Costa Atlantica Cruise Critic Rating

[Babakay]

Has anyone noticed that just recently the Costa Atlantica has been given a 4 star rating up from the 3 1/2 rating? I think that is great and that the Atlantica really deserves the higher rating. I was on the Jan 30 sailing and only have great things to say about the ship and the service. Keep it up Costa!

[CaptainDaddy]

Can't wait to find out for myself! Looking forward to some REAL Italian cuisine. From what everyone has been saying, I won't be dissapointed. I had a laugh when someone mentioned the "Stale" breads on one of the threads. It isn't "Stale" it is crusty! Some people just don't get it! Unfortunately some of these people write reviews and this gives off a negative vibe when there dosen't need to be one. Have an open mind and don't compare to what you've done before, right?:)

[Cruise4Andy]

Well said, Captain Daddy!

I am sure you won't be disappointed! You'll love it!!!

Just wish I could go again! ;-)

 

Andy

[wwinfl91]

I hope you aren't disappointed, Captain Daddy, as we were when we were on the Atlantica a couple of years ago in the Caribbean. My wife especially likes good Italian food and we decided to try Costa because it was an Italian line and the Atlantica was one of their newer ships. We also got a great deal on our first balcony cabin.

 

Anyway back to Italian food. From the first night to the last night we were consistantly disappointed both in number of Italian items offered and in the average quality of the Italian dishes that were served in the regular dining room.

 

We sat with a TA who told us that Costa changed its menus for Caribbean cruises to make them more acceptable to a mainly American audience and downplayed the Italian foods. The menu was very similar to what you would find on any other cruise line. Even the bread was a disappointment.

 

I will say we ate one night in the speciality restuarant, extra cost, and their food was much better and much more Italian although they did have other non Italian items on even that menu.

 

I understand if you go on a Costa cruise in the Med you get the emphasis back to Italian food so I hope that is where your Costa cruise is scheduled.

 

Have a great next cruise even if they don't serve a lot of Italian food.

[Cruise4Andy]

Sorry, but here I have to put my two cents in again, if it comes down to the food issue.

 

First, there's always the question which has to be answered first: What IS REAL italian and what is NOT? That leaves a broad range which each individual has to determine by him or herself.

 

But the fact is, that if you have been to Italy before and have dined and stayed there, you will very well discover that Costa serves real ITALIAN food and not AMERITALIAN. It's far away from any kind of Olive Gardens or any other americanized "italian" chain restaurant. Interesting, that it is possible to have pasta dishes cooked to perfection ("al dente") on the Atlantica and the Mediterranea, serving over a thousand people per seating, but it is NOT possible to get some well prepared pasta in one of the mentioned restaurants, unless you go around the corner to your local, family owned italian restaurant, still owned by the original owner immigrating from Italy.

 

Interesting enough, that if you asked Italians, who either grew up in Italy or lived in Europe for a longer period of time, they will verify and agree that on both, the Atlantica and the Mediterranea, will serve real italian cuisine. All the couples and people we met and talked to were equally impressed with the food selection, quality, presentation and originality.

 

Why would Costa have the kitchen full of italian chefs, if they can hire somebody from somewhere else, claiming they can cook "italian"?

 

Every night Costa features another region of Italy and some of the local cooking traditions and meals. So you will find dishes from Piemonte, Emilia-Romagna, Toscana, Abruzzo, Veneto or Sicilia.

 

Another reason that italian food is being served: Gualtiero Marchesi is the head chef which overlooks both operations, Club Atlantica and Club Medusa.

He was the first Italian chef in the world to receive 3 Michelin stars and was also listed by Time Magazine as one of the top 15 chefs in the world.

 

Well if that isn't impressive, just simply try Costa for yourself and enjoy the wonderful ITALIAN dishes they will serve you, such as:

Filetto di manzo ai funghi porcini, Costata di Manzo al Forno or Costata di Manzo.

 

So if that's not ITALIAN enough, you probably have to purchase a plane ticket and fly directly to Italy and search yourself for a suiteable restaurant.

For the open minded and renowned world traveller the food will be an absolute treat, for those who expect "american style" food, I agree, will find the selection rather unique or unpleasant.

 

Anyway, my thoughts on the food DELICIOUS, OUTSTANDING and ITALIAN! Costa deserves a true 5-Star rating for the food.

 

Ciao and Buon Viaggio!

 

 

Andy ;-)

[CaptainDaddy]

Andy, its nice to know that the food is going to be great. I have travelled to 25 countries and am an ex pastry chef. (I now am in food sales) I know good food. Real continental cuisine, not that there is anything wrong with a meatball sandwich from timt to time. Ther past 2 cruises I have been on were British and French ships. The food was not Americanized and I loved it.(Not that the British are known for the cuisine) I'm looking forward to antipasto plates and hopefully some gnocci. Not to mention the canolli, Tiramisu and gelati for dessert. If I wanted to have a buffet full of meat loaf and mac and cheese, I could go to T/A or Flying J truck stop anytime. :)

[wwinfl91]

I would question the above poster and ask

 

"Have you been on a Costa cruise in the Caribbean?"

 

Because that was where we went on the Atlantica and I was not the only one who questioned why more Italian dishes weren't offered in the dining room. I was told that on European cruises more Italian food is offered.

 

I didn't complain about the quality of the food that was offered but in general the menus were very much like the ones we have had on Celebrity, HAL, Princess or RCI.

 

Actually the lunch menus in the dining room each day offered better choices of Italian food than the dinner menus did. We ate there rather than the buffet every day we could because of that fact.

 

Finally I have been to Italy and understand that what we eat in America at restaurants like Olive Garden or Macoroni Grill is Americanized Italian food. Even our pizzas have been adapted for American tastes.

 

But I still felt that on our Costa Atlantica cruise in December of 2002 they could have done a better job of providing more Italian options especially on the dinner menu.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[cariad]

But I still felt that on our Costa Atlantica cruise in December of 2002 they could have done a better job of providing more Italian options especially on the dinner menu.

 

2002 and 2005 are a world of difference. For the record, I am half Italian, never been to Italy, but grew up on my grandmother's Italian cooking. I rarely eat in Italian restaurants in the US, cause they're just not very good in my opinion..

I'm with Andy, this was the food I grew up with and there was pasta every night in the dining room, and they were all excellent-one outstanding was the veal ragout with creme sauce.

 

And yes it was the Eastern carribean

[CaptainDaddy]

wwinfl91, In response to your question, No as of yet I have not. I will answer your question once I am back from my cruise. I leave tomorrow. Having not been on the ship doesn't mean I don't know true italian food. Besides I was just thanking Andy for his comment on the food. I trust his comments. That is all.

[wwinfl91]

I wish you a lot of luck in the food and maybe Costa got enough complaints, I know they got ours, about not having enough Italian food that they changed the menus in the Caribbean to include more Italian food. I will be interested in your comments when you come back to see how much Italian food was on the dinner menus and what the quality was. I know the food we had in Italy was a lot different and a lot better than what the few items we had in the Atlantica's dining room.

 

Good luck on your cruise.

[CaptainDaddy]

Just got back today from the Atlantica. Every night they did a different region from Italy. There were 2 pasta dishes nightly to choose from, risoto, layered vegetables with tomato and mozzerella. The lunch pastas were super. The linguine carbonara was the best I have had in a long time. Dessert wise, I had ammeretti biscotti, ricotta cake, tiramisu, cannoli and plenty more. I did hear alot of people complaining mind you. One guy said " I haven't seen any Italian food yet, wheres the spaghetti and meatballs, ravioli and lasagna?" mind you this was when he was tripping down the pier after a day of drinking on a cattamaran. The pizza in pizza Napoli was fantastic. I haven't tasted pizza like that sine I was in Rome many years ago. They also did classic continental cuisine like Beef Wellington, Prime Rib and the like but there was a heavy emphasis on the Italian fare every night. As I said to a woman from Florida that was whinning in the hot tub one night, " If you want lasagna and spaghetti and meat balls got to the Olive Garden" I don't think she had ever heard of Gnochi or pesto or foccacia in her life! She mentioned that she didn't like the cheeses because they wern't American cheese. I felt spoiled everynight as I sank my teeth into Provalone, Fruilano, soft mozzerella and boccochini just to start. I was quite pleased by the food. And highly reccomend it to anyone that is into fine food and fine dinning. Many people are not, and this might not be the ship for them. But if you are than you'll love it.