Go Ahead--Take The Kids To Rome

I have a family tradition with my kids. In third grade (theirs, not mine), we go one-on-one to some place cool for a bonding vacation. The kid gets to choose the destination, with some guidance from me. My son chose China and my older daughter chose Barcelona. Elizabeth, my youngest and the next up, was torn between Serbia and Rome. That’s when the fatherly guidance came into play. After a brief discussion, we were making plans for a trip to the Eternal City, beginning with a trip to Borders Books & Music to get some guidebooks.

Uh-oh. All the guidebooks told the same story: Rome is not the place for kids. Well, I was never one to follow instructions too well (just ask any of my schoolteachers), so off we went to prove the naysayers wrong.

As soon as we landed in Rome, I knew my worries were for naught. We were in the very center of the ancient world, the mother church of Catholicism, the birthplace of pizza and gelato! Now, from my four years in college (OK, it was actually five years), I knew for a fact that man can indeed live on pizza and ice cream alone. So I set a challenge for my 9-year-old daughter: Find the best pizza and gelato in Rome. Of course, she would not realize that in the course of that quest, she’d get a lot of culture and history, too. Shhh, it’s still my secret!

Our hotel, the Hotel Arcangelo, is a small hotel within easy walking distance of the Vatican. The rates were right, the room was fabulous, the daily breakfast was more than adequate and the service was sublime. The hotel sent a car to pick us up at the airport and also handled our return. The hidden gem of the hotel is the rooftop “piano” (OK, I admit it, I did look around for a piano on the roof, but I never found one. Apparently “piano” is the Italian word for “top floor terrace” on an elevator button. Who would have thunk it?) Via Boezio 15 – 00192, Rome.

Elizabeth and I soon ventured out with an agreement not to spend a lot of time in “boring” museums and long lines, and rededicating ourselves to our mission (Pizza! Gelato!). Here are some highlights of the trip:

• The Vatican and the Sistine Chapel. We thought we had gotten a jump on the line to see the Vatican Museum, which included a trip inside the Sistine Chapel, but our jump was not enough and the wait to the door was more than two hours. So off we went to explore on our own and wound up at the Basilica di San Pietro (St. Peter’s), the spiritual center of the Catholic Church and a major destination for Catholic pilgrims. We weren’t pilgrims, but we were plenty awed by the art and architecture. We were especially drawn to the dome, which was designed by Michelangelo with an outer shell to protect the gold-encrusted interior dome. Between the shell and the dome is a spiraling (often dizzying) walkway that we climbed all the way to the cupola, which overlooks Rome and Vatican City. It was a tight and slanting climb, eerily reminiscent of a carnival fun house, but it was definitely worth the effort. The basilica itself is spectacular, and not only for another Michelangelo masterpiece, “Pieta,” which lies behind bulletproof glass. The tomb of Clement XIII by Canova was also very interesting, with just enough creepiness to make it especially kid-worthy.

• Chiesa di Santa Maria in Cosmedin. This basilica is famous for its Bocca della Verita (Mouth of Truth), a former Roman sewer cover now embedded in the portico wall of the church. Tradition says the “mouth” will bite off a liar’s hand. (My daughter survived the test, and I have adapted to typing with one hand.) The church itself is often overlooked by the throngs of people lined up for their turn at the Mouth of Truth, but its Early Medieval architecture, frescoes, mosaic floors and Masonic imagery are also well worth a look.

• Circo Massimo, or the Circus Maximus, was built around 600 B.C. Billed as one of the largest venues built purely for entertainment, it is said to have seated 385,000 people. The long, oval field was the scene of chariot races and contests between gladiators and wild beasts. Today, only a small section of ruins survives, on the south end. It is a large, lovely park frequented by joggers, lovers and my daughter and me with a picnic lunch.

• The Flavian Amphitheater. Huh? Or, for you non-Romans, the Coliseum. This was the site of ancient gladiator battles and is one of the prime symbols of Rome. Throughout the years, various popes quarried its marble, so this once-majestic building is more run down than it should be. Still, its size and history are breathtaking. Admission was a bargain, but the lines were long. The experience is worth the wait, however, so long as you avoid the hokey faux gladiators that surround the site (believe me, they are only interested in modern currency!).

• The Forum. This was once the political and religious center of the Western world. Today, the Forum consists of fragmented columns and ancient pockmarked streets. However, even in this condition, it is a testament to the ingenuity of Roman civilization. The must-sees in the Forum are the Sacred Way, the Via Trionfale (where generals paraded with their soldiers and prisoners) and the ancient Senate House. Scattered around are smaller basilicas, temples, monuments and arches. It was here that we made friends with many of the stray cats that seem to have taken up residence in a house dating from the first century B.C.

• The Pantheon. We discovered the Pantheon on our first day by accident, while in search of the best gelato. This huge round temple was dedicated to all the Roman gods and is considered the best-preserved ancient structure in the city. It was rebuilt in the second century by Emperor Hadrian and has the largest unreinforced concrete dome ever built; 142 feet wide and 142 feet high, it is a perfect sphere, and the walls are 20 feet thick. I stared in awe at this engineering feat for close to half an hour, wondering how they managed it without a crane or backhoe. Sunlight enters the building through a small window in the center of the dome, making the colors in the marble floor come alive. The first king of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II, is buried here, as is the painter Raphael (my daughter was hoping for Ninja Turtles). Admission is free, but there is usually a moderate wait.

• Spanish Steps and Piazza di Spagna. These steps and piazza lie at the heart of the shopping district, which includes stores like Fendi, Dolce & Gabanna, Louis Vuitton and my favorite: the Ferrari Store! The Spanish Steps are a great vantage point for watching the life of Rome pass by. Be prepared for crowds — any time of the day or night. Observe the street musicians, vendors, lovers and fellow tourists. The flowers on the steps were in full bloom for our visit and they were a sight to behold. At the base of the steps is a fountain credited to two Berninis (father and son), and John Keats’s house overlooks the steps.

• Trevi Fountain. This is perhaps the most famous fountain in all of Rome, and it is always thronged with tourists (watch your wallet or purse) re-enacting the tradition introduced by the 1954 film “Three Coins in the Fountain.” Before leaving Rome, you must toss a coin over your left shoulder into the fountain; that way your return is assured. A local told me that a second coin assures you will return with the love of your life. Not sure about the authenticity of that advice — he may have been the coin collector! Even with the crowds, you should get a good view of the mighty god Neptune riding his winged chariot through rushing waters supplied by the ancient Acqua Vergine aqueduct. The fountain is an especially nice treat at night.

• The Bioparco zoo. Located in Villa Borghese, this zoo is a fantastic place to spend a sunny day in Rome. On our family trips, a zoo visit is always a must. This one did not disappoint. We picnicked by the lake and fed the ducks, swung on the swings, chased down an albino peacock and went nose-to-trunk with an elephant. It was a perfect end to a fantastic trip, and seeing the smiles of kids and adults as they watched the animals was priceless.

• Antico Caffe Grecco is the oldest coffee bar and restaurant in Rome (or so we were told). It is a renowned and historic coffee bar, gelateria and lunch caffe just off the Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps. This was a hangout for Byron, Keats, Goethe, Wagner, Liszt and Joyce, among others. The mazelike interior is decorated in Late Baroque style. Photos of past visitors and dignitaries line the walls (my photo is on order).

Well, there you have it: a quick snapshot of a successful Roman holiday with a 9-year-old in tow. Certainly not the fiasco that the guidebooks made it out to be. Elizabeth is still talking about it and showing off her photos to her friends. If you’d like to take a peek at our trip, check out the photo show.

Oh, and about that quest. After visiting at least three pizzerias and four or five gelaterias each day, Elizabeth and I came up with some clear-cut winners.

In the pizza category, the winner is:

• Pizzeria La Montecarlo. The alley outside this pizzeria is usually filled with tables occupied by loud Romans — always a good sign when the locals have turned out en masse. The service is faster than it is polite, but the pizzas are great. Elizabeth’s favorite was a plain margareta pizza with fabulous mozzarella and tomatoes. Mine was the special one they make with fresh red peppers and a very unique sausage! Bring cash, because they don’t take any credit cards. Via dei Savelli 13 (near Piazza Navona), Rome.

In the gelato category, it was a very tough choice, but we went with a place that has a U.S. connection, a cousin-operated delicatessen by the same name in my hometown, Annapolis, Md.

• Caffe Giolitti. The air-conditioned, pink- and green-marbled gelateria screams ice cream. More flavors than you can imagine, and a variety of cones. The chocolate-dipped cone was my favorite with stracciatella, while Elizabeth opted for the basic sugar cone with mocha. The gelateria is always crowded and seemingly always open. Via Uffici del Vicario 40, Rome.

Ooooh! It's Soo Big!

You’ve heard about how big it is. You’ve heard about how beautiful she is. You’ve heard about her first time. You even heard about how people can treat her like trash. But how is she doing, now that she’s been around the block a few times? Is this some hussy I’m talking about? Nope. I am talking about the largest cruise ship out there (at least, the largest cruise ship as of this writing) — Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas.

In August, I packed my bags, grabbed my kids and checked my carry-on bags (“No toothpaste aboard the airplane, sir!”) and headed to Miami to take a keen eye to this vessel that has gained such notoriety in such a short time. “Today” broadcasted a show from the ship when it arrived in New York, and Magic Johnson launched a new travel venture on board.

Is the ship really all that? Ever the skeptic, I wanted to know. And you know what? It’s not all that. But it comes damned close! There is plenty that Royal Caribbean does right, but like any groundbreaking product, there are kinks to be worked out.

Embarkation. When we stepped off the transfer bus at the pier, we all groaned in unison. The lines were beyond belief! It turns out the crowds we saw were a combination of people embarking and others disembarking. Once we figured that out, we navigated our way to the entrance and sailed through check-in. Note to RCCL: There should be more people street-side to direct your guests to the proper entrance and to advise how long the wait isn’t.

The safety drill. We all need to know about emergency procedures and safety at sea. But when you are sailing a small city, gathering everyone at one time in several locations seems problematic to me. For our safety drill, we were summoned to our lifeboat stations, dressed in the oh-so-fashionable orange life vests, and made to endure the Miami sun and humidity. If I had to sum it up in two words: freaking miserable!

I suggest putting the safety drill on the televisions in the cabins, have the passengers stand outside their cabins for life-vest inspection by the crew, then have them report to the lifeboat station anytime in a six-hour window to be checked in by a crew member. This would ensure that all on board are advised and aware of the safety procedures, and lessen the likelihood of anyone passing out on deck.

Food and drink. The food was great in all the venues from Johnny Rockets to the main dining rooms to room service. I did not dine at Portofino (the Italian specialty restaurant), but I did dine at Chops (the steakhouse), where I had the best filet I’ve ever eaten anywhere — on land or sea. The service was excellent, too, with waiters and waitresses there at every turn.

The disco, called The Crypt, was hip and the DJ was great. It’s a great place to hang out, but quite loud. For some peace and quiet, the Olive or Twist lounge is the place to be. The views from the almost-top deck are phenomenal, the drinks are strong and the staff is top-notch. Strangely, though the ship carries more than 4,000 passengers, the lounge was never crowded; in fact, a window seat was always available.

The only dining problem I encountered was at the breakfast buffet in the Windjammer Cafe, where there never seemed to be enough crew to handle the crowds. Tables were scarce during peak hours, and most of the available tables were dirty. On three of the days, our cruise director, James, had to make announcements to the effect of “Eat up and get out — others are waiting!”

Here’s another worrying sign: The majority of the servers I spoke with said their contracts were ending soon, and they probably would not be renewing. Is this expected turnover related to the ship’s size? Is the meal service just too big to handle? Or is it just the same old story: The cruise industry pays a pittance for incredible amounts of work, and the “romance” of the sea fades fast for the crew?

The ship. Without doubt, the ship is magnificent. From the spectacular promenade to the cantilevered hot tubs to the “Flow Rider” (onboard surfing and boogie boarding) to the food and the service — it’s all top-notch. Every cabin has flat-screen TVs, which make for a roomier cabin, and they have large screens to boot. The balcony was roomy and the beds rival any I’ve slept in, even during the recent hotel bed wars.

One complaint I heard several times from others is that there is no midship elevator. Elevators are found only at bow and stern, and a midship lift would have been welcomed by hundreds. My personal gripe is the modular construction. Obviously this is a way to cut time and costs during shipbuilding, but there were spaces on the ship (for example, my cabin and the main dining room) where I felt I was in an upscale mobile home. Everyone in my group said I was crazy. It certainly did not affect my cruise, but it is something that still bugs me.

The water. There are plenty of places on board to get wet and have some fun. The H2O Zone is a wonderful water park for younger kids, but I found that my own children (ages 15, 12 and 9) all grew bored with it very quickly. The Flow Rider, on the other hand, was incredible — there is no other word to describe 30,000 gallons of water rushing up at you as you surf or ride a boogie board 120 feet above the ocean, or — in my case — try to ride a board. While the littlest kids cannot do it, most kids 8 and up should be OK.

The main pool, I’m sorry to say, is entirely too small. (The main pool is actually two small pools, separated by a walkway.) On sea days, it looked like a Turkish sauna: wall-to-wall people. It was horrible. Same thing for the adults-only pool, though that pool was much more comfortable on port days. Now, I am not an engineer, but I could play one on TV, and my suggestion for the next ship is to scale down the H2O Zone, elevate that deck into a bridge and enlarge the main pool. (RCCL: My bill is in the mail.)

The entertainment. Again, excellent. The ship has everything you could ask for — comedians, magicians, wonderful production shows, fun and games with the cruise staff — and no one seemed to leave any venue disappointed. All but a few shows were appropriate for all ages. My kids did not partake in any of the “kids clubs,” but the cruise staff was always looking for ways to engage the kids, offering everything from karaoke to family game shows to interviews at the Flow Rider on RCTV.

The ports. As I had suspected, the ports of call on this cruise were secondary to the experience on board the ship. In fact, it seemed that most of my shipmates were veteran cruisers who had already visited most of the ports; many stayed aboard ship during port calls.

From the day this ship was built, I wondered how the company would tender thousands of sightseers from ship to shore. Well, Royal Caribbean nailed the solution. Since very few piers can accommodate this ship, the company has hired local ferry operators to service the transport. Instead of two tenders taking 50 or 75 people to shore, now there are two to three 400- to 500-passenger ferries to move the masses. Well done, RCCL! Your passengers thank you, and I’m sure the local economies thank you!

All in all, the cruise was fantastic, and I would certainly do it again. The few glitches and issues I encountered are truly minor in the scope of things, and the memories will last a long time. If you want a peek into my trip, I can send you a copy of the menus, and you can see some photos from the largest ship afloat.