New Year on a Costa cruise

welcome aboard..

4:30 pm All aboard! 5:00 pm Costa Europa departs for Barcelona - 341 nautical miles-

Scenic navigation Having left Savona we will sail along the Ligurian Coast where Capo Noli will first be visible on the right, followed by Capo Mele. Then we will sail along the Côte d'Azur with the lights of Monaco, Nice and Cannes visible. Shortly after midnight we will leave the French coast and begin sailing in the Gulf of Lion

Due to bad weather.. the emergency drill is postponed to tomorrow morning..

The first evening.. is definitely the most unexpected.. as often happens we are the youngest on the trip!!!

Our dear table friends ((dinner))) are all older than us by a good 15 -20 -30 -40 -50 years!!!

Wonderful people! a great friendship was born with super grandparents.. in their eighties! from ROME... ((seen again 1 year later.. in ROME, a nighttime tour of the capital!!)) Stelio and Vincenzo if I remember correctly.. Cinzia and her mom! 2 really lovely people.. 2 kids from Pavia.. no contact after the cruise..

Landing on Earth

1:00 pm expected arrival in Barcelona 5:30 pm all aboard! 6:00 pm Costa Europa departs for Palma de Mallorca -136 miles-

Scenic navigation.. Early in the morning we will be near the Spanish coasts close to Capo San Sebastian and we will continue sailing along the Costa Brava until we reach Barcelona. Having left Barcelona we will head on a southerly course into the sea of the Balearic Islands.

At 10:30 am with a big delay.. since leaving Savona.. still due to bad weather,, we begin the emergency drill organized to familiarize us with the proper procedures.. as the onboard newsletter says.. familiarize indeed, I get so scared... putting on those life jackets and little red vests.. the cold the wind.. and on top of that the fear.. make me feel sick..

After the drill was carried out successfully.. the fear passes.. and we arrive in Barcelona at 1:00 pm Beautiful! a walk along Las Ramblas.. so many people from all nations.. street artists.. and so many smiling people.. kind and always ready to help you!

We met a girl from Milan (a friend of Sara's) who showed us the most beautiful and hidden spots of the city! Sagrada Familia - Plasa de Espana - Plasa Real.. see you soon.. Barcelona

last day of .. 2003

8:00 am Expected arrival in Palma de Mallorca 4:30 pm all aboard 5:00 pm Costa Europa departs for Casablanca

Scenic navigation Starting from 4:00 am the northern side of the island of Mallorca and the small island of Dragonera will be visible. After departure around 8:30 pm part of the island of Formentera will be visible off the ship's starboard side.

Too bad the weather is being capricious, sun rain and even snow and hail.. they will accompany us during the long walks to visit the Island. Some of the island's sites have Arab, Christian and modern-style architectural references. The most important sites are the Gothic cathedral "La Seu" and further north the city of Alcudia, the old Roman capital of Majorca, with remains of several Roman sites just outside the city's medieval walls.

beautiful Palma!!! we walked a lot, we are very tired.. but tonight there's the big party!!!

The evening promises to be very rough.. what did you think.. no kisses and no cuddles between grown-up people... and already married! but force eight seas!!!!!! help.. before dinner many people including me in our cabin.. with crackers and apples.. only dry things so as not to feel sick... once at the table.. 200% fear, the table is practically motionless, everything falls and tips over..

a beautiful evening, organized by the staff with fireworks dancing and lots of music.. it's really very nice!

at midnight they're short on bottles of sparkling wine.. too much disorder.. but with a slight delay we manage to uncork them and drink them...

a toast with the "GUYS.. at the table"

BEST WISHES and HAPPY 2004!

During the night the clocks will need to be moved 1 HOUR BACK

New Year 2004

Scenic navigation From 9:00 am we will once again be near the Spanish mainland coast, in fact Capo de Gata will be visible off the ship's starboard side around 9:30 am, from which we will set a west-southwest course for Gibraltar. We will reach Punta Europa, the start of the Strait of Gibraltar, around 7:30 pm. the passage through the strait will last 2 hours. The Rock of Gibraltar will be visible on the starboard side and then the island of Tarifa, on the left instead the lights of the city of Tangier will be visible. Once out of the strait we will proceed on a southwesterly course for Casablanca. The lights of the Moroccan coast will be visible on the left side of the ship

Arrival in Casablanca

7:30 am expected arrival in Casablanca 8:30 pm all aboard! 9:00 pm Costa Europa departs for Gibraltar -194 miles-

Scenic navigation Around 6:00 am we begin to see the lights of Casablanca and set a port-side course to reach the entrance of the port at 7:00 am. After departure we will head on a northwesterly course toward Gibraltar with the Moroccan coast on the starboard side,

A day of a thousand memories.. They ask for us to be bought for 4 camels!!! the tour of Casablanca.. is full of memories.. from the market (((hallucinatory stench... ) to the Hassan II mosque, beautiful!

finally the warmth... of Gibraltar

1:00 pm expected arrival in Gibraltar 5:30 pm all aboard 6:00 pm Costa Europa departs for Alicante

Scenic navigation around 9:30 am we will once again be near the Strait of Gibraltar, the Moroccan coast will be visible on the starboard side and on the left, after an hour of transit through the strait, the island of Tarifa and then the bay of Gibraltar

A beautiful sunny day.. the thermometer reads 23 degrees! a walk downtown and up and up.. toward the rock in the company of the cute, funny and very hungry little monkeys!!!

Alicante the most beautiful!

1:00 PM expected arrival in Alicante 5:30 pm all aboard! 6:00 pm Costa Europa for Savona -560 nautical miles-

Scenic navigation Around 11:30 am we will arrive near Alicante After departure Capo de Heurta will be visible on our left and in the evening around 9:00 pm Capo de la Nao.

Another very hot day.. Alicante beautiful! the last ones to board.. thank goodness they waited for us!!!!!!

beautiful beautiful beautiful I'll be back! off we go.. for Savona:((

day on board..

Scenic navigation We are sailing in the sea of the Balearics, around 12:00 pm we will reach Capo San Sebastian, then the navigation in the Gulf of Lion will begin, which we will exit around midnight. navigation along the French coast will follow and then the Italian one

A beautiful cruise.. but the fear of force 8 seas (many evenings.. ) made me understand better.. sleeping on land!!!