| "Costa Cruise Ships" is not the first few words of | | | | versa) via such well-reputed ports as Barcelona |
| a New York resident beginning a rant about the | | | | and Lisbon. On board these cruises there is a level |
| expense of going on an ocean-bound holiday in | | | | of class and opulence that is difficult to beat |
| this day and age. No, it is a reference to the | | | | outside of the most exclusive luxury cruise liners. |
| Italian cruise line, known to Italian natives as | | | | The restaurants are reservation-only and - well - |
| "Costa Crociere", and is a subsidiary of Carnival | | | | they are Italian. There is a very wide spread of |
| Cruises. The Costa name has a long and proud | | | | opinion that holds Italian cuisine as the best |
| history, like many of the names under the | | | | available anywhere in the world, and the dining |
| Carnival umbrella. Like Holland American Line and | | | | experience in a Costa restaurant will lead you to |
| Cunard, Costa's line of descendancy goes back | | | | agree with that attitude. |
| further than the cruise ship boom in the mid | | | | On board the Costa Pacifica, one of the line's |
| 1960s. Its history doesn't go back quite as far as | | | | proudest ships, there are also thirteen bars, |
| those confrères, which were founded not | | | | including a Café-bar devoted to the best in |
| last century but in the 19th Century. Costa was | | | | Italian hot drinks. Rivalled in Europe only by France |
| founded in 1924 as a freight line, and continued in | | | | for the quality of its coffee, when you have the |
| that market solely until 1947. | | | | chance to drink espresso made the Italian way it |
| In the 1950s and 1960s, Costa changed its name | | | | is an opportunity you should take. If just reading |
| to Linea C, and provided passenger service | | | | all of the words about food and drink makes you |
| between Italy and South America - particularly | | | | feel like you're putting on weight, don't worry. |
| Argentina, with which Italy has a shared history of | | | | Italian sporting obsession is a cliché, but |
| two-way immigration. Eventually this run was | | | | one with an element of truth to it, and the |
| phased out, and Costa came to concentrate | | | | Pacifica is home to four swimming pools, a |
| entirely on offering cruise holidays. Unlike some | | | | multi-purpose sports arena, an outdoor jogging |
| other companies under the Carnival banner, Costa | | | | track and a 6,000 square meter Wellness Centre |
| has retained its headquarters in Europe, which are | | | | - with the opportunity to book a room or suite |
| located in the Italian city of Genoa. With this level | | | | adjacent to the latter. |
| of perhaps not independence but definite | | | | So that's food and exercise covered - what about |
| autonomy, Costa has become the largest cruise | | | | fun? Well, on a Costa cruise ship you can rest |
| company in Europe. Its familiar large yellow smoke | | | | assured that whatever your preferred way to let |
| stacks adorned with the letter C in blue - the | | | | your hair down, it is covered - whether it be film, |
| heraldic color of Italy's royal family before it | | | | theater, dancing or shopping, there is something |
| became a republic - are an advertisement all of | | | | for you. And for the kids? How about a video |
| their own. | | | | arcade and a Formula One simulator? Though we |
| Costa has regular cruise cycles that cross the | | | | get the feeling the latter won't just be for the |
| Atlantic from Italy to the United States, Canada, | | | | kids, somehow. |
| the Caribbean and South America (and vice | | | | |