greg2014

Thank you for your posts and live report from the world cruise. I was always interested how it could be on such a long cruise. I will wait for your next posts 🙂 Dubrovnik is always nice but outside peek season it looks different. No crowds everywhere, sometimes it is even possible to find empty narrow street.

@jayfurr - what was your itinirary ? where have you started and finished your cruise ? As it was wrote here, charging VAT depends on different parameters (port of start/end + if you have non-EU ports onroute).

@Anoynmous Phoenix - thank you for quick answer 🙂 Was it possible/allowed to make photos during this excursion ? Was bridge included ?

I have a question if Behind-the-Scenes Ship Tour for Platinium members are still exists ? In November I have cruise on Prima - it would be nice to see sth more than usual 🙂 I remember that because of COVID all "Behind-the-Scenes Ship Tours" have been suspended. Is it still valid ? On the other hand - if my friend in the cabin has no platinium level (only silver) - can I go for this tour with him or it is dedicated only for me ?

OK, so I see that price is the same and I can pay only the difference (250 USD) for two certs 🙂 Thank you for clarifying!

I have a question about buying CruiseNext certificates. During my last cruise in 2022, two CN certificates were offered for 500 USD with 250 USD OBC for using onboard spendings. I have two questions. First, what is the current price for CN certificates ? Second, must I obligatory use above OBC connected with CN during cruise ? Is it possible to pay only the difference, so 250 USD for 2 CN certificates ? Thank you for any help 🙂

What's your itinerary ? Where have you started and finishing your cruise ? Basing on other post charging of VAT could depend where cruise is starting/finishing. If both ports are in Spain, it was reported that NCL charge VAT all the cruise including sea time.

We also booked cruise on Prima (1st Nov 2023, Barcelona to Rome) with ports of call in Spain, France and Italy. Question if they will charge 10% Spanish VAT only in Spain ports/waters or during entire cruise (including f.e. Italian ports).

I was travelling with Costa in South America twice (before COVID) and on both cruises pizza was available in buffet free of charge - when on European cruises of Costa not. I am afraid that it is connected with different product of Costa during South America cruises. Buffet opening times were much longer, menu also was a little bit different. Because of Brazilian law, big part of crew were from Brazil, so it could be the reason of communication problems for English speaking guests (most of guests for South American cruises were from Brazil, Argentina etc. - maybe except transatlantic cruises and Costa was focused on them). During my last cruise from Santos on first European stop (as I remember it was Tenerrife) almost all Brazilian crew have been replaced with "typical" for Costa cruises - from Asia countries.

When we talk about minibars in the cabin - it was said that Costa Firenze has no minibars in cabins (below suites). The same on Costa Toscana (and probably Smeralda - but I am not sure; have experience only on Firence and Toscana/balcony cabin on both).

Below you will find menu of MDR and Suites Restaurant on Costa Toscana - 27 Jan 2023. elite_en.pdf mdr_en.pdf

They cut points every year in April - but only for points collected more than 3 years earlier. It does not mean they reset your account every year.

@Schlinger - to be more precise: there was no dedicated restaurant for gold/platinium guests. I am not sure but think that suite guests on Costa Toscana had dedicated restaurant.

Basing on my last experience on Costa Toscana (Jan 2023): priority embarkation for gold/platinium does not exist at all. Staff in terminal does not know anything about it. All passengers waited in one line. I have also not seen any special line to suites guests. Special restaurant at the moment means dedicated part (sector) of normal restaurant. Menu is also the same like in MDR.

In the past they had some itineraries which do not exist now - Asia, India/Sri Lanca, Maledives, Mauritius, Caribbean from Florida... Maybe I wanted to cruise with them more but need more new itineraries. At the moment have gold but keeping it for longer time is more and more difficult and has no sense. On the other hand after last cruise in January can say that many privilliges do not exist anymore - even they are listed by Costa (f.e. priority embarkation or "behind the scene" visit). Unfortunately also credit for spending onboard has been cancelled (it was 75 EUR for gold members).