Cruising European Style – A fabulous poker cruise

Each year, Card Player Cruises embarks on a very special "exotic" cruise. This year, about 200 poker players experienced an incredible 12-day voyage aboard Holland America's new cruise ship, the Westerdam.

The trip began in Civitavecchia, Italy, a short drive from Rome. Most of our cruisers arrived early in Rome to spend a few days adjusting to jet lag and seeing the sights, such as the Colosseum, the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, Circus Maximus, and Trevi Fountain. After a bon voyage party at which passengers got to meet and greet each other, the ship set sail for Naples. The poker room opened after dinner, as it would every evening of the cruise. We had games from $1-$2 limit up to $10-$20 blinds no-limit, and everything in between.

The day in Naples was my favorite of the entire trip. It was tough to choose between a drive along the Amalfi Coast, a trip to Pompeii, or a visit to the Isle of Capri. I made the right choice, I think: Jan Fisher, John Buchanan, and I hired a driver for the day and enjoyed a scenic coastal drive with spectacular ocean views and breathtaking scenery. We stopped in Sorrento for a little shopping, and then had lunch at a restaurant overlooking the ocean in Positano.

Day three of the trip had us arriving early in the morning in Catania, Italy. I made arrangements with 14 other passengers to share taxis and drive up to Mt. Etna, the most active volcano in Europe. During the drive, we saw fields of lava that stretched for many miles. After lunch at the top of the mountain, we returned to the ship in time to take a swim and a nap before dinner.

Valletta, Malta, was our destination on day four. Having been to Malta several times on previous trips, I elected to stay on the ship and watch movies and enjoy the spa. Many of our passengers said they enjoyed visiting the glass factories and some of the beautiful cathedrals on the island. Sailing in and out of Malta presents the prettiest view of the whole trip, so since I missed the 7 a.m. arrival, I went to the Crow's Nest and sipped a drink during our departure from this beautiful port.

The fifth day of the trip was spent at sea, so we took advantage of the extra poker time to schedule a no-limit hold'em tournament. The side games stayed full all day and late into the evening.

Cartagena, Spain, was our next port of call. I got off the ship with some friends and hopped on a double-decker bus for a tour of the old city, then returned to the ship for lunch, bridge, and sunbathing.

I bought only one organized shore excursion during the trip, and it was to attend the Andalusian horse show in Cadiz, Spain, on the seventh day of our journey. We took a bus to the Royal Andalusia School of Equestrian Arts and were treated to an incredible show of beautiful horses trained to actually dance to music. I enjoyed the music and the pageantry of the show; it was amazing to see how well-trained these beautiful horses are. The excursion continued on to one of the local wineries to taste some of the region's famous sherry.

Prior to this cruise, I had never been to Portugal, so I was eager to visit Lisbon on the eighth day of the voyage. I got lucky to hook up with four friends, which necessitated a limousine in order to accommodate us all. Our driver spoke six languages and was very knowledgeable about his beautiful country. He gave us a city tour, then drove us to the hills of Sintra, where there was shopping time. We had a great lunch along the coast in the city of Cascais, then drove through Estoril, a modern seaside town, on the way back to the ship. Portugal is a great country, and I hope to return there!

We arrived in Vigo, Spain, the next morning and rented a taxi to drive us down the coast, almost to Portugal. The ocean and the beaches were spectacular along the way. We got back in time to get a massage before dinner. What a great life!

Day 10 was another sea day, which meant another poker tournament. I enjoyed a lazy day watching two movies in the room, then went to the art auction and later basked in the sun by the pool. I even got to play some poker.

We arrived in LeHavre, France, at 6 a.m. on day 11. Some of our adventurous passengers took the train into Paris for some quick sightseeing, while others went to the beaches of Normandie or the lovely village of Honflueur. I decided to stay on the ship and read some books and watch movies.

After another day at sea and a great farewell party, we arrived in Copenhagen on day 13. I hated to see this cruise end, since every day had been fun for me. We experienced great weather, great food, and great poker every day. Now, I am looking forward to next year's "exotic" cruise, which will take us to Venice, Croatia, Corfu, Egypt, Turkey, Romania, the Ukraine, Bulgaria, and Greece. I hope you can join us for the trip of a lifetime!

Linda is available to host your special poker events and corporate nights. You can contact her through her websites at www.cardplayercruises.com or www.Lindapoker.com.