Larry and Sue Simon's Photos

Europe Sept-07 - Millennium Med Cruise and UK Pre-Cruise Trip Galleries

Overview - 100 Photos from our Sept-2007 Med Cruise : This Gallery has about 130 photos highlighting our trip - these were culled from around 700 photos in the other galleries for this trip. I really encourage you to look through the other galleries as there are some fantastic shots not included here. We've also included trip reviews of most of the other stops in the gallery descriptions. I also have a couple short videos on Youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=7A21F06557B49977

Overview - 100 Photos from our Sept-2007 Med Cruise

This Gallery has about 130 photos highlighting our trip - these were c ...

Updated: Jul 31, 2008 4:36pm PST

England and Scotland Pre-Cruise and Post-Cruise Trips : In-Process - Gallery not yet complete

England and Scotland Pre-Cruise and Post-Cruise Trips

In-Process - Gallery not yet complete

Updated: Oct 02, 2007 7:09pm PST

Millennium - On and Around the Ship : In-Process - Gallery not yet complete

Millennium - On and Around the Ship

In-Process - Gallery not yet complete

Updated: Jul 31, 2008 4:40pm PST

Barcelona - Port of Embarkation : We spent two nights in Barcelona before our cruise - Barcelona is a wonderful town. We returned there later on another trip and took even more pictures of this city during a longer stay - you can see them at: http://simon-pics.smugmug.com/gallery/6090444_8NMVq#382366082_z8nbZ

Barcelona - Port of Embarkation

We spent two nights in Barcelona before our cruise - Barcelona is a wo ...

Updated: Jul 31, 2008 4:39pm PST

Florence Italy - Firenza : We took the ship’s Florence-On-Your-Own tour which was basically a bus ride into Florence which is a considerable distance from town. From what we heard this was similar or lower in cost than taking a taxi and we chose this transportation to alleviate any fears of being late back to the ship should traffic slow down the return trip. Our only complaint is that the ride to Florence included a stop at a leather factory where we were presented with an array of very expensive leather goods to purchase – or not. While the rest area came in handy we would rather have had the additional time in Florence. We explored Florence on our own seeing many of the highlights and enjoying the city. We didn’t attempt to go through the museums on this trip as our visit was short and we wanted to explore the sights around the city. We did take a quick view through the Cathedral, and saw the replica David statue, and other statues around the city. We had fun walking the streets and enjoying the amazing architecture and sights around the city and the shops at, or near, Ponte Vecchia. We had coffee in the morning at a nice café and lunch at a wonderful restaurant in the neighborhoods near Ponte Vecchia. We also took a quick tour through the Church of Santa Croce and viewed some of the tombs there including, Galileo, Michelangelo, and Dante.

Florence Italy - Firenza

We took the ship’s Florence-On-Your-Own tour which was basically a b ...

Updated: Jul 31, 2008 4:39pm PST

Rome Italy : We took the Ship’s “Rome-The Eternal City” excursion. This included a tour of the Vatican Museum, including the Sistine Chapel, St. Peters Basilica, St. Peters Square and the Coliseum. As one might expect this was a large group tour with a busload of people among lots of other busloads of people, but the sights we wanted to see were those you’d expect to be very crowded in Rome (which they were). So this seemed like the type of excursion a bus tour made sense for. The excursion was very well done and exceeded our expectations for a "ship's bus tour' and we thoroughly enjoyed it.. Our bus had its own tour guide and an assistant who showed our group through the sights. The guide was very knowledgeable and used a radio system to communicate to us so we could hear him clearly among the crowds. I think with the radio system used for large groups the communications were easier, and in same cases better, than they could of been with a private guide without radios in the crowded and noisy Vatican. We entered the Vatican museum before it opened to individuals (groups only before a certain time) and while it was crowded, as we expected, it was a pleasure. The Sistine Chapel was incredible! We had about a half hour there to be amazed by the paintings. From there we entered St. Peters Basilica avoiding most of the lines, and had some time in St. Peters square and a nearby souvenir shop and pub (it was nicer than it sounds) before heading off to lunch. We were awed and amazed by the size, architecture and beauty of these Vatican sights! We had lunch at a nearby hotel which was done very nicely, despite the large size of the group. They served a great pasta dish, a very nice plate of Veal Scaloppini and a nice dessert – along with wine and coffee. Then it was off to the Coliseum where our tour guide showed us around the lower level before allowing some free time to explore the upper levels if one chose to do so (we did). Again, our tour guide was very knowledgeable and provided a nice level of information. Rome was a long (around 90 minute) bus ride from the port, but once again we didn’t need to worry about the traffic on this ship’s tour – and believe me traffic was very heavy. Overall we felt this tour was a good choice for the sights we were shown.

Rome Italy

We took the Ship’s “Rome-The Eternal City” excursion. This incl ...

Updated: Jul 31, 2008 4:41pm PST

Naples - Amalfi Coast (Positano and Sorrento) and Pompeii : In Naples we took the ship’s tour: “Exclusive Amalfi Coast, Positano, Sorrento & Pompeii”. This was a wonderful tour and one of the highlights of our cruise. The tour is given in a large van (or small bus) which held about 15 people plus a driver and tour guide. The small group was nice. It took a good half hour or so to reach the “Amalfi Drive” area where the views were spectacular. This is a drive up and down scenic coastal hills with lots of scenic cliffs and switchbacks. We first drove to Positano which is a charming town built into a steep hillside with very narrow streets. Large busses can not get into this immediate area, although some were relatively close. We stopped for about an hour or so where we had free time for sightseeing, shopping or enjoying a cappuccino at a local café. We could have spent an entire vacation here so the time seemed a little short – we’ll come back some day. Next we went to Sorrento, again traveling the scenic drive which in itself is a highlight of this trip – just spectacular!! We had another hour at Sorrento to explore the town center on our own. This is a huge market area which one would enjoy viewing even if you didn’t want to do any serious shopping. Of course we sampled a little Limoncello and bought a bottle, along with a couple other local items. Again, this was a special place we’d like to return to. We then were transported to our lunch spot, a hotel on the outskirts of Sorrento developed on the grounds and gardens of a former large estate. We were greeted with a glass of Proseco and some appetizers and we mingled along a terrace overlooking a cliff with a spectacular view up and down the coast. We then moved to a covered part of the terrace where we lunched alfresco in the shade while enjoying the amazing view. There were a few other groups on the same tour (each with their own van) which met up here for lunch. Lunch was a great Italian lunch including wine (all you really wanted) salad, pasta, a meat course (fish or chicken parmigana – both very nice) and dessert. This meal far surpassed my expectations for a “ship excursion lunch”. From there we continued to Pompeii for the last part of our tour. Our guide showed us through Pompeii. We were a bit tired and didn’t really want to stick with the group so the guide gave us a meeting place and time and we explored this fascinating area on our own while the guide took the rest of the group on a longer more involved tour of Pompeii. Again – this tour was one of the highlights of our trip and we really enjoyed the area. I’d recommend this excursion to all. While I’m happy I did the whole trip on with this excursion in our first trip here, if we return, I might just look for a basic private transportation to Positano and Sorrento to maximize our time in these two fantastic places and the drive in between.

Naples - Amalfi Coast (Positano and Sorrento) and Pompeii

In Naples we took the ship’s tour: “Exclusive Amalfi Coast, Posit ...

Updated: Oct 02, 2007 8:29pm PST

Santorini - Greece : Santorini was truly a delight and another favorite stop on our cruise. We signed up for a morning ship tour: “Pyrgos Village with Mezes & Wine”. We’d read that taking a tour was recommend as the ship excursions are transported (by tender) to a special pier where you are picked up by your tour bus, and then at the end of the tour you are left in Fira to take the cable car down to the normal tender port. This helps avoid at least the morning lines for getting ashore as the cable car lines can be long, and for many the donkey ride up hill is not appealing (it certainly would not be to us!). The walk up the steep cliff looked to be a very long and difficult one, with lots of switchbacks, even for someone like me who is used to walking a few miles a day. It turns out we were the only large ship in port at Santorini so the crowds were not as much of an issue as they otherwise might be – however the morning tour ended up being a very nice choice in any event. We had a nice ride up to a scenic view on the highest peak in Santorini. The roads were very narrow and along cliffs with lots of switchbacks. While I enjoyed he ride and found the views were great, there were a few that found the heights and drive a bit scary and did not enjoy it as much or at all – so be aware this is a ride which is not for those who don’t like twisty mountain roads. We then went to the Village of Pyrgos where we could either follow our tour guide around town or have free time to enjoy the views and architecture on our own. Afterwards we went to a nearby restaurant where we each had a small plate of Mezes (several Greek Appetizers) which ranged from great to just OK. We also had some nice local wine – all while enjoying the view (I think almost every restaurant, café or tavern in Santorini has a great view!). The tour ended in the main city of Fira a bit before noon, where you were free to either return to the ship on the cable car (ticket provided) or to further explore the town or other parts of the island. We walked around Fira a bit and had coffee at a café with a nice view of the harbor. We then decided to head to Oia for the remainder of the afternoon. We took a cab to Oia as we had just missed the bus, but the cab was just 10 or 15 euros and only took about 15 minutes. It took about 15 minute wait for a taxi to Oia, but there were several waiting to return back later in the day. We enjoyed the scenic buildings of Oia and the artsy shops there which were not quite as touristy as those in Fira – although obviously still targeted squarely at tourists. Oia (and Fira) were both a bit crowded making us wonder how busy this place would be with a couple more large ships in port! We had lunch in Oia at the Seagull restaurant. At one point we were trying to communicate something a bit unusual to our waiter and my wife pulled out a Greek Phrase book. Well the waiter pointed to the pretty picture on the cover and then out over the balcony – what a surprise! The view right in front of us was the some view pictured on the cover of the book! We had a nice Greek lunch there with a fantastic view, and then wondered around the picturesque town of Oia a bit longer before heading back to the ship late afternoon. Santorini is truly a special place with unique architecture and spectacular views. Every point of interest on the island is high up on the cliffs. We loved the island, although driving the cliffs, even in the hands of a local driver, is an experience those with a fear of heights might want to consider before setting out. Also - that evening the ship had a Greek Buffet out by the pool for dinner - a wonderful alternative to the dining room and a place to enjoy the splendor of being in the Santorini caldera - even if it was dart when we dined.

Santorini - Greece

Santorini was truly a delight and another favorite stop on our cruise. ...

Updated: Oct 19, 2009 8:27pm PST

Athens Greece : We hired a taxi for the day through a driver popular on the Cruise Critic port of call board, Spiros. He was busy that day but arranged for one of his colleagues, Theodore, to drive us. We opted for a day in Athens, not wanted to spend time on the long drive out to Sounion. Theodore was there waiting when we got through the port terminal. He spoke good English, didn’t smoke, and drove a nice newer Mercedes Sedan Taxi. We were aware that the Taxi tour drivers are not tour guides and while ours, and many others, are fairly knowledgeable and will tell you a lot about the history and sights – they will just drop you off at the sights and leave you on your own to explore after setting up a time and place to pick you up after each spot. Our driver also provided his cell phone number should we need to call him for help or an early or late pick up at any spot. We first went to the Acropolis. We hired a private tour guide for 60 euros at the guide stand near the entrance. Our guide was an older man who spoke so-so English but professed to be the best guide ever. He was very interesting and had a unique approach to say the least! He made sure we saw all the key sights around the Acropolis and pointed out a lot of fine details we might not have noticed. While it might have been nice to have a guide with a more traditional approach, and who spoke better English, we thoroughly enjoyed our tour and will never forget our guide – not many you can say that about! We were satisfied with the value we received. Video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S14-N6UL4SM After we finished at the Acropolis our driver took us to several other sites including the changing of the guard at the palace (we just missed it due to traffic so all we saw were some “freshly changed guards” – we elected not to return later despite our driver’s offer); the Agora and Plaka area, the Olympic Stadium, Zeus’s Temple and the National Archaeological Museum as well as a few other sites we viewed from the car. He had some other sights in mind for us, but we asked him to just take us to a nice spot for lunch as a final part of the day. We went to a very nice restaurant (Zorbas) back in Piraeus that was right on the edge of the water in the marina area in a classy looking part of the town. The restaurant was very nice, the staff great, and we sat water’s edge next to a glass wall that had folded away so that we were essentially in open air. The food was great and the staff very friendly.

Athens Greece

We hired a taxi for the day through a driver popular on the Cruise Cri ...

Updated: Apr 29, 2009 5:40am PST

Corfu Greece and Dubrovnik Croatia : CORFU – at the Greek Island we walked into the Old Town area and spent the morning seeing the sights and buildings around town. We had lunch on the square near to old fortress, and then walked back to the ship mid afternoon. The walks were about 1.5 to 2 miles and were pleasant – so we got a bit of exercise as well as enjoying a day in town. DUBROVNIK, CROATIA - We took an hour long taxi tour (45 Euro) which stopped at several scenic stops with views of both the ship’s harbor and the Old Town. One of the stops was the high hill overlooking the Old Town area. There was an old fortress type building and an old cable car station there, both in ruins as a result of bombing in the war, back in the early 90’s, as we saw a few other former buildings in the hills. The views were very nice and we were happy we took the short driving tour before being dropped off at Old Town. The Old Town, a medieval walled city, was like nothing we have ever seen before. It is a glimpse into the past (architecturally at least) and a beautiful and interesting place to walk around and view the buildings and streets. It is almost as if time has left this medieval city alone, except for the thousands of other tourists there and the stores and restaurants to support them. The central area is a great tourist spot. We didn’t go into too many stores, but did stop for coffee before walking about one-half of the wall. We stopped for lunch at a restaurants just outside the old town before grabbing a mid afternoon taxi back to the ship.

Corfu Greece and Dubrovnik Croatia

CORFU – at the Greek Island we walked into the Old Town area and spe ...

Updated: Oct 02, 2007 8:34pm PST

Venice Italy : Our day in Venice started mid morning as our ship approached this magnificent place. We staked out a nice viewing spot mid morning (with the help of our cruise friends who were sun bathing there earlier) for the amazing sail into Venice. Our shipped approached around 10ish, and was at the docks not much after 11 after sailing slowly down & past the Grand Canal right in front of St. Mark’s Square. What a spectacular view as the ship slowly passed the heart of City while we watched from our vantage point high above most rooftops! Wow! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAn_ijqB4Zw Our ship docked overnight in Venice so we didn’t have to disembark until the following morning. After the sail-in we finished our packing and got off the ship in the early afternoon. We took the ship’s water shuttle to St. Mark’s square area and walked through the square. We went into St. Mark’s Cathedral. We had some reservations we made on the internet, but they were not necessary as the lines were short and moved quickly. We walked through the magnificent Cathedral with its walls and ceilings covered in magnificent gold leaf mosaics, paintings, and sculptures. Unfortunately they do not allow photos to be taken in the Cathedral – the few that choose to sneak a few photos turn my stomach a bit. We also paid a fee of a few euros to climb up to a museum on the upper level at the front of the cathedral which houses, amount other magnificent works, the originals of the horses that adorn the front of the Cathedral. This area also provides access to the outside balconies overlooking St. Mark’s square. The view from this balcony alone is worth the price of admission and climb up the steep stairs. We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the city. We didn’t miss our lack of a formal tour or touring plan. Just wandering around Venice and enjoying the architecture, streets, views, and shops is plenty to fill up the day. Even if you are not one to enjoy shopping you’ll enjoy looking at the sampling of the Murano glass and Masquerade masks and costumes in the various shops – while many have similar goods there are a few that stand out with some truly artistic goods and even the common goods are beautiful. During the afternoon we “lunched” on a few snacks including coffee, panini, and other sandwiches at a Venetian Café, some cups of fresh fruit bought along the markets near the Rialto bridge and a little gelato late in the afternoon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8nDApxE0E4 Just before dusk we started a Gondola ride which ended right around sunset. We took two gondolas for the two couples so we’d both be able to enjoy the nice seats in an uncrowded gondola. We also took the longer of the two tours offered, about 150 euros per gondola which we found well worth the wonderful and very romantic experience. Our gondolier guided us along the canals (including a view of the Rialto bridge and a ride down the Grand Canal) and pointed out a few facts and special sights, including Marco Polo’s house and a house where Mozart once lived. I’ve read a lot of comments complaining about gondola pricing and the experience here on cruise critic. And yes, at one point we did pass through a short canal which smelled pretty bad. But my take is that our Gondola ride was a wonderful highlight of our cruise – very romantic, very relaxing, and very very nice. Well worth the price. We hired our gondola at a kiosk at a small square in the city. I can’t say exactly where it was, but there was a Prada store on the square if that helps find the spot. Video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cfc0ykHD9eg After our gondola ride we shopped for a few gifts then found a nice restaurant for dinner, deciding to have dinner in Venice rather than returning to the ship (we’d said our goodbyes to our table mates and dining staff the night before just in case). We had a very pleasant dinner and returned to the ship just before 11PM, ending a wonderful day in Venice.

Venice Italy

Our day in Venice started mid morning as our ship approached this magn ...

Updated: Jul 31, 2008 4:42pm PST

Villefranche - French Riviera : We originally had an early morning tour planned for our stop in Villefranche, but we realized the next few days of our cruise would be very busy touring days and decided to make it a more relaxing day so we cancelled our excursion. By the time we left the ship, just before 10AM, there was no longer a wait for the tenders to shore. We had a pleasant morning exploring Villefranche for a couple of hours. I think many cruisers rush off for other places and don’t really take the time to take a look at this charming city. We then took a taxi to Eze, which was just delightful. We’d read on cruise critic of ways to take the train and bus, but the taxi was only about 30 Euro each way and the trip was fairly short. We explored this wonderful town and shopped for an hour or so, then stopped to have a drink at the Chateau Eze. This is a hotel that has a bar and restaurant on a terrace towards the top of Eze with a magnificent view of the cliffs and shoreline. We even had a great view of the bay where the Millennium was anchored. We drank some very nice champagne cocktails (Bellinis) while enjoying the view. The drinks at the Chateau were a bit pricey (around 15 to 20 euros) but the setting was spectacular. You’d be hard pressed to find a more wonderful setting to sit and enjoy a drink and the scenery. We explored Eze a bit more and did a little shopping before heading back to the ship. Most of the stores in Eze were run by artists who offered unique products. My wife purchased a nice necklace and earrings which were relatively inexpensive. We grabbed a taxi back to Villefranche and stopped for lunch at one of the waterfront cafes and had some nice French seafood dishes along with some local house wine. It was very nice and made the perfect ending to our pleasant and relaxing day on the French Riviera.

Villefranche - French Riviera

We originally had an early morning tour planned for our stop in Villef ...

Updated: Oct 12, 2007 6:30am PST

Videos : If you have any trouble viewing the videos at this web site try looking at them at: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=7A21F06557B49977 or http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=lfsimon

Videos

If you have any trouble viewing the videos at this web site try lookin ...

Updated: Feb 06, 2008 8:29pm PST

About "purchasing" my photo's: This is a feature of Smugmug - the operator of this photo sharing web site. I can't take this off even though I'm not really in the business of selling my photographs. If anyone would really want to buy one then go ahead. Smugmug gets the profits, not me.