Celebrity Constellation — Tampa to Rome | April 12–27, 2026
Updated: Sep 16
April 12–27, 2026
In April 2026, I boarded Celebrity Constellation in Tampa for a 15-night transatlantic cruise to Italy. What followed was a wonderful journey across the Atlantic, with Bermuda, Spain, long sea days, memorable meals, a little pampering, beautiful sunsets, and the excitement of arriving in Europe. It was the beginning of an unforgettable month of Mediterranean travel.
The Adventure Begins in Tampa
There is something special about beginning a journey with an entire ocean in front of you.
On April 12, 2026, I boarded Celebrity Constellation in Tampa, Florida, beginning a 15-night transatlantic adventure that would carry me from the United States across the Atlantic and eventually into the Mediterranean. Our final destination was Civitavecchia, Italy—the gateway to Rome.
For me, this was much more than simply another cruise. It was the beginning of my 2026 Mediterranean Journey, a month-long adventure that would eventually take me through Italy, Greece, and Turkey. Even after all the traveling I have done, I still get excited walking onto a ship and realizing that another adventure is beginning.
Leaving Tampa Behind
There is always one moment when a cruise truly begins for me. It is when the ship slowly pulls away from the pier, the buildings begin getting smaller, and I realize that for the next several days my home will once again be at sea.
As Celebrity Constellation sailed away from Tampa, I settled into shipboard life almost immediately. There were meals to enjoy, people to meet, photographs to take, and plenty of time to simply sit and watch the ocean.
Transatlantic crossings have a personality all their own. Unlike cruises where almost every morning brings a new port, an ocean crossing gives you something increasingly rare in everyday life: time. Time to think. Time to read. Time to have long conversations. Time to enjoy good meals. And time to sit on deck with absolutely nowhere else you need to be.
Life Aboard Celebrity Constellation
Those sea days also gave me the chance to enjoy the ship itself. I treated myself to some spa time and a little pampering. One of the pleasures of a long crossing is that you do not have to fill every hour with an excursion or a schedule. Some days the adventure is simply taking care of yourself, relaxing, and enjoying where you are.
And then there was the food. One of the most memorable evenings was Chef's Table by Daniel Boulud, where dinner became an event instead of simply a meal. The table was beautifully set, the courses were carefully presented, and the wine pairings turned the evening into a real experience.
Among the wines were Gustave Lorentz Evidence Pinot Gris from Alsace, Sequoia Grove Chardonnay from Napa Valley, and Château La Nerthe Châteauneuf-du-Pape. I am not going to pretend I became a sommelier overnight, but I certainly enjoyed the education.
Bermuda
One of our early stops was Bermuda, a destination that always seems almost too beautiful to be real. The combination of turquoise water, colorful buildings, beautiful coastline, and relaxed island atmosphere made Bermuda a wonderful beginning to the international portion of the journey.
Every port has its own personality, and Bermuda immediately feels peaceful. It was another reminder that travel does not always have to mean rushing from one attraction to another. Sometimes the best part of visiting a destination is simply walking around, enjoying the scenery, meeting people, taking photographs, and allowing yourself to appreciate where you are.
Crossing the Atlantic
Then it was back aboard Celebrity Constellation and out into the Atlantic. Ahead of us was Europe.
The long stretch of sea days became one of my favorite parts of the cruise. There is something almost hypnotic about waking up each morning and seeing nothing but ocean stretching all the way to the horizon.
The world feels very large when you are in the middle of the Atlantic. At the same time, life aboard the ship becomes wonderfully comfortable. You begin recognizing the same passengers. Crew members remember your name. You develop favorite places to sit, favorite meals, and familiar routines.
For a photographer, the ocean provides endless opportunities. The light changes constantly. Clouds form and disappear. Sunsets turn the sky into combinations of orange, pink, purple, and blue that never look exactly the same twice.
Sometimes I would simply stop and remind myself: I am crossing the Atlantic Ocean by ship. Even after everything I have experienced traveling around the world, that still feels extraordinary.
Málaga, Spain
Eventually Europe appeared ahead of us, and Celebrity Constellation arrived in Málaga, Spain. After days at sea, stepping onto European soil felt exciting.
Málaga offered so many of the things I enjoy about Mediterranean travel—history, architecture, palm-lined streets, outdoor cafés, and that unmistakable southern European atmosphere. Walking through the city, I found myself doing what I usually do while traveling: looking in every direction.
Interesting buildings. People enjoying lunch. Small streets disappearing between larger avenues. Churches. Plazas. Balconies. Cafés. History everywhere.
That is one of the reasons I continue traveling. Every city reminds you that there are thousands of different ways people have created communities, cultures, and lives around the world.
Cartagena, Spain
Our journey continued to Cartagena, Spain, another city where history seems to exist around almost every corner. Cartagena has been shaped by Romans, sailors, soldiers, merchants, and generations of people who understood the importance of its Mediterranean harbor.
For someone who enjoys history as much as I do, destinations like Cartagena make travel especially rewarding. You can read about civilizations in books. You can watch documentaries. But there is something completely different about standing in a place where history actually happened.
That is one of the great pleasures of traveling. Suddenly history is no longer something printed on a page. It is beneath your feet.
Into the Mediterranean
As Celebrity Constellation continued toward Italy, the feeling of the journey began to change. The great Atlantic crossing was behind us. Now we were sailing through the Mediterranean.
There was also a growing sense of anticipation because arriving in Italy would not mark the end of my travels. It would simply begin the next chapter. My plans included several days exploring Civitavecchia, Rome, and Naples, followed by another cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas through the Greek Isles.
There was still much more ahead.
Arrival in Italy
On April 27, 2026, Celebrity Constellation arrived in Civitavecchia, Italy. Seeing Italy again felt wonderful.
Civitavecchia may primarily be known as Rome's cruise port, but for travelers arriving by sea, it represents something much bigger. It is a doorway. Beyond it are Rome, Naples, Florence, Tuscany, and countless other places that have influenced art, politics, religion, architecture, and Western civilization.
When I walked off Celebrity Constellation, I was not thinking very much about the end of the cruise. I was thinking about everything still ahead.
Why I Love Traveling by Ship
One reason cruising continues to appeal to me is that the journey itself becomes part of the destination. You are not simply transported from Tampa to Italy. You watch the geography change. You cross an ocean. You experience the rhythm of sea days. You meet people. You watch sunsets. You wake up thousands of miles from where you started.
And somewhere along the way, the ship becomes its own temporary little community.
Celebrity Constellation carried me from Tampa across the Atlantic, through Bermuda and Spain, and finally to Italy. But the real value of the journey was not simply the number of miles traveled. It was the experiences contained within those miles.
Another Chapter in a Life of Adventure
I have been fortunate to see a tremendous amount of the world, but I have never lost the excitement of discovering what is around the next corner. That curiosity continues to drive me.
There is always another city. Another ship. Another photograph. Another conversation. Another sunset. Another story.
My journey aboard Celebrity Constellation was the perfect beginning to my 2026 Mediterranean adventure. I had crossed another ocean. Europe was ahead of me. Italy was waiting. And the adventure was only getting started.
Next Adventure
Civitavecchia, Rome, and Naples—before boarding Odyssey of the Seas for my Greek Isles adventure.
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