Day 16

We had a surprisingly good sleep last night thanks to the blackout curtains in our stateroom — despite a couple of interruptions. Around 2 a.m., the Captain made an emergency PA asking for a blood donor, and later in the night, the sound of slamming doors didn’t help. Still, it was enough to wake up feeling fairly rested.

After a solid buffet breakfast, we packed up and got ready to explore Naples. That was slightly delayed because we couldn’t actually find the way out of the cruise terminal — it felt like a maze! This is our second visit to Naples, and to be honest, we weren’t especially excited. Last time was just an overnight stop before heading to Sorrento, and our impression of Naples was far from glowing — graffiti, chaos, and relentless traffic. But this time, we decided to give the city a proper shot, hoping to find something we’d missed.

Once off the ship, the heat hit us hard — it was the first official day of summer, and it felt like it. Right at the port, we saw a stand for a hop-on hop-off bus tour. Normally we steer clear of those, but given the heat and our so-so opinion of the city, we figured it was worth a try. And we’re actually glad we did.

The company offered two different routes included in the one ticket: Luoghi dell’Arte, which focuses on the inner city, and Le Vedute del Golfo, which follows the coastline. After grabbing our tickets, we walked about five minutes to the bus depot near the port. We couldn’t help but laugh when one tourist couple, confused by the directions, climbed aboard the static display bus instead of the real one.

We started with Line A, the city route. Honestly? It didn’t do much to change our original view of Naples. The same overwhelming graffiti, dense traffic, and general chaos were still front and centre. That said, it was worth seeing the city with fresh eyes, and we disembarked at the end of the loop to explore on foot.

From the bus depot, we walked back toward the Galleria Umberto I. It’s less crowded than Milan’s version, but just as stunning — with an ornate glass dome and elegant architecture. The stores are more everyday than designer-heavy, which made it feel more accessible. From there, we wandered down Via Toledo, weaving in and out of side alleys filled with character and people, and even squeezed in a little shopping (Ted found H&M!).

After a bit of browsing and people-watching, we returned to Via Medina to rejoin the route and start Line B – Le Vedute del Golfo. That’s where the real magic of Naples kicked in.

This coastal route was hands-down our favourite. It felt like a completely different city. Suddenly, Naples was all sweeping views, lemon trees, faded pastel buildings hugging the cliffs, and a dramatic view of Mount Vesuvius rising like a myth over the bay. You could see how someone could fall in love with this version of Naples. Even though traffic was still hectic, the slower pace of the ride let us really take in the landscape.

We both agreed that while we could picture ourselves living in most of the places we’ve visited so far — Budapest, Milan, even sleepy Varenna or down-to-earth Lecco — Naples just didn’t give us that feeling. There’s a rawness here that’s unique, but it lacks the kind of energy or comfort we’ve found elsewhere. Not bad, just different.

We made it back to the port just in time for a late lunch on board. Despite our initial expectations, we were really glad we gave Naples a second chance. The hop-on hop-off bus wasn’t just convenient — it helped us see two completely different sides of the city. One a little chaotic, one breathtakingly beautiful.

Back on board, we spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the ship — something we surprisingly hadn’t had a chance to do yet. To be honest, the layout of this Princess ship doesn’t exactly flow. Corridors end abruptly, signs are sparse, and it’s surprisingly easy to get turned around. Hopefully it gets easier to navigate over the next ten days; otherwise, we might rack up more steps trying to find the buffet than we do ashore.

That said, we did stumble across some pretty cool spots while we were wandering. One of them was the ship’s day spa, where a lovely staff member gave us a quick tour. The space itself was sleek and serene, with treatment rooms overlooking the water and loungers set up like a wellness retreat at sea. She even gave us a demo of a high-end skin procedure called Thermage — non-invasive, no downtime, and apparently lifts everything but your mood even higher. It sounded fantastic… until she mentioned it would cost about $5,000 AUD per person. Needless to say, we smiled, nodded, and quietly backed away before our wallets burst into flames.

On a more budget-friendly note, we also found the SeaWalk — a glass-floored walkway that juts out over the edge of the ship. Walking across it, with nothing but ocean beneath your feet, is a little unnerving at first, but the views are absolutely worth it. We also discovered the Hollywood Conservatory, a peaceful, sunlit lounge filled with greenery, cozy seating, and panoramic windows looking out to sea. It felt like a floating garden hideaway — not a bad place to accidentally end up in.

In the evening, I caught up with Troy and Ken again for a few drinks. And in classic Qantas fashion — the aviation world proved to be tiny. Turns out we all know a bunch of the same people, including our Adelaide friends Shane and Ash. It’s always mind-blowing meeting strangers who feel like familiar connections once you start talking shop.

Ted and I aren’t exactly big drinkers, but it’s definitely a perk having the drinks package. There’s something relaxing about being able to enjoy a cocktail or two without doing maths in your head about whether it’s “worth it” or not.

Tomorrow, we hit a new destination: Sicily! Looking forward to seeing what this island has in store.Leia mais