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Go with Kris I have always loved to travel and have decided to help others find the joy in travelling I have.

I have been asked by several people to share info on our shore excursions. We had several, plus our Rome tours, so I wil...
10/12/2026

I have been asked by several people to share info on our shore excursions. We had several, plus our Rome tours, so I will break them down into manageable amounts of info. Today, I am focusing on our 3 days in Turkey.

Ephesus, Turkey (port of Kusadasi) we did a private tour booked through Viator. Actual provider was Curio travel. Port was easy to navigate and had no issue finding our guide. We had a nice van all to ourselves and our driver took a couple side roads to put us in front of the large tour buses that were arriving at the house of Mary. Saved us a long wait in line. From there we went to the Ephesus excavations then had lunch( we picked between a restaurant and a co-op), then we went to temple of Artemis. Cost for private was same as the large group. Would definitely do again.

First night in Istanbul I decided to grab last seat on Celebrity tour that was a boat ride down the Bosphorus and trip to the Grand Bazaar. It was fun and no stress and I enjoyed more than I thought I would.

Day 2 was another private tour booked through Viator that also was with Curio Travel. Just like the Ephesus tour we had a private van , though mostly walking. Our guide was very good and we enjoyed going to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace (with Harem), and spice market. This tour was also about the same price as the excursions offered by Celebrity. The flexibility of a private tour, plus the ability to adjust our pace based on our needs, made it worth every penny. As a side note, the port in Istanbul was very modern. There was a lot of walking, but the signage to get from ship to city and back to the ship was excellent.

Celebrity Ascent 9/28/2026 Mediterranean Cruise Review (sorry it’s long)We arrived at the Civitavecchia Port at about 11...
10/11/2026

Celebrity Ascent 9/28/2026 Mediterranean Cruise Review (sorry it’s long)

We arrived at the Civitavecchia Port at about 11am and went through security, made it to the Retreat area, got checked in, and were on the ship in about 30 minutes. While the port facility itself isn’t as ‘polished’ as Fort Lauderdale or Miami, it was efficient and that’s what really counts.

Our cabin, 9157, was ready by the time we made our way there. It was a wonderful location right next to the front set of elevators, which was perfect because the spa and all of the Retreat public areas(lounge,sundeck, Luminae) where right off those elevators, as was the theatre. It was a Sky Suite vs the Magic Carpet suite we stayed in our first time on Ascent. We loved the extended balcony in the MC suite….but the location of our suite this time was so nice we would pick it again. The bathroom opened into the entry area vs into the bedroom area and that worked a little better for us.

Cons: really can’t think of many that were annoying enough to ruin our cruise. There was an issue with our credit card/account, but I think it had more to do with the card than the ship. Fine Cut was ok, as was Rooftop Garden Grill (cool night we are there, they handed out fleece blankets to use which was a nice) Not sure they were worth the extra cost this time.

Pros: I will start this by saying our room steward, Enrique, and butler, Michael, were excellent. My husband’s sleep schedule is a bit strange, but Enrique always worked around it and kept the room in top shape. I requested the orange energy vitamin waters for our room and Michael kept me stocked up. I normally get dehydrated on a cruise…but not this time! We had several other requests and all were handled with no issues.

Now, for us, our head waiter in Luminae made our trip. Just a day or two in he noticed my husband wasn’t an adventurous eater and picked from the ‘favorites’ vs Luminae menu most meals. He asked for things my husband liked and made sure he had a little something extra available each night so my husband didn’t get stuck eating grilled chicken or salmon every meal. You all have no idea how I struggle to keep him fed on trips. We have gotten into major disagreements over him feeling I didn’t take his food likes/dislikes into account when scheduling vacations. Vanish, you were an angel. Not only did he have food to eat, he felt like he was “seen”. He looked forward to dinner every night…

The production shows were excellent, we felt like they have seriously upgraded them since 2 years ago. Quality of the performers was top notch.

We stayed on the ship several port days and enjoyed the solarium. There were always open chairs and it was easy access to mast grill and spa cafe.

Last full day was one of the best. Started the morning riding horses through a vineyard in the Vesuvius National Park, m...
10/08/2026

Last full day was one of the best. Started the morning riding horses through a vineyard in the Vesuvius National Park, met the rest of our group at the ruins of Pompeii, then ended with a w**e tasting where we learned a little, ate a lot, and made new friends.

Ok….let me start out by saying this is the best cruise we have taken….from the ports to the service in Retreat it has be...
10/06/2026

Ok….let me start out by saying this is the best cruise we have taken….from the ports to the service in Retreat it has been absolutely awesome. That being said…..the Mediterranean is not the Caribbean. For some reason my mind didn’t make the connection that weather in the Mediterranean is not at all….in any way, shape, or form, the Caribbean. Istanbul sits at the same latitude as New York City. And the weather is similar. This area experienced an extremely hot summer….the last week has been a touch below normal. The wind has not stopped (not gusts….sustained at 20mph most of cruise) and there is a big difference in 74 with wind and 68 and wind. We decided to skip several shore excursions because it takes nothing for me to get extremely cold, and after the “winter coats in Honduras” experience….I chose comfort. Santorini has been here 3000+ years, it will be here my next cruise (this shift in my mentality really helped my anxiety!)

We will be back….absolutely. Will I bring some more layers….also absolutely. I will work on doing posts with info for each of our shore excursions. At this time, I have purchased several future cruise certificates (reduced deposit plus on board credit) for myself. I to have ability to get a few more. They include a reduced deposit and on board credit depending on cabin type. 6 months to make reservation. Perfect for catching Black Friday and New Years sales. These are for Celebrity Cruises and can be used wherever they sail too! Now….I am headed to the spa!

I LOVE ISTANBUL!!!Yesterday I went on a Celebrity excursion that included a cruise down the Bosphorus and a trip to the ...
10/04/2026

I LOVE ISTANBUL!!!

Yesterday I went on a Celebrity excursion that included a cruise down the Bosphorus and a trip to the Grand Bazaar (it’s closed on Sundays and I wanted a chance to see it). It was a wonderful way to see a snapshot of the city. As we were returning to Ascent we passed several of our younger passengers heading out to the clubs and restaurants in the area.

This morning we were up at 8am meeting our private guide for a trip to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace (with harem), and the spice market. I have to say the shopkeepers in Istanbul are some of the most entertaining we have ever met…yes, they are trying very hard to get your money…..but I think I tried every flavor of tea and Turkish delights known to man. Roger even enjoyed the experience.

Our private tours for Ephesus and Istanbul were booked through Viator with same company. I highly recommend and would be happy to help or share info.

Beautiful day in Ephesus yesterday. We did a private tour that took us to the House of the Virgin Mary (there are severa...
10/03/2026

Beautiful day in Ephesus yesterday. We did a private tour that took us to the House of the Virgin Mary (there are several places around the Mediterranean that claim this, but multiple popes have visited here), the Archaeological site of Ephesus, the standing column of the Temple of Artemis, and a nice Turkish lunch. We were given a choice of where to eat, so avoided the carpets some have complained about. If you are headed there I would be happy to share the company we used. It cost less than $50 more than doing a large tour with cruise ship. The whole port was organized and easy to navigate.

What’s a girl to do when the weather is a bit iffy? Enjoy the empty ship!!!Perfect time to visit the spa, relax in the a...
10/01/2026

What’s a girl to do when the weather is a bit iffy?

Enjoy the empty ship!!!
Perfect time to visit the spa, relax in the atrium, and hit the hot tub!!

If you have never sailed Celebrity, I would be happy to help you try it out. The level of service across the board is al...
09/28/2026

If you have never sailed Celebrity, I would be happy to help you try it out. The level of service across the board is always second to none. This is our second time on Ascent and she is just as nice now as she was two years ago. We boarded at 11am, had lunch, I had a mani and pedi, Roger got a foot massage. Now I am sitting on our balcony, listening to the waves hit the ship, sipping on a Diet Coke, as we sail away from Civitavecchia port.

Last day in Rome was a whirlwind…..we did a golf cart tour that took us past several of the Roman Forums, the Colosseum,...
09/28/2026

Last day in Rome was a whirlwind…..we did a golf cart tour that took us past several of the Roman Forums, the Colosseum, a 5th century church, Spanish Steps, Capitoline Hill, Mussolini’s headquarters, the French embassy, and so much more.

Day three of our adventure started a few hrs late. There was a medical emergency on our flight that forced us back to ga...
09/26/2026

Day three of our adventure started a few hrs late. There was a medical emergency on our flight that forced us back to gate before take off at Dulles. Arrived to beautiful weather in Rome and checked in at Best Western Plus Hotel Universo. Nice place that helped us set up airport transfers….wonderful little restaurant and bar on roof top. Today was Vatican tour (we did a small group, but it really doesn’t matter as you are sharing your space with 30000 other visitors) and the did tour of Capuchin Crypt…think bone art, and Catacombe di Priscilla. This was our favorite tour. Did it this evening and temperature was nice and not crowded at all. Had dinner at White Bar and Restaurant, which has mixed reviews, but it was perfect for what we wanted. Considered expensive by some, but compared to Washington DC tourist area it was a steal. 78 dollars for 2 entrees, glass of w**e each, and gelato for dessert. For credit cards, there is no place to leave a tip…which is sort of nice. Don’t feel forced to leave one, but we did and felt like it wasn’t expected but was appreciated.

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