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Last port of call on our cruise is Split, Croatia, another popular summer destination on the Dalmatian coast. NCL Jade is a bit too big for the cruise port so the ship anchors a mile offshore and tenders ferry passengers to and from the Riva, Split’s scenic waterfront promenade.
Another day at sea as the ship returns across the Aegean from Turkey back to Croatia. Highlight of the day is a Behind-the-Scenes ship tour with officers and crew of Norwegian Jade. The tour doesn’t come free, though: it costs $55 per person in onboard credit, kind of a shipboard excursion.
After a night crossing the Aegean Sea, we arrive at Izmir, a sprawling port city on the Turkish coast — but our real destination is a bit farther south: the archaeological site of Ancient Ephesus. Uncertain of our transit options I’ve booked a full day with No-Frills Ephesus Tours, a tour agency that promises excursions without the shopping stops so common to these trips. We’re here for history, not high pressure rug sales.
The port suburb of Piraeus is a chaotic, bustling mess. It takes a while to figure out which pier we’ve docked at, and how to get to the Athens Metro on foot (about a 20 minute walk). At the Metro I lack coins for the machines and stop by a small cafe to buy an over-sweet frappe for change. I have trouble operating the first Metro ticket machine before belatedly realizing that it is out of service.
Day at sea between Dubrovnik and Athens. Another morning doing about a mile around the jogging track. Later in the day, ship’s officers host a Cruise Critic member meet-and-greet in Le Bistro, the ship’s French specialty restaurant.
The next morning I go for a few rounds around the ship’s jogging track and reward myself for this accomplishment with three breakfasts on the ship’s Lido buffet deck. Today we visit our first port of call: Dubrovnik — an old medieval walled town on the Dalmatian coast, now one of Croatia’s most popular summer destinations.
I have no wry or cynical David Foster Wallace-ish observations on this cruise other than what I mentioned about pre-boarding unpleasantness before departing Venice. Once aboard the ship we had a lovely week, with epic destinations, flawless weather, friendly service, and delightful food. In a week we passed through Dubrovnik, Athens, Ephesus, and Split.
Continue reading Norwegian Jade Cruise, Day 1: Welcome Aboard
We have a few hours to kill between hotel check-out and cruise boarding, and our hotel is nice enough to keep our bags in storage for the day. It’s enough time to go to the Chiesa di San Pantalon and see Fumiani’s famous ceiling painting of the life of Saint Pantaleon: a masterpiece of trompe-l’oeil which makes the church appear taller than it is, open to a sky spilling over with baroque figures in every direction. It is a wonder to just sit there, looking up, for an hour. No photography allowed.
Also, in my mind, I have rechristened “San Pantalon” as “Saint Pants.”
Today is reserved for the touristy stuff around San Marco: the Piazza, the Basilica, the Campanile, the Doge’s Palace, the Rialto Bridge. After another breakfast of rolls and croissants and Nutella and ham at Ristorante Ribot we hop aboard the No. 1 Vaporetto at Piazzale Roma for a ride down the Grand Canal to San Marco. (Walking in Venice is nice but we’re trying to beat the day-tripper crowd to the piazza this morning.) It’s cloudier today, the color not as great for photos, but this is Venice, and everything looks lovely regardless of light.
Awakened in the early morning by a thunderstorm, the first and only instance of inclement weather we experience in Venice. Lightning flashes outside, and a few drops of water come into the hotel room through the open window; nothing worth closing it for. On second waking, the rain is over. The canal outside is bright green. Complimentary breakfast at Ristorante Ribot is a simple affair of rolls and croissants with thinly sliced Italian ham and coffee and juice. I discover the joy of Nutella.