Dancer Bob

The drink package is one serving at a time, re-order as often as you want. The charge is for the cheapskate, nothing-included basic fare.

The passenger mix you describe would be specific to this cruise? You said you have no experience with Costa's other ships and itineraries? It seems quite unusual to have no English-speaking at all. I believe Toscana will be based in Dubai this winter, different passenger mix? Pondering on this some more, I wonder if this reflects the situation in Italy several months ago when many bookings were made, travel restrictions for non-Italians?

I'm also on Sky Princess in January. I was recently on another ship, not Princess, you were required to use an app for everything- menus, ordering. The restaurant was such an aggravation I quickly migrated to the buffet. Does Princess use a similar system? I try to restrain myself to 2,000 Calories/day even on a cruise ship and usually use the buffet anyway, so it sounds like an excellent choice. But I'm travelling with a group, I'd like to tell the organiser if I won't be putting up with restaurant hassles.

There is a thread on the Princess board about drinking water on ships. Costa uses exactly the same equipment as everybody else. I have stayed at European resorts where you paid for water if you didn't have a drink package.

Charging a premium for "not in the best possible position" sounds like a good reason.

Two dance hosts have been ordered for the QM2 World Cruise. Other than that, I've heard nothing.

How much experience do you have on Costa's other ships? Toscana and the later ships seem to be a geat departure in design, from what makes Costa unique. Much of the furniture in the photos looks quite uncomfortable- backless stools, poorly shaped chairs.

I gather you'll be using the R1/R4. Seems like quite a hike for just one night. Coming back, the closest stop would be Placa Catalunya. From there, it's not straightforward, for several people with baggage, I recommend a taxi. The closest Metro is Drassanes, but you would then have to find your way to the World Trade Centre. Assuming you are boarding at Moll Adossat, yes the bus is blue, but you have to find the stop. Metro/bus tickets can be purchased at the airport in the Metro station, not sure what they sell in the rail station. There are several choices of passes. Europe is full of pickpockets, but Barcelona has an especially bad reputation.

Agree with Underwatr. The effective single supplements on single cabins I've priced I've seen range around 45%-60% or so. I admit though, I don't travel at peak times.

Given the situation forecast for energy in Europe this winter, Costa proably is worried they won't even be able to get fuel for the ships, let alone fill them with passengers.

Thanks. Credit also to Wansbrough. Although he seems to looking for exactly the opposite in a ship than I am, he does take some good photos.

I'm informed Cunard has ordered two hosts for the QM2 World Cruise. (If you're not aware, they don't work for Cunard, they're provided by an agency). Nothing about any other cruises. On a somewhat related topic, I've received the 2023 brochure, which purports to have a picture of the Queen Anne dance floor (if you look closely, it is a "rendering"). It seems to be no more than half the size of the other ships. I'm guessing dancing won't be much of a priority when it eventually enters service.

Thanks to all. "Fine dining" was meant tongue in cheek! Only if I can't transfer airside!

I'm connecting from AA to BA. I believe AA now arrives T3? If I recall correctly, you procede out of the Terminal and use the Underground to get to T5? I have an Oyster card and lots of time, if this is the case I might head into Hounslow for some fine (i.e. not airport) dining.

The pillars in the middle of the floor are an annoyance, but not really difficult to avoid. Diadema does not have the pillars, although the floor is rather narrow. Otherwise, the floors are better than on Cunard. They do get quite crowded at busy times. IF Costa maintains its previous standards, there are in the main lounge, two groups alternating, continuous music 6PM to 1AM. There are several (7 I think, on the larger ships) places which provide alternatives, but not continuously. The rear lounge on the larger ships (Excite bar on Deliziosa) is the equivalent of the main lounge on most ships. Expect to hear music common in Europe like mazurka and Paso Doble (which is a social dance in Europe), as well as the usuals. The groups are usually very good about playing requests when it's not busy.

Stop blaming the passengers. In Canada anyway, government is the worst offender. For a while, YYZ was the worst airport on the PLANET for delays. Recently the CEO of the airport authority was boasting that less than half of flights were on time, because that was still a big improvement- now 4th-worst (not that the airport authority is responsible for much more than sweeping the floor and cleaning the washrooms). I've flown a couple of times recently. To the US, NEXUS was worth every penny. Huge lineups for security and US Preclearance at 4.30 AM, long before the first flight leaves. To BCN, security only took 20 minutes, but I was 6 hours early. Inbound flight crews timing out because of the horrendous delays with Canada Customs, causing scheduling chaos. Passport and NEXUS issuance, which is totally government, has been a national disgrace. At least the airlines are being proactive. The government has formed a committee of policticians to talk about it.

Zach makes good points. Illinois in January- I would worry more about winter storms.

Firenze did not have a refrigerator, there did not even seem to be an electrical outlet for one. Those with medications which must be refrigerated must ask for a "cold bag". Of course suites may be different. I believe this to be the case on all the new ships, and I recall seeing a post somewhere, perhaps Princess, that that ship did not have refrigerators.

I recall the lounge furniture on Dvina as being the most uncomfortable I have ever seen on a cruise ship. The dance floors are tile, one of them is also a main traffic corridor. There was one decent music group, their contract was finishing and they were being replaced by a Caribbean group. (I have found the Caribbean groups on Cunard to be badly-treated, under-appreciated, and quite capable when given the chance.) I recall this was in the Caribbean and food service was set up for US market.

This floor is about the same size as the main lounge on the "Serena" class. BUT, the OP asked about floors and couple dancing music. The floor is unsatisfactory-very sticky throughout the entire cruise. The staff member teaching Argentine Tango tried to do Ochos wearing running shoes (trainers). I was helping her with that class (not that I like AT), because I knew she would have difficulty, I had to carry her weight so she could place her feet. I could barely make enough turn even wearing proper shoes. The (DJ) music for the so-called ballroom dance sessions, which were short and badly- scheduled, was mediocre at best. None of the musicians in other venues wanted to be quoted, but it was clear they had been given strict instructions not to play couple dance music. As you can see from the photos, the chairs are packed tightly together. Unless you're in the front row, it's a major effort to get on the floor. Not a welcoming environment. Not at all up to Costa's previous standards. I did a review of Firenze, in the interest of bevity I won't repeat it here.

Di1. Diadema, main lounge. Taken from deck above (it's double-height). The dot is 10 feet across. 2. Diadema, rear lounge. 3. Deliziosa, main lounge 4. Deliziosa, Excite lounge. Luminosa is sister to Deliziosa and moving to Australia, but will be transferred to Carnival. I have been on all the Cunard ships. The floors are not bigger. No cruise ship that I know of has floors that are nearly as big as dance studios in Florida

Only on some ships. Definitely not on Firenze and Venezia, but they are being transferred to Carnival. Toscana, insufficient data. I'm booked on Diadema next year, dance floors probably as good as you'll find anywhere. Older ships are almost as good. Deliziosa is also pretty good, and a smaller ship. Costa used to have a very broad range of music catering to many tastes. With the low passenger counts recently, there have been cutbacks to music. They tried this a few years ago, it only lasted a couple weeks becuse so many passengers were unhappy. It remains to be seen if the corporate suits in Genoa will try this again.

Don't forget the time zones. Personally I like IST but it's many hours different. With only a couple of days, I'd say stay in Bali and concentrate the jet lag misery on the flight home.

You have to tell us what you mean by "gouge". The cheapest possible cruise, regardless of whether you'll hate the ship? Price is no object as long as a single supplement is not shown separately? Or?

If the deck plan in the Deck 4 elevator lobby is accurate, then about half of Deck 4 is casino. That does include the card room, which has casino signs and a gate to close it off, and I have no doubt will be commandeered for high-stakes card games whenever the casino thinks they can get away with it. It also includes the extra room on the port side which doesn't show well in the photos. The photos do give a good impression of the numbers of customers in the casino, shops, and restaurants. I tolerate drunks and gamblers because they subsidise my cruise. That pretty clearly wasn't happening. Even a quarter full, the most comfortable areas seemed quite crowded. Given that Firenze and Venezia are being moved to the US market and will sail as Carnival ships, a lot more people than me must have negative impressions.