Almost Time To Hop Over That Big Pond Again

Well the packing is just about all done and our house sitter is all settled in. Just a few minor things to wrap up and we will be already to head out on our next adventure.
Tomorrow morning Veronica and I will be heading into Norfolk Airport to catch a  flight to JFK and from there the long international flight to Marco Polo Airport in Venice.
I will be writing a journal about our daily events along with my usual taking of numerous photographs.
I personally can't wait to sink my choppers into a slice of authentic stone oven baked pizza in Venice. There is one place that I was checking out that I really want to try.... Antico Forno  I am sure that we will find many more plus we want to find a great pasta restaurant too. Here is the hotel that we will be spending 2 nights at before boarding our ship, the NCL Jade, for  14 day Med cruise...
Hotel Papadopoli  
Be back before you know it...hopefully with lots of exciting stories and tons of great photos to share.                  

Getting Closer To Our Big Getaway

Veronica and I are only about 30 days away from flying over to Marco Polo Airport and going to Venice for a couple of days before boarding the NCL Jade for a 14 day cruise that includes visits to ports in Italy, several Greek Isles, Croatia & Dubrovnik.
I am still compiling and printing information from various on line resources and putting the info into a folder to take with us.
Tonight I will be go through the Tripadvisor web site looking at various restaurants such as pizza places, pasta places, bread and pastry shops....anything that looks good that we might want to try while we are walking around and exploring Venice. Besides the pictures on Tripadvisor, I will also look through the ratings and reviews and find a location for the ones that are chosen. I will then print out the information of each one and file them in that folder.
I had already ordered and received from Amazon.com a couple of waterproof and  detailed street maps of Venice along with a Rick Steve's Pocket Venice book.
By the time I get done, we will have more than enough information to go anywhere or to get anything we need in Venice.
I almost forgot to mention....I have been trying to get an upgrade from our Inside Cabin to a Balcony Cabin but the prices are still extremely high. My contact at NCL, whom I have been dealing with since I first booked this cruise last October, was able to get me a complimentary upgrade from our Inside Cabin to a Oceanview Cabin that has a good sized window in it and a little more room. This new cabin is in a good location on the ship also.
I will continue my attempts to get us into a Balcony Cabin as we get a little closer to our sailing date. Hopefully things will loosen up a little when we are about 2 weeks out.  

Choosing Our Excursions For Our Upcoming Cruise

With only 147 days to go until our NCL cruise on the Jade begins, Veronica and I have looked over  all of the port excursions that are currently being offered.
Most ports we will do on our own but there are 2 that we decided to take.
Our cruise begins in Venice and we have planned to arrive a couple of days early in order to see some of the sights that Venice has to offer. We will be doing this on our own without any tour groups or excursions. We will have Thursday and Friday to take in as much as possible during that time period. I plan on setting up a private gondola ride serenade for Veronica and I.
We will have to check out of our Venice hotel in time to get to the pier and go through the embarkation process.
After being on our cruise ship for 7 days, the ship arrives back in Venice and allows passengers whose cruise will end at that point to get off the ship.
Since Veronica and I booked a back to back cruise, we will be at the half way point of our cruise, with another week yet to come.
We will be able to leave the ship but we will leave our luggage in our cabin while we go on the first of 2 shore excursions.
We have decided to take an cruise line offered excursion to Murano and Burano.
Murano is the place where Murano glass objects and beads come from. Burano is know for their time consuming hand made lace items.
We will need to meet our excursion representative at 8:15 AM at which time we will board a small boat and head out to these two small islands that are near Venice.
Our excursion will last 4 1/2 hours, which will give us plenty of time to explore more of Venice itself before having to board our ship for the second leg of our cruise.
Below is the NCL write up of this excursion in Venice:

Murano Glass & Burano Lace

Visit two of the Venetian lagoon's islands, Murano and Burano; the first world-famous center of glass-making and the second renowned for its lace. First you'll travel along a portion of the beautiful Giudecca Canal passing St. Mark's Basin and other landmarks, then cross the lagoon to Murano, where you'll visit a glass factory and have a unique opportunity to see how beautiful Murano glass is made, followed by some time for shopping. After visiting the glass factory, continue with a leisurely trip across the lagoon to lovely little Burano with its gaily painted houses and brightly painted fishing boats. Enjoy a walk through the streets of this charming and picturesque island where fishermen are always mending nets or repairing their boats. On Burano, one encounters a way of life that is rapidly disappearing. Women sometimes sit in their doorways working on a piece of lace. Burano lace is extremely delicate and time-consuming to create. A small piece may take several weeks to complete, making it highly prized. You'll have a chance to admire some of these works of art when you visit one of the stores that sell the famed Burano lace. Note: Although most walking is on level ground, passengers with physical limitations are advised that there are some steps on both islands. The order of sights may vary. THIS TOUR IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR NORWEGIAN SPIRIT SAILINGS STARTING IN BARCELONA AND ENDING IN VENICE AND FOR NORWEGIAN JADE GUESTS COMBINING 2 CONSECUTIVE SAILINGS.

We will be taking our other excursion on the last day for a port of call, which is in Naples, Italy. Instead of staying in the Naples area, we decided to take a 9 1/2 hour excursion that allows us to travel and see the Amalfi coast, Sorento, Salerno, the town of Amalfi...all by bus along with  actually taking a boat ride just off of the Amalfi coast. We will get to stop and walk around the towns previously mentioned along with a lunch stop and time to shop or maybe just go to a outdoor cafe and people watch. Below is the NCL write up of this excursion leaving from Naples:

Sorrento & Amalfi By Land & Sea

Enjoy a very scenic and relaxing excursion, experiencing Italy's most famous coastline by motor launch, with minimal walking involved, and time within the beautiful village of Sorrento. After an approximate one-hour drive by coach, you will arrive to the town of Salerno, located at the very end of the Amalfi Coast. There you'll board a private motor launch and enjoy a 45-minute cruise, viewing the Dolomitic cliffs, which at many points, tower perpendicularly out of the sea and have been sculpted by nature into fantastic shapes. Amalfi is situated at the mouth of a deep gorge along the coast. Learn how this was a major shipping port during the Middle Ages and it was also an independent maritime state. Enjoy a narrated walk around the town center of Amalfi, with your guide, who will explain the history and architecture of the Cathedral of St. Andrew as you marvel at the exterior architecture, a mix of Moorish and early Gothic design. Its main treasures are the 11th-century bronze doors from Constantinople. Enjoy some free time on your own in Amalfi, for maybe shopping or relaxation, before cruising back to Salerno where your coach will be waiting to drive you to Sorrento. With its luxuriant vegetation and sun-drenched climate, Sorrento became a favorite resort of wealthy Romans. Experience this cliff-top setting, with an imposing Duomo, distinctive for its 13th-century cloister, and a charming, flower-filled town, all there for you to explore. Enjoy lunch with wine in a local restaurant in Sorrento before returning back to your ship. Note: Tour is not available for winter sailings. Guests must be able to walk approximately 500 yards over even surfaces with 5 - 10 steps. There are several steps to access the lunch venue. Comfortable walking shoes, hat, and sunscreen are highly recommended. Walking during the free time is at the guests' discretion. The drive between Naples and Salerno is approximately 45 minutes and from Sorrento to Naples is approximately 1 1/2 hours. Guests wishing to enter the Cathedral of St. Andrew on their own must ascend approximately 60 or more very steep steps. The order of the tour may be reversed. The motor launch has both inside and outside seating. In case of bad weather conditions and/or rough seas, the cruise to Amalfi will be cancelled and an orientation drive of the Amalfi Coast will be made instead. Due to traffic restrictions of the Sorrento center a short walk from the motorcoach drop off point to the main center and vice versa will be required. During summer months expect extreme heat, crowded venues and long lines. We recommend that you dress in layers and bring bottled water. 

I am sure that we will a great time on these 2 excursions plus there will be plenty of opportunities to take photos.

So Many Places And So Little Time

Veronica and I were discussing places that we might want to go to and see in 2013. As usual, our thoughts and conversation turned to the possiblity of another cruise.
I started doing a little research to see where various cruise lines would be going to that year...their itineraries and port of calls.
I ended up spending most of my time on the NCL, Norwegian Cruise Lines' web site.
As of this date all of the cruises that we have been on have been through NCL.
Eventually we will need to try other cruise lines in order to see other places in this world. But for right now, NCL has the trips that meet our wish list needs/wants.
Previously we had booked a 14 day Norway, Scotland, Ireland and Iceland cruise. This cruise departs in 260 days from now...on 9/16/2012. Here is the intinerary for that cruise:

14-Day Norway, Iceland, & Faroe Islands from Copenhagen

	Copenhagen, Denmark Pack some comfortable shoes for Copenhagen truly is a wonderful, wonderful, fairytale of a "walking city." Many pedestrian thoroughfares are lined with Renaissance palaces, picture-perfect parks historic merchant houses, and charming canals and waterways.

Dates	Port

Day 1

Copenhagen, Denmark

Day 2

At Sea

Day 3

Bergen, Norway

Day 4  A

lesund,Norway

Day 5  Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland

Day 6

Thorshavn, Faroe Islands

Day 7

At Sea

Day 8

Reykjavik, Iceland

Day 9

At Sea

Day 10

At Sea

Day 11

Glasgow(Greenock), Scotland

Day 12 Dublin, Ireland

Day 13

At Sea

Day 14

At Sea

Day 15 Copenhagen, Denmark

After much research and discussion, Veronica and I decided on doing "back to back" 1 week cruises on the NCL Jade. We chose to do an inside cabin to help keep the costs down.
By doing this we can go on more cruises and/or spend some of the money saved on things to do and goodies to bring home.
We found that the prices for these cruises were very reasonably priced, which also made our decision rather easy.
We will be departing in this 14 day cruise on Saturday10/12/13.
This cruise will leave out of Venice
and go to several of the Greek islands.
Here is the itinerary for the first 7 days of the journey:

7-Day Eastern Mediterranean, Greek Isles from Venice

	Dates	Port
	Day 1	Venice, Italy
	Venice, Italy The romantic city built entirely on water awaits. Take a famed gondola ride, explore world-class shopping areas, delve into Italy's culinary delights or head out to the Doge's Palace, Piazza San Marco and St. Mark's Basilica or one of the many treasured museums.
	Day 2	At Sea
	At Sea
	Day 3	Corfu, Greece
	Corfu, Greece One of the lushest of the Greek Isles, Corfu is rimmed in dramatic blue waters and topped with tranquil hillside villages. A collection of quaint cafes in the town of Corfu feels very continental, but the island’s secluded coves and sandy beaches could only be found in the Greek Isles.
	Day 4	Santorini, Greece
	Santorini, Greece Whitewashed villages clinging to the sides of the sea cliffs have made the volcanic island of Santorini one of the most widely photographed places in the world. The island's charm and subtle mystery have even made it a target of speculation as the location of the lost city of Atlantis.
	Day 5	Mykonos, Greece
	Mykonos, Greece Mykonos is a classic Greek Island with whitewashed houses, blue-domed churches and windmills. Add a reputation for beautiful beaches and you'll understand why Mykonos is the most popular island in the Cyclades. Explore the island in a 4 x 4 or take a ferry to the tiny island of Delos.
	Day 6	Olympia (Katakolon), Greece
	Olympia (Katakolon), Greece Near Olympia, where the ancient Greeks flocked every four years to celebrate the ancient games dedicated to Zeus, Katakolon has a special feel. You'll find ruins of the Temple of Hera and remnants of what was once the first Olympic Stadium. In fact, historical landmarks can be seen where ever you turn.
	Day 7	At Sea
	At Sea
	Day 8	Venice, Italy

At the end of this week, the Jade will then return to Venice.

Because we are doing "back to back" cruises, Veronica and I will be staying in the same cabin for both legs of the journey. We can leave our clothes and luggage in our cabin at the end of the 1st leg but we must get off of the ship once it docks in Venice. This is the "turnover" port where the passengers from the first cruise will get off of the ship with their baggage, the ship is cleaned and prepared for the next voyage.

The ship pulls into Venice at 8AM.

We should be able to get off of the ship by 9AM.

Veronica and I will get off of the ship as soon as possible and utilize this day to visit Venice and see as many sites as we can.

We will have to return and be back on the Jade by approximately 4 PM before it leaves port. 

The Jade will then leave Venice at approximately 6PM and will cruise to several different countries and ports of call.

Here is the intinerary for the 2nd 7 days of our cruise:

7-Day Classic Mediterranean, Venice to Rome (Civitavecchia)

	Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy Bask in the glory of the city that once was the capital of the world's most powerful empire. No visit to Rome is complete without a visit to the Colosseum that stands as a reminder of the gladiator days. But be sure to visit St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican and the Pantheon, too.

Day	Port
Sat	Venice, Italy
Sun	Koper, Slovenia
Mon	Split, Croatia
Tue	Dubrovnik, Croatia
Wed	At Sea
Thu	Messina, Italy
Fri	Naples, Italy
Sat	Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

The NCL Jade is a pretty nice ship. It is very similar to the NCL Pearl, which we have been on twice....both times being cruises to Alaska. For more information on the NCL Jade, please click here...   NCL Jade