Cruise -- Legend of the Seas -- Italy

My family (sisters and parents, minus me) have left the United States! They arrived in Rome, Italy around 10:30am Italy time, and will embark on a 13-day cruise beginning tomorrow evening around Italy. I'm bummed the airplane and cruise ship wouldn't allow an almost 8month pregnant lady on board. I'm bummed I'm going to miss out on a trip of a lifetime. I'm sad I won't get to see all the things I'd love to see. But I know my family will take lots of pictures and DVD video to share with me when they return to the states mid-November.

My father's lineage is Italian. My grandfather, Caesar Piunti, was born in the States after his parents and 12 older siblings migrated from Italy through New York and settled in a Chicago Suburb. I remember many fun things Grandpa always did for us kids. He made the best pancakes. And not just any pancake... he made mickey mouse and our initals! He was a typewriter repairman, by trade, and always had spare typewriters around for us to play with. I can remember the smell of them. I can remember the smell of breakfast. I can remember the smell of Thanksgiving and Christmas. So this trip my sisters and parents are taking is a trip to a country, touring around many ports, where the Piunti family originates.

In addition to visiting Rome, Portofino, Pisa, Sicily, Venice, and Naples, they also get to visit neighboring Split, Croatia and Dubrovnick, Croatia. Lastly, after the cruise is complete, they will stay an additional 2 nights in Rome. Each port docking lasts 1-2 days where they have exciting excursions planned. Here is a little map of where the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Legend of the Seas vessel will be taking them.




This is my sister, Sasha's, 3rd trip to Italy. She went twi ce while in college in 2003 and 2005, and had considered moving to Florence a few years ago. I'm glad she didn't move so far away, but at the same time what a great trip to go visit my sister! Who knows, now she is on her way to buying her first house in the Twin Cities (Minnesota), so I doubt a move to Italy will come anytime soon. She did offer to go along on my future vacation to Italy. Of course, then it would be her, what?, 5th trip by then?! Lucky!

Anyways, I'm trying to get a hold of my family over there with text messages and email, and I am anxiously awaiting their reply to make sure they got there all safe and sound. My blackberry is sitting on my desk just waiting for the litle red light to flash telling me I have an incoming message....... C'mon girls, text me back!!!

.