Part 3
Saturday 1st November 2014
The sun was shining next morning as I stepped out on to my balcony. I’d made sure my balcony curtains were in place before going to bed the night before, so I didn’t become part of the COSTA DIADEMA’s “View from the Bridge”. One of my friends had apparently done so the previous morning after a shower, without realising that his clothing (or lack of it) was not quite suitable for the public gaze.
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Hotel and ship quay
The Hotel’s Restaurant looked out over the water so we were soon keen to enjoy breakfast and then make our way to visit the Maritime Museum with our Trieste friend. I enjoyed seeing the items on show, particularly a display of items from Henry Milward & Sons Ltd. of Redditch, England,
and a dug-out canoe made from a whole tree.
The display of old sextants was also of interest to me, as I still have my late husband’s sextant at home, from the days when he was a Deck Officer with Union-Castle Line.
Then it was time to collect our luggage and head for the COSTA DIADEMA’s passenger terminal at the old maritime station. It was a scene of chaos and somewhat alarming to be amongst some people who desperately wanted to be straight onto the ship the moment they arrived at the luggage drop area. We still went aboard fairly quickly, having to show passports many times as we went. Eventually I arrived at my inside cabin number 1257, which was spacious and brightly lit,
before heading to the Corona Blue buffet lunch venue. We met two other friends and then there was time to unpack, take photos and walk around the ship.
COSTA DIADEMA is a Dream-Class cruise ship that was ordered in October 2012 and was delivered to Costa Crociere on 25th October 2014. It is the largest ship flying an Italian flag and the company’s flagship. Her gross tonnage is 132,500, and the company boasts that she has the longest promenade in the fleet, at 500 metres.
The Costa Cruises website states that ”the ship has been designed for the emotional impact it will have on its guests, making them feel as if they are in a dream world”. The architect Joseph Farcus designed the ship with this concept for the project.
I had an emotional moment, I must say, when I tried to put my passport and other documents away in the cabin safe. I found it in one of the wardrobes, up on the top shelf where I could hardly reach it. I stood inside the wardrobe, on the bottom level, and was able to set the code by stretching up, but at no time during my time on board was it possible to see inside the safe itself. It must have been designed and fitted by a 6’5” male – how absurd!
The wardrobe and drawer handles were tiny, I thought, and I can imagine them being changed at some point in the future.
Ah well, my cabin seemed comfortable and well-lit and I set off to explore more of the ship with great interest.
We are due to sail at 8.00 p.m. from Trieste.
To be continued...
