Be careful if on the drinks package.

[malnik]

Cruised Costa before and had all inclusive. It was listed on our cards which were left on our beds in the cabins.

 

Just got back from a cruise where we had a problem. Paid for the package 2 months before we left.

Cards were left on our beds as before, went to dinner and gave waiter our card...he bought the menu and said pick anything. I noticed the prices were from 30 euro a bottle and commented to my wife that crikey, the package has got better this year. Chose a nice bottle from Sicily at 47 euro. Ordered kids drinks and water.

At end of meal the waiter bought the bill for drinks, and its listed at about 60 euro, i said no...its all inclusive. He pointed out our card did not say we had the package. So they bought the normal list.......

I honestly believe the waiters didnt realise....they were horrified and the look on their faces...you could see they thought they were in big trouble. I said not to worry...i was on holiday...the wine was rather nice...so I would pay for it but asked them to remember tomorrow, and they said to go to customer service and get card changed.

I should add that at this point, I was quite happy.....ok I paid for the wine but i was on holiday and nothing was going to upset me!

At customer service I met the rudest person possible who tried to tell me that anyone with all inclusive had to come and get new cards once on board. I know that is a lie. I didnt shout or scream, I just asked a few relevant questions but she went defensive immediately!

When i asked her name...after all Costa ask for me to name good service...i wanted to highlight this person for bad service and she refused to write it down for me. I explained i coulnt read her name badge as i didnt have my glasses with me, she just dropped the pen on the counter and stared at me. I asked for her supervisor and she disappeared. Came back and said supervisor didnt want to see me. I asked for supervisors name and she disappeared again and came back saying her supervisor had been called to a medical emergency in the last minute and she couldnt give me her name either!!! I did say I was surprised this had come up as we were talking.....

She said It was up to the supervisor to decide to give me her name!!!

As I didnt want to get the waiters in trouble, they were exceptional guys giving us great service probably paid a pittance, I left it...got new cards and it all went well from their.

 

So...if you take the drinks package, make sure it says it on the card in your room...or you will be charged for drinks as the all inclusive drinks are different to the normal ones. I didnt know the cards were differently marked.....and as for the idea that everyone had to get new cards....what utter rubbish! The queue would have been around the deck!

[AnonymousCruiser69]

yikes. no excuse for rude customer service. i would've planted myself at the counter until i got the person's name.

[pmacher61]

yikes. no excuse for rude customer service. i would've planted myself at the counter until i got the person's name.

Understandable, but I might have sought out the hotel mgr or someone on his staff, if not then, as soon thereafter as it was convenient for me. This conduct is unacceptable.

[chrispb]

Shame on them. I wouldn't budge from reception until I'd got names, either. Not a nice start to your holiday - who wants to get into confrontation on the first day? I'd probably also put her description and the time/date she was on duty when filling in the customer satisfaction form. I think she'd soon be tracked down:cool:

[dritan]

Very much worth highlighting. Our card didn't have the "extra" mark on it and mentioned it to the waitress in the buffet area. She said to get it changed at reception and ensured the drinks we had just ordered were put through as all inclusive. Got the cards changed with no problems.

[phider]

At customer service I met the rudest person possible who tried to tell me that anyone with all inclusive had to come and get new cards once on board. I know that is a lie. I didnt shout or scream, I just asked a few relevant questions but she went defensive immediately!

When i asked her name...after all Costa ask for me to name good service...i wanted to highlight this person for bad service and she refused to write it down for me. I explained i coulnt read her name badge as i didnt have my glasses with me, she just dropped the pen on the counter and stared at me. I asked for her supervisor and she disappeared. Came back and said supervisor didnt want to see me. I asked for supervisors name and she disappeared again and came back saying her supervisor had been called to a medical emergency in the last minute and she couldnt give me her name either!!! I did say I was surprised this had come up as we were talking.....

She said It was up to the supervisor to decide to give me her name!!!

As I didnt want to get the waiters in trouble, they were exceptional guys giving us great service probably paid a pittance, I left it...got new cards and it all went well from their.

 

There is absolutely no excuse for that kind of behavior and lack of service. She should obviously not be at that position or have anything to do with the service industry.

 

Next time, instead of asking for her name, take your mobile camera and ask her "not to smile to the camera".. in fact, ask her to "look as angry and rude as possible" - note date and time, and send it in to Costa explaining the context.

 

Again, something like this should really not be experienced from staff, when on a paying holiday.

 

Philip

Edited November 6, 2013 by phider

[sparks53]

This also happened to us on our recent Costa Mediterranea eastern med cruise. We went with another couple. We bought are all inclusive drinks package 2 weeks before cruise are friends bought there's on board on first day.

We found later neither had the all important "extra" printed on the reverse.

Strangely his didn't prove a problem when ordering drinks from any bar and all receipts showed a 0.00 value.

However after the third night my friend notice his receipt showed a value of a few euros when ordering wine at the table in the MDR.

We both checked are bills at the automated terminals and found we had accumulated drinks tabs of around 30 euros each.

We went to the reception desk and enquired, they said we had ordered wine not on the " all inclusive package " such as Mateus Rose. We said we had not asked for a specific wine just a Rose or a Chardonnay which we assumed the wine waiter would give us from the all inclusive range available which does include Rose and Chardonnay,s

Initially she refused to refund us saying we had ordered the specific wine, however another friend produced his card showing the all important "extra" word on the back of his card, are cards didn't have this.

After insisting that this was obviously a mistake on Costa's part in not issuing the correct cards she checked with her supervisor and we were issued new cards with "extra" showing and we were fully refunded.

As stated above make sure your cards have the word "extra" stamped on the the back of them if you have the all inclusive package.

[UKBayern]

As we experienced on our Costa Cruise, if you need the customer service desk for some reason or another, you are in deep trouble. You would get better service if speaking to a cardboard cut-out. If it has a taperecorder saying "no" and "I don't know", that is about the level of helpfulness to be expected.

I have to say, we found all the staff extremely nice and helpful, just not the front desk. We own a hotel, and none of the customer service staff would get passed the interview if they were to apply here.

[Saba356]

Hello

Thank you for this information regarding the all inclusive package. We will be crusing on Costa Mediterranea in december ( transatlantic) and have booked all inclusive as we have many sea days.

[phider]

Hello

Thank you for this information regarding the all inclusive package. We will be crusing on Costa Mediterranea in december ( transatlantic) and have booked all inclusive as we have many sea days.

 

You won't regret it, I am sure. On the contrary - it is great value.

 

http://www.costacrociere.it/contents/lp_all-inclusive/All-inclusive_premium.pdf

 

Philip

[pmacher61]

You won't regret it, I am sure. On the contrary - it is great value.

http://www.costacrociere.it/contents/lp_all-inclusive/All-inclusive_premium.pdf

Philip

For 20 euros ($28) per day one can't expect too much and, frankly, one doesn't get too much. The liqueurs are ok, but not much else maintains their level of quality. I'm not a wine or spirits snub, but I like a 12 year old scotch at minimum and there are none available in the package. Also, when the available wines are described simply by grape and not by bodega much less vintage (see below) I would probably pass. Do they offer a premium package?

White Wines

Chardonnay

Pinot Grigio

Orvieto Classico

Red Wines

Cabernet Sauvignon

Chianti

Nero D’Avola

[seanpboles]

We returned from the Costa Classica recently and also purchased the 'extra' package on Costa's website before sailing (about three weeks prior). This wasn't my first Costa cruise so I knew the drill. Previous cruises went off without a hitch. This cruise I noticed it did not say 'extra' on our card and I immediately went to the front desk (within mins of embarkation) with our receipt from the online purchase. The girl was helpful, friendly and understanding. She said it will be corrected and to return in about one hour and new cards would be available for us. She said go to the buffet and choose any drink off the menu that is included in the package, pay the price and she would ask her manager if he would refund the charges (key word if). Well knowing Costa, I was not even going to attempt that battle knowing that to get anything refunded is impossible. We went without special drinks on the first meal. We returned to the desk about an hour later and our new cards were available. The rest of the cruise was no problem and we had a wonderful time.

 

My previous experiences involving the 'customer service' desk have been less than pleasant. It has improved over the last few years, however.

[phider]

For 20 euros ($28) per day one can't expect too much and, frankly, one doesn't get too much. The liqueurs are ok, but not much else maintains their level of quality. I'm not a wine or spirits snub, but I like a 12 year old scotch at minimum and there are none available in the package. Also, when the available wines are described simply by grape and not by bodega much less vintage (see below) I would probably pass. Do they offer a premium package?

 

If you wont top premium 12 year old wiskeys day and night - well.. then go for the AI.. The AI is for normal folks like myself that aint too fussy and don't drink 12 or 18 year old wiskey all day and night.

 

It is possible - even if you are on the Extra AI to purchase premium brands at a fee - so you are not limited.

 

Yes, they do offer a J2, and it is double the price, and also includes free mini bar in the cabin.

 

Philip

[pmacher61]

It is possible - even if you are on the Extra AI to purchase premium brands at a fee - so you are not limited.

Yes, they do offer a J2, and it is double the price, and also includes free mini bar in the cabin.

Philip

Is there any detailed info on either the supplemental cost of premium drinks for those with the standard AI package or the cost/composition of the J2?

[phider]

Is there any detailed info on either the supplemental cost of premium drinks for those with the standard AI package or the cost/composition of the J2?

 

The J2 is ~40 euros pppd and includes free access to the minibar in cabin. Considering it is double up, I don't think its as attractive as the Extra AI, although the AI is limited.

 

The Extra AI does not give access to supplemental cost on items that is not included in the package - you have to pay the full price. E.g. you cant pay 1.5 euro for a premium 7.5 euro long drink.

 

That would have been very nice.

 

Costa's choice in the premium selection and the point where they make the distinction is very strange in my opinion. For example, they rate Absolut Vodka as the premium and Smirnoff as the Extra AI brand. I don't want to get into a discussion about which vodka is better, but the fact is that a 700ml retail bottle, Absolut is only 1.5 euro more expensive.

 

Also, the general rule is that everything at 6.5 euros is included in the Extra AI and everything above is excluded. Premium Longdrinks are 7.3 euro as far as I recall.

 

Philip

[phider]

The J2 is ~40 euros pppd and includes free access to the minibar in cabin. Considering it is double up, I don't think its as attractive as the Extra AI, although the AI is limited.

 

The Extra AI does not give access to supplemental cost on items that is not included in the package - you have to pay the full price. E.g. you cant pay 1.5 euro for a premium 7.5 euro long drink.

 

That would have been very nice.

 

Costa's choice in the premium selection and the point where they make the distinction is very strange in my opinion. For example, they rate Absolut Vodka as the premium and Smirnoff as the Extra AI brand. I don't want to get into a discussion about which vodka is better, but the fact is that a 700ml retail bottle, Absolut is only 1.5 euro more expensive.

 

Also, the general rule is that everything at 6.5 euros is included in the Extra AI and everything above is excluded. Premium Longdrinks are 7.3 euro as far as I recall.

 

Correction. The general rule for an item to be included in the Extra AI is 6.75 euros (not including coffee, and other exceptions), but its not more general then Premium spirits are 6.25 euros and is not included - maybe its not that general after all :-). Premium Longdrinks are 7.70 euro.

 

Costa's standard Bar List is here:

http://www.kreuzfahrthobby.de/wp-content/uploads/Menu+Cocktail+Card2012.pdf

 

Philip

Edited November 10, 2013 by phider