01 August,2011 09:45 AM IST | | Avantika Patil
Her first cruise holiday has left her completely awestruck. Needless to say, she's come back all refreshed and rejuvenated. Vidya Malvade talks to CS about her Mediterranean Sea cruise:
Wait and sea
If you ask me to describe my experience in one word, then it would have to be 'amazing'. Two weeks on the cruise -- I couldn't have asked for more. It was a 12 day tour on Costa Mediterranea. Some of the places I visited were Athens, Katacolon and Santorini in Greece, Milan in Italy, Alanya and Izmir in Turkey, Cyprus, and some small islands. I could have never experienced this kind of a high by flying to these destinations.
Picture perfect
Every morning the ship would dock at 9am. I had whole day to do whatever I wanted to. And since the cruise was so amazing and well-equipped, I hardly went out. From the luxurious spa to a day care centre for kids, the ship had everything that is required for a perfect holiday. One morning on the cruise I woke up to the most beautiful sight in Alanya, Turkey. The crystal clear blue water against the white beach sand greeted me.
Shop stop
I could shop for all the local specialties as our ship docked on the famous ports. So I have picked up a lot of souvenirs for my friends. My husband likes collecting packs of cards from all the places he visits. So by the end of this vacation I had a bag full of them. Other than that, there was duty free shopping on the cruise as well that I thoroughly enjoyed.
In short
Dressing up for the seven course dinner, theatre plays, magic shows, casinos, and dance shows was so much fun. Food was great and all the 12 days we had a different menu. Most of the cruise crew members were Indians so I managed to make a few friends. My only regret is that it was too short a break.
