Introducing LUCCA CAFÉ in Irvine

On Sunday, June 1st 2008, 11:30am to 2pm, we have plans for 50 fellow cruisers for a Meet & Mingle Brunch at a local Euro Bistro called Lucca Café & Market. Located off Shady Canyon Drive & 405 Freeway in Irvine, California. Chef Cathy Pavlos and her husband Elliott who plays a double role as the restaurant’s General Manager and Wine Steward are looking forward to having us there for their Sunday Brunch. They have arranged to have us in the patio area exclusively.

We hope that you will plan to bring your Euro findings, questions and curiosity to meet up with some old and new friends. Diana and I hope to make this a fun social as well as have an opportunity to mingle and meet with over half of our cruisers.

Although some of you chose to have two glasses of champagne with your brunch. The cafe also has a fine selection of wines from the countries that we will be visiting during our cruise for an additional fee that you can inquire with Elliott if you like. The wine bar will be open.

A bit about our Chef Cathy, she had training from the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley and has gained a love for food in her family restaurant located in Verona, Italy where she also shares in her restaurant today. Chef Cathy like her husband has an extensive background in architecture. Prior to becoming the owners of Lucca Café, both of them taught at the university level and traveled extensively in Europe learning about wines and cheeses from various regions. Their background and passion for good food will make our visit to this family operated café truly memorable.

Here are a couple of restaurant reviews that you might like to check out if you're interested:
OC Register, City Guide, Gayot & Boorah

Written by Roger

Naples, Pompeii, Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, Capri, Herculaneum

Naples - At this port there are lots of options and the ship excursions are priced from $60 for a short transport to $345 for an all day trip on a private van on the Amlafi Coast that goes to Positano. If you have not checked out the excursions on the Celebrity site you should do that.

You can go to Capri, Sorrento, or even just stay in Naples. Here is a report from Port Reviews.com on Naples. The Cruise Critic report on Naples is here. And I just found a great "virtual tour" of Naples, here.

Pompei - I really zeroed in on the sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum. For the ship excursions there are:

• Pompeii - A big bus trip (NP03) to Pompeii that is 4 hours and costs $69.00, but this also includes the cameo factory. I would be annoyed if we had to leave early in order to see the cameo factory (tourist thingy). The drive to Pompeii is 45 minutes each way. So this means you are in Pompeii about 2 hours.



• Herculaneum - There is one tour (NP06) that runs 3 1/2 hours for $64.00. Guess what, you also get to go to the cameo factory!! The drive time is not specified.
  

There is also a local train from Naples to Pompeii, but if you decide to get yourself to one of these sites, one question is whether you will need to have a guide for Pompeii or can figure it out on your own? See this discussion at slowtrav.org. Here from Cruise Critic is another take on the matter with a link to another private tour site:

We used AP Tours (http://www.aptours.it/) for the Naples area and while I don’t recall the cost for the 4 of us, it was less than $1000, and we had an air conditioned Mercedes mini van with a wonderful driver at our disposal for the entire day. I discussed and planned our day in advance via email. ... if you want to see Pompeii, I’d strongly suggest you find the extra 100 Euros for a licensed guide which AP will arrange for you – really made the place come alive for us.

My stateroom-mate, Carol, and I are planning on doing a private tour at this stop where can see Pompeii and not be pressured into hurrying. I would also like to see Herculaneum if we had the time. If anyone is interested in paying a bit more at this stop and joining us (I think we can have up to six), you can send me an e-mail.

Photo from wikicommons of the Palestra in Pompeii

MEET & GREET BRUNCH - Let The Fun Begin...

Thanks everyone for both your YES and Sorry, can't make it notification. Our RSVP counts are finalized for our Med Cruise Meet & Greet Brunch for June 1st at 11:30am at Lucca Cafe in Irvine (6507 Quail Hill Pkwy). Be sure to bring your questions so we can assist in finding the answers for you. Here is a peek guest list of who you can reconnect with again. As well as to meet and have an opportunity to share & laugh with some new friends.
Yes, count me in I'll be there are:

Karen Allison
Mike Allison
Robin Allison
MarleneBeatty
Sheila Goodbrand
Wendy Brown
Marty Bryant
Russell Cobb
Randy Hardin
Bob Dollenmayer
Joaquin Dollenmayer
Kim Eckes
Pat Fierro
Linda McCue
Dawna Finley
Elliot Ghertner
Carole Ghertner
Sean Hagerty
Andrea Babby
Sally Hooper
Norm Kilgore
Wendy Kilgore
Alex Kuncio
April Layman
Michele Louvenduski
Jim Mies
Ross Moodie
JoMary Murphy
Michael Murphy
Garth Nelson
Jan Noce
Patty Flanagan
Liddy Paulsen
Scott Paulsen
Carolyn Quackenbush
Kay Tindel
Judy Rez
Lesley Stearns
Pam Shaffer
Perry Soderberg
Cindy Street
Gary Street
Dell Tredinnick
Laura Tredinnick
John Tucker
Lois Tucker
Buzz Vaughn
Karen Vaughn
Roger Davis
Diana Davis

Walking Barcelona...Provided By Jim

Here's another fabulous insight to our first port of call, Barcelona Spain. A fellow friend and colleague has provided this link to me and wanted to share this with you. Check out the L.A. Times Article on Barcelona, Spain Walking Tour. Jim will be at our Meet and Greet Brunch on June 1st. So let him know that you read it here on the blog.

Rome details

Here is some more information about the different areas of Rome. Rome is a great city to wander in (as Diana wants to do), and you will see from the map that all of the important sites are pretty close together (walk, cab or bus). Below is a Google map I have created that includes the various points of interest that I talk about. If you zoom in (click on the +) you can actually see the buildings and if you click on the rounded arrow on the map it will tell you what it is.


View Larger Map

In the Centro Storico (historic center) of Rome, Piazza Navona (red arrow) is a “square” that started in the 1st century as Roman circus where they held games, sort of like a sports stadium or track field. It is not square, but an oblong area now surrounded by houses, shops and hotels which shelter several well-known fountains as well as outdoor cafes. At one time the piazza was the home of the city open-air marketplace which has been moved to the Campo di’Fiori (blue arrow) a few blocks to the south.

Many blocks northeast are the Spanish Steps (purple arrow), the upscale shopping, the Trevi Fountain (turquoise arrow). To the west is the Castel Sant’Angelo (a blue arrow), St. Peter’s and the Vatican (another blue arrow). If you want to see the Vatican, you should check into making reservations or getting a tour since there are usually long lines to get in.

The Pantheon (green arrow) was originally built in 27 BC, but the current construction dates to 125 AD. It is the most amazing giant dome building with a central opening (oculus) that is open to the sky. The height of the dome is equal to its diameter, and the entire structure will take your breath away. It is still used as a church. The square outside the Pantheon is a lively meeting place full of sidewalk cafes and restaurants.

The Via Veneto (yellow arrow) is a mile or so east of the Centro Storico. The neighborhood was developed in the 1700s with elaborate villas and vacation homes of the rich Romans, which during the 1800s were converted to hotels, restaurants and bars. It is a street that was made famous as the fashionable place to live and gather by the movie La Dolce Vita. At one end of the street is Piazza Barberini with several famous fountains. Most guidebooks point out that the rich and famous are no longer found at the charming sidewalk cafes (although it still sounds charming).

A couple of miles from these neighborhoods are the ancient Roman ruins of the Colosseum (a blue arrow), the Forum and those historical sites. The hotel where Diana and Roger are staying is near the Stazione (to the right on the map).

This is easily do-able just wandering around a day (or parts of two days) and evening. Another option for Rome is the Hop On and Off bus from Viator. It is less than $25 for 24 hours, and you can also get it for 48 hours. You can also grab a cab if your feet get tired!

When we were in Rome we took a cab from Campo d'Fiori (where we were staying) to the Vatican, spent the most of the day there and at St. Peters, walked back, stopping at the Piazza Navona. Another day we took a cab to the Colosseum and Forum (you buy one ticket to get in to both places), then took a cab to the Spanish Steps and then walked back to the Campo stopping at the Pantheon. The Campo d'Fiori is such an amazing market that we spent many hours just soaking up that atmosphere and there was a near-by Pizza Rustica place were we ate several meals (you know how you get stuck and comfortable someplace). I will interested to see if it is still there!

Enjoy

Shore excursions

Okay, you have the hotels lined up but now it is time to get serious about what shore excursions we want to go on. As Diana says here, you don't have to do an excursion in every port, but looking at the offerings from the cruise line will give you an idea of what things are available. If you think that you just want to see the area where the ship docks, it is a good idea to look at the reviews of the ports on the various cruise review sites to get an idea of what to do if you don't want to take a train or bus somewhere else.

If you go to the Celebrity website (click here), and then choose to "Manage My Reservation" you can register online and then see the shore excursions, etc. You will HAVE TO register online at some point before we leave because you have to check in online for the cruise no later than three days before we leave. So you might as well register now (you don't have to check in now)!!!!! It might ask you for a confirmation number or reservation number which Diana explained in this post.

Anyway, you can print out all of the shore excursions they have listed at this point which is a 48 page brochure or just look at the excursions online. If nothing else we can talk about these excursions when we get together on June 1!

Some of the excursions have limited availability so if you have your heart set on something you might need to decide soon. If you wait until onboard, there is chance you will be stuck with less attractive choices. Here is a link to someone on Cruise Critic recommending pre-booking. Of course if you wait, and then the excursions are booked, you will have your decision made for you!

Coming up: Rome, Naples

Picture of Bay of Naples from Wikipedia

Language… by Karen V

…Buon Giorgno, Hola, Bonjour, Kalimera. Take the time to learn a couple of key words in the languages of the cities we’ll be visiting. It will go a long way toward diplomatic relations, getting that special “price” on that bauble or making a new-found friend, even if you butcher the words. They’ll generally know right away you’re American and switch to English. But try it! You’ll like it, Si??? Written by Karen V.

Helpful Tip: SAVE TIME & STAY CONNECTED

Whether you're retired or still working, Single or Married, Female or Male, Young or Old, we all seem to have full lives, ever so busy with not enough hours in the day and inundated daily with things to do, task & chores, demands and responsibilities...it just never seems to end! But, you're going on a cruise and this means you need to know the details, information and deadlines!

Our Med Cruise Blog is the central information tool that I am using to disseminate all the information that I am aware of to assist you with this cruise. So stay with me for a bit more and follow this helpful tip that you might want to seriously make a priority to incorporate so that you can save time and still keep connected without needing to check the cruise blog for information. Now breathe and check it out --- It's not hard, really!

Located on the Roger & Diana's Med Cruise 2008 Blog, right hand side, lower dark blue section. Directly under the article "How to ..." there is a section called "Subscribe to receive posts via email" Do you see it? A white box exists under "Enter your email address"...tilt your head down a little, can you see it now? Place your email address in it. Click Subscribe. Then a window will pop open to have you verify your action. Type in the symbolic alphabet script that is shown and accept.

Every new article being posted or when a comment is made on an article, an email will be sent to your In Box. This will allow you to not have to check the blog on a consistent basis. Thereby of course, giving you more time to handle your day to day business or simply to take a moment for yourself!

Understand that it is imperative however that you read all of the details of the blog at some point as the click on that Subscribe button does not send you articles and comments that have already been posted. Be sure that you also scroll down to the bottom and click the 'Older Post' note on the lower right hand side of the bottom article so that it will update you to the full cruise blog.

If you still can't get what I am saying...email either Kay or myself and we'll walk it through with you. You're gonna love the convenience. Now give it a try!

Diana & Roger... Overnight in Roma!

Some of you have been inquiring about the option to an overnighter in Rome? Just wanted to take this opportunity to let you know that Roger and I have made the decision to do just that. Spend the night in Roma! The trip between the Ports of Call for Rome (Civitavecchia) and the actual center City of Rome is approximately an hour plus drive and about 52 miles (per International Mapquest). Which means with traffic and terrain it can be more. As a result we decided that spending the night in Roma would work out better for us as we have decided not to participate in the Celebrity shore excursion in this port which will allow us to experience nightlife in the city!

If this is of interest to you, contact our travel agent Alex as she has found a wonderful Hotel for us called the Mecenate Palace which is centrally located in Rome. Alex can give you further details. We plan to get a round trip train ticket from Civitacvecchia to Rome and back again. The Celebrity Summit will arrive at 7am and depart at 7pm the following day! Important tip? Don't miss the boat and allow enough time to get back! Call Alex if interested, rooms were available as of May 1st!