By Keith Kellett

Appetizer at dinner. Photo by Keith Kellett.

When we took our first cruise, it was with another line, and we were nearly put off for ever. Although the ship was British-owned, it flew the Greek flag. Not only did we miss, for instance, the fabled sunset on Santorini, we were hull-down on the horizon, tucking into roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.

I ask you! We can get that at home any day of the week; I can even prepare it myself, if need be.

Then, in 2006, we visited Santorini again, cruising this time with the Italian cruise line Costa Crociere, or Costa Cruises, to give them its English title, on the Costa Atlantica. This was much more like it! Free coffee whenever we wanted it, and pizza … real, crusty, thin-based pizza at most times, especially welcome if you’d been on a shore excursion, and missed lunch.

Dining Room on Costa Serena. Photo by Keith Kellett.

This year, we sailed on the Costa Serena, bigger than Atlantica, and themed around Greek mythology; Atlantica is themed around Fellini films.

Generally, whether we had Italian food for dinner, or some other cuisine, the menu was arranged Italian-style. First, the antipasto, or appetiser, then the pasta dish then the main course. Cheese was generally served before the dessert; we presumed, to clear the palate before the sweet.

It’s not only at dinner that you get such service. Although a sit-down breakfast or lunch is obtainable at all the restaurants, most use the buffet, which is open longer. And, here, the choice is much wider. You can indulge in your own national preferences if you like … although one of the very few issues I have with Costa is that they don’t seem to be able to cook bacon the way I like it. But, for their ice cream, I can forgive them even that. And, there’s plenty of other things to have for breakfast.

Executive Chef Massimo Molinaro. Photo by Keith Kellett.

In the kitchen, Executive Chef Massimo Molinaro presides over a staff of 115 chefs, cooks, and porters, catering for up to 3,780 passengers in the five restaurants on board, in addition to the 1000 crew, who also need feeding. It’s almost non-stop , starting at breakfast at 7.00 a.m. and ending at 2 a.m.

There’s usually a complicated ‘vegetable sculpture’ on display in the buffet. And, at the ‘sit-down’ meals, the food is always painstakingly plated to make it look as attractive as possible. It’s never forgotten, though, that the main object is to feed the client not just to impress him.

(The kitchen staff on Costa’s ships are faced with something their fathers didn’t consider. Costa is heavily committed to preserving the marine environment, and strives to make the ships as green’ as possible. They no longer use the procedure known in the Royal Navy as “pumping gash’,” or simply dumping the kitchen waste over the side. Every scrap of waste food must be incinerated, and the ash disposed of ashore.)