Welcome Aboard

Welcome aboard, that's what everybody says, ad nausium, trained to do it!

We checked out of the Crowne Plaza and joined the dozens of other guests who were going on the shuttle bus. Checked in quickly at the cruise terminal and downed two glasses of bubbly before noon. No access to cabins until after 1pm so the self service restaurant was crammed.

We have a crazy amount of space, it's a family size state room with a huge balcony on the port stern corner. Excellent position for the Croatian scenery and the iconic cruise past St Marks square, the gondola stations and Doges palace at the entrance to the Grande Canal. Lots of photos on a sunny evening as we start a gentle cruise down the coast of Italy to Ravenna.

The main dining room was mad tonight with people trying to reserve tables or change reservations. We dined in the top deck self service where the food is just as good and it was deserted.

Diet is down the drain already. Three cakes and a caramel machiatta have seen to that. Need to get in some paces tomorrow.