Coming Home
After 25 years, a former cruise director returns to his roots.
IN THE EARLY ’80S, WE WERE PART OF THE ADOLESCENT DAYS of the cruise industry, when Costa had a significant presence in the American market, sailing to an assortment of Caribbean ports from South Florida and Puerto Rico. The company became synonymous in the United States with its Cruising Italian Style mantra on ships such as Carla C, Flavia, Daphne, and the popular Costa Riviera. Today, after a brand refresh and an infusion of new upscale ships, the company offers a redefined contemporary cruise experience. With a slight tinge of melancholy, our short drive to Port Everglades evoked memories of returning to our floating home on countless Saturdays after a few precious hours on shore. Today, technology has streamlined the embarkation process and after a few brief formalities we stepped aboard the eye-popping Costa Deliziosa. The vibrant welcome opened a mental time capsule providing us with the nostalgic feeling that we were home. Our 10- day cruise promised a return to the often-visited ports of Freeport, Ocho Rios, and Grand Cayman along with new calls for us to Roatan, Honduras; Costa Maya, Mexico; and the new port of Amber Cove on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic.
LIVING THE LIFE
Having lived for several years in a minimalistic staff cabin with a small round window to the world, our exceptionally wellappointed stateroom with veranda balcony was astounding. Luxury, functionality, and elegant design were all something we had never previously enjoyed. Now we were living large with an extremely comfortable queensized bed, an endless view of the sea through sliding glass doors, and an array of special room amenities. Comparing our initial Costa boarding in 1980 to today, very little was reminiscent of our previous onboard lives. “Adequate” and “nice” have been replaced by “wow” and “extravagant.”
Costa Deliziosa was designed by renowned ship architect Joe Farcus, retaining consistency with trends toward neon-infused glitz. A wealth of decorative detail is spread throughout the lavish multistoried atrium and public rooms, generating an aura of excitement. A walk around the ship portrays every style imaginable, with each area pushing a different mood button. Cleverly designed mosaic walls in one area give way to a whimsical eclectic theme in another. Art deco merges into classic marble and nautical décor into ultra elegance, yet it all works seamlessly.
More recent trends have seen cruise lines placing emphasis on spa facilities, and Costa Deliziosa boasts one of the best. The impressive two- deck Samsura Spa features a well- equipped gym, assorted baths, a thalassotherapy pool, 12 treatment rooms, three saunas, a Turkish bath, a UVA-ray solarium, and a full menu of spa treatments. So this is what cruise life was meant to be!
The mid-ship pool area also deserves the highest of accolades. This spacious epicenter of activity can be opened for devoted sun worshippers or closed off by a domed-glass roof to guarantee pool use even in the most inclement weather.
THAT’ S ENTERTAINMENT
We had planned and looked forward to reliving our daily onboard rituals of a decade. Dinner, with a bottle of a special Italian wine, had always been a highlight of our day, and that feeling was rekindled in the two- deck Albatross dining room. Menu options were upscale Italian and the traditional Costa pasta was just as outstanding as we remembered. Gone are the days of the fun-loving, old-school Italian waiters, but the new international staff was just as attentive, with personalities as varied as their assorted nationalities.
Following dinner in our former onboard days, we would sneak off to a secluded coffee bar for an expertly pulled espresso and/or pre-show, mind-stimulating Sambuca. Sadly, the passing years have eliminated our tolerance of caffeine after 2 p.m., but Sambuca remains ageless! Plus, there are new temptations such as a flowing chocolate fountain in the Chocolate Bar, relaxing with a stogie in the Cigar Bar, or enjoying live music in four different lounges.
Then, as we did every night for 10 years, we headed to the evening’s featured entertainment in the impressive multilevel Teatro Duse. However, rather than performing on stage, we now found a comfortable seat in the audience and participated from a different perspective in a high-tech venue that was impossible to imagine back in the ’80s.
Having been an entertainer for more than 50 years, I am sometimes cynical about cruise line entertainment, but Costa’s new generation of performers delivers an impressive mix of music and novelty acts. Each night features a variety of entertainment diversions. Try for the big score in the Gaius Casino, enjoy talented international musicians and spotlight shows in an intimate lounge, or embrace your inner youth in the disco. If you prefer a quieter sanctuary, settle in with a drink at the relaxing piano bar. For us, a late-night visit to the pizzeria for a bite and a beer gave us the opportunity to relive our nightcap routine of another life.
FAMILY TIES
Ten days of cruising with a reborn Costa transported us back to 10 years of phenomenal memories. After a quarter of a century away, I still find myself seduced into believing I am Italian. Wish as I might, I am not. My wife and I travel extensively in Italy every year, I speak adequate Italian, and have even bought a house in Abruzzo, Italy, to fuel our imaginations, but nothing compares to our years spent living La Dolce Vita aboard a Costa ship.
With a revitalized fleet of 15 ships deployed around the globe, Costa has set a new course for relevance with a niche footprint in a European profile. The line has remained true to its cruise DNA by tweaking its original concept of Cruising Italian Style with creative new ideas.
It has been said that none of us can ever truly go home again. Wherever home is, it is constantly evolving, but it is comforting to know we can always return for a visit. What pleased us the most was that rather than strangers moving in and taking over, there was simply a new, more vibrant generation, yet somehow reminiscent of our old family.
Bravo, Costa! Ciao for now.