Costa Fortuna, Dubai, Muscat Khasab, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Jan 15-22, 2016
I’ve already written about the full experience in my cruise diary, so here are the headlines, which may be of help to potential future passengers:
Boarding in Dubai: It was seamless for me. I just rocked up to the terminal, asked directions, had my main luggage taken from me, went to the counter, and was on the ship within five minutes. Others who had packaged deals and arrived on flights from Europe said things got a little chaotic for them, presumably because large numbers arrived at once.
Cabin: A well-maintained balcony/ ocean view cabin on deck 7. No complaints except that the shower couldn’t be locked into position and the nozzle kept sliding down the fixture. The steward was very pleasant and efficient.
Ship: The Fortuna had a makeover during a spell in dry dock in December, being prepared for the Chinese market. It sails east in April and will be based in Asia for the foreseeable future. The refurb means fewer bars and more gambling facilities, including a high-rollers’ room, which is not yet finished.
Service: Everyone onboard was pleasant, including the English-speaking hostess, who even recognised me from a previous cruise onboard the Costa Fascinosa in the Mediterranean last year. Bar and wait staff were efficient and cheerful, with few exceptions.
Food: Standard Costa fare, meaning everything is Italian style. I enjoyed most of the meals in the restaurant at night; the only problem I had was when I had breakfast in one of the restaurants and I twice had to send back my “full monty” English breakfast because they gave me scrambled eggs rather than fried. Not a big problem. It would be nice to see some eggs and bacon in the breakfast buffet, but it was strictly continental style — cold meats, but a good range of them, cheese and pastries. The afternoon snacks are a great Costa touch, and I’m told the cakes were lovely.
Passengers: A mix of people from Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal and the UK. I didn’t encounter any Americans and I saw only a few Arab couples, suggesting most people had taken package tours from Europe. There were two couples from northern England at my dinner table, and they were very nice people. The conversation was diverting, taking me a whole world away from my normal zone. I also met some Belgians at the bar one night, and had a few laughs with them.
The itinerary: I’ve done this cruise before, and it’s a good sample of the Gulf. MSC, Aida and Royal Caribbean make similar stops. It would be interesting, but presumably not possible to include Bahrain and Qatar in a cruise itinerary. As it is, many newcomers to the region are struck by the difference between Dubai and Muscat (and, indeed, between Dubai and Abu Dhabi). I didn’t take any of these excursion because this is familiar territory to me, although the feedback I heard from those who did was generally positive. The desert safari seemed to be a popular choice, and manypeople loved the shopping and pace of Dubai.
Entertainment: As a former theatre critic, I have high standards in this department. I genuinely enjoyed several of the shows, and it seems a bit nit-picky to compare them to professional land-based performances — especially when the actors and dancers are required to work hard and be very flexible in terms of range. Highlights included an acrobatic performance with a Romeo and Juliet theme, and an exceptional tenor. Because of the many languages spoken on board, there was no comedy or talk-based performances (such as, say, a stage hypnotist). There were a number of duos and small groups playing around the ship, and their efforts were widely appreciated. It seems that many Italians like to dance, and watching them is a treat in itself.
Disembarkation: Again, it was smooth for me. After attending a half-hour lecture on how to do it, I discovered that I could just pack my bags and get off the ship at a time of my choosing on Friday, which is what I did.
Price: I got a bargain, and so did many of the tour-package passengers I spoke to. Rolling in the internet (expensive, as always on ships), the daily 9-euro service charge and a few bits and pieces, I spent about US$1,200 all up. For accommodation at at least a four-star level, all drinks (including great Illy coffee, soft drinks, draught beer, wine by the glass and spirit mixers) and the cruise itself, that’sway less than just a hotel room in Dubai would cost.
Would I do it again? Yes. But not straight away. The next cruise will probably be in Europe.
