Monaco & Monte Carlo

Bonjour!

When visiting the French Riviera, one must make a stop at these two cities that are only twelve miles east of Nice:
Monaco, “The Rock”, a land steeped in history and the envy of many for centuries, and
Monte Carlo, a Mediterranean mini Las Vegas.

Villefranche (Nice), France

Villefranche, France This bustling little town on the coast of France has its own unique charm. Part of the Côte d'Azur Villefranche offers long sandy beaches, terrace cafés, and world-class cuisine, making it a great stop on your way to Monte Carlo, Nice, or Cannes.

Nice, France Situated at the foot of the Alps is the French Riviera city of Nice. Once you arrive here, it will be clear why this jewel of the French Riviera is home to some of the world's most luxurious hotels and terraced cafés. Stroll along the ultra-famous Promenade des Anglais or see masterpieces by Matisse, Renoir, Monet and Chagall in one of Nice's many museums. For a true taste of Nice, sample the local favorites, including onion, anchovy and olive tarts known as pissaladières, along with succulent little black olives known as caillettes.

Florence , Italy

Florence, nestled in the Tuscan hills, rimmed by olive groves and vineyards, bathed in a mysterious soft light that enchants the world. This fountainhead of the Renaissance is also a shopper's paradise. Enjoy a breathtaking panorama atop Piazzale Michelangelo, and the Academy of Fine Arts where proud "David" stands.

Specialties of Florence:
Breathtaking views
Shoppers paradise
Cobblestone streets
World Famous museums
Michelangelo's David

Rome, Italy

Painting in the Vatican Museum











Trevi Fountain






Rome (Italian and Latin: Roma) is the capital city of Italy. It is located on the Tiber and Aniene rivers, near the Mediterranean Sea. The Vatican City, a sovereign enclave within Rome, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church and the home of the Pope.
Rome is the largest city in Italy and its municipality is one of the largest in Europe with an area of 1290 square kilometers. It has a population of 2,546,807 (2004) with almost 4 million living in the metropolitan area.
Rome today is one of the most important tourist destinations of the world, due to its immense heritage of archaeological and artistic treasures, as well as for its unique traditions and the beauty of its views and its "villas" (parks). Among the most interesting resources, plenty of museums (Musei Capitolini, the Vatican Museums, Galleria Borghese, and a great many others), churches, historical buildings, the monuments and ruins such as the Roman Forum or the Catacombs.

Cruiseheads....Are you there????

I'd sure like to know if anyone is benefiting from reading this blog. Please take a minute to comment on the posts as I enter them, or I really have to wonder if this is a worthy way of keeping us all informed and excited. If you need instructions on how to become a "blogger" , I've posted them further down on this site...look for the blog with the picture of Larry and I (the picture is changed weekly, because we are not too fond of any of them!) Hope to hear from all of you soon! Linda

I can't stop thinking about Venice!

Back to Venice for a minute, as I seem to be in love with it….I found a very cool link to a website that has lots of good information about the city, including just about everything that the first time visitor needs to know! Check out this website: http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/planner/blp_index_venice.htm

Millennium Calendar!

Check this link out! I found a calendar for the Millennium that tells you where she is every day until we board! Just one more thing that supports the theory that I have too much free time on my hands…


http://www.cruisecal.com/dnn/Default.aspx?tabid=266

Airfare, Pre and Post Cruise Information

Attention All Cruiseheads from Near and Far…our awesome AAA travel agent (Tami) has provided us with some very helpful information regarding airfare, air deviations and pre/post cruise stays. Please refer to the information below and remember that all of these things are able to be booked at this time. Please call Tami with your requests.

Cruise Line Air out of SEATTLE - $1288.30 Per Person
Cruise Line Air out of PHOENIX - $1338.30 Per Person
Cruise Line Air out of NASHVILLE - $1285.30 Per Person

If cruise line air is purchased the cost to deviate the air for independently booked Pre or Post cruise hotel nights is $75 per person plus possible tax increase.
We can request the best non-stop, if any, flights available. We can request specific flights and or specific connection cities. The cruise line will let us know the schedule they come up with and if there will be any additional costs before charging the deviate fee.
If cruise line air and pre or post cruise hotel nights are purchased with Celebrity the cost of the deviation is waived.

PRE CRUISE in Venice, Italy
SOFITEL HOTEL transfers included
1-Nights Pre Cruise 2-Nights Pre Cruise 3-Nights Pre Cruise
$306 per person $590 per person $873 per person


POST CRUISE in Barcelona, Spain
GRAND HOTEL transfers included
1-Nights Post Cruise 2-Nights Post Cruise 3-Nights Post Cruise
$165 per person $304 per person $443 per person

CASA FUSTER HOTEL transfers included
1-Nights Post Cruise 2-Nights Post Cruise 3-Nights Post Cruise
$230 per person $435 per person $639 per person

LE MERIDIEN transfers included
1-Nights Post Cruise 2-Nights Post Cruise 3-Nights Post Cruise
$289 per person $551 per person $814 per person

MAJESTIC transfers included
1-Nights Post Cruise 2-Nights Post Cruise 3-Nights Post Cruise
$242 per person $459 per person $676 per person

HOTEL REGINA transfers included
1-Nights Post Cruise 2-Nights Post Cruise 3-Nights Post Cruise
$181 per person $335 per person $490 per person

ATRIUM PALACE transfers included
1-Nights Post Cruise 2-Nights Post Cruise 3-Nights Post Cruise
$203 per person $382 per person $560 per person

( A great reference web site with info. and reviews for these hotels is http://www.tripadvisor.com/ )

Webcams for the Millennium

We thought it might be fun to keep the links for web cameras on the Millennium on this site, so that you can see where our ship is on any given day. Just click on the links below, choose our ship (if needed) and check out the scenery! Remember that there is quite a time difference, so if you do your checking during the day, you'll most likely see darkness over there.

1. www.cruisediva.com/cams_ships.htm
2. www.celebrityatsea.com/index.aspx?Value=8&Loc=CM2
3. cruiseclues.com/cruisecams.htm
4. http:www.cruiseserver.net/travelpage/other/ship_cams.asp
   

Naples, Italy and the Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast, Italy (la Costiera Amalfitana) is a beautiful and much praised stretch of mountainous coastline south of Naples, in Campania. The southern end of the Bay of Naples stretches out in a peninsula that reaches towards the Isle of Capri. Sorrento, another major tourist destination, looks back towards Naples from the north coast of the peninsula. The southern side of the peninsula is dotted with picturesque villages and towns clinging giddily to cliffs; this is what is known as the Amalfi Coast.
Check out the link below for more awesome information and pictures of this beautiful area: http://www.amalfi-coast-italy.net

I also found a really cool virtual tourist website that actually takes you on terrific virtual tours of Naples, Rome, Venice and more. Check this site out! http://www.virtourist.com/europe/