Costa Fortuna: That’s Amore

If there’s a translation from Italian to English for Costa Fortuna, surely it’s “happy ship.” From the top down, Costa Fortuna is surely one of the happiest ships I’ve had the pleasure to cruise aboard.

What exactly makes a ship happy? That’s hard to pin down, but it has a lot to do with attitude. Captain Claudio De Fenza runs a tight ship, yet is a visible and—more importantly—hospitable master. When our paths crossed, he often appeared to be in a hurry, but not so much of a hurry that he couldn’t stop and exchange a few words and a handshake with passengers.

That courteous attitude is infectious and we could see it in the service provided throughout Costa Fortuna. Tables were cleared promptly in the lido area, both inside and out. Bar servers always were at hand when we were thirsty. Pursers behind the Reception Desk remained undaunted when faced with requests in a variety of languages. We wondered if our room steward ever slept as he cheerfully provided extra towels and ice upon request. And we can’t overlook the efforts of the dining room waiters and their assistants. Not only could they efficiently take care of meal service, but their singing and dancing on the night of Festa Italiana drew thunderous applause.

Some of the hardest working people onboard were the social staff—their energy drew us into activities we’d never considered taking part in before.

Then there are those behind-the-scenes crewmembers and officers whose efforts are seldom visible, but who make all the difference. We salute them all for the Love, Laughter, and La Dolce Vita we found aboard Costa Fortuna.

For a closer look at Costa Fortuna, including a link to the photo tour, visit CruiseDiva.com.