Arabian Daze - 5

Part one of this series is HERE. 

Day two in Dubai would be spent entirely onboard the Costa Fortuna, as it cruised North. My friend and I enjoyed the day exploring the ship and attending dinner. Here are the photos from our leisurely day:

The Grand Bar, on deck 5:

On some evenings, ballroom dancing was held here.

Huge atrium area with glass elevators:

 The Rex Theater, Decks 3 ~ 5: 

One great part about cruising: enjoying nightly entertainment shows.

On the outside deck, I got a view of the Dubai Cruise Terminal. Inside were: money changers, souvenir shops, tour operators, etc. It was a very nice set up.

The ship's casino. 

I was really surprised to find some unique prizes inside the UFO catcher machines -- this was an iPad 4! Other machines had iPhones.

Sorry, I didn't gamble. 

Our cabin was on Deck 7, inside. Despite being 13 square meters, there was actually a lot of space inside and it was perfectly comfortable for two people.

Our suitcases were hidden from sight -- under the beds! 

Desk area: 

Toilet and shower:

I didn't like the shower so much, so I used the showers in the gym instead.

Sink: 

As we had the whole day, I headed up to the gym, on deck 11. I was excited to find a sauna with a window view!

I used this sauna many times on the cruise. It was very relaxing.^_^

In the evening, the ship's crew invited all to a "Welcome Gala Cocktail" on Decks 3 & 5. We received hor d'oeuves and drinks in the theater.

They served champagne, but I don't drink alcohol at all, so I just stuck to the hor d'oeuves (laugh)

After the cocktail party, it was time for dinner in the dining room. We chose the first seating, which started at 6pm. Our dining hall was at the stern of the ship. We were really surprised when the waiter led us to our table!

Window view:

It was good to take the early seating, as we could enjoy nightly sunsets. ^_^
Cutenekko is ready for dinner!

The first night on the ship included a special "Captain's Welcome Gala Dinner". Here's our fancy menu:

My friend and I laughed over the candlelight -- so romantic for two ladies, with no men! (laugh)

We were surrounded by couples, so a lot of people stared at my friend and I.
I guess they have never seen a "girl's only vacation" before. ^o^
In Japan, it's very common to see women traveling together. Husbands here are usually too busy with work. 

The first dish: pate! ^_^

I chose fish, which was absolutely delicious. I ate it so fast, my friend was like: whoa!

Had to eat some vegetables, so I got a salad as well. 

Dessert is my favorite part of every meal. I selected watermelon sorbet. 

After dinner, we enjoyed a singing and dancing show in the theater and slogged off to bed. The following morning would find us in a new port, in a new country. Check back to see where we went! ^_^


~ Information ~ 

Information about the Costa Fortuna is HERE. 

Costa Cruise is the company which had a major accident several years ago (see: Costa Concordia) Costa now takes safety very seriously and all passengers had to participate in a safety drill which lasted approximately 1.5 hours. We had to wear life vests and wait at our muster stations. Also, due the area in which we were cruising, we received instructions in case pirates tried to board or attack the ship. I found their safety drill to be very good and all crew were very helpful in giving clear instructions. 

Despite reading many bad reviews about the food on this ship, I rather enjoyed the meals onboard. You can see reviews of the Costa Fortuna HERE. (via cruise critic)

Information about Dubai Cruise Terminal is HERE.