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Costa Firenze Blog

Wansbrough

By Wansbrough,
in Costa Cruises

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dritan

dritan

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Posted

Thanks for the heads-up.  I'll be reading with interest as we were so close to booking the Firenze for last Oct.  We're going with Toscana during the Easter holiday but will be keeping an eye on the similar Firenze itinerary in case we want to change it. 

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maryann2

maryann2

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I have really enjoyed your blog. Thank you.

I would have loved the sushi but forget the hotpot. Seemed similar to fondue without the cheese LOL.

Sad to see the Carnival Spirit all alone in port. I did a 15 day roundtrip cruise to Hawaii on her a few years ago before she moved to Australia.

Hope you enjoy your last day on board.

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kremerlorraine

kremerlorraine

Posted
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Thanks for the info on your blog - I tried to reply there but it said I was being too quick! 

 

That's harsh on the people embarking today, not to mention those in transit. I phoned Costa UK, who said that the ship will resume sailing on 4/2, which is our departure date. Fingers crossed.... Plans B and C are being drawn up, however.

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kremerlorraine

kremerlorraine

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14 minutes ago, greg2014 said:

It has been confirmed: two next cruises on Costa Firenze from/to Dubai have been cancelled. Costa is planning to restart operations on 5th Feb.

Wansbrough's blog said the captain announced cruises would restart on 4/2 and that is what Costa UK told me yesterday. That's what I'm hoping as we are booked on the 4/2, but we could juggle hotel bookings and also do 5/2. Awaiting a formal e-mail. A lady on the French Costa fans Facebook page who was due to be on the 28/1 sailing posted her cancellation e-mail from Costa. In addition to the usual refund/voucher/new date offer, they were also given a free one-week Med cruise.

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Wansbrough

Wansbrough

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18 hours ago, kremerlorraine said:

Wansbrough's blog said the captain announced cruises would restart on 4/2 and that is what Costa UK told me yesterday. That's what I'm hoping as we are booked on the 4/2, but we could juggle hotel bookings and also do 5/2. Awaiting a formal e-mail. A lady on the French Costa fans Facebook page who was due to be on the 28/1 sailing posted her cancellation e-mail from Costa. In addition to the usual refund/voucher/new date offer, they were also given a free one-week Med cruise.

I have only just put two and two together and associated you with the comment on my blog. ☺️

I really hope you get to go in February as is an amazing ship and crew.

 

We beleive the cancellation is down to crew infections, normally they are tested every 3 days but this week it was 2 days on the trot and I suspect there has been some sort of outbreak among crew. Deck 6 is an isolation zone for crew that have come into contact with a positive case with the positives straight off the ship. We saw plenty of crew on their balcony during the last two days and even one poor guy in a hazmat suit mask and gloves waiting out by the terminal waiting to go to his isolation hotel.

You never get the full picture for any cruise line and its a case of putting together what you see and know to work it out. Crew are under strict instructions not to divulge any sensitive information but once I received your comment I asked a few reliable members who were able to let me know things without actually telling me.

 

 

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kremerlorraine

kremerlorraine

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16 hours ago, Wansbrough said:

I have only just put two and two together and associated you with the comment on my blog. ☺️

I really hope you get to go in February as is an amazing ship and crew.

 

We beleive the cancellation is down to crew infections, normally they are tested every 3 days but this week it was 2 days on the trot and I suspect there has been some sort of outbreak among crew. Deck 6 is an isolation zone for crew that have come into contact with a positive case with the positives straight off the ship. We saw plenty of crew on their balcony during the last two days and even one poor guy in a hazmat suit mask and gloves waiting out by the terminal waiting to go to his isolation hotel.

You never get the full picture for any cruise line and its a case of putting together what you see and know to work it out. Crew are under strict instructions not to divulge any sensitive information but once I received your comment I asked a few reliable members who were able to let me know things without actually telling me.

 

 

I'm fairly confident we'll be going and am looking forward to the ship. We've never been on such a new ship before. Thanks again for all your insights. Got any more Costas planned?

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Wansbrough

Wansbrough

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7 hours ago, kremerlorraine said:

I'm fairly confident we'll be going and am looking forward to the ship. We've never been on such a new ship before. Thanks again for all your insights. Got any more Costas planned?

 

We are looking  👀👀👀, got our eyes on a 2 week Venezia in mid July and also we want to do a north bound repo through the Suez again but it will have to wait until next year. We did it on Fortuna in 2014 and loved it. Will have to wait and see which ship they deploy there next season, if its one of the new big ones we will have to have a rethink.

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maryann2

maryann2

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On 1/22/2022 at 2:47 AM, greg2014 said:

It has been confirmed: two next cruises on Costa Firenze from/to Dubai have been cancelled. Costa is planning to restart operations on 5th Feb.

I wonder if the recent air strikes in Abu Dhabi have had anything to do with it. Would imagine Costa would want to take the ship out of the area.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us-uae-intercepts-houthi-ballistic-missiles-over-abu-dhabi/ar-AAT4FlL?ocid=uxbndlbing

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Wansbrough

Wansbrough

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On 1/23/2022 at 10:06 PM, kremerlorraine said:

I'm fairly confident we'll be going and am looking forward to the ship. We've never been on such a new ship before. Thanks again for all your insights. Got any more Costas planned?

If you do get to go, I have a favour to ask. Our waiters took a group selfie on their phones on the last night and I kick myself for not asking them to send me a copy, this also happened in Bella Bar too so I was wondering if you get onboard you could track them down and pass on an email address?

Rather than post email addresses here, if you subscribe to my blog i can use the address you register with to pass on mine to you?

I did ask one of the Ukrainian croupiers on Twitter but despite saying he would hasn't done so as of yet.

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kremerlorraine

kremerlorraine

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22 hours ago, Wansbrough said:

If you do get to go, I have a favour to ask. Our waiters took a group selfie on their phones on the last night and I kick myself for not asking them to send me a copy, this also happened in Bella Bar too so I was wondering if you get onboard you could track them down and pass on an email address?

Rather than post email addresses here, if you subscribe to my blog i can use the address you register with to pass on mine to you?

I did ask one of the Ukrainian croupiers on Twitter but despite saying he would hasn't done so as of yet.

Happy to do that. I have subscribed to your blog - it's the kremerl@..... address

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Wansbrough

Wansbrough

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2 hours ago, kremerlorraine said:

Happy to do that. I have subscribed to your blog - it's the kremerl@..... address

Thank you so much, I have sent you an email with all the details of who to try and track down.

🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼 You manage to go.

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Dancer Bob

Dancer Bob

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I am NOT impressed with the Firenze. Built for the Chinese market, huge casino, surrounded by expensive restaurants and shops, not much else. Everything is QR code, you have to haul around a computer all day. You need the Costa app- unless "not available for your device", in which case major aggravation. Worst Costa ship I have ever been on, hardly better than an American ship.

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Wansbrough

Wansbrough

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On 3/31/2022 at 10:44 AM, Dancer Bob said:

I am NOT impressed with the Firenze. Built for the Chinese market, huge casino, surrounded by expensive restaurants and shops, not much else. Everything is QR code, you have to haul around a computer all day. You need the Costa app- unless "not available for your device", in which case major aggravation. Worst Costa ship I have ever been on, hardly better than an American ship.

Hello Bob, I didn't think the Casino was any bigger than others we have encountered. Granted the shopping area is a little more spread and as for QR codes, yes it is tedious but haul around a computer??? I would like to think once the Covid protocols eventually disappear, you should see the return of normal menus. We were given paper ones in the MDR, it was just the bars where the QR codes were more widely used and I don't have a problem choosing what to drink. 😉 🍷🍺🍹🍸🥃

The only area of the ship we thought was not right was The Cantina Frescobaldi, (the wine bar and tasting area). It took up way too much room in the Tuscany Lounge and you couldn't get any other drink other than wine there. This was the only area I thought was specifically aimed at a different market.

Sorry you didn't enjoy the ship, so we will have to agree to disagree as we thought it was amazing.

 

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