Sunshine-n-Wine

We started planning this enormously intimidating trip a year and a half out.  There is so much information to include that I also started setting up this post way early.  I'm a planner deep into my bones. Cruise transportation Public buses between the train station and port are €2, not €1 as stated on the Cruise Critic forums. Buses run very sporadically so you will need to plan on standing around waiting for a while. The shuttle runs far more frequently from port gate to the check-in area but still plan a little extra time.  Also, hold onto your bus tickets if you don't validate on the way there. They didn't check or ask for ours so we used them on the ride back. We self-debarked with our luggage at 6:30am and got to the train station at 7:30. Our train left at 10. Next time I would book an earlier train. The Ship We booked Rhapsody of the Seas, 9-nights out of Rome, because of the excellent itinerary.  We booked the cheapest inside cabin (Category Q) b...

We spent 3 days in Rome and 3 days in Venice pre- and post-cruise.  Here is the breakdown of cities, transportation, apartment rentals, food, sites/museums, etc. Trains and Transportation FCO airport to Rome: We used RomeCabs for a private transfer to our apartment. Great service and highly recommend. €55 total + tip Getting around Rome: We bought a RomaPass , which allows free rides on public transportation during the period of activation. We didn't swipe our cards at all, though, and the drivers didn't enforce it. We paid for the cards but others may have been riding free. Train Travel: We pre-booked travel via  Trenitilia .  Be sure to book as soon as the dates become and be ready to buy the tickets at that moment.  Do not back out to the previous page, open in another browser, or think too long.  The price would literally go up a couple times within a few minutes because I was bumbling around the website.  So my advice is get on before your dat...

Sadly, my fourth visit to Napa was nearly ruined by a cold-turned-sinus infection that completely took out my senses of smell and taste.  Worst.  Timing.  Ever!  Thank goodness for a great husband and four wonderful friends who saved the trip for me.  Well, them, and the beautiful landscape that makes Napa my favorite vacation spot. Here's a rundown of the trip. Rental Home This 3-bedroom, 2-bedroom farmhouse located about 7 minutes from Oxbow Market is quiet and perfect for 6 people.  It has been updated and re-decorated and was well-stocked with supplies needed for a relaxing stay.  Unfortunately for future vacationers and the homeowner, David LaMonica, one set of neighbors complained to the county after a very loud party night from guests staying there at the time.  It has been removed from VRBO, but it would be worth a look if you would like David's contact information.  He is hanging onto the house for "family and friends." Wineri...

Parking Used Park N Go near the Ft. Lauderdale airport and port.  We prepaid this time, and it was $69.77 for our 8-day cruise.  Again, super convenient, quick and friendly service. Ship Food - Delicious!  Everything was prepared correctly, and the food was great on this boat.  Loved the ceviche available at Fish N Chips.  My favorite breakfast was the huevos rancheros from the Blue Iguana grill.  Guy's Burgers were a little hit or miss, and we missed the Tandoor.  The chefs working the Taste Bar in the evenings were entertaining, and the food quite tasty. Service - Amazing!  Service was quick and friendly throughout the entire cruise - vastly different than our experience on Splendor last November. Entertainment and Things to Do - OK, not great.  Good variety of Dive In Movies, and the stage shows were alright.  If you are looking for a more vibrant atmosphere with more things to keep you busy, the Carnival Breeze is your best ...

We saw this cruise early and were intrigued by the really unique itinerary so we booked at a great price of $1000 for both of us including taxes and port fees for our inside room.  What was different for us about this particular sailing was the repositioning aspect of it - San Juan to Miami.  We flew into San Juan from Orlando on Southwest and rented a car from Miami back up to Orlando. Like the San Fran and Napa trip of 2012, I was in a boot for another stress fracture.  This put a pretty big damper on some of our plans.  I had really wanted to hike the rain forest in Puerto Rico, but that didn't happen this trip.  Guess we'll need to make another trip back when I'm not hobbling around:) Hotel in San Juan (2 days pre-cruise) The Renaissance La Concha in Condado.  We used the hubs' Marriott points and stayed two nights for a total of 60,000 points.  Very nice resort, good location, a couple of pools, and right on the beach.  Across from the h...

Booked this last minute as an Inside Guarantee, which was a first for us.  Usually we like to pick our inside room, but the price was significantly higher to do that.  Total cruise cost for both of us together was $807 for 8 days.  Not too shabby! Parking Park N Go (Ft. Lauderdale) - Reserved ahead of time at $6.99 per day, payable when leaving the lot. Free shuttle.  Service was fast and convenient.  Only thing that caught us off guard was having to leave the key with the attendant.  We also learned on the way out that there is a pre-pay option.  Would definitely do that next time. Room The inside guarantee paid off for us.  We ended up in 7441, the same location we would have booked ourselves.  To us, inside is great because we'd rather spend our money ashore.  Our ninja-like cabin steward was very attentive and friendly, and the AC worked just fine.  Since Lido is on 9 and the Promenade on 5, deck 7 was perfect. Ship Th...

Just home from a quick 3-day spin around Napa and Sonoma. If you can, download the Winery Finder app on your smartphone.  There are some interesting deals out there for a lot of different wineries (2:1's, upgraded tastings, extra pours, etc.).  Please note that, unlike a couple years ago, these deals require a public check-in and photo on either Twitter or Facebook.  I was not happy with this change since we never post about a vacation until we are safely home.  In the two instances we used the app, I deleted the post on Facebook soon after. We had to stay in two different hotels due to SpringHill being booked up for the NASCAR events Friday night.   Hotel SpringHill Suites Napa Valley  - There are probably some that will argue that this hotel is too far south to be convenient to wine country; however, we really enjoyed the hotel itself as well as the location. It is easy to get to either Sonoma or Napa, and it's closer to the airports (we flew out of...