Costa Fortuna Postcard #8 A Sea Day

As we continue our cruise from Dubai to Savona, today was the first of 4 sea days which are then followed by the next port which is Aqaba, Jordan.
Although we have only got off the ship twice since departing in Dubai we are still managing to stay fairly active. We always use the stairs to go between decks and have also taken to walking at least 10 laps of the running track every day which works out at a minimum of 1800 metres every time. Today we did 15 laps.
As well as that our breakfast routine has become well established now and we head for the aft pool area were there is a grill servery and also the main bar which services all of rear end of that deck. From here we can easily attract one of the bar staff to bring us orange juice and coffees. The nice thing about the all inclusive drinks package is we can have Lavazza coffee in various styles, from Cappuccino, Shakerato, Corretto and even iced. We are particularly fond of what they call Espresso Americano. Its by far the best coffee we have ever had at sea and we often have several cups. As with sea days on most cruise lines there are the customary sales of useless tat and today was without exception, 70% off a line of bangles the name of which just rolls off the tongue as a market leader (Not).
The weather today has been absolutely marvelous, it did start off a bit cloudy but they soon disappeared and combined with a nice sea breeze it was perfect for sitting up on deck.
A bit of excitement this afternoon when we were flown over by a helicopter. Apparently we are under constant surveillance due to our location. There is ourselves and the MSC Lirica both relocating via the Suez canal and cruising very close together. We are currently between Somalia and Yemen which is pirate territory.
I will attempt to upload this on the ships WiFi with 1 photo because I think it is the size of the post which is timing out the connection. Fingers crossed.

Costa Fortuna Aft pool facing the bar and grill area

Costa Fortuna Aft pool facing the bar and grill area

Costa Fortuna Postcard #7 Salalah

Salalah Pilot Boat

Salalah Pilot Boat

Entering the port of Salalah

Entering the port of Salalah

Having said we wouldn’t get off we changed our minds and then changed them back again. With 4 sea days straight after this stop we thought we would get the shuttle into town and go for a walk. What shuttle? The ship is berthed in a very commercial port and there is only a courtesy shuttle provided by the port to get you to the gates where presumably there will taxis waiting to take you into Salalah itself. Sorry Salalah but its not for us, there’s too much effort required to see nothing much of any interest to us.
Again the weather is absolutely glorious and we are just going to enjoy the hotel facilities of the ship.
I maybe quiet for the next few days but if I get a chance to post I will.

Looking East from the ship at Salalah Port

Looking East from the ship at Salalah Port

Looking North from the port towards Salalah

Looking North from the port towards Salalah

Looking West inland at Salalah Port

Looking West inland at Salalah Port

Costa Fortuna Postcard #6 A Sea Day

A large ship painting of Conti Di Savoia just off the centre staircase

A large ship painting of Conti Di Savoia just off the centre staircase

Being as it is a sea day I will talk about the ship a little. Like every Costa ship we have been on there is a theme throughout the interior. The Costa Fortuna’s decorating theme pays homage to classic Italian vessels and every public room is inspired by and named after a particular ship. There are photos of ships all over the place and loads of models. The weirdest being the ones on the ceiling of the atrium, they just doesn’t look right to me sailing around upside down. All said though I really do like the inside of this ship and for Costa it has almost been done quite tastefully, yes there are bright glittery areas but it wouldn’t be Costa ship if they weren’t there.

I will finish today’s post with a few casual observations of some items that I have noticed so far.
Firstly the crew is one of the happiest we have ever seen, equally attentive, helpful, polite and nearly always smiling.
I have been trying to work out how the service charge works with the bar staff and in particular with the all inclusive so I will try and find that out in time. We bought our package before joining the ship which didn’t include any service charge. The bar staff seem more than willing to run around after you even though they appear to be getting no added benefit. I did wonder if there was a big pot and they got a bigger share of it if they served more drinks? Everything is still recorded so it does make you wonder.
At a guess I would also say the average age of the passengers would be mid 60’s, the bulk of which being Germans, French & Italians. I have only seen half a dozen kids so far so that will give you some idea of the passenger make up.
The photographers are a big nuisance too, much more so that any other cruise we have been on. They are set up for portraits on deck 5 every night in about 6 or so places. You have to run the gauntlet if you want to visit the bars at the other end of the ship.

Costa Fortuna Atrium Ceiling (1 of 2)

Costa Fortuna Atrium Ceiling (1 of 2)

Costa Fortuna Atrium Ceiling (2 of 2)

Costa Fortuna Atrium Ceiling (2 of 2)

Staircase art from the forward staircase

Staircase art from the forward staircase

Model of the Michelangelo outside the dining room

Model of the Michelangelo outside the dining room

Costa Fortuna Postcard #5 Muscat (Oman)

Big Bus Muscat outside the ship

Big Bus Muscat outside the ship

Oman Tourist Entry Permit

Oman Tourist Entry Permit

Today we were in Muscat and we did get off. The temperature was given as 31 degrees as we were leaving the ship at 9:25 so we knew we were in for a hot one.
Our plan today was to make use of the local hoho, a company called Big Bus Muscat. Tickets were advertised at 20 Omani Rials per person for a 24 hour ticket and a full circuit took 2 hours with 10 stops at various locations around the city. However if you purchased your ticket via Costa for €38 it meant we could catch it directly outside the ship without getting the shuttle into Mutrah. For the sake of ease that is what we did and in the end pleased because it also meant we could get back to the ship quicker and into the pool to cool off as it did get very hot. Along the way we listened to a commentary of what the local landmarks were and I took many photos which I have attached a small selection of above and below.
As we left the ship we were given an Oman Tourist Entry Permit which we had to hand in on our return. Today we elected not to get off as the bus fulfilled our requirements which was to have a tour of the city. We are not really into Mosque’s or Suq’s so the bus tour pretty much ticked all our boxes.

Tomorrow is a sea day so I maybe quiet but I hope to be back the day after when we reach Salalah, Oman. I very much doubt we will get off here either there is little or nothing there we consider making the effort to see.

Riyam Monument the giant incense burner in Mutrah

Riyam Monument the giant incense burner in Mutrah

Costa Fortuna from the Dolphin Fountains

Costa Fortuna from the Dolphin Fountains

Al Alam Palace

Al Alam Palace

Matrah Promenade

Matrah Promenade

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Riyam Monument the giant incense burner in Mutrah (2)

Riyam Monument the giant incense burner in Mutrah (2)

Riyam Monument the giant incense burner in Mutrah(3)

Riyam Monument the giant incense burner in Mutrah(3)

Anyone care to work out the Oman Fuel Prices?

Anyone care to work out the Oman Fuel Prices?

Muscat Sailaway

Muscat Sailaway

Muscat Sailaway with sun setting

Muscat Sailaway with sun setting

Costa Fortuna Postcard #4 (Fujairah) Khor Fakkan

Arrival at Khor Fakkan

Arrival at Khor Fakkan

Fujairah City from the port

Fujairah City from the port

It was our intention to do a trip to a local hotel today and use the beach facilities, however having discussed it over dinner last night we elected to stay on board. The ships tours suggest little of interest to us and so it was an easy decision in the end. All the ship offered was Fujairah and its traditions, Desert and Wadi Safari or A day at the beach!
We have an all inclusive drinks package, the ship won’t be full and there will be food that won’t require us spending any money.
The port is a very commercial area and we were berthed in an area full of containers. Even more amusing was they were even being used to form a perimeter around the ship.

The day was spent just lounging around by the pool and making the most of the excellent weather. Its a wonder how I am managing to sleep doing so little! Plenty of wine from the all inclusive helps!

Finally, the ships WiFi is an absolute nightmare and so I have resorted to making use of my phone to make the posts, the phone signal is excellent and there is plenty of 3G so fortunately I am just about able to keep the blog going for the time being. If I go quiet then its because the technology has let me down.

Containers galore and the perimeter fence

Containers galore and the perimeter fence

The entrance to the ships berth

The entrance to the ships berth

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Costa Fortuna Postcard #3 Khasab

Arrival at Khasab

Arrival at Khasab

Onboard the Dhow

Onboard the Dhow

Khasab was our first port of call on this cruise and here I had booked a half day Dhow cruise with a company called Dolphin Khasab Tours. We arranged to meet in the cruise terminal at 9:15 where we taken by mini bus for a short 10 minute drive to the Dhow. There were only 8 of us plus 2 crew and so we had plenty of space onboard. We were immediately made to feel at home with a welcoming cup of tea. The Dhow itself has 2 large carpets in the centre and there are really comfortable cushions all round the outside to sit on. There were also complimentary drinks and fruit available throughout the cruise which was a nice touch.
We set off on our trip to what is described as the “Fjords of Musandam” in the hope we would encounter some dolphins as well as taking in the stunning scenery. It is widely said that you will be extremely unlucky if you don’t.
It wasn’t long before we spotted our first dolphin but nothing could have prepared us for what we were treated to after that. The Dhow crew knew exactly how to entice the dolphins to swim along side the Dhow and they did this on several occasions. It was wonderful to see the dolphins swimming along side the boat and of course being so close. I have managed to get some absolutely fantastic photos which I hope that it will be possible to share with you at some point.
The cruise took just over 4 hours and is something I would describe as spectacular and never to be forgotten.
The rest of the day was spent relaxing on deck in the sun and we found it difficult to stop thinking about the mornings activities.
On another note, we have a table for 6 in the dining room but as of yet nobody has joined us. Its not all bad as were are getting extra attention from the waiter as there a few other empty tables on his patch as well as our empty seats.

Dolphins in the Musandam Fjords

Dolphins in the Musandam Fjords

More of dolphins in the Musandam Fjords

More of dolphins in the Musandam Fjords

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The packed large Dhow with the Costa excursion

The 2 packed large Dhows with the Costa excursion

Back to the ship

Back to the ship

Costa Fortuna Postcard #2 Dubai & Sailaway

Fortuna Midship Pool

Fortuna Midship Pool

Fortuna Aft Pool

Fortuna Aft Pool

The QE2 is amongst those cranes somewhere

The QE2 is amongst those cranes somewhere

Dubai from the ship

Dubai from the ship

After the long day yesterday we decided to stay on the ship today and relax, eventually leaving the cabin at around 10:45 to see what was on offer at the grille area at the back which is where they serve what Costa call the late breakfast. Fruit, cheeses and cold meats and iced buns so we decided to wait for lunch opting for a couple of the coffees that come with the all inclusive drinks packages we have bought.
In daylight we could see how far we are out from Dubai itself, in fact its quite a distance from anywhere really.

Its been a really warm day and lovely to just sit out and relax and the ship has almost been deserted as you will see from these photos.

As predicted, we have a deeper balcony at the aft. The only downside is the privacy issue with the adjacent cabins. You would also have thought that sun beds would have been better being as there is enough room.

We popped into the dining room after the muster to find that we are on a table of 6. Hopefully we will have some good company. Strangely enough there appears to be plenty of Brits on board this time which has not been the case in previous Costa cruises.
Sailaway was at 6:00 after the muster drill and we managed to get a quick glimpse of the QE2 berthed in an area where she doesn’t deserve to be.

QE2 in Dubai

QE2 in Dubai

Goodbye Dubai

Goodbye Dubai

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Costa Fortuna Postcard #1, The journey to Dubai & the ship

I always feel a certain amount of anxiety when making the journey to the ship and with every step along the way that anxiety decreases until we actually get on board. Today our journey started with a drive from Somerset to Heathrow where we parked the car in the Terminal 5 long stay and made our way to T5 using the transfer bus from the car park. We then caught the Heathrow Express to T3 for our Emirates flight to Dubai.

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The reason for using the car park at T5 was because our homeward bound British Airways flight from Nice flies into that terminal which is of course a different terminal from the one we left from. We decided that it would make much more sense to not have to do the longer journey on the return leg thus allowing us to get home quicker.

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Our flight to Dubai took 7 hours and the plane itself is an absolute masterpiece of engineering. So many little additional features including the capacity to view 3 different camera angles on the outside of the plane.

On arrival at Dubai airport we were kept waiting in the arrivals hall for over 50 minutes with over a dozen or so really slow moving long queues, all stood there in quite a humid conditions. Eventually we made it through with our freshly stamped passports and found the Costa rep who directed us and about another 20 or so passengers to a coach which took us to the ship. Embarkation was swift and I checked my watch as I was boarding the ship and it said 2:35am. Quite a strange feeling to be boarding a ship at that hour.

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Our cases were very soon with us in our cabin so we quickly unpacked before going to the buffet which they had left open until 4:00am for us. Judging by the amount of other people about we weren’t the only ones arriving at this strange time of the day.

We eventually retired to bed at just after 5:00am, tired but happy to finally be onboard the ship.

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Itinerary Change by Costa – No Egypt

We received an e-mail from our TA today informing us that the itinerary has been changed on our up and coming cruise. Sadly Egypt is now off the list.

Although initially disappointed we think the replacement ports are equally as exciting for us as they are 3 we have not visited before. Aqaba giving us the opportunity to visit Petra for the first time.

  •  Good afternoon,We have today received a notification from Costa regarding your cruise in March.Due to the political unrest in Egypt, the ports visiting Egypt have now been changed.The planned calls in Egypt at Safaga, Sharm El Sheikh and Alexandria are replaced by highly appealing alternatives: Aqaba (Jordan), Eilath (Israel), Heraklion (Greece) respectively, offering the opportunity to plan excursions to Petra, Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, Masada or other magnificent locations.

    Please find below your new itinerary:

Day Location Arrival Departure
Friday, March 28, 2014 Dubai (UAE) 11:59 PM
Saturday, March 29, 2014 Dubai (UAE) 12:01 AM 06:00 PM
Sunday, March 30, 2014 Khasab (Oman) 08:00 AM 06:00 PM
Monday, March 31, 2014 Khor Fakkan (UAE) 08:00 AM 06:00 PM
Tuesday, April 1, 2014 Muscat (Oman) 08:00 AM 06:00 PM
Wednesday, April 2, 2014 At Sea
Thursday, April 3, 2014 Salalah (Oman) 08:00 AM 06:00 PM
Friday, April 4, 2014 At Sea
Saturday, April 5, 2014 At Sea
Sunday, April 6, 2014 At Sea
Monday, April 7, 2014 At Sea
Tuesday, April 8, 2014 Aqaba (Jordan) 08:00 AM
Wednesday, April 9, 2014 Aqaba (Jordan) 06:00 AM
Wednesday, April 9, 2014 Eilat (Israel) 08:00 AM 09:00 PM
Thursday, April 10, 2014 At Sea
Friday, April 11, 2014 At Sea
Saturday, April 12, 2014 Heraklion (Crete) 02:00 PM 07:00 PM
Sunday, April 13, 2014 At Sea
Monday, April 14, 2014 Naples (Italy) 08:00 AM 02:00 PM
Tuesday, April 15, 2014 Savona (Italy) 09:00 AM

Costa Fortuna Revised Itinerary

Ships in port with us

Providing that we actually go on this cruise, then we won’t see many other ships until we reach Savona. With the exception of the MSC Lirica then we will go for 2 weeks without seeing any other cruise ships.
When I first started to write this the FCO were advising against all but essential travel to Egypt. The warnings now seems to have been relaxed and according to their website it should now be OK to travel, but only to certain areas.

 

Date Port Ships in Port
28 Mar 2014 Dubai, United Arab Emirates Costa Fortuna Depart: 11:59:00 PM
MSC Lirica 8:00 AM – 11:59 PM
29 Mar 2014 Dubai, United Arab Emirates Costa Fortuna 12:01:00 AM – 6:00:00 PM
MSC Lirica 12:01 AM – 7:00 PM
30 Mar 2014 Khasab, Oman Costa Fortuna 8:00:00 AM – 6:00:00 PM
31 Mar 2014 Fujairah, United Arab Emirates Costa Fortuna 8:00:00 AM – 6:00:00 PM
1 Apr 2014 Muscat, Oman Costa Fortuna 8:00:00 AM – 6:00:00 PM
2 Apr 2014 At Sea Costa Fortuna
3 Apr 2014 Salalah, Oman Costa Fortuna 8:00:00 AM – 6:00:00 PM
4 Apr 2014 At Sea Costa Fortuna
5 Apr 2014 At Sea Costa Fortuna
6 Apr 2014 At Sea Costa Fortuna
7 Apr 2014 At Sea Costa Fortuna
8 Apr 2014 Safaga (Luxor, Karnak), Egypt Costa Fortuna 7:00:00 AM – 11:00:00 PM
9 Apr 2014 Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt Costa Fortuna 7:00:00 AM – 4:00:00 PM
10 Apr 2014 At Sea Costa Fortuna
11 Apr 2014 Alexandria, Egypt Costa Fortuna 8:00:00 AM – 10:00:00 PM
12 Apr 2014 At Sea Costa Fortuna
13 Apr 2014 At Sea Costa Fortuna
14 Apr 2014 Naples/Capri, Italy Costa Fortuna 8:00:00 AM – 1:00:00 PM
Noordam 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Prinsendam 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
MSC Splendida 11:30 AM – 7:30 PM
15 Apr 2014 Savona (Genoa), Italy Costa Fortuna Arrive: 9:00:00 AM