Choosing a cabin

[newoncruise]

I saw a cruise with an interessting itinerary, combining Cherbourg and Gibraltar (starting in Kiel, ending in Savona or Marseille). Cherbourg and Gibraltar are on my bucket list for quite a while and it would be great to visit them at least for some hours on the same trip. Furthermore I'd like to take pictures from the coast for a (private) reportage.

As it would be my first cruise I have some questions.

I see that oceanview cabins are free on the left side of the ship on deck 2 (no 2382, 2332, 2338, 2340 or 2450) and in the front of the Costa Fascinosa on deck 6 (no 6201-6203).

https://www.costacruises.com/addon.KEL12A08.FS12230919.html

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/costa-fascinosa-deck-plans/dp/?stay=1&posfrom=1

While I understand that the higher the deck the better, I am not sure if I will see the coast from one of the cabins on deck 6 as the "main view" is the front of the ship and the sea. The coastline would be on the left side. Then, the sea can be a bit rough. So a cabin in the middle or at the end of the ship could be quiter.
If I take the cruise from Amsterdam instead of Kiel, I could get cabin no 2468, which is in the corner. Would this be a good choice?

Should I pay 500.-- € more to invest in a balcony cabin or should I just go outside on a higher deck for these pics/videos of the coast?

I found four shore excursions which I really want to take. Without, taking the cruise doesn't make sense. Can I book them at the same time I book the cruise. Or can I cancel the cruise if I find out that these specific excursions are sold out?

Thanks for reading this long text and a huge thank you for your advice.

[Essiesmom]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.  The best place for your questions is on the board here for Costa.  But I will make a stab at part of it.

  If you want to take pictures from your cabin, you do not want an ocean view (OV) cabin.  Sometimes the beds are in front of the windows, and the windows are recessed, and streaked with saltwater.  If they washed them in every port, they would be dirty again as soon are you are out to sea.  The forward facing cabins on deck 6 might not have such dirty windows but you have to keep the drapes closed at night so lights don’t affect visibility from the bridge.  And they are considered obstructed due to an open deck in front, which you can access, but it is very windy while sailing.  So if you want to take pictures from your cabin, you will definitely want a balcony.  But you might find yourself out on the partial promenade on deck 4 also.

   Pretty much the only time you will see the coastline is when you are entering and leaving port.  A higher deck won’t make much difference.  When not in port, ships are several miles away from the coast, perhaps ten miles or more.  
 

 Once you have booked the cruise, you can go into your booking and book the excursions.  
You will need to read the conditions of carriage to see what the cancellation regulations are.  If visiting a particular attraction is important, it may be possible to book a trip independently.  There are guidebooks that can help you do this, or even tell you how to do it independently, without an excursion.  Rick Steves’ books on cruising can help with this.  In any event, I’ve had a look at that itinerary and it looks interesting.  EM

[newoncruise]

Thank you so much for your answer, Essiesmom. I think that meanwhile the thread has been moved to the Costa forum.

I am so greatfull for the advice about the ship's lights, I will not take an oceanview cabin on deck 6.

It makes sense that the ships sail some miles away from the coast - I just not in my imagination. Therefore I will probably stick to the oceanview cabins.

Deck 2 (Rigoletto) is below the deck with restaurants, kitchen, bars and the theatre (in the front). So I think I would choose a cabin in the back of the ship and certainly avoid to be right under the theatre.

Is there a service room next to cabin no 2458/2466? And would I hear the noises in no 2468?

If I sail from Ijmuden instead of Kiel only no 2468 (in the corner) and 2290 are free. The latter is very close to the atrium. A no, I guess?

https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/DP/deckplans/Costa-Fascinosa

[At7Seas]

19 hours ago, newoncruise said:

I see that oceanview cabins are free on the left side of the ship on deck 2 (no 2382, 2332, 2338, 2340 or 2450) and in the front of the Costa Fascinosa on deck 6 (no 6201-6203).

 

Honestly, I would avoid deck 2 completely. All these cabins mentioned are below restaurants and kitchen (the large area without any description on deck 3 between the MDRs is the main kitchen), atrium and theatre are above the cabins further to the front. According to my plan cabin 2338 is an internal cabin, not an ocean view. The cabins on deck 6 you mention should be above the backstage area. After the second show there won‘t be a lot noise from below, but in the morning staff might begin early. My favourite on the Fascinosa is deck 7, since you don‘t have noisy public spaces above or below - but there you don‘t have ocean view cabins. Whether you should take a cabin in front at a higher deck or not depends on you and how sensitive you are regarding movements of the ship.

  

18 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

Pretty much the only time you will see the coastline is when you are entering and leaving port.  A higher deck won’t make much difference.  When not in port, ships are several miles away from the coast, perhaps ten miles or more.

 

That not a lot of land will be close when sailing is on this cruise very true, there are simply no long passages through fjords or between islands, generally most distance will be made in international waters. Danish islands will be passed at night. Take your photos from the upper decks or the promenade, it‘s very easy to switch the side for example when departing through the Kieler Förde the city and the locks of the Kiel Canal are on port side, the former fishing villages and monuments on starboard side.

 

19 hours ago, newoncruise said:

I found four shore excursions which I really want to take. Without, taking the cruise doesn't make sense. Can I book them at the same time I book the cruise. Or can I cancel the cruise if I find out that these specific excursions are sold out?

 

It is not likely an excursion is now already sold out, without taking at least an option on this cruise you won‘t even know whether this special excursion is offered on your cruise. With booking reference you can look what is actually for sale on mycosta.com. And excursions can and will be cancelled still when you are aboard if not enough guests book them. Costa reserves the contractual right to cancel excursions, but this is very normal in the cruise industry. Luckily you don’t need to pay in advance when sailing with Costa, but excursions will be deducted from your board account. Either you won‘t get a ticket for a cancelled excursion or get a letter and sometimes both, so check your tickets as soon as possible. You will be able to join a group in another language or can take an alternative excursion similar to your original choice. In case of a cancellation you need to contact the excursion desk aboard as soon as possible, because Costa won‘t automatically rebook you on an Italian language excursion or force you on an excursion you didn‘t book. If there is an excursion you want so much that you would cancel your cruise all together if this excursion doesn‘t happen you should consider taking a private excursion.

[newoncruise]

I am very greatful for your answer At7seas and I had a lot to digest. Finaly I decided that I am not ready to pay for a balcony cabin as I don't see the coast line and there is no availability on deck 7.

The cruise seems to be booked well and there are not many choices left.

• From Amsterdam I can choise between 2234 in the front with the theatre on deck 3, 2290 close to the atrium or 2468 in the back corner (I read somewhere that there are vibrations of the ship and noise from the engine). Or 1240 and 1244 on deck1 in the front.

• From Kiel: 2222 in the front and below the theatre, 2328 below the kitchen, 2450 below the restaurant. Or 1208 and 1220 in the front.

Which one should I choose?

And I have also decided that I want to take this cruise, even as it is uncertain that I can take the excursions I want do badly. On the other side, I speak also some Italian and understand even more. I am sure that I can follow the explanations of a guide.

Thanks again for all your help.

[At7Seas]

Generally about noise and movements on the ship:

 

• Lower decks have machine sound and vibrations are possible, more in the rear than in the front. Add winches when docking or anchoring, all the hydraulics needed when opening or closing doors are noises heard on lower decks.
• The theatre produces mainly noise during the shows and rehearsals, add cleaning activities.
• Kitchen and restaurants are pretty active areas, when I cruised the Fascinosa last year Otto e Mezzo, the midship MDR, was closed for breakfast.
• In the bars every night will be party until late. Besides hosting a bar the atrium is also a very busy place all day long.
• Don‘t forget that public areas are mainly cleaned during closing time…
• Moving through the waves is felt the most on higher decks towards to the bow and in a bit lesser near the stern, least movement in the centre. When the ship splashes into a trough of waves it can be loud in front, but this happens only with rough sea.

 
I am personally pretty sensitive when it comes to noise, but completely fine with the movements of a ship, actually I like them. Your personal experience can be very different of course. Whether you prefer going to sleep early or late, you want sleeping long or whether you’re getting up early can have an impact on the choice of a cabin. I only can give you some facts to make your own decision.
 
I did them all, inside, outside and balcony cabins. Again from my personal experience the cabin is for me a place to sleep, where my bathroom and wardrobe are. Some people are very keen on their balcony. Since I don‘t smoke I don‘t need a personal smoking area attached to my cabin (Costa opposite to most other cruise lines allows smoking on balconies). As solo traveller I won‘t have a romantic time on a balcony. I prefer sitting in a public area and having a waiter around. And even in an internal cabin you can use the perspective of the captain: there is a TV channel showing alternating both webcams in real time and you know when you will be approaching land and it is time bringing your camera to the upper decks - https://www.costacruises.com/fleet/fascinosa/webcam.html

[kremerlorraine]

Hi. I would avoid 2468 - we had a cabin near there last year and the noise of the rope equipment when the ship was docking (usually early morning) and leaving was unbearable.

[newoncruise]

 

4 hours ago, kremerlorraine said:

I would avoid 2468

I have already booked an ocean view cabin in the middle of the ship on deck 1. It is on the "wrong" side, but as I won't see the coast from the window, it doesn't matter.

 

Happy that I didn't choose 2468, which was tempting. Thank you for reaching out.