WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT

 

SIX RESTAURANTS, TWO POOLS, A GYM, A SPA AND NEVER WAKING UP IN THE SAME PLACE TWICE? NO WONDER THERE’S CABIN FEVER ABOARD THE CRUISE LINER, COSTA VICTORIA

By Claire Irvin

Haven’t you heard? Cruising is the hottest thing in travel right now. No longer just for newly-weds or the nearly-dead, state-of-the-art ships and funky itineraries mean a young, hip crowd are getting on-board.

The Costa Victoria – an, er, flagship in the Italian Costa fleet – sets sail around the Middle East, starting in Dubai and stopping at the ports of Muscat in Oman and Fujairah and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

But first, guests get to spend six nights unwinding at the five-star Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa.

With tax-free boutiques for stocking up on designer wear to showcase on deck, pool attendants who’ll polish your sunglasses, and non-stop sunshine, it’s the ultimate way to start this super-luxurious holiday.

Once afloat in one of the enormous liner’s 964 cabins, you’re waited on by the most courteous crew imaginable, and with almost one staff member to every passenger, you can imagine the level of service.

After you’ve settled in, it’s time to explore, and with 11 decks, six restaurants, six bars, two huge pools, boutiques, a clothes market, casino, theatre, gym, jogging track and spa, your days will fly by.

It’s just as exciting by night too.

Once in your gladrags, stroll through the cool marble surroundings of the Concorde Plaza at sunset before joining your shipmates for a champagne reception with the captain and a formal dinner.

The dress code is smart, but don’t worry about black tie – the focus here is fun, not stuffy snobbery.

If you fancy something lazier have a drink at the Capriccio bar, the prettiest watering hole on-board, before sashaying along to the Club Il Magnifico restaurant.

With candles and a husky-voiced chanteuse setting the mood, it’s the perfect venue for a romantic meal – but you’ll need to book ahead. Then retire to the tiny Planetarium piano bar for a nightcap.

Want to throw some shapes? There’s a dance floor at the Rock Star Disco, or you could join the high rollers at the ship’s blackjack tables in the casino.

However you spend your evening, you’ll be glad the liner keeps up one cruise tradition – laying out buffet spreads and snacks at midnight in each of the bars.

A divine and endless supply of food could mean your bikini’s feeling snug a few days in, so you might want to get off your sunlounger and try one of the ship’s shore-side thrill-seeking tours.

A wadi safari in Fujairah lets you explore the desert before dining in the sand dunes.

Equally exhilarating are the dolphin tour by speedboat in Muscat and the fast-paced ‘Best of Bahrain And International F1 Circuit’ tour, which mixes a taste of history with some very modern Bahrain glamour.

Top stop for girls is the trip to Abu Dhabi’s air-conditioned malls, where you can dent your credit card at Bulgari, Gucci or Fendi.

For something more authentic, head outside for traditional souks selling cheap gold jewellery and lovely hand-embroidered linens.

Then it’s back to the boat, and back to Dubai for your flight home. Unless you love it so much you decide to be a stowaway…

 

Photography: alamy, getty images. All prices correct at time of going to press.