🧭 At a glance
Tue 15 Sepdrive to Dublin · overnight Maldron Dublin Airport
Wed 16 Sepfly DUB→Rome · embark MSC Grandiosa (Yacht Club)
16–23 Sep7-night Western Med · Palma · Barcelona · Cannes · Genoa · La Spezia
23–25 SepRome · Grand Hotel Flora · Colosseum, Vatican & golf-cart tours
Fri 25 Sepfly Rome→Dublin 11:10 · home
🛳️ The suite
ShipMSC Grandiosa — Yacht Club (ship-within-a-ship)
CabinYC Deluxe Suite 18009 · Deck 18 (Gauguin)
Comes withbutler · Top Sail lounge · YC restaurant & pool deck · priority everything
📌 Status
Cruise + flightsPAID IN FULL
Hotels · tours · transfersALL BOOKED
Still to doMSC web check-in (late Aug) · Sóller train tickets (~8 Sep) — see Boring Bits
🚗 Tue 15 Sep — down to Dublin
StayMaldron Hotel Dublin Airport — conf 302817137 (in 3pm)
Carparked at the Maldron, 10 nights (~€17/night, pay at hotel, validate ticket)
Eveningearly night — it's an 06:20 departure
✈️ Wed 16 Sep — the flight out
DUB 06:20
Dublin · Aer Lingus
→
Bags25kg checked each
Thenprivate transfer FCO → Civitavecchia (~1¼ hr) — included
⚓ Embarkation — Civitavecchia
Boardingfrom 14:00 — Yacht Club priority check-in
Sail-away19:00 — settle into the Top Sail lounge
Marginland 10:25 → ample time, no rush
🏠 Fri 25 Sep — home
FCO 11:10
Rome · Aer Lingus
→
Transfer~08:00 pickup at the Flora — included
Thencollect the car at the Maldron · drive home
Wed 16 — Embark, Romesail 19:00
Board from 14:00, YC priority. First evening in the Yacht Club.
Thu 17 — At seafull day aboard
Settle in: spa thermal suite, Top Sail lounge, YC restaurant & pool deck.
Fri 18 — Palma de Mallorca09:00–21:00
DIY day: morning Sóller vintage train + tram to Port de Sóller, afternoon Palma old town — La Seu cathedral + lunch. Back at leisure.
Pre-book train+tram ~7 days ahead (trendesoller.com) — the only bit that sells out. ~£94 for two.
Sat 19 — Barcelona08:00–17:00 · ✓ dinner booked
Relaxed half-day: shuttle + hop-on-hop-off round the icons, long lazy lunch, back aboard ~15:30.
Evening: Butcher's Cut steakhouse ✓ booked & paid
Sun 20 — Cannes09:00–19:00 · tender · ✓ tour booked
MSC tour: Cannes & Antibes (6h) — walled old town + marina at Antibes, La Croisette & Le Suquet at Cannes. ✓ booked
Tender port — MSC tour + YC priority tendering earn their keep here.
Mon 21 — Genoa08:00–18:00
Deliberately light recharge day: City Sightseeing hop-on-hop-off from the terminal — old town, Via Garibaldi palaces, old port. Focaccia & pesto lunch.
Tue 22 — La Spezia → Pisa07:00–18:00 · ✓ tour booked
MSC YC small-group: Leaning Tower & Square of Miracles (4½h, minibus, no herds). ✓ booked
Photos & piazza, no tower climb. Modest attire for the cathedral.
Wed 23 — Civitavecchiaarrive 07:00
YC priority disembark, relaxed start → private transfer into Rome. The city takes over from here — see the Rome tab.
🏨 The digs — Rome Marriott Grand Hotel Flora
WhereVia Vittorio Veneto 191 — top of the Veneto, by the Borghese gardens
Nights2 · Wed 23 → Fri 25 Sep · Deluxe King
Bookedon Bonvoy points · conf 72117310 · Platinum perks in play
Notecity tax ~€7/night pp, pay at checkout
🏛️ Wed 23 — afternoon
14:00Colosseum, Forum & Palatine — Arena floor access ✓ booked
Stylesemi-private (max 6), skip-the-line, ~3 hrs
⚠️ Bringpassports — photo ID checked at the Colosseum
Eveningcasual dinner near the hotel · nightcap
🛺 Thu 24 — the full sweep
09:30Golf-cart tour of Rome — Trevi, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, Janiculum view. No walking. ✓ booked
14:00Vatican · Sistine Chapel · St Peter's ✓ booked
Eveninglast casual dinner
ℹ️ The shape of it
Tours3 × LivTours semi-private (order LVO-669563, refundable)
Kept outno museums/galleries, no fine dining — sights + casual food, by design
Pantheonsmall entry ticket — grab on the day if wanted
📝 Still to do
Late AugMSC web check-in — both passports + security photo (needs webcam, both of you) · e-ticket issues from ~27 Aug
~8 SepSóller train+tram — book online ~7 days before Palma (18th)
On the dayBarcelona shuttle + HOHO · Genoa HOHO · Rome dinners (casual — no reservations needed)
🛡️ Cover & paperwork
InsuranceAXA (primary) + Revolut Ultra (trip paid on Revolut = cover active)
Passportstravel on the Irish passports — EU, no ETIAS faff
ProtectionATOL 3137 + ABTA via Clubworld/Laser Travel
MSC app"MSC for Me" — booking 72800743 · excursions & dinner already show under Already Purchased
💷 The money (all personal, all settled where marked)
Packagecruise + flights + transfers £5,778 PAID
MSC extrasCannes + Pisa tours & birthday dinner £478 PAID
Rome tours€768.60 on Amex BOOKED (refundable)
Est. port days~£190 DIY (Palma · Barcelona · Genoa)
Dublin endMaldron room ~€324 + parking ~€170 — pay at hotel
📞 Who to call
AgentClaire Mulligan · Clubworld Travel · 028 3833 3345 / 07749 494246
RefsMSC 72800743 · Clubworld 56934 · Flora 72117310 · Maldron 302817137 · LivTours LVO-669563