After booking my cruise, I then found this site. To say the least, I was nervous about this cruise after reading the reviews. I kept an open mind while boarding even when we had problems with our luggage tags...we weren't off the a good start, so I became even more worried. We got on the ship, everything ran smooth. The ship was beautiful, very big though...almost too big. We found our cabin, it was nice and roomy wasn't at all the small cabins like I have been in before, plenty of room. The staff was spectacular throughout the entire cruise, I can not say enough about them! The programs and shows were great and highly recommended, whenever anyone spoke it was at a minimum of 5 different languages...this did however, make the Captains Cocktail party a tad long, but still nice. Recommendations: If you are an American and have not experienced European "ways of life" I would not recommend this cruise or even this cruise line to you. I am sad to say and even embarrassed by other fellow Americans that have left the bad reviews about Costa. They are the true meaning of what the europeans feel about us, which is "Spoiled Americans" I know this, because I used to be one. I currently live in Europe with the military and realize the european ways and found this cruise to be spectacular! I would highly recommend this cruise and any other cruise on Costa to all "non-spoiled American's". Downfalls: I did not like the chaos that was caused with the lines. Most of the passengers were not patient and lines were not their forte' they would push and cut in front of you...although, that again is normal for Europe, they cutting in front of you...I will have to say the only time I've experienced the actual physical pushing has been in Italy everytime I've been. So that is something to be aware of. However, if you just sit back and let them "fight it out" to the front and wait 15 to 20 minutes you can walk right up to where your going and what you want to do without any problems.

Excursions: I felt them to be highly expensive, I cancelled one the first day and went on my own and saved 100+ euro and went out on my own for the rest of the time...always going the same places the tour buses went, just half the price.