Istanbul is fascinating; but quite a culture shock. The art and architecture is beautiful. But the crowds press very close and are not afraid to use elbows! No matter how much you think (as a reticent Englishman) that you are prepared for the stall holders in the Grand Bizzare the reality is 10 times more intimidating. My daughter in particular was quite scared by being pushed and shoved at, even though we had taken care for both women to dress appropriately. The Spice market is a less threatening experience with women and children doing their household shopping. The prices are also displayed so no haggling!Do take care with Istanbul taxis. They are all yellow - but vary considerably. If you can find one sponsored by one of the large hotels you will be much safer. The logos are painted on the doors. There is no "cab rank" rule - pick the one you like even if there is a line. The standard of driving makes the crowds in the market seem tame. Each trip we took we saw several accidents - I'm not sure how we avoided being in one ourselves with drivers texting, speaking on their phones or just weaving through the traffic very fast. Expect to haggle the price for the trip before you get in - and don't be surprised if it has gone up by the time you get to where you are going.

Istanbul

We did a tour of the Acropolis before spending time at liberty in the Plaka. The guide was really excellent and the flow of information very good. She did get into a bit of a rant about the Elgin marbles but stopped quickly enough when she remembered most of us were English. The acropolis is very crowded and there is nothing in the way of safety gates. This is quite risky on the slopes to and from the top. Take real care if you have smaller children or someone not steady on their feet. There is pretty much no shade at the top so it is better - and quieter - to plan to go as early as possible. Much of the structure is now covered in scaffolding -but you can still appreciate it.The Plaka is very nice. We had a quick lunch and my daughter could shop to her hearts content. Lots of shade and cool spots to rest. Highly recommended.

The cruise terminal in Valetta is lovely with nice shops which did not turn out to be overpriced. The taxi system is very tourist friendly and easy to use. At the port you speak to a tourist information guide who quotes for the destination you want. You pay them directly - no money at all changes hands between you and the driver. Not even a tip. To get back you do the same in a shop or attraction. They call the cab for you and you pay the shop directly.We opted for an independent trip to the Marine Park because my daughter really wanted to swim with Dolphins. It had been offered as an excursion previously; but celebrity withdrew it presumably because few people opted for it. It certainly is much cheaper to book with the marine park direct which you can do over the internet before you travel. (http://www.mediterraneopark.com)The park is very small, but the dolphin swim really is great. The animals are clearly happy to be interacting and the research we did before booking suggested that there were no welfare concerns for the animals. All those we interacted with were born at the park, not wild caught. I would highly recommend it.

Catania The actual port in which we docked was Catania, SicilyWe took a 4x4 tour up mount Etna. In all there were 12 of us in 3 vehicles with one guide in the lead vehicle linked by radio to the others. It was fascinating to see the lava flows, both the ancient ones and more modern. It was very windy and the surface underfoot full of cinder. Definitely a trip for walking shoes and a hat. We hiked to and from parking places, including to the lip of a caldera and a spot of rappelling down a lava tube. Nothing too heavy - should be easy if you are averagely fit.The stop of lunch at a family run tavern was spectacular. Even with the sudden surprise that one of the party was vegetarian the kitchen coped brilliantly. The food was rustic Sicilian and a massive hit with everyone.This isn't a cheap excursion - but it is great value for money and we would highly recommend it.

Salerno The actual port in which we docked was CataniaPompeii is one of those places you really feel you have to go and see. Think about resisting. Or go independently. We were one of about 20 coaches leaving the ship for Pompeii -with other variations tucked in. The entry and obligatory cameo factory was very crowded and over priced. Because we were in such a large group our guide spent most of her time explaining that we couldn't go and see the main bits of Pompeii because the group was too big and the site was too crowded. What we were able to see was fascinating. But we would have got a lot more out of it on our own.

The cabin was far more spacious than I expected with ample room for the three of us, all the clothes, shopping and shoes. A little more space for beauty products in the bathroom would have been useful; but you can't have everything. The full bath and shower was nice - but do remember to remove the towels from their rack inside the shower cubicle before showering...We have a lovely veranda on which we enjoyed our complimentary suite service breakfast every morning. You can get a full cooked breakfast in the suite before both main dining and the buffet open in the morning which is great for early starts. Afternoon tea and evening canapes were left for us so we often came back to a selection of nibbles. The corridor was quiet and there was no real noise from other guests which was nice.

We didn't think the first show was that great to be honest, but our butler persuaded us to go back on the second formal night and actually it was much better.We were suite class which did mean a lot of extras and really made the difference between just a good experience and a great one.

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