Travel Documents

Your passport must be valid for 6 months after your date of return.

The information you write on your registration form for the cruise goes into the ship’s manifest and must match your travel documents exactly.

Each guest is required to complete a passenger declaration form at least 3 weeks before sailing.  You may complete this form online by visiting www.costacruise.com.  Click on the Passenger Declaration tab at the top of the page, complete the requested information and submit.

For more information about international travel and passport requirements visit the sate department website at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html 

Time Zones

Venice is 9 hours ahead of Seattle so plan accordingly when you book your flights.

Most flights out of Venice are in the early morning. Therefore, you may need to plan to stay in Venice over night on September 8th. The ship arrives in port at 8:00 a.m. on September 8th. Guest will normally arrive at the pier around 11:00, barring delays in customs. If you are flying out of Venice on September 8th you should book a flight departing after noon to allow ample time to disembark from the ship and clear customs.

Travel Insurance

Costa Cruise Line offers travel insurance for $159 per person. For details visit their website at http://www.costacruise.com/B2C/USA/
Support/travel/2008/travel_2008.htm
Your credit card company will likely offer travel insurance. If you are a member of AAA you can check with them too.

AIG Travel Guard is another source. Contact them directly for a quote at 1-800-826-1300 or visit http://www.travelguard.com/

Currency

One euro is equal to about a $1.50 in US dollars as of this posting (March 1, 2008).

The simplest way to obtain local currency is by using an ATM. An ATM will normally give you a better exchange rate than you'd get if you were buying foreign currency with cash or traveler's checks. But check with your bank to see if they are charging "conversion fees" on top of the interbank commissions.

Know your PIN. MasterCard/Cirrus recommends a four-digit PIN (personal identification number) for use with ATMs in its European network. The Visa/Plus network accepts four- to six-digit PINs. Your pin should be numeric, not alphanumeric--e.g., "1245," not "ab12." So, if necessary, translate it into numbers or ask your bank to change your PIN or before you leave home.

A card with a Visa or MasterCard logo will give you maximum usability. For purchases with a credit or debit card, Visa and MasterCard are more commonly accepted than others, just as in the US. Larger hotels, restaurants and shops accept credit cards. Smaller businesses prefer local currency.

Verify with your bank that your card(s) will work overseas. Call your bank to let them know what countries you will be visiting to be certain your charges will be accepted.

Don't change small sums if you can avoid it. Most banks charge a flat fee for each ATM transaction outside their own networks. If a withdrawal of 50 euros costs as much as a 300-euro transaction, it makes sense to get the higher amount.

Take your cash from the ATM within 30 seconds. Sometimes it will get sucked back into the machine if you don’t!

Carry a backup credit card. If you lose your ATM card or a machine can't read it, your Visa or MasterCard will be a lifesaver.

A modest supply of cash is nice to have if the ATM link to your home bank isn't working. It’s a good idea to use a money belt if you are carrying a large amount of cash. Pickpockets are not uncommon in some parts of Italy.

Map of Venice

www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/europe/italy/venice/

Driving

If you are planning to rent a car in Italy you will need an international drivers license available at your local AAA for $15 plus the cost of passport-type photos.

Dinner

We are scheduled for the late seating for dinner, 9:15.p.m.

Attire for dinner
There will be two formal nights (tuxedo or suit for men and evening or cocktail dress for the ladies), two informal nights (sports coat for men and resort attire for ladies), and three casual nights (dress shirt or polo shirt and slacks for men, casual resort attire for ladies).  One of the casual nights is a Roman Bacchanal to which you may wish to wear a toga or accessorize your bed sheet/toga.  

Dancing

Dance Classes
We will offer two classes each day, one for beginners and one for intermediate dancers, except Friday, when we are in port from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Dance parties
We will have a private dance exclusively for our group each night, including a welcome party with cocktails and dancing on our first evening aboard.

The schedule and locations of these activities will be announced.

You can dance the night away after dinner in Fortuna’s disco’s and lounges after dinner!

It is recommended that you bring dance shoes and possibly gel inserts if your feet are sensitive.

The Ship

To view information about the ship, the Fortuna, cabins, restaurants, bars, casinos and clubs, spas, gym, pools, etc. go to this link.
www.costacruise.com/B2C/USA/Shopping/Ships/FO/default.htm

Shore Excursions

We have an entire section with some suggestions about what to see and do in each port of call. Click Ports of Call to view it.

For a list of shore excursions offered by Costa in each port of call with descriptions and prices, visit this link: ExcursionsFinder. Scroll down to the box called Search for Shore Excursions. For destination select Eastern Mediterranean. Then select country (Italy, Greece, Croatia), then the port of call.

You can also arrange your own excursions. Information is available on the Internet and in many travel books. I am a personal fan of Rick Steves’ books. He offers not only suggestions for self-guided tours, but complete itineraries of various lengths, and also some recommendations for tour guides.