if it was the heat, or what, but it was the best ice cream ever. Luigi the gelato guy liked to show off, and he was flipping the cones upside down, it was fun. We got our passports stamped, and said our goodbyes to Francesca.



And our foodie passport




We caught a horse and carraige back to the port, and got back on the ship.



Rest of night and navigator in next post.

 

[Long Gone]

We are doing the 10 night med next year, which has the same stops as this cruise so I'm looking forward to read the rest of your trip report!!

We are too! Also interested in the rest of your report! One question, are the menus more American or more European?

 

[redsonja76]

Real gelato in Italy is a gift from the dairy dessert gods. Nothing compares. I don't like ice cream but I LOVE gelato!!!

 

[trekkie518]

The menus are a mix. They have Caribbean, European, American. They have themed nights. We had Pirates Nights, Tangled, Prince and Princess, Captains Gala. I should have taken pics of the menus, my sister was curios of the food as well, but by dinner, with the time change, my brain was mush. There is something different every night. Some of the menus are the same as when they are in the Caribbean, others were new.

 

[ctnurse]

Sorry for the delay, while we were in Europe, my dog was skunked, and I've been working on getting the house to stop smelling, unfortunately, it's been triggering my migraines, soooo, I've been down for the count.

Palermo
We woke up early and got ready for our shore excursion in Palermo.

We went up to Cabana's for breakfast, and ate, since our excursion wasn't a Disney one, we had to get ashore and meet up on our own. Our tour was at 10 am, we figued we'd get off at 9, and take our time getting to the gate of Massimo Theatre in Piazza Verdi, since we had never ben to Palermo, and weren't sure how long it would take. We had a picture of our guide, and her phone number.

We headed down, and got off the ship. Palermo is worse the Nassau for people trying to sell you things as you get off the ship, very pushy, won't take no for an answer, same thing over and over and over for blocks. It was bad. I actually have social anxiety and I was reaching my limit by the time we were a few blocks away. We finally made it past them, and followed my phones gps to Massimo Theatre. It was a bit of a walk, and not much between the way we took. We got to the Theatre at about 9:30, and looked around and took pictures, and found a place to sit. I played Pokemon go for a bit, and calmed down from the pushy people, there were still some beggars, and people selling things at the Theatre, but not as bad, The Theatre opened at 10 as well. We found Francesca at about 9:45 am, and met the rest of our group. they normally don't take more then 10, but they squeezed us in, so their were 12 of us, 9 adults, and 3 kids. It was a walking tour around Palermo and eating as well.
View attachment 193153

Palermo has the distinction of being one of the most conquered cities. Founded by the Phonecians, then a possession of Carthage, then Rome Republic, then Roman Empire, then Byzantine, then Greek, then Arab, then Norman, The Kingdom of Sicily, The Holy Roman Empire, the Kingdom of 2 Sicilies under Italian rule. They have architecture from everybody they've been conquered by. It is very interesting to see. We saw the markets, most people don't have refrigerators, and go to the markets daily and get fresh food, the prices were very reasonable in Palermo. The have fresh snails, and seafood, so fresh they are still moving. Vegetables, fruit, meat, you name it, it's probably their, they even have meals, that you can take home and heat up.

We stopped first and tried Arrancine, or rice balls, and Panelle, or chickpea fries, & Cazzilli, potato and cheese croquettes. The Arrancine was very good, the cazzilli was good, the panelle was greasy and not that tasty, but would probably be ok if was with something.

View attachment 193154

We walked some more, and looked at a small church, very pretty.

View attachment 193155

Next we stopped and tasted Sfincione, or Pizza, it was Soft, inside, but crunchy outside, and spongy, with a tomato, onion sauce, and amazing, he heated it up in his cart. Mario was great. The pizza was amazing. We all loved it.

View attachment 193156

After exploring more of Palermo, we tried Pane ca' Meusa, or Lung and Spleen Sandwich. The selling point was it was sweeter then liver. I tried it, but it didn't make it down my throat, The kids in the group liked it, I think they were the only ones. Francesca loves it, says it was very disappointing that we didn't.

We saw the patron saint of the foodie.

View attachment 193158


We next stopped and got to try some wine. I got sangria, DH got a house wine. It was good. The sangria was very tasty.

It was very warm, and we were getting very tired, it was a 3 hour walking tour, and it was hot and humid. Our last stop of the day was for gelato. Now, we've had gelato in the US, and have never been impressed, OMG, this was soooo good, I don't know if it was the heat, or what, but it was the best ice cream ever. Luigi the gelato guy liked to show off, and he was flipping the cones upside down, it was fun. We got our passports stamped, and said our goodbyes to Francesca.

View attachment 193157

And our foodie passport

View attachment 193159


We caught a horse and carraige back to the port, and got back on the ship.

View attachment 193160

Rest of night and navigator in next post.

We did the exact same tour with a different guide. I took a "no thank you" bite of the spleen sandwich, and I don't think anyone in our group like it. I loved the rice ball and the gelato!

 

[Long Gone]

Thanks for the reply on the food.

 

[hanscarlet]

awesome trip! didnt realize about the beggars at the port, interesting

 

[trekkie518]

Oh those weren't the beggars..... those were the people trying to sell tours, and get the people off the cruise ships to do things with them.... The beggars were around the churches, and in the streets, and the pickpockets were everywhere. They were the worst around the Vatican...

 

[Dug720]

Maybe it's living in NYC for 11 years now, but I never get bothered by "beggars" or "vendors" at ports. Even when I was in Kotor this summer and they were all over. Just look straight ahead and keep walking. Don't turn your head or acknowledge that you heard them. Just keep going. And for the love of all that's holy, act like you know where you're going even if you don't.

 

[cheermom2four]

Following along even though we are only doing the 7 night Med out of Barcelona next year. It looks like you stopped at most of the ports we will be at and I would love to see where you all went at these places.