Just booked a week on the Costa Toscana and have a few questions

[Alex71]

I just booked a one week cruise out of Savona for the Easter break, which I can cancel or adjust in the next three days. Would be great if you could help me with a few questions:

 

• Booked the "My drinks" package. Is this good value? Are the included wines drinkable? The kids got the kids version of the package for free. Our daughter will be 17 at the time of sailing, above the drinking age of all countries on our route. Will they make a fuss if I order a glass od wine for her for the meal? Will we be able to pay for it separately as it is not included in hers or can I simply order a glass more on my card?
• Do they still sail with reduced occupancy rates or will it be very full on booard?
• Will we be able to leave the ship on our own or will we be forced to join organized excursions?
• Anything else we should be aware of or that is different these days?

 

Many thanks for the help!

[Alex71]

And one more question: how does the "My Excursions" package work? Can one pick any excurion one wants or do they assign them?

[dritan]

HI  

I can answer your final question.  The current My Excursions package allow you to choose 2 half day tours and 1 full day tour from the list of excursions on the My costa section of the website.  If you try to book 2 full day excursions and 1 half day tour, it will charge you for the second one - I did this by accident.   

The list of excursions included are clearly marked on the My Costa area.  Nothing needs to be paid before your cruise.

So for example, I've booked the full day Rome As a Star along with half day Valencia and half day Palermo tours.  And it is on my reserved list to be paid at the end of the cruise. 

 

The drinks packages have recently changed but are generally the best value on the seas. ( in my humble opinion).

[Alex71]

Great, thank you very much for your help, @dritan!

[gerryuk]

Do you still need to go on Costa excursions or can you get off the ship on your own. Was looking to cruise in May in the Med. There are a couple of stops in Italy.  

[Alex71]

9 hours ago, gerryuk said:

Do you still need to go on Costa excursions or can you get off the ship on your own. Was looking to cruise in May in the Med. There are a couple of stops in Italy.  

 

That's what I would be interested in as well. Looks like Aida, which is part of Costa, is allowing folks to get off individually again. Not sure if Costa's Q&A document just wasn't updated or if they are still hanging on to old policies.

[Alex71]

Just got off the phone with Costa. As of today, it is still mandatory to book excursions in order to get off the ship. She said they are working with local authorities to ease restrictions.

 

Once the "My Explorations" package is booked, all excursions that are included should show as costing 0 EUR.

 

Furthermore, she confirmed that Costa is still granting the shareholder benefit for Carnival shareholders.

[dritan]

Thanks Alex - definitely worth us all keeping checks on this as I would certainly cancel most of my excursions as I prefer doing my own thing at ports.  

[Alex71]

5 hours ago, dritan said:

Thanks Alex - definitely worth us all keeping checks on this as I would certainly cancel most of my excursions as I prefer doing my own thing at ports.  

 

Yes, absolutely, same here. For Rome, I think I'd be more comfortable to rely on them to get me back to the ship on time, but for all the other ports, I really don't have much interest in the excursions.

[Alex71]

Another question: I just got my embarkation time for our cruise leaving exactly in 30 days. Embarkation is already at 10:30, which is a bit earlier than expected. Will the restaurants already be open so early? Is there a problem if one is a bit delayed? We are driving to Savona from Germany and staying the night in Milan, which is about two hours away from Savona. Wondering if we need to plan with a lot of buffer time to make sure we get there exactly at that time or if it does not matter that much if there are traffic delays.

[gerryuk]

1 hour ago, Alex71 said:

Another question: I just got my embarkation time for our cruise leaving exactly in 30 days. Embarkation is already at 10:30, which is a bit earlier than expected. Will the restaurants already be open so early? Is there a problem if one is a bit delayed? We are driving to Savona from Germany and staying the night in Milan, which is about two hours away from Savona. Wondering if we need to plan with a lot of buffer time to make sure we get there exactly at that time or if it does not matter that much if there are traffic delays.

I would have thought that the buffet will be open until 11.00. More than likely that there will customers who boarded on previous days. Embarkation at 10.30, expect to be on the ship in time for lunch service at midday. 

[Alex71]

1 hour ago, gerryuk said:

I would have thought that the buffet will be open until 11.00. More than likely that there will customers who boarded on previous days. Embarkation at 10.30, expect to be on the ship in time for lunch service at midday. 

 

Thank you, true, completely forgot one can board at different ports, so I guess it will pretty much be a normal day in terms of the restaurants and bars. We'll have to get tested before we can board so this will also take a bit of time.

[Janet&Carl]

Hi alex to answer your question re drinking for a 17 year old the answer is no.

 

Here's everything you need to know about Costa Cruises' alcohol policy:

What's the legal drinking age onboard Costa cruises?

Costa Cruises' drinking age is 21 for any cruise leaving from the United States. The drinking age is 18 on any vessel leaving from a non-U.S. port.

[Alex71]

On 3/29/2022 at 9:14 AM, Janet&Carl said:

Hi alex to answer your question re drinking for a 17 year old the answer is no.

 

Here's everything you need to know about Costa Cruises' alcohol policy:

What's the legal drinking age onboard Costa cruises?

Costa Cruises' drinking age is 21 for any cruise leaving from the United States. The drinking age is 18 on any vessel leaving from a non-U.S. port.

 

Thank you! It will not make her very happy, but it is what it is. Drinking age on Costa's siter company AIDA is 16 and even only 14 if parents are present.

[Janet&Carl]

17 hours ago, Alex71 said:

 

Thank you! It will not make her very happy, but it is what it is. Drinking age on Costa's siter company AIDA is 16 and even only 14 if parents are present.

I think they may be German laws maybe ? where the legal drinking age is 16. But the drinking age in Italy where the cruise leaves from is 18.  

[Alex71]

5 hours ago, Janet&Carl said:

I think they may be German laws maybe ? where the legal drinking age is 16. But the drinking age in Italy where the cruise leaves from is 18.  

 

It is my understanding that it not really is a drinking age but an age restriction to buy alcohol alone. It appears parents are allowed to buy / order it for their their teenage children according to Italian law. Of course it is a big difference whether someone has a glas of wine with a meal or whether someone gets drunk.

 

But it is what it is. I should have researched it before and not gotten the drink package. She will see it as unfair if my wife and I consume alcohol.

Edited March 31, 2022 by Alex71

[Janet&Carl]

1 minute ago, Alex71 said:

 

But it is what it is. I should have researched it before and not gotten the drink package. She will see it as unfair if my wife and I consume alcohol.

 

 

Yes, but it is good that she will learn that you follow the rules of the country you are in/visiting.  Which for a traveler is a very wise thing to be aware of.

 

I hope its not too much of a downer and that you have a great cruise.

 

[Alex71]

5 minutes ago, Janet&Carl said:

 

 

Yes, but it is good that she will learn that you follow the rules of the country you are in/visiting.  Which for a traveler is a very wise thing to be aware of.

 

I hope its not too much of a downer and that you have a great cruise.

 

 

Thank you, yes. My wife is American and the kids are dual citizens, so we're used to restrictive drinking laws and I don't want to turn this into a general discussion on that topic.