Rome...Day 8

The day started early with the alarm at 6 and tour starting at 8..for the almost 2 hour drive from the port into Rome. Probably 10 buses to take people on the "Snapshot of Rome" tour....and it was a very good tour. It is hard to see Rome in many days...let alone 3 hours....but it was well done and a very good tour leader. We got to see the main places and then had an hour at the Basilica....but the lines were so long to get in that we could not go in. Both Audy and I agreed that this will be a return trip...in the off season when we will have plenty of time without the crowds. Today the line to get into the church was at least 45 minutes....and of course the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museum are ticket only purchased in advance.

Another sparkling day as the photos will show..and we did have time to walk around the Vatican area ....big crowds, though, as this is Holy Week, so lots of school groups and tours coming for Easter.

Back to the ship by 2 and then lunch and today's selection of food was great and thoroughly enjoyed by both of us. Audy is taking a nap now....but we are going to talk with Viking about what they might consider doing to improve the included tours....all positive...and should fit with their philosophy of exploration....but a more practical explanation of "what to expect" once your feet are in the ground in the specific city. For example, there is NO WAY on a day like today that one should even think about going into the Basilica....so why say in the Port Talk...."time for you to see the church and then sit and have a coffee before boarding the bus back"...this is like saying you will be in San Francisco for 4 hours...you can ride the cable car from the wharf to Union Square then shop for an hour at the SF Center then ride the cable car back to the Wharf and go have a seafood dinner at the Wharf before you walk to Pier 39 to see the seals..and you have 4 hours even though it is the middle of the summer travel season. Just will not happen. The problem is that you have to be "general" for the 930 on the Ship.....and provide the opportunity to see Rome, or Split, or Dubrovnik ..... and then give specifics for those like us that want to know the details of history ...etc..

So, we are going to share with management onboard an idea of kind of a "shop talk" to. follow the Port Talk.....something like we will go into more detail on what you will see and do in Rome in the time allowed..and that today will be a mere "snapshot"... Don't think in terms of seeing or doing everything....but seeing or doing enough to know that you will want to come back.

Another aspect of this idea is to encourage guests on the Ship to come to the Shop Talk and give their input . In that the Ship appeals to the more educated and more well traveled....kind of like we are....ask guests to share what they know about the city coming up. For example, the best way to see Dubrovnik is to take the Cable Car up to the peak. Even though this is a bit more expensive and not an included tour..it should be brought up at "Port Talk" and allow guests to get tickets after the Talk, etc. If I ever talk to someone about Dubrovnik  I will tell them this is a "must" to fully appreciate the city.

Another idea we have, and this would be more difficult to do....would be to have an "advance couple" go into each of the cities on the tour... and "check it out".....such as where is the shopping area....where is the market...and know that if you want to see the market it closes at noon, etc. In Venice.....the goal is to get to St Marks.....then nearby are shops with clothes, jewelry, etc...or it you want a pastry...here is a place to go to. Just wandering through the streets of Venice is fun for some...but is a waste of time for others....especially if they want to find a specific food or local specialty. On his trip, Corfu would be an excellent example....in that we finished the tour,Mohicans was very well done...returned to the Ship for lunch and a rest....then had plenty of time to go back into the center of town to shop, get coffee, or whatever. But, we really had no guide on specifically what to do, where to go to, etc....and that is where we saw the great churches (Greek Orthodox)... and found the neat shops ($200 later).... but others were wondering where we went, etc. An "advance team" could have really helped here. So, so far, this would have been very helpful in each Port city, except, Rome....which is another trip in essence.

Lastly, the entertainment on board. Quite good....kind of local playhouse type of entertainment but a far cry above what we found on Holland America to Alaska, which had Rock and Soul.  Here they have a lot of variety....and the specific entertainers, like Andras on piano and the classical trio ..are total pros...Andras is clearly one of the best pianists we have ever heard...in the pop realm....just a great talent that could play any Las Vegas hotel. The strings are all pros....

So, another great day....we have a fun evening planned as we will go to The Restaurant this evening...the we have a local singing group coming on later.....