This Costa Cruises guide is packed with honest reviews, cruise stories, food highlights, and travel tips from real sailings. Think of this as your go-to hub for everything Costa – minus the corporate fluff.
I recently travelled onboard Costa Smeralda. Initially, I was worried I’d struggle, as I only speak English! Booking with Costa Cruises felt like a bit of a risk, especially since I couldn’t find many guides about what to expect. So I decided to create one!
Here a few little facts about Costa Cruises. If you’re looking for how they compare to Royal Caribbean, or any other American cruise line, you can read that guide here.
It depends on what you’re after! Costa offers a distinctly European experience, great pricing, and stylish ships – but it might not suit cruisers looking for an American-style vibe. But, every cruise line and ship is different, so I would encourage you to give it a try!
Yes! Especially the newer ships. The Costa Smeralda and Costa Toscana both have slides which children and families would love.
Plus, on Costa Smeralda I noticed that a lot of children/families gravitated towards the indoor pool.
Costa offers a variety of Mediterranean dishes, from fresh pasta to seafood, and you might think you’re in for a treat. However… Reviews on Cruise Critic often highlight a mixed bag of experiences, with the buffet sometimes feeling repetitive after a few days at sea.
I personally loved the Main Dining Room on Costa Smeralda, and I honestly thought it was comparable to fine dining in Italy.
Costa Cruises boasts a diverse crew, with many members speaking multiple languages. But don’t get too excited; while the service can be professional, it may not have the personal touch you’d find on premium cruise lines. Many passengers on Cruise Critic have noted that service quality can vary widely depending on the ship and the season.
I can definitely attest to this. I found the service to be a little dismissive at times… But, I thought it was more reflective of the audience onboard.
It’s pretty controversial that Costa only give you free water in the buffet. Seriously. If you’re lounging by the pool and feeling a bit thirsty… Drinks package. Same with in the Main Dining Room… Drinks Package.
Folks say that it’s because Italians don’t drink tap water, and well bottle water costs money!
To be honest, Costa’s drinks package is one of the cheapest I’ve ever seen, and I didn’t have any faults finding something to drink on it.
