lambs2

Just returned home after our incredibly delightful journey across the Atlantic on the Costa Mediterranea with a few day's post-cruise stay in Trieste, Italy.

We began our trip with very low expectations due to most of the recent Mediterranea reviews blasting the "tasteless" food and other problems. Our personal experience was so much the opposite that I almost feel I was on an entirely different ship! I did come armed with my own shaker of garlic powder for the pizza and pastas and Crystal Light drops to make the USA water more palatable for me, I enjoyed the vast majority of the dishes served in the dining room. One night we even were able to have surf and turf by combining a steak option with a grilled shrimp entree! Our waiter made it happen for the four of us at our table.

I was particularly delighted with the sundried tomatoes and olives on the lunch buffet, and I ate those almost exclusively for lunch most days, except one time I had a juicy burger from the pool deck, and a couple salad lunches in the main restaurant. On one of our first port days, when most everyone was ashore, we found shrimp tempura on the buffet! The only time we saw it, but it was YUM!!!!

Keep in mind with my review that we traveled across the Atlantic with less than 1200 passengers on board a ship designed for 2600. SO luxurious! Our premium balcony cabin near the aft on deck seven starboard was a wonderful retreat with plenty of storage for our 22 nights onboard and one of the best room stewards, Renee, that we have ever experienced. We had fresh ice twice a day, and even extra pillows and bathrobes when we asked. We only used the free room service one morning. We were so close to the buffet that it just seemed unnecessary. we also had only one dinner sitting for the first 16 nights of the cruise until we took on about 500 more passengers in Savonna for the last week when they finally added a late seating and a second show time.

Not impressed with the CD, Antonio Serra. but most of the nightly entertainment was very good. Major exceptions - the "video" nights and the passenger "talent" show. YUCK! Walked out of the balcony (as we suspected they might be poor) on those.Really liked the in-cabin free movies! Too bad they started repeating over again instead of getting new ones after the first two weeks. The flamenco dancers who performed after our Teneriffe port stop were absolutely amazing! The ship was beautifully maintained and always kept sparkling clean. Thought we were going to escape any illnesses until we went on a long bus excursion from Savonna to Genoa where we had "hackers" in front AND behind us, Even the tour guide made a comment about them! Sure enough, the day before we were to fly back home, we BOTH developed the same upper respiratory symptoms and coughs! We both have aways to go efore we will be over this and are keeping ourselves isolated away from family and friends until we are free of symptoms.

Will we cruise with Costa again? This was or third Costa sailing and due to the 22 nights and double points for our premium balcony cabin we will now be at the Pearl level for future sailings and get those extra benefits, so if the itinerary and price are right we will!

From CNN:

"...At least two cruise ships were docked in Tunis at the time. The Costa Fascinosa carried more than 3,000 passengers, said Costa Cruise, its parent company. And some guests of the MSC Splendida were on tours at the Bardo Museum on Wednesday, said MSC, its parent company.

Polish, Italian, German and Spanish tourists are among those killed, Essid said, with another 20 tourists plus two Tunisians wounded in the attack. He suggested that the terrorists wanted to hurt Tunisia's economy by going after tourists..."

Full story here: http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/18/africa...ent-evacuated/

Delighted to read this as we will be spending 22 nights on the Mediterranea for her upcoming transatlantic sailing on Mar 20! What dishes did you particularly enjoy so I can be on the lookout for them? :)

OR translated to USD:

The benefit is one per stateroom and is $50 for 6 days or less, $100 for 7 to 13 days and $250 for 14 days+. At least 100 shares of stock has to be in the pax's name in any account (IRA, 401K, brokerage account, etc). All that is needed is documentation proving you own it like brokerage account statement. This is for all North American Carnival Corp brands.

So if you choose to have breakfast in the dining room there is no beverage available of ANY kind (for free)? Just want absolute clarity so we know what to expect. This is about our 50th cruise over almost all the lines, so just trying to wrap my mind around the true realities for this 23 day sailing.

Got a good answer on the other thread. Thanks.

Thank you! So yes for juice and coffee in the dining room for breakfast! Yea - DH will be very pleased.

Breakfast has available several juices, hot water for tea and coffee. Don't expect your coffee (or breakfast)before 7:00am that's when things wake up. Ditto for the fitness center.

Are the beverages only available in the buffet? What about if you choose to eat in the dining room for breakfast?

WaterUSA, which we had, only applies in the dining room for dinner. In the Lido there is water, coffee, and tea (bags) available. No ice tea is offered. Juice is only for breakfast and then removed. Only Americans get water provided at dinner. There are wine/water package options to choose from. After the first or second day there was also a beer/wine/water/soft drink at meals package for $18.50ish. I didn't but it so I don't remember exactly. We stuck with water and ordered just bottles of wine.

So if you choose to have breakfast in the dining room there is no beverage available of ANY kind (for free)? Just want absolute clarity so we know what to expect. This is about our 50th cruise over almost all the lines, so just trying to wrap my mind around the true realities for this 23 day sailing.

Thought I was asking a simple question about breakfast, but apparently no one wants to answer. Can you get ANY free beverage in the dining room for breakfast bedsides water (which IS available for us from the USA? ) We have a premium balcony cabin so know we can get room service, but DH loves to eat in the dining room so asking for a real answer, please, before we embark on March 20. We usually skip any buffets, but if that is the only PLACE to get coffee or hot tea, perhaps we can bring it into the dining room with us each morning?

Can someone please tell me from their experience on the Mediterranea, after reading reviews from recent Mediterranea cruisers concerning the 'Water USA' hoopla, was wondering if coffee and juice are available at breakfast in the dining room? Or are you required to purchase the beverage package to get any coffee or juice served at all?

PLEASE!!!! someone answer my question above, NO MORE ARGUING please and thank you. :)

Can someone please tell me from their experience on the Mediterranea, after reading reviews from recent Mediterranea cruisers concerning the 'Water USA' hoopla, was wondering if coffee and juice are available at breakfast in the dining room? Or are you required to purchase the beverage package to get any coffee or juice served at all?

After reading reviews from recent Mediterranea cruisers concerning the 'Water USA' hoopla, was wondering if coffee and juice are available at breakfast in the dining room? Or are you required to purchase the beverage package to get any coffee or juice served at all?

After reading reviews from recent Mediterranea cruisers concerning the 'Water USA' hoopla, was wondering if coffee and juice are available at breakfast in the dining room? Or do you have to have a beverage package to get any coffee or juice served at all?

We just got off a twelve night cruise. We had a truly enjoyable cruise. We had great service from Jemuel and Danrisky in the dining room. Our room steward Estrella was fantastic. We ate once in the specialty restaurant and found we liked our table for two in the dining room just as well. Be ready for a European experience with multiple languages and olive oil rather than butter at your dinner table (just ask for the butter). Also know that dinner is the last food of the night which keeps a few of those extra pounds from being added. Go and enjoy!

Thank you! Good to hear something positive. I know we will not starve, even without food available after dinner! :D

6 months for every person who died. Prosecutors were asking for 26 years, still doesn't seem much for the needless deaths caused by the actions of a buffoon.

According to USA news sources, 16 years in prison is the MAXIMUM he will serve. The actual sentencing is still to come.

I have used TJ Travel on two separate visits (by cruiseship) to St. Peterburg. AWESOME tours at an affordable price. The first time we had a custom , and very full, one day, 12 hour, tour to all the major sites, plus a canal boat ride and a ride down and up the esclator in the mile deep subway but no true lunch stop. just a grab and go as we had s much to see!. No time to actually go into any churches, just outside views. Only shop we got to go to was the one TJ Travels runs - again -no time. This was a FULL 12 hour tour day!!!

The second visit was a two day affair and we got much more in-depth, plus two wonderful included lunches at authentic Russian restaurants with wonderful atmosphere and reat food. Wonderful visits at manychurches plus all the usual stes, and a actual ride on theSt. Peterburg subway. Lots of shoping opportuity too for thos who cared. HIGHLY recommend TJ Travel!

We took a 5-day cruise in September from Savona and really enjoyed the ship, the european feel, very lively. Nice staterooms, good food, good service in the dining room. The breakfast and lunch at the buffet are a nightmare, go to the dining room when possible. Enjoy your cruise.

Thank you Ship101! My husband and I always prefer going to the dining room whever possible so that is an easy one for us. Definitely looking forward to the European ambience of a Costa cruise again!

I have not cruised on a Costa ship in a couple years. but believe I read recently that the specialty restaurant charge is 25 Euros per person. (Someone please correct me if that is not correct.)

Just to reassure you - on a recent sailing I accidentally placed our printed boarding passes and other paperwork into the side pocket of a bag that was checked with a porter. We did have our passports and drivers licences and the nice folks at the desk were able to find our names on the manifest and all was FINE! Don't think it even took us one minute longer than usual to check in (just a bit of self-induced stress.) This was in Miami, however.

If you wish to see some of Barcelona we enjoyed our stay at the Hotel Continental right on Los Ramblas. We just rolled our cases along the Ramblas until we reached the spot near the Colum Monument where we caught the Blue Bus right to the port. The airport bus lets you off less than a block away from the Hotel Continental.

Thanks Salve! I managed to enlarge it after copying to another program and can read it. Any one know for sure if there is a charge for these menu items in a Premium cabin on ships sailing in 2015?

Our first Costa TA also, although we have taken a TA every single year since 2007 (some years we take one both directions, spring and fall!) also three trans-pacific ones. We dearly love progressive trivia, as well, but can't see that it will work well on a ship with so many different language speakers. English will, almost certainly, be a minority language among the passengers!

Did you know that the Atlantica and Mediterranea are sister ships??

I didn't know that! I don't remember the Atlantica looking as lovely as the videos I just saw of the Mediterranea We had an inside cabin back then.FONT]

Deck 3 Argentieri would be my first choice, along the railing to look down on deck 2 tables.

 

If you don't get that, talk to the maitre d ASAP, they can be very accommodating.

Exactly what we chose, Salve! Thanks! Watched a video and so picked a six top which, on deck 3, appear to be along the railing and a couple by windows. No mid-room seating upstairs, which is our least favorte location. We had a table along the upper railing on our Atlantica cruise many years ago and enjoyed the views from up there!

Marguerite :)

We booked a premium balcony cabin for our upcoming transatlantic on Mediterranea. I did notice on our check-in form online we have the choice of dinner seating times, table size and even which dining room to choose. I don't believe, from recent reviews I read, that those in classic cabins have these choices anymore.

Salve - which dining room do you think is the nicest on the Mediterranea? My husband wants to choose the upper level in the Argentieri dining room so we do not have to walk through the casino to get to the theater.