Costa Classica

[cc_double]

Has anyone been on the Costa Classica lately, we are looking at booking for Jan 2010, a 14 night Asian Itinerary, we have cruised Costa previously, what we are really wondering is what condition the ship, cabins and public areas are in, we read somewhere that the last refurb was done in 2001.

Thanks

[Cruisecatz]

Have just got back off three weeks on Costa Classica sailing from Dubai to Singapore. I am afraid I have to report she is not in very good nick, particularly by modern cruising standards. Cabins are relatively spacious, but the air conditioning does not work in quite a few of them (including ours!!) and cannot apparently be fixed. There was also a flood in some of the level 4 cabins during the cruise. The buffet area is also too confined to allow a good choice of food and good throughflow of passengers. Deck space is relatively limited and, as there are only 10 cabins with balconies on the entire ship, there is a bit of a bunfight for the loungers of choice (in the shade areas). There is more info on my recent review, but I stick with my conclusion that the destinations on the trip were fantastic, but Costa Classica simply past her sail-by date!!

[keltic]

She´s not a new ship, but not too old. She has been refitted recently and she is still the nicest, cosiest of the whole Costa fleet. I have been on her some months ago, and I didn´t experience any kind of malfunctioning. For me she has the perfect size, the perfect decoration and still embodies the real true italian style. I would go on her again, and probably wouldn´t go on the modern Costa-Farcus-Carnival vessels.

 

I suppose it will depend on each cruise. If you experience a malfunction it could be a real disaster, if you have an uneventful sailing you will have a nice time. But have in mind. It´s a classic, not a modern floating box. It has advantages and disadvantages. In any case, the routes are so fantastic in Asia, that it could minimaze the little things you could encounter onboard.

[G.M.T.]

Hi Cruisecatz,

 

Just finished your Classica review, totally agree with the majority of your points.

 

You may have seen me on the cruise, I was the one walking around with my right arm in a sling for 10 days courtesy of Costa. :(

 

I now have been on 3 of Costa's older ships and the Classica is by far the worst I have ever seen. It was like being on a cargo ship rather than a cruise ship, the one area with some shade the open air Alfresco Cafe had part of the deck roped off because of packing cases. One half of the buffet was classed for rebuilding for 7 day and then the other side was closed for another 7 days. Costa had know that our cruise was booked out for over a year and could not find time to do this sort of work before such a long cruise.

 

I did not meetanyone onboard who was happy with the ship.

 

I think the Classica was due for a major refit soon, but Costa moved her to the far east to get another couple of years of serivce and save money at our expense. The same thing happened with the Allegra when she sailed for the far east in April 2006, 800 passengers went to the barricades in Colombo when the list of problems (air conditioning, toilets not working etc.) just kept growing. Same old story just the names have been changed.

 

When the my quack gives the me the OK to use my right hand for typing (hopefully this week), currently typing with only my left hand takes a life time to complete a message, I'll do my review.

 

Would I travel with Costa or recommend them, the route, the ship (give me the Mediterranea any time), the price met my expectations then I would considerate it. That saying, with so many new ships coming of the shipyard now they will be an over capacity in crusing berths so it will be a passengers market to pick and choose.

 

Ron