Costa Dining Questions

We are traveling on the Fortuna sailing out of Dubai in December on our first Costa cruise. We have not booked a Premium Cabin, and understand that first or second sitting is allocated upon check in, and have read that this can probably be changed by speaking to the Maitre d, however are you allocated a table seated with the same guests for the duration of the cruise ?

If so are these normally tables seating eight ?

Hi, if you have a premium cabin you have priority in choosing the dinner sitting. You must tell your preference to your travel agent to report to Costa Cruises. You will be in the same table for the entire cruise, the tables are not only 8 people. If you don't like the table you got you can ask the maitre for a change :)

Thanks for your information, I did detail in my post that we have not booked a premium cabin, we definitely do not want the early seating, so are hoping that we are allocated the late seating, or will try to change !

I read that Costa endeavour to allocate English speaking guests together, so that appears to be a good idea.

We where on the Magica in august and didn´t book a premium cabin (what´s premium about an inside cabin on a low deck anyway...)

Long story short: you have to be persistent but it is possible to change the time...

We did request a change in dining time once onboard. The Maitre first told us that it was not possible to change... then he would put us on a list, a day later no answer so sorted it out trough guest services.

Thanks for the heads up

Just back, it seems if you are Classic cabin you will get late sitting. It seems most want early! We wanted early and got late, we were classic cabins although we wanted Premium cabins but none were available!

Changed it on the first day, had to have late day 1 but sorted for day 2 onwards. 4 pm in the restaurant, be there early for a big queue!

Thanks for the heads up, we wanted the late seating anyway !

How did you find the food, service in the restaurant ?

Matre D' will be in restaurant from about 4pm he will take your preferences but as said Classic cabins are normally on late sitting (8.30)

Menus have changed downward over the past five years and choices are limited however if you look on front of menu there was three standard choices Salmon, Chicken, Beef with fries if wanted.

They also will substitute meals if you really can't find anything you like, but be prepared to be firm.

If you want a real treat try one night in the speciality restaurant, deck 14 worth the 25 euros charge.

English is usually the last language over the tanoy but if it is not in English it does not concern us. Table size are normally 6/8/10 you will be seated with English speaking guests.

Not many tours are solely English, but mixed with French/Dutch but certainly okay for information about ports.

Do go to the English meeting just before boat drill depending on boarding times, you may meet others who want to do private tours.

Lastly Costa All In drinks packages are very good value if you like over four drinks a day or even a couple and a few coffees.

Thanks Tenpin for your tips, the speciality restaurant is certainly on our radar, and already purchased the all inclusive in advance, and taking into consideration our cruise is over Xmas, we will certainly be getting our money's worth lol

Hmmmm.... I disagree with Tenpin! The cruise we just got back from, the food was the best we've had in 4 Costa cruises.

The menu had at least 3 choices for each course. Every dinner was 5 courses plus cheese. Not huge but with 5 it was a nice meal. Rarely managed all courses!

There are standard choices if you found nothing on the menu, and you can have whatever you want in whatever order you want.

English menu waiting, with our usual drinks each day.

English was the second language on our cruise in the announcement.

Never had to be firm with anyone.

The "extra" restaurant was something we would have done, we did look but the menu didn't appeal that night. We went back a few days but the menu seemed to be the same every night. So we didn't use it, stayed in MDR. Seemed odd, no idea if its normal.

I have a picture of our gala night menu, if I can work out how to post it I will.

Perhaps we were just lucky!

Hi Mainuk,

I did not say food was bad just not so many choices as we have had in the past, I can still remember having the Pasta course cooked before our eyes in the MDR and up to six choices for every course. including fish, bottles of wine left on the tables with the AI.

On the Neo Romantica we only had two choices which included Cabbage soup twice, but it sure tasted wonderful and people being charged for a glass of water if not on the AI no jugs & no coffee after the meal, & no coffee/tea stations in buffet, they are cutting back to far IMO but still good value for what you pay.

Here is a menu from the gala night. It was basically identical to the normal menu just presented on a nice scroll!

Note you can have Lobster, which is from the pay grill, each night there was a choice or 2 from the paying extra restaurant.

Hope its readable. The choices we had were delicious.

Sorry its too small. I don't know how to make it bigger, its 1.2mb original.

Hi malnik,

I love looking at the past menus I have them going back to 1998 that's when lobster was on each week (gala nights) I have cooked many of them for dinner parties, but somehow I think Costa's efforts were better than mine.

Have not been with Costa since February you mention paying menus is that an extra in MDR since we were on the Fascinosa, we do eat in Club Costa at least once pre cruise I always like the food up there just like it use to be in MDR's.