Costa Club

[tenpin]

Once again tried to book a suite for our February cruise, balcony £599 plenty of cabins, suites £1629 sold out.

 

Yeah right, they must be saving them for these club upgrades, just lately we are finding all suite's are sold out on cruises we have always done with Costa at that time of the year, since these new club rules came out finding it harder & harder to book for anniversaries or birthdays.

 

I personally think that loyal customers are being lost to Costa as we have gone from three or four a year with them to looking at other lines for our winter cruises in the Med.

[alicat58]

Just had a look at Smerelda and in February there are suites. 

 

Riana

[tenpin]

Hi Riana,

              That's weird, I looked yesterday for one taking in the 6th, came up with one starting the 2nd Feb, just looked again still coming up as sold out once you go through the booking process.

Phone my contact at Costa she confirmed all suites were sold for that week.

[tenpin]

What it is, I cruise from Marseille as we stay overnight with friends Marseille, they are sold out, but Barcellona the day after has suites. I know Costa block books some cabin from different ports, but thought Marseille was not included.

 

Found this with Amsterdam, fully booked from Dover next day, but could get a suite from Amsterdam the day before, we booked it & got on in Dover.

[Wansbrough]

On 6/26/2019 at 10:54 AM, tenpin said:

Once again tried to book a suite for our February cruise, balcony £599 plenty of cabins, suites £1629 sold out.

 

Yeah right, they must be saving them for these club upgrades, just lately we are finding all suite's are sold out on cruises we have always done with Costa at that time of the year, since these new club rules came out finding it harder & harder to book for anniversaries or birthdays.

 

I tried to book a Premium Balcony cabin today on Fortuna for November 2020, only 3 available on deck 8 and none on deck 7.  As I don't want to be directly under the buffet and hear the trolleys going up and down all day and night we have held off. My agent is going to investigate why there are none available on 7 this far out. The ludicrous thing is you can't even buy a Classic cabin and pay for a Premium package. We want 2nd sitting which is not guaranteed under the Classic package and are not willing to take the chance.

If they are holding back for block bookings who are they holding them for?

 

Edited June 29, 2019 by Wansbrough

[tenpin]

Hi I have been told that cabins are held by agents in the cruise starting port, as they do not want empty cabins leaving.

However if that is the case why on earth do they have different boarding ports which would always leave empty cabins.

 

I still believe they are holding suites back for the up-grades which makes sense as they are supposed to be for returning customers. 

These upgrades are so stupid rewarding anyone that cruises once last year twice this with a suite from a basic inside, (with right club level) but deny anyone wiling to pay full price for one.

In my case been told more people get off/on in Barcellona than Marseille.  

[Wansbrough]

On 6/30/2019 at 10:55 AM, tenpin said:

Hi I have been told that cabins are held by agents in the cruise starting port, as they do not want empty cabins leaving.

However if that is the case why on earth do they have different boarding ports which would always leave empty cabins.

 

That's pretty much what Costa UK told my agent, they were even prepared to loose our booking rather than bend the rules to accommodate a former Pearl member. Never mind we have booked a balcony on deck 8 (8309) which is under the tiered sun bed section mid ship by the pool. Hopefully there will be little noise from above. The other 2 on 8 were directly under the buffet runway........

My US agent was able to offer a couple on 7 at the aft but were £150 more so we have gone the cheaper route this time.

Totally loving being Aquamarine........😣

[Janet&Carl]

I would like to get the free upgrade to a suite after our next cruise - looks like I won't be able to 😞

 

[tenpin]

4 hours ago, Janet&Carl said:

I would like to get the free upgrade to a suite after our next cruise - looks like I won't be able to 😞

 

 

Providing you are taking one more cruise than last year you will get the up-grade if you Perla Diamante, best available up-grade if Gold Pearl.

Go through Costa they then will offer a basic inside which then becomes either the suite or best available.

They do not however have to give anyone the up-grade if ship is full at starting port.

[Janet&Carl]

On 7/4/2019 at 7:23 PM, tenpin said:

 

 

Go through Costa they then will offer a basic inside which then becomes either the suite or best available.

They do not however have to give anyone the up-grade if ship is full at starting port.

 

 

thanks Tenpin - we do book directly with Costa.  Can you tell me if I book an inside - will I be assigned an inside cabin and upgraded later or will the upgrade come through when I book ?  - I plan on booking a cruise that is not heavily booked 😉.  I still have a huge bucket list and I am flexible about where and when I go.

 

[tenpin]

Hi Janet & Carl,

Well not sure how it words in Australia but I have contact in Genoa & they book the suites but you only pay for a basic inside.

 

When you contact them say that you are entitled to an up-grade on this cruise they should then offer you the current deal.

I have always booked through Costa direct calls are for us at local rate to H.O. in Genoa speaking to Silvia or Amanda, look on their site & ask for a call-back you will get an English speaker.

 

Hope this help but all Countries have different rules with Costa.

[tenpin]

Further to my reply above I see there is an office in Perth (1-800-041-903) so you should be okay to get full details of all up-grades.

The whole thing depends on your Costa Club level.

[Janet&Carl]

On 7/6/2019 at 12:02 AM, tenpin said:

Further to my reply above I see there is an office in Perth (1-800-041-903) so you should be okay to get full details of all up-grades.

The whole thing depends on your Costa Club level.

 

The Perth office does not exist - it is "Perth time" as in hours of service - the office is run from China - the service is woeful as far as call backs and the website hardly ever works.  Although having said that - I have had some success phoning them recently 🙂. They eventually applied the 10% discount that we were due from our last "premium level" cruise.  

 

[tenpin]

Wow run from China?

 

Costa wants to be Multi-cultured but are closing offices everywhere, use to be a office in London with great service department moved it to Southampton docks but you speak to people in Genoa. I guess they are postal addresses only.