Rio1978

As long as you arrive after your assigned time and before last embarkation time you will be fine. Have you already received the time?

To ensure a quite cabin looks on the deck plans and pick one with cabins above below and either side.

Don't go for a cabin above or below any entertainment or dinning area or pool decks or gym or runny track etc

Question 2. Sometimes once all cabins allocated to travel agencies to sell ( but not sold) are released back to Costa then other cabins become available. And you can ring and enquire about upgrading . Thie new cabin will cost you whatever the cost of that grade of cabin was in the day you made your initial booking so no late savings to be made 

Have never seen any promo codes for Costa. Costa is one of the cheapest cruise lines anyway. You get loyalty points from cruise bookings flights booked through Costa and in board spending. This gives you discount s for future cruises so make sure you sign up for the loyalty  scheme which you can do as soon as booking made. It will save you some money in these cruises in terms of on board spending and then some off initial cruise cost for future bookings but points only last three years so so make them worthwhile you have to cruise with them at least once every three years

On 2/28/2024 at 6:58 PM, terrierjohn said:

I am fairly certain that Barbados is not a member of the EU, and yet luggage there has always gone straight from the plane to the ship.

In addition I dont think that Malta fly cruises took place prior to covid, and we had left the EU well before that.

But it is much easier to lay the blame on Brexit.

Hi it's not to do with the final destination being in or out of the EU so to speak. It's to do with the UK no longer being in the EU so EU couny won't take bonded luggage from non EU countries. The Carribbean countries will take it. It think it's the EU spitting the dummy out over Brexit. Like a lot of things to do with travel Brexit has not acted in our favour 

Ring them and ask. They are very helpful and don't take long to answer the phone 

The Italians party late and loud lol. Multi generational family groups. Entertainment is visual in the theatres but lots of music everywhere. Dancing of all types depending on time of the evening and location. Food I love it. My husband not so much likes but not lives he would prefer simpler food( am taking him on O and I). The rest of the family love the food options too. 

I have sailed on 8 costs ships on a total of 14 cruises. Some with hubby. Some with mother. Some with my grown up kids and one glorious one on my own just after COVID when the ship had less than one third capacity of passengers on it...bliss

On 2/9/2024 at 12:45 PM, Aussie Jeep said:

Thank you so much Luffe  We have booked this cruise  Do you remember if there was a sauna and spa?  was it co-ed or seperate for men and women,

 

Spa is co ed. It's beautiful but at times very busy

Depending on route you may get hoards of people looking round whilst the staff try to sell a package or treatments to them whilst you try to relax. Pick your times to go and it's great ( open much longer than any other ship Spa have used). Has a snow room sauna steam room etc etc . You have to pay to use any of it. Can pay per day or for whole cruise

At times there were no seats or beds left to sit/lie on at other times almost deserted 

The experience truly depends on the ship and the itinerary. 

Sail on Costa 14 times now and each ship has a different vibe and experience

Didn't really enjoy smerelda at Christmas.  But loved Delisioza last June ( sailing on her first the third time in June this year)

Firenze was beautiful and really enjoyed that . Enjoyed all so far except Smerelda. Luminosa in rank 2nd bottom for me so far but Serena Favoulosa and Facinosa were amazing but not quite as good as Delisioza 

23 hours ago, CocktailPrincess said:

Ah that's probably why I don't remember it from last time as i booked when we were in the EU

It's always been a payment per day when on the ship. I am from UK and always had to pay at the end of the cruise

On 10/20/2023 at 8:13 PM, gerryuk said:

I book on UK site and get the option to pay balance on the website as shown in my earlier post. 

Arh maybe that's the difference. I always book on the phone so maybe that's why that option doesn't appear online for me. 

To make final payment from UK we have to ring them up and it's due 60 days before cruise. So my Christmas cruise is due end of October 

I ring them direct when doing this . It so easy. They are so helpful and really pleasant. Unlike some cruise lines I get though to Costa in less than 10 rings

Had my first suite on Costa last year. Suite itself spacious. Lots of storage space ( this was on Deliziosa)Butler and cabin steward fantastic. Didn't ask them for much but when we did they were quick and accurate. One of our suitcases got damaged in the flight over. Butler fixed it enough to survive flight home. Canapé were nice 

Suite dining room was great. More relaxed than MDR and they couldn't do enough for us. The fact the top drinks package is included ( including mini bar and room service) meant that the staff encouraged you to try something new and if you didn't like it no problem. Coffee after meals was a step up.from MDR ( although I got excellent service in the MDR on Firenze but they were 3 passengers per waiter due to COVID restrictions then. They reserve seats in theatre front row but we often sat further back to get a better view

Slippers and robes in the suite. One day at the spa

Next year we have 2 suites next to each other as there are 4 of us and some suites only take 3. However when you take into account the cost of paying for the other 2 to join us in the suite restaurant. The cost of the spa day and drinks package it was cheaper than putting the other 2 in a balcony. Added bonus one sink each ( 2 in each suite) a wardrobe each ( again 2 in each) 2 hairdryers 2 toilets 2 showers/baths. 2 bottles of fizz. 2 bowels of fruit. 2 lots of canapes and once opened up a maga wide balcony.

We ( my mum 69 and myself 49 from uk) really enjoyed most of the shows. As it is currently the flag ship seems that the dancers and singers were their best. Big big stage with extensions that moved during some of the shows.  Music in the country rock club was great and we spent a large part of each evening there. We danced a little ballroom and Latin in the main bar lounge however the dance floor was very narrow ( more so than older costa ships) and it got busy. The Latin dance shows were good but get there early as chock a block.  Music in general was louder than it used to be but not as loud as on the favolosa last year. 

Booked again for April this time with Hubby. 

I would cut the spa treatments

On land live them but on a ship too much upselling of products. I know it's coming so can't relax at all

When are you going. Are you planning to go inside it?

Done that one twice. Different drop off points each time but both within 10 mins walk of it. (Doing same one again in April)

When on Diadema in May 2018 samsara was a pay restaurant. We used it one night(free due to petal status) it was so quite in there. There was only us and 1 other table occupied. Waiter told us they had had only 12 people in all night. So don't think the samsara suite guests were in there. Don't know when you are going but the spa private sun deck with hot tub and bar was where we spent s lot of time. Quite(no music blaring) and no under 18s.lots of sun lounger available

Hi have always had the package that includes cocktails, however my husband dosent drink much other than beer and soft drinks. Was thinking it might be cheaper to stick to a lower level package that we have included with the premium room. If for example I want a cocktail do you pay the full price of the cocktail or just the difference between the top limit of your package and the cost of the drink?

When you say Las Ramblas do you mean Malagas main street the Avenida Principal Rio or are you confusing the city with Barcelona that usually has a protest march on 1st May?

Lol silly me yes Barcelona lol

We were there a few years back on may day.may 1st. We arrived just after a procession. Later in evening there was a protest march and the whole of Las rambles was filled with riot police. Strangely entertaining lol. Never felt in danger. The march was peaceful. The riot police just a precaution to protect tourists. Or so the policeman told me.

On Diadema from 21st May we had

21st Causual

22nd White night

23rd (Costa 70th anniversar and my 3rd Wedding annibersary) Elegant Gala Night

24th Italian Night Green white and Red.

25th (my birthday) Casual. Although we dresses as it was my birthday.

26th Latin night . Casual

27th Red and Black.

Thanks, I'll zoom off to that table the moment I get on board. It starts feeling like I am on holiday when I am sipping on a Mojito.

 

Alicat

Lol how alike are we? Mojito is my go to drink onboard too!!!

Well just starting to get ready to go on Sunday, been a turbulent 2 weeks resulting in hubby not well enough to travel so mother coming with me, this has meant some frantic phone calls and some extra out lay with ryanair to get tickets changed, costa were a pleasure to deal with. So plans for excursions are now different and have booked Spa passess for whole cruise as mum and I enjoy spa , hubby not so.indeed after the stresses of the last few weeks a restful cruise us called for.