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Xmas Cruise 2018

December 2018
A 8-day adventure by S Read more
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  • TravelerXmas Cruise 2018
    Day 1

    Venice

    December 15, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 5 °C

    After leaving home a little after midnight, we set foot in Venice a little after midday. Expecting freezing weather (1°C according to the aeroplane captain) we were pleasantly greeted by a brisk but beautiful Venetian winter day - glorious blue sky and completely still air meant the temperature was really not that cold.

    We walked through the northern alleys and shops of Venice, heading for the Rialto and Piazza San Marco. The small tourist shops stock masses of masks and Murano glass. I adore the masks...having visited Venice a few times now (and loving it), I think a visit during the carnival is in order...    Read more

  • TravelerXmas Cruise 2018
    Day 1

    Campanile

    December 15, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C

    The streets on the approach to Piazza San Marco house the shops with no prices in the window...Fendi, Prada, Chanel and co...rather beyond our price range (and, indeed, interest!). The square itself houses the beautiful Doge's Palace and other museums that we visited last time we were here. Instead, we took the opportunity to do something new - the Campanile.

    Last time, the queue was rather too lengthy but we were fortunate this time...so we made the decision to brave the stairs and climb the famous tower of Piazza San Marco for fantastic views over Venice. So it was a welcome surprise to find the short queue ended in a lift - hurrah!

    The views from the top were superb - out over the islands of Murano and Giudecca as well as the numerous churches, towers and a sea of Mediterranean-orange rooftops.

    From the Piazza waterfront, we grabbed a vaporetto back to the Piazza de la Roma up the Grand Canal and under the Rialto bridge. The Number 1 line was rather leisurely, stopping at every stop on the way, but gave us excellent time to enjoy the sights of the waterfront that cannot be reached on foot.

    After checking in to the Costa Luminosa at the cruise terminal, our departure took us south of Giudecca and have us lovely views from our balcony of Venice at night.    Read more

  • TravelerXmas Cruise 2018
    Day 2

    Bari, Italy

    December 16, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    A late start today; we docked in Bari at 2pm. So we spent a lazy morning on the boat. A buffet breakfast included fantastic Nutella filled doughnuts (and, mercifully, free coffee). We spent some time reading in the room before lunch - cruising can sometimes feel like you are merely existing between meals!

    Bari was a quirky and slightly disappointing little town. The mix of old town and new was well documented but it all just felt a little soulless. The Basilica of Saint Nicholas was the star attraction of the including relics of the saint and some beautiful painted ceilings. Apparently a well-known pilgrimage site there was an odd mix of tourists with selfie sticks and people taking part in religious acts.

    Through the narrow alleys of Bari, we headed through the sleepy streets to the Fort - sadly not open. Above the port where the old town is centred, we walked through the new town's wide central shopping street heading for the 10th century Castle. Alas, despite it's heritage, excavations and apparently having been visited by St. Francis of Assisi, it was mostly now an exhibition space and little information about the castle was actually given. The display of chillis outside the castle walls was similarly odd!

    So, we headed back to the ship. A pleasant little stop but probably not one we'd visit again. However, with a day at sea tomorrow we've planned breakfast in bed...So there's something to look forward to!    Read more

  • TravelerXmas Cruise 2018
    Day 3

    Thunder, lightning and buckets of rain!

    December 17, 2018, Ionian Sea ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    An eventful and sleepy day on board notable for only two things. One - we ordered breakfast in bed including a load of fruit...and they brought each fruit in an individual (but full size) plate - making our breakfast in bed look ridiculous!

    Two - the evening saw us sailing through a storm of torential rain, thunder and lightning...quite an amazing view off our balcony.

    Athens tomorrow!    Read more

  • TravelerXmas Cruise 2018
    Day 4

    Acropolis, Athens

    December 18, 2018 in Greece ⋅ 🌧 10 °C

    An early start after our day at sea, beginning with my new favourite delicacy - nutella doughnuts.

    We planned to walk to Piraeus metro as we had last time we ported here. We parked (moored?) at gate E12 however...about as far away from the station as it was possible to be in the port without being at sea! Nonetheless, we stubbornly stuck to our plans and walked the 50-odd minutes to the metro.

    We got off in Athens at Omonia, where we began to walk towards the Acropolis Museum (having see the Acropolis before). On the way we passed the Academy of Greece with a large queue thronging through the doors. Being British, we joined the queue, assuming a fabulous museum awaited. Instead, we found ourselves attending a graduation ceremony...oops...

    Onwards in the drizzling rain, past the Greek Parliament and fancy soldiers guarding it, we wound through the Plaka to the museum. We couldn't quite understand how we missed the museum last time but it was pleasant to have something new to do. The statues on the main floor felt a little lost and in need of context - more like a vault than a museum. Equally many of the pediments on the top floor were plaster cast reproductions (and let's not get into the whole Elgin Marbles debate). Nonetheless, interesting, dry and with panoramic views of the Acropolis, it was a worthwhile stop.

    The nearby Hadrian's Arch was a quick photo stop, adjacent as it was to a major city artery and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. Being the off season, the Temple was half price at €3 and whilst you could see it through the fence it was well worth the price to wander it virtually alone and up close.

    On our way back to the Monastiraki metro station, we went down the main shopping street for a souvenir hunt (which turned up little other than tacky Acropolis models or soap - neither of which we bought) before jumping on a train back to Piraeus.

    A late afternoon of reading after the yomp back to the ship was followed by a restaurant dinner. Our waiter Gilbert, who had plodded through our meals all week, was a little over zealous this evening and served us four courses in under 45 minutes!    Read more

  • TravelerXmas Cruise 2018
    Day 5

    Olympia

    December 19, 2018 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    A turbulent night on the ship - a very windy night made the ship roll substantially. Nonetheless by morning, the sky was clear and the sun was blazing. We jumped on the only excursion booked through the ship - a €15 transfer from Katakolon to Olympia for the UNESCO ruins. Extortionately, if we'd booked transfer and entry tickets (without a guide) through the ship, it cost €40 each...entry to the whole site only costs €6!

    Anyway, a simple 40 minute bus ride took us to the archaeological ruins and museum of ancient Olympia, home of the olympics. We wandered the columns and foundation walls of the site in glorious sunshine. A few buildings remain remarkably well preserved, but much of the site is ruined blocks which have been moved into uniform lines, somewhat obscuring the original floorplan.

    Across the road is the archaeological museum which houses a model of the original site and many statues, pottery and bronze artefacts. Like a sauna inside, the cabinets house information on the different periods of Olympia with some reasonable information, but it is not extensively large. Having had a couple of hours in site, we transferred back to post for a little time shopping before an early 2.30pm all aboard. A late arrival in Kotor tomorrow, so a chance for a lie in. I have also never been more grateful for having visited a place before then I am with Kotor - so there's no need or expectation of climbing up the bloody great hill to the fort tomorrow!    Read more

  • TravelerXmas Cruise 2018
    Day 6

    The bloody fort at Kotor...

    December 20, 2018 in Montenegro ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    So, after a rubbish night's sleep (don't know why), we had a lazy morning of reading as we sailed through the fjord to Kotor. The journey in is really beautiful, even in the somewhat overcast December chill.

    Kotor itself is...sleepy. After a few souvenir shops and a walk on the city walls, we exhausted it's delights in the off season. So, with gritted teeth, we reneged and decided to climb up to the fort. We last did this on our honeymoon five years ago, and it's no small hill. But gently and continuously plodding up the stairs, we gradually gained height and were given impressive views over the bay. Making it to the top without dying was a feat in itself, up cobbled steps and over loose rocks and - more importantly - in a general level of unfitness!

    Breath caught and photos taken, I counted the stairs on the way back down...all 1383 of the bloody things! We promptly headed back to the ship for afternoon tea and a well-earned lie down!    Read more

  • TravelerXmas Cruise 2018
    Day 7

    Split

    December 21, 2018 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Our final stop. And thank goodness for the glorious weather as it Split itself does not have a huge amount to offer! The view of the city from the ship is beautiful and the sprawling mass of the Dioclesian Palace, into which shops, cafes and museum have been housed, is a stunning remain. So we wandered around this and around the city walls...but beyond this, we found Split rather lacklustre. After meandering the markets and shops, we headed back to the ship to spend the day chilling out.

    We took advantage of the empty pools and jacuzzis, I finished my third book of the holiday, and we enjoyed the tranquility of our balcony!    Read more

  • TravelerXmas Cruise 2018
    Day 8

    Venice

    December 22, 2018 in Italy ⋅ 🌫 4 °C

    Our return to Venice was through a fog bank, which shrouded the whole city. It made for a different view of this city in which we've spent quite a lot of time.

    The disembarkation was relatively disorderly, hampered by a slightly late arrival.

    All told, we'd definitely book through Iglu again, who got us flights, private transfers and a balcony cabin for much less than the price of an inside cabin alone had we booked direct with Costa. However, not sure we'd sail with Costa again anytime soon. Everything was ok, but just that - ok. The buffet was rather crowded with poorly organised food queues and walkways, and the whole ship seemed little more than functional. Their amenities were also substantially more expensive than anyone else we've sailed with. (Their excursions were actually well priced but we seldom use these on a cruise). We did have a lovely relaxing time however!

    Now...let's see if our flight to Gatwick is on time after all the drone chaos of the last two days...    Read more

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