Costa Fascinosa Solo Cruise

Hi guys

Have taken the plunge and will be cruising for the first time, and solo on the Costa Fascinosa from Barcelona to Buenos Aires in November, cant wait.

Have any you guys / girls travelled solo on this ship or any of the other Costa ships? What was your experience (good or bad) as a solo traveller with Costa. If you have travelled solo with them, were they good enough for you to want to rebook or would you steer clear and go with another line?

My only worry is meals in the MDR, whats the situation with solo travellers there, is the experience awkward and is it best just to stick to the buffet?

On another note i will pay 170 euros gratuities for the 17 day cruise which i don't mind, but what is the situation with tipping? Am i expected to tip the room steward and cleaner ever day or just once on the last day? I have a drinks package, am i expected to tip the bar person every day and what about the waiters?

I was thinking of tipping the steward and cleaner on the last day (if thats ok) but how much, is there a going rate?

I don't want to appear stingy, but i don't want to be bankrupt at the end of the cruise.

Many regards, Gerry.

Welcome to CC.

In the MDR Costa tries to seat solo cruisers together, if you don't likeyour table companions you can always ask the Maitr'D to be moved to another table. There are some solo cruisers activities onboard - check the daily program.

No other tip is expected (you have already paid the service charge). If someone (cabin stewart, bar keeper, waiters,) goes above and beyond the cal of duty then we give a small thank you at the end of the cruise.

You’re in for a treat, gerryuk. I’m going on my third cruise in Costa Fascinosa later this month (April 2018), and have cruised South America in her, as well as sailed a repositioning trip from South America to Europe. The ship is very well run, and, while large, there are many ways to get away from the crowds and noise, if that’s your preference.

I remember my tables on my previous Fascinosa cruises vividly. On the one within South America, I was the only native English-speaker at my table, which was the only English-speaking table on the cruise. We were assigned early seating (19.30), as late seating was at 21.45 and for South Americans. My table mates were a young Argentinian couple with their one-year old son, who had booked through an American travel agency. (The husband spoke fluent English; his wife, none.) There were two other couples, former residents of the Soviet Union, traveling on American passports. (Strangely, neither couple spoke to the other, a holdover, I think, from Soviet distrust, but all were charming to me and to the Argentinian couple.)

On the crossing we were a retired English couple from the Midlands, me (American solo), a Chilean couple (the wife had lived in Washington when her father was with the embassy) and a bilingual Mexican/American couple, who had met as pen pals as teenagers, married, raised their children in the US and retired to Mexico. Both tables were among the best I’ve ever had. (That I can remember them is testimony to that.)

On more recent Costa cruises—I travel with them often, because they have reasonably priced single cabins—I have bought a package to take three meals a day in the Club Restaurant, which is a giant step up from the MDR. Food on Costa has improved in recent years, as they now have regional Italian menus, specializing in a different cuisine each day for lunch and dinner. But the attentive service and dignified atmosphere make the Club Restaurant a nice, but more expensive, option.

At present I have four Costa cruises on deposit: Western Mediterranean in Costa Fascinosa; Eastern Mediterranean in Costa neoRiviera; and crossings each way between Savona and Guadeloupe in Costa Magica. Bon voyage!

I have also travelled solo on Costa.

My first was Favolosa 14 day TA from Guadeloupe to Marseilles.

Then last month Costa neoRiviera from Mauritius to Savona 24 days. Great ports including Aqaba for Petra and Eilat Israel.

Each time I was seated at a table with other English speakers. Early seating was assigned at 6.30 pm although you could ask to be changed to a later time. My table consisted of Australians Americans Brits and myself, total of 8.

There was a host for English speakers who was available twice a day at guest services for any issues. We had enrichment talks in English also.

Trivia was held twice a day and was another good way to get to know people. Usually I joined a group with Germans and Norwegians who also spoke English.

About tips just leave your daily charges in place ( 10 euros a day ) and tip extra to any member of staff who went above and beyond.

I found the food to be really good. Except in the buffet where the food was never really hot enough but I find that is the same in the buffet on all ships. I did eat all my meals breakfast lunch and dinner in the MDR. For breakfast and lunch in the beginning I asked for and was given a table for one but as the cruise went on joined friends there. MDR was not open for lunch on port days. I loved all the pasta dishes and also mainly had fish.

Costa does have some good solo deals but not the best website to check.

I am booked on the Fortuna next March from Singapore to Rome.