Tips, easiest to just let the $10 go onto the account and top up where you feel extra is worth it.
The basic tips cover the dinining staff and the cabin steward, bar staff get there cut from the 15% on the drinks.
I was going to suggest the rollcall on cruisecritic but it is very quiet asuming it is the 5th Aug trip you are on.
Speciality restaurants do try them all and look out for the early bird 1/2price deals with the late sailing I would expect there to be some.
Checkthe daily schedule carefully for what is on where plan, it is easy to miss things.
Rome : readup on how to do this by train, cheap(9eur) and easy, plan you day in Rome, St Peters should be done first(queues) thing if you can and want to do it At the colloseum we just joined a local tout doing guided tours worked well(loads of students do this) but you can check on-line for compnaies that do guides, they do make the visit much more interesting.
MOst of the rest of rom is walkable but do check out a map before you go.
Florence : can be done by train but is a full day realy, if you want to go to the Accademia(david) book your tickets in advance to avoid the queues.
Naples : I recommend doing pompeii, but it can get very hot, there is no cover, again read up and decide to have a guide or use the audio tour that they have. can be done by train, the station in naples is a taxi/tram/bus ride at pompeii it is right next tothe site, Google earth is good for getting bearings.
