Cruising from Venice to Istanbul

Boarding and discovering life on board Boarding on Costa Serena is scheduled for July 25, 2010 at the Venice Cruise Terminal. Right from our arrival at the terminal we start getting familiar with what will become a recurring ritual throughout the whole vacation: the assigning of the little number. Every time there's an excursion, a disembarkation, or even just to easily identify your own table for dinner, the little number will be assigned. The principal tool for managing the mass of cruise passengers in an orderly way. Order and discipline are, in fact, an essential element to avoid trampling over one another.

Having to board, register and file thousands of individuals, the operations begin about 4 hours before departure (which is why it's advisable to reach the terminal at most an hour early, so as not to find yourself in the middle of the chaos of those competing to be among the first to board and not miss a single moment of the longed-for life on board). Once the boarding formalities are completed, which consist, among other things, of being photographed and provided with the inseparable Costa Card (which will serve as the key to the room, but also as a credit card, ID card and whatever else), you enter the sparkling belly of Costa Serena: a giant of 114,000 tons of tonnage, 300 meters long, 15 decks and a good 1500 cabins. We would share this experience with another 3700 fellow travelers, looked after by 1200 crew members, almost all coming from India, the Philippines, Pakistan, etc...

I won't dwell on the description of the dazzling yet kitsch interior design; suffice it to know that the dominant theme of Costa Serena is that of the Greek Gods and that, therefore, every place, bar, restaurant or deck is named and furnished based on the name of one of them (Jupiter theater, Apollo bar, Uranus lido, Vesta restaurant and so on). It must be admitted that the dimensions are impressive, with glass elevators rising for 10 floors (sorry, decks), an enormous and modern spa (for a fee), a gym as big (and crowded) as the most renowned ones in Milan, etcetera etcetera. We will soon realize, however, that these immense spaces are nonetheless limited for 4000 people, especially at certain times that I would call "peak" and that differ depending on where you are.

For example, already on the first evening you learn that the most critical moment for the inner atrium, where the shops and one of the most "in" bars are concentrated, is around 9:15 pm, when the 1800 guests of the first dinner shift (the 7:00 pm one) have finished and the 1800 of the second (9:30 pm) are waiting for the restaurant doors, cleaned and set up again, to be opened. In this quarter of an hour people really don't know where to put themselves and patiently crowd stairways, nooks and little armchairs. As for the pools and the decks, where the sun loungers are, the critical moment is around noon and 5 in the afternoon, when you still can't eat and everyone is scrambling to find a spot in the sun that inevitably isn't available for everyone.

To be honest, at the pool in the center of the ship, dedicated to the young, where the entertainment rages almost uninterruptedly with music, dancing and games, I'd say there is no non-critical moment. Fortunately at the stern there's the pool area reserved for adults where there's no entertainment and you can be more peaceful. Here the crowding, even at peak times, is more acceptable. The price of greater tranquility is paid, sometimes, by breathing the stench of the funnel or getting a sprinkling of soot. Obviously it depends on how the wind blows relative to the ship. It never happened to us that it was particularly bothersome, anyway less bothersome than the ladies and young ladies of the cruise who, at the center of the ship, were busy imitating Shakira's dance to the tune of Waka Waka.

Incidentally, the pools are nothing more than puddles of water 4 by 5 meters and a meter deep, usually overflowing with people. In general, also because of this, the best time to use the pools and sunbathe is early in the morning (the ideal time to grab the best loungers) or from 6:30 pm onward, when half the ship retreats to its cabin to get ready for dinner. It follows, therefore, that the best dinner shift is the second, which leaves time to enjoy the relative peace of the ship and admire the magnificent sunsets.

The "Today" and the onboard TV. How to manage to find your way through the jungle of activities made available to guests during the 24 hours? The Today comes to the rescue, the program of the day, punctually laid on the bed in the cabin every evening. The four pages of the leaflet are packed with useful information so as not to have even a second of relaxation. From the details of dinner with the recommended dress code, to the various promotions of the day available in the various shops. From the details regarding the organization of the next day's excursions, to the various courses and meetings. You will discover that, every evening, singles meet to have a drink together and, perhaps, fall in love. You will discover that, not far away, honeymoon couples also meet to share their fresh emotions.

But that's not all, you can take part in yoga courses, sewing, cooking, decoupage, dance, muscle-warming classes, almost everything, in short. Meanwhile, outside, unforgettable landscapes scroll by. You will also discover that auditions are held to take part in "C Talent". Which means that anyone who knows or believes they know how to do something (sing, dance, entertain) can be judged and selected by a jury and hope to perform in front of everyone in the 1500-seat Jupiter theater, in a cruise version of Italia's Got Talent. The best can even win. A cruise, of course. And then there's the onboard TV. Much of what is done on the ship is broadcast live on a dedicated channel so as to entertain also those who, unfortunately, have decided to take a breather resting in their cabin. Even what can't be broadcast live is shown on tape delay.

You will certainly happen to run into some interviewer who won't hesitate to ask you for your opinions on the cruise or the ship. We were asked the fundamental question: "Is Costa Serena the most beautiful ship in...?" obviously my answer "...the world!!!" was broadcast on a continuous loop on TV along with the same answer given by hundreds of other interviewees.

That wonderful pastime that is eating

On a cruise, if you want, you eat almost all the time, an intelligent way to keep the ravenous wolves busy. From morning breakfast, available practically until 11 (and, if you want, delivered free of charge to your cabin too), you move on to lunch without interruption: from half past noon it extends until 3 in the afternoon. After lunch you can always munch on salads of various kinds and savor an excellent pizza fresh from the oven on a continuous cycle until late at night. Ever-present teas and assorted pastries from four in the afternoon. After dinner, which for guests of the second shift ends around 11:30 pm, the midnight buffet is set up, so as not to risk going to bed with a bit of hunger.

If at dinner, which is served professionally and impeccably with decidedly remarkable quality, the atmosphere is relaxed and pleasant, at lunch, which is served buffet-style, the hungry animal is unleashed. The buffet, which is undoubtedly rich and varied, is literally stormed. The human variety you can observe here is incredible. You may happen to come across the decidedly rare species aboard a cruise ship that, intimidated by the incredible quantity of food within reach, is almost ashamed to be able to access such bounty and takes sparingly, in doubt that, beyond a certain mass taken, some extra charge might kick in. But, much more likely, you'll meet the most widespread species, the buffet war machine, usually made up of father, mother, and two children.

The imperative, at the moment of unleashing the offspring among the buffet counters, seems clear: "make sure you take as much as you can, don't let anything escape you!". And so enormous plates filled to the unbelievable, are most of the time largely left over. What can be said about dinner. As was said, it's organized in two shifts. There are two restaurants, so it's not hard to do the math and guess that for each shift, in each restaurant, about 900 meals are served. All à la carte. Slightly kitsch ambiance, but rather elegant, impeccable tables, kind and efficient waiters. But there are a couple of buts. To take the order and prepare and serve 900 meals making everyone start and finish more or less at the same time takes a bit of time.

During the wait the risk of boredom is at the door, also because the tables seat six people and, therefore, most guests find themselves seated with individuals they've never seen before. So then the poor waiters, when you least expect it, stage improbable dances involving the guests. With an embarrassing frequency here comes the photographer of the shift roaming among the tables, busy expertly photographing each guest alongside him, for example, some unfortunate pizza maker who has to smile 900 times and be immortalized holding a pizza. Then there are the two dinners expressly defined as gala. This means that, apart from the menu, if possible richer and more abundant, that suddenly while most are busy chewing a certain morsel, the lights go out, the music starts at maximum volume and the waiters start singing, involving the guests in an inevitable global conga line among the tables.

The toilets/dress are also fascinating. A gala evening would require evening dress. So here's the lady who really believes it and, convinced she's aboard the Titanic in 1912, shows off the best she has in her wardrobe. Obviously there's also the one who, tacky to the bone, comes down in flip-flops and leggings.

Everyone ashore! The world is discovered

Remember the little number? Well, on the occasion of the daily excursions it becomes an inseparable companion. The logic is this: usually you dock at such-and-such port early in the morning and set sail after 5 hours. More rarely the stop lasts the whole day (in our case this happened in Istanbul, with a 10-hour stay). In this span of time you have to disembark, let's say, 2000/2500 people (not everyone takes part in the excursions), direct them onto the buses (do the math yourself on how many are needed, considering that each carries roughly 50 people) differentiated by type of excursion, drive them around to the chosen destination and bring them back in time for boarding and departure.

To do this all the excursion-goers are invited to gather at pre-established times in the mega theater of the ship where, all in line with the tickets for their excursion in hand, they collect the little number corresponding to the bus assigned. Then you wait for your little number to be called. Only at that moment is it possible to head to the exit and disembark. From this moment the discovery of the place that is the object of the excursion begins. This is how in less than 5 hours, (including, at times, two hours of bus travel and at least an hour of stopping at some souvenir place) you visit the site of Olympia or the city of Ephesus. In 10 hours you visit the whole of Istanbul. The pace is extremely tight. The guides, good, are often clearly struggling not to lose along the way the slower or more distracted excursion-goers, as well as in enforcing the imposed times.

All of this, usually, takes place in inevitably overcrowded archaeological sites. All in all, I must say, observing and listening to the comments of the excursion-goers, this massification of tourism taken to exasperation doesn't displease most, who often experience the moment of the excursion as something "mandatory" just like the student who, on a school trip, can't wait for the museum visit to end quickly so they can go back to partying. For the record, it's always possible to disembark and organize yourself independently, but very few choose this alternative. What can remain of a whirlwind visit to a historic and fascinating city like Istanbul? Well, at most, to the question from some relative "how is Istanbul?", you'll be able to answer: "well, what can I tell you, it seemed beautiful to me".

And, once back on board, off immediately to the next destination, to the tune of "Con te partirò" by Bocelli.

The cabins

Out of 1500 cabins, about 500 have a private balcony and more or less as many have at least a window (then there are about a hundred suites). The others are internal, that is, they have no opening to the outside. The price of not being able to tell if it's day or night outside, if you're sailing or in port, if there's sun or moon, is compensated by the cheapness. Booking this type of cabin allows, in high season, a week-long cruise for even much less than 1000 euros per person. For the rest, apart from the suites, all the cabins are identical and rather small. The decor, similar-elegant, is objectively functional. The bathroom too, no bigger than a couple of square meters, has everything necessary.

As a couple, all in all, the living space is acceptable, but I must say that with one or two children in the room (an option often used by families because this way minors travel free) I wonder how you avoid stepping on each other. Let's be honest, anyone who booked a week's vacation in a 4-star hotel and found themselves assigned a room of a size similar to those on cruise ships would have it changed. Those who don't agree with this criticism retort that, after all, the cabin is only for sleeping and washing and that what matters is everything else (pools, entertainment, food, etc...). Well, I reply that even in a 4-star hotel the use of the room isn't all that different. And moreover in a hotel "everything else" is certainly nicer. Pools first and foremost. And, usually, there's also the beach with the sea at hand.

Boarding and discovering life on board Boarding on Costa Serena is scheduled for July 25, 2010 at the Venice Cruise Terminal. Right from our arrival at the terminal we start getting familiar with what will become a recurring ritual throughout the whole vacation: the assigning of the little number. Every time there's an excursion, a disembarkation, or even just to easily identify your own table for dinner, the little number will be assigned. The principal tool for managing the mass of cruise passengers in an orderly way. Order and discipline are, in fact, an essential element to avoid trampling over one another.

Having to board, register and file thousands of individuals, the operations begin about 4 hours before departure (which is why it's advisable to reach the terminal at most an hour early, so as not to find yourself in the middle of the chaos of those competing to be among the first to board and not miss a single moment of the longed-for life on board). Once the boarding formalities are completed, which consist, among other things, of being photographed and provided with the inseparable Costa Card (which will serve as the key to the room, but also as a credit card, ID card and whatever else), you enter the sparkling belly of Costa Serena: a giant of 114,000 tons of tonnage, 300 meters long, 15 decks and a good 1500 cabins. We would share this experience with another 3700 fellow travelers, looked after by 1200 crew members, almost all coming from India, the Philippines, Pakistan, etc...

I won't dwell on the description of the dazzling yet kitsch interior design; suffice it to know that the dominant theme of Costa Serena is that of the Greek Gods and that, therefore, every place, bar, restaurant or deck is named and furnished based on the name of one of them (Jupiter theater, Apollo bar, Uranus lido, Vesta restaurant and so on). It must be admitted that the dimensions are impressive, with glass elevators rising for 10 floors (sorry, decks), an enormous and modern spa (for a fee), a gym as big (and crowded) as the most renowned ones in Milan, etcetera etcetera. We will soon realize, however, that these immense spaces are nonetheless limited for 4000 people, especially at certain times that I would call "peak" and that differ depending on where you are.

For example, already on the first evening you learn that the most critical moment for the inner atrium, where the shops and one of the most "in" bars are concentrated, is around 9:15 pm, when the 1800 guests of the first dinner shift (the 7:00 pm one) have finished and the 1800 of the second (9:30 pm) are waiting for the restaurant doors, cleaned and set up again, to be opened. In this quarter of an hour people really don't know where to put themselves and patiently crowd stairways, nooks and little armchairs. As for the pools and the decks, where the sun loungers are, the critical moment is around noon and 5 in the afternoon, when you still can't eat and everyone is scrambling to find a spot in the sun that inevitably isn't available for everyone.

To be honest, at the pool in the center of the ship, dedicated to the young, where the entertainment rages almost uninterruptedly with music, dancing and games, I'd say there is no non-critical moment. Fortunately at the stern there's the pool area reserved for adults where there's no entertainment and you can be more peaceful. Here the crowding, even at peak times, is more acceptable. The price of greater tranquility is paid, sometimes, by breathing the stench of the funnel or getting a sprinkling of soot. Obviously it depends on how the wind blows relative to the ship. It never happened to us that it was particularly bothersome, anyway less bothersome than the ladies and young ladies of the cruise who, at the center of the ship, were busy imitating Shakira's dance to the tune of Waka Waka.

Incidentally, the pools are nothing more than puddles of water 4 by 5 meters and a meter deep, usually overflowing with people. In general, also because of this, the best time to use the pools and sunbathe is early in the morning (the ideal time to grab the best loungers) or from 6:30 pm onward, when half the ship retreats to its cabin to get ready for dinner. It follows, therefore, that the best dinner shift is the second, which leaves time to enjoy the relative peace of the ship and admire the magnificent sunsets.

The "Today" and the onboard TV. How to manage to find your way through the jungle of activities made available to guests during the 24 hours? The Today comes to the rescue, the program of the day, punctually laid on the bed in the cabin every evening. The four pages of the leaflet are packed with useful information so as not to have even a second of relaxation. From the details of dinner with the recommended dress code, to the various promotions of the day available in the various shops. From the details regarding the organization of the next day's excursions, to the various courses and meetings. You will discover that, every evening, singles meet to have a drink together and, perhaps, fall in love. You will discover that, not far away, honeymoon couples also meet to share their fresh emotions.

But that's not all, you can take part in yoga courses, sewing, cooking, decoupage, dance, muscle-warming classes, almost everything, in short. Meanwhile, outside, unforgettable landscapes scroll by. You will also discover that auditions are held to take part in "C Talent". Which means that anyone who knows or believes they know how to do something (sing, dance, entertain) can be judged and selected by a jury and hope to perform in front of everyone in the 1500-seat Jupiter theater, in a cruise version of Italia's Got Talent. The best can even win. A cruise, of course. And then there's the onboard TV. Much of what is done on the ship is broadcast live on a dedicated channel so as to entertain also those who, unfortunately, have decided to take a breather resting in their cabin. Even what can't be broadcast live is shown on tape delay.

You will certainly happen to run into some interviewer who won't hesitate to ask you for your opinions on the cruise or the ship. We were asked the fundamental question: "Is Costa Serena the most beautiful ship in...?" obviously my answer "...the world!!!" was broadcast on a continuous loop on TV along with the same answer given by hundreds of other interviewees.

That wonderful pastime that is eating

On a cruise, if you want, you eat almost all the time, an intelligent way to keep the ravenous wolves busy. From morning breakfast, available practically until 11 (and, if you want, delivered free of charge to your cabin too), you move on to lunch without interruption: from half past noon it extends until 3 in the afternoon. After lunch you can always munch on salads of various kinds and savor an excellent pizza fresh from the oven on a continuous cycle until late at night. Ever-present teas and assorted pastries from four in the afternoon. After dinner, which for guests of the second shift ends around 11:30 pm, the midnight buffet is set up, so as not to risk going to bed with a bit of hunger.

If at dinner, which is served professionally and impeccably with decidedly remarkable quality, the atmosphere is relaxed and pleasant, at lunch, which is served buffet-style, the hungry animal is unleashed. The buffet, which is undoubtedly rich and varied, is literally stormed. The human variety you can observe here is incredible. You may happen to come across the decidedly rare species aboard a cruise ship that, intimidated by the incredible quantity of food within reach, is almost ashamed to be able to access such bounty and takes sparingly, in doubt that, beyond a certain mass taken, some extra charge might kick in. But, much more likely, you'll meet the most widespread species, the buffet war machine, usually made up of father, mother, and two children.

The imperative, at the moment of unleashing the offspring among the buffet counters, seems clear: "make sure you take as much as you can, don't let anything escape you!". And so enormous plates filled to the unbelievable, are most of the time largely left over. What can be said about dinner. As was said, it's organized in two shifts. There are two restaurants, so it's not hard to do the math and guess that for each shift, in each restaurant, about 900 meals are served. All à la carte. Slightly kitsch ambiance, but rather elegant, impeccable tables, kind and efficient waiters. But there are a couple of buts. To take the order and prepare and serve 900 meals making everyone start and finish more or less at the same time takes a bit of time.

During the wait the risk of boredom is at the door, also because the tables seat six people and, therefore, most guests find themselves seated with individuals they've never seen before. So then the poor waiters, when you least expect it, stage improbable dances involving the guests. With an embarrassing frequency here comes the photographer of the shift roaming among the tables, busy expertly photographing each guest alongside him, for example, some unfortunate pizza maker who has to smile 900 times and be immortalized holding a pizza. Then there are the two dinners expressly defined as gala. This means that, apart from the menu, if possible richer and more abundant, that suddenly while most are busy chewing a certain morsel, the lights go out, the music starts at maximum volume and the waiters start singing, involving the guests in an inevitable global conga line among the tables.

The toilets/dress are also fascinating. A gala evening would require evening dress. So here's the lady who really believes it and, convinced she's aboard the Titanic in 1912, shows off the best she has in her wardrobe. Obviously there's also the one who, tacky to the bone, comes down in flip-flops and leggings.

Everyone ashore! The world is discovered

Remember the little number? Well, on the occasion of the daily excursions it becomes an inseparable companion. The logic is this: usually you dock at such-and-such port early in the morning and set sail after 5 hours. More rarely the stop lasts the whole day (in our case this happened in Istanbul, with a 10-hour stay). In this span of time you have to disembark, let's say, 2000/2500 people (not everyone takes part in the excursions), direct them onto the buses (do the math yourself on how many are needed, considering that each carries roughly 50 people) differentiated by type of excursion, drive them around to the chosen destination and bring them back in time for boarding and departure.

To do this all the excursion-goers are invited to gather at pre-established times in the mega theater of the ship where, all in line with the tickets for their excursion in hand, they collect the little number corresponding to the bus assigned. Then you wait for your little number to be called. Only at that moment is it possible to head to the exit and disembark. From this moment the discovery of the place that is the object of the excursion begins. This is how in less than 5 hours, (including, at times, two hours of bus travel and at least an hour of stopping at some souvenir place) you visit the site of Olympia or the city of Ephesus. In 10 hours you visit the whole of Istanbul. The pace is extremely tight. The guides, good, are often clearly struggling not to lose along the way the slower or more distracted excursion-goers, as well as in enforcing the imposed times.

All of this, usually, takes place in inevitably overcrowded archaeological sites. All in all, I must say, observing and listening to the comments of the excursion-goers, this massification of tourism taken to exasperation doesn't displease most, who often experience the moment of the excursion as something "mandatory" just like the student who, on a school trip, can't wait for the museum visit to end quickly so they can go back to partying. For the record, it's always possible to disembark and organize yourself independently, but very few choose this alternative. What can remain of a whirlwind visit to a historic and fascinating city like Istanbul? Well, at most, to the question from some relative "how is Istanbul?", you'll be able to answer: "well, what can I tell you, it seemed beautiful to me".

And, once back on board, off immediately to the next destination, to the tune of "Con te partirò" by Bocelli.

The cabins

Out of 1500 cabins, about 500 have a private balcony and more or less as many have at least a window (then there are about a hundred suites). The others are internal, that is, they have no opening to the outside. The price of not being able to tell if it's day or night outside, if you're sailing or in port, if there's sun or moon, is compensated by the cheapness. Booking this type of cabin allows, in high season, a week-long cruise for even much less than 1000 euros per person. For the rest, apart from the suites, all the cabins are identical and rather small. The decor, similar-elegant, is objectively functional. The bathroom too, no bigger than a couple of square meters, has everything necessary.

As a couple, all in all, the living space is acceptable, but I must say that with one or two children in the room (an option often used by families because this way minors travel free) I wonder how you avoid stepping on each other. Let's be honest, anyone who booked a week's vacation in a 4-star hotel and found themselves assigned a room of a size similar to those on cruise ships would have it changed. Those who don't agree with this criticism retort that, after all, the cabin is only for sleeping and washing and that what matters is everything else (pools, entertainment, food, etc...). Well, I reply that even in a 4-star hotel the use of the room isn't all that different. And moreover in a hotel "everything else" is certainly nicer. Pools first and foremost. And, usually, there's also the beach with the sea at hand.

Eight days in the Mediterranean. What remains? Getting to the point, what remains of a cruise in the Mediterranean, for those who don't board with the sole purpose of eating and dancing? Personally I will remember the splendid landscapes, always different, that it was possible to admire, far from the crowd, from the little balcony of our cabin. Arriving in Istanbul, at dawn, after crossing the Dardanelles Strait and the Sea of Marmara, being able to admire from a unique vantage point the mosques illuminated by the first morning sun, observing the bustle of the thousand boats crossing the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn was a thrilling experience. This was the only moment in which I managed to smell, faint, the scent of adventure that travelers of a bygone era must have felt, far from the excesses of mass tourism and without the possibility of cancelling distances by taking a plane.

To them was granted the ability to savor the essence of the journey par excellence, the one by ship, which with its placid rhythms allows you to reach practically every part of the world. In these moments I tried to imagine the sensations they must have felt sailing the waters of the doorways of the East in discovery of such intriguing worlds.

By the way...what about the sea? Not even touched with a finger.

Federico Chierichetti