Live from Costa Smeralda, Savona, October 31- November 7, 2020

[petra75]

Leaving Messina, the entertainment team organized a live from the bridge, a first for Costa and maybe any other cruise line. At least it was the first time we saw something similar. Was shown on the big screen and the different televisions around the Colosseum theatre and on cabins' stateroom. There were interviews with the captain and other officers beforehand and when the procedures allowed that.

We liked that much, a must for cruise nerds like us! We could watch and hear what is going on on the bridge and engine room leaving the port. Messina is really interesting for that since there is much traffic and of course there is the Messina strait we had to pass through to go back toward our next port, Civitavecchia.

 

 

Sorry, this one is really blurry, but hope it gives an idea of what they showed

 

[caribill]

31 minutes ago, petra75 said:

I'll try to show you the last excursion's pictures again!

 

 

It worked!!!

 

Thanks

[Fletch1]

Thanks Petra......appreciate you re posting the photos. 

 

That is very interesting about the "live" from the bridge........I have never heard of anything like that on any cruise line. Something so easy to do would be so interesting to tune into. I would be captivating.....for me anyway. I would love to see that. We have toured the bridge of a few ships, but only when the ship is in port. It would be great to see how it all works on departures. 

 

Thanks again........ 

[petra75]

Hallo everybody, here we are back home.

Another great vacation has ended, as always too quickly but we still feel very lucky to have been able to enjoy two cruises this year.

So, how do we like this one? As just anticipated very much! 

Costa Smeralda is huge and beautiful! It was really the destination of the cruise, so much to see and do. We are not people that need to be entertained every second but we participated much in animation activities, they were great, beside programmed activities we could meet them around, doing funny things and even a candid camera we were easily fooled by, good laughs!

As already said, Covid rules are the same as on land, most people were well behaved and Costa crew tried to enforce them, we witness different time passengers being reminded to wear the masks properly and the guys of the entertainment team always did, while doing activities where it was normal the place was more crowded (I use this word loosely, we never found a place actually so). But those few people... They'd need an officer always looking at them, because when they turn, the mask goes off at once, same behaviour we can see in shop, museum and so on on land as well unfortunately. Nothing that ruined the cruise anyway, plenty of space for everybody!

  

Piazza Trastevere

[petra75]

This time we splurge in a balcony cabin, it was quite affordable and above all we found an aft one! Since we often book our cruises close to the departure and we'd rather two in an inside than one on a balcony we could never find one, so far, a dream came true!

 

 

 

Every deck on Smeralda is named after an Italian town, can you guess what deck we were on?🕵️‍♂️

 

 

Huge wardrobe

 

 

Nice separator between bedroom and bathroom, open or close it, it's up to you!

 

 

 

 

 

[maryann2]

2 hours ago, petra75 said:

This time we splurge in a balcony cabin, it was quite affordable and above all we found an aft one! Since we often book our cruises close to the departure and we'd rather two in an inside than one on a balcony we could never find one, so far, a dream came true!

 

 

 

Every deck on Smeralda is named after an Italian town, can you guess what deck we were on?🕵️‍♂️

 

 

Venezia?

 

 

[maryann2]

Thank you so much for this wonderful review in the time of Covid. Pleased to hear that you got home safe and sound.

Thank you again.

[nwcruiselover]

2 hours ago, maryann2 said:

Thank you so much for this wonderful review in the time of Covid. Pleased to hear that you got home safe and sound.

Thank you again.

I also appreciate the time you took to put this review out for us to share in your experience.  I’m glad you had such a good time and arrived home safely.  

[Fletch1]

Thanks again Petra for taking us along on this cruise with you. Glad you had the opportunity to experience an aft balcony cabin. 

 

I look forward to your next adventure...........

[petra75]

20 hours ago, maryann2 said:

Venezia?

 

Sì!🏆

 

20 hours ago, maryann2 said:

Thank you so much for this wonderful review in the time of Covid. Pleased to hear that you got home safe and sound.

Thank you again.

 

17 hours ago, nwcruiselover said:

I also appreciate the time you took to put this review out for us to share in your experience.  I’m glad you had such a good time and arrived home safely.  

 

12 hours ago, Fletch1 said:

Thanks again Petra for taking us along on this cruise with you. Glad you had the opportunity to experience an aft balcony cabin. 

 

I look forward to your next adventure...........

 

Thank you all for following and we really hope to hear from you soon about you next cruise!

[petra75]

On Smeralda you can really feel the sea. You can walk all around the ship outside on decks 7-8 and decks 16 and above, where you find waterslides, sports playground, table tennis boards and soccer tables.

 

And then swing...

 

 

swing...

 

 

and swing!

 

 

[petra75]

For her mission to be ecological on Smeralda you can find your photos only on tablets. It is really easy and worked with us, you just have to have your photo taken the first time you use that and your pictures will show.

 

 

 

And no cloths on tables, that would be the argument of many threads on this boards and beyond, in other times!

 

 

[petra75]

Food, glorious food!

We find Costa to be the most consistent cruise line when we come to food. Even on Smeralda it went from good to great.

 

A light (?) breakfast

 

 

Mushroom, mascarpone and truffle Ravioli

 

 

Aubergine Parmigiana

 

 

Fritto misto

 

 

Seabass with seafood

 

 

Pistachio Semifreddo

 

 

Chocolate mousse with a panna cotta heart

 

 

[Sunshine3601]

It looks wonderful.  I would love to be on one of those swings and looking at beautiful blue water right now!

So happy that you were able to get your dream cabin. That was a very nice closet and nice size balcony too.  The best to you and your family!

[kruz]

Thank you so much for both of your enjoyable reviews while on board! We are all so looking forward to start up in the US...as slow as it may be. I understand Italy is under lockdown again? Is this true or will you still be able to cruise?

 

Again, thanks for this...it is keeping my dream alive! 

[petra75]

On 11/13/2020 at 2:22 AM, Sunshine3601 said:

It looks wonderful.  I would love to be on one of those swings and looking at beautiful blue water right now!

So happy that you were able to get your dream cabin. That was a very nice closet and nice size balcony too.  The best to you and your family!

 

Thank you and all the best to you all! The swings were even much more confortable than what the pictures can show! 

 

On 11/14/2020 at 2:50 AM, kruz said:

Thank you so much for both of your enjoyable reviews while on board! We are all so looking forward to start up in the US...as slow as it may be. I understand Italy is under lockdown again? Is this true or will you still be able to cruise?

 

Again, thanks for this...it is keeping my dream alive! 

 

Thank you, we're happy you enjoyed our live!

 

At the moment Italy is not in total lockdown, only some regions are, and our government still allows cruising. But since the surge of covid cases in Europe less and less people can board and now even Italians living in the regions with highest level restrictions cannot. The second matter for cruises are ports, of course. Now if they are in regions with restrictions as far as I understood ships can still dock only for embarkation and debarkation but no escursions are allowed, so at the moment passengers of Smeralda can get off for excursions in Civitavecchia and Cagliari. (Mind you, Naples and its region just got highest level restrictions today). 

For all this problems some Costa-MSC-Aida and TUI cruises that resume service since late summer in the mediterranean are now suspended, I believe to at least the second half of December, but not all.

I don't know where you live but here things change in a matter of weeks when there are not days, now we can only be greatful for what we can still enjoy.

I really hope you can enjoy cruising again as well soon!

 

 

[petra75]

In the evening around the ship the usual shows with dancers, singers and acrobats were offered, and ones even an Italian comedian, a first for us on an Italian ship. We do usually appreciate comedians on American ships and liked this one as well.

 

Then a stroll inside the ship, for some shopping

  

 

A visit to the Italian design museum, full of curiosities

 

 

 

And some good live music, our favourites were the Excetera in the wonderful covered pool

 

 

and the Swingers in the Jazz Club

 

 

A last look from our balcony

 

 

 

[kruz]

Thank you for your reply! I am in Florida in the US and as you know or cruising has yet to resume. Covid cases are up but with that being said many of the cruise lines are working towards complying with CDC so we can get up and cruising again. For the most part will be cruising to the lines private islands but truthfully I would be content to just get on board and not have a destination at all!! Reading your reviews is my one link to sanity! Please keep cruising and sharing!!!!   

[travelhound]

On 11/10/2020 at 12:55 PM, petra75 said:

Hallo everybody, here we are back home.

Another great vacation has ended, as always too quickly but we still feel very lucky to have been able to enjoy two cruises this year.

So, how do we like this one? As just anticipated very much! 

Costa Smeralda is huge and beautiful! It was really the destination of the cruise, so much to see and do. We are not people that need to be entertained every second but we participated much in animation activities, they were great, beside programmed activities we could meet them around, doing funny things and even a candid camera we were easily fooled by, good laughs!

As already said, Covid rules are the same as on land, most people were well behaved and Costa crew tried to enforce them, we witness different time passengers being reminded to wear the masks properly and the guys of the entertainment team always did, while doing activities where it was normal the place was more crowded (I use this word loosely, we never found a place actually so). But those few people... They'd need an officer always looking at them, because when they turn, the mask goes off at once, same behaviour we can see in shop, museum and so on on land as well unfortunately. Nothing that ruined the cruise anyway, plenty of space for everybody!

  

Piazza Trastevere

Thanks for posting this.  It's nice to hear about some positive news on the restart in Europe.  Hopefully we will be up and running again soon in the US.

[Plan B]

Thank you so much for taking the time to post - it is most appreciated 🥰   

 

Our cruise on this ship from Barca in April was understandably cancelled and I've been trying for a refund ever since but your post has made me want to book!  I love cruising.   

 

Take care and stay safe 

[gkbiiii]

I like normal fish, but that whatever that fish was, would be too much for me.  I would get up and leave!

[cruisequeen4ever]

Lovely; thank you for sharing your experience! It was really nice to learn that you can still have full shore excursion experiences because it’d be a shame to visit Europe and not be able to really experience the historical sites. I adored the swings on deck!! 

[Stockjock]

What were your thoughts comparing this cruise to MSC Grandiosa?

Edited June 17, 2021 by Stockjock