Hi Michael,
WOW!! What an adventure you have planned! My family did the
Mediterranean itinerary a couple years ago and it was amazing! We love international cruising because you get to visit wonderful places and still get to come “home” each night to your stateroom!
During this sailing you will be busy with stops in some really wonderful places full of rich history, beautiful cities and delicious food! Note that most of the ports are a distance away from the cities you will be touring, so when you disembark, you will be gone for the majority of the day.
I suggest looking into the Private Cart for Rome. We did this and our driver knew exactly when to take us to our "must see" spots to minimize wait times and we were able to see everything on our Rome “bucket list”. He also took us to an amazing restaurant with delicious pizza and pasta! We opted to visit Lucca and Pisa when at port in Livorno and Lucca was a lovely town and Pisa offers a photo opportunity you want to have to commemorate your trip! Make Pompeii a priority as well when you stop at Naples, as that is a stop you do not want to miss.
I recommend picking up a travel book and making note of your must dos and determine which
Port Adventure excursion maximizes your list. As a first time cruiser, your window for making reservations and booking excursions will open 75 days prior to your sailing and I recommend signing up as soon as possible to ensure availability on the tours.
Michael, I am certain that you and your family will have an amazing and wonderful trip abroad! Please feel free to come back with any additional questions you have as your planning continues!
Happy Sailing!
Stephanie