Celebrity Cruise lines
Millennium Cruise Review
12-Day Western Mediterranean
Venice to Barcelona

Tom Ogg
Age: Baby Boomer
Number of Cruises: Many
Sailing Date: September 7th, 2005

The setup:
I was the seminar facilitator and escort for a group of 40 cruise professionals aboard Celebrity Cruise Lines Millennium. I had taken this exact same cruise about a year ago and completely reviewed the ship on a MEGA review located here. I had been on the Splendour of the Seas for a 7-day Western Mediterranean cruise with my wife prior to flying into Venice to pick up this group and you can read the review of that cruise here. I had laid over in Barcelona for the five days necessary to connect to this cruise and had decided to fly into Venice the day of the cruise simply because of the cost involved in transferring into Venice from the airport to a hotel and then getting to the cruise terminal from Venice. Since the cruise spent the evening in Venice and departed on the 8th, I felt comfortable making these plans. The Air France flight went flawlessly, my luggage arrived as scheduled and the taxi took me right to the shi without delay. All in all, it was a painless embarkation.

The Ship:
I believe that the Millennium class ships of Celebrity Cruise Lines are one of the best designed and functional ships afloat. I have reviewed the Millennium in great detail here, so I will not repeat myself in this review. However, it had been a year since I cruised her, I will comment on her condition. First, she is to go into dry dock for a major refurbishment in November of 2005 and her condition reflected this fact. There was an amount of deferred maintenance and the staffing seemed more temporary and less caring than the last time that I had cruise her. That said, I suspect that it was simply in the preparation for her dry dock that such was the case.

Day One, September 7th, 2005; Venice, Italy, Casual
Ahhhh, Venice. If you haven't been there, you need to go. If you have, then you know what I am talking about.. Venice is truly one of the world's most wonderful cities. It has everything going for it. I arrived at the airport and negotiated for a taxi to take me to the cruise terminal. In 30 short minutes I was dropped off at the luggage check-in point where I checked my luggage and then walked what seemed to be a mile to the cruise terminal. I was wondering if my taxi driver did me wrong or if the check-in process at the cruise terminal simply had major flaws. When I finally arrived at the terminal, there was no lines and I was whisked onto the ship as an "Elite Member". Once I had found my cabin and unpacked my carry-on luggage, I made my way to the Purser's desk to reconfirm my group's arrangements. Once confirmed, I made some "Welcome Aboard" flyers and delivered them to the group's cabins and then spent the afternoon enjoying the solarium spa before dressing for the cocktail party and dinner. Having just cruise on the Millennium a year ago on this very same itinerary, i felt completely at home.

We met in Cosmos Lounge for our party and I was glad to meet the group coordinator and group members. There were quite a few agents that had not sailed the Mediterranean before, so I made a note to go over the ports at the first seminar. We had a great time getting to know one another and when the party was over, we moved into the Metropolitan Restaurant where we enjoyed the first of pur cruise's excellent dining experiences. Since I did not have a seminar to do in the morning and I was in the same time zone, I went back to Cosmos Night Club to enjoy the music and see if I could run into any of our group members that were out and about. Being the first night of the cruise, many people had gone to bed and there wasn't much going on. I turned in.

Day Two, September 8th, 2005; Venice, Italy, Informal
I was up early and anxious to go into Venice to get some pictures and also visit Murano Island. It seems that every five minutes around the vaparetto stations someone is bugging you to go to Murano and visit the glass factories for free. Of course, there are obviously hooks involved, as the characters doing the solicitation seem somewhat sleazy. On my last trip to Venice I decided to find out what it was all about.

The San Marcos Vaparetto Ticket Station
(Notice the #41 and #42 on the Sign)

I decided to take a local vaparetto to Murano and see what was there. I had taken shots of San Marcos Square and also of the Grand Canal and had some extra time so I went to find the vaparetto station that would take me there. As it turned out, it wasn't all that easy. I started at the vaparetto ticket booth on the Grand Canal just down from the Rialto Bridge. He told me that I had to depart for Murano from St. Marks Square. I walked back to St. Marks taking the back streets that I had learned would take me there in less than 10-minutes. I went to the first vaparetto station I could find and asked if I was in the right place. He pointed toward the Doge Palace. So it went. After a frustrating time, I finally found the right ticket booth (pictured above) and wharf for the vaparetto that would take me to Murano.

Here are the instructions on how to find it. From St. Marks square go over the footbridge that allows you to see the Bridge of Sighs (turn to the right if you are facing the palace) and then keep going until you see the ticket booth pictured above. You want vaparetto #41 to take you there and vaparetto #42 to bring you back. Be careful, though as there are two #42's that depart Murano. The fare is 6 euro return (round trip).

F.te Nove Vaparetto Wharf

For whatever reason, I suspected that Murano was going to be nothing but a tourist trap full of tourists so I planned to jump off the vaparetto when we arrived at a likely looking spot where there were no tourists. We pulled up to the P.te Nove wharf and there were a good number of locals getting off, but no tourists. I sensed this was my opportunity for some peace and quiet, so I got off with the rest of the folks. It turned out to be a great plan.

F.te Nove Canals

Since I had no idea where I was or what the town was called, I am embarrassed to say I will simply call it F.te Nove for the lack of a better name. No one spoke a word of English, and frankly my Italian is more like Spanish with an Italian sound. Folks were plenty nice though. I wandered its narrow pedestrian streets and noticed that there were an abundance of artist galleries and also stone and clay shops.

A Typical Street in F.te Nove

I passed several flower shops all selling spectacular arrangements, a local fish market in a small square where the fish were being sold open air on ice, local pharmacies and dry good stores and of course, local restaurants.

F.te Nove Restaurant

I thought this place was really cool. The picture doesn't really do it justice, but it had all the character one could imagine. I stopped for a cup of coffee and just took in the local goings-on in for about 45 minutes. I could tell that it had been some time since this restaurant had a tourist in it as everyone kept looking at me and laughing at my "Italish". I could have spent the entire day in and around F.te Nove (or whatever its real name is). Since my objective was to visit Murano, I made my way back to the vaparetto wharf and caught the #41 to Murano.

Here is where to get off the vaparetto. There is no announcement made in English and the name of the stop is something other than Murano. When you see this sign, get off the vaparetto.

The Scene Around the Vaparetto Wharf in Murano

After arriving in Murano with what seemed like a million other folks, there was a gentleman on the wharf directing people to the left. He looked like the same kind of character that hustles the "free trips" around St. Mark's Square, so I went to the right. Of course, going to the right is the way everyone should have gone.

Murano Glass Stores as Far as the Eye Can See

After walking a short distance past some small stores and vendors, one comes upon a canal that is lined with quality stores selling Murano glass. I am not sure how many stores there are, but it must be in the hundreds.

One of the Murano Footbridges

There are footbridges every now and then so that you may cross to the other side to gain access to more shops. You will also find a good number of restaurants and sidewalk cafes should your hunger alarm go off.

More Murano Shopping Opportunities

I finally turned around and took this picture from a footbridge as I crossed the canal. I admit to not being a very good shopper, however, I saw just about everything you could imagine that could be made from glass, and it is beautiful. Chandeliers, vases, glassware, jewelry, figurines, animals, dishes and other dining utensils and much, much more.

Murano on the Ocean

After a long walk around the canal shopping area I decided to take a look at the area folks were being referred to as they left the vaparetto. I walked past the center of Murano and around the corner on the open ocean. There were a few stores but now I understood why the guy was sending folks there. He obviously worked for one of the factories that were located there and was trying to divert people from the real shopping area. I will bet you that some folks never made it down to the canal and thought that this was the Murano experience.

Murano Glass Factory

A couple of the stores had demonstrations of how the glass was made that you could watch. While it was interesting, the stores hosting the events were not as competitive as those in the main part of the shopping canal. At the very end of the walkway was a museum and factory store. There was a long line of tourist waiting to get in. I turned around and made my way back to the vaparetto terminal to catch the #42 back to St. Marks Square.

Hint: Unless you are either keenly interested in buying Murano glass or have exhausted things to do in Venice, I wouldn't visit Murano. It is quaint and interesting, it is just that there is so much more to see in Venice and most of the glass pieces I saw in the stores on Murano are also available from shops in Venice. Have Fun!

I took the ship's shuttle boat back to the Millennium just in time for the 3:30 pm lifeboat drill. After watching the sail away (don't miss it!) I fell into my routine of visiting the solarium and relaxing in the Jacuzzis and spa. I was dressed in time to take in the evening's pre-dinner show, an illusionist named Jamie Allen. Dinner went quite smoothly and our group was already coming together.

Panoramic View of Dubrovnik, Croatia

Day Three, September 9th, 2006; Dubrovnik, Croatia, Formal
I was up early again and looking forward to visiting Dubrovnik once again. My plan was to take the transfer into the old city and then spend the day taking pictures for PortReviews.com from the wall that surrounds the city. I climbed onto the wall and spent the entire day walking the wall and the streets of Dubrovnik that lie within the walls. I got some great shots.

The City of Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik is an excellent port that is easy to do on your own. It offers great shopping, restaurants and other activities. I finally took the transfer back to the harbor where the Millennium was at anchor in the bay. There were a good number of ships in port and the Millennium had to anchor and tender making the process a little more trying. Once back aboard, it was off to the solarium for me and another round with the spa. Since this was the first formal night, I had arranged to meet with many in our group for pre-dinner cocktails before going into the Metropolitan Restaurant for what was turning out to be an exceptional dining experience. The Millennium's first production show was this evening and even though I had a seminar to do in the morning, I stayed up to enjoy it. Titled "Spectacle of Broadway" it was a fantastic show that I stayed for the very last.

Day Four, September 10th, 2005; Day at Sea, Informal
Once again, I was up early, dined in the Ocean Cafe and was ready for our first seminar in Michael's Club. I always enjoy the first seminar as it is everyone's opportunity to get to know one another and this group was an excellent one. We talked until noon and then continued on for about an hour before I ended the discussion and made my way to lunch. The Millennium's solarium and spa offer a pool with several water stations and two racks of bubbling water that contains various minerals and salts making a good soak in the bubbles very relaxing indeed. I worked in the afternoon in my cabin before meeting some from our group in the Champagne Bar for a cocktail before the evenings pre-dinner show in the Celebrity Theater. The evening's entertainment was a pianist named Brooks Aehron and man, could he play the piano. He had the entire audience mesmerized with his obvious talent. After a wonderful show we made our way to dinner and another enjoyable dining experience. We had arranged to "round robin" our various dining tables and ended up with three separate waiters to experience. Each were excellent in their own right, while being different at the same time. Post-dinner found me sound asleep in my cabin relaxing after a busy day.

Day Five, September 11th, 2005; Athens, Greece, Casual
I am not a big fan of Athens because of the disregard the local taxi drivers treat folks with. They view you as a game to cheat you of your money and experiences so I was determined to find how to take the train to the Plaka from Piraeus. After a good breakfast a couple of the agents and I took off for the train station. We asked questions along the way and after twenty minutes or so, found our way. Here is what to do if you are interested in taking the train rather than getting ripped off by the local taxi drivers.

The Erechtheion. and the Parthenon at Athen's Acropolis

When you disembark the ship you will go through the cruise terminal and be led out the front door where many taxis will be waiting. The taxi drivers will bug you to death. Just ignore them and keep walking right out of the port facility. When you nit the street simply turn left and follow the road around the harbor. It will be about a 20-minute walk to the train station.

Turn Right at this Corner

As you round the harbor, you will come to the area where the ferries dock (there may or may not be ferries in the port at the time. You will come to a large intersection with two roads converging on the road that you are on. Take the road to the immediate right (pictured above). The train station is about four short blocks on the right hand side.

The Piraeus Train Station

You will come to a square and see the train station on the far side of the square. There are a number of doors that you can enter.

Piraeus Train Station Ticket Counter

Look for the main ticket counter (pictured above) and then purchase a round-trip ticket to the Plaka. The entire fare to get there is only 1 euro and 20 cents. Once you have purchased your ticket just go up the steps to the waiting train and find a seat.

The 7th stop that you will make will display this sign. This is where you want to get off the train, as you are right in the heart of the Plaka district. If for any reason there are a different number of stops, just look for this sign.

The Plaka Train Station and the Road to the Acropolis

When you leave the train station, you can look up towards the Acropolis. If you turn to the right and start going up hill (pictured above) it will lead ou to the ticket office so that you can then gain entrance and climb to the Acropolis. Entrance to the Acropolis is current 12 euro. On the way you will pass several sights and ruins worthy of exploration.

The Erechtheion

The Erechtheion

The Backside of the Parthenon

Once you have explored the Acropolis to your satisfaction, you can head back down the hill to the Plaka any number of ways to see more sights. Back at the train station, you are right in the middle of the Plaka. There are restaurants.

Plaka Restaurants by the Train Station

and there is unlimited shopping for everything under the sun.

Typical Plaka Shopping

A Typical Plaka Shopping Street

A Typical Plaka Crowd

You should be very wary in and around the Plaka, as it can get quite crowded and the area is known to have pick pockets that look for tourists. When you are ready to go back to Piraeus and the ship, just return to the train station and go down the right side (opposite side) of the tracks to catch the train to Piraeus (you will see a sign clearly marked "Piraeus" in the station. Again you must validate your return ticket when entering the station.

The sign for the Piraeus Station

Once again, Piraeus will be the seventh (and final) stop for the train. Look for this sign as confirmation that you are, indeed in the right station.

The Piraeus Train in the Piraeus Train Station

Welcome back to Piraeus. It is now just a short 20-minute walk back to the ship. Be sure to leave some time to visit the local market in front of the train station and also along the way back to the ship.

There was another early show this evening string the Celebrity Singers and Dancers entitled "Classique, a Musical Odyssey" and it was wonderful. This led to another excellent dining experience followed by an early evening. One word of caution on this itinerary. You are so busy with a port day almost every day, that most folks are sound asleep early in the evening (me included)

Day Six, September 12th, 2005; Santorini, Greece, Casual
Santorini is a tender call and while I had access to priority tender tickets as an Elite member of Celebrity's Captian's Club, I chose to stay on board and relax for the morning and get some work done. I took an open tender into Santorini at about 11am, rode the gondola to the top and spent some time wondering around Fira before the heat got to me. Having been to Santorini a good number of times, I elected to return to the ship and take advantage of the fact that everyone was in port and I could have the Millennium all to myself. That is exactly how it worked out. I lounged by the pool and did a little work in the afternoon before logging some time in the solarium and eventually getting ready for dinner. There were actually very few people at dinner as many had chosen to stay in Santorini and dine because of our 11pm departure time. After dinner I attended the evening's show, whcih featured a guy that I had seen before named Bob Arno. Bob is a pick pocket and watching him practice his trade is indeed a very real awakening. He simply removes watches, wallets and whatever he wants, at will from a suspecting audience. I highly recommend that you attend his show if you ever get the opportunity.

Day Seven, September 13th, 2005; Day at Sea, Formal
Our second seminar was scheduled for this morning and I was up early and ready to go. We met in Michael's Club for a second time and had a wonderful session that lasted almost until 2pm. Everyone had bonded quite nicely and the was much friendship that had developed. After lunch I spent the balance of the day in my usual format, sunshine, solarium, a pre-dinner cocktail, dinner and then the show. The only difference on this evening was the Captain's Club members reception took place at 8pm in Cosmos Night Club. I was somewhat surprised at the small number of repeaters on this particular cruise.

Day Eight, September 14th, 2005; Naples, Italy; Informal

Pompeii, Italy

I had heard that getting to Pompeii on the train was fairly easy, so I set out to find the train station in Naples that would serve Pompeii. After walking for almost two hours, here is what I found.

The Church Spire Near the Train Station
(Note, This Was Taken With a Telephoto Lens)

Before you debark your ship, go to the top floor and scan the city of Naples to find this church spire. If you look into the bay you will see it sticking above all of the other buildings. This church is very near to the train station. Here is how you get there.

Church Near the Train Station

Leave the cruise terminal and walk all the way through the parking lot to the road that fronts the terminal and circles around the harbor. Turn right and start walking along the sidewalk. The road will eventually merge with another road and make a major thoroughfare in Naples fronting the harbor area. The entire walk will take approximately 25 minutes. After the road merges with the other, you will see clearly see the church spire pictured above. You will need to cross the road all the way to the other side. The road contains several medians that must be traversed to get completely to the other side. Continue walking until you come to the small square that the church resides in (pictured above)

Turn Left Here

After you pass the church, you should turn left at the very next street (pictured above) Note that one of the street car lines also turns left, as well.

The Naples Train Station

The train station is on the right (pictured above). Note that the main train station in Naples is located at Garibaldi Square. You could catch the Pompeii/Santorini train from there, but this is the station that it originates from. I had originally planned on going all the way to Santorini, so I purchased a round trip ticket that allowed me to get off where ever I wanted for 6 euro. I suspect that the round trip fare to Pompeii alone was probably around 3 or 4 euro. The train isn't all that clean as it is clearly a commuter train for the local residents. It makes approximately 30 to 35 stops between Naples and Santorini and the Pompeii stop is just about in the middle of the run. It takes about 30 minutes from the time that you leave Naples to arrive at the Pompeii station.

The Correct Stop for Pompeii

When you see this sign, it is time to get off the train.

The Pompeii Train Station

You will disembark the train on "Track A" which puts you right in front of the train station. Simply walk through the train station onto the road and turn to your right. The entrance to Pompeii is about 100 yards further down the road past the vendors selling all types of Pompeii stuff for the tourists.

The Pompeii Train Station Taken From the Entrance to Pompeii

The vendors offer self guide books of Pompeii, which is probably the best way to go if you are on a budget. There are also many other souvenirs available.

The Entrance to Pompeii

Gaining entrance to Pompeii requires that you purchase an admission ticket. The current fare to get it is 10 euro. This gives you entrance to Pompeii only. If you want to join a guided tour, there are several guides forming tours before you actually go into the park. They work on a gratuity basis, so be aware that they are not included with your ticket. There are also audio devices available that you can rent from the park. Unless you are keenly interested in finding out every detail of life in Pompeii before it was buried in ash and mud almost twenty centuries ago, you can do just fine with a guide book and on your own.

Pompeii is HUGE

The thing that I had forgotten since my last visit to Pompeii was just how huge it is. After trying to penetrate its ruins for almost an hour, I was glad that I had decided to cancel the Sorrento portion of my plans. One can easily spend an entire day here and enjoy every minute of it.

Pompeii Garden

It had been ten or so years since my last visit and I was surprised by the amount of work that had been done in excavation.

The Ruins Are Stunning

It is almost impossible to fathom how sophisticated the Pompeii population had been. Swimming pools, lush gardens, running water, baths, beautiful architecture, Pompeii is just stunning.

The North Entrance to Pompeii

Here is a shot of the north entrance to Pompeii. This is the way you will enter it from the train. Be aware that there is another entrance and if you exit there, you will be far from the train station. Make sure you come back through the north exit.

Here is a 2,000 year old Bathtub

Just a Small Portion of the Artifacts on Display in Pompeii

A Wall Painting in One of the 1,000s of Houses in Pompeii

A Simple Side Street in Pompeii

I took hundreds of pictures and stayed way too long enjoying Pompeii and would highly suggest that you not miss the wealth of history. It will simply astound you.

While I was going to continue to Sorrento, I had spent entirely too much time exploring Pompeii and decided to simply return to the train station and walk more of Naples shopping streets. I barely got back on board and changed for dinner in time for the pre-dinner show. Since I had seen the evening's performer on a couple of other occasions, I watched a couple of her numbers and then decided to hit the Internet Cafe for another frustrating session before going into dinner. Dinners were becoming my favorite time of the day, as this group was having so much fun with one another. I was in bed quite early.

Day Nine, September 15th, 2005; Civitavecchia, Italy, casual
There was a couple in our group that had not been to Rome before and also had a slight disability. I agreed to take them into Rome for the day so the wife could visit St. Peter's Basilica. We took the shuttle from the ship to the port entrance and then walked the few blocks to the Civitavecchia  train station, purchased our tickets and then boarded the train to Rome. We debarked the train at the St. Peters train station and then made our way to the Basilica. One of the other agents had joined us and she had open shoulders and could not gain entrance to the Basilica, so we waited outside while the couple relished in the beauty and meaning St. Peters offers Catholics and all of its visitors. When they were done, we took a taxi to Spanish Steps and then walked to one of the local restaurants that take residence along the pedestrian streets that meander throughout the area. We enjoyed wine with lunch and lingered for a couple of hours just enjoying one another's company. The plan was to walk to Trevi Fountain, the Forum and on to the other sights in Rome, but time was becoming tight so we grabbed a taxi and did a drive-by on the sights that we could before going to Rome's main train station to catch the return train to Civitavecchia. Unfortunately, the train was delayed almost 34 minutes and while we had enough time to get back to the ship, it was getting tighter and tighter. Finally the train arrived and turned around to head back to the coast. We arrived at the port with just enough time to catch the last shuttle back to the ship.

Day Ten, September 16th, 2005; Livorno, Italy, Formal
Having just visited Livorno about ten days prior on the Splendour of the Seas, one of the group members had spent the day in Livorno rather than going into Florence, Pisa or Lucca. She said that she found great shopping, restaurants and lots of color. I was keen on finding the Livorno that she found so decided to spend the day looking for it. Here is what I found.

Livorno is a Hidden Treasure

While Livorno lacks the tourist infrastructure that Florence offers and does not have the same quality of sights, it is a very wonderful city well worth your investigation.

The Livorno Harbor Front

Livorno is built on the harbor and is very much an active port. It features a large fishing fleet and an abundance of commercial activity. The ocean has been tapped for the canals that reach inland and penetrate much of the city of Livorno giving it Venice Like flavor.

Livorno Fish Market

One sees fish markets along the harbor and also on the side streets that abutt the harbor. The fishing fleet is huge and I suspect that fishing is one of the larger industries Livorno enjoys.

One of the Harbor Bars

One of the first things that I noticed was the colorful nature of Livorno's businesses and people. The fisherman all looked like something out of a movie and the businesses (like this bar) were completely unique. This particular bar was overgrown by some vine. It looked like someplace Earnest Hemingway would hang out.

Another Livorno Canal

The canals seemed to pop up everywhere and there were tons of private boats inhabiting them. It was a very peaceful morning without a lot of activity, even though it was a Friday morning. I decided to head into the downtown area just off of the harbor and was treated to an incredible surprise.

Livorno Shopping Street

One of the main roads in Livorno turned out to be a fabulous shopping street with covered stores on both sides of the street for several blocks. It was reminiscent of shopping in a fine mall in Southern California, as many of the same stores were located here. Anyone would certainly find enough shopping here to satisfy their wants and needs. There were many jewelry stores, clothing shops and boutiques, name brand chains from all product categories and simply an abundance of quality merchandise. The tiled sidewalk and wonderful sidewalk enclosures gave it that much more of a classy feeling. When folks say there is no shopping in Livorno, I wonder what they were thinking?

Typical Livorno Side Street

Once out of the main shopping area, Livorno opened up many side streets with specialty shops offering unique products and goods. I came across a wine store that I entered and was blown away.

Wine Anyone?

This seems to sum it up for Livorno; underestimated and unappreciated. I have been in wine stores all over Europe, just about the last place I would have expected a wine store of this quality would have been in Livorno, what a huge surprise. Excellent prices and a wonderful selection was the rule in this store.

Livorno Flea Market

The woman that had been giving Livorno such high marks kept referring to the "outdoor market" as having excellent prices, but she was disappointed that she had spent all of her euro and that they wouldn't take any dollars. Folks, she is absolutely right. Just about everything under the sun was available in this market that stretched for blocks.

Livorno's Flea Market

Between the outdoor market and the shopping streets, one could easily spend a full day shopping here and never find all of the stores. I suspect there are some real interesting shops to boot. I saw one men's shoe store that I was going to visit in the afternoon because they had the color shoes that I really liked. Unfortunately, I couldn't find it again.

Another Livorno Canal by the Central Market

I was having a ball following the canals when I stumbled upon a real treasure

Livorno's Central Market

Housed in a huge building that stretched an entire block was the central market place in Livorno. I am not sure how many stalls it contained, but it was huge. I saw, meats, fish, poultry, wines, oils, fruit, produce, plants and flowers. It reminded me of Pikes Market in Seattle only obviously much older. The central market alone was well worth the visit to Livorno and everything else is simply a bonus.

Follow a Canal and Enjoy Livorno

So my suggestion to you would be to explore Livorno if you have already done Florence and want something a little less touristy. I think you will like what you find. I lingered in Livorno way too long and was one of the last people back on the Millennium.  I dressed in a hurry in time to make it to our group photo and cocktail party before dinner. We enjoyed another wonderful dining experience before attending the evening's show "I Love the Nightlife". I slept so soundly.

Day Eleven, September 17th, 2005; Villefranche, France; Casual
Continuing with my effort to continue doing special reports for www.PortReviews.com, I spent the day riding the train to Nice first and then to Monaco. Here is what I found. I first took the train to Nice and here is how to do it.

Nice's Central Market Place in its Historic District

Nice is a wonderful city to visit. While many of the smaller ships can gain entrance into Nice's commercial harbor putting Nice within walking distance, many more larger ships anchor in Villefranche, France leaving the independent traveler with the problem of getting to Nice if that is there choice of destinations. Here is exactly how to take the train from Villefranche to Nice and return.

The Train Station is Right Above the Second Tender

As you get off the tender at the tender wharf in Villefranche, you will see the train station as pictured above. It is in an unlikely place as there doesn't seem to be anywhere for the train to go from the station. That is because it arrives and departs Villefranche through tunnels. Note the location of the train station from the tender wharf and then depart the port and follow the harbor around to the beach area.

The Stairs to the Train Station are Just Passed This Restaurant

As you make your way into the beach area, you will pass this restaurant. The stairs to the train station are tucked behind the restaurant just past the last building.

The Stairs Leading to the Train Station

As you climb the stairs, take the tunnel to the other side of the train tracks and then continue your climb until you see the train station.

The Villefranche Train Station Ticket Counter

You will need to purchase your tickets before you board the train. If you are also planning on visiting Monaco on the same day, I would suggest buying a Villefranche - Nice roundtrip ticket and a separate Villefranche - Monaco roundtrip ticket. The total fare for both tickets is under 8 euro. The price to visit Nice is under 4 euro, roundtrip.

The Villefranche Train Station and Train to Nice
(Note that you must go back under the tracks to catch the Nice train)

Once you have your ticket, you must go back under the tracks to the other side of the platform as the Nice train stops there. Be aware that it only stops for a short period, so don't make the mistake of not being on the platform ready to board.

Get Off the Train When You See This Sign

Be aware that the train makes several stops in Nice. The stop that you want is the second stop from Villefranche. At any rate, the sign above is the station that you want to disembark the train at.

The Train Station in Nice

You may want to check your return schedule (or the schedule to Monaco if that is your next stop) before you depart the train station. From the train station, take any of the streets in front of it towards the ocean (away from the train station. The station is located about 12 to 14 blocks from the ocean and the area right around the station seems somewhat seedy, but is actually safe enough.

Sign to the Beach

You will see signs on almost every corner. Follow the Promenade des Anglais signs and they will lead you to the beach. Once you have arrived at the beach be aware that everything is to the left of you.

Nice's Promenade des Anglais

If you walk to the left you will come upon a wide street that runs perpendicular to the rest of the streets. This is Avenue de Verdon. If you walk up the avenue, it will cross many streets to the left. This is the designer district where you can find top clothing labels and stores.

Nice Merry-go-Round

On the right hand side of Avenue de Verdum is a large park. Be sure to check out the old Merry-go-Round. If you continue to parallel the beach (but a block in from it) you will see Rue St. Francois de Paule. This is one entrance to the historic district and is the street where the Opera House and public markets are located. From here, you can entertain yourself for hours, as the historic district opens up all around you.

Just One of the Historic District Churches

If you have no idea where you are when you emerge from the historic district, you can simply hail a taxi to take you back to the train station. The best bet is to walk it and see if you can find it on your own, but if you are pressed for time taxis are readily available. I then made my way back to the train station and boarded the train to Monaco.

Monaco is one of those places that you simply must see during your lifetime. It defies description. Its wealth and architecture is simply awesome.

Docked in Monaco

Some ships port right in the heart of Monaco, but they tend to be the luxury lines. Most of us will anchor in Villefranche and tender into the Villefranche tender wharf.

The Train Station is Right Above the Second Tender

As you get off the tender at the tender wharf in Villefranche, you will see the train station as pictured above. It is in an unlikely place as there doesn't seem to be anywhere for the train to go from the station. That is because it arrives and departs Villefranche through tunnels. Note the location of the train station from the tender wharf and then depart the port and follow the harbor around to the beach area.

The Stairs to the Train Station are Just Passed This Restaurant

As you make your way into the beach area, you will pass this restaurant. The stairs to the train station are tucked behind the restaurant just past the last building.

The Stairs Leading to the Train Station

As you climb the stairs, take the tunnel to the other side of the train tracks and then continue your climb until you see the train station.

The Villefranche Train Station Ticket Counter

You will need to purchase your tickets before you board the train. If you are also planning on visiting Monaco on the same day, I would suggest buying a Villefranche - Nice - Villefranche ticket and a separate Villefranche - Monaco - Villefranche ticket. The total fare for both tickets is under 8 euro. The price to visit Monaco is under 4 euro, return. To catch the train to Monaco, simply purchase your ticket and step outside onto the platform. This is the right side of the tracks for Monaco.

Once the train arrives, board and then take the ride past some of the most beautiful scenery you are likely to see during your cruise. Your train may make a few stops, but look for the above sign to get off in Monaco.

Monaco's Train Station Interior

Once the train stops you can disembark the train. Depending on your game plan, there are two ways to exit the terminal. Note that the train terminal is several hundred feet below the surface of the Earth.

The Upper Train Station

If you head towards the front of the train and up the escalator (pictured above) you will then take an elevator up to the upper train terminal. This is a good choice if you want a great view of Monaco's various areas from high up in Monaco..

The Tunnel Leading From the Train to Monaco

If you head towards the rear of the train, you can take the tunnel with electric walkways to the lower levels of Monaco. This is the best choice if you are planning on actually visiting the various sights in Monaco. The tunnel will deposit you quite near the old train station and only a block or so from the center of town.

Train Station Tunnel Entrance

There is a visitor information center on the right hand side as you exit the tunnel and this is a great place to pick up a tourist map to start exploring Monaco and its many sights.

Entrance to the "Rock"

If you turn left at the very first street after exiting the tunnel, you will see the steps that lead up a hill on the right hand side of the street (pictured above). These will lead to the "Rock" which houses the Palace, cathedral and aquarium among other wonderful sights mentioned in the main review of Monaco.. If you turned left at the crosswalk instead of heading up the hill, you would enter the downtown area, marina and port and the road that leads to the Royal Casino in Monte Carlo. All of the sights are within walking distance from the train station. However, if you have trouble climbing hills, make sure you have the person working in the tourist office show you where the various lifts and escalators are.

Finding your way back to the train station is quite easy. Make sure you note the train schedules so that you arrive in time for a train as there are no facilities on the train platform. I took the train back into Villefranche and enjoyed the village before taking the tender back to the Millennium. I met some from our group for cocktails before heading into dinner in the Metropolitan Restaurant. I was quite surprised that as many folks attended dinner in the restaurant since the Millennium was not scheduled to leave until midnight. We had a great time and then decided to attend the evening's late show, the Celebrity Variety Showtime. I slept like a baby, tired from the full day.

Day Twelve, September 18th, 2005; Barcelona, Spain; Casual
This was really a day at sea and I had scheduled our last seminar of the cruise for this morning. With so few sea days, it was difficult to schedule many seminars and today's was simply a wonderful experience. Everyone had lots to share about their cruise experience, ports and other information. We went over our noon deadline and continued talking until about 1:30 before leaving for lunch. I spent the afternoon working and packing, as I had a very early flight from Barcelona in the morning and couldn't wait to go home. Since most of the folks in our group had planned to go into Barcelona for dinner rather than go to the restaurant, I decided to walk into Barcelona and visit some of my favorite spots. I had some tapas at a tapas bar and a glass of wine before making my way back to the ship. After one lat glass of wine in Michaels Piano Club I made my way to my cabin, put my luggage out and went to sleep.

Day Thirteen, September 19th, 2005; Barcelona, Spain; Casual
I was up early, took a light breakfast in the Ocean Cafe and disembarked the Millennium for one last time. I was sad the cruise was over, bit excited to be going home since it had been almost a month since I had left on this journey. I grabbed a taxi from the port to the airport and flew Ideria Airlines to Madrid, connected to Chicago and then changed planes to American Airlines to San Diego where Joanie met me at the airport. All in all, a great cruise experience.

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