After living under the yellow and blue funnels of Costa Cruises for 10 years as cruise director, along with my wife as casino manager, we left our pseudo, onboard Italian family in 1990 to raise our own. Now, after 25 years in the onshore world of reality, we found ourselves about to embark on a reunion of sorts, a return to the distinctive yellow and blue “C” of Costa Deliziosa.
IN THE EARLY ’80S, WE WERE PART OF THE ADOLESCENT DAYS of the cruise industry, when Costa had a significant presence in the American market, sailing to an assortment of Caribbean ports from South Florida and Puerto Rico. The company became synonymous in the United States with its Cruising Italian Style mantra on ships such as Carla C, Flavia, Daphne, and the popular Costa Riviera. Today, after a brand refresh and an infusion of new upscale ships, the company offers a redefined contemporary cruise experience.
With a slight tinge of melancholy, our short drive to Port Everglades evoked memories of returning to our floating home on countless Saturdays after a few precious hours on shore. Today, technology has streamlined the embarkation process and after a few brief formalities we stepped aboard the eye-popping Costa Deliziosa. The vibrant welcome opened a mental time capsule providing us with the nostalgic feeling that we were home.
Our 10-day cruise promised a return to the often-visited ports of Freeport, Ocho Rios, and Grand Cayman along with new calls for us to Roatan, Honduras; Costa Maya, Mexico; and the new port of Amber Cove on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic.
LIVING THE LIFE
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