We have cruised on many other cruise lines but this was our first with Costa. We would be unlikely to choose Costa again because we prefer specific "english speaking" ships. The Costa Romantica is showing its age and its origins (probably designed as a cargo ship and then converted). However, the cabins are very spacious and very comfortable. The cabin staff are excellent but unfortunately the management staff tended to be rude and unhelpful.
The embarkation process was chaotic and frustrating. There was no organisation, no assistance and no information about what was happening.
The food in the buffet area was very average but in the dining room it was very good, especially at breakfast time and lunch time. The dining room staff were helpful but there was some difficulty with language (I ordered two eggs and got two servings, each with two eggs...).