Actually, Julie and I didn't sleep as late as we planned, so we walked to Hotel Quirinale before breakfast, just to check it out. I have frequently recommended it because of its reasonable price (under $400 per night) for a 4 Star, centrally located hotel that has a rich history.
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| Navigator of the Seas Promenade |
Included free with the room, the buffet breakfast includes coffee from an easy-to-use cappuccino/espresso machine, great pastry and cereal choices and some deli items.
I enjoyed a combination of hard-boiled brown egg, prosciutto and Laughing Cow soft cheese, with a chocolate croissant and several espresso mixes.
Giuseppe Verdi and other great composers, dancers and musical artists have stayed at this former palace located by the Opera House.
I have to say that the Quirinale seems to be fading and could use a bit of primping, but at half the price of a 5-Star property, it's still a cool option.
The courtyard garden between the hotel and Opera House would be a lovely spot for dining and relaxation.
Being close to Termini meant we could walk to the station and board a train to our port in Civitavecchia for just 4.5 Euro.
After a pleasant hour and a half ride, we caught a taxi at the station for 20 Euro, which carried four of us directly to the port.
We had plenty of time to catch the free cruise shuttle a fifteen minute walk away had we chosen to do so.
By the time we finished a great lunch at the beautiful buffet on board, we were happy to learn Jay and Katie had made it to the ship on time.
They cut it closer than I would have preferred, because they needed to attend Katie's sister's graduation.
Their nonstop Alitalia flight arrived on time to FCO at 12:15.
Had there been any delays, they understood they might have to take the 12 hour train ride to Messina to catch the ship. By the time they went through customs, they decided to take a taxi to the port, negotiating a rate of 100 Euro (down from 150).
While even I get bored with all this minutiae, for some people making a similar trip, it could be valuable information. If you find it too mundane, just skip to the video.
One other order of business that evening was our dining reservation. Because Jay and Katie had been added late, they were seated at a separate table, but I spoke with the Maitre d' that evening, and he said he would do what he could to get us seated together.
The next evening, we were all moved to a new table for the duration of the cruise, and we loved our waitstaff.
Jay and Katie wanted to explore our arrival port of Messina, and they enjoyed a reportedly terrific day.
The photos in this post are from their trip.
The rest of us went to the medieval village of Taoromina, which I'll tell you about next.
