Envying Lives of Rich, Famous, Fast Drivers Along French Riviera

Day 24, 2026 Fall Atlantic Sampler

Monday, Oct. 19, 2026; Nice and Monaco, France.

Now the serious sightseeing of our seven-day port marathon begins. Breaking a preference for half-day tours, today and tomorrow feature nine-hour Holland America excursions, totally different in nature. I’ll probably finish exhausted, with still three more port days to come before a sea day. Don’t say it – I know I no longer have the energy of my youth.

This is my first visit to the French Riviera, so it was a rare opportunity to post the French flag on my cabin door frame. I chose an all-day tour that sought to pack everything in, from Nice to Monte Carlo, despite the fact that we arrived at our anchorage at midmorning.

This is the only tender port of the cruise (when instead of docking we take the ship’s tenders to a pier ashore). It’s always a bit of a slow process, especially the first time on a cruise.

Today was especially challenging due to winds and swells. I had considered one of several private tours organized by fellow cruisers, but wasn’t assured we could all get on tenders at the same time (cruise line loyalty has its benefits), so I opted for the ship’s tour that would leave quickly.

I spent much of today admiring the scenery from the bus window, as we wound our way along the rocky shoreline. Our first stop was Monaco, a microstate of less than a square mile, but with almost 40,000 residents, making it the most densely populated country in the world. We hardly knew when we entered, as the entire area for miles is packed with buildings.

We left the bus to walk along the narrow streets, stopping for lunch and then a walk by landmarks such as the church where Grace Kelly wed to become Princess Grace of Monaco and the Prince’s Palace, currently home of Prince Albert II.

My main interest in Monaco is the Monaco Grand Prix, the most famous of the Formula 1 race circuits. (When I win the lottery, I plan to spend a season traveling to all the F1 races.)

Today the famous start/finish line at the harbor (apparently always popular with super yachts) was lined not with grandstands, but with amusement park rides.

After viewing it from above, we later inched through in traffic, giving me time to photograph the start line through the reflective bus window.

Then, we parked in the famous Monaco Tunnel to disembark the bus. The tunnel is one of the more challenging and fastest sections of the race, as drivers leave the bright Mediterranean sunlight into relative darkness, then abruptly return to daylight. We walked to the nearby Casino de Monte-Carlo, another distinctive section of the race circuit.

Not only does it cost 20 euros just to enter, but because they are filming a prequel to Oceans 11, you face a gauntlet of security. Instead, we walked around and ogled the luxury vehicles inching through traffic.

Back on the winding road, we passed our anchorage on the way to Nice, stopping at Èze and its famous hilltop view of the sea. Elaine and I did not join the small group that climbed the many stairs for the view; we opted for a glass of wine on the patio of a nearby restaurant.

As we arrived in Nice, the sun was about to set, and the wind set in. I was glad I brought my windbreaker as we walked for about 45 minutes through an old section of the city, past the Opera House and the growing evening crowds enjoying drinks, dinner and ice cream.

We just made one of the last tenders back to the ship. Unbeknownst to us, during the afternoon the seas had worsened and tender service was suspended while the ship was turned. Our ride wasn’t too rough, but the transfer to the ship was jerky. Crew helped each of us make a precisely timed step onto the platform, but a sudden movement sent pain shooting from a shoulder I had been nursing for days.

Housekeeping Director Metka was among the senior staff greeting us at the top of the stairs, and she saw my pain. By the time I reached my cabin just two decks above, my steward Erik was waiting with a zippered bag of ice, alerted by a call from Metka. It’s the kind of outstanding care and service that makes Holland America my home.