With the rough weather, gale force 9 winds according to Captain Boyle, we stayed an extra day in Monaco just to be safe. Of course, that meant no Portofino and sailing straight to Livorno, Italy on Friday. I would have posted my blogs earlier; however, with the weather the satellite access was not very good, which made logging on impossible.

After we sailed for Livorno the seas were still quite rough, but the crew onboard the Wind Surf made it as pleasant as possible for everyone. Let me say this about the Wind Surf’s crew: They are the friendliest and most accommodating group of individuals that I’ve ever sailed with. The crew is made up of mostly Filipinos and Indonesians who are always smiling and go out of their way to please guests.

The crew talent show on Friday night was interesting and they went all out. There was some wild rap dancing to start, and then it moved into an American Idol singing contest, magic act, and then a wild finale where guests played Balinese tambourine thingies. It was fun. Probably the most fun the guests had when it came to the onboard entertainment.

If I were to be picky about one thing on this ship it was the entertainment and lack of enrichment programs. Given the weather and subsequent extra day in Monaco I felt that more should be offered in terms of entertainment and shore excursion options. I talked to the Hotel Director, Geert De Meyer and he said that is something they are trying to improve.

Last Day: Livorno, Italy

Finally, a splendid sunny day after three days of wind and rain! The excursion into Florence was terrific. I opted to do “Florence On Your Own” and that allowed guests to do the city at their leisure. Florence is one of those rare cities that is truly an open air museum. At every turn and at every piazza the sights are just astounding. And, if you think October is an “off month” for touring – think again. The city was packed – there were four cruise ships in Livorno and that meant a lot of tourists in town. I met a lot of guests from the Carnival Freedom and it was fun chatting with them – I knew they were having a great time since I had just cruised on the ship in June.

Well, it’s my last night onboard the Wind Surf. Packing bags at the end of a cruise is always a melancholy experience. As I place items in my suitcases I’ve been reflecting about this experience. Sailing on the Wind Surf is one of the most relaxing cruise vacations one can do. It’s a casual atmosphere that is not regimented and because there are only 312 passengers onboard it’s very cozy. I met some terrific folks onboard from all over the U.S. and Europe; truly terrific sailing partners. I will miss all of it! Now, it’s off to Rome and a long US Airways flight home to Pittsburgh Monday.
Ciao for now!

P.S. I am including this photo of Carnival Freedom as we leave Livorno.  You can see the bright movie screen — are they playing “Under the Tuscan Sun”…again?  I send a big hello out to cruise directors Todd Wittmer who just took over the reigns from my pal John Heald!  John, enjoy time off and I’ll see you in January!!

The Wind Surf is docked in the comfy confines of Hercule Harbor surrounded by multi-million dollar yachts including Princess Caroline’s. We’re in the midst of a cold wave here on the Cote d’Azur and you need to be dressed warm – something I didn’t plan too well at as I expected temperatures at least 20 degrees higher – not in the 40’s. The Monegasques are appropriately attired in Burberry, Hermes, Louis Vuitton and the like. I in my Gap khaki pants and black windbreaker don’t fit in but my Prada backpack does.

Today, I’ll be touring the mediaeval walled town of Eze and the Rothschild Villa and Gardens. The 9th century village of Eze, France ranks high on the list as things to see in French Riviera. After a ten-minute walk straight up the hill I found myself 1400 feet above sea level and that fact isn’t lost on me as a hawk soars past my head. At the top of Eze is an expansive view of the glittering Mediterranean Sea that stretches from Italy to Saint-Tropez.

Eze is an amazing place with narrow, cobblestone alleys with a hotel, restaurants, cafes and craft boutiques hidden in tiny caves dug out of the rocky hillside hawking postcards, olive wood cutting boards, saffron, and French scarves. I could have spent the entire day here getting lost, but after one hour we were summoned to the bus to take us to our next stop: Villa de Rothschild.

Built for the Baroness Beatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild, the villa and gardens took five years to build and were eventually finished in 1910. After the Baroness’ death in 1934 she bequeathed the property to the French government, which operates the tours that are enjoyed by approximately 150,000 visitors a year.

With the exception of the Pepto-Bismol colored walls, the house is okay by mansion standards, but I wasn’t impressed. However, the view from the top of Cap-Ferrat and the gardens is impressive. The gardens spread out of several acres and even on this cold October day roses are still in bloom as were many other plants. I would love to visit again when the gardens are in full bloom from May-August.

I return to the ship and have a hot stone massage that makes me into a noodle. I am far too relaxed to go to the restaurant for dinner, so I order a great cheeseburger from room service — sometimes you just don’t want frou-frou food. Afterwards I fall asleep.

It’s Day 2 in Monaco; it’s raining and I don’t feel so good — it’s never a good idea to go to sleep after a cheeseburger. The Wind Surf has company today. Docked behind us is another Windstar ship, Wind Spirit.

I’ve been to Monaco before and I wasn’t really in the mood to go to the casino or go cafe hopping. There were a few Americans onboard complaining that they were treated rudely by waiters in the restaurants the previous evening. I believe it; you haven’t really been to the French Riviera until you’ve been treated like crap by a French waiter. Baptism by escargot.

The nice thing about Monaco is that there is always something to do here when it rains, museums are a good option. I had not been to aquarium, so I hiked a mere 10-minute in the rain to the Musee Oceanographique Monaco. This is an impressive display of aquatic wildlife from all over the world. There is a huge shark tank that rises two levels and is surrounded by various tanks with different fish exhibits. I have a lot of company today, seems like everyone wants to get in touch with their inner Jacques Cousteau today. Children squeal at the clown fish — I hear one child with a French accent scream “C’est Nemo!”

After two hours of aquarium touring, I wander outside where it’s now pouring. Sigh. Still despite the rain there’s something intoxicating about walking around Monaco. Is it the smell of the lemon trees and eucalyptus? I don’t know. I have no qualms about walking around by myself. Let’s put it this way — I am being watched the entire time. There are 340 video surveillance cameras within this one square mile principality. On top of that, there is a ratio of one police officer for every 60 citizens – one of the safest places on earth.

As I end afternoon walking along the pier back to the ship, I encounter two Maseratis (one black and one white) being filmed near the Wind Surf for a commercial. Only in Monaco.

Tomorrow: Portofino, Italy and the Wind Surf’s crew talent show

David Giersdorf, who led the rapid growth of the cruise division of Ambassadors International, announced his resignation as of Dec. 31. Joe Ueberroth, chairman and ceo, will act as interim president, effective immediately.

As president and coo of Ambassadors Cruise Group, Giersdorf steered the creation of Majestic America Line, which brought together the three vessels of the Delta Queen Steamboat Co. (Delta Queen, Mississippi Queen and American Queen) with Empress of the North, Queen of the West, Columbia Queen and Contessa. He also oversaw the acquisition of Windstar Cruises, adding an international three ship (Wind Surf, Wind Star, Wind Spirit) to the group.

Giersdorf, who previously oversaw sales and marketing at Holland America Line, took the helm of Ambassadors’ cruise group in late 2005.

In a statement, Ueberroth credited Giersdorf with enabling the company to “accomplish an extraordinary amount in a short period of time.”

Giersdorf stated that he would continue to work with Ueberroth to ensure “a very successful transition.”

One thing about sailing on Windstar is that the food is exceptional. Dining options are The Restaurant or Degrees, which features a steakhouse menu, as well as Italian, French and Indonesian specialties. Breakfast and lunch are served in the delightful glass-enclosed Veranda which extends out on to the Star Deck to offer an alfresco alternative. There is also The Grill for à la minute cooked breakfasts, while at lunch there’s a refreshing array of pasta, barbeque and salads on offer. There are also snacks available at the Pool Bar and tea time at Compass Rose. Oh, and let’s not forget 24-hour room service that lets you order off the dining room menus.

Breakfast this morning was a rainbow of the most exquisite fruits: bright blue blueberries, dark red strawberries, vivid yellow pineapple, along with orange infused cantaloupe and mango. In keeping with this delectable fruit I opted for the strawberry crepe with cottage cheese – fantastic.

Fueled up it was time to discover Sete, France.

Sète is situated at the foot of Mont St-Clair and is traversed by many canals. The city is often called “the little Venice of the Languedoc,” due to its numerous canals and quaint neighborhoods. The port dates back to the time of Louis XIV. After Narbonne and Aigues-Mortes were cut off from the sea by the accumulation of sand it became the principal port for the North African trade. It is now an important fishing and commercial port.

The town is a great place to wander since there are so many unique nooks and crannies that offer stunning scenery. From the Môle St-Louis you can look back into the town and Mont St-Clair and the citadel. In the cimetière marin (cemetery by the sea), the celebrated poet Paul Valéry (1871-1945), a native of Sète, is buried. Near the cemetery is the Musée Paul-Valéry, with mementos of the poet and exhibits and documents on the history of the town. There is also a room devoted to the singer Georges Brassens (1921-1981), who lived as a boy in Sète and is also buried here.

Though greatly damaged during World War II, Sète rebuilt itself to become a major fishing port for France. Sète is well known for its Bouzigues oysters, grown in the Bassin de Thau which lies just on the other side of Sète from the Mediterranean. The town is also a stone’s throw from the medieval walled city of Montpellier.

After a five-hour long walk/photographic safari around Sète I barely made it back in time for lunch. I was pleasantly surprised to find Bouillabaisse at the Veranda buffet. Now, the last time I ate bouillabaisse a Frenchman scolded me for eating it wrong — I ate it like soup. Apparently you’re supposed to heap it on bread and eat it that way. I did a little of both — sometimes you are too hungry to care.

Tonight was Indonesian night in Degrees, and I don’t think I could have had a better meal had I been in Kuala Lumpur. Naturally when you have a ship full of Indonesian and Filipino workers they wouldn’t stand for anything less.

Service onboard has been stellar; waiters and cabin stewards are always smiling and are quick to please. I am always impressed that they remember my name regardless of the little contact I’ve had with them. Wherever I walk around the ship I am greeted with a “Hello Ah-Nee-TAh.” I know it’s a small ship carrying 312-passengers, still, it’s not just me and they do it with all the guests. You can’t help but be impressed by that.

Tomorrow: Monte Carlo, Monaco and ship tour