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Our TA arranged the hotels and transfers for us. The transfer in Rome was Pegaso Limos. They were always on time. Nice size vehicles. We had paid in advance so didn’t need to worry about payment. It was the same company to hotel and then to the port.

After lunch at the Winterose Wine Bar, we went back to the ship. Doug and I spent some time in the Thermal Suite and solarium. We met Vicki and Jeff at Eden for a drink before dinner. This became our favorite place for a pre-dinner drink. There was usually some music during this time. We enjoyed sitting along the walkway behind the bar. This area was a little quieter and offered a view of the port or sea. We had dinner in the Cosmopolitan. Jowel, our sommelier, had several bottles of wine waiting for us. He did a great job of pairing the right wines with our food. We ordered food off the Normandie and Cosmopolitan menus. After dinner we went to the Casino and played the slot machines for a short time. The main show was a magician. We decided to pass on that and watched a game show in the Club and then went back to Eden for a little while.

Cruise Day 3 – Portofino, Italy We arrived in Portofino around 8:00 in the morning. This is a tender port I could hear the anchor being deployed. We were both up and the noise and vibration did not bother us. Doug likes to have an early morning cigar, so he was at the smoking area outside of Eden when we arrived. We did not have any excursions planned so we had breakfast in the Cypress restaurant. We waited until the tender called for open boarding. These tenders were a little nicer than some of the others we have seen. They had individual cushioned seats for everyone. When we arrived at the port, there were restrooms available as you got off the tender. For those who are interested, it costs 1 Euro to use them. We walked past some shops and headed to the left towards Castello Brown. We followed the path and stopped halfway at the Sint George church. The left side of the church has been restored. They were still working on the other half. There is also a cemetery behind the church that you can wander through. After resting at the church, we continued up the hill to Castello Brown which dates which is 16th century castle and now a museum. There was a reasonable fee to go into the castle. The views of Portofino from this area were well worth the climb. Now it was time to go back down to Portofino. There were a lot of people on tours on their way up the hill. We also passed some men who were carrying pieces of a fence up the hill. That would not be a pleasant job. When we were back in town, we strolled around some of the shops and stopped at Winterose which is a wine bar. This place had some good reviews so we were hoping it would be open. We were a little early, but they allowed us to sit outside while waiting. This wine bar is right by the water so we had a great view of the boars in the marina. The wine bar had a special which we all ordered. For 15 Euros, you got a glass of the wine of the day, a cheese and meat plate, onion jam, olives, and focaccia. The other tables quickly filled up. This was a very relaxing way to wind down our time in Portofino.

There is a downside to this room. Whenever the ship tenders instead of docking at the pier, you can gear the anchor being used. It didn’t bother us because we were always awake at that time. However, if you like to sleep in, you will be woken up by the noise and vibration.

Cruise – Day 2 Ajaccio, Corsica, France We arrived in Ajaccio around 8:00 in the morning. This town was the birthplace of Napoleon. Doug and I had researched the port and watched some videos, so we decided to walk around the port on our own. This gave us time to have a leisurely breakfast which was served in the Cypress restaurant. By the time breakfast was over, we were able to leave the ship without waiting in line. As we left the terminal area, we headed left along the sea wall. We walked to the Citadelle D’Ajaccio. Since it was Sunday there wasn’t much to see inside this area. It looked like there might be a few shops inside that would be open during the week. We traveled past a beach which was quickly filling up with people. The beach area was not very large. There was a section roped off for swimming. We walked to the statue of Napoleon which is located in a park area. Apparently, there was a music concert the day before. There were tents still set up from the event. There is a little train that travels around the port. It passed us several times on our walk. This might be an option for someone who doesn’t want to walk around the port. We walked through the narrow streets of the town. There are a lot of restaurants and bars with outdoor seating. It was still early, so most of these had not opened yet. We went to the Fesch Museum which is an art museum established by Napoleon’s uncle. The entry fee was reasonable, and it was air conditioned. It has three floors of Italian paintings. It was a nice way to cool off and enjoy some artwork. Before returning to the ship, we walked through the local market. There were a lot of cured meats and cheeses in this market. My husband is in the restaurant business, so he thoroughly enjoyed this. Doug and I returned to the ship while my sister and her husband explored the port a little more. Doug and I had purchased the week pass to the thermal suite, so we spent about an hour in there. We purchased the pass on the first day when they offered it for a discount. The thermal suite has heated loungers, a sauna, a crystal room, a salt room, rain showers, steam bath, and some floating chairs. After leaving the thermal suite, we checked out the solarium. The pool in the solarium is smaller than the ones on the S class ships. There is one hot tub in this area. There are two more at the outside pool deck. We met up with Vicki and Jeff again at dinner which was in the Cosmopolitan. Our server, Jennylyn told us about two chef’s specials which were not on the menu. Doug and Jeff tried those and said they were really good. Vicki and I ordered our appetizer off the Normandie menu. It was the baked brie and it became our favorite during the week. After dinner, we spent some time in the Casino playing the slot machines. We only spend a small amount each night. Not much luck this time. We wrapped up the evening with the evening show: Kaleidoscope with the Theatre Production Cast.

Embarkation Day The earliest boarding time I was able to get was 12:00. This worked out well with our transfer which was supposed to arrive at 10:00. We had time to have breakfast in the hotel and check out. Our driver stopped for a photo stop at the top of a hill overlooking Rome. Soon we were on our way to the port at Civitavecchia. We arrived at the port around 11:30. We were able to check our bags at the pier and proceeded into the terminal. This was the easiest and quickest boarding experience we have ever had for a cruise. We moved through security and were given a boarding number. In less than 5 minutes, our number was called. We were able to drop our carry-on bags in the room and then went to enjoy lunch in the buffet. It was crowded up there, but we were able to find a table. During lunch the announcement was made that the rooms were ready. We usually have a balcony room, but we haven’t used the balconies much on the last few cruises. We tend to get together with my sister and her husband in one of the bars or common areas. We decided to try a Deluxe Oceanview Room. We had room 9109 and really liked this room. It had a sitting area by the front window and the room was larger than a typical balcony room. We were able to enjoy the view as we came into ports without being outside in the heat. Our room was on the port side and my sister had an identical room on the starboard side. While we were unpacking, my sister put some door decorations on our doors. Later in the cruise, a lady told me she always looked for our door decoration to ensure she was in the right hallway to her room. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that there was a similar decoration on the door in the starboard hallway. We took some time to explore the ship and then had dinner in the Cosmopolitan. We were assigned table 354 and had the early seating. We had wonderful service in this restaurant. Our sommelier was great and used this first night to get to know what we liked in wines. My sister and I each ordered a cappuccino after dinner and Allan, the assistant waiter, brought one to us each night the rest of the week. Each of the main dining rooms has a specialty section on the menu which goes with the theme of the restaurant. When my sister asked our waiter what we needed to do if we wanted to try the other dining rooms during the week, she encouraged us to stay in the Cosmopolitan. She told us to pull up any of the menus and let her know what we wanted, and she would bring it to us. My favorite dessert in this restaurant was the carrot cake. It was a twist on the traditional version. After dinner we explored the ship some more and went to the show which was a comedian, Phil Tag. He was pretty good and kept the audience laughing.

We spent about 15-21 Euros each time we used Uber. There were four of us so we split the cost.

Rome Day 2 - Our second day in Rome was a walking marathon. My sister wanted to see the Colosseum, Pantheon, and the Vatican museums. We had originally tried to book an evening tour of the Colosseum but waited too long, and tours were sold out. We booked the Rome in a Day through Walks of Italy. All tickets are included in the tours through Walks of Italy. Some of the other companies charge you a price for the tour, and then you have to purchase the tickets for the sites on your own. Be sure to look at what is included in the price when researching tours. Our guide was very knowledgeable and shared a wealth of information about each site. The tour started at the Colosseum. We met at a park near the Colosseum and were given a headset to use, so we would not have any problems hearing our guide. We walked over to the Colosseum at our appointed time and did not have to wait in any lines. After leaving the Colosseum, we walked to Trevi fountain. The only negative during this part of the tour was the guide walked at a brisk pace and didn’t look back to see if everyone was keeping up with her. Since we had visited the Trevi fountain the day before, we used this time to buy some cold drinks. Our next stop was the Pantheon. As we went down a narrow side street, there were three young women who began to surround one of the men in our group. Our guide noticed and sent them on their way. She said they were pickpockets dressed as tourists. She reported the incident to the police as soon as we reached the Pantheon. We were able to spend some time in the Pantheon which was not as crowded as some of the other sites. We moved on to Piazza Navona where we had time to have lunch on our own. We chose a place which had a pasta or pizza special and were able sit inside and cool off a little. After lunch, we met our group again and boarded a bus which took us over to the Vatican. We did have to stand in line for a little while. There was a lot to see in the Vatican, but it was very crowded and hot. The Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Church were the places I wanted to see the most. You are allowed to take pictures in the Vatican museums but not the Sistine Chapel. We were given a map of the artwork in the Sistine Chapel. It is a beautiful place, and I am glad we were able to see it. We then moved on to St. Peter’s Church which is huge! There were at least three different services being held in the church while we were there. We took a taxi back to our hotel and rested a while. For dinner, we went to Broccoletti which was one of the restaurants in the Monti area recommended by our guide on the food and wine tour. By this time, the temperature had dropped to the high 70’s so we were able to enjoy dinner outside. The food and wine were excellent. We also had some entertainment. There were some apartments above the restaurants in this area. The one near Broccoletti had the windows open and two big dogs stood in the windows greeting people as they walked by. After dinner, we tried some gelato and then called for Uber to take us back to the hotel. Time to get some rest before boarding the Edge!

The hotel was really nice. Great locations, friendly and responsive staff, nice rooms with rain head showers, and a wonderful roof top bar.

Rome Day 1 Continued After lunch, we continued to explore the area near our hotel. There were several interesting shops down the street as we moved away from the fountain. The streets are narrow, and you have to watch for cars and scooters. The streets are made from stones and some people might find this difficult to walk. A good pair of walking shoes are needed to navigate the streets in this area. We went to the Victor Emmanuel Monument which is a monument to Italy’s first king. It houses museums and has a lift for a panoramic view of the area. It is free to explore this monument. The panoramic lift does have a fee. We climbed up the steps and to the top and had a great view of the city. There were guards at the top. They would not let anyone walk back down the steps. We had to go inside the building and walk down through the building. We were able to see some of the displays as we went back down. There are also restrooms available in this building. After exploring this monument, we went back to the hotel to see if our rooms were ready. Our bags were already in our rooms. We were able to freshen up and then went back out for our next adventure. We had booked a food and wine tour of the Trastevere area through Devour Tours. The meeting point was across the Tiber River. We debated about taking a taxi or walking. We decided we would see more if we walked. It took about 25 minutes to reach the meeting point. There were about 12 us on the tour. Our guide was a local who had grown up in the Trastevere neighborhood. Her name was Manuella and she shared a lot of information on the history and culture of the area. Our first stop was at a wine, cheese, and meat shop. We sampled two types of cheese, two types of meat, and a glass of prosecco. We traveled to the next stop where we sampled a fried rice ball with a red sauce. It was good but was a little too heavy of a food to eat in the heat. Our drink was an Aperol Spritz. Our next stop was in a restaurant where we sampled three types of bruschetta and two types of wine. This was a nice relaxing place and we were able to get to know our tour mates a little better. Our next stop was a family run restaurant where we tried three types of pasta and a couple of wines. The pasta with the pork was amazing. Our last stop of the evening was for gelato. Our guide told us when choosing a place for gelato look at the color of the pistachio gelato. If it is a green color, it is not the best place for gelato. We thoroughly enjoyed this tour and would take another food tour through this company. We asked our guide if she could recommend some places for our next day in Rome. She sent a list of several restaurants in several different neighborhoods. After walking all day and evening, we decided to call an Uber to take us back to the hotel. We finished off the evening with a drink at the Roof Top Bar of our hotel. On the steps of the Victor Emmanuel Monument First stop on the Walking Food and Wine Tour Our guide Manuella Sampling pasta and wine

Rome – Day 1 We checked into the H10 Palazzo Galla hotel in the morning. Although the rooms were not ready, we were able to leave our luggage at the front desk. Reception provided us with a map of the city and were very pleased to find that the hotel was within walking distance of many sites. Trevi Fountain was a four-minute walk from the hotel, so we decided to walk there first. It was very crowded, but we were able to snap a few pictures. If you want to avoid the crowds but still want a view of the fountain, you can go into the United Benetton store. On the second floor are two windows with good views of the fountain. We had been warned about pickpockets and people trying to sell things, such as bracelets, while near the fountain. We did not have any problems with pickpockets; however, both my husband and brother-in-law ended up with bracelets on their arms. They shook them off and the guy selling them moved on to another victim. The best advice we received was to not make eye contact or engage with them. There was a church on the corner near the fountain. The doors were open, and we were able to go in and look around. Many of the churches in Rome have amazing artwork. While they may not all be painted by famous artists, they are still beautiful. After exploring the fountain area and church, we decided to stop for lunch. We didn’t want to eat too much because we had booked a food and wine walking tour for the evening. We went to a place the hotel had recommended. It had both indoor and outdoor seating. We sat inside so we could cool off in the AC. Temperatures outside were in the mid 90’s. We ordered Quattro Formaggi pizza and some focaccia. Both were very good.

This was an amazing trip and very different from sailing in the Caribbean. We love Celebrity and I hope you will too!

Before boarding our plane, we contacted our TA who had arranged for transfers and hotels. She let the transfer company know that we would be arriving at least an hour late. They were monitoring the flight so we had peace of mind about not having them leave us at the Rome airport. We flew overnight to Rome. The flight was full, and they were offering several hundred dollars credit for volunteers to change flights. We were trying not to overspend on this trip, so we opted to fly in Economy. I really wish we had upgraded to Premium Economy. A few extra inches of space makes a big difference. I also made the mistake of getting an aisle and middle seat. I felt like a squished sardine the whole flight. Our next trip I will plan to get two aisle seats. Usually, I try to sleep or at least rest with eyes closed on an overseas flight in the hopes of not experiencing much jet lag. On this flight, none of us were able to sleep very much. Maybe one to two hours each. I guess it was the excitement of going to Rome! We arrived in Rome around 9:00 a.m. Going through immigration was very easy. The line looked long, but they kept it moving at a good pace. Our driver for the transfer was waiting for us as we exited the baggage claim area. The fine print on our transfer voucher said we were each allowed one standard bag and a small personal item. Between the four of us, we had three bags, four carry-ons, and four personal items. The driver loaded everything into the van and did not charge us extra.

This was our first time on the Edge too! We had several people on our cruise from Florida. We did a wine tasting on the sea day and ended up at a table where everyone was from Florida.

This was a first time on an Edge class ship. We have sailed on M and S class ships several times. This was a different experience but very enjoyable.

Waiting at Chicago O'Hare Airport to board plane bound for Rome.

Our flight plans were to fly from Orlando to Chicago to Rome. We were meeting my sister and brother-in-law at the O’Hare airport in Chicago. We used Flights by Celebrity as they were offering $500 off flights at the time of booking. Our flights were through United. I was concerned because they only gave us 1 ½ hours between flights. There have been so many delays and cancellations in the news recently. Our flight experience started out a little rocky. As our boarding group was called, they announced that there was no more room for carry-on luggage unless they would fit under the seats. We had to check our two carry-on bags at the gate. Fortunately, we did have air tags in the bags, so we were able to track them. They were not put on the plane until the very last minute. Our flight out of Orlando left on time and was a smooth flight until we came close to Chicago. There were storms in the area, so we were not allowed to land. We circled the airport four times before we were cleared to land. We disembarked two gates away from the gate for the plane to Rome. Due to the storms, the flight to Rome was delayed about an hour and a half.

I have enjoyed reading many live reviews and trip reports on this site. I decided to try to write a trip report on my recent sailing on the Celebrity Edge Hopefully, someone will find some of the information useful. My sister was celebrating her 60th birthday and her 40th anniversary and asked my husband and I to join her for a few days in Rome and then a sailing on the Celebrity Edge to Italy, France, and Spain. Itinerary: July 8th – Port Civitavecchia, Italy (Rome) July 9th – Ajaccio, Corsica, France July 10 – Portofino, Italy July 11 – La Spezia, Italy (Florence/Piza) July 12 - Cannes, France July 13 – At sea July 14 – Palma de Mallorca, Spain July 15 – Barcelona, Spain We usually sail on the Caribbean and often stay on the ship. For this cruise, we were going to ports we have never traveled, so we were exploring each day, Sallie

We are going on the Celebrity Reflection Thanksgiving week. We are thinking about booking the Chef’s Table Dinner. I’d love to hear from people who have done one of these. Sallie

We are sailing on Celebrity Reflection in November and are interested in the week pass to the thermal spa. Are you required to reserve a time each day if you purchase this pre-cruise?