Seen from the window as we were moving on that path of blue waves painted the sea was one of my biggest hobbies in the Costa Fortuna. In this vast dimensions boat could do many things, but the essence found in the movement, in the company of sea unquestionable fore and aft, port and starboard. Everything else was I right, a mere accompaniment to my first experience on a cruise liner bound for Brazil and I could complete a very interesting path as it was to go from Barcelona to Tenerife stopping in cities like Malaga and Casablanca. As I said on occasion, I will not now become the biggest supporter of the cruise type trip, because at the moment it has not become my favorite way to travel, but I'm going to tell the good feelings and not so good I occurred to me was a pleasant experiment at sea.
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To cruise for several days I have been allowed to wander, relax and, in turn, offer a breath of sanity to a hobby that engages many people who proudly "cruisers" are declared, and other has failed them seduce the everything.
Famtrip WITH COSTA CRUISES
I do not intend to mislead anyone. The experience of testing one of the star ships Costa Cruises, the Costa Fortuna, was proposed by the Italian company to participate in a Famtrip, which becomes a "familiarization trip" with a product, in this case the cruise, with travel agents, journalists and, for once, bloggers travelers. My goal was to have step by step this sea crossing, although the networks were not exactly allies and did not allow me to connect what they wished.And this journey has been provided with many successes but also some missteps which I am convinced are easily remedied.
These days, through the subjectivity of an experience, I could rethink certain objectivities and write an article some time ago it seemed impossible I would write.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF TRAVEL ON A CRUISE
I acknowledge that my way of traveling is quite the cruise departs model with all (or almost all) which included stops in destinations Pyrrhic often deserve more dedication are performed. I have no objection to say that I am too restless to not being able to improvise completely decide a route or put my boundaries between the bow and stern. But I can not deny it's a travel option able to provide new, very pleasant and feelings as legitimate and respectable as the likes getting lost in the mountains or in the biggest clubs in India.
What I like a cruise
- On this cruise I have won me, above all, the ability to disconnect from the world, owning the time and not a damn clock. That the waves are the only neighbors who accompany you day and night is the less motivating. The stress is often left at the port and board up the desire to devote oneself, no less. And that is something that we are all entitled.
- Onboard become good friends, no doubt. Socialization is vital when you spend so many hours on a boat and there are so many places that has a boat of this type, that share is another phase of a cruise. The Costa Fortuna is equipped with swimming pools, jacuzzis, bars, casino, theater, gym, library, games room and a long ectétera that is implicit in this floating city with over four thousand inhabitants if we passengers and crew. Which it is bored because he wants ...
- Brief but intense one stops are available in a cruise of this type. As I note that stopping a single day in cities like Rome or Athens is a real aberration (why I do not call any attention cruises classic for the Mediterranean), I have to say that on this route stops have been a success in choice and time commitment. Malaga and Casablanca, for example, are places you can go a long way in a single day. In both cases the participants of this famtrip could do many things, about our way and others in a more organized way. Barcelona, Malaga, Casablanca and Tenerife were the preliminary steps of an ocean liner that had the Brazilian city of Santos as a final destination.
- The mere fact peek into the balcony of my room made me relax your mind go blank at the seaside it is one of the most effective exercises for reflection and relaxation that may exist.. The immense blue ocean therapy helped me to appease the nerves and think of myself minimizing the concerns and everyday speeds, that curse called routine.
- Travelling on a cruise is no longer rich, far from it. This practice has been adjusted to the crush in times of crisis and has been democratized to become a truly affordable vacation opportunity. Is increasing the number of places in this class of boats, so the prices are adjusted. And what about what happens at this time (European season). The Costa Fortuna in November does what comes to be called "repositioning" in crossing the pond to the Americas to leave the European winter and dedicate a few months to countries live their summer at this time as Brazil or Argentina. Those overseas travel can cost 400 euros with meals included, which can mean "be cheaper to be cruising at home" in some cases. Many large vessels which carry out this step as to consider and I recognize unknown until now. With this it is clear that the cruise is a truly economical travel option.
What I do not like a cruise
- Everything that is imposed and organized me snatches my heart I long to travel such as planning, improvisation and a choice every time I want to do. Right now it is not the way to go I look, although one of the best ways to get lost and forget the worries.
- The choice of destinations and downtime (most less than a day) often (and this has not been the case) I find exasperating. It hurts to see this "will have six hours to visit Athens" or "Venice in a morning", but it is something that is often implicit in this type of travel. If ever I repeat on a cruise I would make "small islands" manageable places in hours where one has. Traveling on a hit is not my thing, breaks the essence of relaxation and tranquility we have achieved at sea before disembarking.
- On the organized excursions (mostly on the sites can make one on your own) is one of the largest cruise business. Inflated prices in which many see no choice if they want to make a panoramic visit to a city or to a particular destination are offered. Prices that multiplied by three or four what one could do for yourself without difficulty.
- Internet ... an extra luxury. I am very reluctant to see business permit someone to connect to the Internet. And if I find it regrettable that a four or five star copper surf the web when you enable down to the seedy world hostel, I say the same in the case of many cruises (which includes the I I've done). In a famtrip or blogtrip you are supposed invites a travel blogger to share his experience and use the immediacy of social networks to share their experiences and reflections. In my case I can say that I have just enjoyed a few free minutes of internet with what I do. It is as if a doctor has to operate in the operating room and no scalpel or anesthetist. I'll say it a thousand times "Internet is not a luxury but a right". Furthermore there is no better advertising than social networks. Imagine that about a thousand people upload photos to your Facebook with your actual experience and live ... Today there are many (over 30% according to recent studies) who decide their travel or vacations with what they have blogs and inspiration social networks. So simply their loss ...
BARCELONA TO TENERIFE: CONSIDERATIONS OF A GREAT ROUTE
If something appealed to me the idea of doing this cruise on the Costa Fortuna was undoubtedly the travel they had raised us. Embark in Barcelona and finish in Tenerife, from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic crossing the Strait of Gibraltar and making intermediate stops as cool and different such as Malaga and Casablanca. It is true that I had stayed the full 18 days that lasts this cruise was actually born in the port of Savona and met its goal to reach Santos after being docked in places like Fortaleza and Rio de Janeiro. The boat was well stocked Brazilians who in December began to live a long summer that will take them to spend Christmas with Sun and beach until February they become rocked by the sweetness and the revelry of Carnival.
Map your route with the Costa Fortuna
Geolocator look in the iPhone and I see that as I write these lines are short of Essaouira, a city that I like Morocco. A good thing, even from the balcony only the sea and a lone boat on the horizon is. The coast is too far on this path drawn to the Canary Islands to not even glimpse the walled silhouette Mogador it was time Portuguese colony in those lands.
Only a day ago he had gone down very early at the port of Casablanca to the Moroccan city tour for the third time in recent years. Funny how that Morocco is able to wake up, the feeling of happiness of being in the "nearest faraway countries" as I never tire of repeating. And, although we talk about Casablanca as probably the most modern city in Morocco, it is a world of contrasts and an obvious trip to the past lost in the bowels of his careless medina and find scenes full of authenticity.
If truth is that Casablanca is neither the sole of the slippers from Marrakech, Fez, Meknes, Rabat or a long list of the jewels of the Alawite country, it offers the grandeur of mosques as Hassan II that make it worth a visit . Although there is no doubt that also works much the glamor of having their twinned the title of one of the best films of all time name. In this case we can say that there is only air in film Rick's Café, trying to be this colonial corner that tried to show the film starring straight face of Humprhey Bogart.
Casablanca just before he had the chance to enjoy the best of the blue skies of the capital of the Costa del Sol, which is none other than Malaga. And which, I must say, I like more and more. Admittedly, the city has improved greatly in recent years and that arrangements in the historic center as well as having been returned to citizens above the car, and admirable restoration of the Alcazaba, have returned splendor than ever he must lose.
And just because the sun shines more than 300 days a year, winter is less winter than in almost any part of Europe, people filled the streets and there are always good excuse to sit and eat a good fried fish, Malaga is a destination that should not be overlooked. This is noted in the number of new hotels in Costa del Sol. And companies like Costa Cruise ships have realized that they could not do without this Puerto capitalized on some of its routes.
That and silent walks Alcazaba, relaxing drink in the Plaza del Obispo or Pimpi, mingle at Calle Larios and discover some surprises that hides a city with character whom we know we can not be more proud.
I look at the GPS when it's been 72 hours since we passed through Malaga and suddenly I see the ship docked at Pier Santa Cruz de Tenerife. A landscape of rolling green mountains are a delight to the last day of the cruise would visit the island in good company.
Unmundopara3 friends and Lagavetavoladora bloggers were erected as the perfect hosts to feel at home on the island of Tenerife. They took me to places like Puerto de la Cruz or the Mirador de Humboldt with a beautiful view of the Orotava Valley cloudy. With great enthusiasm and pride that I learned more about Tenerife, but still remembered twelve years in full weeks Expo of Seville and Barcelona Olympics 92, visited the island with my family for a vacation.
The perfect finish was going to eat escaldón Thomas House gofio and ribs with potatoes and green sauce able to go back on anyone who dares to mess with the delicious Canarian food. There we traveled without leaving the table since we met five people from those to which if the house is not going to fall into trap. For me it was a great pleasure to get such a reception, share some time with wonderful people they'll quickly write adventures in a blog. If it were not for these moments and these friends, blogging would be a quirúrjica operation without stretcher or remiss patients ... most importantly, there are people around and worth knowing and, above all, listen.
With a full stomach and the memories of a hard days spent I flew back home. 22º degrees of the 5th Canaries with which I expected my city, Madrid.
COSTA FORTUNA, a floating city
From outside a ship like the Costa Fortuna it looks like a colossus, but from within is seen as a giant floating city. That name is going to the hair when taking into account that passengers and crew about 4,500 people live there. It has restaurants, bars, gym, swimming pools, club, hospital, library, kindergarten, meeting rooms, theater, chapel, casino, jogging track, a shopping arcade and a long list that marks this vessel opened in 2003. By You have to have a daily newspaper, The Today, like a leisure guide aboard it were.
In the long hours of browsing I had time to give me long walks through the facilities up and down stairs (or elevator) and noticing everything that could be done there. Funny how they spend their time on board the various types of people who climb it. Some clubbers (and hungover), others in search of total relaxation, other sea lovers who are accompanied by maps to guess which way at the time ... that never vacate the bar, who did not lose the game for nothing , conferences and shows that take place all the time or falling time and again to reception for any reason. As in a city there is only one passenger in each cabin.
102578 tons, 272'2 meters long, 35'5 wide, 17 bridges ... and the sea always in the background and profile roaring passage of the boat. At the end of the day I had left in so many hours was just that, the sea. The award to wake up every morning with the same horizon behind the balcony, listening to the waves before bedtime, reading to stay in the middle of the ocean ...
In the Costa Fortuna I could meet people who lived each in its own way these days cruise. The conversation at 20 knots always sit well with people like Antonio, Carlos, David, Christina, Philip, Angel or Javi ... Everyone went home with a resolute response, and a few others, with more questions yet. But sea traditions teach us that what happens on board should better stay on board.
To talk about something should know. This was my first time on a cruise. Now I have everything clear,
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