Hangzhou Global Tour: Day 16

At sea on Costa Deliziosa…first time on a cruise

The past two weeks has been a whirlwind of non-stop travels and activities, so it was incredibly nice to be aboard the Costa Deliziosa with some free time to rest, relax and enjoy all the amenities aboard the ship.

This has been my very first time on an overnight cruise ship and it’s nearly everything I expected. The feelings we all have about the wonder of flight, is similar to cruising. The enormity of the ship seems like such an engineering marvel…not only its sheer size, but also the volume of people, staff and food required to operate the vessel is simply amazing. Cruise ships, such as the Costa Deliziosa, are literally floating cities for a week. The Costa Deliziosa is based out of Venice, Italy and is designed in true Italian fashion, with bold colors, high-end details, and handcrafted accents that are distinctly Italian.

The first part of our day was spent getting some rest and exploring the ship. I started off by sitting on my ocean view balcony watching the sunrise. It was so peaceful and relaxing—from listening to the water being parted by the ship’s hull, to amber twirls of clouds in the sky becoming more vibrant as the sun began to peak above the horizon, to the perfect ambient temperature that nestled me into a cocoon of contentment. These elements and slowed pace were so very welcomed.

That afternoon the team and I met down in one of the gathering areas of the ship, where the Capaldi family performed a tea ceremony ( which they learned from a tea master in Hangzhou) for passengers. After an explanation about who we all were and how the family learned about the art of tea making, they picked a member of the audience to teach. A lovely Italian woman joined them on the stage where Leigh went step-by-step through the process in making the perfect cup of tea.

After the demonstration, the Capaldi family performed their “Happy Hangzhou” song—then, invited anyone interested to come forward with questions. Everyone on the team helped answer inquisitive minds about Hangzhou, tea making, and the like.

That evening we had a very special invitation to the Captain Giuseppe Russo’s gala and dinner. Apparently the second to the last day of the cruise, a select number of passengers are invited to the extravaganza. The event started in the entertainment venue where we enjoyed cocktails and live entertainment. Then, the captain entered the stage and thanked everyone in attendance and invited his key personnel to share the stage.

After the initial festivities, the couple hundred passengers headed to Albatross, one of several fine-dining restaurants on the ship, where we were served a four-course meal, along with an oceanfront view to further captivate our attention.

It was such a wonderful conclusion to a lovely and relaxing day at sea. Tomorrow morning we will arrive in Dubrovnik, so I hope you will stay tuned for my next update. Click here to read yesterday’s update, and click here to read tomorrows.