We arrived one day ahead of embarkation. Stayed in a small hotel in the Pantheon area and, as we had been to Rome twice previously, just enjoyed walking around the Campo de' Firori, Piazza Novona and Pantheon area. Ending with a nice dinner and plenty of wine in a little restaurant right opposite our hotel.

We booked a private tour with two other couples we had met on the Roll Call forum. We had all been to Pompeii before so this time chose a wonderful drive along the Amalfi coast to Sorrento, Positano and Ravello. All four stops were delightful and the views were amazing. The excellent driver was charming and very helpful.

The ship didn't dock until 1:30pm and by the time we disembarked, it was well after 2:15pm. It was a 10 minute walk to the elevator which took us up to the Upper Barracca Gardens with beautiful views over the bay. We had planned to visit the Lascaris War rooms but were dismayed to find them closed for renovations. We visited the St. John's Co-Cathedral, walked the cobbled streets and found a shaded bar for a cold beer on a very warm day. We found Valletta a delightful place to visit.

We had been to Athens previously so decided to tour on our own, visiting the New Acropolis Museum, the Changing of the Guards, the Acropolis and walking around the Plaka area. We also went into the beautifully elegant Grand Hotel for a rest and a glass of wine.

We had been to Santorini before so we just wanted to walk and enjoy the beauty of the place. We were the only ship there so the cable car was quick and simple to take. We then found a taxi to take us to Oia and arranged a time and place to collect us later. The white washed buildings, the vivid blue sky and the deep blue of the sea takes your breathe away. Fira paled in comparison.

The walled city of Rhodes is a delightful place to visit. We wandered the streets, walked up to the Fort, shopped a little and then found a lovely cool place, filled with flowers and trees, for lunch and a glass of wine. Very enjoyable.

As we had already been to Ephesus a few years prior, we decided just to brave the enthusiastic salesmen and wander the market place and shops to soak up the atmosphere of Kusadasi. The amount of jewelry and leather goods in the stores was almost overwhelming, but I did manage to barter well and was very pleased with my purchases, especially the beautiful, butter soft leather jacket. The store also altered the jacket sleeves in less than an hour for a perfect fit. They offered us apple tea and then a beer during our wait.

Celebrity offered a shuttle bus ride into Mykonos town for $10 return per person for the 10 minute drive, which we bought. But, once on the dock, we found there was the local shuttle bus for $4 return. Lesson learned for next time! Quite a long walk from bus stop to the very pretty town and the rather dilapidated windmills. Nice walk through the pretty streets and views across the water.

Our ship docked into port around 1pm and will overnight here. Sadly, it was our only rainy day of our whole cruise. But, the sail in more than made up for the rain. We decided to walk to the shuttle boat service taking us to St. Mark's Square - a very long walk from the ship and a long wait for the next shuttle boat. Venice is amazing filled with beautiful historic buildings, lovely bridges and canals. During a heavy shower, we found a nice hotel with the bar/lounge overlooking a canal where we had a nice glass of wine and watched the gondolas drift by the window.