costa serena - restaurant choice

[iloveglee]

Having booked a classic cabin, having issues with dining and upgrading to premium we now find we have dining choices!! We have already chosen early dining, table for 4 cross referenced so that two couples booked on separate bookings can sit together. Altogether much too complicated for my liking - why can't these cruise lines allow you to book 2 cabins on the one booking, much in the way you would book 2 rooms in a hotel. Would save a good deal of aggro. but now to my question. having got the choice of restaurant, which, according to cruisers who have experienced them, is the best of the two. i realise that the food will be the same in both but in terms of decor, ambience etc. our cabins are midships so logically we would go in the restaurant which is midships but if the aft one is deemed to be better we might choose that. this is the thing about having choices - making the right one!!! Our last two cuises have been on ncl who have freestyle dining so we could choose night by night which restaurant we used. i do have mixed feelings about freestyle dining. its great on cruises in europe, where people generally like to dine a little later so we always get to dine at the time we like with no problems (between 6.30 and 7). not the case on a cruise which consists mostly of americans. they like to dine at the same time as we do so there is a scramble for tables between 5.30 and 6 which means either having to dine earlier than preferred, or wait in line. as costa has fixed time dining, the early time is our preferred time we should at least be happy with that. i am not especially interested in bad reviews about costa, have read them all and will go with an open mind. but would very much appreciate input generally about the dining options on this ship.

[phider]

As far as I know, whether you have access to Vesta or Ceres is decided by Costa based on the allocation of your cabin. Also, as far as I know, they serve the same menu, so it would probably mostly be a matter of location.

 

Alternatives is the Samsara and Club restaurants which costs an additional cover charge of 25 euros pp. Personally, I think it is well worth it, and would recommend going to either of the two besides the main dinning room every second day. The cost is so low, and you get a much more quiet experience, and better food for a very little extra.

 

Philip

[iloveglee]

I thought that the restaurant was allocated depending on cabin location as well. however, having logged into the cost website to enter our details, the midships restaurant is already allocated but there is the option to change it. (our cabins are midships). i presumed that the menu would be the same but just wondered if one restaurant was nicer than the other. having been on other cruises where the restaurant is allocated and non-changeable we have never had the chance to look at the alternative restaurant to see if it was nicer or not. in the great scheme of things i dont suppose it matters much really given that the food will be the same.

[lisiamc]

We just got off Serena on the 20th. We were assigned to the Vesta restaurant (midships) and ate many breakfasts and lunches in the Ceres restaurant (aft). We had great service in Vesta, less so in Ceres, although it improved a lot by the end of the cruise. I think this was because many of the servers were new, and needed a few days to settle in.

 

Ceres has aft windows with a nice view if you will be eating near sunset, but both restaurants are pleasant. If you let Costa assign the restaurant, it seems pretty random. A couple on our deck with a cabin far forward was assigned to Ceres, as was another couple with a cabin far aft.

[iloveglee]

maybe we will stick with vesta then since that is nearest to our cabins, although it is unusual for us to go directly from the cabins to dine, usually we have a drink first. maybe the best thing would be to suss out the bars we think we might like first as it is usually a bar we go from to dine. we won't be dining at sunset as this will happen at least an hour before the early dining time. (our cruise is first few days in march).

[iloveglee]

having now gone into the costa website to do our online check in i am totally confused about the dining options. we have been allocated ceres restaurant, which is aft although our cabins are more midships to forward. we have been allocated the time we want (early), but the website gives a drop down set of options for dining - early or late, ceres deck 3 or 4, vesta deck 3 or 4, thus giving the impression that you can change what is allocated already. i have tried to change the restaurant and level to find that i get a message sorry you cannot proceed. i was under the impression that having a premium cabin means you have a full choice of dining options; am i wrong about this. i have e-mailed costa to ask about this and have had no response which is unusual as they do usually reply quickly to e-mails. has anyone out there been able to change their dining option on the website. i realise that the food is the same in both but it is making me a little nervous about the other benefits of premium cabins not materialising.

[Castellan]

The easiest way to choose which restaurant, is to visit them both when you first board the ship. In your cabin you will find a card detailing which restaurant, which deck & which seating you have been allocated. If you are not happy with this allocation, visit the Maitre D' before you sail & he will usually be able to change this. Info on where he will be & at what time will be detailed in the info available in your cabin. He is usually, but not always by one of the restaurants for an hour or so, prior to sailing. If he can't change it there & then, he will get his staff to leave a card with your new allocation in your cabin for the following night.

As to how Costa allocate which restaurant, I've noticed that they tend to put the non-Italians together in one part of the restaurant.

Hope this helps?

[MSH from Norway]

As to how Costa allocate which restaurant, I've noticed that they tend to put the non-Italians together in one part of the restaurant.

Hope this helps?

 

Not necessarily.

However, they try most of the time to put people from one country, part of the world, at the same table...

 

Last time on Magica we were 8 people, three totaly different families from totaly different parts of Scandinavia, 6 of us between 5 and around 40, and two at 85...:D

[Discount lovers]

. i was under the impression that having a premium cabin means you have a full choice of dining options; am i wrong about this. i realise that the food is the same in both but it is making me a little nervous about the other benefits of premium cabins not materialising.

 

We were on a Costa cruise this month with a premium cabin and the advantages offered seemed to be the choice of 1st or 2nd sitting and also breakfast in the cabin without extra charge. Both of these can be an advantage and worth paying the extra for. :)

But I am not aware of any other benefits.

[Salve]

We were on a Costa cruise this month with a premium cabin and the advantages offered seemed to be the choice of 1st or 2nd sitting and also breakfast in the cabin without extra charge. Both of these can be an advantage and worth paying the extra for. :)

But I am not aware of any other benefits.

 

 

Double Costa Club points too.

[Discount lovers]

Double Costa Club points too.

 

You are indeed right! It slipped my mind. These are worth having and will take us safely from Coral into the Pearl level of the Club. :)