Again, another connundrum...do we see Nice, Eze, Cannes, Monaco, Monte Carlo, or what?? We went with a private guide...us, our friends, two women (one is a travel agent for my company) and a couple from the disboards, again topping at 8, splitting 600 Euro. "Visit Nice (market of the old city), the medieval villages of Saint-Paul and Eze, as well as Monaco and Monte-Carlo. We take the most scenic roads to enjoy the best panoramas." We went with Michel from Revalation Tours, we will either have him as our guide or Franck. They have wonderful reviews and we are excited! I almost went with Dreams tours, they had great follow up...but their first email included the possibility of visiting a perfume factory and a chocolate factory. They made it clear that it was completely our choice...and ... read more

I am having trouble with La Spezia. Currently we have this reserved: Portofino & Santa Margherita: $135 PP: an approximate 75-minute ride to Santa Margherita. The journey includes a short drive along the Via Aurelia, the Roman "Golden Sun Road." Arrive in town and board a boat bound for the 15-minute cruise to Portofino. Enjoy views of the Promontory of Mount Portofino including rich vegetation, jagged rocks, little inlets and secluded beaches only visible from the water. Note: This tour includes approximately 1.5 miles of walking at a steady pace, part of which will be on cobblestones and/or uphill. Arrive at Portofino, once a quiet seaside village that has become a must-see destination for the rich and famous, known for its colorful houses and quaint harbor. Pay a visit to the famous Piazzetta, and enjoy approximately ... read more

Naples was tough. Do we go to Capri? Do we climb Mt. Vesuvius? Pompeii is an obvious must, but what to put with a tour to Pompeii? After much debate and back and forth, we decided to hire a private tour guide for Naples. We chose Marco, who works for Marcelo Maresca. It will be myself, Dicedawg, my partner and her husband, her parents, and another couple I met on the Disboards...so we can all share the cost. It will be 550 Euro among the 8, plus another 100 Euro for a guide inside Pompeii (we debated on the headsets, but split among 8 it makes sense to go with the guide). We personalized the tour, and we will be driving on the Amalfi coast, via Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Ravello, and well as spending a ... read more

February 24, 2010 I have done extensive research so far on the different ports, and here are my random thoughts on what I've chosen/what I am still deciding on for each port. 1. Barcelona. We chose a hotel, the Hotel Curious, for approximately $154 USD. We liked the name of the hotel for its Alice in Wonderland sound...seemed fitting for a Med cruise on a Disney ship:). However, the reviews are good: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187497-d1022712-Reviews-Hotel_Curious-Barcelona_Catalonia.html and it appears to be in a very good location. We received quotes for airport pickup, and one or two day tours for Barcelona...but I am leaning towards doing a hop on/hop off bus tour instead...there are three routes, and I am still exploring options for this, but it appears to be 1) more affordable and 2) easy to navigate. Since my sister ... read more