Question for Mediterranean cruisers

[brandy3415]

Despite mixed reviews, just booked the Magica for Oct. 3 sailing from Savona to Spain, Portugal and Gibraltar.

 

Question--Is there are shuttle that Costa runs from ports to the main part of towns, and if so, is there a charge? How much if there is?

 

Took advice I read in reviews here, etc and booked a cabin on an upper deck not over anything but other cabins. Also a balcony to hopefully escape smoke. We stopped sailing Costa due to smoke, but from what I have read they do have more restrictions than when we last sailed in Europe to Western Med at least 9 years ago!

 

Thanks to all who take the time to post!

Carol

[wblevin]

We just got off the Costa Mediterranea two weeks ago (you can read my review a few posts down - I did not mark it as review - will probably repost as a "review"). Costa provided a bus in Venice from the port to P. Le Roma (only a short distance) free of charge. There was a problem when we arrived in Coratia with anchoring and the ship relocated to the newer side of town to anchor and provided a bus at 5€ each way to the old town - many of the passengers were quite upset about this - felt it should have been a courtesy bus. Other than that, there was no busing privded by Costa that I was aware of.

[goldencup]

I have used Costa courtesy buses in Venice, Barcelona, Marseille, and probably a few other places that I can't remember offhand. I think they charge 5 Euro but I'm not sure.

[brandy3415]

I probably knew they would start to charge. When I went to Barcelona, and Marseilles in the 90s it was free.

 

We will be in Cadiz, Alicante, Barcelona and Malaga in Spain, Lisbon in Portugal. I do not think they have sailed that itinerary as yet, but when someone does please let me know.

 

Thanks for the input. I will figure expenses accordingly.

[brandy3415]

I just read the menus for the Magica posted by Joe. There is a link on his messages to the Webshots page on which he has placed the menus.

 

My question is--are menus same in Mediterranean?

[atlanta99]

We were on the Fortuna last October. Although we were anticipating a smoke problem based on previous posts, we did not find there to be any smoke issue at all--and my wife is very sensitive to that. The only time the concern ever arose was when eating from the buffet up on the pool deck and then simply to make certain that we chose a table in the area without any ash trays on them.

 

Good that you are not above a lounge--we were above the latin music club and could hear the pounding rhythms quite well.

 

In Barcelona they ran a bus for four or five euros to the World Trade Center area where you could catch the on and off tourist bus or, better yet, walk a few blocks to the metro station on Las Ramblas.

 

All in all, although Costa is not perfect (especially when it comes to the food), we had a very enjoyable trip.