Five days aboard Adora Mediterranea provided our group of cruise lovers another exciting chapter in our travel story. Once again, travel industry’s cruise queen Aida Uy of Cebu Fortune Travel, with the help of Grand Hope Travel’s Angelita Dy, organized the trip arranged by UOS Travel Corporation for Cebu’s travel movers and enthusiasts.
We boarded the ship in Tianjin, a two-hour drive from Beijing, which was our port of entry to China. Tianjin is a city with a rich urban atmosphere where Western and Eastern cultures meet. Now the largest industrial base in northern China, the major coastal metropolis is one of the country’s important commercial, trade and financial centers.
It was shortly before sundown when we set sail and settled into our well-designed balcony cabin. First on the agenda was the mandatory Passenger Emergency Drill. Then off we went for snacks at the extensive Perla del Lago self-service restaurant on the ninth floor. So much food and drink to choose from!
Day 2 was a relaxing day at sea, the perfect time to explore the newly refurbished ship. We started the day basking in the morning sun on our balcony. Mid-morning found us at the pre-lunch cocktail reception hosted by the ship’s captain and his team. Adora Mediterranea was formerly called Costa Mediterranea and a part of Carnival Corporation’s Costa Cruises in Italy. It is now owned and operated by Adora Cruises, a China-based brand that serves the Asian market with sailings to Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia. (In fact, it has scheduled sailings from Manila in December.)
Dubbed as the “Ship of Art,” the 85+ tonner is impressively decorated with unique art pieces. More than that, it offers a wide range of entertainment and leisure facilities, including a two-deck piazza known as Bar Atrio Maschera D’Argento, two theaters, three swimming pools, specialty restaurants, duty-free and marketplace shops, a gym and spa, a sports court, and several venues for different activities like karaoke sessions, dance lessons, kids’ play stations and more. Yes, the ship caters to the various needs and wants of its cruise guests.
We were invited to visit the ship’s huge kitchen and given the chance to do some food tasting. We also had a look-see at the varied accommodations offered by the ship, from luxurious suites to family-oriented quad-occupancy cabins. They were all designed with comfort in mind.
What our group looked forward to each night was the sit-down dinner at the VIP ristorante, Degli Argentieri. We took all our meals there, but dinner was always special because the Filipino head chef would prepare a Pinoy dish or two for our table — sinigang, tortang talong, humba, tinola, caldereta and other native favorites. The after-dinner entertainment consisted of live performances at Teatro Osiris, featuring different shows every night: colorful Las Vegas-style extravaganzas, theatrical productions, musical concerts, magic exhibitions and more.
Adora Mediterranea brought us to Jeju, South Korea’s largest island, famous for its mix of dramatic natural landscapes and laid-back coastal towns. Among the “must-sees” were Yongduam Rock (Dragon Head Rock), a jagged lava formation resembling a dragon’s head that juts dramatically into the sea, and the Iho Tewoo Horse Lighthouses, featuring two striking horse-shaped lighthouses, one red and the other white. But of course, we had to have our retail therapy, and that meant a foray into the famed Dongmun Traditional Market.
The next day’s stop was Incheon, the primary international gateway to Korea, known for its world-class airport. We were given a VIP welcome by Julia Lee of the Bareumi Group of Companies. She brought us to Chinatown (the only official Chinatown on the Korean Peninsula) for a super-yum lunch and then set us loose at a huge shopping mall for a shopping spree.
A leisurely day at sea was the perfect finale to our five-day cruise. The shops onboard were having special sales, so panic buying was the name of the game. Offered were all kinds of goodies, makeup and skincare items, herbal medicines and pain patches, bags and sunglasses, and varied bling-blings!
The final dinner that evening was filled with music, laughter and applause as the ship’s crew transformed the dining hall into a stage, presenting vibrant song and dance numbers. What a lively and lovely farewell!
It was bright and early when Adora Mediterranea docked at the Port of Tianjin. Disembarkation was orderly, and soon we were on our way to Beijing. The Summer Palace was our destination for the day. Strolling through its lush gardens, ornate pavilions and the famed Long Corridor with its view of the tranquil lake, we found ourselves reflecting on the grandeur of China’s imperial past. Definitely fascinating!
Beijing by night was an altogether different story. While wandering around the shops on Wangfujing Street, the city’s golden shopping district, we saw another face of China, a contemporary look that spoke of progress and prosperity!
As we embarked on our journey home, we couldn’t help but feel a tinge of regret that our exciting adventure had come to an end. But then we returned to our home sweet home with a treasure trove of memories to cherish.