112,000 tons of metal, 3500 passengers, restaurants, bars, theatre, casino, 1400 staff, and as many cabins that could fill the largest hotel in Las Vegas, welcome to the Costa Serena, a one year old super liner that dwarfs many of the other ships that sail the Mediterranean.
We first saw her as we took our water taxi from the Westin Lido to the port, she was alongside the vast MSC Musica and even dwarfed her.
Our cabin had a rear view balcony, first time at the rear and we never missed anything with ther panoramic view and of the course the water going away from us from underneath the ship.
Our 7 nights on the water would start in Venice, Bari Italy, Katakolon Greece, Izmir Turkey, Istanbul Turkey, Dubrovnik Croatia and back to Venice. I will add to this blog in time with detailed port activities and more photographs.
Venice.
After arriving and finding the people we were cruising with had decided not to wait for us worked out expensive for us, an £80 water taxi to the Westin Lido, a beautiful Moroccan themed hotel south of Venice, the rooms were spacious and had material walls and ornate lamps and fixtures.
After we settled in we got the free hotel shuttle boat to mianland Venice where we walked through St Marks Square, saw both the bridge of sighs and rialto bridge, we almost got lost and missed the last shuttle boat back to the hotel but we made it by the skin of our teeth.
The next morning it was truely the worst thunder and lightning storm Venice had seen in years, torrential rain and the hotel basement where they served our free breakfast became flooded.
We left the hotel at 1200 and arrived at the port all in one water taxi, after confusion as to what we were supposed to do we waited about an hour, filling in forms etc and then we were on board.
The cabins were all ready and keys inside, there was a short queue to register the credit cards and we were all done and ready for lunch.
As we were the only party with a balcony all our friends gathered on out balcony ready to sail off , it was pouring with rain and we sheltered under umbrellas before going for dinner in the same clothes we had had on all day as if you have never cruised before the delivery of luggage to your cabin can take some time.
We all retired to bed about 11pm after a long day and would awake in Bari in the heel of Italy.
Bari Italy
Bari is situated in the heel of the shape of Italy on the east coast, a beautiful small town which is still the home to many Italians that have not relocated to many of the larger cities like Rome and Milan.
We walked quite a way from the ship following the crowds like sheep....BAA BAA!!! we diverted away from the crowds like you do when you enter a theme park, if you start with everyone else you will queue and queue, if you walk to the end then make your way backwards it may be a little lighter in folks.
We found a beatiful Italian working church, being such a huge population of catholics there are churches everywhere, people were lighting candles and praying, photography was allowed so we browsed briefly. After that we walked around the town, finding a small shop to buy water and supplies for the ship as mini bar and buying stuff is always expensive on cruise ships, this is how they make their money.
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We got back to the ship and had lunch
Katakolon, Greece
This was a place we had been before but the others had not, after a long walk from the ship to the small village that had been built just for the tourists since we were last here in 1999, it was all souvenir shops, bars and restaurants. After a stroll about we found a bar where we could sit an relax, we had lost the girls to the shops so were pleased of the peace and quiet.
We sat overlooking the harbour area where Ocean Village had docked and full of English people, i found myself slightly jealous as although we were on a newer and larger ship the fact that it was full of Italians made you feel a little excluded so i craved English company or at least the English Language.
I strolled back to the ship alone as wanted to beat the crowds and i faced no queue to reboard so was bakc in the air conditioned haven in no time. Did not but anything but our ship was also joined by Princes Danae, an older ship and MSC Musica which was following us around the Med, both these ships had to tender the passengers ashore as our ship and Ocean Village had taken up the only two berthing areas.
After we all arrived back at the boat it was time to prepare for the first formal night, suits or even dinner suits, everyone came to our cabin and posed for pictures on the balcony.
Izmir..Turkey.
The Costa Serena berthed and we all looked forward to our day our at the ruins at Ephesus, they were truely amazing. Many had been repaired so there was a touch of 20th centure mixed in with 200AD which was really strange to see.
The Day was very very hot and i was pleased i was wearing a cap as the sun was beating down, this was only May and apparently by July and August it is unbearable.
The tour guides are on strict time scales as the boat has to sail at it's allocated slot time and so it only take a couple of people to wander off, stop at a shop, or dawdle and it holds everyone up and the tour then becomes rushed as we endeavour to make up the time we lost.
We were back on the ship in time and pleased of the cool shower as it had been a hot and sweaty day.
We did have a half filled coach with the majority of cruisers being Italian so we were lucky there.
Istanbul
Our Balcony was such a panoramic idyllic place, there was lots of action on the water with a count of 25-30 boats bobbing about at any one time,little did we know that the front of the ship was facing the Blue Mosque and Haggia Sophia where we were to take a tour.
The tour started outsid ethe Blue Mosque, an incredible building with tall minorettes and it stood large and proud,it was quite close to haggia sophia from the view from the ship but it was stilla coach ride from one to the other. Both amazingly impressive and the carpets were in great condition inside as no shoes are allowed.
My favourite place was the Bazaar, being a shop-a-holic it was like being thrust into shopping heaven, rows and rows of stalls selling everything from copies so ornate plates and Turkish souvenirs, oh yes, Turksih delight which i bought for dad and Pomegranite and apple tea which was served to us in the store where we were led like sheep to see the carpets and not allowed out until we had sat through a talk on how they were made etc etc, probably because the tour guide was on commission.
We still had time for the Bazaar and bought some amazing things.
This is the kind of place you need to have a long weekend in to appreciate it properly and take it all in, this is the one down side of cruising, time is limited and you feel like your rushed.
Dubrovnik
What a beautiful, picturesque town, situated on the coast of Croatia. There is a cruise ship docking port 2km form the city or you can dock, as we did, right in th bay of Dubrovnik and tender into the town, well worth the tendering for the great views.
We walked around the town which is built for tourists and then around the walled city, although it was hot we had spectacular views and took some great photographs.
We were joined by Zenith, another cruise ship which used to belong to the Celebrity Cruise ship group but now belongs to Pullmantur and kept it's original name.
I loved this place and another "one for the weekend" which i must return too in the future, and with direct flights from London Gatwick with BA it is only a stones throw away.
Venice.
Arriving back at your disembarkation port is usually about 6am and most guests fast asleep, Venice was different, it was 10am so we were all on deck to enjoy the views of the city as we sailed in as it had been so wet and rainy when we left the previous Sunday so this was a treat and a perfect photgraph opportunity.
We disembarked with ease and were in the airport hours too early. We found a table near a cafe and squatted there until it was time for our flights.
