If you would like an introduction to Danielle or to start this trip report from the beginning, click here.
Day 4: Olbia, Sardinia
After such a long and exhausting day yesterday in Livorno, Florence, AND Pisa, the news that our excursion did not meet until after lunchtime was music to our ears. We enjoyed our morning sleeping in very much after so much heat and walking the day before (my fitbit said I walked S E V E N miles in Florence alone!).
Here is the Navigator for today:
And the port map:
Layne and I went to Cabanas for breakfast and enjoyed some one-on-one time. With such a big family, it’s a big deal to get some quality time with anyone, especially for Layne. I made her tea and she felt like a grown up. It was great quality time that we really don’t get at home very often, and that’s just another reason why we love cruising with Disney.
We caught up with Spencer by the Goofy Pool and watched Tarzan while we ate ice cream and snacked on some fries as we enjoyed the weather. Did I mention – it was BEAUTIFUL! The weather was perfect and we were spoiled rotten with a stunning view of the mountainous scenery and the water. The gorgeous pink and yellow houses that lined the coast created such charming scenery – this port was unlike any of the others. We were so surprised that we were still in Italy because the scenery was so different from yesterday!
Sardinia is a province of Italy and is the second largest island in the Mediterranean (second to Sicily). Sardinia is primarily known for the beautiful and diverse landscapes that the island offers, and this is the ideal destination for outdoorsy types of travelers. Excursions for this port included various activities perfect for enjoying the scenery including hiking, beach days, kayaking, or canoeing. We decided to take a DCL port adventure to La Cinta Beach (O10), and this was easily the most relaxing excursion that we experienced on this trip.
Olbia was beautiful. This was our first experience at a Mediterranean beach, and it was everything that we expected. We met at Fathoms at 1:00 PM after eating lunch as a family. The ship distributed towels to guests as we left the ship, and we were on our way! We boarded a motorcoach and rode for about 20 minutes to the beach as we drove through the mountains and past various lakes and charming neighborhoods. One thing in particular that I love about cruising is that it often brings you to smaller ports that you never would have otherwise visited. If I had planned my own trip to Italy, I seriously doubt that I would have considered visiting Sardinia (I had never even heard of it before the cruise), but I am so glad that I had the opportunity to visit.
This excursion does not guarantee you a beach chair or anything other than a water bottle and transportation to the beach. When you arrive at the beach, you can pick a chair, and then the beach chair company representative will come by later for you to pay for it. It is 30 euro for two chairs, which I highly recommend paying. The chairs extend all the way to the edge of the water, unlike most American beaches, so you’ll really have a difficult time finding somewhere to sit or lay your towel if you do not reserve a chair.
There is a charming little bar and restaurant area near the chairs where you can use the restroom for free or grab some food or drinks. Helpful hint – the bathroom does not have toilet paper, and you’ll need to pay for it. I recommend bringing a roll of toilet paper from the ship. The bathrooms are otherwise extremely clean, especially for a public bathroom at the beach.
The beach itself was so relaxing, and I thoroughly enjoyed laying next to the coast. The water was chilly, but beautiful. The first few yards into the sea was rocky and filled with seaweed, but if you can brave it through that, it was extremely enjoyable.
When we first sat down at our chairs, we watched someone steal someone else’s bag right out of their chair. For that reason, we were too nervous to leave our belongings and always made sure that someone was at the chairs to watch our things. We tied our bags to the umbrellas, and I recommend that anyone do the same. Most of the locals had their belongings hanging from umbrellas as well. (Click here for more ideas on ways to secure your belongings at a public beach.)
The beach seemed extremely safe, but it’s always good to be cautious, especially in a foreign country. Additionally, there were people constantly approaching guests in chairs trying to sell everything from beach cover ups to soccer balls. They were very aggressive (even more aggressive than the vendors I mentioned in Pisa). For these two reasons, it was a little more difficult to relax on the beach like we feel we can when we visit Floridian beaches. We all talked about missing Castaway Cay and the private cabanas that we are so fond of.
When my mom and dad came back to the chairs after walking along the beach, I decided to wander along the coast with my camera. I got a lot of weird looks, wandering along the beach in a bathing suit carrying around a camera the size of my head, but I really didn’t care. I was regretting not bringing my telephoto lens for this excursion (I opted to just stick with my wide angle lens at home and left my camera bag on the ship for the sake of not getting sand in my sensor).
There were tons of windsurfers and boating excursions dropping off guests in the middle of the sea. I loved the juxtaposition of the mountains next to the water. It reminded me of Malibu in a way (I seriously LOVE Malibu and recommend a trip if you’ve never been).
Eventually, it became time to meet our guide back at the bus to head back to the ship. We felt recharged after our day at the beach, but were excited to be back on the ship without feeling like we needed to guard our valuables. We enjoyed another scenic drive back before catching sight of the ship. It always makes my face light up when I spot the beautiful and familiar sight of my home-away-from-home.
The ship was a bit late leaving port because we spent so long waiting on passengers that were late getting back to the ship. Have you ever been on board when guests were paged overhead? I had never experienced this until I cruised Europe, but this inevitably happens on every European cruise that I’ve ever been on. Several passengers were late arriving back to the ship, and there was even one that didn’t make it back before the ship finally left. I don’t know if he was on a DCL port adventure or not. When this happens and you are on a DCL port adventure, then DCL is responsible for getting you to the next port, but with the next day being a day at sea, I’m curious to know if you would be flown to Rome early, or if you would have to spend the night in Olbia.
I quickly showered and grabbed my camera to photograph the beautiful scenery that we passed as we set sail for our day at sea. We passed beautiful mountains and yachts as we exited the port of Olbia.
At 6:30, our family headed to the show, “Once Upon a Song”. This show is very different from the Broadway-style shows that Disney Cruise Line is famous for, although the music is very enjoyable. This show features five singers singing some of the most popular songs from classic Disney movies. The routine is magically choreographed and organized, but is geared towards a more mature audience. This is not the type of show that smaller children would enjoy (since there isn’t a plot line, it’s really just a musical performance), and I recommend dropping the kids off at the Oceaneer’s Club if you’d like to see it.
We ate dinner at Lumiere’s for the second time this trip (at this point, the dining rotation starts to repeat itself, and different themes begin to be incorporated into the menus), and then to Fathoms to play Majority Rules and watch the band Junnk perform. Junnk is typically aboard any European cruise on the Disney Magic, and this was my second time seeing them perform. Their musical style is a mix between the band STOMP with a comedic twist, which oftentimes includes audience participation.
My friend Kelsey (who I met on the inaugural British Isles cruise) and I then went to watch my sisters perform at family karaoke. Poor Layne was so nervous that after they performed, she cried. To make her feel better, Madeline went to guest services afterwards and asked them to make a certificate and button for her being the best singer at karaoke. Once again, this small act of kindness and attention to detail is something that is often experienced when cruising with DCL. They really do put a great deal of effort into ensuring that everyone feels like a celebrity, a concept that was very important to Walt Disney himself.
Usually, the night before a day at sea, I tend to stay out later than normally because I know I’ll have the opportunity to sleep in the next morning. After karaoke, I stayed at Fathoms with my friends to enjoy the cruise staff DJ and to play cards at O’Gill’s Pub afterwards. I still got in bed at a relatively reasonable hour, excited for a day full of relaxing and enjoying the ship tomorrow.
Up Next: Day 5
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Danielle is a 23 year old Disney fanatic, ICU Nurse, and travel blogger from Nashville, TN. When she is not traveling, you can find her snuggling with her 2 English bulldogs and spending time with her family of 7. You can read more about her trips and adventures at www.daniellefarideh.com.
Instagram: @daniellefarideh
Facebook: www.facebook.com/daniellefarideh
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