COSTA CRUISE LINE’S MEDITERRANEA!
CRUISING THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN
ITALIAN STYLE!  BELLA! BELLA! BELLA!
FERUARY 4, 2007

By
The Savvy Old Lady ©
Joan Giorgianni

Have you ever sat back and wished that you had the time and money to take a trip to Italy but sadly, for one reason or another, you knew it just wasn’t going to happen?  Well guess what?  You may not see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Trevi Fountain, or the Coliseum but you can experience the rich Italian heritage of the people, their marvelous hospitality, some European-flare, entertainment and wonderful Italian and International foods by taking a cruise on Costa Cruise Line.  This is the type of trip, Hubby, a.k.a., The Crabby Old Guy and I took on the Costa Cruise Line Mediterranea this past February.   

Late last January, after all the holiday stuff was packed away and we felt the need to recuperate from all the family and excitement they brought, Hubby and I were  in need of some relaxation, which means we were once again in an adventurous spirit, so we decided to check the web for an interesting cruise we could take.  When it comes to cruises we are very definitely comparative shoppers (and so should you be).  So first we went Internet cruising. Yippee!, Up popped the  Vacations-to-Go© travel company site ( www.vacationstogo.com) and we quickly decided to give them a call and see what specials if any they had for the upcoming weekend’s sailings (I told you we were in a hurry to go and relax).  The cruise agent, Mary, was just wonderful as she explained to us that she had just (Tuesday morning) received a fax listing the Carnival “Happy Hour Specials” for that same weekend.   Royal Caribbean and Carnival have the special for all the ships in their fleets and all the ships in the companies they own.  Carnival Corporation owns Carnival Cruise Lines, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Princess Cruise Line, Holland America, Windstar and Seabourn. Royal Caribbean International owns Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and Celebrity Cruises.

Now, I must say we are very fortunate living on the west coast of Florida and being only two to three hours (driving) from four major ports.  The worry about arranging for last minute flights with expensive fares need not concern us.  However, I had never heard the phrase “Happy Hour Specials” regarding the cruising industry.  Mary patiently explained that RCI and Carnival release a list on Tuesdays and Wednesdays of all the empty cabins they have for the same week sailings, most with incredibly reduced fares.  These cabins seldom get posted on the internet since they go so fast.  So if you’re interested you must make the call to one of the Internet cruise agencies on Tuesday and Wednesday and act quickly.   After Mary explained the story with these deals they sounded great to us.  The Crabby Old Guy though thought that it sounded too good to be true (he loves old adages) but we decided in the name of research for the blog and my cruising book we should give it a whirl…after all we were in an adventuresome mood. 

Next she told us that she had an incredible deal on a Costa Cruise Line (owned by Carnival) Grand Suite (750 square inside cabin space feet which is slightly larger than the average New York City studio apartment)...situated at the back of the ship, with a wrap around  deck, (I swear, it was sooo big I could have had 75 people on that balcony and still had room...who says size doesn’t matter?) and TA DA... it also came with, are you ready, Butler Service.  The price for two passengers was cheaper than some non-balcony ocean view cabins that we have seen on other cruise lines, who couldn’t live with that?  So of course we booked it Tuesday afternoon for a cruise to leave out of Fort Lauderdale Saturday morning...nothing like a leisurely packing day or two.  Our boarding documents were e-tickets (just like the airlines) and we filled out our pre-cruise documentation on-line.  Just one suggestion if you try and do this “Happy Hour Special”, after you book and get your booking number, go on to the ship line site and plug in your number in the appropriate spot...if all is well your name and cabin etc. will pop up.  If that doesn’t happen within a short time of the booking call the agent back and see if there’s a problem.  You don’t want to get to the pier and find a nasty surprise... stuff does happen.  At any rate, for our trip it worked beautifully.

I usually don’t read the reviews and chats on the web prior to sailing since I like to make up my own mind regarding my experience on any cruise line ship I have never sailed on before. However, The Crabby Old Guy, searches the web for all the information he can find and I make sure he doesn’t tell me what he reads.   But I could tell from the smile on his face that what he saw on the web looked pretty darn good and all I would let him tell me is that the décor of the ship was based on a Venetian palace.  That sounded good to me, when we were in Venice on another cruise tour some years ago we actually stayed at a Venetian Palace, The Gritti Palace (home of one of the real Merchant’s of Venice, LOL) and I loved that place!  His web research was right.  From the very moment I stepped onto Costa’s Mediterranea and until the moment I disembarked I truly was in love with the entire cruise experience.  Costa maintains a European flavor in all that they do which gives the cruising experience a completely different flare and feel from any of the Caribbean cruise lines that I have sailed on to date.  It seems to me that most of the other cruise lines pander to United States tastes, since we in fact as a nation are the largest group of cruisers in the world.  Unfortunately, this has led to a broad range of homogenous products…same stuff on all the ships only Bigger (and in this case I am not sure bigger is that much better). Costa though caters to a broader clientele.  Yep, they love us folks from the Good Old US of A, but they also bring a lot of Europeans to the Caribbean.  So they design their service standards like a fine European resort.  One small example is that all of the ships announcements are made in several languages and the signage in the ship likewise is in Italian first and English and other languages next, heck even the talking elevators announce “Ponte Due” first then “Deck Two”…and the woman’s voice is very Italian sounding.   I know some people object to the announcements being given in four different languages but would you really expect to go to another country and not have them translate their language into English for you if they could?

Most cruise ships leave the harbor and set sail around 6 P.M., Costa leaves around 9 or 10PM since they wait for the European passenger charter flights that often arrive at the airport between 6 and 8 PM.  So don’t be surprised when your life boat drill (Muster Drill) isn’t until the next day (by law I was made to understand that these drills must be held within 24 hours of sailing). 

Our first port of call on this trip was Key West and if you have been there before and have not opted for a shore excursion you know its one store after another and they all seem to look alike…and sell the same tee shirts and souvenirs. This time Hubby and I decided to visit the Hemingway Home and Museum (www.hemingwayhome.com) and take a tour. What a fabulous surprise!   Besides being very informative, the tour guide was very theatrical and hysterically funny.  The stories we heard from him were worth the price of the $10.00 adult admission and an entertaining time was had by all in our little group.  I won’t ruin the story because it’s too priceless but you must see the “urinal” Hemingway and his inebriated buddies dragged to his home from his favorite bar “Sloppy Joes” and made a drinking fountain out of it for his forty-some six-toed cats.  If you’re a cat lover this is a must see place since generations of Hemingway’s cats still reside there...six-toes and all.  You can’t miss the house it’s across the street from the Lighthouse and in walking distance from where the tram from the ship lets you off.  Just keep walking toward the lighthouse probably in the same steps that Hemingway once took since he purchased this house for its location...after a night of heavy drinking (a frequent occurrence) he just followed the beacon home.

Alright, let me get back to my Costa experience.  I found the food onboard to be wonderful.  However, I did hear some quiet grumblings from people about “…too much Italian food…” being served.  Now, pleeease, tell me, if you went to Italy, France, Germany or any other foreign country would you also complain about too much Italian, French or German food being served...I think not!  Common’ folks, it’s an ITALIAN cruise line. Enjoy the adventure; savor the culture for this may be the closest you can get to a truly European experience.  Besides, my observation was that there were plenty of non-Italian options at each meal, and of course, there was a hamburger grill open virtually all day on one of the beautiful pool decks.  (The burgers, by the way, were very popular with the non-US travelers on our voyage.)

One of my favorite features of the Mediterranea was all of the different venues in their lounges and bars (at least 9 to 11 areas) for music, dancing and chatting with new found friends. Each area had a different and gorgeous decor, (our particular favorite was the Oriental Lounge), and type of music or entertainment ranging from Italian love songs, American pop hits, disco, country and western and many, many more.  I must say, I got a chuckle out of hearing country music being sung with an Italian accent.   These venues were not clubs (except the very European styled Disco) but more like little niches/lounges where you had the choice of just being a spectator or a participant.  Kudos goes out to the Cruise Director’s staff who worked tirelessly in most of these areas dancing and teaching us all the new steps.   In true European style, they were a bit satirical at times but extremely funny all of the time. 

Each night around 11:45 PM on two of the main public decks, the “Calorie Brigade” of servers would appear with trays and trays and trays of desserts, fresh fruits, canapés, cheeses, pizza and Paninis (sandwiches).  They passed these around to all the guests in the casino, lounges, and public spaces for about an hour.  It was delightful.  And believe me, as full as you may have been, (particularly if you booked the late dinner which did not finish till almost 10PM), I didn’t see many passengers resist the temptation to try out the cannoli’s, tiramisu or other divine treats.  One evening, they even had what they called a “Passport Night”.  There were five different venues, representing five different countries with selections of foods and a bit of entertainment from that country.  Let me tell you by the time I got my passport (little booklet left in your stateroom) stamped at the fifth country I was ready to be airlifted to the “Fat Farm” of my choice.  But once again, a good time was had by all. 

The professional shows paled in comparison to most major cruise lines’ Las Vegas style shows but they were a nice way to spend a relaxed hour.  Costa has put its money into other parts of the ship rather than go with the trend of the likes of RCI and Carnival for big, splashy and expensive productions every night.  However, the entertainment constantly provided all over the ship was a fresh, constantly changing and enjoyable experience.  At Salsa Night, we were all up and dancing with the cruise staff to Ricky Martin’s best hits (sung by the ship’s cast with an Italian accent, of course) and once again a bit of snacking, only this time it was Latin themed. 

As usual, I found at least one situation on board that had me so hysterical that I was lucky there was a rest room nearby.  This time it was CASINO ITALIAN STYLE!  Now, most casinos are basically the same...it’s the patrons that really make the difference and are half the entertainment.  This definitely was the case on the Mediterranea.  As I would walk around the casino floor each evening to search out that perfect slot machine, (you know the one that makes a lot of noise AND would pay for my cruise and hopefully future cruises), I noticed a group of older Italian women (70’s or 80’s) aggressively playing the two cent slot machines. The next night after dinner, Hubby and I meandered over to the Casino and I saw that one of the seats at the two cents slots was empty; considering my luck had not been very good so far on the quarter and nickel one-armed-bandits I figured that I couldn’t hurt the budget too much at the cheaper slots.  I sat down, slipped a twenty dollar bill into the machine and started to play.  A few minutes later I felt a tap on my shoulder, and a voice said (it was one of the little Italian ladies from the previous night), “Scusi, are you playing this machine?”  Now my hand was on the machine, and the reels were spinning and there was a substantial amount on the “Credits” window...could it be more obvious?  I responded as sweetly as possible, “Yes, I am”.  Five minutes later, you guessed it, another tap...”Scusi are you still playing this machine?” (Yep, same woman.)  “Ah, yes I am.”  Now I could hear in the background an animated conversation going on in Italian between the Senora and her husband.  The next thing I knew, Senora’s hubby had pulled over a chair and placed it directly behind me and his mission was clear...this old gal wasn’t going to give up.  After a few more minutes, I knew I would explode with laughter and probably embarrass myself and definitely Hubby; I got up and gave the prized seat to La Senora.  Did she win...not from what I saw but she sure was happy to have “her” machine back.

After speaking with some of the crew members, I was told that on each cruise the guests and experiences on the ship change considerably, now I know this happens on every cruise ship but I think it’s a little more apparent on Costa.  Apparently, a few weeks before 400 people from Ireland had chartered planes flew over to the Fort Lauderdale and arrived aboard the Mediterranea bringing with them many, many of their own instruments.  It seems that week there was Irish music and singing all over the ship and all the passengers had a wonderful time. The week before our cruise there had been 600 German passengers onboard and they too had some cultural specific entertainment.  So when you book one of Costa Cruises, be prepared to have a totally enjoyable European experience.  From the look, feel and activities on board, to the international crew (all of whom speak very good English and some Italian) to the United Nations feel of the passenger compliment traveling Costa is a taste of Italy and Europe in the Caribbean.  I’ve also heard that there are differences between Costa voyages in and outside of Europe…will have to book one in Europe soon to find out first hand and write about that; did you hear that, The Crabby Old Guy?

I would definitely be remiss if I didn’t mention the last night on board, in the dining room, “TOGA NIGHT”.    Yep, right out of a movie plot, everywhere on the ship, in the dining room too, people were wearing “togas”.  Apparently this is an event Costa is known for...I told you they loved satire.  In the afternoon when you return to your cabin you will find folded sheets there with instructions on how to tie and wear a toga (for those of you who may not be so adventurous the wearing of the Toga is optional).  Believe it or not, some of the frequent Costa cruisers take this so seriously that they have had professional TOGA costumes made and wear them that evening...think they pack them with their gowns and tuxedos?  Let me tell you there are a lot of hairy chests out there and they are not a pretty sight, especially when the man is eighty years old.  Still Caesar’s parade around the dining room with passengers participating and yelling, “Hail Caesar” is a must see for the ending of a delightful cruise.

As far as the demographics of ages on board it was fairly divided with singles, families and seniors.  I spoke to one woman who was cruising with her grandson (about 11 or 12 years old) and she told me that he had cruised with her on Carnival and Royal Caribbean and he told her the kids program on Costa was by far the best.  A month or two after our Costa Cruise my son and his wife (ages 29 and 30) decided to try Costa’s Mediterranea...I had them do a little research for me; I wanted to get the opinion of two “slightly younger” people.  They have been on other cruises and traveled a bit too so they know what to look for. I was very pleased, but not too surprised; they came home raving about their voyage too. They told us that it brought back so many memories of their Honeymoon in Italy.  A very nice touch was an afternoon event hosted by the Captain for people celebrating their wedding anniversaries or just their marriages...the complimentary renewing of their marriage vows in front of the Captain and afterwards toasting with champagne compliments of Costa. Those wonderful Italians are such romantics!  The kids even tried out the High Tea in the Oriental Lounge and found the ambiance, desserts and tea to be an extraordinary treat.  Although both of them are coffee drinkers and only went because Mom suggested it they said they had a blast sampling the many, many different blends and concoctions of teas presented and the desserts....well if your counting calories make sure you wear blinders.  They also enjoyed the type and style of entertainment on board.  It certainly is not the usual Club style venues that they go to but Costa delivered a great program that they enjoyed as much asThe Crabby Old Guy and I did.  My daughter-in-law even told us that the cruise staff had my son up and dancing...hmmm, last time that happened was on his wedding day and only because he had to- LOL!

Well, the Mediterranea cruise was a delightful and more than enjoyable experience.  As I said Arrivederci to the Mediterranea, Il Commandante (the Captain) and its crew, I also whispered softly that the Savvy Old Lady will return and I wonder what new experiences they will have in store for me? 

CIAO and STAY SAVVY!

HUGS,
THE SAVVY OLD LADY