NCL Mediterranean Cruise 3/24-4/17/2011 (Story below)

2011 NCL JADE TRIP AND PLACES VISITED SUMMARIES

2011 NCL JADE TRIP AND PLACES VISITED SUMMARIES

Let’s do the summary first - Considering the time of year and this year's perplexing global weather, we enjoyed ourselves and will do yet another cruise. Had the best weather visiting the three islands (Malta, Canary, & Madeira) plus Marrakesh in Morocco. Cruise gave us a taste of 8 countries - Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Malta, Morocco, Canary Islands, & Madeira Islands and 10 ports – Barcelona, Malaga, Rome, Athens, Istanbul, Izmir, Casablanca, Agadir, Las Palmas, and Funchal.

Ate our breakfasts and lunches in the Garden Cafe; reliable, plentiful, good quality, and some tasty surprises. Most dinners were eaten in Alizar, the smaller included restaurant. We stuffed ourselves at one meal at Cagney's Steakhouse. Had our best meals in Le Bistro, the French restaurant. Tried to eat several meals in the Blue Lagoon, but only succeeded twice; once we never got any service and left, our only bad experience.

Next cruise we will more carefully select our cabin: never directly under the pool area (chair moving and running elephants). Watch out for the gym, dance floors, pools, and children's areas. Next time we'll try either the stern (not under the aft cafe/bar) or very forward or very aft. Right in the midsection we were also subjected to poor parents letting toddlers run unsupervised through the halls.

We will have to investigate other land tours. NCL's has good tours, but they seem expensive and poorly organized. Plus some of the fellow tour takers are real pigs who may be too ignorant to look at other options to see sights, you know, just sign up for a tour and get all our touring that way.

The crew that was visible to us (housekeeping, food & beverage, etc.) was always friendly and helpful. And they come from all over the world.

We enjoyed the Latitude and 21-day cruisers appreciation parties. Won a bottle of champagne, artwork and a signed map of our trip. Appreciated the free wine and hors d'oeuvres.

The Trip

From Grass Valley to Barcelona - Glad we left earlier than planned; heavy rain and wind all the way to SFO. Finally board our 10-hour KLM flight to Amsterdam. Smooth flight. Flight attendants were attentive and courteous. Amsterdam's airport exudes a negative energy; don't like it here; can't wait to leave. Finished the day with another easy KLM flight.

NCL Jade - Boarding is easy. Our stateroom (11042) is ready at 3 pm.; so we explore the ship.

PORT DETAILS

Barcelona - Only so many cities in the world can draw me back. Fewer still could be my home. Barcelona is one of those special cities. Livable. Sophisticated. Wonderful location. Sociable people. Enjoyed the large extensive market – fresh seafood and meat, vegetables, bread, candy, nuts, and flowers. Also visited the Cathedral, walked Barri Gotic & La Rambla.

La Sagrada Familia. Barcelona's church was designed by Gaudi. Begun in 1883, it's not finished yet! Everything forces the eyes upward. Soaring interior almost shouts, “See this! There must be a God.” Words to describe: genius, magnificent, amazing. Compared to other cathedrals we've entered, this is the most inspiring. Services are held in the crypt where Gaudi is buried. Took the elevator to the top of one of the towers for a view of the city.

Civitavecchio, Italy – a bus tour to Tarquinia, an ancient Etruscan city and a necropolis. We descended into 4 ancient elaborately painted tombs, paint still vivid after 2500 years. Visited the Palazzo Vitelleschi to see objects taken from the tombs. Still want to know more about the Etruscans, but so little is known. (Info note: Etruscan became Truscan which became Tuscany.) The tour continued to Valla del Marta resort for bruschetta, olives, wine and various fruit liqueurs.

Piraeus, Greece – Athens port city. We woke to deep thunder; a rainy day. We should have taken a cab to the train station, but afterall it’s only a 30 minute walk, but in the pouring rain? Ticket agent cheated us on our change by 5 Euro ($7). From the Monastiraki stop it's a quick walk to the Plaka where we enjoyed our Greek salad, lamb gyros, and retsina, before heading to the new Acropolis Museum. We wandered thru little back streets lined with teeny white houses with blue trim before we finally find it. Athens has done a great job establishing this museum. Even has English signage. England has no excuses now not to return the Elgin marbles.

Izmir, Turkey – Since we have already visited Ephesus, we just walk along the waterfront to the bazaar to Konak Square. Enjoyed our pide, doner kabobs & coca-cola before returning to the ship. Originally called Smyrna it was Homer’s birthplace.

Istanbul, Turkey – Sailing thru the Sea of Marmara we woke to small whitecaps, heavy overcast and more rain. Only 46 degrees outside. A quick cab ride to the Grand Bazaar with its 4,400 shops and spend 2-3 wonderful hours exploring the alleys and shops. When it's time to leave, it is still raining heavily. The cost of a cab ride is now 3 times what it was. And back at the ship he wants 4 times, but no go. Could leave us with a bad taste for Istanbul in our mouth. But the next day is not raining, so we walked over the Galata Bridge to the Egyptian Spice Market. Happier, but taxi drivers are now part of the Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves myth.

Istanbul is a gray city, not helped by heavy fog and rain; so different from Greece's white wash and happy blue homes. And with every head turn, there are at least 4-5 ponderously somber mosques. Islam seems to hinder Turkey's emergence from Ottoman rule, even though that empire fell in the 1920's.

Only sea life we've seen has been here in the Bosphorus. Leaping dolphins several times and lots of jellyfish floating by in the current.

The next day we left Istanbul passing thru the Dardanelles and Gallipoli (Turkish: Gelibolu), the 1915 site of a tremendous battle involving the Russians/Turks blockage and the British & Anzacs.

And the sun has come out!

Another day at sea before Malta and the sun is still shining. Everyone is on the deck trying to catch some rays. But it's cold in the wind. And the wind seems everywhere.

Other than the bottom branches of Greece we see no other land, only a very pretty azure sea. Calm seas too. If it weren't for the breeze, the seas would be glassy.

Valleta, Malta – Caught the Malta sightseeing bus traveling to Mosta, Mdina, St. Paul's Bay, Silema and back to Valleta. Learned that water is a scarce commodity. Habitation of Malta dates back to 3,500 BC. Rabbit stew and octopus are major foods. Because of a RAF base, Malta was heavily bombed during WW2. Became a English colony then which explains the English tourist areas, some very nice, but most are totally tacky.

Valleta is a charming city with small streets and crazy drivers. Extensive fortifications tell of its history of being attacked by pirates and Saracens. St. John's Cathedral art and majesty were amazing and included masterpieces by Caravaggio. He was once a member of the St. Johns order, but thrown out after a disagreement with a fellow knight.

Enjoyed our first really good day of weather, sun and warmth. Enjoyed our beer at one of the numerous wharf cafes.

Delightful place to return to and to learn more about it history.

Casablanca, Morocco – Drove thru on our way to Marrakesh. Saw the two draws - a copy of Rick's from the movie Casablanca and the mosque, the 2nd largest one in the world. Not much at all to pull us back.

Marrakesh, Morocco – On our 4½ drive to this desert city, we drove through field after field of various fruits and vegetables. Our hotel, Ryad Mogador, is considered 5-star – Morocco rating. My rating – a Quality Inn – clean, safe, comfortable, but no luxuries and no English TV. But no real time for TV anyway. Entering Marrakesh was a bit disappointing until we realized there are really two cities – the old one behind ancient walls & the new one, really new and modern. After a very tasty buffet lunch at our hotel, we drove through ancient walls to the Medina, a warren of little twisting allies and then to the souk, Jemaa el Fna, the exciting old marketplace full of snake charmers, henna painters, souvenir shops and pathetic chained monkeys being hauled around. Founded in 1070 it has been a cultural and community icon since then. (Explosion on April 28, 2011 killed 15).

In the 16th century the Saadi dynasty ruled Morocco. The royal family tombs are major tourist attractions now. Beautifully tiled, they contain the corpses of 60 members of the royal family. Men, women and children each have their own building. Personal servants and soldiers are buried in the courtyard. Each tomb’s top is different so people could find a particular grave (not many people could read). The tomb entrances were sealed for hundreds of years, probably from superstition, thus protecting them.

Enjoyed seeing the Sultan’s Palace Bahia and its tiles, architecture and scented gardens.

Walked by the Koutoubia Mosque, built in the late 1100’s. Starred curiously at the numerous 3’ pylons beside the Mosque. This was site of an original mosque, but built incorrectly and torn down – it didn’t face Mecca.

Had a dinner and a folk show; lots of dancing, horses and music. Half a lamb, pilaf, zucchini, and wine. Went on too long and too much food.

Personal comments and criticism: Tour to Marrakesh tried our patience, but we do not regret going. I fault NCL for not running it better; cleared short trips long before our 2-day trip. With a 4-hour drive to Marrakesh, we didn't need to sit longer in a theater waiting. And our guide's accent was so heavy; we had a hard time understanding his information. And Morocco may have a more laid-back look at life, but we would have appreciated having times and locations laid out better. Never really knew when we were meeting or where we were going.

Could probably have skipped the tent dinner, folk dance and horse show. Too much wasted food, too much time between courses, and too late (finished by 11 pm). Dinner was literally hands on, but didn’t offer us washing facilities.

Two bumpkins at our table whined and complained the whole evening spoiling the evening. The next day she covered her ears when our guide was talking about Islam, one of the world’s great religions. Just rude. And ignorant. Why spend $400 per person if she hated Islam and didn’t want to learn anything.

Agadir, Morocco – Rebuilt city after 1960 devastating earthquake. Except for a great beach area, not much to draw us back.

Our voyage to Las Palmas is rougher. Seas swells are 7.5 to 12 feet. Winds are 36 knots, near gale force local 8. Ship rocked and rolled and groaned all night.

Las Palmas, Canary Islands – Spent a couple of hours walking around this modern city. Presumed it was going to be like Malta; we were totally surprised by upscale shopping centers and department stores. Prime area for a return visit. Southern part of the island around Maspalmoas is supposed to have a great night life. There are smaller, more secluded resorts such as Barranco la Vera, Patalavaca, Puerto Rico and Mogan. We spent so much time in department stores, we didn't have a chance to visit the cathedral or Christopher Columbus's house. Research needed.

Funchal, Maderia Islands – Let's just say, I didn't want to leave. Have such fond memories of this charming place with its red roofs and white buildings. Checking out the local food fare we toured the produce and fish market, paying particular attention to the islands special fish, espada, a long eel-like scary & ugly fish. After exploring several modern department stores, it's lunch time. We wisely chose Venda da Donna Maria, a delightful restaurant in Old Town serving local fare. With wise foresight we split a tasty plate of espada, vegetables, and sliced crispy potatoes. Everything is tasty with just the correct amount of seasonings; espada is a delicate white fish. Split a papaya pudding for dessert. Our splurge was an entire bottle of local Madeira red wine. A good meal, good wine, warm basking sunshine and a stroll by the Atlantic Ocean; not going to ask for more. Except maybe to hope we get the opportunity to return.

Malaga / Granada, Spain – The Alhambra – We're off today to visit Granada and La Alhambra, the sultan's palace. Had perfect balmy weather.

La Alhambra was a palace, fortress, garden and the sultan’s home built during the Moors 600 year occupation of the area. Even without furnishings and rich tapestries and rugs, you can almost hear the daily workings of this extensive complex – the tiles, delicate plaster, the ornately carved ceilings. The Sultan’s #1 wife’s quarters resembled a cave, not dark and creepy, but bright and airy. Generalife, the gardens built in the 12th & 14th centuries for the Muslim royalty, are restful and walkable.

Also Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, built a palace in there 1527. This large square building contains a large circular patio.

Montserrat, Spain & transfer to Renaissance Airport Hotel – Time of reckoning; our cruise is over. One last tour before the hotel and the air industry takes over. Montserrat is a rocky mountain range rising 4,055’ from the valley floor and site of the monastery where people worship “La Moreneta”, the black Madonna. The monastery is a religious retreat and young people from Barcelona and all over Catalonia make overnight hikes at least once in their lives to the heights of Montserrat. Today is Palm Sunday and the courtyards are filled with people waving fronds and laurel. Wish we had time to take the cable car to the top and to walk some of the trails down the mountain, especially to the chapel built over a cave where a young boy found the black Madonna supposedly hidden by the Moors.

An overnight at the Renaissance Airport hotel and Delta takes us uneventfully home.

Our Cruise Schedule
Sun, Mar 27 - Barcelona, Board at noon, leave port at 7 pm.
Mon, Mar 28 - A day at sea, The Bonifacto Straits, between Corsica &Sardinia
Tue, Mar 29 - Civitavecchio, Italy, Rome's port, we tour Tarquinia
Wed, Mar 30 - A day at sea, The Messina Straits, between Sicily &the Italian main land
Thu, Mar 31 - Piraeus, Greece, Quick train ride to Athens &a Greek lunch & retsina
Fri, Apr 01 - Izmir, Turkey, Port to Ephesus; we stroll to the market &a kebab lunch
Sat, Apr 02 - Istanbul, Turkey, Rainy day tour of the Grand Bazaar
Sun, Apr 03 - Istanbul, Turkey, Chilly tour of Spice market
Mon, Apr 04 - Istanbul, Turkey, Set sail for Malta
Tue, Apr 05 - A day at sea
Wed, Apr 06 - Valletta, Malta, Charming
Thu, Apr 07 - A day at sea
Fri, Apr 08 - Barcelona, Sagrada Familia & the market again
Sat, Apr 09 - A day at Sea
Sun, Apr 10 - Casablanca, Morocco, Board the bus to Marrakesh
Mon, Apr 11 - Agadir, Morocco
Tue, Apr 12 - Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Modern
Wed, Apr 13 - Funchal, Madeira Islands
Thu, Apr 14 - A day at sea
Fri, Apr 15 - Granada, Board the bus to tour the Alhambra
Sat, Apr 16 - A day at sea
Sun, Apr 17 - Barcelona & Montserrat, Cruise ends

Starlight Theater Entertainment
The majority of the entertainment is fun and professional, a bonus to the cruise.
Los Lobos Ole – 3 guitarists (describe as Los Amigos meet the 3 stooges)
Nicola Loud – very accomplished English violinist. Technically great, but high notes hurt my ears.
Showdown – Singers. Larry went; I slept.
Michael Goddard – comedian. Funny.
Katy Setterfield – vocalist – we passed.
Anatolian Folkloric Group – belly dancer, 4 musicians, & 8 folk dancers. Entertaining.
Crypton & Renata – Magicians. We left this self serving boring act 15 minutes into the show.
Flash & Fever – Comedy team. Combination of acrobatics and quick change. Fun.
Elements – Indescribable. A fantastic combination of elements (air, wind, fire, water) and of entertainment elements (circus, magic, acrobatics, ballet). Standing ovation.
Showdown – A musical version of American Idol. Fun.

Ship pluses & minuses
Positives
• Glad I brought an extension card. More plugs than NCL Star, but makes for convenience.
• Like the storage and desk arrangement better than NCL Star.
• Food is tasty, good quality, and generous.
• Crew is friendly, helpful.
• Love the nicer bathrobes that come with the mini-suites.
Negatives and wish list
• 21-day cruise is considered one credited trip, but entertain repeats.
• Pillows are too hard & duvet on the bed is too heavy. Pushing it into the middle is like having a 3rd person in bed.
• Sheets are either very nice or so thin I wouldn't use them at home.
• Tour organization from the Star Theater is unorganized to almost insulting. We'll never take another NCL land tour. They should have the president of the company try them anonymously; things might improve.
• Wish they could ban cigarette smoking. Or at least not allow it in cabins. First couple of days had to endure slight smell of smoke, and there's a small burn mark on our sofa. And smoke drifts onto the balcony from other balconies and decks. Disgusting.
• Wish they helped more with cab prices and independent traveling. Think they could have more influence on the cabs. Either too protective of passengers or desire to keep passengers afraid and sell more of their tours.
• Impossible wish they could screen the passengers for tackiness (e.g., the Midwestern who covered her ears at a talk about Islam.)
• Wish people understood that resort casual is not the tee shirt they've worn all day by the pool.
• And who brings small children on a cruise; that's what Disney is for. We had several families on our level with small children who constantly ran up and down the corridor. When asked to control their children, their replies: “They paid too. They are children and it's the middle of the afternoon.”
• Wish all messages to the passengers were only delivered in English, but understand the large number of Spanish and German speakers passengers. But what about all the Australians?
• Our 21-day trip only counts as one trip, but shows repeat.