Jump to content

Clarification Please: Do Suite Passengers Dine in the Luminosa Club Restaurant?


ClaytonLuke
 Share

Recommended Posts

We are due to cruise aboard the Costa Luminosa in December 2018. We have booked a suite cabin.

 

 

Sorry if this is a stupid question but we cannot seem to get confirmation from Costa or our travel agent that one of the perks included with the suite is that we will dine in the Luminosa Club Restaurant for breakfast lunch and dinner without paying a surcharge.

 

 

Costa's website says suites include: "• Each breakfast, lunch and dinner served at the restaurant dedicated exclusively for Suite guests" and under "Club Restaurant" it says: "There's a special restaurant for Suite Guests [ ], where you can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner."

 

 

The problem is that the booking does not state that the "restaurant dedicated exclusively" is the Club Restaurant and when we wrote to Costa (because we are in New Zealand) the query went to a representative in China who is saying that the dining will be in a separated area of the Taurus restaurant, and reverted to just repeating herself when we pointed out the apparent contradiction with the website.

 

 

Can someone who has recently cruised in a suite on Costa (preferably the Luminosa) tell me what their experience was. Or perhaps someone who is confident they know.

 

 

My belief is that the separated dining area applies only to those ships without a Club Restaurant and Costa is a bit unclear because the restaurants for suite passengers have different names on different ships, but it is a valuable perk and therefore should be spelled out more clearly in my view.

 

 

Thank you in advance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

Simple answer is yes, just show the cruise card to Maître 'd they know the suite numbers.

 

Where there is no longer a Club Dining room you are seated in a separate area reserved for Suites & Perla Diamante guests in MDR's, this also applies to the club restaurant when full but suite guests gets preference over Diamante members in that case.

 

There is now very little difference in the menu, although it is cooked & served quicker, & with normally a couple of extra dishes like prawns (5) & a pasta. You can ask the Maître 'd if you can try the Samsara instead one night they will often accommodate you if Samsara is not busy, worth trying as it is a nicer restaurant.

 

On the Diadema both December & February the club restaurant was over subscribed so there were two sittings for evening meals but no fixed table so it was a rat race when doors opened.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Tenpin for clearing that up.

 

 

My wife doesn't believe you and is convinced "Luminosa Club Restaurant" is different from "Club Restaurant". I think they are the same thing (on the Luminosa).

 

 

 

Are you saying the Club Restaurant menu is now very similar to the MDR menu? Does that mean its a bit disappointing (not worth the surcharge for regular guests)?

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the tip on asking if we can dine once at the Samsara. We will definitely try that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Further to my reply yesterday I have just looked up my last three cruise cards with Costa.

Two on Diadema & one on the Magica where as the Diadema actually states the Club Diadema on both occasions, the Magica states deck four Smarelda Restaurant & I remember this is the upper restaurant which had a notice outside for Perla Diamante & suite guests only. This is because they are no longer putting cabin numbers on the cruise cards.

You can indeed tell your wife they are the club and are for suites guests first, & the Perla Diamante next if they have room.

The food is slightly better in the club but basically the same dishes, we have eaten in every club restaurant with Costa and thy were wonderful, but many have been turned into burger or pizza pay restaurants.

There was a choice of steak, shrimp & lobster as extras but even that was cut out on the Mediterranea in June.

 

The Samsara was nice in February this year but they all seem to be going towards the same menu to cut out food waste.

 

Regards of that the food in the club was hot & very tasty in the main.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We just completed our first Costa cruise sailing on the Mediterranea and were in a suite. We had all three meals in the Medusa Club Restaurant for suite guests, though most days we just grabbed lunch in the buffet or onshore as it was quicker. However, non-suite guests could pre-purchase packages for various durations to also dine here based on availability. This was a two level restaurant but the upper level was not used on this sailing (Amsterdam-Norway.) Our card specified Medusa Club restaurant-open seating. Diamonte status guests had their own dining space with separate entrance adjacent to the MDR Argentieri. A section of the buffet restaurant was dedicated to the paid burger and pizza restaurant that was open 7pm-1am. We enjoyed the food in the Medusa Club Restaurant. Sometimes their was an overlap of one or two choices from what was being served in the MDR but mostly the options were different. There were was one night when each of us ordered such and found it was not as good as the club options but understandable considering it was being cooked for many more people. Hope this helps as well:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lilybob,

So pleased you enjoyed your first Costa cruise on the Mediterranea, one of Costa's smaller ships but the Club restaurant one of the best.

Was the Maître 'd called Alfred if so such a nice guy with have spent many hours with him just chatting after his shift.

 

Last time on there it was still offering Lobster, Shrimp & ribeye steak as well as the other normal choices if you did not like what was on menu that night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lilybob,

So pleased you enjoyed your first Costa cruise on the Mediterranea, one of Costa's smaller ships but the Club restaurant one of the best.

Was the Maître 'd called Alfred if so such a nice guy with have spent many hours with him just chatting after his shift.

 

Last time on there it was still offering Lobster, Shrimp & ribeye steak as well as the other normal choices if you did not like what was on menu that night.

 

Hi tenpin

We really enjoyed our cruise and were pleasantly surprised, especially after reading some of the reviews. Definitely would consider another Costa sailing....especially if it could be in a suite:p!

I don't recall the name of the Maitre'd though he was attentive to all guests. Thought staffing levels were good too. The steak and shrimp were still offered but enjoyed the pork and lamb dishes even more.

Now I just have to sort out how the points are awarded to your club membership and start planning for the next trip!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lilybob,

 

You get 450 points for each cruise day in a suite & 2 points for every euro spent on board.

 

As you know there are many advantages in having a suite, the intenditore drinks package dining room etc;

 

Club membership soon get you into the upper levels of the club but points now only last for three years.

 

Caribbean cruises for Americans also come with perks, but overall a suite is still probably the easiest way of cruising with Costa.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ClaytonLuke

 

With a suite you also get priority boarding look out for the Suite Guest's desk at the terminal or any member of staff who will direct you to the boarding gate. Boarding start times are printed on the paperwork after final payment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...