This was our 9th cruise overall but 1st on Costa, with previous on Princess, Celebrity, and Carnival to the Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal, and Western Mediterranean. The cruise probably has the best itinerary with ports of call covering 3 continents, 6 countries, and thousands of years of culture and history following the footsteps of Caesar, Antony, Alexander, Aristotle, and Cleopatra. Even a little bit wary after reading the user reviews before the cruise for going on an Italian ship with passengers of various background, the experience turned out to be highly positive and exceeded our overall expectations. We were also lucky in having good weather, dinner table mates, and a close call for visiting and getting out of Egypt at the last minute before the political riot really broke out. So the decision to take the off-season winter cruise to avoid the summer crowd, heat and humidity, and higher fares turns out to be an excellent choice! Highly recommended.

Since we boarded a Western Mediterranean cruise from Civitavecchia in 2006, the same routine of staying in Rome for one night to adjust to the jet lag before and two nights after the cruise for visiting the attractions was followed. The port to city transfers were arranged through and seamlessly taken care of by Italian Airport Limousine. It may not have the lowest price but it was responsive, courteous, and speedy.

The embarkation process was different from our past experience but very effective. We arrived early around noon, were given a number for 1:30pm boarding with our luggage taken, and then quickly hopped on the shuttle bus to Civitavecchia city center. After a walking and shopping tour of the port city with its community theater, open Farmer's Market (we bought 5 oranges from Sicily for less than $1), and tourist shops (we bought leather bag and wallet with good price), we went back by shuttle and were promptly directed for boarding. The only wait in line was to get though the security checkpoint for belongings for about 5 minutes. After that, it was a straight walk up the ship after submitting our check-in form without being asked for anything else including the passport. Once in our cabin, our cruise cards, ship and shore tour information sheets, and our luggage were already waiting for us! I feel that there is more trust and respect from Costa toward its clients. On the others, we were not allowed to board until we show them the money by registering with a valid credit card or cash deposit. May be it is the European way. Read more