La Dolce Vita

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Geo: 40.6263, 14.3757

We wake early. Connie is already anchored off Sorrento. The port here is too small for a ship this size and so we need to tender ashore. We breakfast in the Oceanview. I opt for a low carb brekkie of omelette, freshly made at the egg station, tomatoes and mushrooms. As Elite guests, being a sister company to Royal Caribbean our Diamond Plus status gives us something similar on Celebrity Cruises, we don't have to obtain tender tickets and already have some in our room and we can go ashore whenever we like rather than an allotted time.

Before long we have travelled the short distance from the ship to the small harbour that sits below Sorrento. The place is busy with small ferries and boats taking people across to Naples, The Amalfi Coast and our destination Capri. We buy our ferry tickets and as we have an hour to wait find a small cafe with wifi and order coffee. A crowd build near pier 9 where we are due to depart from at 10.45.

Boarding is a little chaotic but we find a couple of seats upstairs aboard the small jetcat. As you would imagine the majority of travellers are tourists all headed to the picturesque island that is Capri. The journey across is a mere 20 minutes and we pull into Marina Grande which sits beneath Capri's towering cliffs and hill. Our main destination is Capri Town which sits atop those hills to the south of the harbour. There are 3 main ways to get there. The Funicular railway, bus or open top taxi. We choose a 4th. The lines for funicular, bus & taxi are horrendous and slow moving and so we walk. We do this without really knowing how far or how steep it will be and the initial ascent makes me question the wisdom of our choice. However, after we get past the steep steps at the beginning the path levels out somewhat and begins to meander up through pretty villas that dot the north facing slopes of Capri. We take our time an make a few photos stops (catch our breath stops) along the way. We are not alone as a few other travellers have clearly made the same choice as us to reach Capri Town. Some 20 minutes later we emerge into a small sunlit piazza in the town centre.

We immediately realise we are no longer in Kansas. We are surrounded by a glittering array of designer boutique shops. Ferragamo, D&G, Dior & Chanel. Every single one empty of shoppers who prefer to remain on the outside looking in. We wander along the crowded streets which are ridiculously busy. What charm lies win this small town seems to be lost a little by the heaving mass of tourists. I expect it would be a lot nicer in the evening when most had left the island. We take some photos before picking a small restaurant for some lunch. I have an excellent Diavolo pizza which is very spicy. Peter has a ham and mushroom pizza all washed down with some ice cold beer.

Having seen what we came for we decide to head back down to Marina Grande. We walk again but the going is a lot easier downhill although my calf muscles are protesting loudly at this point. They will ache for a few days to come. Back in the port we hop on the next available ferry to Sorrento. Having visited Sorrento last year we decide not to walk around again and instead head to the tender dock where celebrity staff greet us with cold drink and iced towels to cool us down.very welcoming.

Back onboard we drop our stuff off in the cabin and head to the Seaview Cafe for some wine as we watch small fishing boats and sail yachts in the Bay of Sorrento. At 6pm we head to the Helipad for the Cruise Critic get together. We meet people we have chatted with online before the trip as well as meeting some of the ships staff and the cruise director. We garner many a sympathy votes as people learn of our luggage predicament. Seems we are not alone though, 23 other guests don't have theirs either, 20 of which flew BA.

We learn that one of our cases has made it to the ship and we are reunited with it around 7.30pm. We were expecting mine but it turn out to be Peters. Not only did BA forget to load the bags on the aircraft but the check in lady at Manchester put Peters luggage tag on mine and vice versa so making a bad situation worse. BA were having problems locating the 2nd case and so we had been describing Peters 'red' case to them in detail when it turns out that one was found and now with us. Anyway as we cross pack one case meant things were a lot easier for us now as we both had stuff to keep us going for a few days. Even better Celebrity said we could rent Tuxedo's free of charge. Peter now didn't need his as was in his case but it was a godsend for me.

Dinner tonight is in the Main dining room The San Marco. I think our expectations were a little high as the food was ok but not exceptional. Again the comparisons to Royal come in and we decide perhaps Celeb have the edge as desserts were better. The Seaview cafe keeps luring us back and we sit under the stars where I dutifully point out constellations from Constellation as we enjoy an excellent brandy and expresso.

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