Embarking on the Sun Princess was a journey of firsts for me. As a newcomer to Princess Cruises, the experience was filled with excitement, discovery, and a fair share of surprises. This blog post captures my adventure onboard this innovative ship, providing insights and personal touches that made this cruise unforgettable.
Setting Sail on the Sun Princess
The anticipation was palpable as I prepared for my first Princess Cruises adventure on their newest and biggest ship ever โ Sun Princess. The journey started with a flight to Spain, followed by a high-speed train ride to Barcelona. It was an unconventional but thrilling start to what promised to be an extraordinary cruise.
First Impressions: Bright, Airy, and Modern
Upon boarding, my first impressions of Sun Princess were overwhelmingly positive. The ship is a marvel of modern design, with bright, airy spaces and a luxurious seaside retreat ambiance. The Medallion technology streamlined the boarding process, making it one of the quickest I’ve experienced. This technology also enhanced my onboard experience, offering personalized services and seamless access to various ship amenities.
A Journey Through the Western Mediterranean
The Western Mediterranean itinerary was a delightful mix of iconic ports and hidden gems, offering a perfect blend of culture, history, and scenic beauty. Each destination was a new adventure, but one port, in particular, stood out: Gibraltar.
Highlight: Exploring Gibraltar
Gibraltar was a highlight of the cruise, offering a unique blend of British and Mediterranean cultures. As we approached the port, the sight of the iconic Rock of Gibraltar towering above was awe-inspiring. This limestone promontory is steeped in history and natural beauty, and it did not disappoint.
Upon disembarking, we were greeted with a range of excursion options. We chose to take the cable car to the top of the Rock, which provided breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding area, including the distant coast of Africa on a clear day. The ascent was thrilling, and the views from the top were simply stunning.
At the summit, we encountered the famous Barbary macaques, Europeโs only wild monkey population. These cheeky creatures are known for their playful antics and provided endless entertainment. A guided tour took us through the Great Siege Tunnels, a fascinating network of passages carved into the Rock during the 18th century. The history and engineering behind these tunnels were truly remarkable.
While Gibraltar was the standout, other ports like Barcelona, Marseille, and Genoa also offered unique and enriching experiences. Each stop provided its own blend of cultural exploration and scenic beauty, making the entire journey a well-rounded adventure.
Ship Design: A Modern Marvel
The design of Sun Princess is a true testament to innovation and luxury. From the moment you step onboard, you’re greeted with sleek, contemporary aesthetics that blend seamlessly with functional design elements.
Seaside Retreat Ambiance: The overall vibe of the ship is that of a modern seaside retreat, with light, airy interiors and plenty of natural light pouring in through expansive windows.
Efficient Layout: The ship’s layout is designed to minimize congestion and ensure smooth flow, with spacious public areas and clearly marked paths.
Eco-Friendly Innovations: Sun Princess incorporates numerous eco-friendly technologies, including advanced waste management systems and energy-efficient engines, reflecting a commitment to sustainability.
Artistic Touches: Throughout the ship, you’ll find art installations and design elements that add a touch of elegance and sophistication, making every corner of the ship feel special
Top 5 Favorite Features of Sun Princess
The Dome: This signature venue is an architectural marvel. By day, it serves as a relaxing solarium with a two-story waterfall, and by night, it transforms into an entertainment hub with acrobatic performances. The versatility and beauty of this space are truly unmatched.
The Piazza: Spanning three decks, this amphitheater-style atrium is the heart of the ship. It’s a vibrant space filled with activities from Zumba classes in the morning to lively game shows at night. The floor-to-ceiling windows provide breathtaking sea views, making it a favorite gathering spot.
Infinity Pool: Hanging above the shipโs wake, this pool offers a surreal experience. The infinity edge creates the illusion of swimming into the horizon, making it the most Instagrammable spot on the ship.
Americana Diner: This casual dining venue on Deck 8 offers a unique twist on the traditional buffet. With options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, itโs perfect for quick, delicious meals without the formality of the main dining rooms.
Incredible Pool Deck: The main pool deck is a masterpiece of design and functionality. With multiple pools, hot tubs, and plenty of loungers, it’s a perfect place to relax and soak up the sun. The design ensures unobstructed views of the sea, and the area transforms into a lively entertainment space in the evenings.
Who Is This Ship For?
The Sun Princess is designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of cruisers. Whether you’re a first-time cruiser like me or a seasoned Captainโs Circle member, the ship offers something for everyone.
Families: With extensive family-friendly areas like the Park19 activity zone, Firefly Park for young kids, and dedicated teen clubs, Sun Princess is perfect for families looking to bond and have fun together.
Couples and Solo Travelers: The luxurious and romantic ambiance, coupled with intimate dining venues and serene lounges, make it ideal for couples seeking a romantic getaway or solo travelers looking for a peaceful retreat.
Adventure Seekers: The innovative features like the ropes course, dry slide, and Ocean Glider at Park19 cater to thrill-seekers and adventure enthusiasts.
Luxury Seekers: Suite guests will appreciate the enhanced amenities, including the spacious Signature Lounge and lavish suite accommodations. The Medallion technology also adds a layer of personalized luxury to the overall experience.
Dining on Sun Princess: A Culinary Delight
One of the standout features of Sun Princess is its dining options. The Horizons Dining Room, with its spectacular two-story windows, offers traditional and anytime dining. The Americana Diner provides quick, casual meals, while specialty restaurants like Sabatiniโs, Crown Grill, and the new Uma Teppanyaki cater to diverse culinary tastes.
A Ship That Redefines Cruising
Sun Princess is not just a ship; it’s a reimagining of the Princess Cruises experience. With modern design, innovative features, and a focus on passenger comfort and enjoyment, it sets a new standard for cruising. While it may take some time for die-hard Princess fans to adjust to the changes, the fresh, vibrant atmosphere onboard is undeniably captivating.
Final Thoughts
As I disembarked in Civitavecchia, Italy, I couldnโt help but feel a mix of sadness and fulfillment. The Sun Princess had exceeded all my expectations, offering a perfect blend of adventure, relaxation, and luxury. Whether you’re a seasoned cruiser or a first-timer like me, I highly recommend making Sun Princess your next cruise destination. The memories you’ll create and the experiences you’ll have are truly unparalleled.
I did my very first cruise with my family when I was 15 years old and something immediately made me love it. I love the idea of falling asleep in one place and wakeup in another the next morning and I love discovering multiple places and countries and just unpacking once. That being said, I was and still am a huge ship geek as well and sailing on these giant ships has always been an experience for me. So when I got the chance to sail on MSCs newest and largest ship, the MSC Grandiosa, I simply couldnโt say no.
Main Pool area onboard MSC Grandiosa
The Grandiosa holds true to its name: it is massive! One of the newest shis in the MSC family can accommodate up to 6334 passengers on 19 decks, with 11 restaurants and 20 bars and dozens of activities. I just couldnโt believe my eyes when I saw how huge she is for the first time!
We all know that cruise ships have had a bad rap over the last few years due to their environmental impact. Well, the good news is that MSC Grandiosa has some amazing environmental features. For example, the ship is equipped with a selective catalytic reduction system that helps to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 90%, along with a closed-loop exhaust gas cleaning system that reduces ship sulfur emissions by 97%. All lights onboard are LED and thereโs also a pretty amazing water filter system that doesnโt dump grey water in the sea. Furthermore, the ship also plugs into the port electric system to delivers electricity and reduce emissions when docked. I am so glad that a big cruise company such as MSC is moving forward with better environmental features!
So now, letโs talk about 7 reasons you should book a cruise on the Grandiosa.
Activities
You would think that you would find time to explore the whole ship and experience everything it has to offer on a week-long cruise, but you would be wrond. MSC Grandiosa offers so many different activities onboard for those who love adventure, cusine, relaxing… there’s something for everybody. The Grandiosa has its own casino, bowling alley but also an impressive game arcade with VR games and F1 simulators! If you prefer to read a book in a cozy atmosphere, there are plenty of bars and lounges to spend time and, after dinner, there are shows in the 2 theatres, including one by Cirque du Soleil. There is also a spa onboard if you’d like to take relaxing to another level!
Pressing pause
If you like to relax as much as you like to explore during your vacation, youโll be happy to learn that there are plenty of things to press pause during your cruise! The ship has multiple swimming pools and jacuzzis, both indoors and outdoors, which means that youโll always be able to relax, no matter the weather! But thatโs not all, thereโs also a spa on board with plenty of treatments to help you relax a bit more. Thereโs even a barbershop as well! But to be honest with you, my favorite way to relax was to stare out at the sea on my private balcony. I could hear the waves and enjoy the view without any noise around!
Cabins
Well, letโs start with what I liked the most: our cabin! On previous cruises I did, I almost always had the cheapest guarantee inside cabin which I love don’t get me wrong. They allow me to cruise on budget and in turn cruise more often, buuuuut… that doesn’t mean I would say no to a balbony cabin! When we entered our cabin aboard the Grandiosa, I was immediately blown away by how much light and space we had. Our room was on deck 12, which means that we were high above the sea and that we had a panoramic view of each city we visited, definitely a perk that inside cabins do not have! Our cabin also had a very comfy couch that can turn into a bed if youโre traveling with kids. What struck me the most is that even if space is limited (the max size is 22 square meters), everything has been cleverly designed to maximize space. Thereโs a good size closet, with plenty of hanging space, but also a very long desk with shelves and drawers to organize everything. Each cabin is also equipped with Zoe, a voice-controlled personal assistant that can answer most of your questions regarding the ship, like restaurant hours or showtimes.
If you prefer a larger or smaller cabin, the options are pretty endless! We visited a suite that had its own jacuzzi but also a duplex suite, with breathtaking views on the sea. If youโre more on a budget, they also have interior cabins & studios that are more affordable.
Luxurious design!
From the glamorous, blinged out Swarovski staircase to the artfully themed Galleria Grandiosa, you will be surrounded by elegance in all design elements on this ship. Perhaps the most stunning example is the almost 90 meters long LED dome that projects a digital sky over the 2-story promenade. Whether you are shopping, dining at one of the specialty restaurants, sipping a cocktail in one of the bars, or socializing and enjoying in some live entertainment, you are sure to love Galleria Grandiosa and the rest of the luxurious touches throughout the ship.
Galleria Grandiosa was probably my favorite area of the ship. There was always something happening in the Galleria and no matter how many times I walked along the promenade I was always in shock that this is actually… on a ship!
Galleria Grandiosa
Powered by technology
Besides the technology behind the innovative stage productions and LED dome, MSC Grandiosa features the MSC for Me smartphone app. MSC for Me is MSC Cruisesโ multi-channel digital program that enables guests to interact with the ship and crew members anytime, in any place, to better serve their needs, save them time and really make the most of their vacation. Key features include a handy app for smartphones, an interactive TV in the stateroom and interactive digital screens around the ship, meaning guests can access information, book services โ like specialty restaurants and on board performances โ navigate around the ship, and more.
One tech feature which everyone will notice onboard MSC Grandiosa is Zoe, the first virtual cruise assistant, ZOE can speak seven languages, answer hundreds of questions about the cruise and provide information about on-board services, guidance and suggestions or help to book a service.
Dining
Along with the traditional main dining room and buffet, MSC Grandiosa has several specialty venues for cruisers to indulge in various cuisines. Continuing the Mediterranean-influence, MSC Grandiosa is home to Hola Tapas Bar by Michelin-starred chef Ramon Freixa. Cruisers will also find the American-style steakhouse, Butcherโs Cut, serving up prime cuts. Kaito Teppanyaki and Sushi Bar serves up Asian favorites in a lively atmosphere. One new specialty restaurant also made a debut on MSC Grandiosa, L’Atelier Bistrot, a french restaurant whose design was inspired by neo-classical French architecture. An authentic experience all troughout, from cuisine to interior design! Further, those with a sweet tooth will love Jean Philippeโs Crepes, Ice Cream, and Chocolate.
The main dining room and buffet offer a good variety of quality dishes but I would definitely recommend dining in at least one speciality restaurant. They all offer themed dishes and an authentic, unique experiences! Oh, and definitely treat yourself with some Jean Philippe’s Crepes located in the Galleria, they were delicious…!
Entertainment
In addition to nightly live music and six different productions shows in the main theater, MSC Grandiosa also hosts two one of a kind Cirque du Soleil shows. The Carousel Lounge is a circular venue that is custom built to accommodate these theatrical performances. Guests can enjoy a dinner and a show experience. Each of these shows has a unique concept, ambiance, storyline, and costumes. These shows, not found anywhere else in the world, are part of a longstanding partnership with the entertainment leader for a total of eight original shows on MSC Cruisesโ Meraviglia class ships. You can also participate in various dance lessons, quizzes and other types of entertainment onboard!
In conclusion, I would highly recommend booking a cruise on Grandiosa or on any of her sister ships (Meraviglia, Bellissima, Virtuosa) These ships have everything you can think of and more. There is always something to do it just depends on what you like! Grandsioa also has an amazing itinerary in the Mediterranean so… what are you waiting for!
I also sailed on Grandiosa’s older sister ship MSC Bellissima, so if you’d like to read more about that experience CLICK HERE and if you have any questions about MSC or Grandiosa or anything really, feel free to send me a message on Instagram, Twitter or just e-mail me!
Ocean cruisers are trying their first river cruises these days, (one of them being yours truly) and with a good reason. River cruising is the fastest-growing sector of the cruise industry, with more than 10 new ships on order for this year alone. Even though river cruises have been operating for decades, they have come a long way in the past decade. Modern ships with expanded amenities offer intriguing itineraries to places oceangoing vessels just can’t reach, which is tempting fans of seagoing vessels to jump ship.
I’ve been cruising on ocean ships for years now, I’ve cruised on small ships, mega ships and everything in between, but not so long ago I got the opportunity to finally try something new and different… my first river cruise! I honestly didn’t know what to expect because lots of people told me that it’s so different from cruising on big ocean ships… and after two amazing river cruises I have to say that they were right.
So what’s the difference between a river cruise vs. an ocean cruise? Well to say it briefly, it so different that you cannot put it in the same boat! In some ways, river cruising is more similar to a land tour than today’s ocean cruising experience and experienced tour companies run many river lines as well. You’ll find there are better benefits to river cruises than land tours, though, such as only having to pack and unpack once. Mega-ship staples like pools, multiple lounges, specialty restaurants, spas and endless activities are available on some river ships, although on a very, very much smaller scale. And you won’t find any sea days, although there are periods of scenic cruising. Best of all, most river cruises include many inclusions in their fares — making it easier to budget but also making it feel so much more luxurious with that all inclusive atmosphere.
To keep the culture shock at bay and to give you a sense of why you should be thinking about giving a river cruising a try, here’s a list of what you should know before your first river cruise.
1. River ships are smaller.
Ocean ships often carry thousands of passengers, while river ships carry about 150 passengers on average, with some exclusive hotel barges catering for just eight. On the plus side, you won’t be elbowing strangers at the buffet or the gangway, and the atmosphere is quite social so you quickly get to make new friends. As a minus, you can’t blend in with the crowd. The small size of the ship means there is likely just one lounge (maybe two), one main restaurant with a couple of smaller dining venues, and a teeny-tiny spa, gym or computer center, if there is one at all.
2. River cabins are smaller on average.
River ship staterooms are often smaller than they are on ocean ship , but they’re definitely not less luxurious. River ships don’t feature inside cabins and all accommodations face the water. Newer river ships are getting very creative, adding balconies and cleverly designing cabins to make the most of the space onboard. Many have panoramic windows that slide down at the touch of a button to create the feeling of a balcony, even though you can’t actually step outside. They’re even adding suites, with some ships even consisting of mostly suites! Like the last river ship I’ve been on, VIVA TREASURES which had around 50 suites onboard. The cabin which I stayed in was the biggest one I’ve ever had, both on river and ocean ships so if you’re ready to splurge a bit, there are options! I even had a walk in closet, never had that on an ocean ship!
3. Tastier food but fewer restaurants.
If you’ve been spoiled by mega-ships where you can eat dinner in a different restaurant every night during a weeklong cruise, you’ll need an attitude adjustment to embrace river ship dining. Most ships have one main restaurant, and breakfast is often buffet-only (or buffet mainly, with a few items to be ordered a la carte) with a served lunch and evening meal. An increasing number of river ships have intimate secondary venues — some vessels up to four — offering alternative menus and private dining. A handful of lines now provide room service, previously a rarity. To make up for having only one big dining room, ships get creative, spreading casual breakfast and lunch offerings on the bar in the lounge or setting up BBQs out on deck. Plus, the small passenger count and daily port calls mean the venues are better able to bring in fresh ingredients like fish and produce or offer regional specialties at mealtime which you can truly notice. I’ve noticed that on both of my river cruises the food was tastier, fresher and you could truly notice that the quality was on a much higher level than on most ocean ships.
I cannot speak for all river cruise lines, but VIVA cruises, a cruise line I’ve sailed with twice so far and a couple of other river lines that I’ve heard of are great for people with diatery restriction. Especially for people with a lot of food alergies or people who need to follow a strict gluten free diet, because the chefs are truly masters at costumizing each dish to suit everyone’s dietary requirements. On most lines, they have a smaller menu and some pre-prepared dishes for people with dietary restrictions but the food on river ships has always been freshly made and truly exquisite for everyone!
4. Entertainment is low-key.
You’ll find no big production shows on the river … or guest comedians … or acrobatics shows. You will find a lone resident pianist or small ensemble on most ships, plus dancers, singers or other local entertainers brought onboard for a quick evening show. During the day you can expect educational seminars and maybe wine tasting or quiz. With river cruising the passing scenery and destinations visited are the main star of the show, and after a busy day most passengers head for bed rather than stay up into the early hours which younger cruisers might miss.
5. Itineraries can be port-intensive.
Unlike ocean cruises that have leisurely sea days, river cruises are port intensive, and you’ll visit a new destination each day,, sometimes two in one day and up to four countries in a week. The ports, not the ships, are the key attractions, and you will certainly pack a lot of sightseeing into a week or two. This kind of travel can be exhilarating but also exhausting. Bring comfortable shoes, and don’t be embarrassed to take a day off if you’re getting overwhelmed. The tours might be included, but there’s no obligation to go on all of them. Just on the last week long river cruise we got to visit 9 cities.. yes 9 cities in 7 days, not only do you need comfortable shoes, but also some free space in your luggage for all of those souvenires you’re gonna be buying!
6. Different shore experience
The hallmark of the river cruise shore excursion is the walking tour, the kind where you follow a guide with a lollipop sign or umbrella as she mentions all the details of a quaint city’s history and culture, followed by limited free time for shopping or a quick drink in a local cafe. Although you can’t expect a whole booklet of different shore excursions like you’d find on the open ocean, things are changing rapidly. In addition to the traditional walking and bus tours to castles and other places of interest, river cruise lines have introduced options for active travelers, such as guided bicycle rides, hikes, golf, kayaking and even running tours, along with activities including cooking and art classes, music recitals and trips to the ballet or opera.
Some river cruise operators do include shore tours in your cruise fare and some do not. The ones which do not do offer them of course as every other cruise line at a surcharge. Those are of course optional and in my case, unecessary since the ship always docks in the city center, and with all the info that one might need in our phones, I found that the best way to make the most of your stay in each city is to explore on your own and at your own pace! That freedom of self guided exploration is what I love about cruising!
7. No “sea” days
With the exception of particularly scenic stretches of river , such as Germany’s castled Rhine region and Austria’s UNESCO-listed Wachau Valley, full sailing days are a rarity. Generally you’re only on the move for a couple of hours a day. The majority of sailing is done during the late night or very early hours, and you’ll miss most of it. The exception is Portugal’s River Douro, where nighttime navigation is not permitted and ships only sail during daylight hours.
8. A bit more pricey but more is included in your fare.
If you’ve had enough of being nickeled and dimed on cruise ships, you’ll find river cruise fares refreshing … though quite a bit more expensive. Fares will typically include wine, beer and soft drinks with meals, dinner in specialty restaurants, 24-hour tea and coffee, and Wi-Fi. Some lines offer all-inclusive fares covering all drinks, tips, transfers and even a hotel night before your cruise. With fewer onboard attractions to spend money on, you won’t be able to spend a fortune onboard!
9. You’ll dock right in the city center.
Remember those industrial ports full of tankers and long walks on concrete piers that were a big part of your last ocean cruise? In general, you won’t find them on rivers. Instead, your river ship will dock right in town, often a short walk or quick bus ride into the heart of the city. The only downside is that sometimes the berths are all occupied, and your ship will tie up to another ship, and you’ll have to walk through the other vessel’s lobby or sun deck to get ashore (this also affects your view; it can be shocking to open your window and see into another ship). It’s although worth noting that this is one of the aspects that makes river cruising challenging for wheelchair users and travelers with mobility issues.
10. Distances between ports are shorter.
A river ship might need 12 hours to sail a journey that would take you two hours by bus. While this means your entire trip won’t cover as much ground as an ocean cruise, it does mean the cruise staff have a fallback plan if things go wrong. High water levels during very rainy seasons means ships cannot sail beneath bridges, while very low water levels in dry periods means they can’t sail at all. If this happens they’ll put you on a bus to your next port — and keep the itinerary going as planned. Larger lines also have contingency plans to switch passengers to a sister vessel further down the river to keep things running as smoothly as possible.
In conclusion, river cruising is truly so different from ocean cruising, it’s different in so many ways. I honestly didn’t know what to expect and I definitely didn’t expect to love it this much. It is so much more relaxing and slow paced for me in a way. Yes, the itineraries can be a bit more port intensive, but there is no rushing around the huge ship, from show to dinner, from water slides to bumper cars… we all know very well that mad rush to try and do everything a mega ship can offer in one week-long cruise while still trying to explore a new city each day. So for me this was definitely a more relaxing way to explore some parts of the world I could never visit on bigger ships!
Some of you might be put off by the size of the ship thinking you would get bored or just by thinking you wouldn’t fit in with the usual river cruise clientele. But trust me, river cruising is no longer just for older wealthy people, if this 22 year old loved it, I bet some of you would love it too! Most cruise fans who try river cruising just then see what they’ve been missing and the best way to find out is to go on one so… happy river cruising… I know I’m already looking for my next one!
And if you’d like to read more about my most recent river cruise/New Years trip experience from a different perspective…. click HERE!
THE SHIP INSPIRED BY THE BEAUTY OF THE RENAISSANCE
Just as I came back home from Savona from my Costa Smeralda cruise, a new Costa beauty decided to make her maiden appearance in the city!
Today, in the port of Savona, Costa Cruises presented a preview of the Costa Firenze, their newest ship in the fleet which will finally leave on her maiden voyage on the 4th of July! She was designed and built by Fincantieri at the Marghera shipyard near Venice. Firenze was delivered almost six months ago, but due to an ongoing pandemic her inaugural season has been pushed back several times, but she is finally here, ready for her first passengers! Soooo exciting!
Costa Firenze is inspired by the Florentine Renaissance at its greatest glory and captures in detail the taste for beauty for which the city of Florence is known worldwide.
The interior design reflects the harmony of a walk down a street or square in Florence, starting with the choice of colors, geometries and shapes of the interior design. The charming atrium ‘Piazza della Signoria’ is symbolic and pays homage to the Florentine square. Part of the on-board offer is also characterized by the Florentine inspiration, as in the case of the Fiorentina Steak House, which offers some of the best Tuscan meats, and the Frescobaldi wine experience, where guests can experience the Cultivating Toscana Diversity, tasting the Marchesi Frescobaldi wines.
‘Piazza della Signoria’ – main atrium on board Costa Firenze
Costa Firenze is the second Vista-class ship built for Costa. The first one was Costa Venezia back in 2019 which was inspired by, yes you guessed it, the stunning city of Venice! I had the honour to sail on her maiden voyage and she was such a beautiful ship, comepletely different from any previous ship built for Costa, in a good way of course, but unfortunately not many people got to sail on Venezia before she left Europe to sail year-round in Asia. Luckily, Costa Firenze will be staying in Europe for much longer!
Costa Firenze’s first cruises, starting with the inaugural voyage on July 4, will allow guests to visit six different Italian destinations in a week’s holiday: Savona, Civitavecchia/Rome, Naples, Catania, Palermo and Cagliari, which can be explored in depth with dedicated excursions, with port calls lasting over 10 hours. From the end of July to the end of August, the itinerary will also allow guests to rediscover Malta, with a stop in Valletta, and from 12 September also France (Marseille) and Spain (Barcelona and Ibiza), with departures from Italy. During the winter of 2021-22 Costa Firenze will be positioned in Dubai to visit the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman. The one-week itinerary includes Abu Dhabi, Doha, Muscat and a multi-day stop in Dubai, with specific packages for visiting Expo Dubai 2020. Costa Cruises is the Gold Sponsor of the Italian Pavilion at Expo Dubai 2020. And finally she will be back in the Mediterranean for the summer season of 2022 so you will definitely have a chance on this stunning new ship!
Costa Firenze in Savona!
To seal the link with the city, Costa Cruises President Mario Zanetti and the Mayor of Florence, Dario Nardella, announced a cooperation agreement on board the Costa Firenze to promote tourism in the city, starting with Costa’s contribution to the restoration of Dante’s plaques on the 700th anniversary of Dante Alighieri’s death.
There are a total of 33 stone plaques, placed in many places in the city, the result of a historical research project dating to the early 20th century. Each plaque bears a quotation from one of the three canticles of the Divina Commedia — nine from the Inferno, five from the Purgatorio and 19 from the Paradiso — in which reference is made to places, real events and illustrious citizens of the time. By following the plaques, which trace a poetic path, citizens and tourists can relive places and historical events in which the greatpoet was often a protagonist.
The preview of the Costa Firenze was also an opportunity for Costa to present its Manifesto for valuedriven, sustainable and inclusive tourism: a decalogue summarizing the companyโs commitment to grow together with the territories visited by its ships. According to the Manifesto, destinations are not considered as a set of tourist attractions, but as communities to build together a model of tourism that generates greater economic and social value, inspiring a new “renaissance”. With the presentation of the Manifesto, Costa will initiate a process of sharing with institutions, associations and stakeholders in the cities, regions and countries where the company is operating to develop a dialogue and a collaboration that follows the principles of the Manifesto, starting from the Costa Firenze itinerary.
Here is what President of Costa Cruises and the mayor of Savona had to say during the preview!
“Costa Firenzeโs concept is inspired by an iconic city, which represents Italian art, taste and refinement in the world’s collective imagination. We designed this ship to offer our guests a unique experience, especially for families and couples. The debut of Costa Firenze, as well as the restart of the three other Costa ships that have returned to cruising in recent weeks, is an opportunity for us to promote a new model of tourism, in which we strongly believe as a leading company in the sector. As we have made explicit in our manifesto, this model aims at the collaboration among different public and private entities to enhance the excellence of the territories in a sustainable way. The cooperation with the city of Florence is the first concrete manifestation of this approach: Costa Firenze will become a true platform for promoting the city of Florence around the world, particularly during Expo 2020 Dubai”
– Mario Zanetti, Costa Cruises President
“Savona welcomes Costa Firenze, a new ship celebrating the 25th year of Costa Cruises operations in the port. In this quarter of a century, Costa and the city have grown together. During the five years of my management as a Mayor of Savona, we developed a great collaboration on inclusion and sustainability projects and a great support for cultural initiatives. Furthermore, we are glad that the Costa Firenze, a ship dedicated to the city of Florence, arrives in Savona just when our city is celebrating the 700th anniversary of Dante Alighieriโs death, with an exhibition in the Civic Art Gallery dedicated to the precious Dante volumes, normally kept in the Ancient Fund of the Civic Libraryโ
-Ilaria Caprioglio, Mayor of Savona
Costa Firenze in Civitavecchia in June 2021
What do you think about this brand new ship? What are your thoughts on the design and are you maybe booked on this beauty?๐คฉ
As I’ve previously mentioned, I sailed on her older sister ship Costa Venezia and I fell in love with that ship, so I wouldn’t think twice about booking a cruise on Firenze! I just love how they incomporated these older design elements, but made them look contemporary which gives the whole ship such a unique look and style! They are also pretty large ships so they have so much to offer, you really have to give them a try! I know Iโm looking at those cruise deals on Firenze like a hawk ๐
First of Six Vessels in New Groundbreaking Class Officially Opens for Sale with Sensational Itineraries Sailing Northern Europe, The UK, The Caribbean and Bermuda
Industryโs Most Spacious New Cruise Ship Offering the Most Outdoor Deck Space and the Most Expansive Accommodations of Any New Build
Norwegian Cruise Line opened for sale the first of six ships within its highly anticipated next class of vessels, Prima Class, the Brandโs first new class of ships in nearly 10 years.
With voyages beginning in summer 2022, Norwegian Prima, the first of the six ships, will be 295 meters long, 142,500 gross tons and able to accommodate 3,215 guests at double occupancy. The vessel will be a game-changer for NCL, offering guests exciting itineraries, more wide-open spaces, thoughtful and stunning design, a variety of new experiences as well as Norwegian’s exceptional service.
“Despite not having sailed in more than a year, we never stopped working and innovating, we never once pressed pause,” said Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line. “In fact, we doubled down on our brand investment in order to deliver unforgettable guest experiences that go well beyond expectations. Not only will we begin cruising this July, we’re so proud and so incredibly happy to announce the start of an exciting new chapter as we introduce the Prima Class and the first ship in a line of unrivaled vessels with Norwegian Prima.”
The show-stopping vessel built in Marghera, Italy by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri features striking hull artwork designed by Italian graffiti artist Manuel Di Rita, known commonly as “Peeta.” For the first time on any NCL vessel, the captivating hull art extends to the forward superstructure of the ship. World-class architects that helped design Norwegian Prima include Italian designer Piero Lissoni and powerhouse architectural firms Rockwell Group, SMC Design, Tillberg Design of Sweden, YSA DESIGN and Miami-based Studio Dado who conceptualized and composed the aesthetic of various restaurants, staterooms and public areas on board.
โThe name โPrima,โ which means โfirstโ in Italian, is a natural fit that ties into our legacy of firsts in the industry and a fitting tribute to our new Italian shipbuilding partners at Fincantieri,โ added Sommer.
“Despite not having sailed in more than a year, we never stopped working and innovating, we never once pressed pause. In fact, we doubled down on our brand investment in order to deliver unforgettable guest experiences that go well beyond expectations. Not only will we begin cruising this July, we’re so proud and so incredibly happy to announce the start of an exciting new chapter as we introduce the Prima Class and the first ship in a line of unrivaled vessels with Norwegian Prima.”
Harry Sommer, President and Chief Executive Officer, Norwegian Cruise Lineโ
WIDE-OPEN SPACES AND ELEVATED EXPERIENCES THAT GO BEYOND EXPECTATION
Norwegian Prima will offer the highest staffing levels and space ratio of any new cruise ship in the contemporary and premium cruise categories, delivering an unrivaled guest experience. She will offer the largest variety of suite categories available at sea with 13 suite categories as well as the largest three-bedroom suites of any new cruise ship and the Brand’s largest-ever inside, oceanview and balcony staterooms, including the Brand’s largest-ever bathrooms and showers for standard stateroom categories. Norwegian Prima will also offer the most outdoor deck space of any new cruise ship including more total pool deck space than any other ship in NCL’s fleet as well as multiple infinity pools and vast outdoor walkways allowing guests to take in the sea, the ocean breeze and a variety of elevated experiences.
The Elevated Haven By Norwegian
To provide guests with an unrivaled experience in luxury cruising, The Haven by Norwegian on Norwegian Prima has been elevated to offer the Brand’s most exclusive and centralized suite complex. Spanning eight decks of suites and public areas, the ultra-premium keycard only access ship-within-a-ship concept provides guests with private amenities, dedicated services and the most luxurious accommodations on board. For the first time, the Cruise Line relocated all 107 Haven suites to the aft (the rear of the ship) within close proximity of private elevators exclusively reserved for Haven guests. These elevators rise directly into The Haven public areas on decks 16 and 17. NCL evolved The Haven’s design to be more open to the sea than ever before. For the first time, every public area in The Haven offers stunning sea and destination views. The Haven Courtyard on Norwegian Prima has been transformed into an expansive Haven Sundeck, boasting a stunning new infinity pool overlooking the ship’s wake and a new outdoor spa with a glass-walled sauna and cold room.
Pushing the boundaries of exclusive design within the reimagined exclusive space, all public areas and suites in The Haven have been designed by Piero Lissoni, one of Italy’s preeminent designers. Lissoni provided an elegant and sophisticated design to The Haven Sundeck, The Haven Restaurant, The Haven Lounge & Bar and the Outdoor Spa: Sauna and Cold Room.
OUTDOOR LIVING ON OCEAN BOULEVARD
Furthering the elevated experience that places guests first and understanding the important connection they have with the outdoors and proximity to the sea, NCL reimagined its industry pioneering The Waterfront by doubling the space and adding a greater variety of experiences and dining options than ever before by introducing Ocean Boulevard.
Located on deck eight, Ocean Boulevard at 44,000 square feet long, wraps around the entire deck, allowing guests to walk around the entire ship and experience amazing ocean views while having the choice to partake in numerous exceptional outdoor activities.
Global Cuisine with Indulge Food Hall
As part of the multifaceted experiences offered on Ocean Boulevard, NCL introduced the Brandโs first-ever upscale open-air marketplace with Indulge Food Hall. Created to elevate the guest-sensory experience on Norwegian Prima, Indulge Food Hall offers visitors diverse menu items from a variety of culinary venues as well as a mix of indoor and outdoor seating.
NCLโs first-ever food hall was thoughtfully designed, offering various cuisines and showcasing captivating colors and smells with 11 venues including returning guest culinary favorites Cocoโs, serving artisan sweet treats; Q Texas Smokehouse, boasting delicious American Southern comfort food and barbecue; and Starbucks. Indulge will unveil first-ever dining venues including SeasideRotisserie, offering a wide array of rotisserie-cooked dishes; Nudls, an emporium serving noodle dishes from around the world, from Italian to Thai cuisines; Tamara, preparing classic Indian dishes and multiple vegetarian food options; The Latin Quarter, serving classic Latin food with a twist; Tapas Food Truck, cooking elevated Spanish-inspired street food; Garden Kitchen, where guest can order customized salads with more than two dozen ingredients to choose from; Just Desserts, featuring classic dessert items such as pies and cakes and Just Ice Cream serving all guest favorite ice cream flavors and over-the-top decadent creations.
Hybrid Dining on Ocean Boulevard
Adding to the culinary offerings available on Norwegian Prima’s Ocean Boulevard, the site will host three additional dining venues offering both indoor and outdoor seating including Onda By Scarpetta, Los Lobos and The Local Bar & Grill. Onda by Scarpetta, which debuted on Norwegian Encore in 2019 and also available on Norwegian Spirit, will showcase the rich and bold flavors for which the modern Italian land-based, award-winning Scarpetta restaurants are recognized. The venue, designed by esteemed design firm Studio Dado, features an elegant atmosphere, modern design and expansive indoor and outdoor ocean views. Los Lobos, the Brand’s premium Mexican restaurant, returns on Norwegian Prima to boast traditional Mexican flavors with modern flair set in a contemporary atmosphere also designed by Studio Dado. The revamped Local Bar & Grill set in an upscale beach club atmosphere will showcase live music where guests can relax and enjoy cocktails and classic Americana cuisine.
A Day on Ocean Boulevard: The Concourse, Infinity Beach, Oceanwalk and La Terraza
Created to be a destination in and of itself within Norwegian Prima and furthering the day-to-day elevated guest experiences available on Ocean Boulevard, the Company unveiled additional โfirstsโ for the Brand including The Concourse, an outdoor sculpture garden features an art wall designed by famed artist David Harber and six installations designed by Alexander Krivosheiw featuring immersive art inspired by ancient mythology and contemporary abstract forms. The seven sculptures, valued at over $2 million, offer stunning effects that change as the sun sets, making them perfect for photos and social media posts. Guests can also relax at Infinity Beach featuring two infinity pools, one located on each side of the ship and close to the ocean surface, which is an industry-design first that allows pool-goers to take in the vastness of the ocean while soaking in the open air. The two Oceanwalk glass bridges, also new to the Brand, will provide guests with photographic, breathtaking views that will make them feel as if they are walking on air over the water. La Terraza, an open-air lounge, features a quaint retreat for visitors to catch stellar forward-facing sea views.
BUCKET-LIST ITINERARIES ON THE INDUSTRYโS NEWEST SHIP
Summer 2022: Northern Europe and The UK
Following a string of inaugural cruises and beginning August 2022, Norwegian Prima will be the newest ship embarking in Northern Europe. From Aug. 17 to Sept. 13, 2022, she will sail a series of eight-day voyages from Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Copenhagen, Denmark, offering guests the opportunity to explore the continentโs Northern Europe, Norwegian Fjords and Baltic regions.
Fall/Winter 2022: Bermuda and The Caribbean
On Sept. 23, Norwegian Prima will depart Southampton, England, on a 12-day transatlantic voyage visiting Lerwick, Scotland with an overnight in Reykjavik, Iceland, before arriving in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and ending her journey in New York to commence a five-day roundtrip itinerary on Oct. 10 to Bermuda, where she will make her debut as the newest ship sailing the fall and winter season. On Oct. 15, she will depart from New York on a 12-day open-jaw immersive Caribbean itinerary where she will be the newest ship in the region and for the first time ever for NCL, the vessel will visit Galveston, TX. She will have calls to Willemstad, Curacao; Kralendijk, Bonaire; Oranjestad, Aruba, with all visits featuring between nine and 10 in-port hours. On Oct. 31, Norwegian Prima will kickstart her Caribbean season departing from Galveston, TX, to Miami on an 11-day itinerary with visits to Willemstad, Curacao; Kralendijk, Bonaire, and the Company’s recently enhanced private island Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas. From Nov. 19 to Dec. 3, Norwegian Prima will sail from Miami offering three, seven-day Western Caribbean cruises visiting Harvest Caye, the Company’s private resort destination in Belize, in addition to other notable ports including Cozumel, Mexico, and Roatan Island, Honduras.
Fall/Winter 2022-2023: Western Caribbean Voyages Homeporting from Orlando, Fla. (Port Canaveral)
From Dec. 11, 2022, to March 19, 2023, Norwegian Prima will homeport in Orlando, Fla. (Port Canaveral), sailing 15 roundtrip Western Caribbean voyages featuring five, seven, and nine-day port-rich itineraries visiting notable destinations, including Cozumel, Mexico; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, and NCLโs private island, Great Stirrup Cay, in the Bahamas.
Spring 2023: Bermuda
Starting March 28 to May 7, Norwegian Prima will sail a mini-season of five and mostly seven-day roundtrip Bermuda voyages from New York. She will call at Norfolk, Virginia – the gateway to Virginia Beach and the historic area of Colonial Williamsburg. The vessel will also sail to the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda, where itineraries include one or two overnight stays at the Royal Naval Dockyard to allow flexibility for guests to explore its shops, restaurants and pristine beaches on their own time.
Spring and Summer 2023: Northern Europe
On May 14, Norwegian Prima heads back to Iceland and Northern Europe, departing on an 11-day transatlantic journey from New York City to Reykjavik, Iceland, visiting Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia, before making calls to several immersive Icelandic ports, including Akureyri, which resides on the longest fjord in Iceland and Isafjordur, where guests can take in Icelandic Viking history and unspoiled natural marvels. The voyage culminates in Reykjavik with an overnight stay, where guests can partake in the cosmopolitan experiences of Iceland’s capital and largest city featuring contemporary art, a growing culinary scene and thriving music culture while also maintaining a connection to the great outdoors with geothermal springs and whale watching activities.
From May 25 to Sept. 7, Norwegian Primaโs summer 2023 season will offer a mix of 10 and 11-day Norway and Iceland sailings from Reykjavik, Iceland, and Southampton, England, featuring extensive port time between nine and 14 in-port hours to offer guests an immersive experience. Throughout her voyage, guests will have the unique opportunity to cruise through the remarkable Heritage Fjords, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where Norwegian Prima will be one of the few ships that meet the criteria to sail in these environmentally protected waters. Other bucket-list worthy destinations include a call to Geiranger, Norway, featuring 14 hours in port where guests can visit Norway’s most famous fjord, Geiranger Fjord, an awe-inspiring deep blue UNESCO protected nine-mile fjord surrounded by majestic, snow-covered mountain peaks, wild waterfalls and lush vegetation. The world famous Seven Sisters and The Bridal Veil waterfalls are just two of the numerous cascades that run down the steep mountainside throughout Geiranger Fjord. Norwegian Prima will also call to Olden, Norway, and feature 10-hours in port with access to the jaw-dropping Briksdal Glacier, a branch of the famous Jostedal Glacier, where guests can partake in once-in-a-lifetime hikes and nature trails.
On Sept. 17, Norwegian Prima concludes her summer 2023 season with a 14-day roundtrip voyage from Southampton, England, featuring between seven and 10 in-port hours with notable calls to Dublin, Ireland; Isafjordur and Akureyri, Iceland, with an overnight in Reykjavik; and visits to Geiranger, Olden, and Stavanger, Norway.
All in all, Norwegian is moving forward with ship design and are improving their product and I have to say, I love the direction that they’re going in! Norwegian Prima is one stunning ship and I can’t wait to see her as a finished ship. Would love to sail on her, hopefully soon! What about you? Who’s booked already!?
Hello everyone! I can finally say that I’m back from another amazing cruise adventure! Hard to believe I know, especially with everything going on around the world right now and in the cruising industry, but I can happily say that I’m back from one of the most relaxing cruises I’ve ever been on, one that I will remember for quite some time! This cruise was a bit different from my usual cruises, it was on a small cruise ship, owned by a Croatian cruise line, Katarina Line, and we cruised around the beautiful Croatian islands. Perfect for my first post-COVID cruise. This was a one way 7-night cruise from Dubrovnik to Split visiting many islands on the way. I didn’t know what to expect from small ship cruising in the Adriatic, but now I can finally show and share with you all what’s it like!
About the ship!
Avangard anchored during one of our swim stops
I cruised onboard the MV Avangard, one of the biggest and most luxurious ships in Katarina Line’s fleet! Avangard belongs to a Deluxe Superior class of ships. Deluxe Superior vessels are the best in the Katarina Line fleet, offering superior comfort and special services. (Katarina Line also has more affordable and slightly less premium ship categories like Deluxe, Premium Superior, Traditional…something to suit everyone) Avangard is just around 50 meters long and 8 meters wide. At full occupancy it can accommodate 36 passengers in its 18 luxurious cabins. It honestly, looks and feels like a fancy yacht. This is for sure the smallest ship I ever cruised on and to be honestb I expected it to feel cramped and not spacious at all but I was certainly proven otherwise, it felt so spacious, light and open, completely the opposite of what I was expecting. What made it feel extra spacious was the fact that there were only 18 passengers on my sailing, doesn’t get more exclusive than that!
The ship has 4 decks so everyone can really spread out. There is one big open lounge/restaurant area which serves as the ships main social hub really. You could always find someone there chatting or having a drink before lunch or dinner. This lounge is also used as the main restaurant where breakfast, lunch and dinner is served and it can accommodate all 36 passengers at one sitting!
Just behind the lounge, there is this beautiful covered, outside seating area offering sweeping panoramic views of the surrounding. This seating area probably has the longest couch, I’ve ever seen! Apparently 19 people can sit on that couch, but I feel like all 36 passengers could comfortably sit on it together! This was probably my favorite area to visit during the day. it also has these see trough sun shades so you’re never directly in the sunshine but you can hear the sea and feel that ocean breeze. And also you’re near the lounge so you can order whatever you want from the bar and just enjoy the cruise life.
There is also a spacious sun deck with a whirlpool on the top deck with plenty of deck chairs so you never have to wake up extra early to secure your spot on the sun deck, like you have to do on some bigger ships.
One of the best features of this ship is located at its aft. Avangard has this water level, swim-up platform that we used everyday when we would anchor in a random bay on the way to our next destination just to have a swim! You can easily get in the water, there are also showers there so you can wash the salt off when you get out! Basically back of the ship becomes a beach, these swim stops were probably my favorite thing about this cruise, there’s nothing like swimming around with no one around just the passengers from your ship! Oh, and views of the ship are spectacular! ๐
Cruising on smaller ships, like this one, is really special because you’re always so close to the sea. I know that on some bigger ships I wouldn’t even feel like I’m actually on the ship, but on the Avangard I could always feel that connection to the ocean, I just loved standing on the ‘promenade deck’ that was literally on the water and just looking out to sea. Best therapy ever!
A lot of people also asked me “Do you feel the ship move?” Well it certainly moved more than bigger ships I’ve been on, but there was never a lot of movement because you’re usually sailing around islands where the sea is not really rough and you are never out at sea for more than a few hours because destinations on the itineraries are really close to eachother.
Accommodation
One thing that’s really different about this cruise line/ship is that there are no cabin categories or certain experience packages or however different cruise lines call them. Every cabin onboard is the same category but their layout and location might vary. On this cruise I had Cabin number 3 (I never had a single digit cabin on a cruise before!) Which is located on the lower deck forward.
I was surprised by this cabin. I expected something much more… modest from a cabin on a smaller ship, but this cabin was actually the same size if not even slightly bigger than a cabin on my last cruise which was on the 5th largest ship in the world. The cabin had everything you might expect from a cruise ship cabin, it was nicely furnished and decorated. Since this is just a three year old ship everything felt pretty new and was in working order. Storage space was decent, large closet with drawers, hanging space and lots of shelves. There is also a large desk, night tables and lots of storage space for your toiletries in the bathroom as well.
One thing that shows you how fancy this ship is the fact that all towels and pillowcases have the ship’s name embroidered onto them. Fancy!
Since I was on the lower deck I had portholes closer to the ceiling. It was nice to have natural light in the cabinbbut it pretty much felt like an inside cabin on larger ships. I could see the water from my cabin which was certainly a plus and I also had a window in my bathroom which I never had on a cruise before, just make sure to close the blinds when in port! Cabins on the upper deck do have normal large windows which can be opened. No balcony cabins on this ship but the rest of the ship is pretty much your balcony.
Two things that I loved about the cabin was that there were seven, yes, 7 power sockets in the cabin so I could charge all of my devices at the same time and the other really important thing, the shower didn’t have a shower curtain but a real glass door! That’s all I need… power sockets and no shower curtain! Here are some pictures of the cabin!
Onboard experience!
So what’s the onboard experience like on a smaller cruise ship? Well first of all, the ship itself is not the destination, I’m used to talking about rock climbing walls and bumper card but this cruise is the complete opposite and there’s just something so relaxing about that.
The itineraries are organised and planned in a way that you spend every night in a different port and with each port being just a couple of hours away that is easily doable! On most days you leave the port around 8AM, sail for a couple of hours until you reach a bay on the way (oh look that rhymes!) to anchor in for a swim stop. Stay there until lunch time and then by the time the lunch is over you’ve reached the next destination.
This is great beacuse every morning is a relaxing morning, there is no rushing to the buffet early in the morning to catch your early excursion, none of that. Each morning you have enough time to eat your breakfast, relax on the sundeck, have a swim in a remote bay that can only be reached by ship, have lunch and by then you’re ready to explore the port! Spending nights in ports also has its perks. You get to experience the evening atmosphere of these coastal towns, you can even enjoy the local night life or watch the sunset from a local beach. I found this to be one of the best perks of small ship cruising, these coastal towns really do come alive in the evenings!
In most ports there is an organised walking tour of the town you’re visiting which is included in your cruise fare. You can of course go on your own and explore the port by yourself. These included walking tours were really great for me because usually on cruises I go off to explore the city on my own, mostly because I want to save money and also because it’s much more flexible but that means that I usually miss out on some fun facts that only local guides know, really interesting!
In conclusion this cruise is really geared towards relaxation and destination immersion. I love the mix of relaxing mornings and afternons that can be whatever you make of them, active or equally relaxing as the mornings.
Onboard the ship there is a cruise manager that also organises some events during the cruise, such as wine tastings, social meet ups… things like that. There is a nice collection of board games on the ship, and to me that’s a perfect way to spend a relaxing evening and to meet new poeple. If you like night life, good thing the ship spends the night in every port so you have the perfect opportunity to see how the Croats party!
Dining!
As they say, the most important thing about cruises is the food and the most important person on the cruise is the chef! Jokes aside, we all love eating on a cruise and believe me, you won’t be left hungry on this ship! Everything you eat onboard is bought locally, made and prepared onboard the ship. Thatโs why everything onboard is fresh and delicious!
All meals are included in your cruise fare and those are breakfast, lunch and dinner. Your choice is limited to only one restaurantb but what can you expect from a smaller ship haha! For breakfast you’re offered a buffet selection of cold cuts, cheeses, pastries, eggs, ham, pancakes… pretty much an average cruise buffet. I love brekfasts on cruises, I usually don’t eat breakfast at home so I always overeat on cruises… pastries are definitely my weakness! Though this was not a self service buffet because of the obvious situation so everything was plated and served to you by the staff.
Both lunch and dinner have a set time and a set menu. The lunch is usually around 1PM and dinner around 7PM. I didnโt know what to expect from lunches and dinners onboard. On cruises you usually have a variety of dishes to choose from so you can always find something you like, with a set menu that can be a bit tricky, but I have to say, I really enjoyed the food onboard, pretty much everything was delicious and there were only a couple of dishes that I didnโt really like, but I am a picky eater whoโs not a big fan of sea food so… All in all I was pretty much stuffed after every meal! All meals consist of 3 courses except the Captainโs dinner (formal night) which is 4 courses!
Everything was pretty delicious and looked amazing, but my favorites were desserts! From simple cheesecakes and homemade ice creams to some cakes I donโt even remember the names of, every dessert was so tasty!
Donโt worry if you have any dietary restrictions or any food allergies, they are really flexible when it comes to that! Just make sure to notify your cruise manager on the first day if he doesnโt approach you first! They did ask everyone about their dietary restrictions and allergies on the first day during check in!
Here are just a couple of pictures of the meals onboard, all made by our amazing Chef Ivo!
Itinerary
The itinerary is what made this cruise really special as well. I was on a 7-night “One Way Wonders” itinerary that started in the popular city of Dubrovnik and ended in the busy port city of Split! In these 8 days we visited 8 beatiful destinations on the south coastal Croatia and some of those destinations are truly hidden gems on the Adriatic. Since the Avangard is a smaller ship, it can dock in towns that bigger ships never visit, and in these smaller towns is really where you can experience the local culture as it is, not changed by the mass tourism.
Another perk of small ship cruising is that the ship docks right in the city center. In most cities and towns we were docked right on the waterfront, you can’t beat that! You can just walk off the ship and be right where everything is in a couple of minutes!
We boarded the ship in Dubrovnik, a city I’m sure you all know something about, if not from history books or travel brochures then from huge blockbusters and popular TV shows like the Game of Thrones. There is something in this city for everyone, cultural sites for history lovers, night clubs for party lovers, mountains and endless beaches for nature lovers… no wonder it’s so popular.
Next stop for us was the port of Slano and the town of Ston. Ston is small town located around 30 minutes away by bus from where the ship docks. It is famous for its walls which are still one of the longest fortification systems in the world that is still standing, it is commonly called the โEuropean wall of Chinaโ! The walls are in a great condition to this day so you can walk almost the whole length. Truly amazing!
If you’re a nature lover, you would’ve loved our third stop, the National park Mljet. The National park Mljet is one of 8 national parks in Croatia and it is situated on the island of Mljet, one of the largest islands in south Dalmatia. To say that itโs beautiful would be an understatement! The scenery is just stunning, it looks like a nature reserve untouched by modern tourist development! On the island there are two connected salt water lakes and on the โBig Lakeโ you will find the St. Maryโs island where a Benedictine Monastery was built in the 12th century! So you could say that I was on an island thatโs on an island!
Our next stop was probably my favorite on this cruise, Korฤula! It is believed that the famous explorer Marco Polo was born right here in the town of Korฤula! The town is rich with history and itโs definitely one of my favorite towns on the Croatian coast, would definitely recommend visiting it! I would describe it as a smaller, less crowded Dubrovnik! The old town itself is so picturesque!
We also visited the island of Vis! Vis is a really historic city, it is THE oldest city in Croatia! It was established by the ancient Greeks 397 B.C. under the name of Issa. Since then the island was under the rule of many empires and kingdoms. Romans, Greeks, French, Austrians and even the British once called Vis their territory, but since the 1990s the island of Vis is officially a part of Croatia! Because of how remote the island is and because of its military role in the former Yugoslavia, today itโs really a perfect picture of how Mediterranean once looked, without any new high rises, huge resorts or rows of apartment developments! A beautiful town if youโd like to escape the hustle and bustle of bigger coastal cities!
One of our last stops was the town of Hvar! Hvar is the longest island in Croatia and probably one of the most popular ones! The island of Hvar is the sunniest island in Europe and is on the โ15 most sunniest placesโ in the world list. So if its sunshine youโre after you should definitely visit Hvar! The town of Hvar is best known for its many beaches, historic buildings and its lively night life! It is one of the locations of the popular โUltra Europeโ music festival: You wonโt get bored in this town after sunset!
And our final stop before reaching the city of Split was Bol on the island of Braฤ, the highest island in Croatia! Bol is a small town with only 1.600 residents, made famous because of the beautiful Golden Horn beach! It used to be a fishing village and influences of that can still be seen today!
We ended our journey in the city of Split, 2nd largest city in Croatia. It is the busiest passenger port on the Adriatic. One of its most popular selling points is the Diocletian’s Palace, you can spend hours walking around the narrow allyways of the old town, honeslty, my favorite big city on the Adriatic!
Katarina Line is a premier small ship cruise company with weekly guaranteed departures from the end of April to mid-October from the major tourist centers in Croatia, such as Opatija, Split and Dubrovnik. With a fleet of more than 60 ships in six different categories, the cruise line caters to all ages and budgets. Katarina Line itineraries give travellers the chance to explore the stunning natural environment and picturesque, quaint Mediterranean towns while hopping from one island to another. This unique way of travelling and exploring coastal towns is one of the most popular and easiest way to experience the true Croatia.
Katarina line, founded in 1992, evolved into one of Croatia’s leading cruise & travel operators. I always wanted to give Katarina Line a try since I saw their ships in Croatian ports so many times!
Is Katarina Line for me?
Katarina Line is perfect for people who would like to see and explore more of Croatia, it really perfectly combines the independent style of travel with the benefits of a cruise ship. Depending on which category ship you book, the cruise experience can really rival the one of those on large cruise ships. It is also a Croatian cruise line with Croatian crews onboard so you’re sure that they know what they’re talking about and that they will show you the best of what Croatia has to offer!
Most of Katarina Line’s passangers come from continental Europe (countries such as Germany, Switzerland… ) United States, United Kingdom, Australia…. it’s a really international bunch onboard. Average age of passengers onboard depends on which category ship you’re on. I was on their most luxuruious category, Deluxe Superior, and I would say that the average age was around 50-60. Other, less inclusive, more budget friendly categories tend to have a slightly younger crowd.
Katarina Line also organises charter cruises, group cruises, theme cruises, LGBTQ cruises, so there’s really something for everyone!
Cruising during the pandemic
I cannot ignore the elephant in the room, this cruise was also slightly different because of the current COVID situation we’re living in. I was cruising in Croatia, my own country so I didn’t have to worry about borders, international requierments and things like that. Katarina Line did introduce new measures to insure the health and safety of their passengers. You can read more about their new protocols HERE!
But in short, they introduced new cleaning and hygiene protocols, social distancing is strongly encouraged, capacity in the dining room is limited to ensure that. It has been really easy to maintain social distancing with just 18 people on-board. Hand Sanitizers were everywhere and everything was being constantly cleaned. So nothing that really impacted my overall cruise experience, but the changes are noticeable.
Final thoughts
In conclusion, I loved my Katarina Line cruise. I came into this not knowning what to expect from small ship cruising as this was my first cruise on a small ship and I have to say that I was blown away. I loved the more relaxed, slower pace of the cruise, it is really different from big ship cruising, but in a good way. I really wouldn’t think twice abuout cruising on the Avangard or with Katarina Line again, they offer a great product at reasonable prices, and now that I’ve seen what’s like, I can confirm that this really is the best way to see Croatia.
What also makes or breaks a cruise is the shipโs crew! And the crew of the Avangard definitely made this cruise special. I want to thank all of them for taking good care of us. There were 18 guests on this cruise and 8 amazing crew members and believe it or not, I know everyones names! Thank you to our amazing Captain Damir, our cruise manager Zvonko who probably knows 50 languages, to waiters Antonio and Tomy that made every meal special, seaman Duje and Matij who took great care of the Avangard, to Milena who made sure that the ship is spotless and of course to the most important person on every ship, chef, Ivo! Every single meal was delicious, I already miss those delicious desserts!
If you have any questions about this ship or Katarina Line feel free to ask!
All in all, Iโd like to thank Katarina Line for an amazing cruise experience and all of your for your likes, comments and constant support here and on Instagram. I am so grateful that I get to share my cruise passion and adventures with all of you! This was my first post-covid cruise and I was so excited that I could bring you something new and different. A lot of people are turning to small ship cruising lately so I’m really happy that I could show you what’s it like to explore Croatia on a smaller ship. Thank you again!
MSC Grandiosa (left) and MSC Magnifica (right). First two MSC ships to restart operations in the Med.
It finally happened… after 5 months of waiting and preparing, MSC Grandiosa departed Genoa on Sunday night (16. August) followed by cheers from those on board as well as those watching from shore. Quite an emotional moment as you can see in a couple of videos I added to this post!
MSC Grandiosa became the first major ocean cruise ship to set sail on a Mediterranean cruise in almost five months since the global suspension of sailings due to coronavirus (Covid-19) was announced. This comes following the announcement from the Italian government last week that it has granted permission for cruise lines to resume sailings in the region from 15 August.
MSC Grandiosa departing the Port of Genoa horns blaring
The ship departed from the Italian port of Genoa yesterday (Sunday 16 August) on a seven-night voyage and will call at the Italian ports of Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples, Palermo and Maltaโs Valetta.
Normally, the cruise ship carries up to as many as 6,300 passengers, but due to new Covid-19 protocols, is operating at a reduced capacity of 70 per cent. Around 1.500 passengers embarked in Genoa while another one thousand will embark in other Italian ports. 10 percent of staterooms were also set aside for isloation if it comes to that.
Gianni Onorato, MSC Cruisesโ CEO commented: โIt is a real pleasure for me to be here and sail on board the first of our ships to return to service and to be able to welcome back our guests. Our main goal during these last months has been to put in place the right measures that will protect the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit. But at the same time, we have worked to ensure that we are able to provide our guests with a cruise holiday that they can enjoy and still experience all of the elements that they know and love from entertainment and activities on board through to protected ashore visits.โ
MSC becomes the third big-ship line to restart operations, following TUI Cruises/Mein Schiff (which restarted operations from Germany last month and Dream cruises which are currently sailing in Taiwan with their smallest ship, Explorer Dream!
MSC Grandiosa seen arriving in Civitavecchia this morning (17.8.), her first stop on her fist post-COVID cruise.
A second MSC ship, the MSC Magnifica, will debut into operation later this month sailing cruises to the Eastern Mediterranean from Bari and Trieste in Italy.
This restart wouldn’t be possible without some strict and comprehensive health and safety measures which will protect both passengers and crew. Health screening of guests prior to embarkation comprises of three comprehensive steps: temp. check, a health questionnaire and a COVID-19 swab test. Depending on the screening results and according to the guestโs medical or travel history, a secondary health screening or testing will take place. Any guest who tests positive, displays symptoms or a temperature will be denied boarding.
The ship will also see elevated sanitation and cleaning measures supported by the introduction of new cleaning methods, the use of hospital-grade disinfectant products and the sanitation of the air on board with UV-C light technology that kills 99.97% of microbes.
Ongoing health monitoring will also be conducted throughout the cruise. Guests and crew will have their temperature checked daily either when they return from ashore or at dedicated stations around the ship to monitor the health status of every guest and crew member.
Technology has also been put to use on MSC Grandiosa. All guests received a MSC for Me wristband, which provides them with contactless options while on board such as opening the cabin or making payments. MSC Cruises said it will also help to facilitate proximity and contact tracing, if needed.
Departure of MSC Grandiosa
And one final step to ensure the health and safety of everyone onboard is, both gesuts and crew will only go ashore as a part of an organized MSC excurstion. Now I am not yet familiar if they maybe slightly reduced the prices or if you maybe get a certain number of excursions included in your cruise fare based on your cruise package, but it does make sense to limit everyone’s contact with the “outside world” to maintain the safe bubble onboard!
All in all, I’m so excited that we finally have a ship sailing in the Mediterranean and I hope that everything goes smoothly on Grandiosa and for MSC. This is one big step for the cruising industry in general as Grandiosa is the first big ship back in operation. I’m glad that MSC is leading the way with really comprehensive health and safety measures, they’re even testing everyone before boarding, which I hope will show the general public that cruising is yet again is one of the safest vacation options out there.
Hello everyone! I’m back from a cruise that I will remember for quite some time! I was onboard Costa Smeralda for 7 nights on her 4th ever cruise, she was so new that I could still smell that “fresh-out-of-the-shipyard” smell. I booked this cruise almost a year ago, when Smeralda was just a pile of steel in Finland, so my anticipation to board this ship was through the roof! Now I can finally share my thoughts about this ship and hopefully show you how amazing she is!
About the ship!
Costa Smeralda is the new flagship of Costa Cruises, and she is one big ship, and when I say big I mean: 185.000 gross registered tons, 19 decks, 22 elevators, 4 pools, 4 main dining rooms…. she is the 5th largest cruise ship in the world after all! She can accommodate 6.554 passengers at max occupancy and they are taken care of by the crew of 1.600 people, impressive numbers! Smeralda is a part of the Excellence/Helios class of cruise ships ordered by Carnival Corporation, you may already know something about her sister ships: AIDAnova, P&O Iona and Carnival Mardi Gras. What makes these ships special is their propulsion. They are powered by LNG (liquified natural gas), the use of LNG greatly lessens emissions of nitrogen oxides and CO2, which makes Smeralda one of the greenest ships at sea!
This ship is also quite different when it comes to interior design compared to older Costa ships. Costa Smeralda is a very contemporary looking ship, both inside and out. Color schemes are more subtle and toned down. The overall look of the ship is a really interesting balance between a traditional feel and a modern feel, and so although some of the decor is sort of traditional the artwork is very contemporary so it has quite a nice mix to it. In addition the furnishings, lighting, fabrics and upholstery, and accessories were all made in Italy especially for Costa Smeralda! I really liked the look of this ship, I think it was time for Costa to give us something completely different when it comes to design and they gave us a truly beautiful ship. Little Italy at sea!
โDoes it feel crowded onboard?โ ,”Is the ship too big?”
These are the most frequent questions I get asked when it comes to large ships. I would say that for a ship that can accommodate 6.500 passengers, Smeralda handles crowds pretty well. With such a large number of people onboard, of course you can expect some lines during the peak hours at the buffet and congested hallways when everyone’s leaving the theatre, but other than that, it never felt more crowded than smaller ships I’ve been on. There are three main interior public decks on this ship so people do spread out in the evenings, I never felt like there were six thousand people with me onboard because you could always find a quiet place to sit down and enjoy in some beautiful views, which were plentiful on this cruise! What I also liked about this ship is that, even though she’s the 5th largest in the world, she never felt overly big. I believe they achieved this by separating public areas and adding many smaller bars, lounges and cozy nooks. There is no large interior promenade or an open air boardwalk on this ship, so it still has that “smaller ship charm”, which I love!
Huge windows in the main atrium
Trastevere
Accommodation
On this cruise I stayed in a…. you guessed it, guaranteed inside cabin! But as you all know I don’t mind them at all, especially when they look like the one I had on Smeralda. Inside cabins are not that exciting, but theyโre great if youโre cruising on a tight budget and you want to save some money. My cabin was themed around the city of Venice (deck 14). Each deck is named after an Italian city so therefore all the cabins on that deck are themed around that city! The stateroom was snug, yes, but you can expect that from every inside cabin. It was nicely furnished and decorated, everything was still brand new and shiny… I wish I could always sail on a brand new ship. Storage space was decent, three closets and two drawers under the table, just enough space for 8 days! There are multiple USB plugs in the cabin, two european plugs and one US. The bathroom is really nice, probably the nicest looking bathroom I had on a ship! It looks like it’s made out expensive marble, it has clean lines, many shelves for your toiletries. it’s functional and the most important thing, the shower has a glass door, goodbye shower curtains! Environmental friendliness made it to your cabin too! In your cabin, you will no longer find a mini fridge, they removed them from every cabin on the ship to save energy. I don’t mind this change since I never really used the mini fridge, but they still offer “mini-bar” snacks like they used to (kinder chocolate, chips… etc.) If you’re not up for cruising in an inside cabin, there are also oceanview cabins, cove-balcony cabins, balcony cabins, suites and there are also cabins with a small winter garden between your cabin and the balcony. They all look similar but with different color palettes.
Deck 10 (Rome)
Interior stateroom
Activities onboard
There are quite a lot of things to do on this ship. Let’s start with the top decks! There are four pools onboard Costa Smeralda and two of them are heated, there are also four infinity hot tubs in the main pool area! If you’d like something that will get your blood pumping, there is a pretty large aquapark on the top deck. There are two large waterslides for adults and two slightly smaller ones for kids! I tried them all (even though it was only 12 degrees Celsius outside!) and all I will say is that the bowl-shaped one is really, really fast…!
La Spiaggia
Top Deck
On the top deck you will also find the sports court, Passeggiata Volare (a walkway suspended above the top deck, 65 meters above the waterline!), a couple of bars, partially enclosed solarium which is perfect for windy days and at the back of the ship, you will find the stunning Piazza di Spagna. It’s a large stairway on three decks facing the stern of the ship. It is based on the Spanish Steps in Rome and offers the ideal place for entertaining guests. The glass-bottomed, open-air balcony on the top deck provides the exciting experience of flying over the sea.
On-board spa and wellness facilities are pretty big, but you cannot expect anything less from a ship of this size. The gym on the other hand was big, but sometimes not big enough, on a sea day it was packed! It is located on the top deck and from there you will have best the sea views on the ship, a good way to lure you into the gym! I havenโt used the spa facilities on this ship, I literally didn’t have enough time even though I saw some great offers… Iโve heard from other passengers I’ve met onboard that the spa is worth the money and that it’s is really well equipped, especially the thermal area!
SkyBridge
Piazza di Spagna
Kids facilities are also quite extensive too, with areas for younger and older children. There weren’t many children onboard our cruise, but we did board the ship just after the winter break ended. There is also the arcade where children can spend all your money!
I don’t know if you can count shopping as an onboard activity, but you can certainly shop on this ship! You can also try your luck at the ship’s casino or maybe opt for a cheaper activity, or should I say, a free activity and check out the first museum at sea. The CoDe museum is dedicated to the excellence of Italian design and showcases 470 items from many Italian designers and design firms that contributed to the ship’s construction!
There were also activities organised by the onboard animation team, activities like morning walks and afternoon yoga were on the daily schedule almost every day. You could also participate in game shows, quizzes, dance lessons, arts and crafts type activities like napkin folding techniques and origami lessons. There was even a “Funny tour” of Costa Smeralda organised by animators every day! There is something for everyone and I was never bored to be honest, on the contrary, I was always busy walking around the ship, checking out what’s happening! Make sure to also check out what’s happening on the ship in your daily newspaper that’s delivered to your stateroom each evening. It’s called “Oggi a Bordo” and it includes all the information you’re going to need for the next day. I always take a photo of it with my phone so I have it with me all the time!
The CoDe Museum
Entartainment
Costa switched things up on Smeralda when it comes to entertainment as well! Unlike other Costa ships, Smeralda has two theatres, or should I say one smaller, San Remo Theatre and one slightly bigger “theatrium” called The Colosseo! You must be thinking, “What exactly is a theatrium…”? Well, just like the name says, it acts as the main atrium during the day and in the evening it becomes a 3 deck high theatre with tiered seating all around. Both venues are used for all kinds of shows, such as your usual singing and dancing variety shows, magician shows, juggler shows… but The Colosseo is also used for acrobatic, Cirque du Soleil style performances. All the shows looked really good because they utilise LED screens that are everywhere! Shows last around 30 minutes both in the theatre and in the theatrium so if you have a short attention span, shows onboard won’t be a problem. What I really like about The Colosseo is that you can just walk through that 3 deck high area and see what’s happening. All the shows are repeated multiple times throughout your cruise because usually, shows are held simultaneously in the theatre and in the theatrium. There was also a Peppa Pig show for children and a Costa show for Costa club members!
Each night, the animation team organises fun themed parties onboard. They usually start around 11PM and last ’till 1AM. On my cruise we had a Latin, White, Extravagant, Rockmantic and 70s & 80s party. Of course, I cannot forget to mention the Silent Disco which is new to Costa and it was without a doubt my favorite party onboard! These parties are held in either The San Remo theatre, The Colosseo or La Spiaggia pool area! Themed parties are a big thing on Costa so be sure to check them out! I am not a big dancer so it was a challenge to avoid animators who are inviting people to the dance floor! Some nights I was successful in avoiding them and some nights they won, but I have to say, it was fun to participate, Italians do know how to party!
Rockmantic Party!
If you’d like a more relaxing evening, there are a couple of live music venues onboard. There is a jazz bar, piano bar and the grand bar and they all have live music ’till at least 1AM!
Each night had a theme and a suggested dress code, for example on our cruise there was an Italian night and the suggested dress code was red, white and green. We also had a white night, extravagant night, elegant night and Latin night! I loved this, itโs fun to participate even in a small way. However, these are only suggested dress codes so if you donโt have anything that fits the suggested dress code, donโt worry! Iโve seen a lot of people doing their own thing and after all it is only suggested!
San Remo Theatre
The Colosseo
Dining
Costa Smeralda not only offers the best in Italian design, it also features the best Italian cuisine. Guests have access to 16 restaurants, including the all new Ristorante LAB where guests can have fun cooking and learning about food sustainablitiy at the same time. There are two more specialty restaurants, Pizzeria Pummid’Oro and the Teppanyaki restaurant. I tried the pizza in the Pizzeria and it was delicious, great value for money too, especially if you’re a Costa club member!
Pizzeria Pummid’Oro
Tip:ย If you plan on dining in specialty restaurants, definitely join Costa Club if you havenโt already because you will receive up to 50% discount on dining in specialty restaurants. You will also recieve special deals and discounts in bars and shops onboard!
When it comes to complimentary food venues, there are 4 main, bistro-styled restaurants, the main buffet and the Tutti a Tavola Restaurant dedicated to families with children.
Usually, 3 main restaurants are open for breakfast and lunch and they offer buffet style service. While for dinner, you will have assigned seating. When you board you are assigned to either early or late sitting, there is no flexibility when it comes to that, though you might be able to switch from early to late or vice versa if your Maitre D’ approves it. Dinners on Costa are quite an event and they consist of 5 or 6 courses and they last for ages. It’s quite fun actually, a truly different experience!
The main buffet (La Sagra dei Sapori) is open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner and it does close between meals. The buffet is great, the quality and variety of food was very good. The food definitely has a Mediterranean flavor to it, lots of pasta, tomato sauce, cheese… you can really tell you’re on an Italian ship! Costa wanted to limit food waste on the ship, so the buffet now has glass partitions in front of the food so you have to ask/show what you want and then the person behind the counter will fill your plate. They have a large number of people working behind the counters so the lines were not bigger than on any other ship, You can still eat as much as you want and try as many dishes as you’d like! These glass partitions are also a more hygienic solution since only the cooks touch your food! Table cloths are also a thing of the past on Costa Smeralda, both for hygienic and power saving reasons, small but great ways to make a difference. I would absolutely recommend desserts and pastries on Costa, theyโre really tasty! I canโt even tell you how many donuts, pancakes and waffles I ate every morning. Delicious!
Beverage packages
Something I would definitely recommend is buying a drinks package. On Costa ships you donโt get free tap water with your meals in the main dining room and juices are only available during breakfast. Water is of course available 24/7 in the Buffet. On this cruise Iโve had the Panzo & Cena drinks package again, it is the cheapest one but it was pretty adequate for my needs. It included sodas, selected wines and beers by the glass during the lunch and dinner in the MDR and the buffet. As a fan of sodas during my meals this package was perfect for me. There are also more expensive and more inclusive drinks packages offered that include a much wider selection of drinks and you can use those packages in all bars on the ship!
Itinerary
On this 7-night cruise we visited six amazing destinations in the Mediterranean, including the embarkation port Savona! To be quite honest, I wasn’t even looking at the itinerary when I was booking this cruise because the selling point for me was sailing on a brand new Costa ship, 5th largest cruise ship in the world! Having said that, I loved each city and I explored each one quite a bit! We visited Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Civitavecchia (Rome) and La Spezia!
If you’ve ever done a Western Mediterranean cruise, chances are that you’ve visited Marseille, Barcelona, Civitavecchia and Palma de Mallorca. They are all really popular cruise destinations. Savona and La Spezia on the other hand, are smaller ports with much less cruise traffic.
Savona is the main homeport of many Costa ships. Savonaย is located in the region ofย Liguriaย in northern Italy. The city is anย important seaportย and at one point used to be the most important city in Italy for heavy industries. Savona gained its popularity first because of its resident,ย Christopher Columbus. La Spezia is not too far either! La Spezia has a great combination of historical buildings, beautiful scenery, and fantastic surrounding sites. Due to its location, La Spezia is a prime location if you want to explore Liguria and Tuscany and you can easily travel to Pisa, Florence and Genoa. Furthermore, La Spezia lies in close proximity to the world renowned Cinque Terre and day trips to this marvellous destination are easy to find. If you don’t already know, Cinque Terre is that idyllic looking Italian village built on steep cliffs of Ligurias coast, you’ve probably seen a picture of it on Instagram!
This time we did two excursions trough Costa! I don’t usually book excursions on the ship, but on rare occasions I do. We booked an excursion to Rome(Civitavecchia) and an excursion to Pisa(La Spezia). Both of these cities are not that close to the port where the ship actually docks, so I felt safer when booking trough Costa because I really didn’t want to miss my ship! Both excursions were great, you can choose your preferred language group and I would say that they are great value for money. Even if we had to spend a little more money, it gave me peace of mind. But you can certainly reach Rome and Pisa on your own with no problem, trains and buses in Italy are pretty cheap and run quite often.
Palma de Mallorca
All in all, I loved this itinerary because you can really do so many things in each port, even if you’ve already been there! Each city offers so much… for example, you can visit Barcelona a hundred times and you will still have places to visit on your 101 visit and if you don’t care about the cities, you can always stay onboard. It’s always nice to explore the ship while it’s docked!
Costa
On Instagram and Twitter I frequently get asked โIs Costa for me?โ or โCan I go on a Costa cruise even though I donโt speak any Italian?โ. My answer is always, try it out and see if it works for you. Costa is an italian cruise line and it’s generally geared towards Italian passengers, that said you’ll find people on a Costa cruise who speak German, Spanish, French, Hungarian… so you can definitely cruise with Costa without having any Italian speaking skills, I meanโฆ Look at me! Ha-ha! Just expect that most of the passengers on the ship wonโt speak the same language youโre speaking (unless youโre Italian of course!) On my cruise there were around 200 English speaking passengers and there is an English speaking representative to help you out if you have any problems on board.
Lungomare Riviera / Promenade deck
In my opinion Costa is an Italian version of Carnival. Fun ships with an Italian twist. Expect international crowds and passengers of all age groups. On my cruise I saw toddlers and people over the age of 80, so itโs definitely for all age groups! I would also like to mention that Costa ships are quite loud and full of life, so keep that in mind if youโre looking for a more peaceful and quiet atmosphere onboard! I would recommend this line to anyone who likes to party and have a good time, try new things and be immersed in a different culture! If youโre thinking about booking or have a chance to book a cruise on this ship or this cruise line definitely check it out. If you like it great, if not at least you know for certain that itโs not for you!
Final thoughts
In conclusion, I’ve spent an amazing week aboard this brand new ship and I would not think twice about cruising with Costa or on Costa Smeralda again! I like the product that Costa is offering and I really like what they did with this new ship. They gave us something new and different, but they still managed to maintain that Costa feeling. This ship has so much to offer and she’s sailing on a great route, if you’re booked on her you’re in for a treat! I think that my cruise was fantastic value for money! If you’re sailing on Smeralda in the next couple of months be aware that maybe not everything is going to perfect, since the ship is still brand new and has it’s quirks. You’ve gotta take it with a grain of salt and just accept that not everything’s going to be absolutely perfect!
La Spiaggia pool area
What also makes or breaks a cruise is the ship’s crew! And the crew of Costa Smeralda definitely made this cruise special. I want to thank all of them for taking good care of us, but especially our great room steward, amazing waitors and immensely funny and energetic animation team! They even made me dance, that’s how energetic and persistent they are!
This was not my first Costa cruise, just last October, I was onboard Costa Luminosa on an Eastern Mediterranean cruise. I loved that ship and you can read my review of Costa Luminosa and my cruise HERE! I can’t wait to book another Costa cruise since the atmosphere onboard Costa ships is just so familiar and friendly, I can’t wait to be back! If you’re new to cruising you can also check out my blog post “30 tips for first time cruisers”. You can never be too ready for your first cruise!
If you have any questions about this ship or Costa feel free to ask!
All in all, Iโd like to thank Costa for an amazing cruise experience and all of your for your likes, comments and constant support here and on Instagram. I am so grateful that I get to share my cruise passion and adventures with all of you!
MSC Bellissima docked in La Seyne-sur-Mer, France!
Hello everyone! Iโm back from yet another exciting cruise adventure! This time I was on a 3-night mini cruise out of Genova on MSC Bellissima! This wasnโt my first MSC cruise, but it was my first time on a big MSC ship, like Bellissima. Here are my thoughts on this giant beauty!
About the ship:
MSC Bellissima is a HUGE cruise ship, and no I’m not exaggerating. At 171,598 gross tons and with 15 passengers decks she definitely feels big and spacious. At double occupancy, Bellissima can carry 4.500 guests and around 5.600 with all berths filled. There are also 1.500 crew members that are taking care of you and the ship. MSC Bellissima has a nearly identical, two years older sister ship MSC Meraviglia. They are both newer ships with Meraviglia being delivered in Spring of 2017 and Bellissima in Spring of 2019. She also has a brand new, slightly bigger sister ship MSC Grandiosa, which does have some new features but is still quite similar. Bellissima is still pretty new so all the spaces still have that new, “fresh out of the shipyard” look and smell, even though she spent a whole summer season sailing in the Mediterannean. Her sister ship Meraviglia is currently sailing out of her new winter homeport Miami, Florida and MSC Grandiosa will be doing 7-night cruises in the Mediterranean.
MSC Bellissima in all her glory!
Meraviglia class ships offer so many things to do on-board, it’s honestly hard to do it all on a 7-night itinerary so imagine how busy I was trying to do as much as I can on my 3 night mini-cruise! From a huge Arizona water park to an amazing, thrill packed Sportsplex to the relaxing Aurea spa…. on this ship they have it all. But more about all of that later!
Before every cruise I always read a bunch of reviews and ask my fellow cruisers about the ship I’ll be sailing on. What I really wanted to know about this ship was how crowded does it get, because I never really sailed on a ship of that size so I was slightly worried about crowding. I was positively surprised, I would say that this ship handles crowds pretty well considering it carries five thousand people. With such a huge number of people onboard, of course you can expect some lines during peak hours at the buffet… elevators were also in high demand (I recommend taking the stairs if you can use them) but I never really felt trapped by people! Some areas of the ship definitely get more foot traffic at certain times, but it was never a disorganized chaos like it can be on some ships. And also you can always find a quiet spot somewhere on this ship (places like the Sky lounge on deck 18) which always seems to have a nice and quiet atmosphere. Top decks were usually deserted in the evenings and there are plenty of nice seating areas up there too.
MSC Bellissima docked in Barcelona
Stateroom
I booked a guaranteed inside cabin for an insanely good price but guess what! I got upgraded to a balcony cabin on Deck 12, mid-ship! Now I don’t know if that’s because I got lucky or because I run a cruise blog in my free time… but either way, I loved it! Location of the cabin was perfect, it was just across the hallway from the mid ship elevators and surprisingly there was no noise from the hallway. This cabin was spacious, in a good condition and pretty functional. The cabin looked contemporary and had everything I needed. I really liked the layout of this cabin and especially the layout of the bathroom, it is not big at all but it’s so functional that it really doesn’t need to be any bigger. The storage space is decent with a closet and drawers under the table, but it could get tight if you’re going on a longer cruise. I don’t usually stay in balcony cabins because, as we all know, they cost more, so I usually opt for more affordable inside cabin. Some people really dislike inside cabins, but to me theyโre perfect since I spend most of my time walking around the ship, so even when I have a balcony I donโt really use it all that muchโฆ it all depends on what you like and need! On this cruise the weather was definitely not great for using the balcony, but since I had it, I made it my top priority to use it! It was nice to watch sailaways from the balcony, but it would get cold quite quickly so I didn’t spend much time out there. Overall, I really liked my cabin, probably so much so that I’ll never look at my guaranteed inside cabins in the same way again! Ha-ha!
Balcony Cabin 12163
Bathroom
Activities onboard
On the top deck you will find four pools and seven whirlpools. One pool (Grand Canyon pool) is covered by a retractable roof so it can be used pretty much anytime anywhere! Main pool deck on this ship is one of the biggest ones I’ve seen on any ship so far. There are two big pools surrounded by a Baja shelf where awesome, comfy sun beds are located, I would call them prime real estate! Around both pools there is enough space for lounging and sunbathing, there are also pool bars nearby if you fancy a drink by the pool. Since this was a mid-November cruise you can imagine how busy the pools were. The indoor pool was used by some people, but it never got busy and I haven’t seen anyone using outdoor poolsโฆ I guess nobody was brave enough!
Main pool deck
There is also a huge waterpark at the back of the ship. It is called the Arizona water park and it features three water slides and a big waterpark area with all kinds of water features for young and young at heart cruisers! There is also a ropes course, just aft of the waterpark. This activity is also included in your cruise fare and I never really saw a line for it, but sadly I haven’t had time to do it. Maybe next time!
Arizona water park
I was really impressed with the Sportsplex and Leisure Centre on MSC Bellissima, sports complex come night club in the evening, is an incredibly large area. From a basket ball court to football, it can be used for just about anything. If that wasnโt enough the arcade complete with F1 simulation, 3D virtual reality activities and full sized bowling lane is enough to keep any game enthusiast busy. Note, some of these activities incur extra charges.
Bowling alley
On-board gym, spa and wellness facilities are pretty big, as they should be for a ship of this size. The gym was never crowded and it is located just a deck above the buffet… I think MSC is trying to say something with that… haha! I havenโt used spa facilities on this ship, but Iโve heard some great reviews of the Aurea spa on all MSC ships!
Dining
MSC Bellissima has 12 different dining venues, including Hola! the tapas bar from 2* Michelin Star chef Ramรณn Freixa. If tapas are not your thing, you can try Kaito Teppanyaki & Sushi bar, the American Steakhouse Butcherโs Cut or Lโatelier Bistrot, the French bistro. Many of these have outside tables with views over Bellissima’s two story indoor promenade, Galleria Bellissima, a great place to people watch.
Galleria Bellissima lined with shops and restaurants
As it was I mini cruise I didn’t have enough time to try many speciality dining options, but I did manage to dine in the Butcher’s Cut and in the Sushi bar. Freshly made Californian rolls with pickled ginger and wasabi were beyond delicious and fillet steak in the Butcher’s Cut was excellent. I would definitely recommend trying at least one speciality restaurant, not only beacuse the food is excellent, but also because each restaurant has a different decor and atmosphere so each night can be a totally different experience! There are some great dining packages on offer that do save you some money so look into that if you’re planning on dining in multiple speciality restaurants.
Oh, and how could I forget the delicious Crepes in the Jean-Philippe Crepes & Gelato shop on the Galleria Bellissima. The Crepes are worth every cent, they were so delicious! There are also many flavors of gelato offered here for around 3 euros a scoop. You can literally smell when this venue is open since the aroma of freshly made crepes spreads all throughout Galleria!
As well as the speciality dining, there are three main restaurants and a fabulous buffet restaurant. I was particularly impressed with the Marketplace buffet. The choice of fruit, cereals, breads and hot food was excellent. I loved the live cooking stations and had a hot breakfast with a freshly cooked omelette on mornings! One MAJOR thing I didn’t like was, there were no donuts for breakfastโฆ if you’re a cruise donut lover like me, prepare to be disappointed. Other than that, I was impressed by the overall quality and variety of the food in the buffet! EDIT: When I came back home from the cruise and posted this review, a person who was on the same cruise contacted me and told me that there were in fact donuts served for breakfast but in the kids section of the buffet… excuse my sobs!
Dinner in the main dining room was good too. I love the way the Italians serve four smaller courses, rather than overload your plate with one large main course. The desserts were particularly good too โ I didn’t expect anything less, desserts seem to be good on all Italian ships!
Entertainment
One of the biggest draws are the two Cirque du Soleil shows, that can not be seen anywhere else in the world. MSC built a specific auditorium for itโs Cirque du Soleil shows, with a 360 degree rotating stage and 40 meter long LED screens. Note there is an additional charge for Cirque du Soleil and it needs to be booked in advance. If Cirque du Soleil is not your thing, donโt worry, there are six different Broadway style shows to choose from. There are also 40 hours of live music each day and twenty different bars and lounges to choose from. Many of the bars and lounges are located close to the atrium of the ship, where the dazzling set of Swarovski crystal staircases is located. These are a feature on all newer MSC cruise ships and are considered a symbol of sophistication and a focal point of the ship. There are 96 steps in the main staircase (there are actually 6 Swarovski staircases on board) and each step has a staggering 640 Swarovski crystals! These stairs were ALWAYS busy, everyone wanted that signature Swarovski staircase photo!
During the day you can also participate in various events like dance lessons, quiz and trivia shows, karaokeโฆ there is something for everyone.
Itinerary
On this short cruise we visited Barcelona, Spain and Toulon, France. We were originally supposed to visit Marseille instead of Toulon but due to strong winds we were redirected. I didn’t mind this change since I have more cruises booked that are visiting Marsille (most Mediterranean cruises visit Marseille). Toulon is slightly off the beaten path for large cruise ships and most ships that visit it are much smaller than MSC Bellissima. She is so big that she became the biggest ship to ever dock there. Though keep in mind that the ship does NOT dock in Toulon but in the small city near Toulon called La Seyne-sur-Mer from where you can catch a free shuttle bus or a shuttle boat to Toulon. Rides with both are not long at all, around 10-15 minutes. I would definitely recommend taking the shuttle boat not only because it docks right on the waterfront of Toulon but also because you get beautiful views of your ship as you’re sailing around it to reach Toulon. I really liked this city, as it’s not busy as Marseille and it is known for its fountains, found in many of the small squares, each with a different character. The original system of fountains was built in the late 17th century but most were rebuilt in the 18th or early 19th century. Toulon is also an important centre for naval construction, fishing and winemaking. It is located in Provence after all! All in all, a beautiful city with a lot of charm and I’m really glad I got to visit it!
Barcelona on the other hand is a complete opposite of Toulon. It is a bustling port city and the second largest city in Spain. If you’ve been on a Mediterranean cruise, chances are that you’ve been to Barcelona, it is a major cruise port. At this stop we didn’t have a lot of time, so we decided to take the metro to Sagrada Familia and walk around the city centre. We also strolled trough La Rambla and many surrounding streets lined with many shops, cafes and restaurants. You can visit Barcelona a million times and still see something new each time. I love this city and its metropolitan atmosphere. I can’t wait to go back!
The embarkation and disembarkation port, Genova is a busy port city located on the Gulf of Genoa in the Ligurian Sea, Genova has historically been one of the most important ports on the Mediterranean, it is currently the busiest in Italy! It has been nicknamed la Superba due to its glorious past and impressive landmarks. Genova is also the birthplace of Christopher Columbus. The ship docks right in the city centre so if you have time definitely walk around the city and soak in the history that this place has the offer!
MSC
In conclusion, I would have to say that this ship exceeded my expectations. I expected huge crowds, lines and a shopping mall feeling, but in reality there were little to no crowds on-board and even though the ship is huge, it still feels, smells and looks like a ship! Embarkation and disembarkation were really easy and fast which was great since I didn’t have time to waste on this short mini cruise! I left the ship with a full stomach, and many great memories.
In my opinion, MSC offers a great product at reasonable prices. Officers and staff on board are welcoming and are working as hard as they can to ensure that you have the best on-board experience as possible. I’d say that you get your money’s worth no matter what! You can always grab something to eat, there’s always something happening on the ship and the itineraries that Bellissima offers are amazing.
I would not think twice about sailing on another Meraviglia class ship or with MSC in general. I really like what MSC offers, a subtle Italian experience on-board contemporary, state of the art ships!
If you have any questions about MSC Bellissima, MSC or anything in general just hit me up on Instagram or feel free to e-mail me!
Have you sailed on Bellissima or with MSC recently? What are your thoughts?
Hi everyone! I’m back from yet another amazing cruise adventure! I was on a 7-night Eastern Mediterranean cruise out of Venice on Costa Luminosa! This wasn’t my first Costa cruise, but it was my first time aboard Costa Luminosa. Here are my thoughts on this Italian beauty!
About the ship
Costa Luminosa is a mid-sized cruise ship, but at 92.700 gross tons and 11 passengers decks she definitely feels big and spacious. Costa Luminosa has a nearly identical sister ship Costa Deliziosa. They are both a hybrid class, taking the best features of previous Spirit and Vista class vessels owned by Carnival Corporation. At double occupancy, Luminosa can carry 2.260 guests and around 2.800 with all berths filled. That’s nothing compared to new ships these days! But she comes from a time when her size was slightly more impressive, she was delivered by Fincantieri shipyard in 2009, which makes her exactly 10 years old. Would you think that she is 10 years old while on-board..? Not at all, I was pleasantly surprised by the condition of the ship. Everything seemed properly maintained and clean.
I always get questions “Does it feel crowded onboard?“, I would say that this ship handles crowds pretty well. With more than 2500 people aboard, of course you can expect some lines during the peak hours at the buffet but that’s about it. I never felt like there were two and half thousand people with me because you could always find a quiet place to sit down and enjoy in some beautiful views, which were plentiful on this cruise!
Regarding my cabin, I stayed in a guaranteed inside cabin on Deck 5 forward. This cabin was clean, in a good condition and pretty functional. It was decently sized and had plenty of storage space, which is important on longer cruises. Some people really dislike inside cabins, but to me they’re perfect since I spend most of my time walking around the ship, so even when I have a balcony I don’t really use it all that muchโฆ it all depends on what you like! That’s why there are so many cabin options these days! Inside cabins are not that exciting, but they’re great if you’re cruising on a tight budget and you want to save some money.
Activities onboard
On the top deck you will find two large pools and four whirlpools. The aft pool and two whirlpools are for adults only which is great since there are many families with kids on board and we all know how loud kids can get! Both pools were sea water pools and were not heated, but whirlpools were definitely a hit with the crowds since there was always someone using them! Around both pools there is enough space for lounging and sunbathing, there are also pool bars nearby if you fancy a drink by the pool. Personally, I’m not really a fan of pools or hot tubs on-board, but they looked pretty inviting on this ship so I did take advantage of the empty pool deck and empty hot tubs while the ship was docked in Split, Croatia. Hot tubs were especially relaxing, definitely go for a swim on port days!
There were many other things to do on-board, activities like morning walks and afternoon yoga were on the daily schedule almost every day. You could also participate in game shows, quizzes, arts and crafts activities like napkin folding techniques and origami lessons. There was something for everyone.
On-board gym, spa and wellness facilities are pretty big for a ship of this size. The gym was never crowded, not even on a sea day. It is located on the top deck forward and from there you will have best sea views on the ship, a good way to lure you into the gym! I haven’t used spa facilities on this ship, but I’ve heard from other passengers that they’re worth the money.
Entertainment
Entertainment was consistent in quality all troughout the cruise. There were shows held in the main theatre every night. It’s good to know that Costa shows are slightly different than your average cruise shows because Costa ships do attract a more international crowd so most of the shows are musical, dance style shows with most of the songs being in English. There were also acrobatics shows which were also quite good, but the show that attracted the biggest crowd was ‘The Voice at Sea’. Basically the same principle like the show you watch on your TV, but with passengers being the participants. Costa organised an exclusive show only for Costa club members too! It was amazing and we were even offered with complimentary snacks and drinks! Definitely join Costa Club before your cruise, it’s easy and free to join! Fun fact: Top Costa cruiser on our cruise was a gentleman from Austria who sailed on 69 cruises with Costa… what a number!
Every evening there was live music in a couple of venues on-board, all different styles and genres. Something for everyone. There was also a two story disco which hosted a differently themed party every night. There was even a Peppa Pig foam party for kids! This ship definitely comes alive in the evenings! Highlight of this cruise for many passengers was the “Mister Cruise” election, which guarantees good laughs all throughout! Definitely not your usual beauty pageant!
Theme nights!
Each night had a theme and a suggested dress code, for example on our cruise there was an Italian night and the suggested dress code was red, white and green. We also had a white night, gala night and Latin night! I loved this, it’s fun to participate even in a small way. These are only suggested dress codes so if you don’t have anything that fits the suggested dress code, don’t worry! I’ve seen a lot of people doing their own thing and after all it is only suggested!
Dining
On an Italian ship you can expect some good Italian food and it does not disappoint! There are a couple of complimentary food venues such as the main buffet, Taurus Restaurant (main dining room) and Burger & Grill bar on the pool deck! There are also upcharge restaurants, Club Luminosa, Samsara Restaurant and Pizzeria Pummid’oro. Tip: If you plan on dining in specialty restaurants, definitely join Costa Club if you haven’t already because you will receive up to 50% discount on dining in specialty restaurants. You will also recieve special deals and discounts in bars and shops onboard!
Food in complimentary restaurants was pretty good. There is a large variety in both the MDR and the Buffet so you will definitely find something delicious to fill your plate with. If you’re not up for fancy Italian dishes you can always grab a burger and fries at the Burger bar on the pool deck. I would absolutely recommend desserts and pastries on Costa, they’re really tasty! I can’t even tell you how many donuts, pancakes and waffles I ate every morning. Delicious!
Dinners on Costa are quite an event on-board and usually last at least two hours. You can have up to 5 to 6 courses if you want to! When you board you are assigned to either early (main) or late sitting. Early sitting is at 18:45 and late is at 21:15. We were assigned late sitting which was not ideal, but I usually don’t go the MDR every night of the cruise anyway so not a big deal. If you really want to change sittings you can do that by asking the Maitre D’ and he will do anything he can to accommodate your needs! I’ve seen many people switch from late to early sitting since the late sitting does end quite late. See what works for you.
Beverage packages
Something I would definitely recommend is buying a drinks package. On Costa ships you don’t get free water with your meals in the main dining room and juices are only available during breakfast. Water is of course available 24/7 in the Buffet. On this cruise I’ve had the Panzo & Cena drinks package, it is the cheapest one but it was pretty adequate for my needs. It included sodas, selected wines and beers by the glass during the lunch and dinner in the MDR and the buffet. As a fan of sodas during my meals this package was perfect for me. There are also more expensive and more inclusive drinks packages offered that include a much wider selection of drinks and you can use those packages in all bars on the ship!
Itinerary
On this 7-night cruise, we visited six ports, including Venice. Some of them I’ve already been to but I was really excited to visit one port I’ve heard and seen so much about. I’m talking about Kotor, Montenegro! After visiting this beautiful city I would definitely recommend it to everyone. Not only is the city charming and stunning, but the scenery that you see on the way in and out of the Bay of Kotor will leave you speechless. It is the only fjord in the Adriatic and truly a hidden gem. If you think that your ship is huge, just wait to see it anchored in Kotor, it’ll look tiny compared to steep cliffs of surrounding mountains! I’m so glad I had a chance to visit it in October when the crowds are starting to die down since the old town is quite busy during the summer months!
We also visited Split in Croatia, the second biggest city in Croatia! The main attraction is the Diocletians Palace which is a short walk from the cruise pier, really convenient and a nice port to visit at least once! Next port was Katakolon, Greece. This little town used to be a fishing village but was developed by the influx of many cruise passengers which use this port as a starting point for their tours to Olympia, a place were first Olympic games were held!
Highlight of this cruise for many people was Athens! The capitol of Greece offers many things, but one of the main locations everybody visits when in Athens is the Acropolis. With that in mind, expect crowds and lines. The ticket to visit the Acropolis costs 20 Euros, but online you can buy a ‘skip a line’ ticket for 21.50 Euros, which is great if you’re a cruise passenger since every minute in port is valuable! Port of Pireaus (port in which cruise ships dock) is not near the Acropolis or the city center of Athens so you will have to take a shuttle bus organised by your cruise line, a shore excursion organised by your cruise line or you can take the bus or metro. Ticket for metro costs 1.50 Euro and it’s a 20 minute ride from the port to the city center where the Acropolis is located. We took the metro, but be aware that this is a big city so leave enough time to make it back to port on time! You definitely DON’T want to miss your ship!
Costa
On Instagram and Twitter I frequently get asked “Is Costa for me?” or “Can I go on a Costa cruise even though I don’t speak any Italian?“. My answer is always, try it out and see if it works for you. But what I can tell you is that you can definitely cruise with Costa without having any Italian speaking skills, I meanโฆ Look at me! Ha-ha! Just expect that most of the passengers on the ship won’t speak the same language you’re speaking (unless you’re Italian of course!) On my cruise there were around 60 English speaking passengers and there is an English speaking representative to help you out if you have any problems on board.
In my opinion Costa is an Italian version of Carnival. Fun ships with an Italian twist. Expect international crowds and passengers of all age groups. On my cruise I saw toddlers and people over the age of 80, so it’s definitely for all age groups! I would also like to mention that Costa ships are quite loud and full of life, so keep that in mind if you’re looking for a more peaceful and quiet atmosphere onboard! I would recommend this line to anyone who likes to party and have a good time, try new things and be immersed in a different culture! If you’re thinking about booking or have a chance to book a cruise on this ship or this cruise line definitely check it out. If you like it great, if not at least you know for certain that it’s not for you!
Final thoughts
In conclusion, I had a blast on this magnificent ship and I would not think twice about cruising with Costa or on Costa Luminosa again! I like the product that Costa is offering and I also like that they offer good deals and a variety of itineraries. This was not my first time on Costa as I’ve already mentioned, I was on the Inaugural sailing of Costa’s newest ship, Costa Venezia! To say that I loved that ship is an understatement! A ship specifically built for the Asian market but with Italy and Venice as it’s trademark! I have a review of my cruise on that amazing ship on my blog too! Check it out HERE! I also have a cruise booked on the highly anticipated Costa Smeralda, new LNG powered mega ship for Costa! January can’t come soon enough! I’ll be posting about that experience too on my instagram and of course here, so stay tuned!
All in all, I’d like to thank Costa for an amazing cruise experience and all of your for your likes, comments and constant support here and on Instagram. I am so grateful that I get to share my cruise passion and adventures with all of you!
On Sunday, September 29th I had an amazing opportunity to visit and tour Holland Americaโs newest ship, the Nieuw Statendam on itโs maiden call in Dubrovnik, Croatia!
I didnโt know what to expect from Nieuw Statendam or from Holland America Line since Iโve never taken a cruise with them. You may ask yourself why, well because firstly, I am a budget cruiser and secondly, because intineraries that HAL usually offers in the Mediterranean are longer which can cost quite a lot. But after seeing this ship and what is has to offer Iโd say that you DO get your moneyโs worth.
Now letโs talk about the ship! Nieuw Statendam is HALโs newest ship in the fleet of 14 vessels. She is the sixth ship in the Holland America fleet to have Statendam in its name. The first dates back to 1898. Nieuw Statendam made her debut in December of 2018 and was christened by non other than Oprah Winfrey herself in February. She is still relatively brand new since cruise ships are built to last for at least a couple of decades! Nieuw Statendam is the second cruise ship in Holland America Lineโs Pinnacle class, following her sister ship, Koningsdam. It measures up at just over 99 thousand gross tons and 299 meters in length. It can carry 2666 guests at double occupancy and around 3000 at maximum(all beths occupied). She has 14 decks, three pools, 9 restaurants, 10 bars… etc. That might seem huge but in todayโs world, Nieuw Statendam is still considered as mid-sized cruise ship.
Nieuw Statendam pulling into Port of Dubrovnik!
So after many days of anticipation I made my way to Dubrovnik to board the ship on itโs maiden call, itโs a postponed one since Nieuw Statendam was supposed to visit Dubrovnik on itโs first voyage back in December 2018 but was cancelled due to bad weather which is not unusual for that time of the year.
When I boarded the ship, at 11AM, many guests were already off to explore Dubrovnikโs old town and many other places that are worth visiting around Dubrovnik. Of course the main attractions now are Game of Thrones shooting locations. But no matter what you want visit you have enough time because Holland America really puts destinations in the first place and gives you enough time at each port to explore the port inside out. So Nieuw Statendam was in Dubrovnik till 11 PM. Great for me too, enough time to explore the ship!
This ship has so much to offer so exploring it in only a couple of hours was truly an interesting mission. Here are some of the most notable features of the ship!
The Retreat
Lido Pool
Top deck recreation
On Nieuw Statendam you wonโt find rock climbing walls or water slides. But Iโm sure you wonโt be bored. On the top deck you can find two pools (Lido & Sea View Pool) and 5 hot tubs. Pools are pretty large for a ship of this size. On the top deck (deck 11) you will find lot of deck chairs and showers, a perfect place for sunbathing. There is also a pretty large sports court and a running track which circles around the magrodome which covers the main pool. The Lido Pool (mid-ship) is covered by a retractable glass roof (magrodome) so you can use that pool basically anytime in any weather conditions. If you want some peace and quiet, you can go to The Retreat. A beautiful area where you can rent out a cabana and enjoy in a dedicated bar service, complimentary snacks and a hot tub, itโs very secluded and exclusive.
Sea View pool
Sports Court
Public Areas
The public areas on Nieuw Statendam are beautiful with light, bright tones and modern art works throughout. The overall look of the ship is a really interesting balance between a traditional feel and a modern feel, and so although some of the decor is sort of traditional the artwork is very contemporary so it has quite a nice mix to it. My favorite area onboard must be Explorations Central & Cafรฉ. It is basically a completely revamped Crowโs nest. It is located on the top deck forward (Deck 12) which is great for amazing views. Here you will find a cafรฉ bar, a library, many cozy seats and a shore excursions desk with huge touch screen tables. Touch screen panels provide guides to destinations the ship is visiting and fun passenger quizzes which are displayed on the video screens around the lounge so everyone can see them. You could spend hours playing around on these touch panels. All in all this area is perfect if you want to learn something, read a good book or just soak in amazing sea views.
Fitness & Wellness
If you really want to burn off those extra calories from your last cruise, Nieuw Statendam has a stunning and extensive fitness area with shiny new gym equipment. There are complimentary fitness and stretch classes, plus additional classes such as pilates for a fee.
If youโre up for some relaxation there is a spa which offers all sorts of special treatments and massages. Attached to the spa area is an extensive thermal area which has a hydro pool, steam room and heated lounge section. This is a pay-per-use area or you can purchase a pass that lasts the duration of the cruise.
Greenhouse Spa & Salon – Deck 9 Forward
Koningsdam – Holland America Line
Activities:
There is a daily program delivered to your room every night called When & Where (I picked it up at the Reception desk, good tip if you misplace yours!) which will have a wide range of activities like competitions, quizzes, deck games and other fun things to do. You have a whole range of shops which sell everything from branded HAL merchandise, jewellery, perfume, alcohol and the usual things you find on a cruise ship. Also thereโs quite a big Art Gallery which actually looks like a real gallery, where you can bid for and buy artwork. On Nieuw Statendam you can also find a Digital Workshop, this space was created in a partnership with Microsoft and this is where โHow to use your computerโ classes are held, usually for older guests. But there are also activities for kids and teens in Club HAL. There are three separate clubs, for young ones, tweeny ones up to 12 or 13 and another for teenagers up to 16 or 17. And finally what would a cruise be without taking lots of photos and taking them home with you so of course there is a Photo Shop which is in a partnership with Fuji Film. You can also take your own photographs that you might have taken on your iPhone or camera to get printed or create your own products like mugs.
Dining:
Of course many of us love to try out all different sorts of food on a cruise and trust me, you wonโt be going home hungry from a cruise on this ship! Nieuw Statendam has a choice of nine dining venues. Some of these are inclusive with others having an additional charge, as is the case on most cruise lines. The quality of the dining is high as you would expect from a 5-star cruise ship and I would say that you do get what you paid for. For complimentary dining you can choose between these 4 venues:
Lido Market (Main Buffet)
Main dining room
Dive In (burgers, hot dogs and French fries)
New York Pizza & Deli (Pizzas, Sandwiches and Salads)
Since this is a more premium cruise line there is a bigger number of complimentary dining venues. Lido market offers a large variety of basically everything and anything. It is probably the best buffet Iโve seen yet. It has many separate food stations so I believe that there is no overcrowding during peak hours and also there is plenty of seating all around the buffet so you donโt have to wonder around with your plate looking for a table. Personally I was really keen on giving โDive Inโ a try since Iโve heard so much about how good the burgers are. I must say that the burgers are exceptional and so are the French fries. Iโm honestly shocked that this venue is included in your cruise fare. What is great about Dive In and New York Pizza & Deli is that everything is made when you order it. So youโre sure youโre getting fresh and hot out of the oven food!
And of course I cannot skip the main dining room, which is arguably the most beautiful part of Nieuw Statendam. It spans two decks (Decks 2 and 3 aft) and is truly a showstopper. Lunch, tea time and dinner (two seatings) is offered in the main dining room.
You can also eat in several upcharge restaurants and those are:
Canaletto (Italian restaurant)
Tamarind (Asian restaurant)
Rudiโs sel de Mer
Pinnacle grill
Club Orange (complimentary for suite guests)
To dine in these restaurants you do have to pay a certain price but they all offer different and unique menus worth trying out if youโre a foodie. If you want to dine in Club Orange and you are a non-suite guest you can do that by paying 50$ per person per day. From what Iโve heard the food is amazing in all upcharge restaurants but that the fan favorite is the Pinnacle grill!
Entertainment:
Whether it is the three music venues that the ship boasts, or simply that decks on the ship are named after composers, music will carry you through your sailing. On this ship, and HAL in general you will always be able to find live music being played at different locations all around the ship. The Music Walk area on Deck 2 of Nieuw Statendam includes everything from a string piano quintet on Lincoln Center Stage to the hard rock tunes of the Rolling Stone Rock Room. Mixed in are the stars of the popular Holland American Line BB Kings Blues Band, plus two pianists which play simultaneously in the Billboard Onboard. There is also the main theater called the โWorld Stageโ which is truly unique. You as a spectator are sorrounded by a 270ยฐ LED screen. This is where the main shows with complex sound and light presentations take place. These feature talented dancers which use large wraparound digital screens to their advantage. If youโre not up for that, you can always watch a movie on the top deck. They show movies on a huge screen which is located at the main pool area, while youโre watching the movie you can snack on complimentary popcorn and pretzels. This would probably be my favorite thing to do after a busy day of exploring the port I was in.
Accomodation:
I wasnโt able to tour any of the accommodations as Nieuw Statendam was sailing at full capacity, but here is a short breakdown of all the various grades of cabins. On this ship you can choose between 280 Inside cabins, 203 Ocean view cabins and 786 Verandah (balcony) cabins. Now if you want a bigger stateroom and some perks included you can opt for a Vista Suite, Signature Suite or Neptune & Pinnacle Suite. Be aware that there is not a large number of these more exclusive cabins so you should definitely book far in advance, especially if you want to grab a good deal! Cabins do look amazing on this ship and I wouldnโt be unhappy with a guarantee inside cabin since Nieuw Statendam has so many lovely spaces to sit and relax, there is no need to spend much time in your cabin. Thanks to HAL for imagines below of various cabins onboard.
Ocean-view Stateroom
Verandah Stateroom
In concluison I really liked Nieuw Statendam and everything about it. This ship is, in my opinon, of a perfect size. Big enough to offer everything you need on a cruise ship but still small enough to feel cozy and exclusive. Also I was really amazed by the ammount of dining and entertainment venues onboard this ship, since it “only” carries 2.500 people. I really like the decor and layout of this ship and if you sailed on Vista or Signature class, you will feel like you already know this ship since the layout is pretty similar. Crew is another thing that shouldn’t be overlooked. Even though I was there only for a day, I was impresed by the crew onboard.
To be honest, I had my doubts about Holland America, since it is know to be a 50 plus cruise line. But lately, and especially with it’s new ships, HAL is trying to attract younger audiences and I believe that it’s pretty succesful in that mission. Onboard I saw not only younger guests but also families and young couples. Also there is a huge variety of things to do on board that cater to different age groups. So after touring Nieuw Statendam I can tell you that if you were thinking about booking a cruise on this ship, no matter if you’re younger or older, I definitely recommend it! 10/10!
Finally many thanks to HAL for the ship tour! I canโt wait to cruise on Holland Americaโฆ soon, I hope.
In March of 2019 I was lucky enough to be on the โvernissageโ cruise of Costa Venezia. Yes! I was on the first cruise of a completely new ship! A first new Costa ship to debut in 5 years. To say it was amazing would be an understatement! Costa Venezia is a Costa ship specifically designed and made to cater to Asian guests. She is a ship built with the Chinese market in mind. At 135.000 GTs she is currently the biggest Costa ship, well at least until November when Costa Smeralda will debut at 180.000 GTs. If Costa Venezia looks familiar to you, Iโm going to tell you whyโs that. Itโs because Costa Venezia is a Vista class ship. Other ships in that class are very well known Carnival fun ships Carnival Vista and Horizon, her corporate cousins! If youโre a ship geek like me here are a couple of quick facts about the ship:
Length: 324 meters
Passenger capacity: 5.260
Crew: 1.300
Passenger decks: 14
Venezia only did two cruises that were available to be booked by western guests. A Six-day โVernissageโ cruise and a 53-day repositioning cruise from Trieste to Tokyo! I was lucky and also quick enough to book a 6-day cruise on this beauty that is probably not coming back to Europe anytime soon! The cruise I was on started and ended in Trieste, Italy and visited Bari, Corfu and Dubrovnik. We were also meant to visit Zadar, Croatia but because of bad weather conditions we stayed in Dubrovnik for an overnight which I really canโt complain about since so many people pay extra for cruises that include overnight port stops!
I started my cruise by arriving in Trieste a day before the cruise to explore the city because Iโve never been to Trieste but to also see the ship docked there, since itโs christening happened just a day before, so it was tied up in Trieste for three days for the press to take a look at the amazing new ship before itโs started itโs first cruise! Trieste is a beautiful city, full of history and places to explore. You can spend a good amount of time just walking around and admiring the beauty of this small coastal city. Trieste is not a big city but itโs love for itโs sea and ships runs strong, since the city was established and fueled by fishers and shipbuilders, this was best shown in a way that all throughout the day visitors were pouring down to the cityโs waterfront to snap a picture of a brand new ship that was built in a nearby shipyard located in the city of Monfalcone. You could sense an amount of pride that Italians have for these Italian built ships that sail all around the world.
I rented a room not too far from the cruise terminal (which is conveniently located right across the main city square) so walking to the ship next morning did not take too long. Boarding (from arriving to the terminal to boarding the ship) did take some time but you have to know that the cruise terminal in Trieste is not as big as terminals in larger cruise ports. Boarding did not last longer than an hour, and with good company time flies! And there we were, on a brand new ship. We stepped on to the ship around noon and the cabins were already ready, but thatโs because NO-ONE stayed in them before us so crew had more time to get our cabins ready. Usually cabins are not ready that early! The ship is beautifully decorated and the theme you ask? Of course, itโs Venice! Everything is made to pay tribute to that unique Italian town but not in a tacky way. Costa found a way to pay homage to this Italian city while still making the ship look contemporary and classy. Main decks of this huge ship are decks 4,5 & 6 where everything from main restaurants to shops and the Main Atrium is located. And of course decks 10&11 where the spa, buffet and the lido deck is located.
I stayed in an ocean view cabin on deck 1. The cabin was pretty big, but the thing I did not expect was two washrooms! There was a washroom with a toilet, shower and a sink and there was another washroom with a tub and a sink! It was amazing to have this, I can only imagine how useful this is when there are 4 people in the cabin! The cabin number was 1392 and it was nicely decorated with the main theme ofcourse being Venice. There are many plug sockets and USB charging ports. There is also a flat screen TV where you can check your onboard account, book shore excursions and spa treatments. Storage space was also nice with three huge closets and drawers underneath the table. Weirdly enough there was no mini fridge. Oh well, thatโs a feature I almost never use anyway! We had an amazing room steward called Dante, he was very helpful and took care of us and our cabin everyday!
One of my favorite parts of this ship was the ships Atrium. It was made to look like Piazza San Marco in Venice and somehow they did manage to cramp the charm and beauty of Piazza San Marco into this three deck high space. I was also impressed by the ships Lido pool area. It looked like a small city square with a pool and even two huge artificial trees. How crazy does that sound but trust me, it looks even better in person! Some other amazing features of this ship were itโs Main Theatre called Rosso theatre, which is all red and gold and takes your breath away. But be aware that the theatre on this ship is slightly smaller, so it does tend to fill up pretty quickly. I heard that this is a problem also on Carnival Vista and Horizon which share the same layout. There are also multiple lounges and bars where various events can be held, like trivia, dance classes etc. Costa Venezia also has a large number of high end shops and a huge casino. Much larger then Iโve seen on any other ship. One of the best design features of this class of ships is itโs outdoor promenade on Deck 5 which goes around the whole ship and offers outdoor seating for many specialty restaurants and loungers to soak up the sun!
Dining
This ship has two main restaurants, Marco Polo Restaurant(mid-ship, one deck) and Grand Canal Restaurant (aft, two decks). I was assigned early seating in the Grand Canal Restaurant and thatโs the more beautiful one in my opinion since it literally has a canal in the middle of the restaurant with a real gondola in it! You can also dine in four specialty restaurants onboard. On the lido deck you will also find Burger bar and Dim-Sum (wok food restaurant) and at the back of the buffet there is a Pizza bar and a sea food shack. These we all complimentary on or cruise but I believe that there was a fee added when the ship arrived in China. Now about the food and service. The food in the main restaurant was great and I have nothing to complain about there, food in the buffet was also great but throughout six days I saw little to no change in what they were offering. On Costa ships you will find best desserts in my opinion, from cakes to sugar free soufflรฉs, everything is amazing! Service on the ship was excellent and I have nothing bad to say about any of the crew. Of course it was the first sailing so it would be crazy to expect everything to be perfect. Itโs new ship for the crew as much as itโs new to you! So go on inaugural sailings with a bit of understanding that some things will go wrong, or take longer or be confusing so pack some patience and youโll be good to go!
Now about the itinerary!
To be quite honest as a passionate cruiser and cruise ship โgeekโ, on this cruise the itinerary took a backseat. After all it was all about the brand new ship! Having said that, this itinerary was great for a short cruise! I did not take shore excursions at any of the ports, but made sure to at least see main attractions of each city. On the first day we visited Bari, Italy, a bustling port city, more oriented towards industry than tourism. It has an old city in which you can explore narrow old ally ways. The old city is a short, 10-minute walk from where the ships docks. We walked for a bit, bought a mandatory fridge magnet and returned back onboard to enjoy the ship!
On the second day of the cruise we visited Corfu, Greece, a beautiful town which is really picturesque and charming. I bet everyone whoโs gone on an eastern Mediterranean cruise visited Corfu, but itโs a town worth visiting many times since itโs so nice to just walk around the town and enjoy the Greek culture all around you. You can take some amazing photos in Corfu and find some good bargains in itโs plentiful street shops which offer basically everything and anything! Donโt judge me, but in Croatia we do not have Starbucks so whenever I see one, itโs a must go for me. There are also many cafรฉs, and the prices are really good. The city center, is not that close to the cruise port. You can take a shuttle bus which takes you to the city center for a small fee or go on foot, which I did and I would say it is a half an hour walk along the main road.
Our final stop was Dubrovnik, Croatia, or as many tourists know it as the city where massively popular TV show Game Of Thrones was shot! This was supposed to be a one day stop but it turned into an overnight stop in Dubrovnik. Which when you think about it sounds really elite since many luxury cruise lines offer overnight stops to explore the city youโre docked in. I got really lucky in a way! In Dubrovnik you can explore the old town which is not big but itโs full of historical places you can read about all day long. Itโs a city so rich with history that one day is not enough to learn about everything this city can tell you! But be aware, thousands of tourists flock to this city during the summer season so better avoid Dubrovnik from June-September! Port of Gruz, cruise port in Dubrovnik is a good 30-minute walk away from the Old town, but every cruise line offers shuttle buses which take you from the pier to the city center. Prices can vary, on my cruise it was 10โฌ pp and buses were leaving every ten minutes.
In conclusion, I would have to say that I was amazed by the beauty of this new Costa ship and by the new direction Costa is taking, regarding to their interior designs. I was not expecting perfect service and food since I am familiar with the fact that some inaugural cruises do not go as planned but on this cruise nothing was that much different from any other ordinary cruise. I found out that on my cruise there were only around 3.600 passangers so itโs was no wonder that I never felt like the ship was overcrowded or had any problems with passanger flow. This ship also has these new โsmart elevatorsโ. You can find these elevators only on this ship and Carnival Horizon. They are made to handle a bigger number of people in a way that you press a deck on a screen you want to go on infront of elevators banks and the screen directs you to an elevator thatโs going to that deck. It makes sense since elevator can then take a direct route to that deck. The problem is not many people were familiar with this technology so I did not really see the difference in crowding and waiting times compared to traditional elevators.
Smart elevators.
I would definitely recommend this ship and Costa to anyone who wants to have an Italian experience at sea. It is a lively cruise line with most of the passengers coming from many European countries. On Costa ships you will always find live music being played in various lounges and also many activities take place during the day and run well into late night, for those who want to party! Service and food is amazing so if you havenโt tried Costa yet I definitely recommend that you at least try the Italian way of cruising!
On a cloudy September day of 2018 I was invited by Azamara to check out one of their ships, Azamara Quest in Rijeka, Croatia. This is the smallest ships I’ve been on but by far the most luxurious one!
A little bit about the ship:
As a ship geek you know I have to tell you something technical about this ship and it’s history! Azamara Quest is an R-class cruise ship that entered service for Azamara Cruises on 24 October 2007. She was built in 2000 for Renaissance Cruises as R Seven. Following the collapse of Renaissance Cruises in 2001 she was laid up for two years, until chartered to the Germany-based Delphin Seereisen as Delphin Renaissance. In 2006 she was sold to the Spain-based Pullmantur Cruises and renamed Blue Moon. She sailed for Pullmantur until 2007 when she was transferred to Azamara Cruises. I love that this ship has such a rich history, it makes the ship so much more interesting!
Quick facts:
Class and type:
R-class cruise ship
Tonnage:
30,277 GT
Length:
181.00 m (593 ft 10 in)
Decks:
11 (9 passenger decks)
Capacity:
686 passengers
Crew:
408
Quick facts!
Azamara Quest docked in Rijeka! As you can see. weather was miserable…
It was a rainy day but nothing could stop this ship visit from happening! We arrived at the pier and were immediately greeted by Azamara’ crew, of course we had to show our identification and ยจVoila”! We’re onboard! As soon as you board the ship you feel glamorous and rich because Azamara Quest is a really luxurious ship… I could get used to that feeling!
Public spaces – tour
Azamara Quest is classified as a luxury butique ship do don’t expect it to be big, but it still has much to offer. We started our tour in the main atrium which is small but still spans two decks and features a gorgeous central staircase, which reminds me slightly of the Titanic’s staircase I might add! This is where you’ll find Guest Services and the Shore Excursions desk. After a couple of mandatory pictures we continued our tour towards this ships version of the main theatre. It’s called the Cabaret Lounge and it seats around 200 people. All sorts of shows, lectures and other types entertaiment happen here. I’ve heard they do four different main shows! I did not have a chance to witness entertaiment onboard since it was just a day visit but I’ve heard that it’s really good! You can also participate in educational lectures which cover various subjects. What I really like is that they do lectures about the the ports/countries you’re visiting, since Azamara is a cruise line that offers you more culturally immersive and destination oriented cruises.
Let’s continue our tour! Towards the back of the ship you will find The Den. It’s a lounge that was recently added in a big refurbishment and it inspires you with tools to travel to all corners of the world, those “tools” are travel books, guides, and destination – focused activities. Again, this just shows you how culturally immersive and destination oriented Azamara can be.
At the very back of the ship you will find the Discoveries Bar and the Discoveries restaurant. The Bar is located just outside Azamara’s main restaurant, it is a favorite gathering place for pre- and post-dinner conversation and drinks. On this deck you will also find The Quest shop, photo gallery and the atrium cafe.
If you love beautiful sea views you will love The Living Room! It’s a lounge on the top deck that overlooks the bow of the ship and it really looks like a living room, it has cozy, comfortable furniture and a bar where they also serve snacks during the day. You can also enjoy some quiet time and read a book at The Drawing Room, a quiet library onboard with a wide variety of books to choose from! This is one of the best libraries at sea, it’s not the biggest but it has so much charm and they have so many books in there, everything from teen novels to city guides (believe me I checked!)
Cabaret Lounge
Shops
Strange heads sculpture!
Staterooms
Decks 6,7 and 8 are all cabin decks. Sadly for us, the whole ship was sold out so we couldn’t see any cabins, but that just shows you how much people love Azamara! You can rarely find a sold out ship in late September in the Adriatic. Since Quest is a luxury cruise ship, most of her staterooms are balcony cabins or suites, and don’t expect outdated cabins… all of them were recently refurbished so nothing in your cabin should be older than a year or two!
Top deck activities
No, on this ship you won’t find rock climbing walls and rollercoasters but there is a decently sized pool and two hot tubs with plenty of sun loungers, and each one is covered with a plush towel… you can truly see how luxurious the ship is just by looking at the towels! There is also a pool bar and a small stage. A pretty basic top deck but in a best way possible, I can only imagine how relaxing this deck is on a sea day!
Fitness & Spa
What would a cruise ship even be without the spa and fitness center. The Sanctum spa onboard offers all sorts of treatments and massages, it even has a terrace overlooking the bow of the ship with a hot tub that offers amazing forward facing views! The gym onboard is pretty large too for such a small ship. They also offer a variety of group classes, like yoga, pilates and even cycling classes! But you know that I don’t really like to venture into gyms other than to take photos on the first day of the cruise!
Dining
Now we can talk about food! Like on every ship, there is a main dining room (Discoveries restaurant) and the buffet! I saw the MDR lunch menu and everything on it looked interesting and it’s all probably delicious.. The buffet onboard is not big but a large variety of food is offered, there is even an ethnic corner with local dishes, so for example that day they had local croatian dishes like Strukli and Cevapi!
This ship offers two specialty restaurants too. Aqualina and Prime C. Aqualina is where we had lunch and I must admitt, it was one of the best lunches I had! The food and the service on this ship is excellent!
In conclusion, I have to say that as a person who loves big, newer ships I would not think twice about cruising on this smaller ship or with Azamara in general. You would NOT think that this an older ship since everything looks and smells brand new. I also really love the decor on this ship, it has that old cruising charm with contemporary elements. I love it! This ship is great for what it serves, amazing destination oriented itineraries, it is small enough to visit ports that cannot accomodate large ships but the ship is still big enough to offer you all you might need on a cruise. In the end I would have to say that this ship is one of the best ones I’ve been on!
Have you sailed with Azamara? What are your thoughts about this cruise line?
On August 11th of 2019 I was invited by MSC Cruises to visit one of their older ships, MSC Sinfonia! The visit took place in Split, Croatia, a beautiful city on the Dalmatian coast. A tourist hub for tourists travalling to many Croatian islands. Since I’ve never been on a smaller MSC ship, this was a huge opportunity to check out what MSC offers on their older, smaller ships!
About the ship:
MSC Sinfonia is one of the oldest ships in MSC’s fleet. She started her career as European Stars in 2002. Festival cruises, the company which owned her at the time, went bankrupt in January 2004. European Stars was impounded and laid up in Barcelona on 19th of January 2004. She remained there for several months until she was sold to MSC cruises and was renamed MSC Sinfonia. She also has an older identical sister ship MSC Armonia(European Vision), which shared the same fate as her sister. Sinfonia entered service with MSC in March 2005.
Quick facts:
Class and type:
Lirica class cruise ship
Tonnage:
58,625 GT 65,542 GT (after renovation)
Length:
251.25 m (824.3 ft) 274.9 m (902 ft) (after renovation)
Beam:
28.8 m (94 ft) 32 m (105 ft) (after renovation)
Height:
54 m (177 ft)
Draught:
6.8 m (22 ft 4 in)
Depth:
6.6 m (22 ft)
Decks:
9 (passenger accessible) 13 (total)
Speed:
21.1 knots (39.1 km/h; 24.3 mph)
Capacity:
2,087 passengers (double occupancy) 2,679 passengers (maximum after renovation)
Crew:
721
MSC Sinfonia docked in Split,Croatia!
Time for a visit!
I boarded the ship at approx. 9 AM. The ship was already docked in Split for a couple of hours so many passangers were already off. The boarding was pretty painless, I had to show my visitors pass and proper identification. As soon as you board the ship you enter the main atrium which is not big, but it is a stunner. Atrium covers two decks, decks 5 and 6. At the atrium you will find the reception desk, a bar, a lounge and a beautiful water feature. A cascading water wall which gives the atrium a serene and peacefull vibe. Foward of the atrium is the main theatre which seats around 700 people and this is where the main shows are performed twice a night so everyone has a chance too see them. Have you noticed that newer ships have no water features or fountains that older ships have?
As I continued to explore the ship, I came across many bars and lounges such as Budha piano bar, Sinfonia lounge (which includes a small library with a variety of books in many lanuages), Manhattan bar and of course Shelagh’s House Irish Pub. You can find an Irish pub on every MSC ship! Each bar and lounge is themed beautifully so they are all unique and they are all spread out nicely so they do not get crowded.
Dining onboard
This ship has two main restaurants. First one called II Galeone on Deck 5 and the second one called II Covo on Deck 6. In these restaurants you can eat all 3 included meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) Breakfast and lunch will be served in a buffet style manner.
If you’re NOT the main reastaurant type, don’t worry. MSC Sinfonia has a beautiful buffet on deck 11 called La Terrazza Buffet. Something that I’ve never seen before but heard about was a really helpful Buffet map. It shows you what there is to eat and where is it in the buffet! How helpful, every cruise line should have this! Slightly foward of the buffet on Deck 11 is the Hamburger Paradise and Pizza & Pasta shop which are both also included in your cruise fare and offer fast food type of snacks and pizza. I had a chance to eat breakfast and lunch on this ship, and I must say the food was DELICIOUS. Sometimes I am a picky eater but on this ship there was something for everyone, truly the variety of food was as big as it was on my previous cruise on Costa Venezia, which is a ship many times larger than Sinfonia. If you’re cruising only because of food , then this is the ship for you!
Activities
On deck 11 you can also find two pools and a Doremi spray park which was added after her huge refit in which the ship was lengthend by 25 meters! Foward of the pool area is a small but not lacking spa and a gym with awesome foward facing sea views! On Deck 12 there is not much to talk about other than sun bed spaces and a Pasha club disco, which offers amazing aft views from the dop deck.
The ship also has dedicated children areas which look awesome, themed and sponsored by LEGO, they make me want to be a kid again just to be allowed in those areas! There is also a basketball court on the top deck and a mini golf area.
I love this ship class because it offers open aft public decks. These open decks offer you those amazing wake views we all love.
In conclusion I didn’t know what to expect since Sinfonia is an older ship and was not built for MSC, unlike her newer step-sisters MSC Lirica and Opera. But I was positively surprised by the state of the ship is in and by the ammenities it offers. I would reccomend this ship to anyone who knows what to expect on a cruise ship that is older than a couple of years. No, you will not find go karts or rock climbing walls on this ship. What you will find is a ship full of beautiful spaces to relax in, kick back and watch the world go by! Isn’t that the point of cruising?
This ship really made me wonder what other MSC ships have to offer and what they look like. I will for sure sail with MSC after what I’ve seen, I can only imagine what their bigger ships have to offer!
Have you sailed with MSC? What are your experiences?
Hey everybody! Long time no see… I’m back from another cruise adventure! Hard to believe I know, especially in these times… but finally cruising is slowly coming back and wow, was it worth the wait. My first post-covid cruise was slightly different from my usual cruise expereiences… it was on a smaller ship, much closer to home, infact I haven’t even left my own country, but was it as equally amazing as my previous adventures? Definitely! If anything, this was the most relaxing cruise I’ve ever been on.
I cruised with a Croatian cruise line, Katarina Line, onboard one of their most luxurious vessels, MV Avangard from Dubrovnik to Split, visiting many beautiful islands on the way. While I was onboard I kept a short diary of each day just to remember what I did, so I thought I should upload it here before I post other blog posts from my cruise!
MV Avangard approaching Dubrovnik!
๐ณ DAY 1
Today is the day! I’m finally boarding the MV Avangard and look at her while she was approaching the dock, isn’t she a beauty!
The first day flew by so fast, but cruise days are always like that arenโt they!๐ As soon as I stepped onboard the ship I knew that this was going to be a completely different cruise experience! The check-in was easy breezy, no long lines in terminals, credit card set-ups etc. you just show up, find your name on the list and Voila, you’re ready to board the ship!๐ Finding the cabin wasnโt hard either; there are only 18 cabins onboard and I have the cabin number 3! Never had a single digit cabin number on a cruise before!๐ The cabins are what surprised me the most, I expected something much more modest on a smaller ship, but the cabins are luxurious and pretty spacious! I think itโs bigger than most cabins I had on large ships! I even have a window in my bathroom!๐ Cabins on this ship are basically identical to those you’ll find on large cruise ships, so don’t think that you’ll have a small, dark closet room on a smaller ship!
Once we all settled in our cabins, we headed on a guided tour of Dubrovnik! Iโve visitied this city so many times, but I love coming back, itโs just so historic and there is so much to see! I could walk around the narrow streets of the Old Town for days. We even went on the cable car to the top of the Mountain Srฤ from where you can see the whole city of Dubrovnik! One thing I should mention is that all guided tours are included in your cruise fare on this ship!๐คฉ
Of course all meals are also included in your cruise fare as well and let me tell you, the dinner was delicious!๐คค Everything you eat on the ship is bought locally, prepared and made onboard so the food quality is excellent! I think Iโm going to gain some weight on this ship, the restaurant is right above my room!๐
Now I really have to head to bed, it’s been a long and busy day! If I had’t spent whole last night on the bus to Dubrovnik I would’ve went out to explore Dubrovnik since we’re spending the night here, but I’m just too tired for that! See you all tomorrow!
View of the Old Town and the walls of Dubrovnik from our ship!
๐ณ DAY 2
Day two started with our first sailaway! Weโre spending the nights in ports so you have the amazing opportunity to experience each city at night, something you canโt really do on most cruises!๐คฉ Captain took a slight detour this morning and gave us a unique opportunity to see the Old Town of Dubrovnik and its walls from the sea!๐ This city looks beautiful from every angle, but seeing it from the sea is really spectacular!๐
After a scenic ride around the walls of Dubrovnik, the ship headed north to a small town of Slano, a starting point for tours of Ston! Ston is small town located around 30 minutes away from where the ship docks by bus. It is famous for its walls which are still one of the longest fortification systems in the world that is still standing, it is commonly called the โEuropean wall of Chinaโ!๐ฐDefinitely worth a visit if you love a bit of history and culture!
I should add that on the way to Slano, we had a swim stop in a random bay that we were passing!๐ We just dropped the anchor and the back of the ship turned into a beach!โ๏ธ At the back of the ship there is a low platform which makes it really easy to get into the sea! This was a random uninhabited bay so the sea was really clear, stunning!๐คฉ
And finally after coming back from our tour of Ston (which is included in the price๐) we had a 4-course dinner! It was a gala night, or Captains night as they call it on this ship!๐จ๐ผโโ๏ธ Good food, music, dancingโฆ perfect way to end a beautiful day of exploring the Adriatic!
๐ณ DAY 3
Today I was on an island thatโs on an island! ๐คฏ Iโll explain that later!๐ Another amazing day onboard the Avangard started as per usual with a delicious breakfast! Breakfast is probably my favorite meal of the day on a cruise! We have a buffet style breakfast on this ship, but everything is plated and served to you by the staff because of obvious reasons… So of course you can choose between cold cuts, pastries, eggs, fruits, toast… basic breakfast items. Right around breakfast time we left the small town of Slano and headed west to the island of Mljet!๐ด
On the way to Mljet we, of course stopped to have a swim brake and to have lunch on the ship surrounded by the beautiful scenery of the island! ๐คฉ
In the afternoon we docked in the small town of Pomena which is a starting point for tours of National Park Mljet. ๐ The National park Mljet is one of 8 national parks in Croatia and it is situated on the island of Mljet, one of the largest islands in south Dalmatia. To say that itโs beautiful would be an understatement! The scenery is just stunning, it looks like a nature reserve untouched by modern tourist development! On the island there are two connected lakes and on the โBig Lakeโ you will find the St. Maryโs island where a Benedictine Monastery was built in the 12th century!๐ So you could say that I was on an island thatโs on an island!๐คฏ
In the evening I enjoyed in some evening entertainment provided by the city of Pomena! Since the ship docks right on the waterfront, we were able to see and hear the concert that was held at the townโs main square from the ship!๐ You could say we had the best seats!๐
All in all, another beautiful day in the Adriatic! If you really want to explore the Adriatic and Croatia you have to go on this cruise! Itโs a perfect combination of exploring and visiting smaller historic towns, seeing untouched nature and still having that luxury cruise experience!๐คฉ๐ณ
๐ณ DAY 4
After saying goodbye to the Island of Mljet early in the morning we headed north to the island of Korcฬula, the most populated island in Croatia with around 17 thousand people that call the island their home!๐ญ๐ท
We spent the morning by having a delicious breakfast, of course I had pastries once againโฆ๐ฅ๐, sunbathing, relaxing in the jacuzziโฆ We also had a swim break before the lunch! I love these swim breaks and Iโm definitely going to miss them on other cruises going forward๐คฉ
Early afternoon we docked in the town of Korcฬula and headed on our guided tour of the old town! ๐ It is believed that the famous explorer Marco Polo was born right here in the town of Korcฬula! The town is rich with history and itโs definitely one of my favorite towns on the Croatian coast, would definitely recommend visiting it! I would describe it as a smaller, less crowded Dubrovnik!๐
I managed to capture a stunning sunset and since it was a Saturday night, there was live music in almost every bar so it was definitely a fun night!๐
Tomorrow should be an even more relaxing day, weโre heading to Vis, one of the most remote islands in Croatia!๐ญ๐ท๐ณ
๐ณ DAY 5
Weโre already on day 5! Today we had an early start, we left Korcฬula early in the morning and headed west towards one of the most remote islands in Croatia, the island of Vis!๐
We had a swim break in one of many bays on the island of Korcฬula! These swim breaks are truly a perfect way to spend your mornings and a great way to cool down since its pretty hot here in Croatia currently with temperatures over 30 deegres celsius…
We continued our journey towards Vis after a short swim break. ๐ Lunch, sunbathing, enjoying in the jacuzzi and before long we made it to the city of Vis!
Vis is a really historic city, it is THE oldest city in Croatia! It was established by the ancient Greeks 397 B.C. under the name of Issa.๐ Since then the island was under the rule of many empires and kingdoms. Romans, Greeks, French, Austrians and even the British once called Vis their territory, but since the 1990s the island of Vis is officially a part of Croatia!๐ญ๐ท Vis is also known for itโs military history as there was once a huge military base on the island. ๐
Because of how remote the island is and because of its military role in the former Yugoslavia, today itโs really a perfect picture of how Mediterranean once looked, without any new high rises, huge resorts or rows of apartment developments! A beautiful town if youโd like to escape the hustle and bustle of bigger coastal cities!๐
One interesting thing that happed was that there was only one available dock and 6 ships that wanted to dock! How did they solve that problem? Well they just docked them all side by side next to each other!๐ I call that docking strategy a โship sandwichโ!๐ณ The Avangard was of course the biggest one in the sandwich!๐
All in all; another amazing day is behind us! I definitely recommend visiting Vis, such a beautiful historic city!๐ Tomorrow weโll be going to the longest and probably the most popular island in Croatia, island of Hvar!๐ด
๐ณ DAY 6
After spending the night in the oldest town in Croatia, we headed to the town of Hvar on the island of Hvar!๐ If this sounds confusing to you, you should know that the islands in Croatia are usually named after the largest, most important city on the island!
Hvar is the longest island in Croatia and probably one of the most popular ones! The island of Hvar is the sunniest island in Europe and is on the โ15 most sunniest placesโ in the world list. So if its sunshine youโre after you should definitely visit Hvar!โ๏ธ
The town of Hvar is best known for its many beaches, historic buildings and its lively night life!๐ It is one of the locations of the popular โUltra Europeโ music festival: You wonโt get bored in this town after sunset!
On our way to Hvar we had a swim stop in the Paklinski Islands archipelago, you can see it on the picture above!๐ Iโm going to miss these swim stops, thereโs nothing like swimming in the middle of nowhere, with no one aroundโฆ so relaxing๐
Later in the day, after a yet another delicious lunch, we docked on the popular waterfront of the town of Hvar, right next to many luxurious yachts! You see, Hvar is one of the busiest yachting ports in Croatia so spotting luxurious yachts of the rich and famous wonโt be hard here!๐ฅ
After a guided tour of the most historic sights in Hvar, we had plenty of time to experience everything Hvar has to offer! Since we were docked right on the waterfront we even caught a glimpse of the Magic Johnson walking past our ship to a popular nightclub in the town!๐ Thatโs basically Hvar in a nutshell!
Hvar is for sure one of the most beautiful little towns in Croatia and I can see why itโs so popular! I would call it โCroatian Monte Carloโ!
Tomorrow is our last full day on the shipโฆ weโll be visiting the most popular beach in Croatia in Bol before heading to our final destination, the city of Split๐ญ๐ท
๐ณ DAY 7
I canโt believe weโre already on day 7โฆ our last full day onboard the Avangard. Time flies when youโre having fun I guess!๐
Today we visited the most popular beach in Croatia, the Golden Horn beach (Zlatni Rat)!๐ It is located in Bol on the island of Bracฬ, the highest island in the Adriatic!๐
Bol is a small town with only 1.600 residents, made famous because of the beautiful Golden Horn beach! It used to be a fishing village and influences of that can still be seen today!๐
At lunch time we said goodbye to Bol and headed towards our final destinationโฆ the 2nd largest city in Croatia, Split!๐ Today we had our last lunch on the ship, the food on this ship has been DELICIOUS!๐คค Everything prepared and made by our amazing chef Ivo!
We made it to Split early afternoon and we headed on a guided tour of this historic city! You have to visit the Diocletianโs palace, so beautiful!๐ There are so many things you can do in Split, explore the old town, visit the mountain/park Marjan, sunbathe on one of its many beacher or even visit the town of Trogir which is not that far from Split!
And just like that our last day is coming to an end. Time to start packing the bagsโฆ last day struggles! Thankfully we donโt have to leave the suitcase in front of the cabin by midnight!๐ So I still have time to pack something tomorrow morning!
I canโt believe this cruise is already coming to an end, I feel like I boarded the ship 2 not 7 days agoโฆ๐คฏ I loved every second of it, so different in every way from my previous cruises but definitely different in the best way possible!๐๐ณ
๐ณ DAY 8
And thatโs it you guys, day 8.. canโt believe that this cruise is already over.๐คฏ My first post-covid cruise and wow was it worth the wait! ๐
This cruise was a bit different from cruises I usually go on, smaller ship, itinerary closer to home, everyone was a bit more cautiousโฆ but was it one of the most relaxing cruises Iโve been on? 100%! I cannot pinpoint what exactly made it so relaxingโฆ was it the smaller ship, homey atmosphere, smaller towns we visitedโฆ probably a combination of all of that. I know that this cruise is perfect for recharging your batteries, so relaxing!๐
This type of cruising is definitely for people who want to visit places off the beaten path for larger ships, experience the culture, taste local cuisine, meet new people and just relax!๐ No bumper cars, no crazy water slides but still equally fun! Swim stops in bays that can only be reached by boat, overnight stays in historic towns, all of that while still having that luxurious cruise feeling on the ship!
What also made this cruise special was the amazing crew that took great care of us for 8 days! There were 18 guests on this cruise and 8 amazing crew members and believe it or not, I know everyones names!๐ We even had a picture taken of all of us on the last day! Thank you to our amazing Captain Damir, our cruise manager Zvonko who probably knows 50 languages๐ to waiters Antonio and Tomy that made every meal special, seaman Duje and Matij who took great care of the Avangard, to Milena who made sure that the ship is spotless and of course to the most important person on every ship, chef, Ivo! Every single meal was delicious, I already miss those delicious desserts!๐คค
All in all, one of the best cruise experiences so far! Canโt recommend it enough!๐
I’m currently writing a full cruise review blog post so stay tuned for that, I hope you enjoyed my short cruise diary!
Given the recent health crisis, cruising has been suspended until at least late June and probably even longer. Cruising will resume at some point, of course. Ships wonโt just float around forever. But when it does, it may look a lot different than it did a few months ago, or for at least quite some time. In order for cruising to resume, cruise lines will certainly be required to implement new policies and oblige to stricter protocols to ensure the health and safety of their passengers. While no one knows for sure how all of that is going to look like, here are my thoughts on how cruising might change once it comes back.
Ships sailing at reduced capacity
One of the biggest changes that happened to the way that we behave is social distancing. The idea of being crammed together close to other people has become something quite dangerous and something that we are all trying to avoid. People are surely going to want and need more personal space around them and one of the consequences of that is we’re going to see cruise lines sailing their ships at reduced capacity. One of the big trends recently in cruising has been bigger and better ships or to fit more and more people onto the ships because the economic model was to get people on the ship and then get them to spend a lot of money once they’re onboard. We’re probably going to see cruise lines cruising with less people onboard and we’ll also see new ships with more public space allocated per passenger.
I believe that social distancing will have to be carried over onto ships as well. Genting (owner of Dream, Star and Crystal cruises) has already released a document about how they’re planning to move things forward once cruising starts and most of those measures are probably going to be implemented by other cruise lines as well. Some of those measures are reducing the ammount of people they let into venues, for example they are going to fill the theater only to half capacity so people can spread out. That will also probably include night clubs, parties, bars… but with ships sailing at reduced capacity that shouldn’t be a big problem.
For example we might see mega ships having the guest capacity of mid sized ships.
Itineraries
The second thing I think we’re going to see is cruise lines focusing on staying closer to home and their home ports. Over the last couple of years we saw cruise lines trying to find new itineraries, new places to cruise to, and the cruise lines were putting their ships all around the world. Moving forwards I think that at least in the beggining we might see cruises to nowhere or maybe short cruises that only visit cruise lines private islands. Cruise lines will probably be focused heavily on staying closer to ports they already have strong relationships with and also focusing heavily on well known regions such as the Caribbean, Mediterranean… where they have big cruising ports close by with developed infrastructure and also where they have more influence, because if an outbreak does happen, they will need to act quickly. So I wouldn’t be surprised to see ships that were meant to go to Europe or Alaska to stay in the Caribbean and also to see revised and changed itineraries.
Ports staying closed
Some ports will take longer to open or they may be only allowing a certain ammount of cruise ships/passengers at each time. There was already a lot of discussion around over tourism even before the pandemic so I think that a lot of these destinations are going to rethink their whole approach to tourism and especially accepting cruise passengers, partly because they may be concerned about cruise ships coming in and bringing in disease or infections. Some countries like Norway and Canada closed their ports to cruise ships until July and August so we’re probably going to see fewer destinations willing to take cruise ships which is going to make cruise lines change their itineraries and probably focus more on staying in popular regions and trying to find new itineraries in those regions.
New health screenings
One thing that’s really going to change is the way that we embark ships. Even before cruise lines started suspending sailings, they began to implement enhanced medical screenings prior to embarkation. It is a sure bet that these elements will remain in place for the foreseeable future once cruising resumes. These measures include more thorough health questionnaires as well as temperatures checks of all guests prior to embarkation as well as upon return from port. We might actually have to bring medical certificates that we’ve been vaccinated or there even may be actual testing before we embark. Some airlines are already considering similar measures.
One thing that’s closely related to this is a change in the way that seniors, elderly or people who are at higher risk for severe illness go cruising. That can be a massive challenge for some cruise lines because even before the cruise shutdown there was a strong advice for those groups of people to avoid cruising and all the cruise lines started asking for some sort of certifications from your doctor saying that it was OK for you to go on a cruise if you were 70+. That becomes a problem for cruise lines as large numbers of cruise passengers are seniors, especially in off seasons.
Onboard changes
Some people might like this and some wonโt but we’re going to see the removal of all self-service venues and changing them to be crew operated. They already started doing this on some newer ships to reduce food waste and increase hygiene but there is no doubt that buffets will never look the same again. Most crew members serving you will also probably be wearing PPE (gloves, masks…) just to be sure, at least in the beggining. Other key changes to restaurant and dining spaces could be in terms of table sizing and spacing. Restaurants could even see screeen dividers installed between tables.
Crew operated buffet with glass partitions between people and the food. This is probably how the buffets will look like in the future.
Public areas and cabin corridors could be equipped with the new anti-microbial carpets. We might also see more automatic doors operated with photocells onboard and bathrooms being modified for touch free operation of faucet and flush. Other changes could be replacing shower curtains with glass doors, cabins having new hall storage area for clothes and shoes worn prior to entering the cabin.
Medical centers
We are also going to see a redesign of certain areas of the ship, but we’re going to see a real change in medical centers. Medical centers on cruise ships are currently designed to stabilize the situation and if anyone needs serious treatment they’re taken off the ship to shoreside facilities. Medical centers onbaord don’t have the facilities to isolate and treat people with complicated conditions. We will see medical centers become much larger and more complex with more medical staff.
Cleaning protocols
No doubt there will be increased cleaning protocols in place for public areas once ships start sailing again. This will likely include a more regimented schedule of cleaning high traffic areas like elevator buttons, handrails, bar tops, gym equipment… Hand washing station will probably pop up all over the ships with much more enforcement from the crew. They are going to take what they learned from this situation and put it into force by truly sanitazing ships and making sure everything stays clean even more then it used to be.
Flexibility
Finally we can also expect a lot more flexibility when it comes to cruise cancellation policies. Even before the cruise shutdown we saw cruise lines introducing โcruise with confidenceโ programs which gave passengers more flexibility when it comes to changing or canceling your booking. So by having these programs it means you can book cruises with more confidence just incase anything happens or something goes wrong. But of course, travel insurance should now more then ever be essential just incase anything happens with your flights, pre cruise hotels etc…
In conclusion there is no doubt that cruises and the cruising experience in general will change, at least for some time. I will welcome some of these changes with open arms, such as getting rid of self service buffets… and some of them will of course be nuisance but they will too become the new normal with time. Iโm sure that cruising will still be an amazing and safe way to spend your vacation!
Currently there are many articles out there bashing cruises, spreading inaccurate information about everything and anything related to cruising. Iโm sure some of you saw a couple of those articles but we need to support the cruising industry which is doing everything to make sure cruising comes back safer than ever and Iโm sure that once it does, all of us cruise addicts will be rushing up the gangway!
There are a lot more things to do on a cruise than most people realize, especially if you’re a first time cruiser. In the past, it might’ve been that all you could do is hang out on the pool deck and have a drink. These days there is no end to the fun you can have on a cruise, and there are activities around the clock. In a bid to one up each other, now almost every cruise line has its own wild and crazy activity and many of them are included in your cruise fare. From sky diving simulators to bumper cars, here’s a list of craziest things you can do on a cruise!
Practice Surfing!
Many Royal Caribbean ships have a water feature on the top deck thatโs called the Flowrider. With the FlowRider, you can give surfing or Boogie boarding a try for free as many times as you like. Those looking to perfect their skills can schedule a private, hour-long lesson.
Ziplining… on a ship!
How big are cruise ships these days? So big that you can zipline across them. Several ships, including those from Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises have zipline rides that will sail from one end of the ship to the other. Or, get the same thrill at the Sports Complex on Norwegianโs Breakaway Class ships, where there are also 40 other activities including a ropes course and โwalking the plank.โ Select MSC and Carnival ships also offer similar suspended ropes courses that tests your balance!
Photo by Royal Caribbean
Take a Turn on a Waterslide!
While older ships might not have them, most newer ships come with waterslides onboard. And before you think these are simple slides that make a turn or two and let you out, thatโs normally not the case. Almost every new mega ships these days comes with a large water park onboard. They usually have 2 or 3 waterslides, from racing slides to slides that hang over the side of the ship. Some of them even have a transparent part so you can see the water below!
SkyDiving at sea!
Those that are feeling adventurous can cross this one off the bucket list on Royal Caribbeanโs Quantum class ships on RipCord by iFly, a skydiving simulator that propels wind at speeds over 100 mph. And, since itโs located on the aft end of the ship, you can look out at the ocean (and the surfers at the simulator below). I’m not a really adventurous person but I would love to try this, especially because it costs quite a lot on land!
Have Some Fun in Bumper Cars!
Another Royal Caribbean activity on Quantum class ships, you can ride bumper cars while at sea. Passengers need to be at least five years old to ride tandem, but eight years old and above can drive their own car. Donโt worry, you wonโt go fast enough to get hurt, but the bumps can come suddenly! You will find the bumper cars in the space called the Sportsplex!
Robotic bartenders?
One of the more unique things youโll find a cruise, some Royal Caribbean ships have the โBionic Bar.โ What makes this special is that itโs a robotic arm that grabs all the ingredients and makes your entire drink without human interaction (you even order from an electronic pad). While it might not replace the traditional bar anytime soon, it is something unique to try on your cruise.
Grab a drink in an Ice Bar
On Norwegian Epic, Breakaway and Getaway you can chill out in the ice bar inspired by the original ice hotels in Scandinavia. The ice bar is a fun and photo-worthy cruise activity. The bars, glasses, walls, and benches are all made of ice, just as they are in authentic Scandinavian ice bars.
Virtual reality if cruise reality isn’t good enough for you!
Norwegian has a place called the Galaxy Pavilion on some of its newer cruise ships like the Joy and Encore. If you have kids, they will likely beg you to go, I would too!
The area features a ton of virtual reality games. From a Jeep ride that moves as the virtual reality headset takes you on a run from chasing dinosaurs to walking a balance beam high above a city to rescue a kitten, the experience can make you feel like you are really there. The Galaxy Pavilion does cost extra, but from what I’ve heard itโs a pretty memorable thing to do on a cruise and the entire family will have fun.
Trampoline fun!
Yet ANOTHER Royal Caribbean feature, they really are leading the way when it comes to unique onboard features! On a couple of ships they have this new attraction called the Sky Pad. It’s huge sphere that sits high atop the ship. The massive ball contains the Sky Pad. Itโs a thrill where you are attached to bungee cords via a harness and then start jumping on a trampoline. You can choose to free jump, or there are also virtual reality headsets that allow you to play games as you jump. Either ways, itโs unique to be jumping so high while you are on top of a cruise ship. You will find this attraction on a couple of Voyager, Freedom and Quantum-ultra class ships!
Go-karts!
If you feel the need for speed, you can burn rubber at the go-kart racetrack found on select Norwegian Cruise Line ships. The two-level track is designed for speed, and drivers take full advantage, zipping around the S-shaped track at top speed. The go-karts on Norwegian Cruise Line are electric-powered racecars. They are not bumper cars. No more than 10 cars can be on the track at once, and while drivers race around the curves, trying to pass each other, there is no official race occurring.
F1 Simulators
If you love to race and you already know some ships have go-kart tracks. But what if you want to go faster? Some ships, including those from Norwegian and MSC have F1 simulators. This includes a full-sized car replica that you sit in and wide screens to make you feel like you really are driving around the course.
Rock climbing
These days you can climb while you float, as several Royal Caribbean ships are now outfitted with full-sized rock climbing walls. If you’re the sporty type, seek out cruises on a Freedom Class, Voyager Class, Radiance Class or Vision Class ship to practice your skills. Royal Caribbean was the first company to offer on-board rock climbing walls, and the options vary in size and challenge level. What doesn’t vary, though, is the price, as all the walls are free to climb. The cruise line even provides the equipment you need.
Ride a roller coaster
Carnival is making waves with its new Mardi Gras. Not only is it a completely different ship compared to the rest of Carnivalโs fleet, but it also features the first and only roller coaster at sea. The sea coaster named BOLT will stretch 240 metres of track, kitted out with twists, turns, swerves and drops, sending thrill-seeking cruise guests through the sky at speeds of up to 56 kilometres per hour. Itโs a ride that just a few years ago wouldnโt even be imagined, but the cruise line has made it a reality and one of the more memorable things you can do on a cruise ship.
Bowling
If this favorite pastime strikes your fancy, head to the lanes on a couple of Norwegian ships. You can also knock down pins on MSC ships. Now I cannot guarantee itโll improve your skills but it is just as fun as on land.
Biking in the air!
Carnival Vista, Horizon and Panorama are home to the SkyRide. To โride,โ you’ll get strapped into a recumbent bike pod that’s suspended 150 feet above deck and then pedal your way around the two-lane course, which offers a 360-degree view of the ocean. You can choose between racing another pod or going at the pace of your choice.
Explore the galaxies far far away in the only planetarium at sea!
Queen Mary 2 is the home to the only planetarium at sea, which is housed in the Illuminations theater, spectators sit beneath a giant dome that lights up with out of this world glitter and orbs. On a seven-day voyage, you can explore galaxies far, far away with three different shows. Bonus: Members of the Royal Astronomical Society are available on select voyages, so you can ask the experts for assistance in locating the North Star, in case you feel lost at sea!
Cirque du Soleil dinner shows
MSC puts its own spin on dinner and a show through the line’s partnership with Cirque du Soleil. A three-course meal (or simply cocktails) is paired with one of two shows both featuring Cirque-trained performers and high-tech special effects. Adding to the “wow” factor, the experience takes place in a room built specifically for Cirque du Soleil (the first at sea), complete with a 180-degree circular glass wall and massive LED screen wrapped around the ceiling. This experience is only available on Meraviglia class ships.
Ice skating at sea – yup, that’s possible!
I saved the best for last! In my opinion there’s nothing that sounds crazier than ice skating while sailing the Caribbean or the Mediterranean sea. Yet on many Royal Caribbean ships they have an ice rink. While itโs used for performances put on by the entertainment crew, there is also a chance for passengers to skate as well.
Some of these activities so hard to imagine on a cruise ship, like go karts or ice skating… but that just shows you how big these ships are! To go on some of these you really need to be at least a little bit adventurous. I know that I wouldn’t go on that roller coaster on Mardi Gras, I’m not much of a roller coaster person! What about you, what is your favorite “crazy” ship feature and which one would you love to give a try?
Cruise Ship Paradise 
