(7/4/05) Before we docked in Nice, the crew decorated the ship with American flags and bunting in celebration of Independence Day – a lovely gesture – and played the Star Spangled Banner over the loud speaker.  We said our goodbyes at breakfast, then left the ship around 8:00.  The “Greeks” took a bus to the airport at 7:30 and the “Romans”, who were continuing for 2 more days in Monte Carlo were scheduled to leave at 8:30.  Since the four of us had already been there, we opted to extend our trip for 3 more nights in Villefranche-sur-mer – one of our favorite coastal villages just a short taxi ride east of Nice.

Some final thoughts about the tour:

We took this trip because it afforded an opportunity to visit some fascinating places that would be difficult to do on our own.  We had explored renting a villa on the Amalfi coast, but the driving and steep steps everywhere caused us to look elsewhere.  Tauck Tours have a fabulous reputation, and the option of seeing this part of the world on a small sailing ship was the solution to our dilemma.   (We LOVED the Windstar sailing experience in Tahiti last year and were delighted to learn that Tauck now does some tours on the Windstar ships, as well as on “Le Diamant”– formerly the small “Song of Flower” we enjoyed for the Greece and Turkey cruise in 2001!)

One of the special benefits of a ship this small is the opportunity to get to know the staff and passengers.  The young crew and captain could not have been more hard working, friendly, and gracious – always smiling and eager to please.  The passengers were very diverse – most in their 50’s and 60’s, but ranging from  ~ 30 to 80!  The interesting mix of personalities and backgrounds made for some lively conversations, as well as new friendships.  Thomasine Rogas, our tour director, was terrific – informative and friendly.   Florian Knik, the cruise director was fabulous – full of enthusiasm and fun.

“Cowboy” (aka “Hot Dog”), the cadet and part-time tender driver provided us with countless thrills and laughs, and the two bartenders were fantastic – hardworking and extremely kind.  It was a distinct pleasure to be able to spend time with Peter Tauck – a friendly and interesting guy!  He shared the story of how his grandfather started the business by inviting people to join him on sales trips in New England – and that family sense of travel and adventure has grown into a first class world-wide operation with the third generation.

The shore excursions were, for the most part, interesting and enjoyable, with excellent local guides.  The ship’s accommodations and public rooms were clean, comfortable and pleasant.  The food was more than acceptable.   Breakfast and lunch buffets provided a nice variety, and some of the dinners were excellent.   The desserts were fantastic throughout.    (However, the food was not the reason we made the trip!)

The most lasting memories will be the spectacular scenery we enjoyed along the way – especially in Taormina, the Amalfi Coast, and Ponza.   The history of the islands was fascinating and the local people friendly.   I regret that I did not have the time to refresh my “Italian for Travelers” and my conversational French before this trip – but we got along just fine when we were exploring on our own.   Phrase books and dictionaries are helpful – but a friendly attitude, smiles, and lively hand signals are universal!

The storm at sea was just part of the adventure.  However, one needs to be advised that a trip of this type can be strenuous and unpredictable – especially if you want to explore the ports on foot.

Would we do it again?..... ABSOLUTELY!    Where will we go next?.... We’re not sure, but the Tauck cruise from Venice along the Dalmation Coast on the 90-passenger vessel “Le Levant” sounds very tempting!...

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