how bad is Costa really?

So what is Costa really like, compared to royal carribean or celebrity? In terms of the free food quality in the main restaurant and the buffet area? Are there free steaks and salmon in the buffet area and main restaurant like with celebrity? What are the cabins like, because it seems that Costa has a bad reputation here, and I am thinking about an eastern med cruise with a European line in the future so I thought of Costa.

If food is that important to you, then Costa, or any European line, is probably not your best choice. Royal Caribbean is a good, lowest-common-denominator cruise line for the Caribbean. Celebrity is just plain dull.

Costa's cabins are as good as, or better than Royal Caribbean or Celebrity's. Your travel agent sounds like they don't have a clue, most of their information seems to be wrong. I recommend a new agent.

how bad is Costa really?

Thats just it..... Costa isn't bad. ;)

Its just not like the others.

Thats just it..... Costa isn't bad. ;)

Its just not like the others.

Well said!

Also to be considered is that, on that level of prices, one cannot expect too much but Costa generally surprises. It is a nice cruise experience, with all the basics right. The ships are (just like with MSC, Royal, etc) state of the art when it comes to navegability, etc. Inernal decor? Well, that is subjective but lets say Costa is colourful when not a bit extravagant, but cabins are, in my experience, comfortable, with good space and all that one needs. It is not glamorous, but it is not bad. Treat the staff well and you may be treated like royalty :-)

I would like to reinforce previous answers. We have cruised on NCL, Carnival, P&O and Princess and this April on Costa for the first time. We had seen bad reviews and the prices were significantly less than the above cruise lines - so we went with low expectations but were very, very pleasantly surprised. Thanks to GMT who answered a lot of questions before we went on this forum -

The price of the drinks package is excellent half what we paid on NCL and included excellent coffee and we didn't find an alcoholic drink that we could not have!

The DSC is also significantly less than other cruise lines. The staff do not expect extra tips but we usually tipped a euro or two to the bar waiters and a little bit more to the restaurant wait staff. We found the service was as good if not better than the cruise lines mentioned above.

No evening buffet (we were on Fortuna) may be a drawback for some but we very much enjoyed the food in the main dining room. Breakfast was not as good as the others. On the whole food was verygood.

Entertainment was good - better than Carnival perhaps not as good as NCL.

Cabin was as good as any of the above lines.

As somebody previously said it is different not necessarily worse than the other lines. It is set u for Italian, French and other European customers. Dinners are leisurely affairs of 2 hours not a rushed 45 mins. The food has a distinct Italian leaning.

With what you pay in my opinion Costa is excellent value in the Med!!!

Thats just it..... Costa isn't bad. ;)

Its just not like the others.

And this sums it up. Remember it is a European line so the food differs a bit from what you find on the mainstream American lines. I've only been on Costa once but one meal I had was amongst the best food I've ever had on the 17 cruises I've been on.

Ship announcements are made in multiple languages but this is to cover the variety of nationalities found in their passenger base.

The one thing you need to accept is that the ship operates on an "Italian Schedule" You won't find the precision or attention to detail found on the American lines. But if you enjoy dancing and some lively nightlife in the bars, you will enjoy Costa.

Costa is as good or as bad as Y O U make it.

I have been on one Costa cruise and found it enjoyable. I also was worried about the quality of the food as my DW had a negative experience several years ago, plus the reviews on CC. I enjoyed the food on the Magica last summer. That said, we ended up eating room service or pizza a few evenings as we were in the early seating for dinner and the excursions made us miss the dinning room time (there was no buffet in the evenings). Paying for water at dinner was different but not a deal breaker. Any rate we are booked on another Costa cruise this fall. (I was in heaven when I found the roasted octopus being sliced on the lunch buffet line, but I know that others might not.) English was never a problem, but all announcements took a while as they were in multiple languages (four or five as I recall). Now I have read that Costa on some sailings has different policies so talk to your TA about yours.

I have been on several Celebrity (and RCCL) cruises and have found their food just wonderful and better than either Costa or RCCL (for my taste). If you prefer US style cruising then either Celebrity or RCCL are great choices.

I have been on 3 cruises with Costa, and found them all very enjoyable. The announcements in various languages can be a bit wearing. One amusing anecdote from our first cruise was a show which featured a ventriloquist..... Yes...the same jokes in several languages! Food was the usual cruise standard i think, with a leaning toward Italian dishes. They always have a pasta course in the evening which is, in my opinion, excellent.

Costa is as good or as bad as Y O U make it.

Great Quote.

There are always two kind of people which will write a review.

The ones who are constantly unhappy about everything and

the ones who enjoy there holidays no matter what.

Unfortunatly in the Internet there are much more of the first kind...

I was so far always happy with Costa; in January I will be on my 8th cruise with them (NeoRomantica in the Indian Ocean)

Btw: the ventriloquist was playing a lot on Costa with his plush rat Joselito...

The ventriloquist was certainly an experience. Although the shows were very high tech and elaborate.

Great Quote.

There are always two kind of people which will write a review.

The ones who are constantly unhappy about everything and

the ones who enjoy there holidays no matter what.

 

Unfortunatly in the Internet there are much more of the first kind...

 

I was so far always happy with Costa; in January I will be on my 8th cruise with them (NeoRomantica in the Indian Ocean)

 

Btw: the ventriloquist was playing a lot on Costa with his plush rat Joselito...

The Indian Ocean cruise was my first experience with Costa (on the Romantica before she became the neoRomantica). It is an amazing itinerary. Still one of my favourite cruises.

As for how bad are Costa, I don't find them bad at all. There was lots of talk earlier this year about dreadful decline in standards and food etc, so I was slightly apprehensive befor my March sailing on the Serena. I need not have worried at all. It was still all fine to me. I dare day, if I thought I was the most important person on the ship, with my needs and preferences taking priority over everyone else and I actively looked for things that didn't suit me, I'd have found something to whinge about. As it was, I had yet another perfectly satisfactory experience for. A rock bottom price.

For winter 2016 / 2017, Costa is doubling it's Indian Ocean cruises with the Neo Romantica to 11, fromoctober 2016 to March 20174:

http://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/news-headlines/costa-doubles-indian-ocean-cruises-in-winter-2016-17.html

For winter 2016 / 2017, Costa is doubling it's Indian Ocean cruises with the Neo Romantica to 11, fromoctober 2016 to March 20174:

 

http://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/news-headlines/costa-doubles-indian-ocean-cruises-in-winter-2016-17.html

Excellent news! May have to do a repeat voyage.

Just off Meditteranea which turned out to be one of our best cruises ever. The food was just too good! There was a German chef on board who really knew what people wanted! Portions were huge compared with P&O. All the staff were happy - they seemed to be a good team. The cruise director worked hard at being nice to everyone. What a job!

Shows were quite good - the singers and dancers were surprisingly good! The only bad show was the Russian acrobats. Plenty to do on board - not enough time to do it all. Loved the itineraries - Trieste to Trieste.

The only bad thing was the horrible young man on security at Trieste check in. He told me to throw away my bottle of water and was actually shouting at me! I'm a bit deaf so got a bit flustered then he shouted even more! A bad start!

My sister in law got her water through - same brand of water!

Heh heh! They never discovered my gin in my checked in luggage! Nah neh neh neh neh!!:D

Caryl

Great Quote.

There are always two kind of people which will write a review.

The ones who are constantly unhappy about everything and

the ones who enjoy there holidays no matter what.

 

Unfortunatly in the Internet there are much more of the first kind...

 

I was so far always happy with Costa; in January I will be on my 8th cruise with them (NeoRomantica in the Indian Ocean)

 

Btw: the ventriloquist was playing a lot on Costa with his plush rat Joselito...

Kasuku is considering the neo-Romantica cruise 17 Jan 16. Is there a "Roll Call" for it? How are you getting to/from ship?

Kasuku is considering the neo-Romantica cruise 17 Jan 16. Is there a "Roll Call" for it? How are you getting to/from ship?

Here is the link to the Costa Rollcall forum:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=488

For Costa's Indian Ocean cruises there are nearly all inclusive of air travel, so thranfres to / from ship are included. If you do your own air travel then the best bet is taxi.

There is no sailing for the 17.01.16 (neoRomantica will be in Diego Suarez), sailing from Port Louis either 09.01.16 or 23.01.16.

Kasuku is considering the neo-Romantica cruise 17 Jan 16. Is there a "Roll Call" for it? How are you getting to/from ship?

As G.M.T. we booked at the same travel agency the cruise and the flight (which was cheaper than booking the flight through Costa) and we booked a transfer from/to Airport to Ship. Do you think maybe of 2017 ?

I found this very discouraging review of NeoRomantica/Africa/2010.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=76022

Hopefully they improve their services ?? :D

I found this very discouraging review of NeoRomantica/Africa/2010.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=76022

 

Hopefully they improve their services ?? :D

This review is from November 2010, so hopefully things have improved! I am concidering a Indian Ocean cruise this dec/Jan, hopefully we will have a better experience...

2010?? Ships can change a lot in a year never mind 5 years!

The DSC is also significantly less than other cruise lines.

Sorry, this is my first time on the Costs forum. What is "DSC" as referred to above?

Sorry, this is my first time on the Costs forum. What is "DSC" as referred to above?

basically it's the daily service charge, or "tip" if you will, that you pay on top of your cruise fare.

Sorry, this is my first time on the Costs forum. What is "DSC" as referred to above?

DSC = Daily Service Chsrge, but is known as just Service Charge on Costa, currently €8.50 p.p.p.d rising in December 2015 to €9.00.