Review: A 12-day Barcelona/NCL Gem Adventure

[Pebeccer]

Celebrat - your review is amazing! I'm quite addicted to it actually.

 

Cafe Rose, I was in Rome 2 years ago and from what I remember as long as your shorts & skirts reached your knees you were fine. There were plenty of young ladies wearing tank tops so when it came time to enter the Vatican or any other religious site, they just whipped out a sweater or a shawl and they were fine. The dress code is strictly enforced and I did see some people turned away. Hope that helps.

[lambchoplady]

Your pictures are great. What camera do you use? BTW, your children are beautiful!

[CeleBrat]

We were on the Gem in October 2007 and stayed a few days in Barcelona after the cruise. We found the Market (Mercat de St. Joseph aka La Boqueria) that Celebrat was unable to locate. It's on Las Ramblas just up from the Liceu Opera (if you are coming from the waterfront) and before the Opera if you are walking down from the Plaza Catalunya.

http://www.shutterfly.com/lightbox/view.sfly?fid=f233747383e6b15a2a944dfefaeb216b

 

 

AAAAAGH! There it was!

 

Oh well....You have no idea how frustrated we were to not be able to find that market. Of course, it didn't help that we didn't speak Spanish very well.

 

Maybe next time. Thanks for sharing!

 

CeleBrat

[mbarnaby99]

Thank you so much for the great review. It has brought back so many great memories of my two transatlantic cruises. I went in 06 and 07 and now think I want to go back after seeing your pictures and reading your review.

[CeleBrat]

Your pictures are great. What camera do you use? BTW, your children are beautiful!

 

Thanks!

 

I have a Fuji FinePix 6 megapixel camera. DH has a Canon Rebel XL. I am embarrassed, I mean PROUD to say that between DH and I, we took over 2500 photos, with more than 3/4 taken by me. I ALWAYS have my camera with me while on vacation, and have gotten to be quite good at taking pictures very quickly while walking from here to there.

 

I love to take close-up shots of things, and was also obsessed with church windows and the amazing light that comes through them.

 

I will admit that while at the Accademia in Florence, where you cannot take any pictures at all, I felt totally lost, and overwhelmed. I specifically remembered thinking, "How am I going to remember this if I can't take a photo?"

 

Clearly, picture taking has become a bit of a vacation obsession with me.

 

CeleBrat

[lambchoplady]

Thanks!

 

I have a Fuji FinePix 6 megapixel camera.

 

I have a Fuji Finepix, as well - actually, I have two - one normal and one purse-size. I'm also a scrapbooker, so one hobby feeds the other!

[parrotcruiser]

The huge line at the Colosseum is to buy tickets, not to get in. You can buy tix at other places and bypass the huge line at Colosseum, which I am sure Stefano the great did!

 

Buy at Palatine Hill. The ticket to Palatine Hill covers Colosseum and vice versa. One ticket office is inside the Forum near the Arch of Titus. Other is on Via di San Gregorio. The ticket office near Arch of Titus was easy for us to find. Thanks to Rick Steves for that little tidbit. Once you buy tix at Forum you can walk past all those in line who stare at you enviously.

 

Really enjoying the review. We are on this cruise in 5 weeks.

[texmomma]

Celebrat,

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are leaving in 2 days to go on the Gem so I'm really enjoying it. I'm so glad we have arranged for private tours in Rome and Florence. It sounds like you had a terrific time!

[AuntieBarb]

Love your review!

 

I can't thank you enough for all the information and excellent visuals you are providing us. Although our trip next year is on the Jade in the Eastern Mediterranean, we've enjoyed seeing some of our ports (Barcelona, Malta and Rome), taking notes about your adventures and all the good points you've shared.

 

Anxious to read more. Thanks again!

 

P.S. Your children are great little travelers!

[franu]

I have just been mesmerized by your amazing review. It is now 2:45 AM but I have finally finished reading. I noticed how tranquil the children seem. It must be the work of their mother. They seem so interested in things that they see. This is a testament to their upbringing.

 

Your review is fair and not complaining nor gushing. Thank you.

 

I have been to St. Peter's a number of times beginning in 1975. It wasn't until a few years ago that I found that there are NO paintings there. All of the beauty that you see is mosaic.

 

I hate to seem like I am criticizing but I believe that the orange streak that you saw between Italy and Sicily was Stromboli, a volcano on an island off the coast of Sicily.

Fran

 

I am waiting eagerly for the next installment.

[aloha25]

A real huge thank you for this review it is really informative. We will be going for this same cruise (which is our first cruise) departing from Barcelona on the 7th Sept.

 

Being from Malta I appreciated very much your review on Malta and I smiled when you described it as BEIGE!! ;) I always wonder what people think/say/feel as they as they would have just arrived in Malta. Some would say it's just nice but your description of Malta as Beige just answered my question...and I couldn't agree more especially as I saw your picture. Sometimes I am a little frustrated when people say they don't know where Malta is or even that it ever existed...but being such small it can happen :o hopefully these cruises will promote Malta better and people would be interested to spend some more time here to appreciate better our beautiful island :cool:

 

anyway....waiting to read more about your fabulous expeirience in the mediterranean :)

[CeleBrat]

Hi guys--just checking in before heading out to work. I have today's LIVORNO/FLORENCE installment all done, and will post it later tonight.

 

parrotcruiser--Palatine Hill! You're right! That's totally the "secret" place where Stefano bought our tickets!

 

texmomma--Have fun on the GEM. I am envious that you have a whole trip AHEAD of you...

 

franu--Great tidbit about the paintings versus the mosiacs. I had no idea. AMAZING!!! And, please don't think my children are total saints. They had their moments of whining and "Please can we get out of this churchhhhhhhhhhh." I just chose to share only the good parts of their trip with you. :) All-in-all though they do travel fairly well...well, except for the eating part.

 

aloha25--Another Maltese! Welcome! I will admit that I was one of "those" people you refer to initially, who had no idea what/where Malta was. I am a big fan now though. What a neat place!

 

Have a great everyone!

 

CeleBrat

[franu]

please don't think my children are total saints. They had their moments of whining and "Please can we get out of this churchhhhhhhhhhh." I just chose to share only the good parts of their trip with you. :) All-in-all though they do travel fairly well...well, except for the eating part.

 

I understand that no child is a saint but I have travelled a fair amount on six continents and experienced enough children besides my own and my grandchildren. I am certain that you have seen those other types of children. Enjoy your children and enjoy the compliment

Fran

[smoochie]

Love your review!! My DH and I will be on the Gem on Sept 7th and can't wait!! Thanks for all the great info and pictures!!

[soccermommy]

Celebrat, thank you for those beautiful pictures of St.Peter's. Your photos brought back memories....I think that basilica in full light is one of the great glories of the world, and you captured it beautifully! Really looking forward to more of your review. Thanks, again.

[CeleBrat]

We arose again to yet another early day, and another private tour. This time, we were back with Rome in Limo. We gathered for breakfast at the Great Outdoors, and DD asked, “Mom, are we back in Florida today?” Apparently she too is experiencing the cruise ship “Caribbean” problem.

 

While waiting in the lobby for our entire party to assemble themselves, the kids are mesmerized by the artsy cartoon playing on the giant screen. Clearly, they are suffering from TV withdrawal, since there is no kids TV on the GEM channels. They are desperate…

 

 

After breakfast, we head shoreside to find our trusty driver, Vicenze, holding a sign with our name. By this point, my mom is no longer doubting my abilities to secure tours in strange foreign places, has even commented, “I may never take a ship tour again.”

 

OK…

 

As Vicenze leads us to his vehicle, we nearly fall over when we see it is almost a mini-bus, with huge windows. It is much larger than the 8 passenger vans we had been riding in the last few days. Yeah, it’s the MAC-DADDY of vehicles! With headrests! And a cooler full of bottled water. This guy ROCKS!

 

 

Securly seated in our giant mini-bus, Vicenze drives us off in the direction of Pisa, explaining to us the history along the way.

 

At Pisa, he first stops at the University Square, which is a collection of beautiful buildings. I never realized Pisa was home to an actual University, but apparently it’s where Galileo spent some time.

 

[CeleBrat]

Onward to Pisa, and the Tower. We arrive at the square and Vicenze gives us an hour to explore. My brother, his wife, and I quickly run over to the ticket office to purchase tickets to go up into the tower.

 

NOTE—you must do this QUICKLY upon arrival as tickets are sold by time block and there are only a certain number of people allowed into the Tower at each time block.

 

We luck-out and secure the last three tickets for the 9:30 visit. Currently, it’s 9am.

 

So, with a little free time, our entire party walks over to the Baptistry and are frustrated to learn that it ALSO requires a ticket. Last time it was free…

 

 

Instead, we wander around the market looking for good chatchki souvenirs. The kids pick out must-have Tower statues.

 

 

We also take the required “I’m holding up the Tower” photo.

 

[CeleBrat]

At 9:30, the three of us head over to the Tower for our trip inside. NOTE—no children are allowed in the Tower.

 

At the entrance, we chuckle because there is a American tourist, dressed in typical sneakers, khaki shorts, and Hawaiian print shirt, pleading with the guard to let him into the Tower. The guard firmly shakes his head no, and points toward the ticket office. Apparently, the man did not have a ticket. Since this silly tourist was blocking our way, I took a moment to explain to him HOW to buy a ticket, and HOW the tickets were sold in time blocks.

 

The man then became more frantic, explaining that, “My tour is only here until 10:15am. There’s no way I will be able to get a ticket—so are you saying I’m going to miss out on seeing the Tower?” in a whiny voice.

 

Smugly, I nod yes, saying to myself, “Thanks Cruise Critic…it pays to research beforehand…!” And, I winked to the security guard as I walked by.

 

Once inside the Tower, you must go up a winding marble staircase. It is very hot inside the staircase, and due to the uneven nature of the Tower, you get a little dizzy. Near the top, you are routed through a small portion of one of the outside levels of the Tower. Many, many years ago, when my brother and I were teenagers, we visited the Tower and were allowed to walk on the outside edge of the Tower WITH NO RESTRAINING WALLS. It was so super scary. Thinking back, I can’t believe my mom even let us do that! Nowadays, safety prevails, and you are only allowed to walk on a 30 foot section of the outside edge, and there is a very safe wall protecting you from falling off. Darn it…we wanted to relive our glory days. (Not really..)

 

Back inside the Tower again to an even more narrow staircase to the very tippy-top.

 

 

Once outside, on the top, it takes a moment to get your legs as you truly feel like you are going to tumble right off the top of the Tower.

 

 

My sister-in-law gets vertigo and has to sit down and clutch the inner edge of the Tower. Poor thing. Not helping is the fact that we all have our “Sea Legs” from the cruise ship, which means that on-land, we feel like we are swaying from side-to-side. (She’s the one with her back to the camera!)

 

 

The view is amazing! 360 degrees of Tuscan countryside.

 

 

 

The trip down is equally as hot, and dizzying, and somewhat treacherous on the slippery marble stairs.

 

 

Hot and sweaty, my brother, his wife, and I race back to the mini-bus and join everyone else. Off we go to Florence.

[CeleBrat]

As we drive through the countryside, Vicenze shares historical facts about Tuscany. I however, nearly bolt out of my seat when I spy----sunflowers. Huge blooming fields of sunflowers! YAHOO!! It is not too late! I didn’t miss the sunflower season, and now I am possibly the happiest person in the world.

 

 

Vicenze tells us we need to stop at a gas station for a fill-up, but we don’t mind because this gives us an opportunity to buy Fanta, and some cool Italian convenience store candy. We were happy to see that the selection of candy and junk food at the gas station was nowhere near as extensive as you’d find in the US. Perhaps that’s why Europeans are so skinny?

 

My brother and I do a little happy dance when we discover Haribo “Happy Cola” gummy candy, something that brings back fond memories of our childhood, and visits to Germany. Both my brother and I were born in Germany, so we had the good fortune of being “forced” to spend many a summer in Europe visiting relatives. Happy Cola is so good, and totally captures the essence of Coca Cola in a candy. You must try it!

 

Just outside the city we drive up to Micehangelo Square, for a panoramic overlook of Florence. In the distance you can see the entire city with the roof of Il Duomo jutting out in the midst of it all.

 

 

We take the required group photo, then spend some time shopping amongst the local artists and vendors who have set up their makeshift stands nearby.

 

[CeleBrat]

Finally, we reach Florence, and are thrust from the beautiful countryside into a busy, bustling, narrow-street, crazy-traffic city. It’s almost a shock to go from one to the other.

 

Not an optical illusion—we really were INCHES away from knocking down this row of motorcycles and scooters like Dominos.

 

 

Our first stop is the Museum Accademia, where the famous Micheangelo David statue is kept. Like many other occasions, our driver creates his own parking space, seemingly in the middle of the street. We laugh, and get out of the van with cars zooming all around us. Unfortunately, we are quickly approached by the local police, who disagree with our parking spot. Vicenze attempts to reason with them, saying something to the effect we will only be parked just a few minutes. We laugh at the fact that he is asking for leniency for breaking the rules. Italy!

 

 

The police seem to be in a bad mood, and insist he move the mini-bus. Happy ending though. They actually were only concerned that the van (bus) wasn’t completely located within the median “white” area in the middle of the street, and the back bumper was extending into traffic. So, Vicenze adjusted the vehicle slightly, and we were once again illegally legal.

 

At the Accademia, the line for tickets was quite long. But, with Vicenze at our side, we quickly bypassed the entire line and went right inside. In a reverse ticket pricing policy, we were a little startled to see that reserved tickets actually cost 4E MORE than walk-up tickets. Hmmmm….A little bit of price-gouging. OH well, it’s only money.

 

DH and the kids opted to stay outside and wander around the nearby square. The rest of us went inside, and viewed the exhibits. There is the requisite religious art, which is all very beautiful. I am amazed at how the artists of old were able to paint with gold and create such detail.

 

In the middle of the museum, you enter a large well-light room where David is kept. It is enormous! Prior to seeing the David statue, we saw several other large unfinished marble sculptures by Micheangelo. Looking at the pieces close up, you could see the chisel marks since they were unfinished statues. Amazing!

 

Unfortunately, you are not allowed to take any pictures at all in the museum. Period. So, sadly, I can only share with you the pictures in my head.

 

Leaving the museum, we saw that there was an entire 2nd floor, which unfortunately we did not have time to visit. Oh, if we only had more time.

 

Outside, the kids were ecstatic to see us again, telling us about how they had found a new species of bird (not pigeon) that they call the Boingo bird, because they “boing” instead of jumping or walking around. DH just shrugs and says, “Go with it.” I can see us years from now, talking about this trip, and the kids saying their most memorable moment of the trip was bird chasing.

 

We are glad to see that the mini-bus is still appropriately illegally parked.

[CeleBrat]

Vicenze arranges for us to eat lunch at a nearby restaurant. I can’t remember the name of it because it was SO DARN EXPENSIVE! Seriously! It was a good lunch, pizza, pasta, and all, but on top of the already expensive food price was a 12E surcharge for the reservation. What is up with Florence nickel and diming us today?

 

 

After lunch we have some free time to visit the nearby sights: the Il Duomo and Pointe Vecchio. Our party splits, with my brother and his wife heading off for some alone time. The rest of us head off towards Il Duomo. It is a fabulous stripey concoction of marble work, tall spires, and statues. Almost too much for your mind to process.

 

 

 

We wait in a long, but quickly-moving line to get inside, and immediately are unimpressed. The inside is so plain. Clearly, the church founders had spent all their money on the outside.

 

 

Immediately outside Il Duomo is a line of local artists. I spy a woman who has beautiful etched prints. She tells me 10E for a tiny 2x2 etching of Il Duomo, and I say “I’ll take it!” But then she says, “I must make now.” Huh?

 

So, she pulls out a blank brown/white pre-etched piece of artwork, and begins to use her watercolor paints to fill it in with color. She does a fantastic job replicating the piece of art that I originally saw, and I am in awe of her quick artistic skills.

 

 

She wraps it up, and I hand her 20E. She says “Thanks.”

 

Ummm…..”Hey you said it was 10E,” I remind her.

 

She shakes her head.

 

Oh no, I think I’m about to be scammed.

 

She explains, “It is 10E for EACH painting. You have two of them.”

 

I respond, “No, I just wanted one,” and then I stare her down, mentally willing her to give me my change.

 

She unwraps my artwork, and I see that she really did put two pieces of art in the package.

 

Begrudgingly, she takes one out, wraps up the single piece of art, hands me a 10E bill, and turns away. I walk away as quickly as I can.

 

At this point, I’m getting a little frustrated with Florence, and its hidden charges and whatnot.

 

My DH walks over to me, laughing, telling me he could tell by the alarmed look on my face I was having trouble with the vendor.

 

UGH!

 

After a quick stop for gelato, and a stroll over towards Pointe Vecchio, I have forgotten about the crazy artist and all is well.

 

[CeleBrat]

Time is running short, so we only have time to admire the Pointe Vecchio from afar, and don’t actually shop across it.

 

 

We also managed to inadvertently stumble across the Uffizi courtyard, which is filled with fabulous statues. I am thankful that DH has the kids with him elsewhere as the statues are gasp NAKED.

 

 

But, when I reunite with DH and the kids, DH is BESIDE HIMSELF WITH EXCITEMENT!!! He cannot beleive his luck, but he FOUND the Dancing Mickey Mouses! What a dream-come-true-day. Me with sunflowers, and he with piece-of-junk scam artists. Only in Italy...

 

[CeleBrat]

Our last stop in Florence is Piazza Sante Croce, for a visit to the Sante Croce church where Rapheal and other noted figures are buried. Everyone in the entire party decides to forgo the church and shop instead, so sad old me walks over for a solo visit.

 

I relish the peace and quiet, and the ability to finally be alone for a moment.

 

 

 

 

The church is undergoing massive renovation to the alter, so the most amazing sight is the gold alter that is completely surrounded by scaffolding and drop cloths. Within a few feet of the alter are jackhammers buzzing a hundred miles an hour. It is a confusing sight: the old and the new so close to one another.

 

 

 

I wander through the church, and the attached museum, and discover a display with a part of St. Francis of Assisi’s actual robe tucked away in the corner. You just never know what you’re going to find in a European church. Not sure why his robe was there because it wasn’t his church, nor were we in Assisi. It’s a mystery.

 

Outside, I rejoin my family, and we all pile in the mini-bus for the ride back to the ship. It should be no surprise that we all slept.

 

Back on board the GEM, we all convene for dinner in the Grand Pacific. This time we DO have reservations because we had pre-arranged a birthday cake for my dad and DS. It arrives, the waiters sing, and a photo moment is had by all.

 

 

The kids head off to Kids Club, and I become the “magical birthday elf” and decorate our cabin for DS birthday, which will occur on the day we disembark from the ship. I had brought along a birthday "office party pack" from Target, which included balloons, 2 banners, confetti and a b-day flag pennant. All for only $5!

 

DH and I then spend some alone time and visit the martini bar, located on Deck 6. We realize that we have been so busy on this cruise that we haven’t even been to the section on Deck 6 where this bar was located. So much to do, so little time left…

 

The Chocolate Martini and Lemoncello Martini are both excellent.

 

Promptly at 10:30pm, we pick up the kids and head up to the Garden Café for the chocolate buffet, which is usually the highlight of DS’s cruise. Usually.

 

This one, not-so-much.

 

It is held in the Garden Café, and as stated earlier in the review, we had previously sworn off the Garden Café since it was so noisy, and crowded, and poorly laid out. Plus, having a chocolate buffet in a BUFFET makes it less fancy. And, add to that the fact that there really wasn’t anything at this buffet other than chocolate cake with strawberry, chococlate cake with raspberry, etc, and various types of brownie bites. It was quite let down for DS, who enjoys seeing all the masterfully created desserts. It should have been called “The Chocolate Cake” buffet.

 

For some reason, the chocolate fountain was mobbed. Come on people! It’s chocolate sauce. Calm down!

 

We left with two small pieces of cake, and a frown on DS’s face. But, he quickly perked up once he saw the b-day themed cabin. He was in awe of the fact that the same waiters who brought him b-day cake earlier at dinner had taken the time to decorate his cabin. Little did he know, it was the Mommy birthday elf…

 

Off to bed for us, with sweet dreams for all. At least until that darn birthday flag banner fell on me, and I got entangled in it while sleeping, and woke up feeling like cat who was playing with a piece of yarn.

[CeleBrat]

I understand that no child is a saint but I have travelled a fair amount on six continents and experienced enough children besides my own and my grandchildren. I am certain that you have seen those other types of children. Enjoy your children and enjoy the compliment

Fran

 

OK--twist my arm. Compliment accepted! :)

 

CeleBrat

[parrotcruiser]

Bravo! Bravo! I can't tell you how much I enjoy reading this!

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to let us live through you.