London to Rome via Crystal....

[trek737]

Pisa: is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower (the bell tower of the city's cathedral), the city of over 88,332 residents (around 200,000 with the metropolitan area) contains more than 20 other historic churches, several palaces and various bridges across the River Arno. Much of the city's architecture was financed from its history as one of the Italian maritime republics.


Cathedral of Pisa: ( The Cathedral, Baptistery, and Tower were built starting from 1063-1350)



Catherdal's Interior:



Catherdal's Ceiling:



Baptistery's ceiling:



Bar Duomo:






Florence:is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area.

Florence is famous for its history: a centre of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of the time, it is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance, and has been called "the Athens of the Middle Ages". A turbulent political history includes periods of rule by the powerful Medici family, and numerous religious and republican revolutions. From 1865-71 the city was the capital of the recently established Kingdom of Italy.


Basilica di Santa Marin del Flore:



Ponte Veccnio: (Medieval stone arch bridge)



Shops on the Veccnio bridge:

[antipop]

Looks like you had an awesome trip. I hope you brought some st emilion wine with you

Thank you for the pictures.

[trek737]

Georges,

We had free wine on the ship so it was hard to talk the group into buying it...

Glad you enjoyed the photos..

[streetspirit]

Keep the photos coming! They're fantastic!

[MtnHam]

Having done too many cruises on the more pedestrian cruise lines, I have long considered one more on the considerably more expensive Crystal or Seabourn lines. Would you say it's worth it? Photos and comments please.

[trek737]

Originally Posted by streetspirit

Keep the photos coming! They're fantastic!

You bet... Thank you...

Originally Posted by MtnHam

Having done too many cruises on the more pedestrian cruise lines, I have long considered one more on the considerably more expensive Crystal or Seabourn lines. Would you say it's worth it? Photos and comments please.

For us it is worth it... I will try to elaborate more when our out of town guest / family leave to fly home today...

[MtnHam]

Originally Posted by trek737

For us it is worth it... I will try to elaborate more when our out of town guest / family leave to fly home today...

The quality of the wine provided as part of the package is of particular interest.
On the lesser lines, the quality of the purchased wine is usually mediocre and very expensive.
Thanks,
Tom

[trek737]

Quote:
Originally Posted by MtnHam View Post
Having done too many cruises on the more pedestrian cruise lines, I have long considered one more on the considerably more expensive Crystal or Seabourn lines. Would you say it's worth it? Photos and comments please.

Originally Posted by MtnHam

The quality of the wine provided as part of the package is of particular interest.
On the lesser lines, the quality of the purchased wine is usually mediocre and very expensive.
Thanks,
Tom

Tom,

My wife and I love Crystal. Crystal is a Six Star Cruise Line which puts it in a group with only a select elite few. We have done two cruises with them and have booked a third for later this year. So yes we are hooked on the Crystal experience. They spoil you in just about everything they do. The food is world class, service is off the charts, and they just make you feel like a king! They continue to win awards for the best large ship category. Here is a link to some of their awards.

About Us | Crystal Cruises

Crystal only has two ships the Serenity and the Symphony. Each hold about 1000 guests and the crew is appox 600 which translates to great service. This is not a cattle call that some of the larger ships seem to bring.

The cost as you probably already know includes all beverages including alcohol plus gratuities. You will pay for docking fees which is usually around $500.00 per person which is not included in the base fee. Airfare and ship excursions are also extra.

To answer your question about wines will be a little difficult since I am not a wine connoisseur. We would all have wine for dinner and were very satisfied with the variety and choices given. They have a large selection from an international wine list to choose from. If you do not like what is brought to you then you just tell your Sommelier to bring you something else. However I do not know what your expectations are and therefore can not give you a definite guarantee stamp of satisfaction.

Some of the things that are good with Crystal but I would say not over the top is their nightly shows. Sometimes they were good but many times they were just average.
The two times we were on Crystal we noticed an older crowd. I was a little discourage that a majority of the pax were 60 and older....not what I was hoping for.
The ship is nicely decorated and up to date, but it is not over the top lavishly furnished. We always get a cabin with a veranda, the beds are very comfortable, the bath rooms have double granite sinks, shower / tub with phone and everything else you need. Every floor has washers and dryers so you can wash your own clothes if you do not want to pay to have them do it for you. Speaking of clothes if you like to dress up then you will fit right in. Jeans are not worn after 6:00 pm and they have different levels of dress codes during the cruise that range from formal to business casual for the evening hours. If you just want to hang out in sweats and tee shirts all day and night Crystal may not be your perfect fit.

Room service is included and you just tell them what you want, or what to stock in your frig, and it is done. I really like the fact that once you pay up front that is it. When I want a beer / wine or anything else I am not saying well what will this cost me... I just order it and money never enters my mind which is a very nice feeling.

I have several friends who love cruising but would never pay for a Crystal experience as they are very happy on their Princess, Celebrity, or Royal Caribbean lines. Which like everything in life there is something for everyone.

If you are wanting to go on Crystal check out Travel Advisor and other sites that have actual reviews so you can make a better judgement then just mine here.

My wife and I do not have a lot of experience on other cruise lines. But the few friends and family members who have traveled on both the Crystals and the lower cost lines have said repeatedly it would be very hard to go back once you have cruised on Crystal. For some it is worth the price of admission and for others they are just as content with what the middle of the line price point brings them. You'll have to try it out for yourself to see what works best for you.

Hope this helps. Let us know if you book a cruise on Crystal...

Cheers,

[trek737]

Originally Posted by ChrisAZ

I lived in London for 4 years growing up and have been back many times - as a matter of fact I'm going back for an epic pub crawl with friends the summer of 2015. As a photographer, leave the big lenses and big cameras at home and bring a smaller mirrorless with fast primes and wide angles, or a short fast zoom. I used a 12-40 (24-80 35 mm equivalent) f2.8 pro zoom on my Olympus micro four thirds camera (OMD-EM5, now replaced by the EM1) last fall in Paris and it was all I needed (I had a few faster primes with me as well but didn't need them). Your shoulders and back will thank you.

While there are many fine restaurants in London, since you will be gorging on the cruise ship and then in Rome (and there is no better place to gorge than Italy), I think I would focus on local haunts (gastro pubs & Indian food) and historical sites since this is your first trip. Sure, you'll be doing touristy things, but why the heck not? Harrods' food courts, Westminster Abbey, St. Pauls, The British Museum, The National Gallery, The Tower, etc., etc. I get to avoid them because I've seen them so many times, but if you haven't you should see them. There is simply too much to do and see in London in 4 days. Make sure you take in a show in the West End as well. Perhaps a concert at Royal Albert Hall.

I've been to Italy 8 or so times, and Rome is almost always included in the visit. Eat street food, gelato and porchetta paninis, avoid tourist restaurants (like around the Spanish Steps), walk, dine and drink around Trastevere, and by all means inundate yourself with history and art. The Vatican Museum is a must and I'd recommend a tour of the crypts underneath (you need to book before your trip on line because it's very popular). I'd really recommend hiring a good private guide (or guides) in Rome, it will make the history come alive. They ain't cheap, but having a historian guide you through the Forum or an art historian guide you through the Vatican Museum is quite fantastic and a much better experience than doing it by yourself or with a large group. Plus you get to skip the lines and go places you would not find or could not find on your own (like archaelogical digs under the city center). Have a great trip.

Chris,

Thanks for the tips... Some of them came into play. We had a great trip and are looking forward to a return visit to London hopefully next year.

Have fun on your epic pup crawl in the summer of 2015. Think we will save our next visit to the cooler off season.

Sorry I missed your original post until now.

Cheers,

[ChrisAZ]

Glad you had a great trip!