The Avid Cruiser - Fall 2007 - (Page 8)

poop deck At The Piazza by Ralph Grizzle Photos courtesy of Princess Cruises and Ralph Grizzle ew travel experiences can top sitting in a piazza, watching the world pass while sipping on a cappuccino or a glass of chianti or digging at a delicious dome of gelato. I know, because I spent such a day on the Italian coast, returning to my table at the piazza several times to take in the play of life. I watched acrobats flip, jugglers toss, musicians play and crooners send their soft melodies to the far reaches of the square. The world was indeed a stage that day, just as it is every day at the piazza. What made my experience highly unusual, however, was that my piazza was floating. No, I was not in Venice. I was on a ship, the new Emerald Princess. As I write these words, I am seated at a circular marble-top table with three small scoops of gelato in front of me. I hear the hiss of the espresso machine at the coffee bar, where baristas serve up speciality coffees. A magician entertains in the heart of the piazza, looping rings as a gathering audience looks on. All eyes fall on the center of the piazza, and those on the second and third decks, stand against the railing, on the stairs or at the balcony perches to watch the magician. “The piazza is the heart of the Italian lifestyle,” says Avid Cruiser FALL 2007 F Generoso Mazzone, the ship’s maitre d’ hotel. “And on Emerald Princess, the piazza is the Italian heart of the ship.” The Ship’s Heart And Soul It is 2 p.m., and the Emerald Princess is en route to Venice. The piazza is abuzz with activity. At the International Café, couples linger at tables. Some are lunching on mozzarella and tomato panini (the Italian sandwiches); a mother and daughter whisper over glasses of wine; a young man sips a foamy cappuccino; a waiter pours sparkling Pelligrino. Others, like me, are working on their laptop computers, using the wireless internet service (for a fee). The piazza has the feel of a working village. “I tell everybody I work downtown,” jokes Romanian-born Eugen Feraru, food and beverage supervisor on Emerald Princess. “The piazza is the heart of the ship. Everybody’s passing by here, no matter where they’re going.” Indeed, sit in the piazza long enough, and you’ll see the whole of the ship pass by. The piazza is also the place to grab a snack. Freshly baked goods are served, along with delicious cashew chicken salad (free of charge). Evenings, tapas are served. A variety of deserts are available — some at no charge, such

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Avid Cruiser - Fall 2007

The Avid Cruiser - Fall 2007 Contents The Poop Deck Cruising, Back to Back At The Piazza SeaDream Yacht Club Regent’s Seven Seas Voyager The ‘New’ Crystal Symphony Bay of FUNdy Long Weekend Getaway Silversea Cruises: Silver Whisper Cruising Southeast Asia ‘Awesome’ Alaska Sacred Moments In South Georgia Two Years With A Princess Of Days Gone By

The Avid Cruiser - Fall 2007

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