Our cabins were EXCELLENT and we had pleanty of room. Hot water all the time, confortable bed and lovely view. The shore excursions are all great BUT extremelly expensive. We got better deals on each port by manuvering around by ourselves with locals. I personally found the decor of the ship a bit too much, but again...my aunt LOVED IT! The theme is music and violins and lots and lots of mirrors. There is a spa worth every penny, large gym, excellent staff and accomodations. There are great deals at their stores on perfumes, watches and jewlery. I loved the food and the amiable service by their restaurant staff and the men that serviced our cabins. YUNANTA was the Best!!!! The food quality was superb, the choices...endless and the taste BEYOND AMAZING. I just spent 7 days crusing Saint Martin, Catalina, Tortola, Martinica and Guadalupe (At Tortola they did not allow dominicans to desembark). My only problem with Costa Cruise line is the fact that they did not inform Dominicans before hand of the issues with British island of Tortola and their refusal to allow us to desembark. Their options for entertainment were not to my liking. The music and amenities were more fitting for older people (my aunt of 76 LOVED IT!). However, the staff in charge of such activities were always hipe, funloving, attentive and willing to show guests a great time. The entire staff of the cruise was really kind but not very good about giving the adequate information. We had issues with the information given since our arrival at the Dominican port at Romana. The staff contradicting information provided for several confussions throught our stay onboard. Nevertheless, I would still say that my overall experience on Costa Pacifica was VERY GOOD! Read Less

We chose this cruise because of the low cost. Unfortunately, the old saying...you get what you pay for....is totally true. First, the pros: Embarqment and disembarqment was quick and smooth. Specialty restaurants were very good. A couple of the shows were very good. Ship and rooms were clean but showing some wear. Now the cons: English was definitely the 2nd or 3rd language for the staff of they spoke it at all. All announcements were in italian, german, french and ,if lucky, english. No room service after 3:30 so no bed turn down. No wash clothes were available in the rooms. You had to ask for them daily. Toilet failed and took 4 hours to get repaired. Food in the buffet was same every day and very bland Dining room food overall very poor with exception being pasta options. Customer service desk always had long lines, up to an hour. Then the rep either didn't speak English or very poorly. Overall, it seemed that most employees were just "going thru the motions" . It created a negative attitude that even filtered to the passengers. Overall it just wasn't a fun time and it was Christmas! Read Less

I am not a seasoned cruiser, rather this was my second cruise to almost the same ports. We chose this cruise because the dates lined up with our vacation timeline. My first cruise experience was with Carnival. This is where my husband and I set expectations for this cruise were based on that experience from a year ago. We were continuously disappointed to learn everything we thought would be standard were up charges. We expected to have free room services, as is standard on Carnival. We did not. It was not explained to us when booking this cruise either. Food We expected there to be some sort of free food options available at all times. There was not. In fact, we boarded the cruise ship late (9:00 p.m.) and was stunned to learn that there were no free food options for us ... and that we would either have to pay additional fees or go hungry until breakfast. It was myself, my husband and two teenage sons. Drinks On the Carnival cruise we did not pay for a drink package but were fine with drinking water, milk and tea at any given time. On this cruise, we paid for a drink package (we were told it was an all-inclusive drink package, but soon learned it was only during meals.) We paid an additional 480$ and was told we would need to pay an additional 600$ for the all-inclusive dink package. The drink package we had was only during lunch and dinner (lunch we were on excursions all but two days.) And dinner in the restaurant meant beer was not included either. Times One afternoon we returned late from an excursion and rushed to the deck to get lunch/snack/ something. They had cleared all but one bar and there was a rope blacking it and we were not allowed to grab anything before they cleared it … we were told we could go to the opposite end of the ship to grab a salad. The lovely food was right there … and instead we ate salad. Again, this would have been ok, except we had eaten a salad the last two days for lunch as it was the only thing open once we returned from our day trips. Dinner was four hours later. Staffing This would not have been a big deal, except the tea, milk and water machines that were supposed to be up and running 24 hours a day we're not. Instead, we consistently had to hunt down someone to fill the machine. A majority of the time we were told it was not their job. In fact, that was the standard statement from most of the crew when asking for help. My husband went to find the big screen gaming for my teenager and each person he talked to gave him the same statement, “that is not my job.” Customer Service Our TV in our room did not work half the time … which is frustrating, because this is where you were expected to check your ship balance and find activities. The TV in our sons’ room did not work either. Their toilet overflowed. I thought maybe it was them until my toilet overflowed. Then I had a lady from the ship chew me out for putting facial tissue in the toilet. When I told her I had not done such a thing she called me a liar and said he had found facial tissue. I could not believe she was calling me a liar. I know what I packed. Activities There were not enough deck chairs and activities for visitors while out to see … people circled like hawks looking for a place to sit down. The pool was tiny and did not allow enough room for kids and adults to hang out. The variety and timing of activities were also limited. Communications While on Carnival, we were able to communicate with each other through their free app. Additionally we were able to see daily schedules, and excursion times using the app. We were also able to see what time we needed to return to the ship via the app. These were all HUGE misses during this trip. Read Less

Briefly; SAMSARA SUITE #11005 - the second largest cabin size on the ship (I believe) - ONE plug socket for guest use (oh and one behind the wall mounted TV) - Massive balcony with tub but horrible blue fluorescent lighting (stops junkies I guess) - Poorly designed bath screen needed a dressing robe cord to stop it banging all night - WiFi signal practically non-existent - Very noisy cabin stewards outside door from 7am - Very noisy "vacuum flushing" system every 10-15 mins from 7am (not toilet) INTENDITORE Drinks Package - massive choice of two wines available at bars (majority of which are closed until 7pm/8pm) - Heineken the only draft beer available (or their own draft from one bar open from 7pm) - No cordials such as lime, blackcurrant etc (maybe too expensive at 30p a litre wholesale) SERVICE LEVELS - bar/lounge service ranged from OK to extremely slow - I go out of my way to be polite to staff but it made little difference on this cruise BUFFET RESTAURANT - went once - not to be repeated - cold food, limited choice and no method in its layout (treasure hunt to make a meal) THE CLUB RESTAURANT - staff training = zero - maitre'd was their for his benefit not to ensure the guests had a great experience - rushed courses despite asking several times for it to be slowed down - plates removed while my wife was still eating - new cutlery put in place even while my wife was still eating - extremely (EXTREMELY) limited choice but what we did have was nice - please, no more mozzarella or pasta dishes (Italians cannot eat only this surely) - vegetables twice in 7 days (5 runner beans one day and a carrot on another) - screaming children running around restaurant (its supposed to be a dining experience) SHOWS / Venues - Italian and in Italian (90% of the time) - but I expected it so was ready I guess - very little variety of music around the bars and minimal seating in most - theatre layout really poor - estimate 20% of audience could actually see the whole stage ENTERTAINMENT (quizzes etc) - italian and in italian BILLING - overcharged 114E so queried at reception only to be told I had to go to the Spa to get it corrected. I had never set foot in there so why do they expect their guest to do all the chasing - overcharged again by the Spa - this time for 210E. I went there this time as I was closer to them than reception. The Manager simply told me "you really shouldn't worry about these things, they will get sorted" - perhaps if they didnt happen TWICE for somewhere I had never set foot in, I would have been a little more understanding. DEPARTURE - carry your own luggage as this helps you to get off the ship faster (you will thank me) SUMMARY We have now taken 41 cruises, 6 of which were on another Italian line MSC. Costa is by far the WORST cruising experience we have EVER had. The noisy, rude groups of Italians weren't the issue as they're on MSC too. Just about everything about Costa was the problem - poorly designed ship - minimal staff training and therefore mostly poor service - limited bar times and extremely bad choice of drinks in each - poor but expensive wifi - limited food choices in The Club Restaurant - billing issues TWICE Yes, Costa are a cheaper alternative - but they don't even seem to want their guests there. Read Less

This was our 3rd with Costa (and 26th overall) and we had always had great experiences previously with Costa so did not expect anything different on this cruise. We were very disappointed overall. The ship overall was very nice. It was well maintained and decorated nicely for Christmas. Whilst the layout of the ship is not the greatest (you have to go up or down to get where you want to go sometimes) and the public toilets are not well signed, it is functional. Getting on/off the ship in ports was possibly the easiest ever. Debark we were off the ship collected our luggage and on the bus within 5 min of our appointed time. Now for a quick review on each area - Cabin - Despite many complaints it never got below ~22/23c - the only person who cared was our cabin steward. Food - MDR - Very inconsistent in quality/taste/variety/service. The first night dinner took just under 3 hours and on average we were 2+ hours with the first dish coming to the table approx 1hr after sitting down. One night I ordered from the kids menu to find something I would be happy with (I am a picky eater, but can normally find something I can eat). Also Breakfast was always a Scrum, even though I thought they did a great Ham and Cheese Omelette, I could not handle the craziness. Buffet - Very inconsistent in quality/taste/variety/opening. It was a treasure hunt to put an actual meal together. Teppanyaki - By far the worst we have ever been to. It was tasteless with some poor quality meats and the show was not good either. Burger Place - Decent but nothing to write home about. PIzza Place - Yes you have to pay for the Pizza - This was by far our best meal on board. Staff - Except for 3/4 people I found most staff to be rude/unfriendly. Now I don't expect a lot but common courtesy goes a long way. Bars - Overall quite limited. We ended up in the Beer bar on deck 5. Even at €2.50 a beer with our package was worth it. Also the service was top notch! We did speak to the Hospitality Desk about some of our concerns and the International host called me back 2 days later to discuss them. Offered Pizza or Crepes as an apology, I suggested an OBC to cover part of the teppanyaki and she said she would see what they could do. Here I am at home and I am still waiting to hear. I want to be very clear, I was not expecting any credit when I complained, I really just wanted a colder room. I did however think the Panettone left in the cabin on Christmas Eve was a nice touch. I could continue, but overall we are just disappointed after great experiences previously. Read Less

It was the only eastern Meditteranean cruise available at Christmas time. My family and I had a wonderful time however the cruise itself was very average. Not excellent, not terrible. I appreciate the fact that they made it feel as "Chistmassy" as possible which was important since this was our first time ever travelling during the holiday. The food was good however not always available. For example, if you'd like to eat something after dinner, your only choice is room service or a pizza - each at an additional cost unless you buy upgraded package. The service was very good and there was definitely an appropriate number of employees. Kudos to the ship for getting that right. The excursions were overpriced...I found that paying a taxi driver would give you a better tour and more for your money. The ports were good. Croatia was the highlight although pulling into port of Montenegro was nothing short of spectacular. Upon return, were delayed due to immense fog thus creating traveling nightmares for many. I heard through the grapevine that there were options to get us into port however I cannot confirm this. I would recommend this cruise to someone with the same goal as ours however keep your expectations in check and you might be pleasantly surprised. Read Less

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Before we boarded the ship we were frustrated due to being placed in a small room with all the other patrons of the cruise, being told the it’s only another half hour until we can bord, we were told this three times. We didn’t bord the ship until 15:00. The announcement don’t come over a loud speaker in this room they come by way of three older women attempting to shout over people talking. The maintenance team works non stop trying to repair everything that’s breaking down on the ship. There’s tiles falling off the walls all over the spa, there’s paint chips everywhere from the low quality paint the staff has been told to use. We spent almost 12 hours at customer service due to mistakes the ship made. The ship would bill in euros sometimes and US dollars sometimes. At the casino you would have to pay in euros sometimes and would win US dollars that if you didn’t pay close attention to exchange rate you would loose money. If you wanted a drink at the bar in the casino be prepared to wait an hour for service. The one bartender they staffed worked 14 hours non stop trying to keep up. The management on the ship were arrogant and disrespectful. Well the severs worked hard and were very kind. At the end of the cruise we had a small credit owning and instead of being paid the credit they billed me for the exzact amount of the credit owing. The food was boring and rarely changed in both the dining hall or the buffet, the buffet was cramped and typically only had one side open due to understaffing. I will never use Costa again. Read Less

We chose this cruise for the itinerary. It was over Christmas and we thought it would be a nice trip since we were spending it alone this year. What a huge disappointment from day one. We were held up in the cruise terminal for over 4 hours. Boarding was to begin at 1:00 and we did not get on until 4:00. It was very disorganized. The food was the worst we have ever had. Some nights the dinner was not even editable. The buffet food was disgusting. The buffet closes early like 8:00-8:30 at night and then there is nothing else to eat. Their motto “Taste not waste” is exactly that. The portions were so small that some would have to order 3 servings just to get a regular size meal. The desserts that were put out in the buffet were of 2 choices every day and they were bite size. You had to pay extra for a better dessert in one of the lounges. The ship is Italian and so the menus were of Italian flare. The only time any beef was offered it was an added cost on the menu. We ended up eating most meals off the ship when we were in a port. The entertainment was terrible. The hospitality desk was the only place you could go to get information or complain. They do not answer the phone if you called from your stateroom so you had to go in person and the wait in line for at least a half hour at any time of the day or night. Our room came with complementary room service for breakfast but the first 2 days we never received a menu to fill out and hang outside our door so we could not even order. I had to stand in line at the desk every day just to request a menu. I would not recommend this cruise to anyone. Worst cruise we have ever been on. Could not wait to get off. Ruined our Christmas. Read Less

Don't even know where to start. Chose this cruise for the itinerary. Should have read reviews before we booked it. The food was horrible. Most nights we sent back our meals. After 8:30 all restaurants shut down and your only option is room service at an additional cost. That menu was not even worth ordering off of. Entertainment was lousy. No service around pool areas. If you wanted a drink you had to get it yourself. The buffet was horrible. Head chef should be fired. Portions was very small. Their moto is "Taste not waste". Our mini suite was decent. It seemed to be recently updated. Linens were worn. Room was clean but only serviced once a day and it was 3 days into the trip before we ever saw our room attendant. The only place to get any help was the front desk and you had to wait in line at least 1/2 hour every time as they will not answer the phone if you try to call. Everything is extra on this ship. Desserts were poor but if you wanted to pay, you can get a better quality at the chocolate bar. The carpets in the hallways of the staterooms were all stained, I am sure they were clean but it looked horrible. Our pool towels had holes in them and our bath towels were a dingy dirty white with stains on them. We had first seating at dinner. It ran 21/2 hours every night. We showed up on time but service was very slow. Then every night our table was asked to leave in the middle of our dessert so that they could service the table for the 2nd seating. Unbelievable....Our cabin class included commentary room service in the mornings but we were unable to get a menu sent to our room to order our food for the next morning. Had to request it 3 times by standing in line at the desk, finally gave up on it. Most announcements were made in languages other than English so half the time you did not even know what was going on. It was extremely disorganized. We were delayed 3 hours boarding which should of started at 1:00. We were held in the cruise terminal with no explanations. Horrible ship. NEVER AGAIN WILL WE TRAVEL ON COSTA. Read Less