CRUISE 14
ITALY - GREECE - TURKEY

Mariner of the Seas

June 28 - July 11
2011
This was our first 13 night cruise. 

 We left Boston on June 25th on Alitalia on a nonstop flight direct to Rome. 
From Boston we were a party of six: 
Michael, Michelle, Andrew, Lindsay, Stella and I.
Mary and Lou flew from Dulles Airport in Washington.
Renato and Biota flew from Lisbon.


We arrived in Rome around 8:30 A.M. after an 8 hour uneventful flight. 
At the airport was a wonderful representative from Royal Caribbean who in no time put us into a van directly to the hotel where we spent the following 2 nights. As we arrived at the hotel, another wonderful representative from RCI was stationned inside the hotel lobby and she was wonderful throughout our stay.
We were very lucky because our rooms were already ready and everything went very smoothly. 


We stayed at the Hotel Villa Carpegna.
(Very close to the Vatican City)


Around 10 A.M. Lou and Mary arrived at the hotel and shortly after we had a nice lunch at the hotel restaurant. 
We all decided to rest in our rooms awaiting the arrival of Renato and Biota, 
who arrived around 5 P.M.
In the evening we had a wonderful dinner at the
Ristorante Sabatini
in the
PIAZZA DI S. MARIA IN TRASTEVERE 
And so began the first day of our wonderful trip.

 

ITALY - Rome
Day 1
Sunday, June 26
Hotel Villa Carpegna 
Dinner at a wonderful local restaurant, downtown Rome.

 

ITALY - Rome
Day 2
Monday, June 27
Half Day Tour:
"Coliseum & Roman Forum"

 

ITALY - Rome
Day 3
Tuesday, June 28
Half Day Tour:
"Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica"

The same bus took us to the ship at the end of the tour.

 

SICILY - Taormina
Day 4
Wednesday, June 29
RCI Tour: 
"Lovely  Taormina"
(4h30)

 
Day 5
Thursday, June 30
SAILING

 

GREECE - Athens
Day 6
Friday, July 1
RCI Tour: 
"Athens sightseeing and Acropolis"
(4h)

 

TURKEY - Ephesus
Day 7
Saturday, July 2
RCI Tour:
"Highlights of Ephesus"
(4h)

 

GREECE - Rhodes
Day 8
Sunday, July 3
RCI Tour:
"Scenic Rhodes"
(5h)

 

GREECE - Crete
Day 9
Monday, July 4
RCI Tour:
"Real Crete"
(4h)

 
Day 10
Tuesday, July 5
SAILING

 

TURKEY - Istanbul
Day 11
Wednesday, July 6
Full Day Private Tour

 

TURKEY - Istanbul
Day 12
Thursday, July 7
Half Day Private Tour

 
Day 13
Friday, July 8
SAILING

 
Day 14
Saturday, July 9
SAILING

 

ITALY - Naples
Day 15
Sunday, July 10
RCI Tour: 
"Sorrento & The Amalfi Coast"
(9h)

 

Day 16
Monday, July 11
 Civitavecchia, Rome, Italy
We disembarked around 9:30 A.M. 
We left in a bus provided by RCI to the airport.
We went from Rome to Munich, Germany on Lufthansa, 
where 4 hours later we left to Boston. 
We arrived in Boston at 6:30 P.M. where the limousine was waiting 
to take us home.

Once again the highlight of this trip was .... family! 
We all had a great time being together and returned home somewhat tired but thoroughly pleased with this great vacation. From day 1 to day 16 we had perfect weather, blue skies and confortable warm temperatures.

 

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