Running Against the Clock
Updated: 23 hours ago
What is the very first thing that comes to your mind when you think of a cruise? I believe most people who have never been on one often have only a single idea of what it can offer, heavily generalizing the entire experience based on that one characteristic.
I have already spent a lot of time on ships, and yet there is only one single reason why I would keep booking them for a vacation: the excursions.
Imagine waking up in the morning, and you are in a completely different, beautiful place than you were yesterday.
Well, don’t be too disappointed when you look out the window and see nothing but a wall of industrial cranes. In reality, many ports where the ships dock aren’t beautiful at all. A massive vessel like that simply cannot always park in the middle of a city center. There are exceptions, of course.
Looking out the window is a whole different story anyway. Some cabins don’t even have one, while others come with a massive private terrace. There are inside cabins, oceanview cabins, and balcony cabins. Depending on the ship’s design, there are even balcony cabins facing inward. You can also find junior suites and full suites, some stretching across two decks. In certain cabins—even inside ones—four or more people can stay together, but there are also single cabins, just like single rooms in hotels.
As ugly as a port might be, the surrounding area can be absolutely stunning and fascinating in every direction. In my last post, I mentioned that we didn’t do many major excursions on my first trip, but I think that might have sounded like the exact opposite to many people. Well, yes. Anyone who has ever planned a vacation has had to decide what to do with their few days or two weeks. When you travel by ship, you usually have only one single day for each destination—roughly 7 to 12 hours.
One of the places where I absolutely did not envy the guests for having only a single day was the port city of La Spezia in Italy.
I had never heard of this city before and had absolutely no idea what it had to offer. We were sailing the Mediterranean on AIDAcosma, and the ship docked there every second week. As a crew member, I had the luxury of returning multiple times and discovering the surrounding area in various directions. However, I was already nearing the end of my contract, so my time wasn’t endless either. And, of course, I had to work. I wasn’t on vacation. In my department, we get a 4-hour break during the day—maybe 5 hours if we arrange it beforehand. It doesn’t sound like much, but if you only knew what you can accomplish in that time if you truly want to...
Our motto was always: Run, don’t think. If you want to see a lot, you cannot linger in one spot for too long.
Popular destinations from La Spezia for cruise guests are Pisa and Florence. However, both cities are quite far away. As a crew, you usually only get there if you book an official crew excursion. Since I didn’t manage to do that, and since everyone already knows the photos of those places anyway, I wanted to share details about other spots that you can easily reach on your own.
The closest option, of course, is the city itself, and it is truly imposing. Massive buildings from different eras—much of it was destroyed during the war and rebuilt—stretching along wide avenues and narrow alleys. You can walk through the lower city or wander along the streets up the hillside to admire the town and its surroundings from above. Every time I walked through, I was deeply impressed by the beautiful architecture; my head was constantly spinning left and right. Unfortunately, I was usually rushing to or from the train station and didn’t have much time to just let it all sink in.
Aside from that, I had two opportunities to leave La Spezia by train, and I traveled in two completely different directions. My absolute favorite was Cinque Terre, the coastal region west of the city, consisting of five villages and breathtaking hiking trails. Even just the train ride along the cliffs is stunning. Because my time was so limited, I got off at the very second village and immediately started making my way up. At this point, I think it’s better to let the photos do the talking.
My other excursion took me in the opposite direction, toward Carrara, near the famous marble mountains. The train ride itself didn’t take long, but I had to catch a local bus afterward. That was a bit of a challenge at first because I didn’t immediately figure out how to buy tickets there. Carrara is a smaller town with buildings that are partially centuries old, offering a direct view of the white-capped mountains.
It always meant very little time and a lot of stress, because I always had to be back on the ship strictly on time. As a crew, you quickly learn to enjoy things in mere seconds.
Would you take the agony of choice upon yourself for a vacation like this, or would you rather skip the whole thing?
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