Beyond LIVE Med Review 10/20-10/30: Tales from our Suite Roman Holiday

[Stem to Stern]

9 hours ago, GenerationX said:

After eating and a couple of glasses of cote de Rhône, I put my seat into lie flat, curled up in my Casper pillow and blanket and slept like a baby until the lights came up for breakfast service. Nice little transition into Rome time.

She speaks my Flagship Fairytale Love Language.

[Stem to Stern]

On 10/16/2023 at 6:15 AM, GenerationX said:

flying Iberia

We flew Iberia a year ago out of Venice.  Masks were required and we had the Spanish Chief of Face Covering Police on board with us.  Bless her heart.  Not even a couple glasses of wine and lying flat would put me to sleep on a plane for the entire journey.  Lucky you.  Enjoy your time in Roma.  The VRBO looks divine.

[GenerationX]

7 hours ago, AJS1984 said:

Excited to follow this. We are on the same cruise. We start our journey tomorrow afternoon - Singapore to Bangkok, night in hotel, Bangkok to Muscat, Muscat to Milan, night in hotel 5 am start to get down to Civitavecchia. I think I could have found an easier journey but as it looks like in your posts - the journey is the start of the experience! 

 

Roll on Friday morning! 

Safe smooth travels! I hope we get to meet you onboard!

[Diane Rose]

Just found this review.  So happy to be reading it as we board the Beyond for the Transatlantic after you depart.  Enjoy your cruise….looks like you’re off to a great start.

 

Diane

[Harborgirl246]

Following your adventures again as they are so informative and delightful. We look forward to seeing your pictures and thoughts of Beyond as we board the following cruise.

[lola2013]

2 hours ago, GenerationX said:

You guys, I feel like I’m living in a dream!  
 

Jeremy and I were just woken from our afternoon nap by the sounds of ringing church bells echoing through the cobblestone streets outside our apartment.

 

Speaking of said apartment, when we finally made it here (Rome morning rush hour traffic is no joke. Easily as bad as Chicago), our hostess Antonella met us at our taxi and she and our driver helped bring our luggage into our gorgeous traditional Roman home for the rest of the week!

 

Can you believe we got this massive apartment for hundreds less than we would’ve paid to stay in a 1 king bed room at a Marriott?
 

The apartment is on the second floor but fortunately there was a small elevator so Jeremy didn’t have to lug my heaviest bags all the way up.  There are a few stairs inside the apartment and up to the doorstep, so this probably wouldn’t be the best choice for anyone mobility challenged.

 

The second bathroom has a European style washer and dryer which I’m going to have to google up some directions on how to use. But will definitely come in handy to be able to do some laundry before we get on the ship.

 

Antonella showed us around and left us a sheet with some suggested restaurant info and a number where we can reach her with any questions or issues at any time.

 

We’re going to shower and dress and head out for an early dinner and exploring in Trastevere.  Then we’re planning to grab some gelato and maybe some suppli (watch, I’m gonna gain back all 12 pounds I lost in preparation for this trip in like 48 hours).  
 

We’re still recovering a bit from our long trip and not getting much sleep the past week getting ready (plus a 2 week European tour is a marathon not a sprint) so our late evening plans tonight are to be chill and break open the welcome vino that Antonella left us and enjoy the evening breeze on our terrazzo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Would you be willing to share info about the Rome apartment?  I have a TA booked Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale but plan to spend three days in Rome before taking the quick flight to Barcelona.  I’ve been researching Trastavere since you mentioned it a few pages ago.  As soon as I saw you mention two bathrooms and a washer, I was hooked!

Thanks

[momofmab]

17 hours ago, lola2013 said:

Would you be willing to share info about the Rome apartment?  I have a TA booked Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale but plan to spend three days in Rome before taking the quick flight to Barcelona.  I’ve been researching Trastavere since you mentioned it a few pages ago.  As soon as I saw you mention two bathrooms and a washer, I was hooked!

Thanks

Yes, please do!

[hcat]

Very nice apt for your pre cruise stay!

Hope you enjoy every minute but relax a bit too! 

 

 Beware  of pickpockets in Rome! 

Keep passports, paperwork  and money safe. Sal has a safe pack for under his clothes.. I use the " bank of bra"

 

[Tangoo]

Enjoying this post! I am preparing to leave Monday for Athens where I will get on Apex two days later. I can identify with the weeks of shopping and packing. So much fun to plan for these journeys. We have never been to Europe so lots of firsts on our trip. Have a wonderful trip and thanks for taking us along!

[Lastdance]

I am always so envious of those who can drink wine and champagne on an airplane, along with enjoying every minute.  What a wonderful birthday for Jeremy, one he will certainly remember with all the memories forthcoming.  It is very nice of you to share your experiences on Cruise Critic, as you have become quite a celebrity on Celebrity, as evidenced by your following.  Living vicariously through your photos and words are almost(😜)like experiencing it with you!  Seize the day!

Edited October 18, 2023 by Lastdance

[dianedebuda]

Did Jeremy get a map shirt? 😁

[GenerationX]

Ciao from our truck stop breakfast in Umbria on the way to spend the day in Montepulciano! 

 

I don’t think I’m going to have as much trouble losing my cruise weight after this trip as I thought.  After eating like this, I don’t think I’ll be able to stomach that dense dry cardboard we Americans dare to call bread for months.

 

I’m so sorry I haven’t checked back in sooner!

 

As soon as we got out and about in Rome we fell down a Holy Roman rabbit hole of art, history, food and wine.

 

I can’t believe how much we’ve already done and how much I have to share! 

 

I’m going to have to pare down the pictures so I don’t break cruise critic.

 

I’m struggling with where to even start with filling everyone in.  I’m thinking while we make our way through the Italian countryside, let’s start with our incredible first full Italian day yesterday .

 

For the morning I booked a half day private golf cart tour of Rome through Viator.  I was thinking it’d be a great way to make sure we get at least a taste of all the key sites we wanted to see in an efficient way and I was right!

 

Our guide Lisa picked us up in a very comfortable cart equipped with bottle water, umbrellas and rain walls that could be put down on the sides (which came in handy when showers moved in right around the Vatican).

 

Even if weather had been perfect, having a guide was definitely the way to go.  Lisa knew so much about the historical significance of the things we were seeing, we not only saw a lot more but got a lot more out of it.

 

We managed to hit all the big spots:

 

-Colosseum

-Pantheon

-Trevi Fountain

-Circus Maximus

-Vatican City

 

We also saw the ruins of Julius Caesar’s Palace and the forum where he was assassinated.  

 

She also took us to a few less traveled spots, like an orange tree garden hidden behind a church that had a beautiful overlook of the city.

 

The tour was fully customizable so Lisa was happy to add or skip any stops we wanted. When there were places we wanted to stay and look around longer, she’d drop us off at a convenient spot and then park and wait for us.

 

After our morning of sightseeing, we had lunch at il Barroccio a few blocks away from the Pantheon.  

 

The restaurant is definitely a tourist hangout (in fact, shortly after we were sat, a massive MSC excursion group was marched in to dine in an upstairs room) but the Italian food was very good and the service was excellent.  When the MSC group arrived, the manager came over to our table bearing a complimentary order of bruschetta (oh, btw Americans, we also know nothing of proper tomatoes and olive oil) and apologized that the kitchen may be a little slow.  We assured him we were in no hurry and planned to enjoy a bottle of wine and multiple courses and rest our feet from our long morning of sightseeing.  

 

He responded “ah good, you already learn to eat like Italians!” He asked if we were on our honeymoon and I said no but we weee celebrating Jeremy’s birthday.  

 

After our meat and cheese platter and pizzas (both fantastic), the manager reappeared with a complimentary tiramisu and poured us shots of limoncello to drink to Jeremy’s good health.

 

After lunch, we walked around to do a bit more sightseeing on our own. I’d mentioned to Lisa in the morning that I was very interested in historical churches and artwork (she assured me I was in the right city) and before we left her for the morning she wrote down the name and addresses of a few she recommended we check out.

 

My favorites was Basilica S. Maria sopra Minerva (so named because the church is built on the ruins of a temple to Minerva) where we stumbled upon sculptures by Michelangelo!

 

On our way back to the apartment we went for a walk along the Tiber then went for a happy hour aperitivo in Piazza Di Santa Maria a few blocks from our apartment.  

 

In case I hadn’t fallen in love with Rome already, the city sealed the deal with the fact that happy hour here comes with a full table of delicious complimentary snacks!  If you like something light and fruity, please allow me to suggest this peach aperol Paloma at Bar Santa Maria.

 

After our drinks and snacks it was time to get ready for our twilight food tour, which Ill share a full report on later today on our drive back (if I’m not too tipsy from wine tasting).  

 

Salute from Italia!
 

 

[momofmab]

As always, thank you for sharing your vacations with us!  I'm wondering how the crowds in Rome this time of year are.  We're planning a land vacation for this time next year and I'm hoping not to experience summer-level crowds.

 

Loving the golf cart tour idea!  Does the cart ride on the roads with the rest of Rome traffic?

[zitsky]

Great review!  But can anyone believe you were anywhere near a truck stop or is that Italian for “elegant private villa”???  🙂

[mjfship]

12 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Great review!  But can anyone believe you were anywhere near a truck stop or is that Italian for “elegant private villa”???  🙂

The 'Autogrill'! 😀

[GenerationX]

Sharing a link to the VRBO listing for our apartment for those who are interested.  Please let me know if it doesn’t work.

 

One thing to consider: the last couple of days it’s been a little warmer out and we’ve used the air conditioning in the afternoon.  As is common in older Italian apartments, it is single room A/C units operated by remote control rather than central air.

 

It’s been strong enough to keep us comfortable, but we have wondered how well it would keep the place cool in the sweltering temps of July and August. 
 

https://www.vrbo.com/en-au/holiday-rental/p1893811

 

[DaKahuna]

29 minutes ago, GenerationX said:

Sharing a link to the VRBO listing for our apartment for those who are interested.  Please let me know if it doesn’t work.

 

 

The link worked perfectly for me.   Thank you for sharing. 

 

[Stem to Stern]

14 hours ago, dianedebuda said:

Did Jeremy get a map shirt? 😁

I'll confess.  I have browsed a few on Amazon and Temu.  The selection is amazing, but the sizing is a bit confusing to me.

[westcoastsue]

Jeremy seems to have a permanent smile attached to his face! What a great trip you have planned to celebrate his birthday. Enjoy.

[GenerationX]

Well, we’re back on our bus making our way back to Rome from Tuscany and I’m sure no one will be surprised to see that we have wine in tow.

 

While my husband is snoring off his last glass of Brunello, a report on our Twilight Food Tour of Trastevere last night…

 

The tour took us to several restaurants all around the Trestevere neighborhood. As we walked in between, our guide shared information about the neighborhood’s history and how it affected the local food scene over the years. It was sold as a small group walking tour with a maximum of 12 guests.  Our group ended up being only 4 very friendly couples so it was very intimate.

 

At each stop we had a generous portioned food sample, in almost all cases paired with wine, beer or a cocktail.

 

About a few of the highlights:

 

-Our first stop was a restaurant called Ercoli where we had seated service of a charcuterie and cheese platter paired with an aperol spritz.  The mozzarella was the best mozzarella I’ve ever had.  Apparently according to our guide, most of what we’re sold as “fresh” mozzarella in the US is anything but, and boy could you taste the difference.  While we were there we got a glimpse of the amazing meat and cheese selection and some of the other dinner plates going to tables and it all looked so good, we’re planning to go back there and have a late dinner tonight.

 

-We also stopped in a bakery called La Ranella that is known for supplying all of the breads and focaccia for the best restaurants in Trastevere.  However they also sell (and we got to try) a porchetta sandwich made with super tender, juicy flavorful pork and a focaccia that was perfectly crunchy on the outside but soft as a cloud inside.

 

-The next few stand and munch food stops were for pizza, fried artichoke and suppli paired with local beer, which weren’t bad but didn’t wow us either.

 

-For our “entree” stop, we had a sit down meal of 2 different pastas at Peppo Al Cosimato.  Both were ok but the pizzas I saw coming out of the wood fire oven and going to other tables looked amazing. I was wishing that could have been our pizza stop!  Fun fact:  our guide told us to beware of any restaurant in Rome claiming to serve brick oven pizza where you don’t see the oven in the dinning room.  Apparently there are regulations in place that prohibit keeping the brick oven back in the kitchen, so if you don’t see one in the dining room, it’s most likely false advertising.  To pair with the pasta, we were poured a red table wine from Vatican City that is produced and served under papal seal.  Pretty good stuff too.  It’s good to be the Pope.

 

-By the time we ate and drank all of that, our group was pretty stuffed (and fairly well lubricated) and we were questioning the wisdom of one last restaurant for dessert and moscato, but our guide insisted we wouldn’t want to miss the experience and he was not wrong!  The tour 100% saved the best for last as we visited Spirito di Vino.  The restaurant is in a building which was a synagogue. The building was erected on top  of an ancient Roman building. When we arrived we were invited down into the basement wine cellar of the restaurant to see the still standing ancient Roman foundation!

 

Our guide pointed out a photo hanging in the restaurant of a sculpture of Apoxyomenos and told us that the statue, which now lives in the Vatican museum, was found during the excavation of the restaurant basement to make the wine cellar!  

 

For dessert we were served an incredibly decadent panna cotta paired with a glass of moscato.  Actually I should say “glasses” of moscato because at this restaurant after they filled our glasses they left the half full bottles on the table and invited us to help ourselves to refills.  After a couple of glasses, Jeremy called me out for starting to stare a bit too longingly at that photo of Apoxyomenos.  I then promptly called him out for feeling threatened by a random Greek male model who has been dead for over 2,000 years.

 

After all the wine glasses and panna cotta bowls were empty, our guide offered to walk anyone who needed it to the nearest taxi stand.  Fortunately the restaurant turned out to be only a 3 minute walk from our apartment so we were home in bed in no time.

 

Overall I was very happy with the tour and felt like we definitely got more than our money’s worth in terms of the amount of food and drinks provided.  It was very walking intensive (great for counteracting some of the calories!) so it’s definitely one to wear comfortable shoes for and perhaps schedule for an evening when you haven’t already been tearing up the streets all day.

 

Once our bus makes it back to Rome, our plan is to get some laundry put in while we enjoy some of our newly purchased wine.  Then once we swap clothes to the dryer we’ll do as the Romans do and head to a 9:30pm dinner reservation at Ercoli.

 

After dinner it’ll be straight to bed to get a good nights sleep before getting up early to pack and make our way to Civitavecchia!

 

With all the amazing experiences we’ve had the past couple of days I almost completely forgot we have an entire 10 days of cruising ahead of us too!  Final countdown is on to embarkation!

 

Edited October 19, 2023 by GenerationX

[Stem to Stern]

@GenerationXFabulous posts from Italy.  Question for you:  Do you post to Cruise Critic on your phone?

[Azulann]

Amo Roma! I see you bought some Brunello wine!  

Your pictures bring back great memories of my  time in Rome , my very first European trip.

Rest up because you cruise starts tomorrow and it will be very port intensive. I agree with others you two  are smiling happiness.

[hcat]

always hard to pick a few photos to post but your selection was pefect!

 

Are you going to shop in Rome or other ports.( ha ha ha ) .We found great leather items all over but best was Florence!

[mauimary]

Everything looks wonderful. Saved this Apt link property for our next trip to Rome.  

[abbydancer2003]

We just got back from a week in Calgary and Banff, and saw this, so I'm following.  Sounds like you did better with food then we did in 2017.  Friends did a tour where their local guide said not to go to a restaurant with a multipage menu, or one that had Jewish Artichokes on the menu (out of season).  We went to. restaurant that her daughter had recommended, and sure enough, Artichokes and multipage menu.  The company from our roll call was good though.

 

Have a great cruise.