On Friday, January 20th, I anxiously finished work and made my way to Ocean Terminal in TST via Star Ferry. The time had finally come and I couldn’t have been more ready. You see, about a month ago, a group of my friends decided to book a cruise for Chinese New Year, and at 8pm that night we would set sail for Vietnam and China. After weeks of discussing, debating and searching for other options, six of us decided the cruise would be a good fit. Airfares around Chinese New Year are insanely expensive, but since the cruise would leave from and return to Hong Kong, we would avoid flying altogether. And the multiple port calls on the itinerary would give us a chance to see three different spots without having to unpack in a new hotel every night. I was sold almost immediately, and I’m so glad the others also decided it was a good idea! The final group turned out to be Amy, Sonia, Chiara, Andrea, Silja and me—two Brits, two Italians, a German and an American!
Of course, exactly one week before we were scheduled to depart, a major maritime accident occurred when the Costa Concordia ran aground off the coast of Italy. As fate would have it, we were booked on the same cruise line, but even with photos of the half-submerged ship flashing on television screens and printed in every newspaper, my excitement for the upcoming voyage could not be extinguished or even dimmed. And Amy pointed out, “Even if our ship sinks, at least someone out there is in even worse shape than I'll be—because he’s had two of his billion dollar ships sink in the last week.” Wise words!
As the hour approached, instead of waiting on a long line to board, the six of us bought some Coronas and chilled out in the cruise ship terminal until the final possible minute. I was literally the last person to board the ship, and before we knew it, we had set sail. We went up to the open-air top deck of the Costa Classica, watching Hong Kong’s illuminated skyline fade into the distance. Our vacation had begun!
All Saturday we would be at sea, followed by three successive days of port calls, first Halong Bay (in Vietnam), then Danang (also in Vietnam) and finally Sanya (in China) before pulling back into Hong Kong on Wednesday afternoon. Our first dinner was followed by drinks and live music in the Piazza Navona Bar on Deck 8, and, of course, what first night of a cruise would be complete without a visit to the casino? Sonia and I wound up the last remaining soldiers, and after we’d decided we’d lost enough money for one night, we capped off the evening with a late stroll on the deserted top deck of the ship, both excited about the days to come. Out on the briny, with a moon big and shiny, it was a phenomenal start to our voyage!
Saturday was one of the most purely relaxing days I’ve enjoyed in a very long time. Without any sights to see or planes to catch or anything else to add stress, we filled our day with naps on the deck chairs, piña coladas, Uno games in the lounge, and good chats. The girls all had pedicures and before we knew it, the time had come to dress for dinner. It was formal night, and we had our “champagne toast” with Captain Alfredo Romeo before dinner. Costa, although ultimately owned by Carnival, originally started as an independent Italian line, and it still retains its Italian flair, from the mostly-Italian crew to the cuisine to the nightly entertainment.
That night, immediately following the toast, we had dinner, where we met our wonderful server Elizer, about as friendly and accommodating as a waiter could be. From that first night to the last, Elizer looked after us and made sure we were never in need of anything. We also met Gianni, the Italian maitre d’ of the Costa Classica. He was incredible as well, even going so far as to have the Italian chef cook special pasta dishes for our table and checking on us regularly to make sure we didn’t need anything else. The two of them, and in fact the entire dining room staff, helped make the cruise the wonderful experience that it turned out to be.
After the obligatory stop in the casino, we made our way down to our staterooms for bed. We were scheduled to pull into Halong Bay around 7am, and Chiara suggested we all meet for breakfast early to experience the wonder of Halong Bay for the first time together. My alarm went off at 6am and Amy, Chiara, Andrea and I went out on the deck to watch as we glided past the innumerable limestone islands that have become the icons of Halong Bay. We eventually dropped anchor and got ready for the day, as the tender boats pulled up alongside the Classica to whisk us to the dock.
Upon setting foot in Vietnam, we were approached by about a dozen or so touts who wanted us to charter their boats for a three hour tour around the stunning natural scenery. After some haggling, we found one we liked for a price we were willing to pay. Stocking up on wine, beer, peanuts and pistachios, we again set sail. We had opted for a private boat, so besides the captain and his first mate, it was just the six of us on board. I had heard about Halong Bay many times before—it’s always included as one of the “must-see” sights of Southeast Asia, and it even made it onto the New York Times’ list of “40 Places to Visit in 2012” this year.
Just pulling into the harbor on the Classica was enough to demonstrate why, but actually sailing among the rocks on our traditional Vietnamese boat was an unforgettable experience. We cruised around for about two-and-a-half or three hours ogling at the breathtaking rock formations. We enjoyed a Vietnamese beach-side lunch, including spring rolls and pho, before boarding the tender to take us to the Classica again. Better weather would have been nice, and we also could have used more time, but Halong Bay was as magical as everybody says it is, and I’m really glad I’ve finally seen this Asian hotspot.
The next day, our port of call was Danang. Going into the trip, it was probably the port stop I was least enthusiastic about. Looking back now, it was easily my favorite of the three! You see, Danang itself might not be the most incredible city in Vietnam, but it’s only a short ride to some truly spectacular sights. It is also home to the Cham Museum of Sculpture, which was the first place we got to visit. The museum is housed in an old colonial building, and the craftsmanship of the ancient sculptures is mind-boggling. Each room showcases a different era of Cham sculpture, and as a whole, the collection is astonishing.
Next up on our day’s itinerary was a visit to the Marble Mountains. The marble for the tomb of Ho Chi Minh was quarried here, and the local population is still fiercely proud of this, but no description of the mountains could fully capture their charm and appeal. Rising out of nowhere in the midst of a flat landscape, the five mountains hide a wealth of caves, temples, pagodas and pavilions. I really wish I had more time to explore the place, but the hour or so we spent here was awesome. Still, nothing could have prepared me for the wonders awaiting us in Hoi An.
A charming and picturesque French town about a half hour’s ride from Danang, Hoi An is a well-preserved reminder of Vietnam’s colonial past, complete with pastel-colored European-style homes standing alongside traditional Asian temples. It’s no wonder the town has been inscribed as an official UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although we only had about three hours in Hoi An, it was enough for me to label it the highlight of my trip.
Our time in Hoi An basically consisted of a leisurely al fresco meal at a delicious local restaurant and an hour or so exploring the colonial side streets of this incredible town. Before too long, we had to head back to the ship, but if everything else we had seen in Vietnam hadn’t been enough to convince me to come back, Hoi An left no doubts—I will be making a return visit to explore more of this mysterious country when I get the chance.
On board the Classica, Chiara, Andrea and I headed to the Caracalla Spa. Chilling in the Jacuzzi as we pulled out of port, I kept pinching myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. So far, the vacation was all I had hoped it would be, and I could only wish we had more time in all the places we had visited. I also just loved being on the ship though. It felt like we were staying in a resort that somehow transported itself magically to a new and intriguing sight every morning. I have been on several cruises with my family, but it’s been awhile since the last one. I hope more opportunities arise in the future, because it’s a wonderful way to travel.
Tuesday marked our final port call of Sanya, located on Hainan Island, the southernmost point in China. I was very excited for the day, and we woke up super early to make the most of our five hour port call. However, the Chinese passport authorities did their best to muck up the whole situation. We were supposed to be able to go ashore as early as 8am, but as crowds gathered at the gangplank waiting to disembark, the Costa staff kept telling us that Chinese Immigration would not let anybody off yet. Poor Silja got so tired from standing that she sat down in the middle of the crowd! We were pretty much the first people in line, and believe it or not, it got to be 10:30 before we made it off the ship. (I later heard that there were two hundred Chinese residents who ultimately were not allowed to enter their own country that day!)
Since Sonia had not sorted out her Chinese visa prior to sailing, she stayed on the ship, and Amy stuck around as well because she was not feeling well. That left Silja, Chiara, Andrea and me to explore Sanya. With our five hours now shortened to just over three, we couldn’t quite decide how to spend our time in the soi-disant Ch-awaii. Although it wasn’t really cold, the weather was still pretty cloudy, so we decided to skip the famous Sanya beaches altogether. Instead we were going to explore the center of town when we got lucky: the driver of the taxi we flagged down suggested we visit Phoenix Hill, a park set amonst the lush greenery of the mountains above the city, complete with a cable car to take passengers to the very top point in town.
With the limited time we had, it was a perfect fit, and we would never have found out about it had it not been for our cabbie. And there was more luck to come! When we reached the entrance of the cable car, we realized we had a severely limited supply of Chinese yuan. Enter our heroic taxi driver again: he was glad to lend us the money, and then he would come back to pick us up at an agreed upon time and stop at an ATM before taking us back to our ship.
It all worked out perfectly. The cable car ride was fun, the views over Sanya were lovely, and we even fit in a quick beer and nibble at the small stand at the top of the mountain. It was the shortest amount of time we got to spend in one of the ports, and I’m not sure Sanya is a place I’ll be rushing back to, but the time we spent there was very memorable, and I’m glad I got to see the prominent resort town.
Back on board, it was time to make the most out of the Classica before the next day’s return of Hong Kong. We hung out on the deck playing music, reading and relaxing, and at 5pm, Andrea and I visited the ship’s chapel for daily mass. We had one last dinner and said our goodbyes to Elizer, Gianni and the rest of the dining room staff. Sitting in the Piazza Navona, we listened to the live music and watched as the passengers dance along to the traditional Italian songs. Chiara decided to introduce herself to some passengers she was sure were also Italian—and lo and behold, it turns out that not only are they from her region but that they buy their eggs from her uncle who is a farmer! What a small world!
Around 2pm the next day we had arrived back in Hong Kong, and the vacation was nearly over. I was disappointed the trip was ending, until we sailed into Victoria Harbor. With those massive skyscrapers I've come to know so well welcoming me home, I suddenly felt overjoyed to be back in this great city. We stayed on board the Classica until 5pm, lingering in the Jacuzzi and bar area until the last possible moment. Having been the last person to board the boat five days earlier, I also was the last one off! In fact, we had to squeeze past the new passengers as they got on for the 8pm departure.
Back on dry land, I watched as the Classica sailed off again with its new vacationers. I can’t believe my third Chinese New Year in Hong Kong has come and gone. My trip to Thailand to visit Erin back in 2010 and my adventure around the Philippines last year were both incredible vacations, and now I have a third one to add to the list. The first trip of 2012 was a great one, and I hope there’s a lot more in store over the rest of the year!
