All aboard luxury floating palace

BARRY O'Brien was all smiles at the cuisine, games and diners on the Italian luxury liner, Costa Mediterranea.

'YOU must eat before you go to your cabin," said the smartly attired greeter on the Carnival Corporation Italian luxury liner Costa Mediterranea. He was, in fact, telling us that our stateroom was not ready for our immediate occupancy, but it sounded like every cruise we've been on – food, glorious food and plenty of it keeps a smile on the face.

Wife Pat and I were on a round-trip, seven-day Ancient Treasures cruise out of Venice and calling at Bari (Italy), Katakolon (Greece), Izmir and Istanbul (Turkey), and Dubrovnik (Croatia).

Our first steps aboard the terrazzo and marble-tiled floors heralded a uniquely Italian experience on this Mediterranean journey. A few more steps and the mirrors, stainless steel, and unrestrained use of statues, lights and costumes were at first a little overpowering.

The main hall, with its coloured statues of dancers interplayed with brightly lit glass jellyfish, could be admired from the panoramic glass lifts. Each hall is decorated in the style of Italian palaces.

After being ushered up to the buffet, there was a plentiful supply of lasagne, other pasta, pizza, bruschetta and salami, as well as good old roast lamb and potatoes and other non-Italian dishes. It was a precursor to the superb delicacies to come in the double-storey, ornate dining room.

The Costa fleet boasts 11 ships – Concordia, Magica, Fortuna, Atlantica, Victoria, Romantica, Classica, Europa, Marina and Allegra as well as the Mediterranea. Most have spectacular, themed decor. The Costa Line is largely unfamiliar to Aussies but with its great value for money, modern superliners and a growing list of destinations, that is changing.

The popularity of big-ship cruising is exemplified by the brand-new, $716 million, 110,000-tonne megaliner Costa Concordia, the line's 11th and biggest ship, carrying up to 3800 passengers plus crew. A twin sister, Costa Serena, will be launched in May next year, while a yet-to-be-named third will make its debut in 2009.

This was truly an international cruise. All announcements were broadcast in five languages – Italian, English, German, Spanish and French. Italian passengers were by far in the majority, with many bringing families, from grandparents to babes in arms. We travelled in peak season and there were 500 children on board. The predominant group was 25 to 50-year-olds. Only 300 of the 2600 passengers were over 60.

Entertainment was tailored to all ages. Younger children were well cared for, teenagers had their virtual world, poolside and sports deck games. The giant waterslide was an attraction for young and old. Parents could go ashore on excursions and leave children between three and 12 years old to be cared for by the professional entertainment team.

A huge gymnasium and spa area was popular to work off a few calories. And an incredibly active team of "animators" held dance classes and aerobics; quizzes and competitions; and dressed up in funny costumes – all with an infectious enthusiasm.

I entered the ping pong tournament, coasting through the first round, only to be embarrassingly thrashed in the quarter finals by a 14-year-old girl.

I turned my hand to the bowls-like game of boccia, but was beaten narrowly after a titanic struggle in the finals.

Blindfolded darts proved another failure when I missed the board and almost skewered a drinks waiter. The animators desperately wanted me for the Mr Sexy Legs competition but I graciously declined for fear of scaring the kiddies.

One of the pleasures of cruising, is meeting such a diverse group of people. This time our meal-time companions were pilots/instructors with the US navy. Their exploits training would-be Top Guns at low-level flying through canyons and valleys at about 11km a minute made for riveting meal times.

We had a day in beautiful Venice before the cruise and picked a gem of a place to stay – the Royal San Marco, a three-star hotel only 50 paces from St Mark's Square. The room was luxuriously decorated in Venetian style with a huge ensuite bathroom. A continental buffet breakfast was included.

The heart of Bari, first stop on the itinerary and the home of St Nicholas (as in Father Christmas) was a pleasant stroll from the ship.

A short coach trip from Katakolon, the second port, is Olympia, birthplace of the Olympic Games. Whereas originally all competitors had to be Greek and no women, except priestesses, were allowed (under punishment of death), nowadays anyone can sprint up the running track.

Izmir was a short distance from the incredible archeological site of Ephesus, a must-see if in the region.

But it was the bustling Great Bazaar of Istanbul, built in the 15th century and the world's first shopping mall, that we most wanted to see – and we weren't disappointed by the criss-crossing roads of colour, noise, smells and touts begging to give you the very best deal.

The Blue Mosque and hippodrome, the centre of public life in the city, where screaming mobs once cheered on their favourite reinsman in the chariot races, was built in the second century.

The mosque is still in use, but now the racetrack is used for parking tour coaches.

After a day at sea packed full of activities led by the entertainment animators, Dubrovnik was the perfect way to finish the cruise, with its glorious scenery and interesting walks around the walls of the old city.

Sunday Mail (QLD)