The Odyssey of the Seas sailed into the port at Naples, Rome, early Saturday morning. After coffee, we had breakfast at the buffet—basically eating the same things we eat at home with a few unusual things thrown in like Eggs Benedict and Mueslix with granola. Disembarkment was at 8:00 o’clock am. We traveled by bus towards Mount Vesuvius and the ancient city of Pompeii to observe the well-preserved ruins and uncover the fascinating history of Pompeii.

Pompeii is a preserved ancient Roman city 14 miles southeast of Naples, at the southeastern base of Mount Vesuvius. Around noon on August 24, 79 AD, a huge eruption from Mount Vesuvius showered volcanic debris over the city, followed the next day by clouds of blisteringly hot gases. Buildings were destroyed, the population was crushed or asphyxiated, and the city was buried beneath a blanket of ash and pumice. For many centuries Pompeii slept beneath its pall of ash, which perfectly preserved the remains. When these were finally unearthed, in the 1700s, the world was astonished at the discovery of a sophisticated Greco-Roman city frozen in time.

Grand public buildings included an impressive forum and an amphitheater; lavish villas and all kinds of houses, dating back to the 4th century BC, were also uncovered.

We began a long, guided walking tour of the ancient Roman city’s archeological ruins. With our guide, we traversed the historic excavation site through the city’s forum and past grand temples, mansions, and Roman baths. On view were artifacts recovered from the 79 AD volcanic blast, when 20 feet of ash and pumice buried the entire city.

Inside were some preserved remains of people sheltering from the eruption; others lay buried as they fled; bakeries were found with loaves still in the ovens. The buildings and their contents revealed day-to-day life in the ancient world—and stirred 18th-century interest in all things classical.