If you enjoyed our blog, check out our tablemates' blog at http://spencersmedcruise.blogspot.com/
and a blog from someone else on the same cruise, http://dclmed2007.blogspot.com/
For Disney cruise tips (including discount tips): http://www.mousesavers.com/dcl.html Unfortunately, I didn't find this site until after we booked our cruise.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Villefranche, 25 June (Monday)
Villefranche was the port that gave us access to Nice and Monte Carlo. As at La Spezia, the ship anchored in the harbor and tender boats ferried people back and forth to the dock. The tender boats began running at 8:00 am and the last one back to the ship was at 11:30 pm. Zman had talked about taking the evening excursion to the Grand Casino in Monaco and I thought, since Zman had been to Nice 7.5 years ago, we'd probably rent a car. A number of the shore excursions featured a village called Eze, which sounded 
interesting, but nothing in particular seemed to be a "must do". And that was a good thing, as all three of us had a difficult time getting up and getting started. Zman and I had breakfast, then went back to the stateroom and while he dozed, I started reading a book about the 1893 World's Fair; lil Z didn't stir until about 11:30 am and then she went sunning followed by working out.
Around 3:30 pm, we took a tender to Villefranche and walked along the waterfront. Villefranche is a picturesque, seaside French town. It's probably the most pretty port we've been at the entire cruise, and that's probably why it was the cruise's final port. We went into a savonnaire (soap) shop that smelled wonderful. We walked uphill to a fort which is now a museum and houses a part (if not all) of the town's police. We
wandered down some streets, headed back to the port, and found a clock tower behind a church. I started to go into the church and saw the inside briefly (it smelled like an old church, too) before Zman reminded me my knees were 
uncovered (we were all wearing shorts); all the shore excursions we've taken that visited churches said knees and shoulders must be covered out of respect - I'm not sure if that's because it's a European custom. We spent a couple hours in Villefranche before we took the tender back to the ship.
interesting, but nothing in particular seemed to be a "must do". And that was a good thing, as all three of us had a difficult time getting up and getting started. Zman and I had breakfast, then went back to the stateroom and while he dozed, I started reading a book about the 1893 World's Fair; lil Z didn't stir until about 11:30 am and then she went sunning followed by working out.Around 3:30 pm, we took a tender to Villefranche and walked along the waterfront. Villefranche is a picturesque, seaside French town. It's probably the most pretty port we've been at the entire cruise, and that's probably why it was the cruise's final port. We went into a savonnaire (soap) shop that smelled wonderful. We walked uphill to a fort which is now a museum and houses a part (if not all) of the town's police. We
wandered down some streets, headed back to the port, and found a clock tower behind a church. I started to go into the church and saw the inside briefly (it smelled like an old church, too) before Zman reminded me my knees were 
uncovered (we were all wearing shorts); all the shore excursions we've taken that visited churches said knees and shoulders must be covered out of respect - I'm not sure if that's because it's a European custom. We spent a couple hours in Villefranche before we took the tender back to the ship.
Pirate Party, 24 June (Sunday night)
The theme of the evening (and for the day, in fact) was Pirates IN the Caribbean (not sure why the "in" is capitalized but all the cruise's publications had it capitalized). The suggested attire for dinner was pirate attire or cruise casual, and there were many activities during the day on ship that were pirate themed. All the items on the dinner menu had pirate related names and there were pirate bandanas on the table for those of us who didn't have 
pirate wear. There was also a big pirate themed deck party at 9:45 pm; it was very windy on deck.
pirate wear. There was also a big pirate themed deck party at 9:45 pm; it was very windy on deck.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Marseille, 24 June (Sunday)
We originally thought we would rent motor scooters or a car to see Marseille on our own today, but heard a lot of places, including shops, are closed on Sunday; in fact, most shops don't open until 2:00 pm on Mondays. We would have taken the free shuttle from the port into downtown Marseille and visited the tourist information office to find out what to see in Marseille, but figured it would be closed as well on a Sunday. We checked the Shore Excursion desk for afternoon excursions and a Marseille city tour leaving at 1:00 pm had space available, so we booked that. It gave lil Z more time to sleep in and some sunning time.
While we were onboard during the morning, the ship's crew tested the emergency generator system and I got to watch them test some of the lifeboats, including number 11, the one right below our stateroom. They move it out over the water, lower it to the water, then drive it off in a short circle away from the ship and then back to the ship. I watched the number 11 lifeboat miss its hookup attempt five times. They kill the engine as it approaches the ship and then drift in toward the hooks; if they miss their target, I guess, they abort and try again. I think they were teaching someone how to line the lifeboat up to hook it to the winch lines, as there was an officer with the man piloting the lifeboat.
Our Marseille city tour was very good. Our guide was Audrey, who lives with her parents a 15 minute drive outside Marseille; she works during the week in Marseille for a shipping and cruise company and does tours on the weekends. Our driver Patrick was as talented as the drivers of our previous tours; they can sure wheel those buses through narrow streets and negotiate very tight turns. We learned that Marseille is the oldest French town, originally begun by the Greeks. The city has 800,000 residents and is currently undergoing projects to refurbish the old, historical 
buildings while at the same time creating modern buildings. Their train station is a great example; it has a very modern, glass, bright and airy construction attached to the original 19th century station. We visited Longchamps (?), the port, and the Notre Dame du Garde basilica; the Germans took the basilica during World War II and the French had to regain it - there are marks on the side where the walls took some hits.
This
evening, I watched the harbor pilot boat escort the Disney Magic out of Marseille harbor. On some of the previous days, I had watched the harbor pilots meet the ship and let the pilot aboard to helm the ship into the harbor, but this was the first time I'd seen the process for departure. Other people watching screamed with delight when the pilot returned to his boat, probably because the waves were a bit rough. It was with some sadness that I watched the harbor boat pull away and return to Marseille. Just two more days and then it will be time to return to real life. I thought nothing could top Italy and while Italy still is my favorite, Marseille holds quite a bit of charm. Here we come, Villefranche!
While we were onboard during the morning, the ship's crew tested the emergency generator system and I got to watch them test some of the lifeboats, including number 11, the one right below our stateroom. They move it out over the water, lower it to the water, then drive it off in a short circle away from the ship and then back to the ship. I watched the number 11 lifeboat miss its hookup attempt five times. They kill the engine as it approaches the ship and then drift in toward the hooks; if they miss their target, I guess, they abort and try again. I think they were teaching someone how to line the lifeboat up to hook it to the winch lines, as there was an officer with the man piloting the lifeboat.
Our Marseille city tour was very good. Our guide was Audrey, who lives with her parents a 15 minute drive outside Marseille; she works during the week in Marseille for a shipping and cruise company and does tours on the weekends. Our driver Patrick was as talented as the drivers of our previous tours; they can sure wheel those buses through narrow streets and negotiate very tight turns. We learned that Marseille is the oldest French town, originally begun by the Greeks. The city has 800,000 residents and is currently undergoing projects to refurbish the old, historical 
buildings while at the same time creating modern buildings. Their train station is a great example; it has a very modern, glass, bright and airy construction attached to the original 19th century station. We visited Longchamps (?), the port, and the Notre Dame du Garde basilica; the Germans took the basilica during World War II and the French had to regain it - there are marks on the side where the walls took some hits.
This
evening, I watched the harbor pilot boat escort the Disney Magic out of Marseille harbor. On some of the previous days, I had watched the harbor pilots meet the ship and let the pilot aboard to helm the ship into the harbor, but this was the first time I'd seen the process for departure. Other people watching screamed with delight when the pilot returned to his boat, probably because the waves were a bit rough. It was with some sadness that I watched the harbor boat pull away and return to Marseille. Just two more days and then it will be time to return to real life. I thought nothing could top Italy and while Italy still is my favorite, Marseille holds quite a bit of charm. Here we come, Villefranche!
La Spezia port featuring Florence and Pisa, 23 June (Saturday)
I woke early enough again to see the sunrise as we came into La Spezia port and to see the "pilotti" drop off a local port pilot to bring the ship in; that's occurred several times on the cruise. We decided to rent a car and see Florence and Pisa on our own. I wasn't sure what to see in Florence; the thing I wanted to do was go to the Fratelli Piccini store on Ponte Vecchio because its symbol is the seahorse, they design quite a bit of jewelry with seahorses and I wanted to get a seahorse pendant - plain gold or with aquamarine stones. The ship anchored off shore and we were tendered in to the dock. It was a unusual way to go ashore, but it allowed us to view the ship "at sea" and see its grandeur. Once onshore, port police directed us to Hert
z and we set off walking to find it and rent a car. When we didn't find the car rental place after about an hour of walking, we returned to the tender dock and someone with the taxis called another rental place called Europcar to see if they were open. They said there was a festival on Friday, Saturday, Sunday so many places were closed. Europcar was open and we took the taxi to their office. Another hour was spent in line to rent a car. It cost 87 euros, which was cheaper (even with 41 euros for gas and about 20 euros in toll fares) than a shore excursion at $79 to $229 US per person. We 
got a Fiat Corso, which was a four door car, and a highway map of Italy - and around 11:30 am, we were on our way! I was the navigator. We took the A12 to the A11 east; both were four lane (two in each direction) divided highways. Lil Z kept asking "Are we on the right road?" It took us a little over an hour but under an hour and a half to reach Florence, about 12:45 pm. We quickly learned that blue signs with white arrows pointed which way to go, similar to our one-way signs. We reached Ponte Vecchio and scored primo parking just around the corner. Lil Z and I bought a 
bottle of Coke Zero and used the toilet while Zman exchanged US dollars for more euros; then we had a light lunch. The Fratelli Piccini store was closed for siesta, but that was all right with me, as it saved me some money. We took pictures on Ponte Vecchio, then headed out of Florence (which is called Firenze on the map and road signs); I took lots and lots of pictures out the car window as we drove down streets with such beautiful and old architecture. On the way out of Florence, we passed an accident with a car overturned on its roof; Zman said it looked like the car may have turned a corner too fast and rolled over.
I was trying to get Zman to a different road than we came into Florence on; it seemed to be more direct to Pisa and we'd see more of Italy. We ended back on the A11 and then instead of going north on A12 back to La Spezia, we went south to Pisa via the SS1, which reminded me very much of California's Highway 1 through Malibu. We passed a McDonald's,
a Holiday Inn, and a Best Western. Again, we just followed the blue signs with white arrows. I had told Zman I just wanted to take pictures of the Leaning Tower, didn't need to go up inside it to the top since we had to back on the ship by 7:30 pm, even with returning the car and taking the tender back to the ship. I don't know how he did it, but again he scored primo parking about a block away from the "Field of Miracles" where the Tower is located. We had our picture moments, bought some souvenirs, and then had a gelato (ice cream), Coke, and toilet stop. On the way back to La Spezia, I didn't want Zman to get back on the A12 because signs said to Livorno and Genova; Livorno I knew was south and we didn't want to go that direction, I wasn't sure where Genova was, but I thought it was south too. We just stayed on the SS1 and had to use many turnabouts, the circles used instead of stop signs or traffic lights. After a time, I discovered Genova was north and we would be going the right direction if we got on the A12 headed toward Genova. We transitioned to the A15 and reached La Spezia, which was where the A15 ended, approximately 5:40 pm. And we passed another accident! As directed by the car rental agent, we parked the car at the port and left the keys with a port officer.
When we left La Spezia, it seemed we were going at a clip. The swells were the biggest I've seen all cruise long, and I definitely felt the motion of the ship. All three of us were tired and didn't have any trouble going to sleep. We had a great time driving on our own in Italy! It was one of the best things we've done!
z and we set off walking to find it and rent a car. When we didn't find the car rental place after about an hour of walking, we returned to the tender dock and someone with the taxis called another rental place called Europcar to see if they were open. They said there was a festival on Friday, Saturday, Sunday so many places were closed. Europcar was open and we took the taxi to their office. Another hour was spent in line to rent a car. It cost 87 euros, which was cheaper (even with 41 euros for gas and about 20 euros in toll fares) than a shore excursion at $79 to $229 US per person. We 
got a Fiat Corso, which was a four door car, and a highway map of Italy - and around 11:30 am, we were on our way! I was the navigator. We took the A12 to the A11 east; both were four lane (two in each direction) divided highways. Lil Z kept asking "Are we on the right road?" It took us a little over an hour but under an hour and a half to reach Florence, about 12:45 pm. We quickly learned that blue signs with white arrows pointed which way to go, similar to our one-way signs. We reached Ponte Vecchio and scored primo parking just around the corner. Lil Z and I bought a 
bottle of Coke Zero and used the toilet while Zman exchanged US dollars for more euros; then we had a light lunch. The Fratelli Piccini store was closed for siesta, but that was all right with me, as it saved me some money. We took pictures on Ponte Vecchio, then headed out of Florence (which is called Firenze on the map and road signs); I took lots and lots of pictures out the car window as we drove down streets with such beautiful and old architecture. On the way out of Florence, we passed an accident with a car overturned on its roof; Zman said it looked like the car may have turned a corner too fast and rolled over.I was trying to get Zman to a different road than we came into Florence on; it seemed to be more direct to Pisa and we'd see more of Italy. We ended back on the A11 and then instead of going north on A12 back to La Spezia, we went south to Pisa via the SS1, which reminded me very much of California's Highway 1 through Malibu. We passed a McDonald's,
a Holiday Inn, and a Best Western. Again, we just followed the blue signs with white arrows. I had told Zman I just wanted to take pictures of the Leaning Tower, didn't need to go up inside it to the top since we had to back on the ship by 7:30 pm, even with returning the car and taking the tender back to the ship. I don't know how he did it, but again he scored primo parking about a block away from the "Field of Miracles" where the Tower is located. We had our picture moments, bought some souvenirs, and then had a gelato (ice cream), Coke, and toilet stop. On the way back to La Spezia, I didn't want Zman to get back on the A12 because signs said to Livorno and Genova; Livorno I knew was south and we didn't want to go that direction, I wasn't sure where Genova was, but I thought it was south too. We just stayed on the SS1 and had to use many turnabouts, the circles used instead of stop signs or traffic lights. After a time, I discovered Genova was north and we would be going the right direction if we got on the A12 headed toward Genova. We transitioned to the A15 and reached La Spezia, which was where the A15 ended, approximately 5:40 pm. And we passed another accident! As directed by the car rental agent, we parked the car at the port and left the keys with a port officer.When we left La Spezia, it seemed we were going at a clip. The swells were the biggest I've seen all cruise long, and I definitely felt the motion of the ship. All three of us were tired and didn't have any trouble going to sleep. We had a great time driving on our own in Italy! It was one of the best things we've done!
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