Come along with us as we spend three days in Rome, followed by an 11 day cruise to Italy, Croatia, and Montenegro!

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The Itinerary

We cruised in September, 2024, on the Celebrity Constellation itinerary entitled Best of Italy and Croatia The itinerary has since changed a bit for this particular cruise, but a similar itinerary is available. We began in Rome at the Civitavecchia cruise port, sailed to Livorno (Italy), where you can get excursions to Florence and Pisa, then on to Portofino (Italy), where you are tendered to the shore. From there, it sailed to Naples (Italy), Messina (on the island of Sicily), and Brindisi (Italy). The last three days are spent in Kotor (Montenegro), Split (Croatia), and Zadar (Croatia), before disembarking in Ravenna (Italy). It’s a nice way to see several places while unpacking your bag once. With ocean cruises, you get several hours in each port, but not a chance to do any in depth exploring. 

The Ship

The Constellation, known affectionately as “Connie” by loyal cruisers, was launched in 2002 and updated in 2020. She sails 2170 passengers and 999 crew. We prefer this smaller class of ship to the larger 3000 to 5000 passenger ships. She is not the newest ship in the fleet, and that is entirely part of her appeal. There is an entire facebook community dedicated to singing her praises. While we found her to be in need of some updates, overall the ship was comfortable, the meals were delicious, the service was amazing (as usual on Celebrity), and we had an incredible time. We have been on several Celebrity ships, including the Equinox, the Solstice, the Infinity, and the Summit, and have found all of them of delightful. I won’t do a full review of the ship here, as those are readily available online. Just do some research to decide if the Constellation is right for you before you book. Do not sail on the Constellation if you want a fancy new ship at the top of its class.

We stayed in cabin 6029, which is a Deluxe Veranda, on deck six, forward, port side. We like a balcony when we cruise, but don’t need a suite, a concierge, or special access to the spa, so the Deluxe Veranda is perfect for us. Our cabin was quite comfortable, had plenty of storage, a comfortable bed, and an unobstructed view. The bathroom was small, as is typical in Veranda category rooms. We have no complaints about noise, and our cabin steward was excellent. They crew all work very hard for their money and they do a great job. The Constellation has many classes of cabins, so there is something for everyone at various price points. 

Weather

September is a lovely time to visit the shores of Italy and the Adriatic Sea coast. While it can be very hot at this time of year, we experienced very pleasant weather with temperatures in the 70s and 80s F. Be sure to check the forecast a couple days before you leave to make any last minute adjustments to your packing list. We like to use Weather Underground to see the historical data for years past to get an idea of what to expect when it’s too soon to get a current forecast. This has been very helpful for us when planning trips. 

Dress Code and Packing

Celebrity’s website says “casual chic,” but we found most people dressed more on the casual side of chic. You will see folks in jeans, and folks in dressy dresses. Jeans are not allowed in the main dining room or the specialty restaurants, but are allowed in the World Café. Celebrity has scheduled “Chic Nights” on each sailing, which have replaced their formal nights. I wore a “dressier” knee length dress, and Steve wore khakis, a button up shirt, and a casual linen blazer for both Chic nights. You will see many people dressed up a bit more on Chic nights, but there is no requirement to do so. We both wear/wore uniforms at work, so we enjoy dressing up a bit.

Based on the weather forecast, we packed mostly casual warm weather clothing for this trip, including several lightweight Merino wool items such as pants and leggings, tops and jackets, dresses, PJs, and underwear. We also packed a few linen items, and Steve packed a couple pair of shorts, plus lightweight Columbia pants that he wore for excursions and for dinner. I always pack a couple of casual dresses that can be dressed up or down when we cruise. We are carry on packers, so we plan accordingly and do some sink laundry along the way. Celebrity does offer send-out laundry services for a fee, but we did not take advantage of this. There is no self- service laundry on Celebrity ships. See my complete packing list for this trip for more information. 

Money/Tipping

All of the countries you will visit on this trip use Euro currency, even though Montenegro is not yet (as of 2026) in the European Union. We simply used our debit card to access an ATM in Rome for some Euro cash. Alternatively, you may want to get some Euro cash from your bank before you leave home, although you will generally pay a higher rate for this. Apple Pay and Google Pay are widely accepted throughout the EU, and we used Apple Pay almost exclusively on this trip. A note about American Express: this card is not as widely accepted in Europe as it is in the US, so you should take an alternative credit card. Please see our Complete Money Guide for traveling abroad for more information. 

The tipping culture in the EU is different from the US. They pay their waiters and bar tenders a living wage, so they don’t rely heavily on tips to supplement their income. Generally speaking, a 10% tip is customary for good service in restaurants and bars in the EU. We leave the tip in Euro cash instead of adding it to the bill when possible. In hotels, we generally tip €2-3 per night. 

On Celebrity ships, the official currency is the US dollar. There is always an option to have your tips for the entire cruise added to your bill if you choose. In lieu of that, an 18-20% tip is the expected amount for good service in the bars, specialty restaurants, and spa. Double check your bill before tipping, as the gratuity may be automatically added. Many people like to tip a bit extra for superior service, even when the gratuities are automatically added or prepaid. Porters will take your bags at the pier when you board the ship, and your bags will be X-rayed and/or inspected before being delivered to your room. Expected tips for porters at the pier are 3 to 5 Euro/USD per bag. Porters are not Celebrity employees. 

Accommodations in Rome and Venice

We stayed in the Giuditta Hotel in the Trastevere neighborhood in Rome, as it was close to bars and restaurants and a bus stop to get to the Vatican. It was a great location with a safe ATM located nearby also. They have a lovely rooftop terrace where you can have drinks and breakfast. 

We stayed a week In Venice after the cruise, and we rented an apartment on AirB&B on Rio de Apostoli in the Cannaregio area. It was spacious, well appointed, and had laundry machines. It was close to bars, restaurants, and coffee shops, and an easy walk to St Marks Basilica and the Rialto bridge. If you would like more information about this privately owned apartment, I am happy to share that with you. You may reach me on our contact page. 

Three Days in Rome: The Eternal City Doesn’t Disappoint

Saturday 9/14/24

We arrived in Rome on Saturday and had booked a ride from the airport to our hotel with Welcome Pickups. They are a very well known and reputable company, and are reasonably priced. Our cost was about $110. Alternatively, you can take the Leonardo Express train from Fiumicino Airport directly to Roma Termini station, which takes about 32 minutes. From Termini, it is a short taxi or rideshare to your local accommodations.

We checked into the Giuditta hotel, a charming property with a lovely rooftop terrace. The location in Trastevere is excellent; it’s one of Rome’s most beloved neighborhoods. After a red-eye flight, the first order of business was a nap. The verdict is still out on whether napping is the best choice, or just powering through the first day on little to no sleep. We have done it both ways, and it seems the nap makes me a bit less cranky, and certainly in less pain (I have a chronic pain condition). 

We booked an evening food tour in Trastevere with Eating Europe, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions we made. Trastevere is the kind of neighborhood that makes you understand why people fall in love with Rome. The cobblestone streets are narrow and winding, and ivy drapes over ancient stone walls. Our Eating Europe guide was fantastic — passionate, funny, and deeply knowledgeable about Roman food culture and history. Our first stop was Enzo’s, owned by four brothers who locally grow or source everything. They had a table reserved for us before they opened, and when we left, the line to get in was over two hours long. It’s quite a popular place. Over the course of the next few hours, we sampled our way through the neighborhood, trying supplì (Rome’s beloved fried rice balls), amazing pasta, and Julius Caesar’s favorite pork dish, all with delicious Italian wines.

Sunday 9/15/25 The Colosseum, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, and Spanish Steps

We arranged a private tour of the Colosseum with Liv Tours and it was a great choice. We walked the 30 minutes to the meeting point across the street from the Colosseum, where our guide met us with skip-the-line tickets in hand. (You can also take a city bus if that’s easier.) Liv Tours purchases the tickets as part of the tour package, so you will not need to purchase them separately. These skip the line tickets are essential. We were the first people in line for entry at the gate. When the gates opened, we made a beeline for the entrance on the heels of our guide, and were the first people inside. We got some lovely photos with no one else around. From the Colosseum we walked through the Roman Forum, and ended our tour about three hours after it began. We highly recommend booking through Liv Tours. Our guide was knowledgeable and professional and we would not have enjoyed the Colosseum nearly as much had we tried to do it on our own. 

After the tour, we found some lunch in a nearby restaurant, and spent the afternoon enjoying wandering the cobblestone streets of Rome on our way to the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish steps. Expect lots of crowds at all of these places. The Trevi Fountain is magnificent — an enormous Baroque masterpiece that occupies an entire small piazza — but you will be sharing it with every tourist in Rome. We recommend going as early in the morning as possible for smaller crowds. As of 2026, the city of Rome is now requiring a ticket to access the basin of the Trevi Fountain if you want to throw in a coin. You can take photos from afar, but will need a ticket to get up close. 

Monday 9/16/24 Vatican and Pantheon

Today we booked a private tour of the Vatican, again with Liv Tours, who arranged and purchased the entry tickets. We went early to the meeting point to have time for a coffee across the street. We again found the private tour the best way to experience the Vatican. The Museums are overwhelming, and having a knowledgeable guide to curate the experience made an enormous difference. She steered us past lesser galleries and ensured we had unhurried time in the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Keep in mind when visiting the Vatican that shoulders and knees need to be covered. 

From the Vatican, we made our way to the Pantheon, which dates to the year 126. Originally a temple to all the gods of ancient Rome, it was later converted to a church, which is largely why it survived when so many other ancient structures did not. The dome, with its famous oculus open to the sky, is an engineering marvel that architects and engineers still study today. We purchased skip-the-line tickets online in advance, which we strongly recommend. The area around the Pantheon is bustling and tickets at the door involve a very long queue. Afterward, we found a table at a café in the piazza in front of the Pantheon, ordered drinks, and simply sat in the shadow of one of the greatest buildings in the world and enjoyed the afternoon sunshine. 

Tuesday 9/17/24 Day 1 Embarking the Celebrity Constellation

Celebrity considers the day you board the ship as day one of the itinerary, so you will see this reflected on their website and in this article. We used a private transfer with Welcome Pickups for the trip from our hotel in Rome to the cruise port in Civitavecchia. The drive is about an hour and the driver will deliver you directly to the ship embarkation location. You can also take a public train, but it will drop you across the street from the embarkation location, where you will still need a shuttle or taxi to get to the ship. We found the private transfer well worth the money. 

We spent most of the afternoon hanging out, enjoying the ship, and touring the public areas, the spa, and the restaurants. There are usually some embarkation day deals to be had with discounts available for spa treatments, specialty restaurants, etc. We had already pre-purchased the premium drink package when it was on sale a few months prior to sailing. We always buy the drink package when we sail. There are a lot debates on whether people find the package “worth the money,” but to us, it’s about more than just the money. We enjoy the camaraderie with the bar staff, the upgraded drink selections, and not feeling like we are being nickeled and dimed while on our vacation. We are not trying to convince you. You will have to decide if it is right for you. I will tell you that a martini at the martini bar will run you $18 plus a 20% gratuity automatically added.

We had dinner in the main dining room most evenings, and the World Café a couple of times. We find the MDR to be a lovely experience, with great service, beautifully presented and delicious food, and an inviting atmosphere. We don’t feel the need to spend extra money at the specialty restaurants when there is a charge for those, as there is on Celebrity. The MDR can be a bit time consuming, with some dinners taking 90 minutes to two hours. If you have evening plans or want to see a show, keep this in mind. 

Wednesday 9/18/24 Day 2 Livorno, Italy (Florence/Pisa)

Livorno exists, from a cruise passenger’s perspective, almost entirely as a gateway city. The city itself is pleasant, with Venetian-influenced canals and a compact historic center worth a brief stroll, but the draw is what lies beyond: Florence, Pisa, and the Tuscan wine country. We booked a private tour of Pisa and Florence with Limo Service in Italy. Our tour included stops at the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Galleria dell’ Accademia in Florence to see Michelangelo’s David. The drive to Florence is over an hour from the port in Livorno, so this was an all day trip. 

To access the Leaning Tower, you must have a timed entry ticket. This is not negotiable, and if you are late, you may not be allowed entrance. When we booked this tour online months in advance, we were told what to time to book the tickets, as entry tickets were not included in the price of the tour. We purchased our tickets as soon as they became available, exactly 90 days in advance. You will want to mark your calendar for this. Once inside, there are 251 uneven marble steps to the top. The views make the climb well worth it. Leave your purses and backpacks in the van; we saw many people with bags being denied entry. 

The lines at the Galleria dell’ Accademia are prohibitively long and you must have an advance timed entry ticket. This is not optional. When you arrive, take your place in line at the marked time slots. It will be a chaotic mass of people, so you will need to be assertive to find your place in line. We had a limited amount of time here so we made a beeline for the Statue of David. It truly is magnificent, carved from a single block of marble when Michelangelo was only 29 years old. You will have to fight your way through the crowd to get up close for photos. 

Back in the van, we headed to central Florence where we had some free time for outside photos of the Florence Cathedral (the Duomo) and the Basilica of Santa Croce. We then located one of Florence’s famous wine windows and had fun sampling some local wine. We ended the afternoon with a light lunch at the Tuscan winery Tenuta San Vito, where we ordered a case to be shipped home, before returning to the ship for the evening.

Thursday 9/19 Day 3 Portofino, Italy

The picturesque village of Portofino does not have a cruise ship dock. The ship anchors offshore and you take a tender into the small harbor, which takes about ten minutes and is actually part of the experience. As the tender rounds the headland and the harbor comes into view with the pastel-painted buildings climbing the hillside, you will wonder why you ever wanted to visit Cinque Terre. Portofino is that beautiful! 

We walked the steep but manageable footpath from the harbor up to Castello Brown. The castle itself is interesting and the rooms are furnished with period pieces. The castle and grounds are used for weddings and events today. But let’s be honest about why you are really climbing up here: the view from the castle terrace is the finest in Portofino.  We could see the entire harbor laid out below, the village, the coastline, and our own ship sitting at anchor offshore. There is something uniquely satisfying about sipping an Aperol Spritz on a medieval castle terrace while looking down at the ship you arrived on. We sat up there longer than strictly necessary, and we have no regrets whatsoever.

We meandered back down the path, past the Church of San Giorgio, and back to the harbor. We could not pass up another drink while sitting outside on the piazza soaking up the sun, people watching, and enjoying the atmosphere. The drinks and meals are super spendy here, but somehow justified. You feel like a well to do Hollywood star sitting here in this beautiful place, as you are surrounded by multi-million dollar mansions and beautiful people. 

On the ship once more, we had time for drinks in the martini bar (try the lychee martini) before dinner in the main dining room. We followed that up with another stop at the martini bar (try the espresso martini), a show in the theater (The Music of Carole King), and a late night adult comedy show. Are you starting to understand why we always buy the drink package???

Friday 9/20 Day 4 A Perfect Day at Sea

Today was the only sea day of this port intensive voyage. Everyone had the same idea—find a deck chair and soak up the sunshine. We didn’t want or need the pool, so we found a quiet spot above the pool deck to relax and spend some down time. We also booked a wine tasting. We love the wine tasting events when we cruise, as we always learn something new and get to sample wines that we have not had to opportunity to try at home. If you make friends with the bar tender, you may or may not get an extra pour or two. It was a lazy day and we didn’t get in a hurry to do much of anything. 

When the evening arrived, we dressed up for the first of two scheduled chic nights on this voyage. Chic nights are Celebrity’s answer to the formal nights of yore. They recommend a cocktail dress for women and a suit jacket for men, but this is definitely not required. You will not be turned away from any of the dining venues if you are not dressed for chic night, but don’t try to come to dinner in the sit down restaurants in shorts. We love dressing up a bit when we cruise, so were happy to participate, as were most of the folks we saw around the ship. We had fun taking photos on the grand staircase, having a beautiful dinner in the MDR, participating in the music trivia contest, and jamming at the Queen Sing Along party in the Reflections Lounge. We love Queen and had seen them with Adam Lambert a few months ago. You’re welcome for the photo from the concert on HallowQueen.

Saturday 9/21 Day 5 Naples, Italy

The morning we arrived in Naples, Mount Vesuvius was clearly visible from our balcony — a low, broad silhouette with a slightly flat top settled behind the city. It is ominous and sad to think that the entire city of Pompeii was built using lava rock—foreshadowing that should have warned them that it might erupt again one day. We booked a private tour to the ancient city with Tours By Gaetano, and we recommend you do the same. This is a considerable advantage over navigating Naples by public transport. While this is possible, it involves confusing routes, uncertainty, and no guarantee of returning to the ship on time for departure. 

This was our second visit to Pompeii, and it never disappoints. Graffiti and paint can still be seen on the walls. Ruts remain in the stone streets from centuries of wagon wheels. The millstone at the bakery is still intact. The thermopolium — the ancient equivalent of a fast-food counter — with its terracotta food containers, beckons you to imagine having lunch here. Having a guide who specialized in the site meant we understood what we were seeing. We also saw the famous plaster casts of the victims: the shapes of people caught in their final moments, preserved by ash for nearly two thousand years. 

After Pompeii, we headed up and over the Lattari Mountains to the picturesque town of Ravello for a lunch overlooking the Amalfi Coast and the Gulf of Salerno. Our guide Ciro had booked us a fabulous table on the terrace that we were sure made the other diners a bit jealous. The weather was sunny and warm, and it was the perfect way to cap off this spectacular day. 

If you prefer to stay in the city, that is very doable. The cruise port is located in the city center and it’s an easy 10-15 minute walk to bars, restaurants, shopping, museums, and other attractions from the ship. The last time we were here in 2012, we took a taxi to Pompeii, explored on our own, then found a cafe when we returned and had the best traditional Neapolitan pizza of our lives with friends we had met on the ship.

Sunday 9/22 Day 6 Sicily, Italy (Messina)

As we pulled into the port city of Messina this morning, we could see a thin white plume drifting from the summit of Mount Etna, Europe’s highest and most active volcano. This was our destination for the day with a private guide from Sicily Grand Tour. We began the day with an early morning drive up the mountain to Ristorante Cantoniera near Silvestri Crater, where we had a coffee before setting out on an easy walk to the crater. We could detect a slight sulfur smell and the whole place seemed other worldly as we walked over to the crater’s edge. Unfortunately, we had a cloudy morning, so didn’t have quite the views we were hoping to capture. 

From the crater, we headed to the picturesque village of Taormina, the hillside resort perched above the Ionian Sea. We walked the length of Corso Umberto past its charming medieval buildings, visited the ancient Greek Theatre and had a bite to eat at the Momento Café overlooking the harbor. With Etna on one side and the bay of Giardini Naxos on the other, this may be the most spectacular setting of any ancient theatre in the world. You do not want to miss the views from the top. We could have stayed for hours in Taormina, shopping, people watching, and sampling local wines, but alas, we had to return to the ship.

Monday 9/23 Day 7 Brindisi, Italy

Brindisi is a port that cruise itineraries sometimes treat as a footnote, sandwiched between more famous destinations. But we found it genuinely lovely, and we had a relaxed, exploratory morning that felt less like a tourist experience and more like simply being a local. We chose to explore on foot with no formal tour — just the two of us, wandering. The old town is compact and easily reachable with a shuttle from the cruise pier. The most historically significant site is the pair of Roman columns at the end of the Appian Way, the ancient road that connected Rome to Brindisi and, by extension, to the eastern Mediterranean. Only one column survives intact (the other fell in 1528), but it is a quietly moving thing to stand beside: this was the symbolic terminus of the road that was the spine of Roman Italy.

We walked the lungomare, the Italian term for a seafront promenade, explored the medieval streets of the old town, browsed a few small shops, and found time for a lazy Aperol Spritz. It had been my goal to have an Aperol Spritz in every port in Italy, and so far, I have been  successful. Brindisi felt warm and friendly, largely untouched by the mass tourism that overwhelms more famous Italian ports. This day was exactly the right pace, albeit one of the warmest days we had experienced on this trip. We found ourselves wishing for some AC as we sat outside with our drinks.

Once back on the ship, we spent the evening having a nice dinner in the MDR, hitting up some of the bars we hadn’t sampled yet, catching the Karaoke show, and attending the late night adult comedy show once more. We ended the evening at the martini bar (try the Mexicali martini if you like yours spicy like Steve does). 

Tuesday 9/24 Day 8 Kotor, Montenegro 

I was awake well before dawn. I had read about the approach to Kotor by sea — how the ship passes through a series of fjord-like narrows with limestone mountains rising steeply on both sides—and I was absolutely not going to miss it from our balcony. Steve emerged from bed when I refused to stop narrating the scenery. I’m fun like that. The approach really was fun to watch, and he reluctantly agreed. Do not miss it if you stop in Montenegro. 

We had a speedboat tour to the Blue Cave booked for this port, but the weather did not cooperate and the company we booked with canceled the trip. Probably for the best, but now we have to go back so we can do that! We booked with Limitless Speedboat Kotor as they had come highly recommend in the reviews. 

Instead, we walked to Kotor’s medieval old town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is an easy, short walk from the pier. We spent our morning walking its narrow lanes, exploring the quiet piazzas, and spending far too long watching the famous cats of Kotor occupy every doorstep and ledge. We found an outdoor café in St Tryphon Square, and I had my Aperol Spritz in the shadow of the 11th century Kotor Cathedral, with its spectacular Romanesque architecture. The cloudy, cool day was perfect for meandering about and people watching. We opted not to climb the ancient city walls, but we understand the views are spectacular.  

Wednesday 9/25 Day 9 Split, Croatia

Split is Croatia’s second largest city and the Old Town is built entirely inside the walls of a Roman emperor’s retirement palace. Diocletian’s Palace is a late first century complex that is easy to navigate without a guide. We chose to wander about the Old Town on our own, stopping to read the signage and enjoy the extraordinary architecture of this ancient Roman structure. We found tiny cafes and markets tucked into corners all around the Old Town, had some amazing Gelato, and ordered an Aperol Spritz while sitting outside on the Riva, Split’s waterfront promenade. The Gradska Tržnica (Green Market) is also worth a stroll. Local vendors sell fresh fruit, vegetables, lavender products, honey, olive oil, and dried figs. It is a lively, colorful, thoroughly local scene and a nice contrast to the tourist-heavy interior of the palace. 

Steve climbed the bell tower in the Cathedral of St Domnius, but it was quite hot and humid on this day, and if you know anything about me, you know I’m not a fan of physical exertion in hot, humid weather, so I was happy to sit in the shade while he indulged. Some folks we met on the ship took a Game of Thrones tour, and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the filming locations, so this is an option with a private guide. Other options for Split include hiking up Marjan hill for spectacular views of the city and the harbor, visiting one of the beautiful beaches, or a full day trip to Krka National Park, which we took from the port of Zadar.

Back on the ship, we dressed up for the second of two chic nights, had dinner in the MDR, attended the flair bar tender show at the martini bar (try the snowflake martini), and enjoyed the Motown show in the Reflections Lounge. 

Thursday 9/26 Day 10 Zadar, Croatia

Zadar’s Old Town incorporates the beautiful remnants of an ancient Roman forum, along with ivy covered walls and spectacular churches. It is definitely worth a visit. On this cruise with limited time in port, we chose to spend most of our time on a private tour to Krka National Park. We booked well in advance with In and Out Zadar. Krka is an hour’s drive from the cruise port in Zadar, and about the same distance from the cruise port in Split. Having a private driver/guide takes the guesswork out of the logistics. Remember that private, professional tour guides make their living by providing outstanding service and getting you back to the cruise port on time. They depend on their customers to write positive reviews for future bookings, so do your research, and choose a reputable company with good reviews. 

Our guide picked us up at the cruise port and drove us to the marina in Skradin, where we boarded a boat to Krka. The boat ride is about 30 minutes. Once there, he gave us an introduction to the park, then we were free to wander the trails and meet him on the other end for the return boat ride. As for the park itself, the photos do not do it justice. Krka NP is built around the Krka River, which cascades through a series of travertine waterfalls and pools over the course of several miles. Throughout the park, the waterfalls tumble down into lush green pools in a landscape that looks almost too beautiful to be real. We meandered our way through the elevated wooden boardwalks that wind through and around the falls, giving us views from every angle, but without damaging the delicate travertine formations below. Along the way, we stopped for lots of photos, visited an old mill with a water wheel, and had an Aperol Spritz at a small café (there are restrooms here also). 

When we returned to Skradin, our guide took us through the Old Town area where we purchased some local liqueurs. We then stopped at the Sladić Winery, a small family-owned wine estate in Plastovo. We enjoyed tasting several varieties of wine, along with bread, meats, and cheeses before heading back to Zadar. Once in Zadar, we made sure to walk down to the waterfront promenade to find the Sea Organ, and we are so glad we did. Croatian architect Nikola NikolaBašić designed a series of underwater organ pipes built into the marble steps of the waterfront. As the waves push air through the pipes, the sea literally plays music. Standing on the steps listening to the low, harmonic tones rising up from the Adriatic, tones that change with every wave, is one of the most unique experiences we have had. As we drove back to the ship, we found ourselves wishing for more time in Zadar’s Old Town. We would have loved to see the Sun Salutation, the magical light display by the same architect, but we knew we had made the right decision booking with In and Out Zadar. 

We spent our last night on the ship having a fabulous dinner in the MDR, attending the rock ‘n roll show in the theater, and enjoying our last drinks in the martini bar (try the Martinez martini). Don’t forget to tip the spectacular bar tenders! 

Friday 9/27 Day 11 Ravenna, Italy/Disembark

We woke up this morning filled with anticipation of our upcoming week in Venice, but sad to be disembarking the Celebrity Constellation. From the port of Ravenna, it is about a three hour drive to Venice. Because Venice is no longer allowing large cruise ships to dock in the city, it would certainly be more honest for cruise lines to advertise their stop as Ravenna instead of Venice. It’s in the fine print, and we were well aware, but most still have Venice listed on their websites as the port city in the main description. You will need a way to get to your next destination when you disembark in Ravenna. The cruise port is quite a distance from the city center, where you will find regional and long-distance trains. We chose the easiest option: a Celebrity transfer. For roughly $89 per person, we let them handle the logistics, and they dropped us at the water taxi station in Venice. There is a rest stop at the half way point in the drive. 

Summary

If you are considering Celebrity’s Italy, Croatia, and Montenegro itinerary, we cannot recommend it highly enough. Rome is, well…Rome; what more can we say? Pompeii was singularly spectacular, Mount Etna and Taormina did not disappoint, and Brindisi has a lovely charm all its own. Definitely do not discount Portofino, because, even though it’s not the Cinque Terre, it is every bit as beautiful. The Croatian ports deserve every bit as much planning and anticipation as the Italian ones. Zadar was absolutely lovely. The Sea Organ alone is worth the stop, and Krka National Park is one of the most beautiful places we have ever visited. Split handed us an afternoon inside an actual centuries old Roman emperor’s palace, which is spectacular in itself. Last, but certainly not least, Montenegro’s fabulous Old Town deserves more than just the few hours you have to spend there.

The Connie proved to be a fabulous choice for this itinerary. No, she’s not as fancy as some of Celebrity’s newer ships, but she has a lovely charm and she’s the perfect size. We have no regrets and would sail on her again in a heartbeat. 

September was a wonderful time to go. The water was warm, the light was golden, and the worst of the summer crowds had gone home. If you can go in early to mid-September, definitely do it. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Like what you read? Hate it? Please leave us a comment below, but don’t be bitchy. Happy Travels! (Your email will not be shared.)