We've been on more than 25 cruises from Carnival to Cunard. It's always been a great experience. I booked with Costa, because I had heard they have large dance floors. It was beautiful: the floor, the music, the length of time the music played every night from 6:00 'till 1:30 A.M. However, not everyone dances, or plays the casino, or loves to hang out at the bars. But everyone loves to be served and eat on the ship. Here is where the experience goes bad.
The food was absolutely horrible, from the prime rib the first night to the exotic foods throughout the rest of the cruise. I found myself eating everyday pasta everyday of the cruise. Even on the gala night, nothing was special, not even serving the typical lobster on the last formal night. Instead they served shrimp cocktail ( that would be the 60 to 70 count per pound size). They even threw in 1 piece of salad shrimp for good luck, I guess. Oh, I had to request ice for my water and butter for my bread every night.
As if the food wasn't bad enough, the only free beverage all day and night was coffee, or hot water for one's teabag. The breakfast buffet had juice available, if you didn't mind it so watered down that it tasted like flavored water. Forget about the eggs, or the pancakes and waffles that were served in the dining room for the morning. It took forever to get the order from the server.
The cabin was average. Cabin steward did a good job.