I'm back to forum, just got my Europe fill..

[cindyo]

Hi folks,
Just had the most incredible trip of my life in Europe. We cruised on Carnival Magic for 12 days and spent another 4 in Barcelona. Great trip with my DD and 2 daughters. Now that I am fullfilled with European travel, studying all that I could and focusing on that trip, I am back into my Aruba mode for November....

Thanks to Princess who sent me lots of info on Barcelona.

Cindy

[Andrea J.]

welcome back and you were missed!

[Arubalisa]

I vote that Cindy share her trip report here

It was lovely!

[princess]

So happy to hear you had a good time

I would like to read your trip report as well!!

[cindyo]

Lisa you can post it if you can... Me

Originally Posted by Arubalisa

I vote that Cindy share her trip report here

It was lovely!

[DANNYO]

welcome home O family

[Arubalisa]

The ship we sailed out, Carnival Magic, was amazing. We left out of Barcelona after spending 1.5 days in that city.
Barcelona was ok for day 1 of our vacation. We walked La Rambla, a 2 mile pedestrian mall with cafe's, shops, artists, etc. Nice slow day after the travel.
We flew Iberia, and imop, the airline was great. The food was good, the service and attention of the cabin crew was great.
Boarded the shop on Sunday around 11 in the port of Barcelona.
All went smoothly, and we were in our cabins around 1:00. Had lunch on the Lido deck. No complaints.
Ports we visited were all great, with Venice ( 1.5 days) being our top destination. We also say Rome with the trevi fountain, pantheon, colesuem, and basilica with John Pauls casket, pieata etc.
Other stops were Sorrento seeing a family farm making olive oil. lemoncello, and moz cheese. The town of Sorrento was lovely with cafes, shops, good pizza etc. Saw Pompeii after that stop. That stop was one of our favorites. Another favorite was Taorima in Sicily. It was the town of the Godfather movie. We ate pizza in a small restaurant and listened to 2 guitar players play Godfather tunes. What a beatutiful town that was.
Other stops that were ok, nice, glad I saw them, but don't need to go back to were Milan ( yes !!), Palma De Majorca, and Marseille france. Nice area's , glad I saw. We septiically went to Milan as J. might be going for a semester next year for her major.
Things we bought were pearls in Majorca, handbags, purses, wallets, murano glass bead necklaces in Venice, t shirts in all the Hard Rock cafes we saw...
All in all it was an experience of a lifetime.
One of the coolest moments which couldn't be captured on a camera or video was the boat pullling out of Venice with Pavorati on the jumbo tron screen singing while we stood on the edge of the ship watching the the tiny island below us.
The ship was magnificent. We did the behind the scenes tour and saw everything from the washing machines, to the quarters for crew to the galley, bridge, brink, morgue, liquor hold, meat locker, hospital, galley for the crew, and photo's with the captain.It was an incredible tour.
We also did the Chef's Table and had a private dinner with the head chef in the galley. It was like a 7 course dinner with free flowing wine, and a menu to die for. Pictures with the chef also.
The freaking ship was the size of 3 football fields.
It had 2 dining rooms with 2 seatings, a water slide that would scare the life out if me, a rope walkway around a course, mini golf, 6 hot tubs, a pub, a martini bar, a sushi bar, an Italian restaurant that was outstanding, and a steakhouse that we did not go to.
Our cruise director was John Heald which Lisa probably heard of.
He was a funny guy.
SO, thats it in a nutshell..

[Arubalisa]

John Heald is arguably the most famous and popular cruise director to have sailed the seven seas.

Again, I am so happy that ya'll had the trip of a lifetime!

[qlaval]

...

[Love Aruba]

Glad you are back, and I loved your report. Sounds like a wonderful trip.
Pat