Fortuna Feb. 18 Roll Call

[ECCruise]

Anyone else booked the Canary Islands cruise on the Fortuna? We were all set to do a February Caribbean when we found this cruise and it looked interesting and different. Anyone joining us?

 

Ed and Cathy

[Dieter]

Sorry, no, but perhaps we can see you leaving the ship. We booked the next cruise.

Dieter and Lieselotte

[Makeithappen]

Hello,

 

We have reservations on this trip. We'll be flying in a day early and staying in VARAZZE, which looks on the map to be between Genova and Savona. Of course we are staying a day after the trip in Genova, due to our flights not being available except for early mornings.

 

Will you be coming in early? We booked our air with our world points, and were able to use only 35,000 points on this trip to Europe as opposed to the normal 50,000 during a more peak time.

 

This sounds like a great trip and it'll be interesting to check out the Costa ship line. I'd be glad to hear what you've found out about the ports, cruise, area, too.

 

Jill

[ECCruise]

Hi Jill,

Glad to hear that there will be other CCers joining us on this trip. We arrive a day early and are staying at the Hotel Jolly in Genoa (Costa pre-cruise) and leaving the day we return (got good connections with leg leaving from Genoa not until 1:30 although we get into Richmond pretty late that night! We will be traveling with Cathy's parents. Just starting to make specific plans for ports...what we have so far:

 

Barcelona: Cab to La Rambla

Casablanca: Trying to find a way to Rabat (train, which looks easy or driver)

Arrecife: Booked rental car

Tenerife: Booked rental car

Funchal: Driving there is supposed to be wild and hectic so we are looking for a driver. No luck yet.

Malaga: Walking tour? Not sure here.

 

Ed and Cathy

[Makeithappen]

Hi Ed and Cathy,

 

Are you flying thru CDG Paris on your way over to Genova? We fly over night from CVG (Cinci) into Paris then a hop to Genova arriving around 12:30 the day prior, then we will hitch a ride to our hotel which is between Genova and Savona. Mike found the hotel on the net.

 

Have you been to Barcelona? It is one of our favorite cities. Las Ramblas is super for people watching and having sangria.

 

You have researched the stops! Anything that really stands out to you at any of the ports that is a must see?

 

Jill

[ECCruise]

Hi Jill and Mike!

 

Yes, we spent a few days in Barcelona a couple of years ago and loved it...wish we had more time in port on this cruise to do more, but there should be enough time for a "tapas crawl".

 

Sounds like you are flying Delta...we go Richmond-Atlanta-CDG-Genoa with fairly decent connections...just a couple of hours in Paris to wake up.

 

Ed and Cathy

[Makeithappen]

Maybe we will catch up with you in Paris. We get in around 9:30 am on 2/17, and yes we are flying Delta (booked thru Air France).

 

I like your description of a Tapas crawl, aptly put.

 

Mike and I are in our mid forties, and are new to Costa cruising. I wonder if our ship will book up being off season? We're guessing it'll be mainly Europeans this time of year, maybe we can pick up a new language :)

 

Jill

[ECCruise]

We are probably on the same flight from deGaulle to Genoa...a Delta/Air France/British Air codeshare leaves at 10:50 arrives at 12:30. We are guessing the ship will be 90% or so European...all announcements are in 5 languages and English is last so we will have to be patient :)

[Makeithappen]

Yes we are on the same flight. Have you been on Costa before? It will be interesting to be one of few Americans.

 

Jill

[ECCruise]

This will be our first time on Costa. We think it will be interesting to have a wide variety of passengers on board from all over Europe (and us from the U.S.!)

[Makeithappen]

Hello!

 

True today is the official final payment day. That is always exciting as it means we 'married' to the trip we have put deposit on. I made final payment Wednesday evening. We had a Cat. 8 balcony on deposit, but I'd been eyeing the Cat. 10 aft balcony cabins ( cabin 6432). The cost was around three hundred more for the cabin so we decided to go for it. The balcony looks to be larger than the other ones due to location on the ship. It is always a gamble looking at the deck plans and picking the 'one' that looks most promising. Doesn't really matter, just a game, but a fun one at least to me.

 

Is everyone set in their arrangements?

 

Ed and Cathy we'll look forward to seeing you on the plane from CDG to Genova.

 

I'll tell you a little about us and then look forward to hearing about everyone else. Mike and I are in our forties; MIke has dark hair, medium height/build. I'm blonde. Mike is a dentist who limits his practice to endodontics and I'm a RDH who does restorations (fillings, etc). We have two daughters, a mini farm, five dogs who are like family to us (three chihuahuas, an Old English Mastiff, and a huge mixed doberman. We both work full time.

 

Please tell us about yourselves!

 

Jill

[ECCruise]

Jill and Mike...congrats on snaring the aft cabin. We looked at those and they do appear to be larger but never actually asked about them when we booked so we will be on deck 7, balcony.

 

As for us, we both have our own businesses and Cathy also works part time for a local bank. Ed is early...well, mid 50s, Cathy is early 40s. No children and currently no pets.

 

Can't believe it is almost less than 2 months til we leave. We are in Florida now (were on the Caribbean Princess two weeks back) but will be headed to Richmond early next week (cold!) and to Pittsburgh for the Holidays at the end of the week (colder!!).

 

Ed and Cathy

[Makeithappen]

Ed and Cathy, it is wonderful to hear that you just got off the Caribbean Princess, did you do the 8 or the 7 day Eastern? I'd love to hear about your trip.

 

We are in Ohio and it has been in the 30's this week, brrrrr. We're headed to New Orleans for 4 days between Christmas and New Years and the weather there has been chilly, what temps are you experiencing?

 

We're thinking it will be in the sixties for our Fortuna trip from past weather patterns for February. Is that the info you've read? The canaries should be warmer. We're getting excited for this trip!

 

Jill and Mike

[ECCruise]

Hi Jill and Mike...

 

We are back to the real world again after the Caribbean Princess and a couple of weeks in Sanibel, FL.

 

The CP was nice though it is a huge ship (3400+ PAX). Food was great, we actually felt the menu and preparation (and creativity) was close to Celebrity. Did Eastern Caribbean, St. Martin and St. Thomas/St. John. Rented a car in both ports and circumnavigated the islands.

 

Starting to plan for our cruise, now. Have cars rented in Tenerife and Arrecife, have a driver scheduled in Madeira. In Casablanca we really want to go to Rabat, trying to get particulars on taking the train (the station, Casa Port looks very close to the pier). Barcelona we will just take a cab to Las Ramblas and Ramble, LOL. Malaga we are unsure, my mother-in-law says that it is a good walking around town.

 

Cool that you got the aft cabin...we have always wanted one and the only time we had one booked the cruise got cancelled a couple of weeks before we left (Infinity to Hawai'i two years back). I am sure you will like it and it does look to be bigger than the others!

 

Ed and Cathy

[Makeithappen]

Hi Ed and Cathy and welcome home. Mike and I just returned from New Orleans where we stayed for five days. The weather was wonderful, already I miss it.

 

We are just now looking into excursions for our Fortuna trip. Is there anything that you've discovered that you think is important not to miss?

 

Mike gave me a laptop for Christmas/wedding anniversary and we're going to take it on this trip to keep a running diary of our stops.

 

See you soon,

 

Jill

[2Scots]

Hi everyone - we are really looking forward to this trip. We sailed the Med. this summer from Rome and visited the Greek Isles, Malta, Barcelona, and Naples. It was really a fun and exciting trip. Really liked the itinerary on this Feb 18th Western Med trip so we are going for it. Have never sailed Costa before could someone give me a contrast between Costa and Celebrity? Any idea on what if any real differences.

 

We are a couple from Houston and look forward to meeting and talking with everyone. We are doing the pre and post cruise days in Genoa as well. We haven't booked any excursions as of yet. We are open to any information anyone would like to share.

 

Thanks for any information.....

[Makeithappen]

I can't comment on Costa since this is our first cruise with them. We did do a family reunion cruise on the then new Carnival Spirit which was made by the same company that owns Costa. The ship was designed well, although not as 'classy' as we've found Celebrity (our favorite cruiseline), it was a wonderful ship.

 

We're staying pre-cruise at http://www.coccodrillo.it which is supposedly close the port of Savona.

 

Post cruise we are staying at the Veronese one night. This cruise will be an adventure which we are highly anticipating.

 

We originally chose late seating as usual, but looking at the late dining times opted for the early seating (I think it starts closer to 7:00 pm).

 

As we near our departure time we'll have to chose a meeting place aboard ship to introduce ourselves. We haven't booked any excursions due to being busy with the holidays. We usually book the excursions in the port city as opposed to doing it with the ship.

 

Glad you signed on! I know you'll enjoy hearing from Ed and Cathy as they can share a wealth of information from their travels.

 

 

Jill and Mike

[2Scots]

Hi Jill & Mike - thank you for your response. We look forward to meeting you and the others who are on this board and going on the cruise.

 

We will be arriving in Genoa about the same time as you on the 17th. From CDG to Genoa. We will be on the Air France flight direct from Houston to CDG.

 

I have read that Costa does not enforce the suit and tie rules for men as Celebrity does on the cruises. Guess we will be taking a lot less in the way of formals.

 

We spent time on Las Ramblas doing the tapa and sangria crawl back in the summer and it was so much fun. We intend to take a taxi over to Las Ramblas when we arrive in Barcelona and walk around. So far that is our only plan. We have been looking at the ship excursions but no decisions yet.

[ECCruise]

Hi 2Scots and Hi again Jill and Mike. Haven't posted for a while...been crazy busy the last couple weeks. Only a little over a month to go now and we are getting excited. We are staying one day pre cruise at the Jolly in Genova. Post cruise we were able to get quick connections out, leaving the same day. We will be back in June on the Galaxy, so we want to find things to do in Genova when we return. Still trying to get some information on traveling to Rabat in Morocco...supposedly the vendors and "guides" are pretty aggressive in Casablanca but less say in Rabat. Don't know if the in-laws will want to take the train to Rabat (but would think they would, they are very experienced travelers--New Years in San Luis Miguel, Mexico, a Hawai'in cruise and a Med. cruise in the last few months).

 

We think that Costa will be pretty cool since it will be so different. We are partial to Celebrity also (tho' don't know how much longer with the new prices we are seeing). The Toga Night thing on Costa sounds fun and it sure will be a cosmopolitan cruise from the sounds of all the different nationalities that will be on board.

 

Ed and Cathy

[2Scots]

Hello Ed & Cathy and Jill and Mike - Our names are Kim and Pamela (2Scots) and we have been doing some planning over the last couple of days for the tours.

 

We will be taking the ships tour to Marrakesh in Morocco. Has anyone else signed up for that one or are there other areas you are going to around the Casablanca area?

 

We just can't wait! I'm more of the planner than Kim is he has the task of planning after the cruise to spend a day in Portofino however.

 

Has anyone ever been to Portofino?

 

Hope to meet up with the 4 of you.

 

Pamela

[Makeithappen]

Hello Pamela, Kim, Ed and Cathy,

 

The only excursion we have planned so far is the tapas and sangria crawl on Las Ramblas that Pamela wrote about. We did this a couple of years ago when in Barcelona and it is a wonderful memory. We'll sit down this weekend and carefully look at our itinerary and make some decisions. The train to Rabat sounds a little scary making it sound exciting. I'm going to look online to read more about Rabat.

 

The toga party will be fun, especially as it's the last evening and we'll all know each other.

 

What time do you all hope to meet up in Savona to board the ship? I am guessing by noon/1:00 they will allow boarding.

 

Have any of you taken Ambien for your overseas flight? It is a great little sleeping pill that helps you fall asleep and when you wake up you aren't groggy and there is no half life after effects. Mike and I had it prescribed for us last fall for our trip to Prague and I slept for 5 hours (which is a darn miracle for me) and woke up as they were serving breakfast feeling fine. I think I'm looking as forward to sleeping a straight 5 hours as I am the trip.

 

Until we talk again,

 

Jill

[but292]

We are going on the Costa Fortuna on 18th February too. We were on this ship for its Easter cruise last year, it was a great trip and this is the same itinerary. If anyone wants any information about the ship, excursions or destinations we'll try to help.

 

John and Maggie

[ECCruise]

Hi John and Maggie,

Great having a "veteran" of this ship. We are looking forward to our first cruise with Costa. When you cruised at Easter, did you do this same itinerary? How did you find the ship, service, food?

 

Thanks!

 

Ed and Cathy

[2Scots]

Hi John & Maggie - we are Kim and Pamela, he and I have many questions for you on the excursions in particular. Although we are very curious about the ship, service and the food too! Here is what we are thinking about for our excursions and would you please give us your comments: Marrakesh, Nat'l Park at Timanfaya in Arrecife, Mt. Teide in Tenerife.

 

We have booked the pre 1 night and post 2 nights in Genoa and hope to travel to Portofino post cruise for a day. Any comment on Genoa? We have traveled in Italy and Sicily a few times but not in this area.

 

Anyone else please comment too. We are getting very excited and are looking forward to meeting everyone possibly even if you are on our flight from CDG to GOA.

 

Thank you for any and all comments.

 

Kim & Pamela (2Scots)

[Makeithappen]

I spoke to a Costa DSM and he stated no toga party on the European cruises. I was very interested in seeing what all the 'toga fuss' was about.

 

Jill