Costa Cruises' anniversary deals offer a excuse to explore Europe
Source: El Paso Times (Original Article)
Click photo to enlargeThe port of Cadiz, Spain, at sunrise, as viewed from a Costa Atlantica stateroom balcony.«123»Cruising on the Costa Atlantica last month, my husband and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary Italian style — “con amore” (with love). The anniversary happily coincided with Costa Cruises’ 60th-anniversary promotion.Costa was established in 1854 by Italian entrepreneur Giacomo Costa as a freight shipping line, but it shifted to passenger cruise service in 1948. Today, Costa Cruises has a fleet of 14 luxurious liners — the most modern fleet in Europe.We had chosen a “repositioning” itinerary. Repositioning usually happens twice a year for ships moving from winter cruising to summer cruising ports and vice versa. This trip was a nine-night voyage from Savona, Italy, to Amsterdam.We were charmed by the mix of Europeans on board, allowing us to practice our fractured Italian, French, German and Spanish. Not to worry if you’re timid about foreign languages — all staff members speak English, and all announcements, newsletters are presented in English, too.Boarding in Savona was a breeze, thanks to the new and comfortable port facility. Costa’s well-trained personnel got us through embarkation procedures quickly. Once on board, we stopped at the lavish lunch buffet in the spacious Botticelli Restaurant. As a passionate salad lover, I appreciated the bottles of extra-virgin olive oil and several types of vinegars (in addition to prepared dressings). And for nine days, I had to show great restraint in the carbs department, because Costa bakes fabulous fresh Advertisementbreads daily.Malaga and CadizIn Malaga, Spain, our first stop, Costa offered optional excursions (extra charge) which included the Alhambra at Granada, Nerja Caves and the ancient Moorish castle of Gibralfaro.Having enjoyed previous visits to Malaga, we opted to wander about on our own. My husband visited the Picasso Museum, while I filled House And Garden Article 16406 my day exploring the Unicaja Museum …continue reading