Category Archives: Italy

cruise, Italy, Memory Keeping

Florence from Livorno: A Perfect Cruise Day in Florence

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A private transfer, a local guide, a wine window, the Ponte Vecchio, and an affogato. Basically, a very good day in Florence.

Florence was one of those cruise ports where I knew I wanted to see the big sights—but I also knew I didn’t want to spend the entire day worrying about trains, taxis, schedules, or whether we’d make it back to the ship on time.

So we did Florence our way: a private transfer from Livorno, a private guide for three hours, and then plenty of time to wander on our own.

And honestly? It was the perfect combination.

From Livorno to Florence

We met our private driver in Livorno and headed toward Florence, letting someone else worry about the driving while we enjoyed the scenery.

When you’re visiting Florence on a cruise, the distance between the port and the city is something to consider. Having a private transfer meant we didn’t have to navigate public transportation or worry about getting back to the ship.

Our driver dropped us off in Florence and we met our private guide for the morning.

And this is where having a guide made such a difference. Armando looked like the quintessential guide you would picture. He reminded me of Indiana Jones! 😂

Three Hours With a Private Florence Guide

Florence is one of those cities where you can walk around and see beautiful things everywhere you look—but having someone explain what you’re actually looking at takes the experience to another level.

Our guide spent about three hours with us, taking us through some of Florence’s most famous sights.

The Baptistry

We started with the Baptistry, right in the heart of Florence.

Even before you step inside, the architecture and those famous doors immediately tell you that you’re somewhere special.

Our guide filled us in on the history and details that would have been very easy to miss if we’d simply wandered past on our own.

Baptistry Dome

The Duomo

From there, we made our way to the Duomo, officially the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.

There are certain places that photographs simply don’t prepare you for, and the Duomo is one of them.

The size, the details, the colors, the dome—it is a lot to take in.

And because our guide knew the area so well, we weren’t spending our precious Florence day figuring out where to go next.

Museo dell’Opera del Duomo

Next was the Museum of the Duomo, which houses an incredible collection of original works of art and sculpture connected to the cathedral complex.

This was another place where having a guide was especially helpful. Rather than simply looking at beautiful pieces, we understood what we were seeing and why it mattered.

Accademia and Michelangelo’s David

We finished our guided portion of the day at the Accademia, home of Michelangelo’s David.

And yes…seeing David in person is one of those travel moments.

You’ve seen the pictures. You’ve seen him in books. You’ve probably seen miniature versions in every gift shop in Florence.

But standing in front of the actual sculpture is completely different.

Our guide wrapped up our three hours here, and from this point on, Florence was ours to explore.

And that’s exactly how I like to do a city day.

See the important stuff with someone who knows what they’re doing. Then go wander.

David

And Then We Wandered…

This might actually be my favorite part of Florence.

Once our tour was over, we didn’t have an agenda.

We walked.

We popped into little streets.

We looked in windows.

We stopped whenever something caught our attention.

And, naturally, we found a wine window.

Because if you’re wandering through Florence and happen upon a little wine window, you obviously have to investigate.

These tiny windows—known as buchette del vino—are one of those wonderfully quirky pieces of Florentine history that make wandering around the city so much fun.

Lunch Behind the Duomo

By lunchtime, we were ready to sit down and enjoy a proper Italian meal.

We found a restaurant tucked behind the Duomo and settled in for lunch.

No rushing.

No checking the time every five minutes.

Just good food, a beautiful setting, and that feeling that you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

And honestly, isn’t that what a day in Italy is supposed to feel like?

Crossing the Ponte Vecchio

After lunch, we continued wandering toward the Ponte Vecchio.

Crossing this famous medieval bridge is one of those Florence experiences that feels almost surreal.

The shops lining the bridge, the Arno below, the buildings rising along the river…

It’s busy, but it’s also beautiful.

We crossed over and spent some time walking along the Oltrarno side of the river.

It felt a little different from the busier streets around the Duomo—more relaxed and perfect for simply strolling.

One More Stop: Affogato

Eventually, it was time to start making our way back toward our meeting point.

But we had one very important stop to make first.

Affogato.

Because apparently there is always room for gelato when you’re in Italy.

A scoop of gelato with espresso poured over it is basically the perfect afternoon pick-me-up—and a pretty great way to end a day of walking around Florence.

Then it was time to meet our driver and head back to Livorno and our ship.

Was a Private Florence Day Worth It?

For us, absolutely.

The combination of a private transfer + private guide + free time to wander gave us the best of both worlds.

We got the history and major sights without spending our entire day trying to figure out logistics. Our guide took us through the places we really wanted to see, and then we had several hours to simply enjoy Florence.

And perhaps most importantly, we didn’t have to worry about getting ourselves back to the ship.

For a cruise day in Florence, that peace of mind is worth something.

Our Florence Day at a Glance

Port: Livorno
Transportation: Private transfer to/from Florence
Guided tour: Approximately 3 hours
Visited: Baptistry • Duomo • Museo dell’Opera del Duomo • Accademia
Then: Wine window • Lunch behind the Duomo • Ponte Vecchio • Oltrarno • Affogato
Style: Private touring + plenty of free time

If you’re visiting Florence from a cruise ship, my biggest piece of advice is this:

Don’t try to do everything.

Pick the things you really want to see, have someone else handle the logistics, and leave yourself enough time to wander.

Because some of the best Florence memories happen when you’re not actually looking for anything at all.

Sometimes you’re just walking down a street, you find a little wine window, and suddenly you’re having one of those this is why I came to Italy moments.

cruise, Italy, Memory Keeping

Sicily in One Day: Our Private Etna & Taormina Shore Excursion

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Greek Theatre

A cruise-port day from Catania that took us from an active volcano to one of Sicily’s most beautiful hill towns.

There are some cruise days where you step off the ship, wander around the port, grab lunch and head back.

And then there are the days when you look at the itinerary and think:

We’re in Sicily. We have one day. Let’s make it count.

That was our day in Catania.

Rather than staying in the city or booking a large group excursion, we arranged a private tour with a driver and guide that combined two experiences I really wanted to see: Mount Etna and Taormina.

And it turned out to be one of those days that reminded me exactly why I love private touring.

Our Sicily Cruise Day

We were sailing the Mediterranean aboard Norwegian Cruise Line, and Catania was one of our ports of call.

With only one day in Sicily, we knew we couldn’t see everything.

Sicily is a BIG island, and trying to cram half of it into a cruise-port day isn’t really my idea of fun.

So we narrowed it down to two very different experiences:

Mount Etna + Taormina.

One was all about nature, geology and that slightly surreal feeling of standing on a volcano.

The other was quintessentially Sicilian — beautiful streets, history, incredible views and one of the island’s most famous ancient sites.

It felt like a pretty good combination.

First Stop: Mount Etna

There is something a little surreal about driving toward a volcano.

Especially when that volcano is Mount Etna, one of the most active volcanoes in the world and the highest volcano in Europe. Etna has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its globally significant geological features. (Visit Sicily)

As we climbed higher, the scenery changed.

The landscape became more rugged, darker and more volcanic. Suddenly, this wasn’t the sunny Mediterranean scenery I had pictured when I thought about Sicily.

It was something completely different.

And that was part of what made it so fascinating.

Standing on Etna

Our guide, Chiara, made the experience even better because we weren’t simply being dropped off at a viewpoint and told to take pictures.

We learned about the volcano, the landscape and the way Etna has shaped the area around it.

And then there was that moment when you realize:

I’m actually standing on Mount Etna. And smoke is billowing out of it! (It erupted a few days later!)

You can read about volcanoes all day, but there’s something completely different about seeing the black volcanic rock and landscape for yourself.

The official Sicily tourism site describes the higher areas around Etna as a landscape of craters and lava rock — and I completely understood the comparison to another planet once we were there. (Visit Sicily)

It didn’t feel like the Italy I had imagined.

It felt like Sicily.

Then We Headed to Taormina

From Etna, we continued on to Taormina, and this was where the day took a completely different turn.

Isola Bella

If Etna felt dramatic and otherworldly, Taormina felt like the Sicily you see in your imagination.

Beautiful.

Historic.

A little glamorous.

And incredibly photogenic.

Taormina sits high above the Ionian coast, with spectacular views toward the sea and Mount Etna. The official Sicily tourism site describes it as a terrace overlooking the sea, and that really is the feeling you get when you’re there. (Visit Sicily)

The Greek Theatre

Our visit included Taormina’s famous Greek Theatre, and this was definitely one of those places where the pictures don’t quite do it justice.

The theatre was originally built by the Greeks in the 3rd century BC and was later modified during the Roman period. Its location is part of the magic — the ancient stone structure opens up to views of the surrounding landscape, including Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea. (Visit Sicily)

Standing there, looking through the ancient columns toward Etna and the sea, I remember thinking:

Okay. THIS is why we came to Sicily. I could have stood there for hours!

It’s history, architecture and scenery all happening in the same place.

And because Taormina is built into the hillside, the walk itself is part of the experience.

Wandering Taormina

One of my favorite things about Taormina was simply wandering.

We walked through the streets, took in the views, browsed the shops and soaked up the atmosphere.

The main pedestrian street, Corso Umberto, runs through the heart of town and is filled with boutiques, restaurants, cafés and shops.

This is one of those places where I think it’s important not to over-plan every minute.

Leave yourself some time to wander.

Look up.

Take the picture.

Stop for something to eat.

And let yourself get a little distracted.

That’s part of the fun.

Our guide, Chiara, had a little art show going on that we popped into. Her daughter was overseeing it while she was working with us. She had beautiful artwork.

And Yes… We Ate Our Way Through Sicily a Little

Because obviously we did.

One of the little highlights of the day was getting to try arancini, those famous Sicilian stuffed rice balls.

After spending the morning climbing around a volcano, they tasted especially good.

😂

This is another reason I love having a private guide.

You can ask questions.

You can get recommendations. Chiara told us where to get the best arancini.

You can stop when something catches your eye.

The day doesn’t have to feel like you’re simply checking boxes on an itinerary.

Why We Chose a Private Tour

This is probably the biggest takeaway I would have for anyone planning a cruise day like this.

Etna and Taormina are both places I wanted to experience with some flexibility.

A private tour gave us:

  • Our own driver and guide
  • Transportation between the different stops
  • A guide who could explain what we were seeing
  • Flexibility throughout the day
  • No large tour group to keep up with
  • Someone else worrying about the roads, parking and logistics
  • The comfort of knowing we had transportation waiting for us

And perhaps most importantly:

We weren’t spending our entire day figuring out how to get from one place to the next.

When you’re visiting Sicily as part of a cruise, that’s a big deal.

You have a ship to get back to.

I’ve visited Taormina before, 3 years ago and we did a ship excursion that time. Big bus, 30 people, no flexibility. Barely had time to have a snack. I still loved Taormina, but this was much calmer.

Can You Do Etna and Taormina in One Day?

Yes — with the right itinerary and transportation, it can make sense to combine the two.

But I wouldn’t approach it as:

“Let’s see everything in Sicily!”

You can’t.

Instead, think about it as choosing two experiences that complement each other.

For us, that was:

Etna = nature + adventure + something completely different

Taormina = history + beauty + food + wandering

Together, they gave us a really wonderful introduction to eastern Sicily.

The official regional tourism itinerary actually pairs Etna and Taormina as highlights of eastern Sicily, which makes sense once you’ve experienced how naturally the two work together.

What I Would Keep in Mind When Planning This Cruise Day

1. Don’t underestimate the distances.

Sicily is much larger than many first-time visitors realize.

If you’re visiting on a cruise, look carefully at your port time and build in plenty of cushion for your return to the ship.

2. Wear comfortable shoes.

Taormina is beautiful, but this isn’t the place for uncomfortable shoes just because they look cute in your vacation photos.

There are hills, stone streets and plenty of walking.

3. Bring layers.

The temperatures can feel very different between the coast and higher elevations around Etna.

4. Don’t try to do too much.

Etna and Taormina already made for a full day.

I would rather really experience two places than spend the entire day looking at my watch because I have six more stops to squeeze in.

5. Consider private transportation.

Especially for a cruise-port day, having someone else handle the driving and logistics can make the entire experience feel much more relaxed.

Would We Do It Again?

Absolutely.

Not because we “checked Sicily off our list.”

Actually, quite the opposite.

Our day at Etna and Taormina left me feeling like we had only scratched the surface.

That’s one of my favorite things about travel.

You visit somewhere for one day and come home with a whole new list of places you want to see.

Sicily definitely did that to me.

If I Were Planning This for a Client…

This is exactly the type of cruise day where I would start by asking:

What do you actually want to experience?

Do you want food?

Wine?

Ancient history?

A beach?

A volcano?

Beautiful scenery?

Shopping?

A slower day?

You don’t need to see all of Sicily in one cruise stop.

You need to choose the experience that will make you say:

“I’m so glad we did that.”

For us, that was Etna and Taormina.

And honestly?

I’d make that choice again in a heartbeat. 🇮🇹🌋

Planning Your Own Mediterranean Cruise?

If you’re looking at a Mediterranean cruise and feeling a little overwhelmed by all those ports, that’s exactly where I come in.

I don’t just help you book the cruise.

I help you figure out what to do once you get there — including private tours, shore excursions, transportation and the little details that can turn a port day into one of your favorite memories.

I’m Barb, your travel advisor at Magical Travels with Barb — the person who plans the trip you didn’t know you needed.

[Let’s start planning your trip →]

cruise, Italy, Memory Keeping

How We Spent Our 2 Days in Rome — And Why I Planned It This Way

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We had 48 hours in Rome.

That sounds like plenty of time… until you start looking at everything you want to see.

The Vatican. St. Peter’s Basilica. The Colosseum. The Roman Forum. The Trevi Fountain. And then, because I wanted to experience something a little different, an underground tour that took us beneath the streets of Rome into a hidden world of ancient water systems and history.

So the challenge wasn’t simply:

“What can we see in two days?”

It was:

“How can we see the most important things without spending our entire 48 hours rushing from one crowded attraction to another?”

That is where the planning really mattered.

I Didn’t Plan Rome as a Checklist

When I plan travel for my clients, one of the first things I look at isn’t how many attractions can we fit in?

It’s how do these experiences fit together geographically, logistically and emotionally?

Rome is one of those cities where you can technically see a lot in a short amount of time—but if you aren’t careful, you’ll spend half your day waiting in lines, navigating crowds and trying to figure out where you’re supposed to be next.

With only two days, I wanted our major sightseeing experiences to feel intentional.

So I divided our time into experiences where having a private guide would add real value and experiences where a smaller specialty tour made more sense.

That distinction made a huge difference.

Day One: Vatican City & St. Peter’s Basilica

We started with the Vatican.

This was one of the experiences where I knew I wanted a private guide.

Why?

Because the Vatican isn’t just a place where you walk through rooms and look at beautiful things.

There is so much history, symbolism and context that you can easily miss if you’re simply following the crowd and reading signs along the way.

Having our own guide meant we could ask questions, slow down when something caught our attention and actually understand what we were looking at.

And then there was St. Peter’s Basilica.

The scale of it is difficult to appreciate until you’re standing inside.

This was another reason I didn’t want to simply rush through the Vatican as part of a giant group tour.

When you have limited time, I don’t necessarily think you need to do everything privately.

I think you need to be strategic about where private guiding adds the most value.

For us, the Vatican was one of those places.

We also came off an overnight flight early that morning. We were tired, jet-lagged, but could not waste a day. Having a private tour was much easier on our jet-lagged minds on the first day.

Day Two: Ancient Rome

Day two was all about Ancient Rome.

We visited the Colosseum and Roman Forum, two places that were absolute must-sees for me.

Again, this is where having a guide can completely change the experience.

You can certainly walk through the Colosseum and Forum on your own.

But when someone can explain what you’re actually looking at, how the spaces were used and what life was like here, the ruins become more than just beautiful photographs.

And that’s something I think is worth paying for when your time is limited.

We weren’t trying to spend three days wandering around Rome hoping we’d stumble upon the important things.

We had 48 hours.

I wanted to understand what we were seeing.

And Of Course…Trevi

No trip to Rome feels complete without seeing the Trevi Fountain.

This was one of those stops that didn’t require a private guide.

We didn’t need someone to explain how to look at a fountain.

We just needed time to stand there and take it in.

And yes, we threw the coins.

Because sometimes the touristy things are touristy for a reason.

Then We Went Underground

For our next experience, I deliberately chose something completely different.

We went beneath the streets of Rome and discovered a completely different side of the city—one that most visitors don’t see simply by walking from one famous landmark to another.

This is one of my favorite things about planning travel.

Sometimes the experiences you remember most aren’t the ones that were at the top of every “10 Things to Do in Rome” list.

Instead of another large attraction with crowds of people, we did a smaller underground tour.

They’re the experiences that make you stop and think:

“Wait…this is underneath Rome?”

And because this was a smaller tour, it felt completely different from the Vatican experience.

That was intentional.

I didn’t want two days of large crowds and major attractions.

I wanted contrast.

So Why Did I Choose Private Guides?

This is probably the biggest takeaway from our two days in Rome.

I didn’t choose private guides because I think every travel experience needs to be private.

I chose them because we had limited time and there were certain places where the added expertise was worth the investment.

For us:

Private guide → Vatican & St. Peter’s

I wanted history, context, flexibility and the ability to ask questions.

Private guide → Colosseum & Roman Forum

I wanted the ancient ruins to actually come alive rather than simply walking through them.

Smaller specialty tour → Underground Rome

I wanted a more intimate experience that was completely different from the major attractions.

Self-guided sightseeing → Trevi Fountain

Because sometimes you don’t need a guide. You just need to be there.

The Real Luxury Wasn’t Seeing Everything

It was not wasting our time.

That’s the part of travel planning that isn’t always obvious when you’re looking at an itinerary online.

You can find a list of every attraction in Rome in about 30 seconds.

But figuring out:

  • What needs advance planning
  • Where a private guide is worth the money
  • Which experiences work better in a small group
  • How to group attractions geographically
  • How much time to realistically allow
  • When to build in breathing room
  • And what you can skip without feeling like you “missed Rome”

…that’s where a travel advisor can make a difference.

We had only 48 hours.

We didn’t see everything.

And that was okay.

We saw the places that mattered most to us, experienced them in a way that felt meaningful, and still had moments where we could simply wander, look around and enjoy being in Rome.

Because a great itinerary isn’t the one where you check the most boxes.

It’s the one where you come home feeling like you actually experienced the place.

And if you’re planning a trip to Rome and trying to figure out how to make limited time work, that’s exactly the kind of planning I love helping with.

You tell me what you want to experience. I’ll help you figure out how to make it all fit.

cruise, Italy, Memory Keeping, Travel Planning

Is the Norwegian Cruise Line Haven Worth It? My Honest Experience

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Before our Mediterranean cruise, I had a question I hear from clients all the time:

Is The Haven really worth the extra money?

Welcome Hugo Spritz in the Haven Lounge

After spending seven nights aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Epic in The Haven, I finally have a firsthand answer.

And it’s not simply yes or no.

I think The Haven is absolutely worth considering for the right traveler—but I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone.

Here’s why.

First, What Exactly Is The Haven?

The Haven is Norwegian Cruise Line’s premium suite experience.

Think of it as having a more private, elevated experience within a larger cruise ship.

You still have access to everything happening throughout the ship—the restaurants, entertainment, pools, bars, activities and ports—but you also have your own quieter spaces and additional services to make the cruise feel a little more special.

And for a Mediterranean cruise, that distinction mattered to me.

We weren’t spending all day sitting around the ship.

We were getting up early, exploring cities, meeting private guides, climbing Mount Etna, walking through Florence and generally trying to squeeze every possible experience out of our port days.

Coming back to a quieter, more comfortable space at the end of those days was a luxury I appreciated.

The Biggest Benefit Wasn’t the Suite

Don’t get me wrong.

The suite was beautiful, comfortable and spacious.

But after the cruise, when I think about what made The Haven worthwhile for us, the room isn’t actually at the top of my list.

It was the overall experience.

From the moment we arrived at the ship, we felt like we were starting our vacation rather than beginning a logistical exercise.

We had priority embarkation, and a butler actually led us onboard.

That sounds like a small thing.

It wasn’t.

After traveling to Rome, spending 2 days touring in the heat wave and getting ourselves to the port, being able to walk in, get oriented and start enjoying the ship without dealing with a long embarkation process in a tent with no a/c was fantastic.

And that theme continued throughout the cruise.

Priority Embarkation

If you’ve ever stood in a cruise terminal watching the clock while waiting to get onboard, you understand the appeal here.

We were able to move through the embarkation process quickly and get started with our vacation.

Is that alone worth paying for The Haven?

Probably not. But it was pretty sweet! Video below.

https://youtube.com/shorts/j3pMu6JXLl0?feature=share: Is the Norwegian Cruise Line Haven Worth It? My Honest Experience

But it’s one of several benefits that, when added together, made the experience worthwhile for us.

And that’s an important distinction.

I don’t look at any one Haven perk and say, “That’s worth thousands of dollars!”

I look at the entire experience and ask:

Does the combination of these things make the vacation meaningfully better for this traveler?

That’s how I approach travel planning for my clients, too.

The Butler

Having a butler was another part of The Haven experience that I really enjoyed.

I wasn’t exactly sure how I would use a butler. I’m generally a “do it yourself” kinda gal.

Our butler was there to help with the details and make things easier. They are very good at helping people who don’t know what they need, like us, and just as good with those who get on knowing exactly what they need.

Butler service breakfast
Fruit every afternoon
Evening Treats

And after a long day exploring a Mediterranean port, there’s something very nice about coming back to a space where you don’t have to think quite so hard about everything.

This is one of those areas where I think expectations matter.

A butler isn’t going to magically transform your cruise into a completely different vacation.

Janet escorting us down the elevator on our last port day in Marseille

But having someone available to help with certain details can add a level of personalized service that you simply don’t get in a standard cabin.

We met our butler, Janet, our first afternoon and in talking we mentioned an early private tour the next morning. She immediately handed us the room service breakfast and told us to write the exact time we wanted breakfast delivered and leave it on the door tonight. She delivered breakfast at the exact time so we could get off the ship first thing, escorted by a butler, to meet our guide.

Janet asked what snacks we preferred every afternoon when we came back from touring. Sweet or salty or a combination. If you go, ask for the BLTs! Trust me. She kept ice water stocked and ice.

For travelers who really value service and convenience, that’s meaningful.

Concierge Service

The Haven concierge was another benefit I appreciated.

When you’re dealing with multiple ports, private tours, transportation, dining and a packed itinerary, having someone onboard who can help with logistics is valuable.

Again, it’s about convenience.

And I’ve come to realize that convenience is one of the things I’m willing to pay for when I travel.

Not because I’m looking for someone else to do everything for me.

Because I want to spend my vacation experiencing the destination—not standing in line, figuring out logistics or troubleshooting something that could have been handled more easily.

The Haven Spaces

One of my favorite things about staying in The Haven was having access to spaces that felt more peaceful and private.

Mediterranean cruising can be busy.

Really busy.

You’re getting off the ship and exploring major cities, archaeological sites, museums and villages.

Some days we walked for hours.

So having somewhere quiet to retreat to afterward was wonderful. The Sun Deck was never busy.

It gave us the best of both worlds.

Haven Courtyard
Haven Sun Deck
Haven Sun Deck
Reading in Courtyard
Haven Hot Tub

We could head out into the middle of all the action when we wanted to.

And we could come back to a quieter environment when we didn’t.

The Haven room video below.

https://youtu.be/p71kR1_AogU: Is the Norwegian Cruise Line Haven Worth It? My Honest Experience

We booked a 2 Bedroom Courtyard Villa. Did we need that? No. That is probably a splurge I would not do again, but I really wanted that bathtub overlooking the sea! And I used it to soak my aching feet after touring!

But Here’s What I Wouldn’t Say…

I wouldn’t tell every client to book The Haven.

In fact, there are plenty of situations where I would recommend spending that money somewhere else.

If you’re someone who:

  • spends very little time in your cabin
  • doesn’t care about priority services
  • is perfectly happy with a standard balcony cabin
  • would rather spend extra money on private excursions
  • or simply doesn’t value additional space and personalized service

…then The Haven may not be the best use of your vacation budget.

And that’s okay.

You don’t have to book the most expensive option to have an amazing vacation.

Where I’d Spend the Money Instead

This is where personalized travel planning really matters.

Let’s say you have a set budget for your Mediterranean cruise.

You could put all of your extra money toward the cabin.

Or you could choose a less expensive cabin and put that money toward private guides, private transportation, incredible meals or special experiences.

There isn’t one universally correct answer.

For our trip, we actually did both.

We chose The Haven and invested in private experiences in several ports.

That combination worked really well for us. This was a splurge celebration trip after my second cancer fight. We traveled with friends who also were celebrating and all in for a little splurging.

But if I were planning a trip for someone else, I wouldn’t automatically recommend doing exactly what we did.

I’d ask questions.

What matters to you?

How much time will you spend on the ship?

How much do you care about your cabin?

Do you want personalized service?

Are you more interested in food and wine?

Do you want private tours?

Are you celebrating something?

What’s your budget?

And most importantly:

Where will spending the extra money make the biggest difference to YOU?

So… Is The Haven Worth It?

For me?

Yes.

For everyone?

No.

And that’s actually my favorite answer because it means there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to travel.

For our Mediterranean cruise, The Haven made sense because we were looking for a combination of comfort, convenience, service and a place to retreat after extremely busy days.

Would I book it again?

Yes.

Would I recommend it automatically?

Absolutely not.

That’s the difference between simply booking a cruise and actually planning one.

Anyone can help you select a cabin.

The value of a travel advisor is helping you figure out which cabin, which itinerary, which experiences and which splurges make sense for you.

Because sometimes spending more makes your vacation dramatically better.

And sometimes it doesn’t.

My job is to know the difference.

The Bottom Line

If you’re considering The Haven for your next Norwegian cruise, don’t just ask:

“Can I afford it?”

Ask:

“What will it give me that I actually value?”

For us, the answer was more space, personalized service, priority treatment, quieter spaces and a more relaxing place to return to after exploring the Mediterranean.

And after seven nights, I can confidently say:

I’d do it again.

But if you’re planning a cruise and wondering whether The Haven—or any other upgrade—is worth the splurge, that’s exactly the kind of question I love helping clients answer.

Because I don’t want to sell you the most expensive vacation.

I want to help you plan the trip you didn’t know you needed.

Thinking about a Norwegian cruise? Contact me and let’s figure out where your vacation dollars will make the biggest difference.

cruise, Featured, Italy, Memory Keeping

Our Mediterranean Cruise: The Trip I Didn’t Know I Needed

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NCL Epic Mediterranean Cruise

Sometimes you take a trip because you’ve been dreaming about it for years.

And sometimes you take a trip and come home realizing you didn’t even know how much you needed it.

That was this trip.

It started as a trip to take a couple that had never been to Europe. Then another couple joined. It was planned for 3 couples. Then the original couple backed out. Reorganized again. I had to take into account that my husband and I were doing some things we had already done multiple times and create some new experiences for us. Our friends had done some, but not most. It was a long time ago, so they were up for anything.

We recently spent 7 nights cruising the Mediterranean aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Epic, sailing from Rome to Barcelona. We traveled through Italy and France, ate an unreasonable amount of incredible food, drank plenty of wine, walked approximately a million steps, explored ancient cities and medieval villages, climbed a volcano, wandered through Florence, and somehow still managed to come home exhausted and already planning the next trip.

And as a travel advisor, this trip was something else, too.

It was research.

It was firsthand experience.

It was a chance to test the things I recommend to clients and figure out what I would—and wouldn’t—do again.

Most importantly, it reminded me why I love helping people plan travel in the first place.

We Didn’t Just Take a Cruise. We Planned an Experience.

One of the things I love about cruising the Mediterranean is that the ship is really only part of the vacation.

The ports are the adventure. Those are my favorite parts. Seeing all those magnificent places.

And when you have limited time in each port, how you spend those hours matters.

For this trip, we decided that we didn’t want to simply get off the ship, walk around for a couple of hours, grab lunch and get back on board. We also didn’t want to just do the ship-planned excursions this trip. Those can be perfect depending on circumstances, but for this trip and with our Haven priority privileges, it was better to plan independently.

We wanted to experience each destination.

That meant doing something a little different in almost every port.

We booked private guides and drivers for most of our experiences, while also choosing a few activities that allowed us to explore independently.

And that mix turned out to be one of my favorite things about the trip.

Some days were highly structured.

Other days were completely ours.

There were days when someone was waiting for us at the port with a plan that we were fully involved in creating and days when we simply wandered down a street in Florence because something looked interesting.

That balance is exactly what I want for my clients.

Starting in Rome

Our adventure began in Rome, where we had the opportunity to explore some of the city’s most iconic sights for 2 days before embarking the ship.

We had private experiences at the Vatican, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Colosseum and Roman Forum. Both booked via Get Your Guide.

Having a knowledgeable guide made such a difference. These are places where it is very easy to look at something beautiful or historic without really understanding what you’re seeing.

A good guide changes that.

Instead of simply seeing the Colosseum, you understand what happened there.

Barbara, our incredible guide

Instead of walking through the Vatican and trying to absorb everything yourself, someone can point out the details you would have missed.

We also did something completely different: we went underground.

Beneath the Trevi Fountain is an ancient underground archaeological site, and exploring it was one of those experiences that reminded me why I love looking beyond the obvious tourist attractions.

Everyone knows the Trevi Fountain.

But how many people know what’s underneath it?

Citta del Aqua

Those are the experiences I love finding. This was something I had never done and now would highly recommend it.

Sailing in the Haven

We also stayed in The Haven aboard Norwegian Epic.

And yes, it was wonderful.

But what I really wanted to discover was whether the experience was actually worth the additional cost.

The answer?

For the right traveler, I absolutely think it can be.

The priority embarkation, the additional space and privacy, the Haven amenities, the concierge and butler service, and simply having a quieter place to retreat to after a busy day in port all contributed to the experience.

But here’s the important part:

I don’t think everyone needs The Haven.

That’s something I tell clients all the time.

Travel isn’t about spending the most money possible.

It’s about figuring out where spending more will actually make your particular vacation better. In the case of a Mediterranean Cruise, it was highly valuable to just be able to get on and off the ship when we were ready in just a few minutes. This was especially helpful with private tours lined up.

That’s one of the things I enjoy most about my job—helping people decide where to splurge and where they can save.

Salerno: Ravello and Amalfi

When we arrived in Salerno, we had a private driver, Roberto, take us into the Amalfi Coast.

Roberto was wonderful! I booked the tour through a company based in Naples called Taxi Mister Cab Driver. Roberto was the luck of the draw and I’m so glad we got him, but from what I have seen, all the drivers are fantastic. We met a few in the course of our day when our plans overlapped and the OG driver, Ciro, sang us back to Amalfi on a boat!

Amalfi Selfie with Roberto

We visited Ravello and Amalfi, enjoying the scenery along the way rather than trying to cram as many stops as possible into the day.

The Amalfi Coast is one of those places where the journey is part of the experience.

The roads wind along the cliffs, the views seem to get more ridiculous around every corner, and eventually you realize that you’re spending half your time saying, “Look at that!”

Having a private driver meant we could enjoy the day without worrying about navigating those roads ourselves. Definitely important for the Amalfi Coast. Driving there is no small feat.

It also gave us flexibility.

And when you’re visiting somewhere like the Amalfi Coast from a cruise ship, flexibility is valuable.

Sicily: Mount Etna and Taormina

Our day in Catania was another highlight.

We met our guide, Chiara, and headed toward Mount Etna. I found Chiara on Tours By Locals, a new to me site that has become a favorite.

Yes, we climbed a volcano during our cruise vacation.

Greek Theatre Taormina

Because apparently we don’t know how to sit still.

From Mount Etna, we continued on to Taormina, where we visited the Greek Theatre and explored the town. Chiara lives in Taormina, she knew everyone wandering the streets and even got us a little taste of Ricotta cream that goes into the famous Sicilian Canoli.

And then there was the food.

We ate arancini, because you can’t go to Sicily and not eat arancini. Chiara recommended a fabulous restaurant and it did not disappoint.

Taormina was one of those places that made me immediately understand why people fall in love with Sicily.

The combination of history, scenery, food and that unmistakable Italian atmosphere is hard to beat.

Florence: One of My Favorite Days

Our Livorno port day may have been one of my favorite days of the entire trip. I do love Florence!

We had a private driver (booked via Viator) take us from the port to Florence, where we met our guide for a private three-hour tour. This guide was also booked on Tours By Locals and he was wonderful.

We explored the Baptistery, Duomo, crypt and Duomo Museum before heading to the Accademia to see Michelangelo’s David.

And then we did something important.

We stopped touring.

We had lunch.

We wandered.

We crossed the Ponte Vecchio.

We found a wine window.

We shopped for leather bags.

And we ended the afternoon with an affogato before our driver picked us up and took us back to the ship.

That day was a perfect example of why I believe travel shouldn’t always be about checking things off a list.

Yes, we saw some incredible sights.

But some of my favorite memories came from the time in between them.

The wine window.

The shopping.

The affogato.

The conversations.

The wandering.

Those are the things you remember.

Villefranche and Èze

In Villefranche, we decided to visit Èze Village.

Instead of taking the taxi offered at the port, we used Bolt, which ended up being significantly less expensive than the taxi quote we received.

We explored the Exotic Garden, wandered through the village and did some shopping before returning to Villefranche for lunch and more exploring.

It was another reminder that sometimes a little research can save you money without sacrificing the experience.

And yes, I notice these things.

It’s part of what makes me a travel advisor.

I’m always thinking:

Is there a better way to do this?

Is this worth the money?

Would I recommend this to a client?

What would I do differently next time?

Marseille

Our day in Marseille was another example of how much you can fit into a cruise port day without making yourself completely miserable.

We took a taxi to the Old Port and hopped on the Petit Train up to Notre-Dame de la Garde.

After taking in the views, we headed back down and spent some time enjoying coffee and wine before lunch.

We also had a wonderful wine tasting experience, which was one of those unexpected highlights that made the day feel less like a checklist and more like an actual vacation.

Because sometimes the best part of travel isn’t the famous landmark.

Sometimes it’s sitting down over a glass of wine with someone who loves what they do and hearing their stories.

And Then There Was Barcelona

When the cruise ended in Barcelona, we weren’t quite ready for the trip to be over.

We had a private transfer to our hotel in the Gothic Quarter booked through Welcome Pickups and spent time exploring the city.

We had tapas for lunch and later toured Casa Milà and the Sagrada Família with our private guide, Jaume. This tour was a Get Your Guide find and Jaume (Jamie) was fantastic. He was a former architect, so perfect to tell us all about Gaudi’s masterpieces.

Barcelona was the perfect place to end the trip.

And, honestly, I think adding a night or two before or after a Mediterranean cruise is not something just worth considering, it is a must.

You’ve already traveled all that way.

Why rush straight to the airport?

What I Took Away From This Trip

After spending ten nights experiencing this itinerary firsthand, I came home with a notebook full of ideas.

Things I loved.

Things I’d change.

Things I’d absolutely recommend.

Things I’d tell clients not to waste money on.

And probably most importantly, a much better understanding of what makes a Mediterranean cruise work so well for different types of travelers.

Because there isn’t one perfect way to do it.

A couple celebrating an anniversary may want something completely different from a group of friends celebrating a milestone birthday.

A first-time cruiser may need more structure.

An experienced traveler may want more freedom.

Some people will want The Haven.

Others would rather spend that money on private tours and incredible meals.

Some will want to see every possible landmark.

Others will want a long lunch and a glass of wine.

And that’s exactly why I don’t believe travel planning should be one-size-fits-all.

So… Would I Do It Again?

Absolutely.

Would I plan it exactly the same way?

Maybe not.

And that’s the beauty of having the experience.

Now I know more.

I know which splurges I’d repeat.

I know where I would save money.

I know which tours were worth it.

I know where I’d build in more free time.

I know which ports I’d approach differently.

And I can take everything I learned and use it when helping my clients plan their own Mediterranean adventures.

That’s the part of being a travel advisor that I love.

I’m not interested in simply taking an order that says, “We want a Mediterranean cruise.”

I want to know why you’re going.

Who you’re traveling with.

What matters to you.

What you want to experience.

Where you’re willing to splurge.

Where you don’t care.

And then I want to help you build the trip around those things.

Because sometimes you already know exactly where you want to go.

And sometimes you just know you need a vacation.

That’s where I come in.

I’m the person who plans the trip you didn’t know you needed.

And after this trip, I have a whole lot more Mediterranean ideas to share.

Stay tuned. We’re just getting started.

And be sure to follow along on Facebook and Instagram, where lots of reels and photos of the trip will be posted.

Italy

Review: Hotel Kraft

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I scoured long and hard to find the perfect hotel in Florence for our family trip. There are tons of choices, but triple or quad rooms can be difficult. We had a little gem of a place on our last trip 15 years ago, but it has since closed.

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Hotel Kraft turned out to be another absolute gem! The icing on the cake was a rooftop pool, there are only a handful of hotels in Florence with a pool, let alone a rooftop one with a view of the Duomo!

Hotel Kraft was a short easy walk from Santa Maria Novella train station and we walked it with our luggage no problem. I had booked 2 triple rooms here, my parents with 1 kid and us with the other. They were right across the hall from one another so that was convenient. The rooms were nice and large with high ceilings and a good size modern bathroom.

 

The best part of this hotel though apart from great service, was the rooftop terrace/restaurant/lounge/pool. Just incredible! You can see for miles around and all the key points of Florence, the famous hills beyond the city, the Duomo and the bell tower of the Palazzo Medici. We spent evenings sipping Bellini’s and Perroni’s and enjoyed breakfast each morning al fresco. The last night we had a front row seat for the view of the sun setting on Florence. We only used the pool one day, but it was very enjoyable to have some downtime on a busy sightseeing trip like Italy is. It’s well worth it to take an afternoon to re-charge. And for our competitive swimmer son to get some laps in. We snuck out for a walk into town and shopping (had to go back and get Christmas presents for the boys they had seen earlier), but my parents and kids enjoyed the pool all afternoon. It was never too crowded

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The hotel was just off the main center of Florence, but only a 10-15 minute walk to the Ponte Vecchio or Duomo. and just 2 blocks up from the Arno River. We strolled it many times. Walking being a bit difficult for my father, they easily jumped in a cab for a short few minutes ride back and forth when they needed to. We always walked. We visited the Accademia Museum and saw the real David. Then the replicas up at Piazzale Michelangelo and out in front of Palazzo Medici. We shopped on the Ponte Vecchio.

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Around the corner from the hotel was our favorite gelateria, B.Ice. This became an afternoon treat and after dinner dessert daily. Within a block there were numerous restaurants, trattorias, etc… you simply cannot go wrong. Starving our first night we tucked into the first one we saw and it turned out to be phenomenal. The hotel recommended another place we went to the next night, also wonderful. The hotel’s restaurant itself was very good as well.

Florence is an incredible city, my favorite city in Italy! Not to be missed on a first time trip to Italy and a great base for day trips to the surrounding splendors of Tuscany.

Hotel Reviews, Italy

Review: Hotel Modigliani Rome

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This was our second time staying at Hotel Modigliani in Rome, we stayed 16 years ago and I didn’t even look at anything else when planning this trip. Modigliani is in a great location, a quiet street just off Piazza Barberini and just a few minutes walk to the top of the Spanish Steps and the Borghese Gardens with incredible views of the eternal city.

City buses and the Metro are nearby, but the whole city is walkable. We walked back from the Vatican after our tour stopping for lunch, walking through Piazza Navona and a few other spots along the way.

The Modigliani is a small boutique hotel with just over 20 rooms. Each a little different. The hotel is owned by artists and you will see the artwork displayed throughout the hotel.

We had booked a small room in the hotel and a garden apartment, literally called the apartment, for my parents and the kids. The apartment was basically 2 rooms next to each other across a small courtyard. One room with a double sized bed and the other had a double and a single.

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Courtyard with the Garden Apartment

They offer a lovely breakfast buffet each morning which can be included in your stay if you choose. The breakfast room is pictured below, set up for breakfast and how it looks for the rest of the day.

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The staff was phenomenal. Always with a smile at all hours. They were able to arrange cabs for us to get to our tour meeting points each day and recommend restaurants in the area. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this lovely little hotel and will certainly stay here again if I find myself in Rome again.

Hotel Reviews, Italy

Hotel Review Hotel Ca Pisani Venice

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Hotel Ca Pisani is a little gem of a hotel in a great location in the Dorsoduro region of Venice. Between the Accademia and Zattere water bus stops on the 2 main water bus lines and right next to the Accademia Museum and not far from the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. The hotel is only a 10-minute stroll to St. Mark’s Square, but off the beaten path in a quiet location. You simply cross the Accademia bridge and follow the signs. The way to Piazza San Marco is clearly marked and easy to follow.

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The hotel is housed in a typical 14th-century Venetian palazzo, but has been completely remodeled on the inside to a beautiful Art Deco style. The attention to detail is incredible, from the fish shaped ebony keys, the doors, and handles, the marble bathrooms to the logo on the wardrobe.

There is always someone at the front desk where you leave your key and if rain is threatening, they will offer you an umbrella. Service was also great in the restaurant and housekeeping with turndown service in the evenings.

All the rooms are equipped with direct-dial telephone, Tv, minibar, hair dryer, safe, air conditioning with climate control, and all the amenities of a modern four-star hotel including WiFi. There is an internet point in the mezzanine for guest use and guests may use a nearby fitness center although not located in the hotel. La Rivista is their restaurant which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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Terrace in front of the hotel, part of La Rivista

The rooms are beautifully decorated in the Art Deco style and are all unique, nothing cookie cutter here. We stayed in a duplex room which was 2 floors with a seating area and bathroom on the main level and a loft bedroom and closet up a glass staircase. All the rooms are unique which is a fun feature of the hotel.

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Glass staircase leading up to the bedroom

Italy

Italia Series Part 5 Last Days

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We returned from Venice on Thursday and only had that afternoon and Friday left.

We visited some relatives and had a fun and delicious dinner at my aunt’s country house. Her 4 kids, my cousins, were all there with their families. My boys got to meet my cousins kids, a few who spoke a bit of English. They went from ignoring each other to not wanting to leave a few hours later.

Before that, we visited my uncle who is a master cheese maker. He travels the world helping cheese makers perfect their cheese recipes. A Belgian company just put his face on their latest cheese calling it, Nonno’s Cheese. We sampled some delicious mozzarella at his house.

While we were in Venice, the kids had a good time with their Nonni. They visited some family, got to swim in a cousin’s pool and jump on their trampoline. They also hiked up Nonno’s beloved mountain. Nonno couldn’t handle the 30 minute hike so waited at the church where you can drive the car to, and my uncle Carlo took the boys up to the top where there is a pretty interesting looking  Jesus on a cross.

Friday we did a little local sightseeing. We went to the birthplace of grappa, Bassano del Grappa and stopped in Marostica as well.

Marostica is known for having a human chess game they play a few times a year. The chess board is in the middle of the main piazza. It has a cool castle up on the hill which makes up part of the wall around the small city. They were setting up for the event.

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Bassano is famous not only for grappa, but for the covered bridge that leads into the historical center of the town. The covered bridge, which needs some tender loving care at the moment, was designed by Palladio.

Friday night we went out to dinner with as many of my cousins as were available, and not away on their summer holidays.

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And that’s all she wrote. Saturday morning we packed up and waited for our taxi transfer to the airport. The Venice airport was a little crazy. By the time we made it to our gate it was just about time to board the plane. This airport traffic  is growing too quickly and the building is having trouble keeping up.

Italy

Italia Series Part 4 Splendor of Venice

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Tuesday morning my father drove us to the train station in Vicenza and we took the high speed train to Venice with my mother. Walking all day in Venice was too much for my father.

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Venice is unique and beautiful. It’s also very confusing. Figuring out the water bus system is a task. We bought 3 day tickets for us and 1 day for the kids and Nonna. We took a boat to our hotel after some confusion on what stop and what water bus to take. Venetians are very quick to wave you in a direction without much information. Turns out 2 days later we discovered a “moved due to construction” water bus stop near our hotel which was the reason for much confusion. Found the hotel and dropped off our bag, my husband and I were staying for 2 nights, the kids were going back “home” with Nonna. From there we walked leisurely to Piazza San Marco where I had a tour of St. Mark’s and the Palazzo Ducale scheduled. Again, easy meeting point and it was a well organized nice tour. We were able to skip the line into both places like on our tours in Rome and Florence.

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After our tour, we wandered a bit and stopped for lunch and then took a gondola ride, another things the kids really wanted to do.

We continued to wander and make our way back to our hotel slowly with a gelato stop of course along the way. Our room was ready when we arrived back so we checked that out.

I had searched long and hard for a perfect hotel in Venice and found a great little gem in Dosoduro by the Accademia Bridge. Hotel Ca Pisani was a on a quiet little street between the Accademia water bus stop on the Grand Canal and Zattere on the other side. The hotel was small and decorated in an Art Deco style, very beautiful. We had a duplex room, 2 floors, with the bedroom up a glass staircase and a spa like bathroom downstairs. Breakfast was included in the restaurant and they had some tables set up outside as well to people watch.

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Front of Ca Pisani Art Deco Hotel

We then made our way back to the train station because Nonna wasn’t sure she could find it on her own. 🙂 We left Nonna and the boys at the train station and found our way back, this time managing to take the water bus we wanted that traveled along the Grand Canal.

We wandered to a piazza across the bridge and had a lovely dinner. It rained for the first time on our trip this evening, but we had gotten un umbrella from the hotel before we left.

The next morning, I had scheduled a tour to the islands of Murano and Burano which I had never been to. We made our way and easily found the meeting point near Piazza San Marco and boarded a private boat to Murano where we visited a glass factory and toured the island a little. Then back on the boat and on to the gorgeous island of Burano where the art of lace making is dying away. Had a lovely lunch here and did some shopping. It’s tiny, but beautiful.

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We ended our time in Venice with dinner on a terrace by the water and gondolas, absolute bucket list item!

The next morning we had breakfast and wandered around our hotel area which was so lovely. We had discovered it yesterday afternoon. Then made our way back to the train station for our noon train to Vicenza where my father would be picking us up.

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