Skipper Tim

It still does not make any sense to me. The connection onboard for the app is via wi-fi. Surely US phones can use wi-fi outside the US!!!! I can understand US SIMs not working if the carrier does not permit roaming but a mobile signal is not required. If some form of mobile connection is required for a 'handshake' before using wi-fi then drop that carrier - it is a blatant breach of privacy and failure to offer the service contracted for.

Yes, there is no need to have an onboard data package with the Costa app to connect to the ship's wi-fi with quite a list of services available. Wherever you are on the ship, every bar and restaurant has a QR code at every table which once scanned by a phone brings up the menu with prices for that venue, for that moment. It is a Costa quirk that the price of the same thing varies by venue. In fact some things which are free, e.g. burgers and chips at the stern are charged for just 100m away on the other side of the buffet! There is no free connection to the outside World but at least you can buy one over the ship's wi-fi with the app. At dinner, we asked for paper menus in English on the first night, which were subsequently printed off and after that they were brought to us every night without asking. I don't think people should be playing with their phones in a restaurant and the cruise line should not encourage it. The Costa app was very useful in showing the ship's exact location on a map, far more accurately than the cabin TV channel could. However there is a downside, some services have become app-only, e.g. the room service menu was only available via the QR code in the cabin. Covid has been the catalyst for hastening these changes which were going to come anyway. During Covid, they must have been disposing of much printed material after every use. Then they realised not printing all this material saved money and stuck with the practice post-Covid. As to the Costa app not working with US phones, I simply cannot believe it. If a phone is wi-fi-enabled then there should be no issue.

@At7Seas, we are in agreement. My Tripadvisor hotel reviews are known for being excessively long but that is the only way to get in the details by which I can justify my personal judgement. Still the detail is there for someone to form a totally different opinion. Often a review says far more about the reviewer than it does about the thing they are reviewing.

We have to remember that most North Americans we meet are the higher-functioning ones - they have passports (unlike the vast majority). Americans, have for a very long time, dominated the cruise industry and it is literally a total culture shock when an experienced US guest samples a European cruise line. Cunard, the 'quintessentially British' line with 'White Star Service', I find shockingly American. It is like a Disney World interpretation of what a traditional British liner should be - about as accurate as Dick van Dyke's accent in Mary Poppins. I had to learn some US English to communicate with the staff and even understand the menus - let alone the culture onboard. They don't even know how to fry an egg correctly. Any cruise line that tries to do things differently to the mass US lines are going to attract all those comments expressed in this video simply because most cruise passengers globally are American and dominate the internet reviews. I am sure most Europeans would share my horror at a typical US cruise line. Even most high-functioning Americans with passports, if they leave the US, tend to stay in US chain hotels and eat at recognisable US chain eateries. On average they are not good travellers. Put the average US family or couple on an Italian cruise ship and, if they don't jump overboard, they will complain about everything and write a terrible review. It is to be expected.

Most Northern American cruise guests are like fish out of water on European cruise lines and if one thing upsets them like not having free iced water on the table, the option of steak every night or towel animals in the cabin, their reviews tend to become quite negatively polarised. It was always thus and always thus will be. My worst cruise experiences were with Royal Caribbean because of the ceaseless, hard, in-your-face selling. Northern Americans don't seem to mind that. I do.

We usually had omelette or scrambled eggs every morning, between us sometimes both. They usually arrived within 3-4 minutes. One morning I asked for a fried egg. It took half an hour. I thought they must be trying to persuade the ship's chicken to lay an egg for me. It was undercooked and the white slimy and that plus the wait meant I never had another one in 18 days on board. I am planning on living on a small sailing boat so I was taking notes of this pragmatic catering all the time. Lots of dry food. I read a story quite recently of a yachtsman who sailed the World with a hen because it was easier to have her and chicken feed than obtaining and keeping eggs. Food for thought.

Powdered eggs. I believe it. Costa also used instant mash in most meals whether or not potato was mentioned as one of the ingredients.I imagine they have silos for powdered egg, powdered potato, powdered milk, and everything that can be stored dry and all bought in the home port. It would explain why the food was not great after 6 months away. They even ran out of 'orange juice' and it was never restocked despite multiple ports of call. Again I suspect it was either powder or concentrate from Savona. I did see some re-stocking of items in crates but very, very little for the number of people on board - e.g toilet rolls?

As I said, it varies by itinerary. On two of my MSC cruises English was always the last language, if used at all. The spas on Costa's Concordia class ships are widely regarded as the best at sea - not that I would ever pay ship prices for a spa when there are the wonderful 5-star hotels in Turkey with real Turkish baths and masseurs at a tiny fraction of the price. The public toilets on MSC are far superior to those on Costa - more logically situated, more spacious, far more luxurious and with encouragement to use a paper towel to open the exit door - and this was pre-pandemic. I don't actually like MSC or Costa, only their repositioning cruise prices. I should save up for a Celebrity cruise instead (I find Cunard too American).

Drsel, which itinerary was that? All cruise lines vary their offering by geographic area/demographic. Some things remain constant(ish). On my Costa repo cruise Brazil-Spain, I managed to drink the ship dry of a few Italian wines 🙂 When I asked if they would restock at any of our ports of call, the answer was no, everything, for the entire winter season, came from Savona pointing to the glasses, tablecloths, "Even the eggs". Apparently the last, for omelettes and scrambled, were bought by the ton in Savona, six months earlier. I had to keep changing my choice of wine as they dropped off the list but stuck to scrambled eggs with my breakfast.

Yes, I am waiting for a Celebrity repo cruise at the right price!

After 15 nights just completed aboard the Costa Favolosa and my previous 44 nights on MSC' s Musica, Fantasia and Armonia, I will offer an opinion on the original subject, 'Costa vs. MSC'. My experience is that both are mass-market lines aimed at the multi-lingual European and South American markets. They both have beautifully decorated ships and great service. Both pretend to be Italian - their claims are founded but the operation is distinctly international and especially catering for a mix of non native-English speakers of European languages: Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, German, French and finally English for the rest of the World. Then their similarities end. MSC's food is at least two stars up from Costa's. On the 16 days on a Costa ship I have had the worst food in my life since being an impoverished student, getting on for 40 years ago. The presentation is generally beautiful and menu descriptions flowery and inviting but the ingredients are incredibly cheap and very rarely is anything pleasant to eat. MSC's menu descriptions in English were totally unreliable but the food was always good quality and there were everyday standbys to suit even US tastes in case nothing appealed (steak etc.). On deck the service on Costa is strictly clearing away empties and wiping down. On MSC, there was always waiter service drinks delivery in addition. MSC's entertainment was more varied and engaging. Looking through Costa's daily programme, practically everything listed is a sales pitch: 'tour of the spa', 'tour of the speciality restaurant', all the paid activities etc.. MSC always had some of these mixed with genuinely free and interesting activities and talks. The cabin 'attendant'/steward on MSC was relatively smartly-dressed and visited twice per day to service and prepare the cabin. On Costa you get one visit from someone in a grey overall with a little name plate on the wall saying if there is anything you need, "call reception"! At risk of being a snob, I must say that many people on my Costa cruise behaved as if they had never been in a lift (elevator) before, did not know how to use cutlery, could not follow the gentle dress code, arrive on time to dinner, keep their talking volume down or generally follow the basic norms of a civilised society. How these peasants could afford the fare, I do not know. If I ever cruise with Costa again, it will be to make an entertaining documentary, certainly not for pleasure. As my mother put it succinctly, "If that had been my first cruise, I would never cruise again". MSC are far from perfect but Costa makes MSC look great.

I think it is because this is a repositioning cruise the times have been quite different at each port along the way. We are due in to Barcelona at 1pm local. Today's daily programme gives further details of disembarkation. We will be leaving in stages every 30 mins between 2pm and 4pm with an 'all off' by 4:15pm. A barman told us that out of around 2,200 currently aboard, there will be 500 leaving and 700 new arrivals at Barcelona. This being Costa, a few hundred will embark and disembark at every port now until the end of the Mediterranean summer season. Not at all like a US line!

NE 20, 18d 337NM 12:23 Afternoon from the Palatino Lounge of the Costa Favolosa, now in the Mediterranean Sea, somewhere just off Almeria, on our final full day aboard. Two nights ago we had the best meal of the cruise. We both had the same, thank heavens. The starter was finely diced fruit, a mix of sweet and bitter assembled into a cube and drizzled with something decorative. The soup was delicious although we noticed the chef had slipped in a little instant mash to give it body. The main was another of the Michelin 'signature' dishes - remarkably simple, perfectly tender, two chicken breast fillets in a subtle lemon sauce and a little garnish. Mother was even pleased with her dessert while I hade my usual mixed cheese and fruit plate. We were astonished. The neighbouring French table just arrived as we stood up to leave. Yesterday around noon we arrived in the crowded port of Cadiz, where there were already four cruise ships in before us and we were then joined by the rather a lovely Windstar ship around a tenth the size of hours. Mother looked on in envy, "That's what we should be on". I researched the line. I was later able to ressassure her that Windstar don't have any formal nights, "Oh, that won't do". We were scheduled to depart Cadiz at 9pm so the plan was to fully appreciate the quiet ship with the masses ashore and then I would go ashore later, once they had started returning. That was the plan - but our combined regular timetables are just so busy there isn't really time to go ashore. I admitted defeat around 5pm, when it was almost time to change for dinner and head for the Sunset bar for pre-dinner drinks. I witnessed our departure from the stern of deck 10 (pictured). Mother has become acclimatised to the tropics and found the Southern Mediterranean weather at the end of April too cold to sunbathe this morning. She is conscious that she must finish and return her current library books or face a €15 fine for each book. She pointed out that some of the books, all paperbacks, are in such a poor condition, with many loose pages, that they should just be thrown away and that where she buys hers, at Huddersfield market, at three for a £1, they wouldn't dare sell them in that condition. As the ship's librarian said, "This is not a normal library". I went on our behalf to receive our marching orders for tomorrow: luggage out by 1am, us out of our cabins by 10:30 am, early lunch, then assemble at the designated meeting point, to be notified, and wait to be led off sometime between 1 and 3pm. The presenter was at pains to encourage us to complete the questionnaire that will be delivered tonight and especially the question, "Would you recommend Costa Cruise to a friend or relative?". She said it was like thanking the staff to give a 9 or 10, so think carefully of how the staff have been to us. I will be answering all the questions as they are written. I may, at the right price, go on another Costa Cruise but I would never recommend Costa to anyone I knew (and liked). We each only paid £320 (with another compulsory £160 in 'hotel charges') and I would say that is about the right price. Of course we had our flights and transfers to find at both ends too. Our flight is at 5pm and then it will be back to central heating, self-catering, native English-speakers and our doggie. Short of any last minute disaster, I believe that this is the end of this travel blog. Thanks for joining us. Allez!

Good afternoon from my cabin on the Costa Favolosa where I have just moved the clocks forward for the last time this trip. 'Clocks' here is phone, laptop and old-fashioned watch. The Captain has just blasted his horn and spoken. We have 400 miles to go to Cadiz, the sky is clear, the temperature is 20 degrees and the wind is 25 knots from the North. With our heading just off North and speed of almost 20 knots, the wind on deck is almost 50 miles per hour. There are few sunbathers up there today. Yesterday we tied up in Santa Cruz de Tenerife around 08:30. We were repeatedly told to wait for the Spanish authorities to clear the ship before queuing to get off. According to the barman in the Sunset bar last night, 90% of the guests got off yesterday which made for a blissfully quiet ship. I had three jacuzzis to my self - none were as good as my regular at the back which was closed for maintenance - the main madness area around the mid-ships pool was deserted and Mother read in peace and without wind on her usual deck. Then the drill started. I was sitting in the upper level of the buffet when the first of many announcements started, "Only for crew, only for drill...". A fire broke out practically where I was sitting. A lady in full fire costume came in and told me I had to move. I obliged. The fire spread to three decks, the general emergency signal sounded and then, "Only for crew, only for drill. Abandon ship!". None of their drills ever have a happy ending. Why couldn't we have had, "Fire extinguished, return to your duties" instead? After that, to make the most of peace on board, Mother and I forced ourselves to have a civilised lunch in the main dining room. There were two other tables with an old lady at each and about a dozen waiting staff between us but otherwise it was deserted. We both had the soup followed by very salty plaice. Much of the food is very salty I assume to encourage drinks sales. A glass of water end up costing €3.91 including 15% service charge because the minimum you can have is a litre bottle and they won't keep it for another meal. After Mother finished her toasting on deck, I went ashore to look at the prices of cigarettes and brandy. They were more than the airport duty free prices so I returned empty-handed. I noticed literally hundreds of crew returning fully-laden with shopping bags and even trolleys of shopping. I mentioned this to the bar man last night and he burst out laughing. "Yes, Brazil is not a cheap place to buy anything so you can imagine, six months buying nothing, then we arrive here! Splurge!". When I returned from shore, Mother alerted me to a real emergency. She had lost her watch, probably where she had been sunbathing. She had already been back but her sun bed had been straightened and there was no watch. I was dispatched to reception to report it: a Cartier ladies watch, in all-silver. Except it was a cheap Turkish fake, silver-coloured metal not silver, Calvin Klein not Cartier and a man's watch! I know because I found it on the floor next to her sun bed immediately after reporting the loss! "Oh yes, that's it". There had been the risk that Mother would have used me as the speaking clock as she lives a device-free life but I had already contemplated lending her my watch - despite the proven risk involved. We should have left Tenerife at 6pm but were delayed by "late returning guests". This must have been one of the line's own organised tours because I know a cruise ship will routinely hand over the contents of the safes of any guests not boarded on time to the port agent and leave them behind. Santa Cruz had not improved since my last visit, also by cruise ship, around 10 years ago. It is now no longer possible just to cross the road to and from the cruise terminal. Rather there is a new, enforced, long pedestrian route through a shopping centre, much like the enforced duty free mazes at UK airports. The listed highlight of the day in the daily programme was a "tribute to Abba" after dinner. It fell short of using the word "band". We didn't have high hopes so I went alone to check it out. Sure enough it was the DJ playing Abba Gold with three silly animation team dancing on the stage. I reported back to Mother and we both retired. I can listen to Abba anytime and I have a policy of not dancing in public, in case I cause injury (due to long limbs, mal co-ordination and my unique dancing style). Despite having being reunited with her watch Mother overslept this morning. "Well it had to happen sometime", she explained. Partly because of this we broke with routine and went to the buffet for breakfast. Post-pandemic one no longer controls what goes on the plate at a buffet. It is semi self-service. You can point and say but ultimately, someone behind a screen decides what to pick up and how much to plonk on your plate they have in their hands. For example, all the bananas on board have been under-ripe so rather than turn our cabins into ripening facilities, we have passed. This morning, the fruit man had precisely 4 bananas in his basket when we reached him. One huge and green, one tiny and green, and two normal-sized and ripe. I asked for two bananas. You would think he would give us the two bananas that were both ripe and the same size. No, the opposite. I didn't want to cause a big scene over bananas so I accepted them and walked away cursing inside. Had I been able to choose my own, this issue would never have arisen. And so it is for everything at the buffet. Even the coffee is controlled by a member of staff who pours and adds the milk in front of you without asking how much of each. This style of buffet is not for perfectionists or control freaks. That was our buffet experience. Hopefully the last on this trip. All "non-Europeans" were invited by letter to retrieve their passports this morning (they were confiscated upon embarkation in Brazil). I attended at the set time and explained that we are Europeans just not in the European Union and their wording should be corrected. I could see it was lost on them. Time to inspect the decks! Tim.

Thanks Jim. Costa is not my cup of tea either. I think we have done well to mitigate Costa's worst aspects - going to the relatively quiet areas, heading in the opposite direction to the crowds etc. and picking out a bit of choice entertainment (we like the Wine Bar entertainment early on, but it is incredibly repetitive and gets noisy later). I must say I prefer smaller ships, a table of dining mates to talk to, better food and to sit among people who know how to use cutlery correctly. At least it was cheap! 4 days from now we will be home with another bag of mixed memories. It has been a busy day. I will probably post another episode tomorrow - the penultimate sea day. Tim.