We Missed Portofino

On a seven-day Western Mediterranean cruise, you really don't want to miss one of your ports of call but we missed Portofino due to our lazy morning luxuriating in bed. Since we were expected to be in Portofino for 12 hours we didn't think we would have to rush off the boat to see the charming little town but we were wrong. By the time we got our butts out of bed the Celebrity Century's captain made the call to stop the tenders into Portofino because the water was just too rough, which is unusual in the Mediterranean. And the sea didn't get any calmer as the time approached for the ship to set sail to Livorno.

Although about half the passengers managed to get into Portofino, they had to be transported to Santa Margarita Ligure to pick up the tender to the Celebrity Century. Over dinner, people who got to shore expressed mixed sentiments about their adventure. Some just went with the flow and enjoyed the extra time to explore and others spent four hours in line cooling their heels waiting for the tender.

Cruisers need to understand that there are risks associated with tendering to shore. You just might miss the port or you might be in port a lot longer than you expected. Either way, remember to relax and enjoy the moment.