Sailing had never been a part of Izwan Ismail’s travel itinerary, until he boarded the Costa neoRomantica
AS tenor Fabio Valenti sings one of the most famous Italian love songs, Con Te Partiro, at the Grand Bar Piazza Italia, his audience stay glued to their seats in awe of his melodic voice.
The atmosphere of being at an Italian classical concert is felt definitely, although it is actually at sea, onboard the cruise ship Costa neoRomantica. What makes the evening more romantic, as I gaze out the glass panels of the Grand Bar Piazza Italia hall, are the stars that blanket the clear night sky and the almost-full moon that shines brightly. The glass panel on both sides ofthe ship hold me suspended in reality that feels so surreal.
I know that I would miss a cruise experience like this after I disembark in two days’ time in Tokyo, the port where I boarded five days prior.
The 221-metre long, 13-deck cruise ship navigates her way out of the Fukuoka Cruise Terminal smoothly, as smooth as the tenor singing his Italian love songs.
What Captain Sokratis Sklavos, the skipper of Costa neoRomantica, has said about sailing on his ship is all true, and it has changed my view of sailing completely.
‘I want you to experience ‘Italy at Sea’, not just the ship but also the food, performances, culture, hospitality, and by the end of the seven-day cruise, you’ll feel that we’re all family. And that matters the most,’ he said during a meet and-greet session with the passengers on the first day.
A NEW EXPERIENCE
Although I travel quite a bit, I’ve never put sailing on a cruise ship in my travel bucket list, as the thought of being at sea for many days may be boring. I’ve travelled a short trip on a ferry from Dover in the UK to Calais, France, and an overnight cruise from Amsterdam to London, but I didn’t quite like the experience.
But boy, was I wrong about sailing on a full-scale cruise ship. The little experience I had wasn’t long and comprehensive enough to give me a good impression of sailing, and being on a beauty like Costa neoRomantica changed it all. The cruise that I took covers three port cities ― Kobe, Jeju and Fukuoka ― taking a total of seven days and six nights altogether.
It may sound like a long period of time to be at sea ― a week ― but there are programmes and activities for passengers, and with the many things they can do onboard, a week just zips by.
FUN-FILLED DAYS AT SEA
Initially, I thought the fun of sailing only begins when the ship docks at a port and passengers go off the ground tour explorations.
But I actually experienced more fun and enjoyment while onboard.
Here’s how the days can pass by quickly with lots of fun on a cruise ship like the Costa neoRomantica. Prior to embarking on the ship, passengers are informed of the major events that will take place on the cruise so that they can be a part of them. For example, on this cruise, we were told to bring a set of formal wear or national costume for the Gala Night, party dress for the Venetian Carnival, the White Night, the Tropical Night and the Italian Night. This gave me some ideas on the types of gala events that were going to take place on the ship.
While it’s not compulsory, wearing themed outfits during the special events creates a more festive atmosphere onboard. Most passengers attending the special night events dressed according to the theme and they were all simply wonderful to see.
The hotel director of Costa neoRomantica prepared a full list of activities for the passengers to participate in and the cruise ship offers various facilities to keep everyone occupied. These are not just shows and special nights but also classes such as baking, dancing and learning the Italian language. There are also aerobics, arts and crafts classes, bingo game, health and beauty talks, as well as games on the deck.
Every evening, while the passengers are having dinner at the dining halls and many other restaurants, a daily schedule for the next day will be placed in the room. Everyone on board is not only kept abreast of the condition of the sea, and times for sunset and sunrise but also events, shows, games and activities taking place the next day.
The activities mentioned earlier are all included in the package, as well as four meals a day at two separate parts of the cruise ship, so passengers do not have to worry about meals and activities. For passangers who love pampering, Samsara Spa offers athalassotheraphy pool and a multitude of treatments including facials, massages and teeth whitening, at a fee.
ITALIAN HOSPITALITY
The intermediate-sized Costa neoRomantica carries 1,600 passengers and 600 staff comprising hospitality staff who are Filipinos, Indonesians and Indians.
The officers are Italians and other European nationalities, also Japanese. Despite the different ethnicities, all of them work together like a big family.
‘The size of the ship allows us to get close to the passengers and know them well, and vice versa,’ said Captain Sklavos. ‘What makes a good cruise is the experience you have with the staff and ones that you can remember,’ he added.
I only realise this after a couple of days. Their hospitality and friendliness go beyond their work requirements. Such as cabin stewart Dahrul from Indonesia and F&B staff, including Primasari, assisting with breakfast orders; Filipino Adelynn serving the table during lunch and Karl Corpuz providing similar five star service at dinner time. On top of that, Ni Komang always greeted passengers with a smile at the restaurant’s entrance.
What’s also commendable is the fact that the staff also take the initiative to explain the ingredients used in the meals as they are aware there are Muslims, vegetarians and people of various faiths among the passengers. While having dinner during the Italian-themed night, the waiters and waitresses at the Botticelli restaurant surprise patrons with a dance show. What made the ‘impromptu’ event more fun was that the guests were all sporting enough to dance with them, because they were already familiar with the F&B staff.
Even though the ship was carrying almost a full load of passengers, one still got to experience classy Italian gourmet. At Botticelli Restaurant, the ala carte cuisine boasted beautiful food presentation, from appetiser to dessert.
FUN-FILLED CRUISE
A day onboard is packed with activities that start as early as 9am right till midnight.
There’s always something to do for everyone. But if you prefer to just chill out by yourself, the sitting area at the top deck gives a great view of the vast seas.
There are two swimming pools on the top deck but if the weather is too chilly for a dip, there are chairs to laze around in while enjoying a cup of tea, coffee or juice. Some use the track on the top deck to jog, walk around the ship or enjoy the Samsara spa.
When night falls, the entertainment starts. A line-up of shows and dances await passengers at Cabaret Vienna on deck nine and Grand Bar Piazza Italia on deck eight every night, one after another, withashow normally lasting for 30 minutes before the next one starts.
The magic show with the Magician Vituco, the Latin Dance show, Dance with the Officers, tribute to Legends of Music, Halloween party, Litica Con Il Cuore concert with tenor Fabio Valenti and the La Notte Bianca animation team make nights onboard the Costa neoRomantica memorable and uniquely Italian.
GROUND TOURS
Throughout the seven-day voyage, Costa neoRomantica stops at three ports of call ― Kobe, Jeju Island (South Korea) and Fukuoka ―before heading back to Tokyo.
Passengers can opt to take ground tours that can stretch up to seven hours at these port cities. All they need to do is to choose the tour and for a small extra fee, the cruise will arrange it for them.
Although the hours may not be enough to cover many places, it gives a fair introduction of each place. For example, Kobe Port is a beautiful place to view the sunset and the whole city from the Kobe Port Tower, while the stop in Jeju Island takes passengers to the Osulloc tea plantation area as well as the Shin Hwa theme park. Fukuoka, meanwhile, presents visitors with the atmosphere inside the beautiful Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine and the Hakata Port area.
WHAT AN EXPERIENCE
The seven days and six nights I spent at sea onboard the Costa neoRomantica has indeed given me a fresh outook on sailing on a cruise ship. If I were to go on a relaxing getaway, I would definitely consider a cruise like the Costa neoRomantica as one of the choices.
FAST FACTS
COSTA NEOROMANTICA
(Second year based out of Japan)
Inaugural voyage March 2, 2012 Refurbished in 2017
WEIGHT 56,769 tonnes
DECKS 13 decks (11 for guests use)
CAPACITY 1,800 passengers
CABINS 789 Guest Cabins
WEBSITE www.costaasia.com
Pictures by Izwan Ismail