Weather report from Rome: 
Had some time to kill before our transfer to the cruise port. So we got up super early and did wind sprints up and down the Spanish steps. Just kidding. We went shopping in Rome. Anna and I both loooovvve perfumes – we always try to find the ones we can’t buy in the US. So a pilgrimage to Carthusia Profumo, an Italian line that started in Capri. Had quite a bit of fun in there.
Of note: when you try on a perfume in Europe, the sales person sprays it on you. There is no self-spray. And in Europe, “trying on” a perfume means at least six sprays per appendage. So, I hope our driver to the port enjoys the perfumes we tried on.
Sidebar: I brought my portable menopause fan with me. I’m carrying it everywhere. A store has no a/c? No problem. Have fan, will travel. I’m way past the age of giving a shit about how I look walking around holding a fan in front of my face.
Stopped to get a Fanta lemon, but Rome is Fanta orange territory. Booo. Found this frightening limoncello on the shelves next to the cooler. Hard pass on the lemon chunkies.
We’re off to the Port
Our driver to the Port of Civitavecchia, Matteo, apparently went to the Mario Andretti school of driving. He got us to the port in record time. And we get to check this off our bucket list: Carsick in Italy. 
Matteo also tried to teach us how to say Civitavecchia. We never did get it right.
This will be my second cruise, lifetime. The first (also with my daughter) was a cruise to Greece on the Norwegian Gem. And while we had a great time, I wasn’t eager to do another cruise on a ship of that size – and with that many people. This time, we are on the MSC owned, Explora II. Beautiful ship, super friendly international staff. Onboarding was absolutely seamless. So far, expectations exceeded.
Have introduced Anna to the pleasures of one of my favorite cocktails – the Negroni. A Negroni is a three sip drink. The first sip is straight up rude. On the second sip, you start to think you might have been wrong about the first sip. And the third sip is transformative. Now you’re hooked.
We’ve got our scopolamine patches on and (hopefully) working – here we go!
Napoli tomorrow.
Salute!
Travel date: June 9, 2025
Wow. You weren’t kidding about the chunks. Great photos, as always! Beautiful daughter. She definitely has color in her face.
Thanks, Mimi. Cheers!
Read your post to Michaela. She’d like to say, your perfume shop sample experience is not Europe wide, may be just Italy. In England you’d get one drip on a matchstick and half a second to sniff it. We are absolutely not tempted by cruises, I have a lifelong aversion to being organised by others, so will be very interested to see how your story unfolds.
Is it self-drip, or do the sales people do it for you? Trying to figure out the Euro rules for this. In the US, it’s a self-spray free for all situation.
This was my second cruise, lifetime. I’m in the process of writing up my reflections and comparisons from both experiences (we are home now). Stay tuned!
Will do, with interest! In the UK, sales people do the minuscule drip for you. Unless you’re at duty free airport shop in which case you can douse yourself in enough pleasant fragrance to last an entire long haul.
Lovely photos full of summery colour > hope you will have good sailing weather and a hugely enjoyable time 🙂 !
Thanks, Eha. Cheers!
A couple areas to comment on:
– You got several sprays of perfume on each appendage and tried more than one? I’m surprised they let you on the ship! Anyone think you were “working girls”? Bahahaha!
– “Civitavecchia” is pronounced just like it is spelled. That easy.
– That’s still a freakin’ big boat. Hard pass for me. I would need several Negronis to even consider dealing with the massive number of people on that boat – especially if they went perfume shopping that morning.
I think we were at six sprays per person. Still, that’s way too much – our perfume scent cloud was pretty big.
This was my second cruise, lifetime. Third if you count the Julie M in Greece. But I can’t even compare these experiences to that!!
Not a perfume fan… but definitely a limoncello fan (although a big PASS on the chunks). I need to try Negroni… it sounds wonderful. Your daughter is lovely… I wonder if I ever had flawless skin like that?
Thank you for the compliment! Do try a Negroni. It’s a super simple recipe: equal parts gin, sweet red vermouth, and Campari. Salute!