Costa Luminosa

[Florrie]

We have been reading some Costa Luminosa notes and getting concerned about the ships food and service. Joined the site to find out more, only our second cruise and no choice of ships, says the agent, if we wanted to go Dubai to UK or as close as possible. So hope this 18 day cruise doesn't turn to BIG dissappointment.:confused:

[CtheW0rld]

don't believe everything you read. i've done 2 costa cruises and they had both been pretty good. one waas a dubai to savona and i enjoyed it. not perfect but better than some i've been on.

[KC Traveler]

Costa gets such a bad rap on this messageboard. I seriously think that are some trolls lurking this site who get off posting on topics that know absolutely nothing about...and Costa seems to be among the favorite to blast! Don't believe everything you read on the internet. The info here is sometimes every bit as reliable as what you read in the Enquirer!!!

 

Back to the Luminosa...haven't cruised on it and have no plans to. However, I am booked on the sister ship, the Costa Deliziosa in May for the Dubai cruise, and this will be my fourth Costa cruise. Costa must be doing SOMETHING right if I keep booking with them!!! I am NOT an idiot!!!

 

A colleague just got back from her cruise on the Costa Liminosa last week. Haven't had much time to drill her on the particilars but she did say the ship was beautiful, the food good, and the itinerary interesting. She did agree with me that the Middle East was not her idea of the perfect vacation, but she enjoyed seeing that part of the world. BTW, this was her third Costa cruise.

[santolistontoo]

We have been reading some Costa Luminosa notes and getting concerned about the ships food and service. Joined the site to find out more, only our second cruise and no choice of ships, says the agent, if we wanted to go Dubai to UK or as close as possible. So hope this 18 day cruise doesn't turn to BIG dissappointment.:confused:

Which Cruise are you on?

[G.M.T.]

We have been reading some Costa Luminosa notes and getting concerned about the ships food and service. Joined the site to find out more, only our second cruise and no choice of ships, says the agent, if we wanted to go Dubai to UK or as close as possible. So hope this 18 day cruise doesn't turn to BIG dissappointment.:confused:

 

Don't forget that Costa carries over a million passengers a year. The vast majority enjoy the cruises and never put pen to paper. Only a fraction of 1% will say how their cruise was (either good or bad).

 

A lot of the complaints are about food, which is one of the most subjective subjects on these boards. All I can say is if I don't have to prepared the food and wash up then I am happy. If a dish is not up to my expectations then I have a quiet word with the waiter and get the next dish.

 

You will be traveling on one of the newest cruise ships, I envy you.

 

Do your homework for the cruise and then go with an open mind, after all it is YOUR cruise and enjoy YOUR cruise.

 

Have a great one.

 

Ron

[kernow]

We cruised on Luminosa over New Year and loved the ship. I started a thread on here about it. The food was great, crew were lovely and the ship was very well kept. I'd certainly go back, no complaints whatsoever.

 

Have a lovely cruise.

 

Julie

[Goldwolf]

We're sailing on the Luminosa this Friday and there has been very little on these boards, either positive or negative about the cruises. I assume this is because this is an English speaking board populated predominately by Brits, Americans and Australians who will be in the minority on the cruise. What posts there have been seem to be 50% about the flipping drinks packages.

 

Personally I'm going to see some interesting places that I've never been to before. If I wanted to get merry every night I can do that at home a lot cheaper! :D

 

Somewhere I imagine there is an Italian forum where they are all laughing at how irate we Anglo Saxons get when they refuse to queue properly.

 

Anyway, I have no doubt it will be an amazing experience and we'll have a great time. How can you go into a holiday thinking anything else?

[TOMCAT22]

What do you want to know Florrie? I am on the cruise at present.

[Cygneagile]

Hi

We are booked for September 10 and looking forward to it very much.

In all fairness, one as to realize that the food is only one side of the cruise. The ports, the atmosphere and service the socializing and so much to do. I think that service is the key for a good cruise. With the food we can always send it back and order some other safe plate. It is still very nice to be waited on for 11 days. I trust that we will be getting a variety of foods for other countries.

Enjoy and let us know your comments.

Julie

[BrucieNB]

Elsewhere I have posted about our recent Deliziosa cruise in the Emirates.

 

While I might beef a little about the disappointing quality of food, especially at dinner in the restaurant, I could always find something to eat that was ok.

 

While I think the wine on J2 was of a quality I never see at home [i reckon that I can always get a very palatable wine for over £4 in the local supermarket with some selectivity] and I rate the wine on the ship as £2-£3 level at home, though I've never strayed to those areas, the wine served at dinner was drinkable.

 

If I can eat and drink, I'm ok. These are not my reasons to travel.

 

The entertainment was not to my taste, neither was the casino, or indeed any of the onboard entertainments.

 

I didn't go on the cruise for these, so it was not important.

 

Most importantly, for us:

• the ship was great, and new
  
• the public areas were sparkling and impressive
  
• we had fantastic people at our table at dinner and laughed each night away
  
• the cabin was excellent
  
• the wi-fi worked well in the cabin with my netbook
  
• the itinerary was fantastic with so many photographic opportunities
  
• the crew and staff were - to us at least - polite, pleasant and efficient
  
• embarkation and disembarkation was easy
  
• trips were well-organised
  
• weather was hot hot hot
  
• sea was calm calm calm
  

 

In short, we had a fabulous and memorable trip, and wouldn't have missed it for anything.

 

I think many complaints are because of the cost of cruising, and certainly, for the price I would get better food and wine ashore at an hotel.

 

But what hotel would give me the view of the ship's wake each evening at dinner? And a different place each day?

 

Just a tip for anyone who is still to go on the Virgin version of the Costa Emirates cruise where 2 nights at Atlantis The Palm precede the cruise..... consider extending the last day at Atlantis until 6pm and pay for a taxi to the port and the ship. That way you get an extra day relaxing at the hotel, and join the ship when everyone else has queued. As a result of doing this, we stepped straight into our cabin on arrival, while others in our group who had left the hotel at the normal time had to sit around for hours and hed queueing issues.

[Cygneagile]

I know that the Luminosa monetary value is in EURO.

Can anyone tell me what the slot machine will take?

Paper money or coins or Print out credits.

[fayruz]

We have been reading some Costa Luminosa notes and getting concerned about the ships food and service. Joined the site to find out more, only our second cruise and no choice of ships, says the agent, if we wanted to go Dubai to UK or as close as possible. So hope this 18 day cruise doesn't turn to BIG dissappointment.:confused:

I've cruised on the Romantica and the Victoria, same route, it is our favourite winter getaway from the snow and cold and have never ever been disappointed.

The only thing is : be prepared for the large number of aged people on board :).