Italy/Greece 2023 – Day 14: Leaving Rome (September 15, 2023) and Some Final Thoughts

Trip: Rome and Cruise through Italy and Greece (Norwegian Breakaway)
Dates: September 1 – 15, 2023
Who: Me (Jess), Emily (one of my best friends), Beverly (my mom), Jeff (my stepdad), Jen (my aunt), and Megan (my sister).

Trip Home

The vacation we spent over a year planning had come to an end. I stirred around 5am when Jeff and Mom were getting ready to leave and managed a sleepy goodbye before crashing back into bed. Up again at 8am, it was time to get serious: last-minute packing, a quick donut run to the corner bakery, and one final breakfast at the Airbnb.

Our driver arrived like clockwork. He was actually the same driver that Mom and Jeff had. I’m telling you… IterItaly. My mom had texted that she thought she left her water bottle in the van (and she had), so I grabbed that and managed to stuff it in my duffle bag. We loaded the van and headed for the airport. Check-in was smooth (got the duffel checked for free—score!), but that was the last thing that went smoothly.

Jen’s back had officially given up on her and she needed assistance. Enter: The Great Wheelchair Waiting Game™. We waited 45+ minutes for Jen’s first wheelchair, only to be passed off to approximately four more throughout the airport maze. Security. Customs. Shuttle trams. We practically earned a frequent flyer card just for wheelchair transfers. Their system did NOT make sense.

On the bright side, I found a cute ornament at the Vatican Gift Shop. Gotta keep spirits high.

We finally made it to the gate, found food, and waited for boarding. We were set for pre-boarding, but the gate-side wheelchair attendants had no clear system. I stayed alert to make sure that Jen got one to get on board…. meanwhile, the attendant tried to put a woman bound for Istanbul onto our flight that was NOT going to Istanbul. Eventually, we got everything settled and got on the plane. I was seated next to a sweet French couple and cued up Crazy Rich Asians—which I promptly fell asleep watching before the plane even took off. I woke up just in time for the meal service, then resumed my in-flight film festival: finished CRA, dove into Downton Abbey, The Intern, and most of Pitch Perfect 2. Honestly, it was a better lineup than most streaming services.

Landing in Montreal brought fresh chaos. Security lines were a nightmare, customs was wild, and poor Emily had to deal with customs got over her Louis Vuitton bags. We finally reached the next gate, only to be told it had moved.

Our second flight of the day proved to be a much easier go. Pre-boarding was a win and the flight was blessedly empty. I had a free seat next to me, and Megan and Jen each had their own row. I read a bit, took a nap, and by some miracle, we landed in Orlando just four minutes after Jeff and Mom. They had been to Switzerland and Toronto, lol.

We reunited, grabbed bags, and then went our separate ways. Mom, Jeff, and Jen were all riding together. Emily’s parents were picking her up. I was driving Mom’s car home and Megan had her car. The two of us caught our shuttle to the offsite parking. Got to the car, loaded up, and then had to wait for Mom to send the parking lot code because 2023 is nothing if not “text me the code to leave” energy. I hit the road, swung by McDonald’s for some extremely necessary fries, and finally—home sweet home.

I was wired for longer than I would have liked. However, I eventually took a victory shower and collapsed into bed.

If you’ve made it to the end…. Thank you!! Before I finish this trip report, I have some final thoughts below. Also, I have some reviews to share in separate posts.

Final Thoughts

This was a trip of a lifetime! A literal dream come true. Overall, I’m extremely glad with the way I went about it. Cruising made it a bit easier in terms of logistics and gave us the opportunity to sample many different places.
One thing about this cruise (and Norwegian in general, I’ve noticed)… Only one Sea Day was brutal. The cruise was amazing, but exhausting. The last night, I was in an elevator with a bunch of strangers and we all looked like we’d been run over. I said, “I could really use a Sea Day tomorrow.” Everyone looked at me and nodded tiredly. Megan and my BIL did an Ireland/Scotland cruise in 2024. Their Sea Day was at the end. Megan said that while it definitely helped the few days they stayed in London after, it made the beginning of their cruise rougher because they were still dealing with jet lag while starting all their ports. I am of the firm belief that you need a Sea Day on either end when doing this sort of itinerary.
One of my biggest regrets was not eating more Greek food. The little I did eat was phenomenal and I wish I made more time for it.
Italian food is everything they say. That said, *hides head in shame* I was SO ready for a good American salad when I got home. I was also ready for a sandwich that wasn’t ham and cheese. The pasta was something dreams are made of, though, and I have no complaints there.
There were some times when we didn’t feel well or needed space, but we honestly had a blast. We had so many times where we just laughed and laughed. That certainly made up for any rough moments.
We went fairly close to the end of tourist season, which I would recommend. From what Billy and his family said, it was way more crowded everywhere in late May. However, there are several places I would want to return during OFF-season. The Vatican is one of them.
Several of us spent months learning Italian using Duolingo before the trip. However, we really didn’t get a chance to use it. With the exception of some general greetings, everyone spoke English. Well, except for the plumber. We used some Google Translate with him because our six months of Italian and his even less English wouldn’t meet in the middle.
Would I go back? I would! There are many other places in the world that I want to explore, so it may be awhile. I’d be fine doing another cruise or a land tour group. I’m not sure I really want to try to navigate on my own, though, unless I’m staying in one area. It’s not that I don’t think I’m capable. I just don’t want to spend my limited vacation time constantly in charge of transition.

I’m sure I’m forgetting some of my final thoughts, lol. Feel free to ask me any questions – about planning, tips, or my general experience!

Italy/Greece 2023 Trip Report (September 1 – 15, 2023)
– The Beginning (Vivi Alla Giornata!)
– The Planning Process (Rome)
– The Planning Process (Greece Ports)
– The Planning Process (Italy Ports)
– Flight Confusion
– Day 0: Leave for Rome (September 1, 2023)
– Day 1: Rome Arrival and City Tour (September 2, 2023)
– Day 2: Board the Breakaway (September 3, 2023)
– Day 3: Sea Day (September 4, 2023)
– Day 4: Santorini, Greece (September 5, 2023)
– Day 5: Athens (Piraeus), Greece (September 6, 2023)
– Day 6: Mykonos, Greece (September 7, 2023)
– Day 7: Olympia (Katakolon), Greece (September 8, 2023)
– Day 8: Valletta, Malta (September 9, 2023)
– Day 9: Messina (Sicily), Italy (September 10, 2023)
– Day 10: Naples, Italy (September 11, 2023)
– Day 11: Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy (September 12, 2023)
– Day 12: Disembark and Vatican City (September 13, 2023)
– Day 13: Rome (September 14, 2023)
– Day 14: Leaving Rome (September 15, 2023) and Some Final Thoughts