Summer 2014: 10 Days in Venice + Mediterranean Cruise

A very unexpected opportunity arose during a card game with old colleagues—someone suggested going on a cruise to play cards. Following my habit: once decided, go for it. I immediately searched online for cruise routes, with the following criteria:

1. Must be one of the world's top 5 cruise lines.

2. Absolutely not departing from China—if you've heard about the chaos of Chinese passengers scrambling for food and cutting in line on Southeast Asian cruise routes, you'd come to the same conclusion.

3. Must have a tennis court—we enjoy playing sports.

4. To bring the kids along, it had to be during summer vacation.

In the end, only Norwegian Cruise Line's Jade met all criteria, because:

1. Only three cruise ships in the world have full-size tennis courts, all from Norwegian Cruise Line (note: many so-called tennis courts on other ships are just small recreational spaces, not full-size).

2. Norwegian Cruise Line offers Free Style cruising—meaning freedom, relaxation, sports, entertainment, and family. Unlike other lines, you don't need to wear formal attire (or even tuxedos) to dine. As long as you're not wearing swim trunks, you're fine.

3. The best summer routes are in Europe's Mediterranean and Aegean Seas (Italy, France, Greece, Spain, North Africa, etc.).

4. We chose a 7-day itinerary (the minimum; options included 9 days, 12 days, etc.)—limited vacation time.

In summary, only the Jade met all conditions. Itinerary:

D-2: Arrive in Venice two days early to explore.

D1: Board the ship at the port of Venice.

D2: Dock in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

D3: Sail the Mediterranean Sea.

D4: Dock in Athens, Greece.

D5: Dock in Kusadasi, Turkey.

D6: Sail the Mediterranean Sea.

D7: Dock in Split, Croatia.

D8: Return to the port of Venice.

For each port of call, we booked a local day tour on the cruise line's website (choosing one from multiple options), with tour buses picking us up at the dock. Since we disembarked and reboarded in different countries, it was like entering and exiting each country, so we had to apply for a multiple-entry Schengen visa.

We chose Aeroflot's red-eye flight from Shanghai to Moscow (8 hours), with a 4-hour layover, then connecting to Venice (2.5 hours). I noticed many domestic tour groups and individuals take this route, though most go to Moscow first and then transfer to various European cities (mostly Paris).

While killing time at Moscow airport, I snapped a picture of my child next to an advertising poster:

On the island of Venice:

St. Mark's Square in Venice:

Venice boutique shops:

Venice souvenir shops:

Murano (Glass Island) in Venice:

Burano (Colorful Island) in Venice:

The leaning tower on Burano—strangely, no previous travelogues mentioned it:

For the cabin, we chose a large balcony suite facing the bow. There are only five such cabins on the entire ship, occupying the front section of Deck 9 spanning the full width of the ship. The two decks above house the bridge, so the view is the same as the captain's. Reservations had to be made nine months in advance.

The bow of the ship (can you spot us? Second balcony from the right):

Two giant cruise ships arriving at port simultaneously:

The cabin corridor (walking from the stern to the bow room felt like a marathon):

The top deck and recreation area:

Our beloved full-size tennis court:

Departing from Venice (Lido Island):

On the second day at sea, entering a Croatian port, we passed a departing Costa cruise ship:

View of the old city of Dubrovnik from the mountains:

Dubrovnik's ancient fortress:

The port beneath the old city walls of Croatia:

The square in front of a Croatian church was also packed with people:

My little one took a hand-holding photo for mom:

Relaxing vacationers by the Croatian seaside:

On the third day at sea, we reached Athens, Greece. The ancient theater of Athens:

I never expected such a Great Wall of people overseas tourism:

On the fourth day at sea, we arrived in Turkey. Instead of visiting historical sites, we chose a village tour:

Buying handmade carpets:

On the sixth day at sea, we arrived in Split, Croatia, opting for a national park tour. Its beauty is similar to China's Jiuzhaigou, but with more interactive elements—you can see that from the last photo.

Even before docking, it was clear Split is a bustling tourist city:

From the tour bus winding up the mountain, we were already captivated by the park's beauty:

Up close, it was even more stunning:

Norwegian Cruise Line's Free Style truly suits young people who enjoy leisure and sports. The ship features a jogging track encircling the deck (many morning runners), a fitness center, a mini-golf practice area, a tennis court (shared with basketball, volleyball, and soccer), a card room, a game room, and a library. Other amenities include shops, bars, a theater, a casino, and an Internet cafe, plus numerous dining options. A live band often performs by the pool on the top deck, energizing the whole ship. It's also suitable for seniors, who can find a quiet lounge chair on the stern to sunbathe and read. Children are well-catered for with free full-time babysitting services—my child kept asking to go to the kids' club, which is a supervised play area with ball pits and dedicated staff to entertain them, allowing parents to enjoy themselves freely. For cabin choice, if you want a budget option, choose an interior cabin—you spend the day out exploring and only return to sleep. For comfort, choose a balcony cabin—though more expensive, it's open and airy, letting you enjoy the sea breeze, dry clothes, and watch sunrise or sunset.