Carnival Liberty Cruise Review - Mediterranean Cruise - Part 2 - Page 4
< Continued from page 3
We spent our last night at the Marriott Courtyard in Fiumicino because we were worried about whether we had enough time to make morning flights leaving from Rome. One couple had a 10:20am flight, three couples had a 10:55am flight, and one couple had a 1:30pm flight. We did this because our Carnival tickets said we would arrive in Civitavecchia at 8:00am. As it turned out with the Liberty arriving at 6:00am, we could have made the morning flights.
We met our driver and got on the large bus and were headed away from the port at 8:45am. We arrived at the Marriott Courtyard at 9:50am. Total cost for the 18 passengers was 300 euros, or about 34 euros per couple. We couldn't check in until 2:00pm so we just stored our luggage at the hotel. At about 11:00am, we all decided to walk down to the waterfront area in Fiumicino. Some of us (5) decided to stop at a little café for some beer and wine. The others walked back to the hotel. The beers were 2.5 euros for large 2/3 liter bottles and the red wine was 1.5 euros per glass with refills for 1 euro. We stayed at this café for probably 3 hours or so. Eventually, some in our group ordered some sandwiches. Once we left this café, we started walking back to the hotel. We got about half way when a bathroom break was needed. We stopped at another café, went to the bathroom, and naturally had some more beer and wine. We got back to the hotel at about 5:00pm. Turns out my wife wasn't too happy with me since she had decided to go back to the hotel early and not partake in the late morning/afternoon of beer and wine drinking.
Since I had our passports, she couldn't check into the hotel. Oops!!!!
Our group of 10 decided to head out for an early dinner in Fiumicino. However, before we left the hotel two of the couples decided not to go out with us and opted to stay at the hotel. The restaurants didn't open for dinner until 7:30pm. To pass the time, we stopped at a sidewalk café for some beer and wine. We ate at the same restaurant as we had on our second day in Fiumicino-the one with grape vines, leaves, and mature grapes as the ceiling. We had fettuccini alfredo, spaghetti, and some more wine. One of the couples bought dinner for all of us. This was a very nice gesture for our last night in Italy.
Sixteenth Day-Leaving Rome for Atlanta
It was September 7, and we had another sunny day in Italy. We took the 8:00am shuttle (6 euros per person) from the hotel to the airport. Six of us were on the same direct Delta flight #71 due to leave Rome at 10:55am with a scheduled arrival in Atlanta at 3:55pm (10 hour flight). It took us longer than the other couples to check in and go thru security. First, we naturally picked the check in line that wasn't moving. Next, we got selected for the random search of the luggage we were checking on the plane. One of the bags I packed on the cruise ship was so full that I had quite some difficulty in getting it closed and zipped up. It was an effort to get this bag not only unzipped for the check, but to also get it zipped up again. I thought my hassles were over. However, there were more problems at the x-ray machine. They kept sending my back pack thru the machine because some type of unusual metal object kept showing up. We took out the fold up umbrella, the camera, and the lave rocks from Mt. Etna. Finally, I emptied the entire back pack. The unusual object was a roll of quarters.
After getting through security, it was off to the duty free store. We had just over 44 euros left to spend. The best buy for us was a one liter bottle of Bombay Gin in a decorative metal container for 12 euros. We bought two bottles along with some miniature liquors. We then stopped at the snack bar and after purchasing a sandwich, 3 bottles of water, ice cream, and some mints, I had 27 euro cents left. I'll give these to my daughter for her 2nd grade class.
We got on the plane and took off about 20 minutes late (11:15am). The pilot estimated that we would actually arrive in Atlanta about 15 minutes early (3:40pm). Our flight wasn't full so my wife and I were able to have our own two seat areas. She was in seats 24F & G and I had 22 F & G. This made the expected 10 hour flight much more comfortable for both of us. We arrived in Atlanta about 10 minutes early (3:45pm). After getting our luggage and proceeding through immigration and security, we boarded MARTA and headed for the North Springs Station at about 5:00pm. We got to North Springs at 5:45pm and picked up our car that our daughter had left the night before. We got home at about 6:30pm.
The weather during our entire trip was as close to perfect as anyone could have ever asked for. To think we were gone for so many days and to only have rain for the very brief period that we were at Mt. Etna. The weather was an absolute 10!!!
Page 5 > > More on Carnival Liberty Mediterranean Cruise > >
We spent our last night at the Marriott Courtyard in Fiumicino because we were worried about whether we had enough time to make morning flights leaving from Rome. One couple had a 10:20am flight, three couples had a 10:55am flight, and one couple had a 1:30pm flight. We did this because our Carnival tickets said we would arrive in Civitavecchia at 8:00am. As it turned out with the Liberty arriving at 6:00am, we could have made the morning flights.
We met our driver and got on the large bus and were headed away from the port at 8:45am. We arrived at the Marriott Courtyard at 9:50am. Total cost for the 18 passengers was 300 euros, or about 34 euros per couple. We couldn't check in until 2:00pm so we just stored our luggage at the hotel. At about 11:00am, we all decided to walk down to the waterfront area in Fiumicino. Some of us (5) decided to stop at a little café for some beer and wine. The others walked back to the hotel. The beers were 2.5 euros for large 2/3 liter bottles and the red wine was 1.5 euros per glass with refills for 1 euro. We stayed at this café for probably 3 hours or so. Eventually, some in our group ordered some sandwiches. Once we left this café, we started walking back to the hotel. We got about half way when a bathroom break was needed. We stopped at another café, went to the bathroom, and naturally had some more beer and wine. We got back to the hotel at about 5:00pm. Turns out my wife wasn't too happy with me since she had decided to go back to the hotel early and not partake in the late morning/afternoon of beer and wine drinking.
Since I had our passports, she couldn't check into the hotel. Oops!!!!
Our group of 10 decided to head out for an early dinner in Fiumicino. However, before we left the hotel two of the couples decided not to go out with us and opted to stay at the hotel. The restaurants didn't open for dinner until 7:30pm. To pass the time, we stopped at a sidewalk café for some beer and wine. We ate at the same restaurant as we had on our second day in Fiumicino-the one with grape vines, leaves, and mature grapes as the ceiling. We had fettuccini alfredo, spaghetti, and some more wine. One of the couples bought dinner for all of us. This was a very nice gesture for our last night in Italy.
Sixteenth Day-Leaving Rome for Atlanta
It was September 7, and we had another sunny day in Italy. We took the 8:00am shuttle (6 euros per person) from the hotel to the airport. Six of us were on the same direct Delta flight #71 due to leave Rome at 10:55am with a scheduled arrival in Atlanta at 3:55pm (10 hour flight). It took us longer than the other couples to check in and go thru security. First, we naturally picked the check in line that wasn't moving. Next, we got selected for the random search of the luggage we were checking on the plane. One of the bags I packed on the cruise ship was so full that I had quite some difficulty in getting it closed and zipped up. It was an effort to get this bag not only unzipped for the check, but to also get it zipped up again. I thought my hassles were over. However, there were more problems at the x-ray machine. They kept sending my back pack thru the machine because some type of unusual metal object kept showing up. We took out the fold up umbrella, the camera, and the lave rocks from Mt. Etna. Finally, I emptied the entire back pack. The unusual object was a roll of quarters.
After getting through security, it was off to the duty free store. We had just over 44 euros left to spend. The best buy for us was a one liter bottle of Bombay Gin in a decorative metal container for 12 euros. We bought two bottles along with some miniature liquors. We then stopped at the snack bar and after purchasing a sandwich, 3 bottles of water, ice cream, and some mints, I had 27 euro cents left. I'll give these to my daughter for her 2nd grade class.
We got on the plane and took off about 20 minutes late (11:15am). The pilot estimated that we would actually arrive in Atlanta about 15 minutes early (3:40pm). Our flight wasn't full so my wife and I were able to have our own two seat areas. She was in seats 24F & G and I had 22 F & G. This made the expected 10 hour flight much more comfortable for both of us. We arrived in Atlanta about 10 minutes early (3:45pm). After getting our luggage and proceeding through immigration and security, we boarded MARTA and headed for the North Springs Station at about 5:00pm. We got to North Springs at 5:45pm and picked up our car that our daughter had left the night before. We got home at about 6:30pm.
The weather during our entire trip was as close to perfect as anyone could have ever asked for. To think we were gone for so many days and to only have rain for the very brief period that we were at Mt. Etna. The weather was an absolute 10!!!
Page 5 > > More on Carnival Liberty Mediterranean Cruise > >
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