Calling All Golden May 22, 2006 Greek Isles/Italy Cruisers

[Susie]

Hello, everyone -

 

If you're booked on the Golden Princess for the May 22, 2006 Greek Isles and Italy cruise, please jump over to the Roll Call (link below) to sign in. Looking forward to visiting with fellow cruisers and sharing tips and to planning independent shore excursions. Getting very excited about the trip which is only about 9 months away (anything less than a year is good ;) !).

 

So . . . hop on over to meet your fellow cruisers!

 

 

Susie

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=170473&page=2&pp=25&highlight=Golden

[sema4]

Although My wife and I are not on your cruise, we are booked 06/03/06 right after you! We are very excited about it too. Our 10th wedding anniversary 06/07/06

Patrick

[Susie]

Congratulations, Patrick, on your 10 year anniversary! We celebrated our 10 year anniversary with our very first cruise back in 1994 on the Celebrity Zenith and we've been hooked ever since!

 

I know you are as excited as I am about our upcoming Med cruises. I've been spending all of my time either researching on line or reading books or watching Rick Steves DVDs to prepare for this trip. Having never been anywhere across the pond before, I feel so uneducated about all of these places we're going to visit! But, it is also very very exciting. I'm finally beginning to feel a little more comfortable with making some sightseeing decisions.

 

Have you made any local excursion arrangements yet? I contacted a couple of drivers for a tour of Pompeii, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast and have received very quick replies from them with pricing. We really need to team up with some other folks for some of these to make it more affordable, though.

 

Happy planning and traveling!!!

 

 

Susie

[sema4]

Congratulations, Patrick, on your 10 year anniversary! We celebrated our 10 year anniversary with our very first cruise back in 1994 on the Celebrity Zenith and we've been hooked ever since!

 

I know you are as excited as I am about our upcoming Med cruises. I've been spending all of my time either researching on line or reading books or watching Rick Steves DVDs to prepare for this trip. Having never been anywhere across the pond before, I feel so uneducated about all of these places we're going to visit! But, it is also very very exciting. I'm finally beginning to feel a little more comfortable with making some sightseeing decisions.

 

Have you made any local excursion arrangements yet? I contacted a couple of drivers for a tour of Pompeii, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast and have received very quick replies from them with pricing. We really need to team up with some other folks for some of these to make it more affordable, though.

 

Happy planning and traveling!!!

 

 

Susie

Hi Susie,

There is nothing like cruising! Yes we are excited, but it is such a long way off! My co worker leaves on Sept 3rd for his cruise...now that's close!

As far as making excursion decisions, I am still on the fence with that. Part of me would love to do the "local" tour and then part of me likes the security of a Princess tour (makind sure that the ship won't leave without you). I have read on some threads that traffic in some of these ports is a horror and you could get stuck. As far as Naples goes, I am going to do Capri, Sorerento and Ponpei no matter who I do it with. My ancestry is from Naples and I have been there several times in my life and those 3 places should not be missed.it is an exhausting day(so I hear) but the next day is a sea day, which just so happens to be our 10th anniversary! I have booked a renewal of vows ceremony(did not tell Lisa!) hpoefully it can be done on that exact day.

If you wouldn't mind sharing with me some of the info that you have recieved I would love that!

Hope to talk to you soon!

Patrick

[sema4]

Hey Susie, I just remembered a good web site for Italy... http://www.goporta.com.

Look into it very interesting!

Patrick

[Grego]

Hi,

 

Just noticed your thread and thanks for pointing out our thread on the Roll Call Forum site.

 

Looking forward to all those that take part in communicating before and after the cruise. We will be opening up applications for membership in the world renowned Foo-Foo Chowder and Marching Society - International Branch within the next couple of months.

 

See you on the other thread.

 

Greg

[Susie]

Patrick, it sounds like you have planned a very special anniversary cruise for you and your wife. She will most definitely be delighted with the surprise ceremony. I know I would be. She's a lucky gal.

 

Thanks for the website link. I'll definitely check this one out and add it to the ever growing Med Cruise favorites folder. Here are a couple for you as well.

 

http://www.idyllicitaly.com/

 

http://selectitaly.com/museums.php?city_id=23&parent_nav=2

 

The first one lists several drivers (under Transportation, then Limo) for tours outside of Naples. I have made a reservation for the Pompeii, Sorrento and Amalfi Coast drive. I think we should be okay time wise as I think our cruise is pre-summer rush. When I watched my Rick Steves Italy DVD recently, he indicated that locals can only drive every other day during summer months (dictated by even/odd license plate numbers) along the Amalfi Coast area because of the extremely heavy traffic congestion. Hopefully, we'll be there before this time period.

 

The second site provides some info on tours in Venice. I guess your cruise will end there whereas ours begins there. We're arriving a day early and will then overnight in Venice our first night on the ship.

 

Following is a link for Santorini but I think we might be able to do that on our own. I'm still doing my research to make sure.

 

http://www.santorinidaytours.com/santorini-thira-private-tours.html

 

 

Susie

[sema4]

Patrick, it sounds like you have planned a very special anniversary cruise for you and your wife. She will most definitely be delighted with the surprise ceremony. I know I would be. She's a lucky gal.

 

Thanks for the website link. I'll definitely check this one out and add it to the ever growing Med Cruise favorites folder. Here are a couple for you as well.

 

http://www.idyllicitaly.com/

 

http://selectitaly.com/museums.php?city_id=23&parent_nav=2

 

The first one lists several drivers (under Transportation, then Limo) for tours outside of Naples. I have made a reservation for the Pompeii, Sorrento and Amalfi Coast drive. I think we should be okay time wise as I think our cruise is pre-summer rush. When I watched my Rick Steves Italy DVD recently, he indicated that locals can only drive every other day during summer months (dictated by even/odd license plate numbers) along the Amalfi Coast area because of the extremely heavy traffic congestion. Hopefully, we'll be there before this time period.

 

The second site provides some info on tours in Venice. I guess your cruise will end there whereas ours begins there. We're arriving a day early and will then overnight in Venice our first night on the ship.

 

Following is a link for Santorini but I think we might be able to do that on our own. I'm still doing my research to make sure.

 

http://www.santorinidaytours.com/santorini-thira-private-tours.html

 

 

Susie

Hi Susie,

Thanks for the links, I have bookmarked them. Yes indeed we end in Venice. We have decided to arrive in Rome a day early and depart Venice a day later.I noticed that you didn't mention Capri... I was a very young man when I was there last but it sounds like most people feel it shouldn't be missed. Any thoughts on Capri?

Patrick

[vacay971]

Patrick

 

I just booked my honeymoon for the same cruise as you. I'm so excited!!! Can you tell lol I've been to Pompeii, Naples and Capri but my husband to be hasn't, Capri is great. The water is amazing and all the little shops. The roads are so narrow and you travel up a hill to get to the top, that's freaky but it's awesome. I'm a scaredy cat about booking independent tours so I'll probably go with Princess. I rather be safe than sorry especially in a foreign country.

 

Suzy

[Susie]

Patrick - Funny you should ask as my husband and I were just debating this. I figure we can do Pompeii and Capri entirely on our own or we can book a tour of Pompeii, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast (cruise line or independently). If we did Pompeii and Capri, we could take the train to Pompeii and then down to Sorrento to catch the ferry over to Capri and then take the ferry back to Naples. We just have to decide which of the two (Capri or Amalfi) we feel will be the best. It sounds like you've seen all of these places so I welcome your comments.

 

Thanks.

 

 

Susie

[sema4]

Patrick

 

I just booked my honeymoon for the same cruise as you. I'm so excited!!! Can you tell lol I've been to Pompeii, Naples and Capri but my husband to be hasn't, Capri is great. The water is amazing and all the little shops. The roads are so narrow and you travel up a hill to get to the top, that's freaky but it's awesome. I'm a scaredy cat about booking independent tours so I'll probably go with Princess. I rather be safe than sorry especially in a foreign country.

 

Suzy

Congratulations on your up coming wedding! Finally I find someone other than me booked on that cruise! I started a thread about 3 months ago on "Roll Call" and I am the only one that has responded!

I agree about Capri...I remember the color of the water most! As far as Sorrento, spectacular...Pompei...amazing! I have never did the Amalfi coast drive, so I can't say anything about that.

Patrick

[sema4]

Patrick - Funny you should ask as my husband and I were just debating this. I figure we can do Pompeii and Capri entirely on our own or we can book a tour of Pompeii, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast (cruise line or independently). If we did Pompeii and Capri, we could take the train to Pompeii and then down to Sorrento to catch the ferry over to Capri and then take the ferry back to Naples. We just have to decide which of the two (Capri or Amalfi) we feel will be the best. It sounds like you've seen all of these places so I welcome your comments.

 

Thanks.

 

 

Susie

Hi Susie, As you see I responded to Suzy about some of the the comments that you mentioned in your thread. Since we are arriving a day early, I might use that to either take a train or car to the Naples area and do 1 or 2 of the many sights to see. I am still up in the air about that though. There is so much to see in Rome also! As I said Amalfi drive I never did but I know the other sites are not to be missed. There is a Pizzaria in Sorrento where you eat "Al Fresco" overlooking the bay.. I have old 8mm film of me, my 2 sisters and parents eating pizza. I understand it is still there!

I don't want to say how many years ago that was!!! I am leaning more towards doing my bookings through the ship for peace of mind.

Patrick

[Susie]

Hello, everyone -

 

If you're booked on the Golden Princess for the May 22, 2006 Greek Isles and Italy cruise, please jump over to the Roll Call (link below) to sign in. Looking forward to visiting with fellow cruisers and sharing tips and to planning independent shore excursions. Getting very excited about the trip which is only about 9 months away (anything less than a year is good ;) !).

 

So . . . hop on over to meet your fellow cruisers!

 

 

Susie

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=170473&page=2&pp=25&highlight=Golden

 

Please join our Roll Call at the link above. It seems I saw someone on this sailing in the "Who's Cruise the Med . . ." thread (Lanz from Houston, I think?) So, join us. We're looking forward to meeting you!!!!