GETTING THERE
original Picasso — one of two onboard — overlooks the king-size bed with a $200,000 Hästens Vividus mattress. Your eyes do not deceive you: this mattress crafted by artisans from horsetail hair, among other things, comes with a price tag of more than £150,000
If you can drag yourself away from the suite’s unadulterated luxury, a car with driver and guide awaits you at every port. For those not in the Regent Suite, there’s still an impressive portfolio of excursions, including 65 new itineraries.
Stopping in Livorno, we joined a trip to the charming Tuscan city of Lucca, followed by wine tasting at a nearby vineyard. Which still left time to discover some of Livorno’s Jewish heritage, on a private guided trip from Milk & Honey Tours, which specialises in Jewish heritage tours worldwide.
This vibrant city welcomed its first Jewish residents in the 16th century, exiled from Spain and Portugal. Here, the community flourished in the tolerant atmosphere of religious freedom. Jews played a prominent role in business and the arts — their most famous son being painter Amedeo Modigliani, whose family home now operates as a museum.
Our knowledgeable guide Elisa also took us to the Museo Yeshiva Marini which temporarily housed the community’s religious services after its shul was bombed during the war and until the new one — an unmissable 60s landmark with beautiful interiors — opened its doors in 1962.
Every artefact recalls a different aspect of the history of this community, now numbering just 500. By far the most impressive is an ornate golden aron hakodesh, somehow transported from Spain by those fleeing the Inquisition. With more time, our tour would also have visited the
MOST of Splendor’s 2020 Mediterranean cruises are already sold out but a 10-night voyage from Miami through the Caribbean costs from £5,999 per person departing March 15, 2021, based on double occupancy of a Veranda Suite, with stops at the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, St Kitts,
Viale Ippolito Nievo cemetery, where many of Modigliani’s family are laid to rest, as well as the Vettovaglie Market, with a Kosher butcher and stalls selling an array of products which were originally introduced to the city by Sephardi Jews.
St Barts, St Lucia and Dominica. rssc.com
Tours of Livorno with Milk and Honey Tours cost from around £320. milkandhoneytours. com
Fresh produce from local markets is often used in Splendor’s Culinary Arts Kitchen too, led by executive Chef Kathryn Kelly. Two-hour sessions in this teaching kitchen allow 18 participants to learn to cook delicious, if fairly basic recipes. With considerable hand
EDITED BY CATHY WINSTON cwinston@thejc.com
holding from the expert, we whipped up two dishes which both looked and smelled amazing.
And if you’re worried about choppy waves robbing you of your appetite, the ship’s proportions are designed to stave off sea sickness, though “preventatives” are always on hand if necessary. It’s an offer I did not refuse as Splendor features seven unmissable dining venues.
There wasn’t a morsel of disappointment from any of the meals, wherever we ate on board, from Asian-style Pacific Rim to the patisseries in the Coffee Connection. Kosher food is also an option if you prebook. For us the highlight was unquestionably the gala brunch in Compass Rose which wouldn’t have been out of place at a black-tie wedding.
A running track, tennis courts and even a mini golf course mean you can work off the feasting, as well as exercising under the watchful eye of George Michael’s former personal trainer in the Serene Spa & Wellness.
If that sounds too much effort, there’s pampering too plus a packed schedule of entertainment featuring music, comedy and West Endstyle shows, a card room, library, cigar lounge and even a jigsaw puzzle corner.
Docking in Barcelona early enough to see the sunrise was magical. Yet bidding farewell to Splendor as she headed for the Caribbean was bittersweet — our life of luxury over as we headed to the airport for a low-cost flight back to reality.