This cruise
was the first one in our lives and in fact a fantastic experience.
The gigantic size of the Costa Atlantica as well as the marvellous
architectural and artistic design were beyond anything we could
imagine until then. With a tonnage of 86.000 t, a length of 958
ft (292 m), a height to keel line of 197 ft (60 m) as well as a
width of 105 ft (32 m) and a capacity of 2680 guests the Costa Atlantica
is the largest ship, that has ever been built in Europe. On 12 different
decks the ship provides everything, which makes the "dolce vita":
Foyer Dolce Vita
staircase of glass deck 8-10-11
view to the top with lift
on the right
theatre Caruso
- 1057 comfortable furnished cabins,
684 of them with balcony and 58 suites - numerous cafés,
salons, bars, clubs and restaurants as well as a casino, - a
theatre with an extension over 3 decks for an audience of 1200 people
- a disco with an extension over 2 decks, - 2 swimming
pools, 3 whirl pools, fitness and beauty centre, - several places
for sporting activities, including tennis, - 1300 sun beds on
several decks, - an elegant shopping arcade...
pool on deck 10
tennis deck 10
fitness center
stern - water slide
This ship is a floating paradise, which,
with its glamorous exclusivity, is reminiscent of Las Vegas
and where a crew of 900 people as well as an excellent artistic
ensemble do everything, to make your stay an incredibly beautiful
and unforgettable experience.
Moreover the upper decks form a height
of almost 98 ft (30 m) above sea level offer a fantastic panorama
with spectacular views of the scenery and seaports.
Of course the itinerary
and excursions connected with it
(see map) were the main
reason for the choice of this particular cruise, which lead us to
focal points of ancient cultures. The cruise started and
ended at Venice,
which is probably the most charming city of Italy, and lead us via
the enchanting south Italian seaport Bari
to Katakolon (Greece), including a
trip to Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic games.
Then we set sail for Kusadasy (Turkey),mainly
to visit theexcavation site at Ephesus. Next day we
docked at Istanbul
where we had the whole day to explore this fascinating city and
to visit its world famous sights as well as to visit the Great oriental
Bazaar. Finally as another highlight we arrived at
Piraeus and, adjoining it, Athens,
the cradle of western civilization..... With
this cruise dreams came true and a new dimension of travelling opened
to us ...
If you plan a Mediterranean cruise, you'll find a great variety
of offers and have a difficult time, to make the right choice. However,
for best deals one should book as early as
possible.
UNESCO
World Heritage Sites
