Welcome again to a different month-to-month replace from Root of Good! We’ve been at dwelling in Raleigh for a bit over every week after a busy few weeks exploring the Mediterranean Sea aboard the Solar Princess cruise ship. We set sail from Barcelona and visited a dozen ports of name unfold throughout half a dozen completely different nations.
We’ll have one other week at dwelling earlier than we hop again on a jet to Europe for our subsequent cruise which takes us to the British Isles and France.
Whereas at dwelling, I’ve been having fun with the largely good climate. After a busy journey, I all the time look ahead to stress-free at dwelling so I can make amends for my stack of unread books and unwatched Netflix queue. I’m glad on the highway, but additionally glad at dwelling.
As I discussed in a latest weblog put up, I’m switching up the format of those month-to-month updates a bit in comparison with the previous a number of years. I’m de-emphasizing the detailed month-to-month revenue, spending, and internet value reviews however will contact on these monetary features to some extent.
Monetary Replace
On the revenue aspect March and April have been common months with a number of thousand {dollars} in dividends because it’s the tip of the quarter. The dividends in my brokerage account will cowl our month-to-month spending for a month or two.
On the spending aspect, we didn’t spend an excessive amount of in March or April on something massive. Our flights, cruise, and inns in Europe have been already paid for in earlier months. We spent a couple of hundred {dollars} in Europe on transit, ubers, admission charges for varied points of interest, and a few miscellaneous journey spending.
On the web value aspect, we’re nonetheless above $4 million with not a lot else to report. The long-time readers of the weblog know that I don’t actually do something in response to present occasions, such because the struggle in Iran.
I take note of the information, however worry and conjecture play no position in my long run purchase and maintain funding philosophy. I’m investing for many years, not days.
March and April Recap
We spent the primary couple weeks at dwelling in March. I completed my taxes, frolicked with the household, and checked off a couple of to-do checklist objects.
I additionally spent a number of time researching our prolonged itinerary within the Mediterranean. These cruises are a lot sooner paced in comparison with our gradual journey 2+ month summer time journeys. Because of this I spend much more time prepping for every port of name earlier than our cruise.
The cruise itself was 16 nights. Add in a couple of extra days touring between Raleigh and the port in Barcelona, and we spent a complete of 19 days away from dwelling.
Our purpose on the finish of the journey was to get dwelling in a rush so we may make it to Easter festivities at our household’s home up the road from us. Fortuitously, we didn’t have any journey interruptions so we made it dwelling the evening earlier than Easter.
Together with celebrating Easter, we additionally celebrated 4 household birthdays and Mrs. Root of Good’s household’s 42 yr anniversary of arriving in America.
16 evening cruise across the Mediterranean
We flew to Barcelona, the place we spent one evening in a suburban Barcelona resort earlier than the cruise. After an in a single day flight, we have been exhausted so we didn’t go into central Barcelona itself for any sightseeing. As a substitute, we explored across the resort for a bit then went to mattress early.
As soon as on board the Solar Princess, we had a really busy schedule. Of the fifteen full days on board, we had twelve ports of name and solely 3 sea days to calm down. The purpose of this journey was not leisure, it was sightseeing.
Our every day cruise itinerary:
- Barcelona
- Marseille, France
- Genoa, Italy
- Civitavecchia (for Rome), Italy
- Naples, Italy
- Sea Day #1
- Santorini, Greece
- Kusadasi, Turkey
- Crete (Chania), Greece
- Athens (Piraeus), Greece
- Santorini, Greece
- Sea Day #2
- Bar, Montenegro
- Corfu, Greece
- Sicily (Messina), Italy
- Sea Day #3
- Return to Barcelona
We had by no means been to France, Greece, Montenegro, or Turkey so we added 4 new nations to our checklist. Sure, by some means France ended up being quantity 52 on my checklist of nations I’ve visited. I actually don’t know the way we managed to skip France all these years!
Marseille, France
After leaving Barcelona, we arrived in Marseille, France for our very first port of name. After some logistical hiccups making an attempt to catch a bus from the port into city, we bought on our means. We didn’t have a ton of time in port given our early all-aboard time, so we hit the highlights as finest as we may.
Genoa, Italy
Persevering with east from Marseille, we awoke in Genoa, Italy the very subsequent day. Heaps to go to, together with a number of church buildings, slim alleyways, Christopher Columbus’s home, and several other palaces. Throughout our adventures in Genoa, we by chance snuck into the Worldwide Pesto Pageant in our perpetual seek for a clear (and free!) toilet.
Civitavecchia (for Rome), Italy
The cruise line advertises “Rome” on the brochures however all of the ships dock in Civitavecchia. We have been docked about 1-3 hours from Rome itself relying on whether or not we took a budget route on the practice or the costly route of a taxi or guided tour.
Our ship visited on a Sunday when the Rome Marathon had the central vacationer space of Rome largely shut down. We selected to skip a Rome go to and discover the port of Civitavecchia as an alternative. Not an excessive amount of to see but it surely was a pleasant day for a stroll on this waterfront city.
Naples, Italy
Persevering with our southward journey down the coast of Italy, we subsequent visited Naples. I assumed town was neat despite it’s repute for being a bit gritty.
We took the subway to the highest of the large hill on the town, and hiked a couple of minutes to the citadel on the very prime with nice views of town under and Mt. Vesuvius within the distance.
After that we ventured down ~1,000 steps to achieve the central part of city. We stopped in for some wonderful Napoli pizza a number of blocks away from the vacationer a part of city. The pizza didn’t disappoint.
Santorini, Greece
I didn’t actually know what to anticipate on our go to to Santorini. The pics I’ve seen look unimaginable. Stunning whitewashed buildings on the aspect of a cliff. However whereas researching the island, I spotted the practicalities may make our go to somewhat uncomfortable.
We reached land by tender boat, a small vessel that transports us from the cruise ship to a neighborhood dock. The city of Fira, the place we docked, is situated one other 700 ft up the hillside. There are two methods up: a cable automobile or a 700 foot climb up the steps (both strolling up or driving a donkey!).
From our analysis, it appeared like each choices had lengthy traces more often than not. The trail up the steps has a repute for being lined in donkey pee and poop which made that route sound horribly disagreeable.
Fortuitously we visited the Mediterranean a month or two earlier than the remainder of the crowds present up. So the traces for the cable automobile have been minimal. We selected that route on the way in which up the cliff. On our means down, we chanced the donkey stairs and it turned out okay. It was a gentle 60F levels, and the rain paid us a go to all morning so the steps have been in all probability as clear as they ever are. I solely smelled some donkey-related unpleasantness a couple of occasions on the hike down.
Whereas atop the cliff on the town, the views have been wonderful. We strolled alongside the cliffside for a couple of hours earlier than heading again to the ship. Apart from some stiff winds at occasions, the climate was just about excellent whereas we have been out and about.
I appreciated the quiet peacefulness of the cliffside city on our stroll. Nonetheless, I think about it will get much more full of life throughout peak summertime vacationer season!
Kusadasi, Turkey
Initially we deliberate to go to the Greek ruins at Ephesus about half-hour outdoors of the port city of Kusadasi. After a failed try at finding the bus heading towards the ruins, we determined to modify up the plans.
As a substitute, we strolled by city and loved just a little native taste at a small cafe close to the market. A bit Turkish tea, espresso, and borek. The borek in Turkey was completely different than the borek we got here to like in Croatia (the place they spelled it “burek”).
After the cafe, we continued our stroll by city to a citadel on a peninsula close to the cruise port.
Crete (Chania), Greece
Chania, on the island of Crete in Greece, was in all probability my favourite port of name on your complete cruise. I didn’t actually know a lot about Crete earlier than visiting so I didn’t have excessive expectations.
The island greeted us with excellent climate and minimal crowds. I’d like to come back again and go to Crete for an extended time period sooner or later.
One of the crucial wonderful components of Crete was seeing the snow-capped mountains that run throughout the island. I didn’t know they bought snow this far south on an island within the Mediterranean Sea.
We strolled all around the previous city of Chania. Plenty of forts and defensive constructions from the Venetian period 400-500 years in the past, plus different ruins from the previous a number of thousand years.
Athens (Piraeus), Greece
We purchased tickets for the Acropolis, which is outwardly what the 1000’s of different folks visiting Athens additionally determined to do. After an extended and complicated wait within the entry line, we discovered a shortcut to skip the road and proceeded into the much more crowded inside of the Acropolis website.
Undoubtedly a must-see marvel of the world. However sort of a let down given how disorganized the entry course of was. Particularly given the $35 USD per individual price ticket! Actually nobody wherever doing crowd management on the surface of the advanced.
Extra veteran vacationers which have been to Greece earlier than have defined that “it’s simply completely different in Greece” so I suppose we bought to expertise a few of that in our quick go to!
After visiting the Acropolis, we walked by the Anafiotika neighborhood on the way in which again towards the metro station. Alongside the stroll again, we handed by the traditional Roman Agora and the ruins of Hadrian’s Library.
Despite the inconveniences, I loved seeing the Parthenon and different ruins within the Acropolis advanced.
Bar, Montenegro
The “different” cruise port in Montenegro, after the extra stunning and busier metropolis of Kotor. I’m undecided why we docked in Bar as an alternative of Kotor, however these have been the playing cards we have been dealt.
We walked round city for a bit, checked out the Orthodox church, and strolled alongside the beachfront promenade for some time. It’s a pleasant metropolis that in all probability will get a good quantity of native tourism in the course of the peak season. It was fairly quiet once we have been there despite our 4,000 passenger ship being on the town.
The great thing about the mountains proper subsequent to the ocean fondly jogged my memory of our go to to Croatia a couple of years in the past. Which is smart given the Croatian border is just 35 miles northwest of Bar, Montenegro. I’ve plans for a future journey to this area that includes a rental automobile and a bunch of windy roads sandwiched between the seashore and the mountains.
Corfu, Greece
Corfu was the subsequent to final port of name on our cruise. Possibly it was the rain, however I didn’t like this city in addition to Chania on the Greek island of Crete.
Nonetheless, we loved a stupendous and prolonged stroll by the slim streets and alleyways of the previous city of Corfu. We’d come out right into a small courtyard, go to a church, meander within the flawed route, then discover one thing attention-grabbing and new across the nook.
There have been some attention-grabbing points of interest additional out of city however we had an all aboard time of three:30 pm so we didn’t have all day to discover the island.
Sicily (Messina), Italy
Our ultimate port of name was Messina, Italy. It’s located proper throughout the water from the tip of the toes on the Boot that’s Italy. Messina is situated on the island of Sicily, so there’s one other first for us – visiting the island of Sicily.
It was actually pouring down rain on today of the cruise. Because it was one other very early all-aboard time, we didn’t enterprise too removed from the cruise ship. We didn’t have a ton deliberate to do within the port, and what we did have deliberate bought minimize quick by the persistence of the rain that simply didn’t let up.
Ideas on the March-April 2026 Mediterranean Cruise
It was nice. Each metropolis we visited was new to us. We made it to 4 new nations. General, every thing went based on plan moreover a few logistics points that made us alter our plans on the fly.
We had nice climate at 10 out of 12 port calls, with various quantities of rain within the different 2 ports. Climate didn’t trigger the cancellation of any port calls, so there’s that. We missed a couple of ports on our two British Isles cruises final yr on account of excessive winds.
The ship itself was stunning and cozy, despite having some minor gripes over some first world issues.
Our transatlantic flights have been fairly good. I watched the film “Les Miserables” which helped me go to sleep on the aircraft.
This cruise reminded us that we have to spend extra time on land in Europe. Italy and Greece are largely unexplored territory for us. The Adriatic shoreline of Croatia and Montenegro require our consideration sooner or later as effectively.
The low season was the right time to go to the Mediterranean total. Minimal crowds in most locations, and 0 concern about overheating or sunburn. The truth is it was chilly on a couple of days so my mild windbreaker got here in helpful a number of occasions all through the journey.
Would I do it once more? I might positively return. Hopefully to some completely different ports however I wouldn’t thoughts revisiting a lot of the ones we visited. There’s solely a lot we may see in a day in every port on this journey.
Journey Prices (aka Final Excessive Journey Hacking!)
We solely paid a couple of hundred {dollars} out of pocket for a trip that may usually price round $12,000 to $15,000. Kinda wild!
How did we do it?
Flights – American Airways fundamental fare tickets purchased by Chase Sapphire Reserve journey portal at 1.5x redemption worth. Our two spherical journey tickets from Raleigh to Barcelona have been about $520 every, or 33,500 factors. We paid about $20 per individual every option to choose good seats on the lengthy haul flight.
Meals – We ate on the aircraft and at a Precedence Move arrival lounge in Barcelona. As soon as on the ship, the meals is all included. We did have some espresso, tea, and snacks whereas in port in Kusadasi, Turkey for $4 USD. And the 2 pizzas, glowing water, and a shot of limoncello was about $23 USD in Naples, Italy.
Native Transportation – Native transit was fairly efficient and somewhat low-cost. Sometimes $1-2 per ticket for transit. We took transit when it made sense.
Uber/Lyft – We took ubers a couple of occasions in Europe, largely to get to and from the airport. Since we must switch a few occasions in Barcelona and experience two completely different transit methods, the Uber was about the identical value as two units of transit tickets. We additionally took a Lyft from our dwelling to the airport in Raleigh as a result of it was virtually free after the $10 x 2 Lyft credit I get from my Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Reserve Enterprise playing cards.
Resort – I booked 1 evening pre-cruise utilizing Marriott resort factors
Cruise Fare – I bought a reduced cruise fare and used Chase Final Rewards factors by the Chase Journey portal. I did need to name in to Chase Journey to guide the cruise.
Get free journey like us
In case you are concerned about getting free journey out of your bank card like I do, think about the Chase Ink enterprise playing cards (my referral hyperlink). Proper now, the Chase Ink playing cards supply an above common $750-1000 value of Chase Final Rewards factors that may be redeemed immediately for $750-1000 in money (or much more for journey!).
Chase is fairly liberal in the case of “what’s a enterprise”. In the event you promote stuff on eBay or Craigslist or do some odd jobs sometimes then you’ve a enterprise and will get a bank card as a “sole proprietor”.
I take advantage of the 90,000 Chase Final Rewards factors from my latest supply by transferring them to my Chase Sapphire Reserve card (additionally providing a 125,000 level enroll bonus proper now). I can switch these Final rewards factors to over a dozen journey companions’ airline/resort applications like United, Southwest, or Hyatt. For instance, I transferred 6,500 Final Rewards factors to Hyatt and used them to guide a $300/evening room that sleeps 5 in the course of the peak season within the Virginia mountains.
Capital One Enterprise X card
One other favourite journey card in my pockets is the Capital One Enterprise X card. The Enterprise X card is a “keeper” for me. First off, it comes with a $750 enroll bonus after spending $4,000 within the first three months. The bonus is paid within the type of 75,000 bonus factors you could redeem towards any journey purchases from wherever. Then you definitely earn a stable 2 factors per greenback spent perpetually! The opposite massive perk is airport lounge entry. You get free entry for your self into Precedence Move and Capital One airport lounges (company price additional since February 1, 2026). Add to this major rental automobile insurance coverage protection and a bunch of different perks.
The Capital One Enterprise X card does have one catch – a $395 annual charge. However they reward you yearly with a straightforward to make use of $300 journey low cost plus $100 value of factors. Collectively, that makes $400 they provide you yearly which fully offsets the annual charge. Because the annual charge is offset in full by journey credit every year, I personally plan on retaining the Enterprise X card perpetually for the reason that card advantages are so nice.
Closing ideas
Prior to now month we visited a ton of recent spots in nations we’ve by no means visited earlier than. We traveled in a really comfy method aboard a really good cruise ship to a dozen ports within the Mediterranean and made it again dwelling to inform the tales. I’d name {that a} very profitable month!
We’ve two extra massive European cruises lined up within the subsequent couple of months, then we now have a staycation scheduled for the month of July in Raleigh. Until we plan one thing final minute, that’s.
On the monetary aspect, I’m as relaxed as ever in regards to the inventory market. Every day and month-to-month fluctuations imply nothing at this level in our early retirement. We’ve a portfolio that’s thrice what we really have to fund our $40,000 to $50,000 per yr in residing bills. Even when the portfolio dropped by half, I don’t assume I might change a lot in my each day life. Possibly choose up a brand new(er) automobile at fireplace sale costs?
It’s a pleasant place to be in throughout this thirteenth yr of early retirement.
That’s it for me this month. I’ve already ready one other put up with a HUGE replace on what our children are as much as when it comes to school and their jobs. Search for that put up in about two weeks.
Who’s excited that it’s springtime and not freezing chilly?!
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