The effort to get there was absolutely worth it.
That’s my mom, sister, and me in Monaco—see the castle framed in the background.
Cruising through the night and waking up in places like Greece, Italy, and Croatia felt almost surreal. Over twelve days we visited Monte Carlo (Monaco), Marseille (France), Barcelona (Spain), Livorno/Florence (Italy), Civitavecchia/Rome (Italy), Sorrento (Italy), Corfu (Greece), Dubrovnik (Croatia), and Venice (Italy). I squeezed in an early-morning run on the streets of Monte Carlo, late-night flamenco in Barcelona, walks atop Dubrovnik’s fortified walls, museum visits in Rome, shopping in Sorrento, and a refreshing swim on Corfu’s clear beaches. I took countless photos and walked so much my feet and camera barely survived.
Beyond the shore excursions, life on the ship was an experience in itself. If you’re considering a cruise, I highly recommend the Crystal Cruise line. The staff-to-guest ratio felt exceptionally high—there was always a friendly, helpful face nearby, ready to assist with any request. Each family was assigned personal waiters who learned our names and preferences. I felt a little pampered—personal waiters and attentive cabin stewards—but the kindness and professionalism of the crew made the trip effortless and enjoyable.
I could write a long memoir about the trip, but since this is a food-focused post, I’ll stick to the culinary highlights.
Cruises often get a reputation for unhealthy food—fried options and indulgent desserts—but I found it easy to maintain a healthy diet on this voyage. The chefs were incredibly accommodating; it felt like having a team of personal cooks. The vegetable selection was extensive, and staff were happy to steam vegetables without butter. The salad bar offered a wide variety of greens, beans, and nuts, and a fruit station presented exceptionally fresh options—figs, cantaloupe, honeydew, grapefruit, oranges, plums, kiwi, and more. Whole grains were available too: brown rice, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, barley, and bulgur.
The ship also featured a first-class sushi restaurant run by Chef Nobu, where I enjoyed piping-hot miso soup (prepared without bonito flakes on request), soba noodles, seaweed salad, and edamame. Having that option added variety and healthy Asian-inspired dishes to the menu.
Above: soba soup with fresh bok choy.
When I mentioned my dietary preferences, the culinary team offered to prepare special vegan meals every night if I wanted. Their enthusiasm was remarkable. Memorable dishes included watermelon gazpacho, classic tomato gazpacho, a portobello mushroom salad, vegetable soups, a simple homemade tomato sauce for whole wheat pasta (tomatoes, basil, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, onion powder), and once they even prepared spelt berries I had bought in Italy. The chefs’ creativity and willingness to tailor meals made eating well effortless.
There was also an ice cream bar that regularly offered at least one sorbet flavor—one day even sangria sorbet, which felt delightfully exotic. While sorbet isn’t my favorite, the same station had a blender for smoothies. The ice cream attendant kindly let me store soy milk and almond milk I’d brought, and whenever I wanted a smoothie he blended my ingredients without any fuss. Fresh smoothies without cleanup quickly became a favorite convenience.
Even the bathroom amenities offered vegan-friendly options, which was a thoughtful extra touch.
Thank you, Grandma, for gifting us this unforgettable trip. And thanks to everyone who read through my long post—hopefully it captured the flavors and moments that made this Mediterranean cruise so special.