I was on other cruise where the cabin was so small we had to keep open luggage under the bed and use them as closets.Costa cabin is so nice and spacious.The cleaning of the cabin, is so amazingly good, in the minimum details. and any request was looked into! Amazing clean bathrooms all over at any time. And if there was an issue on the public spaces if you notified it, they were instantly taking care of it. Loved the food, a lot of healthy choices/ Beautiful dining restaurants, with wonderful service. You could ask to have special dishes cooked for dinner, such as more vegetables, and less carbos., Any request was looked into and make it work. A lot of activities on sailing days/. And a lot of evenings entertainments. After a while the nightly show was a bit repetitious, but could understand why after 34 days!! Shore excusions well organized, even if for my taste a bit pricey. Would love to do the World Cruise next! Read Less

I was really excited to get back and give Costa Deliziosa a proper review. I am not sure which cruise most folks that have had issues with this cruise sailed on though my experience was completely opposite. So yes I have been on about 10 cruises in The U S and one out of Rome. Also I used to work on a ship (Everyone a large vessel is not a boat. It is a ship) years ago. Pre registration was super easy and the port personnel shared that I was one of the first people he encountered that actually read and filled out all of the needed paperwork before reaching the port. Our ship didn’t leave port until 11 p.m. I showed up around 12:30 p.m. Check In was about 5 minutes. I sat down and waited for my group # to be called. It was called about a 1/2hr after I checked in. On this cruise (Keep in mind this may change) your actual stateroom key is not given to you at check in. It is on your bed in an envelope. I did a quick check of my room, said hello to my stateroom host and went exploring the ship. A tip. Walk around the ship if you arrive early and take pictures of the different decks, spaces and areas. Just about everyone else is at the buffet so you will get some amazing unobstructed pictures. After the pictures I went to the buffet. I was pretty surprised due to the bad reviews. The food was good. There is something for everyone. Obviously yes there was pasta though lots of proteins, salads, cheeses, breads, soups, etc. There is free pizza and hamburgers and fries for lunch each day at the buffet. Yes there is an additional charge if you wanted to partake in a special experience of them at night though it is a larger portion and presented in a meal function vs. self serve. My bags were delivered to my room about 2 hours after I boarded. I did receive a drink package with my room though choose to upgrade it to the highest tier. Honestly there was no need for me to do that because the drink I had for the 10 days was included in my initial package. Oh well Update as of February 2019 (This may have changed by time you are reading this). The Samsara regular cabins only get access to the spa area stairs/elevator, spa rooms (Not included are massages and services). You do not get access to The Samsara Resturant anymore and need to make a reservation like everyone else and pay the extra charge. Samsara Suites do get all of the above privileges along with a drink package minus the massages and services. First thing to do is join Costa Club. It takes seconds and is free. Your new club number may not show up online on your reservation if you get the number after you book the reservation though it will be noted and recognized on board. There are quite a bit of perks along with 50% of the specialty restaurants on board along with discounts on certain drinks, shops and spa. A couple I met are loyal members and receive major discounts on their cruises along with upgrades. Shared it was for sure worth it. The buffet was so good I ate lunch and dinner there everyday except for dinner in the dining room on my first night. I did meet a cool cruise mate the first night and build a friendship for the next few days. I travel by myself and it was nice to have company for a few days. He was on a work trip and left after 4 days. Out of the numerous crew members I encountered only one was a bit grumpy. Came to find out he had a newborn at home and had months left on his current contract. This didn’t give him the excuse not to be “on” though it sort of made sense. He did lighten up a bit as the cruise came to a close. So I had an absolute great time on my first 10 day Costa Cruise. I made friends with a few of the crew members. If you do eat at the buffet do read the hours in the daily guide. For some odd reason the hours changed on the 8th night and create some unhappy moments. I shared with the staff that was simply silly and moved on. I opted to take my bags off the ship in Ft Lauderdale. Lined up about 15 minutes before the published times. Was about 15th or so in line. Cleared Customs in 5 minutes. There was a van directly outside the exit hall that took about a dozen of us to the airport. I am getting ready to head out on another cruise on a different line in a few weeks though will have Costa on my mind for some time. Read Less

Full disclosure: I won this cruise, so my only choice was itinerary, and after reading many negative reviews, I was quite worried. My worries were unfounded and we had an amazing time...as Americans, the Italian flavor added to the experience...rather than detracted, in our opinion. The last night, the dining room was rocking as waiters danced with passengers, the Italians started a conga line and everyone...Italians, Americans, Germans, French, etc....sang Italian songs. There are some things that will seem inefficient to Americans, but just chill out and enjoy a little bit of the European experience. It was particularly fun to watch the Super Bowl on the big screen by the pool with the other American passengers and stand for the national anthem...the grill was also open late that night, so we could indulge in burgers, hot dogs and fries. I will never forget the look on some of the crew's faces when Big Boi performed in that giant fur coat for the halftime show! As far as entertainment, we liked all the shows, but especially Davide, the tenor and "The Voice at Sea"...where passengers competed in a sing-off. All competitiors got encouragement from the audience and we had a little nationalistic pride when an American won. Bingo was done a little differently with push-in cards and the caller reading off the numbers in 5 or 6 languages...again, FUN! I didn't buy a drink in a bar, but my son and his fiance did and they said prices were even a bit lower than those in Vegas, where they live. We only took one tour with Costa...in Jamaica...and it was well-run with awesome guides. They only spoke English, so I'm not sure if the Europeans enjoyed it as much as we did, but most of the activities did not really require a narration. We loved the dance lessons and shout out to the Latin Dance team who would dance with passengers in one of the bars at night. The musicians at all of the venues were excellent....if you like to dance, you will LOVE this ship! Cabins were okay...maybe a little dated, but comfortable. Many complain about lack of turndown service...I think most of us are capable of doing that ourselves. My room was always made up when I returned from breakfast, gym and spa. We had second dinner seating, which started out tough for us, being American, but we adapted by eating a salad or dessert at the buffet and then going down and having a delicious dinner in the dining room. I have seen complaints re charges for pizza and burgers...you can eat those for free at lunch...no need to pay at all. As our itinerary progressed, we were actually glad for late seating, as we got back late at some of the ports and would have rushed to get to the first seating. I used the spa and gym daily...part of the reason I only gained 1 lb, despite indulging in dessert 2x/day. Both are excellent and the spa package was a great value...especially during sea days. Be sure to register your credit card at one of the kiosks when you get on the ship (this was one of my only complaints...why can't you register it upon check-in at thea port?) or you will need to settle your bill in person at the Hospitality Desk, which had a very long line as our trip concluded. My only other complaint has nothing to do with the ship or cruise, but just that the Costa customer service department in the US had an incredibly long wait time on the phone before I was even connected with an agent...and that they would not return phone calls or emails. All in all, a fantastic cruise...one of the best I've been on...and it had little to do with the ship, but mostly because of the atmosphere. I lived in Germany for 3 years when I was much younger and loved it...I always found that if you travel to other countries and want things the same way as they are at home...maybe you should just stay home. Read Less

No matter what nationality you are, when you travel with Costa Cruise you will become Italian and live in an atmosphere full of love and human warmth. Italians are different from everyone, they are unique in the way they live their lives with others. The secret is in human contact, in the way they make you feel comfortable and important at same time , they know that everyone has a weakness for good food, pizza, pasta. wine, sweets and the beautiful Italian and Neapolitan melodic songs, I have had experiences with other Cruise Companies as: Carnival, Princess and Royal Caribbean but with Costa I reserve indelible memories, I do not exaggerate but the cleanliness that I have always found on Costa Cruise ships I have not found them from any others Cruises Ship For this and more if you decide to take a cruise I recommend Costa Cruise My next cruise will be with Costa Cruise again Read Less

Initially chosen for the price......and as we live in Florida very easy access. I always read cruise critic and in most cases have agreed in general with the comments. I admit I was a bit concerned about this cruise from reviews I had read....prior to the cruise. Embarkation was quick and went very smoothly..we arrived at the port about 12 noon. Dropped our bags, parked the car and walked into the terminal and after a very brief scan of luggage and person onto the ship. photos were made as we entered the main area of the ship on deck 2. The ship is beautifully maintained ...artwork and colors were very tastefully done in an Italian baroque architecture style. Note: All announcements were made in multiple languages with the primary in Italian...then onto English, French,Spanish,German...etc. I found this a nice touch as it made us feel we were farther away than the Caribbean is to us as Florida residents. We were then directed to the buffet are on deck 9 for lunch. It was quite good with a large variety of hot and cold dishes. After lunch we did a bit of exploration then headed to our cabin. We had a basic balcony cabin which was very nice, bathroom and room about standard for most balconies we have encountered..but pleasantly surprised by a long ,comfortable leather sofa for seating area. The balcony was very nicely sized and had comfortable seating as well as a table for drinks or snacks. Our balcony was fully covered and felt very private. Dining was a choice of traditional first or second seating or the buffet. (No anytime/flexible dining on this ship) We had been assigned the second seating which was at 8:45 PM...at a table for 8. Our table mates were quite enjoyable and we looked forward to the evening meal. The entertainment was terrific...great singers and dancers....good quality shows. We even had the opportunity to be entertained by an Italian tenor who was magnificent. He had such a beautiful voice and he sang both modern tunes and opera..it was such an emotional performance. The activities team was really enthusiastic and great at getting the passengers involved in many things from singing, dancing to exercise and games on the pool deck. This was a very talented group of young men and women. Super friendly staff and highly visible around the ship. The Captain and officers were highly visible and frequently joined in with events about the ship. Service was excellent and the quality was as well. Our cabin steward was great and met our every need. The ports were very familiar to us as we do a lot of Caribbean cruising so we opted to stay on the ship the entire trip. This turned out to be a great choice..lots to see and do, The main pool on the Lido deck has a retractable roof so we were very comfortable even with not so perfect weather. There was a large back deck on Lido as well with restaurant seating and another pool. On New Years Eve we went to specialty dining in the outdoor restaurant for lobster and champagne...again fabulous with a live band playing reggae. Lots of comfortable seating all over the ship..so Sea days were not an issue. Loved the Casino, very bright and laid out nicely, Good variety of tables and slots for everyone to enjoy and "non-smoking" at all times. I wish every ship had this policy. We are not smokers but the designated areas seemed to be located so as to provide minimal contact with the general areas....even on the open decks. We were not traveling with children but there were many vacationing families on board. There appeared to be many programs for all ages and they had a Captain and Princess for a day program that was adorable. On the last night at sea they had a special reception in the main salon especially for the children...the boys were dressed in the Captains uniforms and the little girls in beautiful gowns, They had a small parade into the room, were each introduced to the audience and then had a special dance with their parent. It was a lovely event. Disembarkation was a breeze....we did walk off...gathered at the ramp exit on deck 2 at 6:20 am as instructed the day before...by 6:35 we were headed off the ship..thru terminal and in our car by 6:45. Amazing! Looking forward to another COSTA cruise in the very near future. Read Less

My daughter and her family included me as a whole family Christmas vacation. None of us had ever been in a cruise before. We loved every minute of it. We loved our dining room experience. Service was impeccable by Joseph. My cabin was always clean and neat. Irwandi was extremely friendly and polite. He was eager to help with anything. The rest of my family had the same experience. We loved the shows and really enjoyed the piano man who was above and behind the bar in the main lobby. He had an amazing voice! Every night after dinner we sat there, had a few cocktails and enjoyed the music. We also made some new friends! We had a problem with the boys, ages 14-20. Their wasn’t really any type of entertainment for them. We learned everything was being setup for Peppa Pig. The arcade was closed and everything was focused on much younger kids. Our boys got bored. They said they still had s great time but they did get bored. Our trips to the stops were enjoyable. We did not get to do any of the excursions. We had a catamaran scheduled, but it was cancelled due to weather. We had another let down when we got to Miami, our airboat tour was sold out. We had some weather issues, high winds, some rain, but you can’t control the weather. When we had to leave the ship in Miami and wait to return to the ship...wow! That wasn’t well thought out. The majority should not have to wait for hours to get back onboard because some people did not obey the rules. We sat quietly but as the wait got longer, the people who had been there for a very long time got pretty rowdy. There was shouting, yelling, booing as the late stragglers finally made their way off the ship. Something should be done about this. Some financial penalty should be issued to those stragglers. All in all we did have a great cruise. One of my grandsons and I practiced Italian with the app on my iPhone. We all decided that being on a ship that was not American was interesting and fun. We got to experience so many different things. Oh, our cruise plans were made about 2 weeks before we left. It was a complete surprise to me because it was a Christmas gift for me. It was a good one!! Read Less

We chose this cruise because it was affordable and had good itinerary. Great service, polite and intelligent people and personal. Embarkation and Disembarkation was smooth and quick. Ship is very clean and gorgeous, room is big enough for 4 people and balcony is pretty big. My mom spent most morning and evening time on the balcony because she loved that amazing view and light breeze. Delicious food in Buffet on 9th deck. It was our favorite place to eat because they have so many different dishes and every day they add some new dishes and we could pick what we want and when we want. Seafood, variety of tea, yummy juices, and delicious croissants was our favorite food. (they have a lot of great and deliciouse food there! : different kind of meat, pasta, pizza, salads, fruits and appetizing desserts ). We loved to watch free dance classes (everybody may participate) and evening entertainment. Read Less

We chose the cruise for the price and the ports of call. The staff were really attentive and accommodating. The food in the restaurant was always good, very different from American food. The ports of call were very nice places. The ship was always clean, and our rooms and bathrooms were always clean. The few things lacking were the Availability of drinking water and ice during meal time. Some people complained about the food quality, but all of our food was always good. I think the value for our dollar was really excellent. Read Less

I took a Costa cruise 35 years ago, before Carnival got in the picture, and had a wonderful time with a friend for 3 nights! As I was celebrating my 60th birthday this year, I wanted to do another cruise. After reading some of the reviews on Costa, I was worried, but trusted my gut and with with them. We got a suite for my birthday. If you like to drink, it's definitely worth it! It also gives you some extra perks that you can read about. The 2 gentlemen that were assigned to our room, were there for our every need! Thank you Ganesh and Dharma! I had read some reviews that said "all they serve you was pasta!" I have to say, even though we could go to the Club Restaurant with our package, we chose the buffet a lot, just for quickness, and found it hard to even find some pasta! lol There was plenty of food and variety! So I don't know what everyone is talking about! I saw some signs saying, hamburger for $5.00 Euros, but didn't see the need to buy one as there were patties and hot dogs on the buffet and pizza! Whoever is going on this cruise and said they didn't get enough good food, probably needs to go on a American cruise ship where there seems to have food and buffets 24 hours a day! lol Getting on and off the boat, was very easy. Always seems hectic the first day, so just chill! Did 3 excursions while there and all done very well and worth the money! Our favorites were the Abberebello(?) tour in Bari, Italy and the Tuk Tuk in Dubrovnik, Well done by tour guides and organizers! there were plenty of activities on board, if you wanted to participate. Games, dance lessons, trivia. Plus they had nice bands during happy hour and the evenings that you could enjoy a drink and a dance. All the staff was polite and helpful when we needed. I just can't say enough! We went to stage show, just one late night and heard a wonderful Tenor sing, fantastic! didn't use any of the fitness rooms, but saw them and took a tour of the spa. All there if you need it! All in all, well done! If you go with a good and positive attitude and just be patient sometimes, you will enjoy it!! I would definitely go again!! Read Less

I enjoy the opportunity to meet people from other countries and find out about their food and culture. Costa Deliziosa has a very diverse clientel from Europe and North America. All the staff we met spoke enough english to converse with. It's very humbling to realize how many people speak several languages and I only speak english. The ship was sparkling clean when we arrived and stayed that way all 10 days. We really enjoyed the entertainment. Lots of opportunity to learn new dance steps by the pool or in the grand bar.. The main shows consisted of very good acrobatics, Vegas style dancers and costumes and a couple of operah nights. We loved the diningroom for evening meals.We were given the 9:00 seating which we didn't think would work well for us. It actually worked very well. There were 4-6 courses each night and we found everything delicious. Many new tastes for us. It is designed to be slow dining and it is. The soups are exceptional in variety and taste.The waiters were know to break into dance routines occasionally giving the diningroom a carnival atmosphere. The buffet food was average with little change. We found it better for breakfast than the diningroom. We embarked early with no problems . It went quickly. We debarked early bringing our suitcases with us. It was superfast and easy. You need to let them know you are going early. Service was a little on the slow side but very good. Cabins were cleaned either once or twice daily, depending on what box you check on the form left in your cabin. We found a morning cleaning sufficient. We had asmall balcony cabin. Perfect for us with lots of storage spaces. It was too windy to use the balcony much except for early morning in port. I usually ended upstairs anyway so I could see both sides. Ports were as we expected with lots of time to explore.We did not do any of the ship excursions. We did rent a car in Roatan as the price was the same as a taxi. It was an adventure. Roads were like swiss cheese. We managed well and remember Roatan as our favourite wih great snorkling right off the beach in West Bay. We went to Geoff Cay in Belize with a private outfit . It was very good. In Cozumal, we went by Taxi to a private beach club. It was good but expensive for a few hours at the beach and we felt we didn"t really see the island. The announcements that you need to hear are in Englsh but may start with other languages first. Ahe range on this ship was 30-70. I would not hesitate to recommend this cruise to a friend who is looking for a slightly different expoerience than the typical American cruise. Read Less

Comments also posted on TripAdvisor. This was the second transatlantic cruise for us. This time from Venice to Fort Lauderdale. Last year we crossed the Atlantic on the Costa Favolosa from Savona to Guadaloupe. Both crossings were, for us, very good and fulfilled almost all our expectations. Embarked in Venice on a cold, rainy day. Took a water taxi from our hotel directly to the ship. Boarding took a bit over an hour, but when 2000 passenger need to get on board, quite normal. You proceed directly to your cabin where the Costa Card - your identity card for the trip and the Diario (newspaper outlining the activities) are waiting. The luggage arrived soon. Three cupboards, two hanging, one with shelves and under the desk five drawers are sufficient. We never used the mini-bar. The dining room is at the stern of the ship. The ship is 295 m (about 900 ft.) long . This meant each visit there at least half a kilometre walk! Great way to do some sport! We had a table for six in the "English" section of the dining room. Occasionally we enjoyed the company of a Scottish couple. They however seem to have preferred the buffet on the ninth deck. So, except two evenings when we were joined by families from Guadeloupe, we enjoyed a private table. Our waiter, Mat from the Philippines, was great. Friendly, curteous, helpful. Could not wish for a better one! Louis from Honduras assisted him. Always happy, always laughing and quick with serving. The menus are available in several languages. The English copy was excellent and the food we selected was usually to our tastes. Once or twice, the meat was not our taste, but this is minor. The other diner was on the 9th deck, the buffet. Breakfast and lunch were served there and people, often with youngsters or teens ate there. Here I want to comment on statements made often in previous comments that the food was terrible. First of all these commentators forgot that they were on an Italian ship serving Italian food for its majority of passengers, Italians. Yes, there were no toasters, just a few stone hard pre-toasted slices. There was no porridge, no waffles, etc. However consider, when you travelled in Italy, in mass tourism hotels, did you find waffles or porridge? Italian breakfast means usually an espresso with a couple of sweet buns and maybe a bit of fruit. And that is it! You go to Italy not to eat your home foods, go you to experience Italian food. Something worse than commenting on the food, were the overloaded plates in the buffet area. We have seen daily, for breakfast and lunch, passengers who selected so much food that they could not eat it all. For example, to just mention one of hundreds cases, a passenger took 6 slices of white bread, added six croissants, butter, cheeses, sausages and a few sweet rolls onto her plate. Started to eat. Soon left the plate and departed. The leftovers? Four slices of bread, five croissants, and most of the trimmings. And this in an age where there a millions starving. Costa tries to stem this waste. This year (not last year in the Costa Favolosa) the breakfast and lunch tables all had five three-sided displays with the heading “Taste do not Waste” and text in various languages urging the passengers to show restraint. In our opinion, the texts were to “nice” to carry fruit and should really be of the smoking category, showing examples of overloaded plates. Interestingly Costa removed those displays during the second part of the voyage. Once a woman passenger came to our breakfast table with such an overloaded plate. My wife asked politely if she would eat all that. She got up and left. In many previous comments, complaints were uttered regarding the waiters and often in general about the crew. Let me state that we almost never had an unfriendly or not helpful waiter or other crewmembers. They all responded gladly when you asked them politely for something or other. Most were happy to speak with you. Consider, they are working on a seven to nine months contract. Mostly work eleven hours a day with no day off. In general, the old saying “Just as one calls into the forest, so it echoes back.” applies Only a couple of staff members did not fit the above-mentioned attitude. In the dining room, neither the first nor the second maître d’hôtel ever came to our table to welcome us or inquire if we are satisfied. Never. In 31 days! And our table was not in a dark corner. What a difference to the maître d’hôtel on the Favolosa last year. There a smiling and friendly maître d’hôtel came by almost every evening to inquire, to tell of specials. Simply “normal” of what his job demands. Many complaints in the blogs are about the speed of service. There again you have to consider that the Costa ships are Italian ships. Moreover, Italians take their time to eat! One evening the service was quite slow, however on the Lido deck a huge buffet was served, with a meter high shank and square meter sized cakes. That took many cooks and they were missing for the normal dinner service. A prior mention in the daily Diario would have been appropriate. A previous comment on this same voyage stated that the dining room doors were not opened at the scheduled time. Let me state that for a specific reason I was at the door openings all except two nights, and the doors were always opened within a minute or two from the stated times of 6:15 or 6:30. One last item re food and this item is truly a shameful item for Costa. As a Perla member (travelled enough with Costa), you are invited for one evening to eat in the Samsara restaurant without a normally applying surcharge. When you make the reservation, you are shown an exclusive menu. When you sit down you are shown a small narrow menu with only two choices of main dishes. Definitively a cheat in my opinion and we hope Costa will soon remove this falsification. Sanitation: Norovirus on a ship is definitively bad. There have been cases and we were happy that we did not have an outbreak on the ship. To fight this there are many disinfectant dispensers at the entrances to the dining rooms and all around the buffets plus at many other places on the ship. Much to our annoyance, hardly anyone made use of these. Quite a difference to the German cruise ship we once travelled. There two men stood at the entrance to the dining room and made sure that everyone disinfected their hands. Well… that’s a bit if Germany vs. Italy. The other health problem was coughing. Typically, the infamous air conditioning coughs. Ice cold dining rooms against warm outside. I did catch it this time and brutally with high fever. A few visit to the ship’s hospital ensued. Great praise for the two doctors and the nurses. I was treated perfectly. The downside of those passengers, as necessary as those visits are, are the costs if you do not have a proper travel insurance, which also covers shipboard hospital visits. There is more that could be mentioned, maybe another time. To end my comments: During the crossing of the Atlantic Costa arranged (naturally a small charge applied – Costa has to be profitable) to tour the insides of the ship. Many places we saw. Not the engine room. We also had a visit to the bridge which was immensely interesting. Chatting with Captain Varese I asked if anyone on the bridge still uses the sextant, the clock and the admirality tables to fix the ships position. He said yes, the cadets still have to do this procedure same as I used before GPS became standard. I also told him that I always hope to once see a submarine surfacing alongside or at least see the snorkel. He, who has sailed a lifelong said “never saw one”. Summary: We again enjoyed the trip and, yes, we will again choose Costa. Read Less

This cruise went to all the places we wanted to visit. Our cabin had a balcony and was very clean and comfortable. Our cabin steward Pravin from India was very friendly and efficient. We thought the food was good and in the sit-down restaurant there was a lovely waiter, another Indian called Jackson. In the late afternoon we would usually visit the Bar Marabile where there was another great character, a waiter from the Philippines called Marck. We had a beverage package so we didn't find that we didn't have extra expense from ordering drinks throughout the day. Our only criticism of Costa is that they sent us a questionnaire after the cruise, they had told us that favourable reviews of excellent staff would improve their chances of promotion. However all the questions were "fill in the dots"and no personal input. All the staff were good but that is why I've mentioned our favourites on this site. We didn't really take part in activities except for a couple of quizzes in the bar so I can't offer an opinion although the talent show by the crew is apparently very good. We didn't take part in any shore excursions, preferring to make our own way, partly because the excursions were quite expensive and often a bit long. There was a fierce heat wave at our destinations and we mostly didn't stay longer than a couple of hours ashore. Back at the boat the pool was mostly empty because everyone is off the boat -good tip if you like a quiet pool. Read Less

I chose this cruise because of the many places we would stop, and it was the best decision I ever made! The service was exceptional, especially from Santanu, my waiter, and Ronal, my butler! My favorite hangout was on the 9th deck, at the bar, and the staff there is by far the greatest, funnest group of people ever!! They are simply amazing! I didn't ever want to leave! Everything on the boat was awesome, and the food was very good as well! There were also many other activities including a basketball court on the top deck under the stars, a really exciting race car simulating a real race, a nice casino, with a lot of neat games to play, and a cigar bar next to it, if you smoke, that's easily accessible. The theater was beautiful, and spacious, and the audience even got to vote on the winner of a "Voice" show. The next cruise I go on will be with Costa Deliziosa for sure!! Read Less

My mother and I (20-year-old daughter) were traveling for the first time on a cruise - but with that said we have been traveling around the world since I was born; which of course mean that we have seen and experienced quite a lot and therefore are a bit critical about our surroundings and vacations. We are VERY shocked to see so many critical and harsh reviews here on this site. Really, it is so unexpected. Well let’s start our review on this amazing vacation! Surroundings: From the second you step in at Costa Deliziosa you immediately get goosebumps. The atmosphere is incredible! Not only are you welcomed with the most smiling, accommodating (and well dressed) crew members, but also a multitude of delicious, beautiful, and luscious environment. Everything (and everyone) had this amazing attitude and charisma – and you would not be able to keep yourself from smiling and feeling exciting. From the first second, we sat food on Costa Deliziosa, we were so thrilled and loved it instantly! They have without a doubt thought about everything, to every single detail. Every deck has it own charm and impression. From the huge globe on the main deck (deck 2), the external elevators, to the carvings, the decorations and colors – everything is created to make their guests drop their jaws. Cabin: As a middleclass cabin, we could not expect more or less. It is very cozy and it is not a place you are ashamed to call your temporary home. There is everything you need and there is always very clean and nice – without any exception. The beds might not be the softest, but it is not a metal bed! Dinning: There is a lot of different opportunities to satisfy your hunger – also if you are picky as my mother and I. You can choose for yourself where you would like to eat, there is a lot of different restaurants. There is buffet where you have a huge variety of food in morning and at lunch (deck 9), and there is the classic restaurant style where the waiter will come to the table for requests. Even though there is some restaurants you have to pay for, (unless you have some special package), there is still a lot of variety of opportunities. At dinner there is not a very big variety at the buffet – but it should still be satisfying for the most. The food (especially breakfast) is of great quality, is very viand and there is a huge variety to satisfy your hunger no matter what kind of food you like. High praise to the absolutely delicious bread and their huge variety of desserts (changes every day). The only negative thing (yes, we still have to be critical at some points, right?) ice cream should be included in the dessert standers and you should not be paying for it. Pizza should also be included in the evening (not only at lunch). The variety at the buffet should be bigger at night. Entertainment: It is differently your own fault if you are bored aboard a cruise. Deliziosa offers a lot of different entertainment all day and all night. The animation team make sure that there are games, dance and sport all day and creates some funny activities at night for the different theme nights. If you would rather relax at the pool(s) or get some tan, there a plenty of opportunities for this as well. Deck 11 is the best place for tanning, it is not as crowded, there is a lot of space and it is also a bit cooler up there. It is very important to remember a lot of different night gowns and suits – of course if you want to blend it at the different themes, if not do not worry – you are still more than welcome. The themes at our cruise were: 70’s night, 80’s night, Gala, Caribbean night, Italian night, masquerade – just to name a few.) Again, it is really your own fault if you are bored. There is so many places to see and be on at cruise. Do yourself a favor and explore it all! There is many cafés, bars, shopping, fitness, spa, and discotheque. Every night there is also some performance in the theater with the best dancers and singers ever seen. They are incredible (and very beautiful/handsome – that should be enough to make you want to go!). Such a beautiful and creative scenery that chances every night. Simply amazing! Crew members: I just read a pretty nasty review from the same time as we were on the ship – saying the crew was unfriendly. It made me really angry. The person has to be very negative and not very outgoing. I think I had to reply to a greeting thousand of times a day! Everyone was so friendly, smiling and extremely kind. Everyone had a big heart and everyone wanted to speak with us. Many of them knew us by name after the first day. From the moment, you step onto the cruise, you are greeted with the sweetest, helpful and amusing crew. I would really like to thank them all, and it is very heart breaking that I cannot remember all of the names. All the gentlemen from the animation team were the sweetest and differently made our stay even greater and for sure unforgettable. They have to be highly praised for their humor, entertainment skills and the way they always made sure that everyone had a blast. Simply genius. My mother is really not a person that likes to dance, be on a stage or like to get involved in the entertainment – but they manage to do so! And she loved it. A huge, special thanks to the gentlemen of the animation team (especially Agusto and Michéle), our so sweet and lovely cabin steward Ade, all the waiters from deck 9 (especially my dear waiter with the glasses from the Philippines and the head waiter/manager, sorry dear we cannot remember your names), the photographers, Larisa and Alvaro. In general we would love to thank ALL OF THE COSTA DELIZIOSA CREW for making our vacation so unforgettable. Every one of you should get this high praise for being so accommodating and forthcoming. There is NOT A SINGLE bad thing to put on the crew members! You have become our second family and we miss you all (and everything) so badly – which is why we already have booked a new costa cruise! Another thing that strikes me in some of the reviews is that you should not book at this company if you do not speak Italian. My mother and I are from Denmark and does not speak a word Italian. We did just fine with our English. Everyone understood us perfectly and with that said everyone might have learned Italian (it is a Italian company, so why blame them?) the crew members came from all over the world: Germany, Spain, Italian, Brazil, Mauritius, Philippines, India, Peru, Indonesia, South Africa and much more! That is many different nationalities and ALL of them speak just fine English! Ports: Fort Lauderdale (& Quality Inn & suites) If you have some spare time before or after the cruise, there is differently a lot of things to see in Fort Lauderdale. Like the Everglades and there should be a lot of shopping as well (We did not had so much time to explore it all). Miami should be even greater to explore. We had one night at Quality Inn & Suites which is a fine hotel for a night or few. The breakfast is good (not as great as the Cruise’s but there is enough variety to satisfy your hunger). Very soft beds and clean rooms. It is very close to the Port Everglades and there is a free shuffle bus to the Cruise Terminal. It is recommended if you should have a night in Fort Lauderdale before boarding the cruise. Bahamas - Nassau, Dominicans republic - Amber Cove, Jamaica - Ocho Rios, Cayman Islands - George Town, Honduras - Roaten, Mexico - Cozumel/Playa del Carmen: There is not many activities on the different islands but browse around the excursions papers in your cabin and you will get to know what there is to see, but be aware the prices is pretty expensive, and you can do it cheaper yourself (still many money you have to spend, but again, it is cheaper to do it by yourself and the taxis and tour excursions is there as soon as you go ashore). We differently recommend swimming with stingrays and visit the Dunn River Falls (very beautiful scenery!). If you have not tried to swim with dolphins, it is differently a thing to do as well! My mother and I have tried it a few years back so we did not do it again, but many recommend it! They are really sweet animals! The islands have many beautiful scenery, nature and beaches – and if you want to do shopping that is not survivors do not bother to try on the islands you visit. There is really not much to come for. If you want to do some hardcore shopping, you should differently pay a visit at Playa Del Carmen, when you come to Cozumel. There is a like never-ending shopping street and it only takes 30 minutes from Cozumel to Playa Del Carmen with boat and it is cheap. If you are traveling with some anti-shoppers, put them on the beach – it is simply amazing! And plenty of restaurants as well! We differently recommend Costa (and this route) to everyone! Keep going! Read Less

We found a last minute offer that was ideal as we live fairly close to Venice To get to Venice we travelled in an Austrian Rail bus that dropped us at the port 3 hours later We checked our bags and walked to Venice for a short visit It was Easter Sunday and very busy so we left quickly and leisurely went back to the embarkation hall Embarkation was fairly slow and we had to wait around for quite sometime - something that Costa does not get quite right! Disembarking was a problem for us as we needed to get off fairly early and we were given 3 different instructions from reception - eventually we got to the right place This was our second trip on Deliziosa and we were not disappointed,, the ship is spic and span Our cabin, a Premium Balcony was tops and our invisible cabin steward was super efficient Most of our meals were in the MDR , the Maitre D was really helpful and organised us a table with pleasant English speaking table mates Our waiters on table 235 first sitting were really good to us We purchased a wine package on board and were happy with the quality of the wines Breakfast in Muscadins Buffet is continental and no eggs were on offer, only in the MDR The food selection was more than adequate and the sweets amazing To find a table on on sea days in Muscadins can be a bit tricky We did our own thing in the ports as the stops were half day The gym and Sauna areas are also very well equipped In Santorini the tendering was really efficient and the stop was great as always Thanks to the Deliziosa team, we'll be back again Read Less

Wow fantastic, Fabulous food, brilliant entertainment, stunning dancers, well looked after ship and great service who could ask for more! We embarked from Venice, all the staff were friendly and efficient. When we entered, wow it looked amazing and it was, the decor is very Italian and very flamboient but stunning. There was entertainment all day from the animation staff and the dancers but also quiet parts if you want to relax, the animation staff are crazy and lots of fun to watch or if you want join it they make all nationalities welcome and speak all languages. The evening entrainment was first class, professional and left us wanting more. I do not speak Italian but everything was in English, even the announcements for guests were in English, Italian and German plus a couple more languages but the were not many announcements. The only all Italian announcements were for staff only. All the staff speak English, menus are in English, entertainment is in English. The food was beautiful, lots of choice and variety, cooked perfectly every time, being a fussy eater I even got to try some food I would not try at home and I'm glad I did it was amazing. The desserts would melt in your mouth all cooked fresh on board daily with fresh bread, doughnuts, pastrys, cakes and lots more. If you want full English they have it all the and will cook your eggs in front of you exactly how you want them. Every country we visited we would have food from that area as well as all the other choices We enjoyed our time on Costa so much we will book again and again. After our cruise on Costa we went on a second cruise with another cruise line which was more expensive but what a difference like night and day. Costa being luxury and the other company being budget at designer prices. Would recommend to anyone. We are 40/50's English Wonderful first time cruise for myself and a one of many for my partner. We would like to say a huge thank you to all the staff, entertainers and for the whole experience it was true perfection from start to finish. THANK YOU COSTA Read Less

This was the first cruise either my wife or I had been on and we were a little concerned about booking this ship after reading some of the reviews, now we have stayed in some wonderful 5 star land based hotels but this ship was brilliant. All the staff were helpful and happy, the ship was always being cleaned, the food was lovely and varied either in the main restaurant of the buffet style. The only gripe I would agree with is yes the main pool area can get very noisy but there are 2 pools to chose from or you can just find a quieter part of the ship, it is big enough. All in all I would recommend this ship to anyone we enjoyed every minute of the cruise and for the first time in a long both of us did not want to go home, we will definitely cruise again and use Costa again. Read Less

Enjoyed a splendid western Med cruise on board the Costa Deliziosa. first time with them but would place above Celebrity as they have not gone in for the petty cost savings that affect the service so much and dining room standards were very high. the ship - bright and at first seemingly brash and I could not get my mind around the mindset of the architect but after a day or two it all seems to work. Loads of space - busy or quiet corner - whichever takes your fancy. the cabin first class - the balcony enormous by comparison with other cruise lines. the crew friendly, indeed very friendly and charming and certainly well trained, not a problem with any of them. The entertainment really good in the main theatre. The clientele mainly Italian - they do like their little gameshows etc around the pool - not very british to take part! they do have style though. Pricing about average - not worth it to us the to take the drinks package as not great drinkers. Not too strict on bringing water etc on to the ship either. Major major plus point for me though was they catered for my Coeliac disease - gluten free - my own menu for lunch and dinner with plenty of choice and own maitre'd to ensure food served without chance of contamination. A real plus as I was apprehensive having only recently being diagnosed. The Italians are way in front of the UK in this respect. Minor negative - Savonna is a dog to get to from the UK - means connecting flights and usually a 2 hour coach journey to Savonna. A Rome embarkation might be easier but also more expensive. Barcelona - big city - tour worth it - had time to wander - walking distance from shipCadiz - beautiful. A very pleasant wander - close to port so easy walkCasablanca - a dump - dirty scruffy no pride no investment - Hassan mosque impressiveTangiers - wonderful - clean attractive cared for - great fun bargaining - they are fierce!Lisbon - nice city - easy walk from shipValencia - lovely architecture - again easy walk from shipRome - day trip nets down to about 5.5 hours in town. Plan the time or you will see nothing. We will go back one day - beautiful city. Read Less

We have cruised on Costa twice, in 2010 on the Luminosa, in 2011 on the Costa Deliziosa. I am amazed at the low average score. he last cruise we boarded the ship in Amsterdam. Reasonably fast boarding procedure but it will be faster if you are a Costa club member. The Costa Deliziosa is a large ship but with more elevators than you can you care for. Our cabin was nice and spacious and light, the balcony had enough space. You can't book the weather but we spent lots of time outside. The first harbor was Bergen, Norway. Beautiful place and it does not rain there half as often as they say. We have been there many times so we walked around and took the funiculair up the mountain. Then on to Iceland. I like sea days but if you don't then you probably would not have chosen this trip. Your loss. Akureyri on the north of Iceland is a nice small place and has a beautiful botanic garden. There are tours to the volcanic countryside with some beautiful sights and a large waterfall. From Iceland we sailed to Greenland. There we visited 2 harbors, small villages, where you were landed on shore with the boats. We watched whales, visited a Inuit family, walked to a gletcher and enjoyed every minute of our stay there. Lots of ice around us. Returning to Reykjavik we had another view of Iceland, then on to the Faroer which is a beautiful number of islands, last port of call was Invergordon in the north of Scotland and after a day at sea back in Amsterdam. On the ship there were lots of activities, nice shows in the large theater, disco for the youngsters (there were lots of young people on board) and some very nice singers in the bars. We dined at a table with 5 other couples, who were matched by the catering staff after the first hectic evening. Perfect! Now I am writing all this just to tell you how we enjoyed this trip and have not met a single person who was not full of enthusiasm. The ship is excellent and the prices on Costa are very reasonable compared to other, moe luxury cruiselines. Read Less

We thought the Costa Victoria was lovely at the time, but the Deliziosa beats it hands down. Modern and beautiful, this ship is stunning.We have done the Middle East trip before, but this time had to miss Bahrain due to the unrest. Not keen on staying in Oman for two days, would have preferred Abu Dhabi.We had a balcony cabin which was lovely, cant fault it. Lots of storage space, adequate wardrobe space, huge bed. And the shower room although typically small on cruise ships, cant complain about it at all.The ship was always spotlessly clean, cabin and public areas. The only down-side in our opinion is how it is a "smoking" ship... lots of the public areas, including bars and casino allowed smoking, which as non-smokers we found horrible.Even around the pool area smoking was allowed, which meant I couldnt spend any time there as the smell was so awful. If I could ask Costa to change anything it would be to inpart a smoking ban like we have in the UK, and limit smoking to their cabins or on upper decks maybe.Breakfast menu was more than adequate, lunch got a bit boring. The buffet area tended to serve up the same old same old each day.... hope you are fond of chicken and pork, it appears to be the dish of choice!The two things that Italians are supposed to be legendary for we found the most dissapointing..... pizza quite tasteless and bland (get better in Pizza Hut!) and the ice cream is truly awful. (was it ice cream or coloured water?) Evening meal very nice, small portions but with seven courses they needed to be small! Great atmpostphere in restaurant, staff always fun and courteous.Evening entertainment OK. Better shows on the Costa Victoria, a little more varied than just the singers and dancers on offer on this cruise. OK for a week but couldnt have put up with any more shows after that!Tried the gym out which was great, huge and very well stocked with equipment. The running track disappointing.. so small.You would get dizzy running around there.Recommend the F1 Yas Marina tour when stopping in Abu Dhabi. Really interesting even for anyone who isnt particularly into F1. Tour Guides brilliant.ALl in all I think Costa are a great cruise line. They excell in their organisational skills and from embarkation to disembarkation they look after you with total professionalism. Read Less

We had done the same itinerary in Feb 2010 on RCI Brilliance,and wanted some winter sun with a shortish flight so booked ourselves a reasonable cost package on the Deliziosa. Having first read the reviews we were a little apprehensive but went with an open mind,lookng forward to trying Costa for the first time. We booked the X1 drinks package beforehand as it seemed the best option for us(we enjoy a glass of wine or two with our meals!)I would have to say that if you are at all fussy about the wine you drink it may not be for you!There is no choice, only house wine(red white or rose)This is non negotiable(we even tried bribery!)and as mentioned by a previous reviewer once the bar staff know you have pre-bought the X1 they tend to avoid you as there is no serice charge to be gained! if you are happy to get your drinks from the bar its not a problem. In the main restaurant after the first night our bottle of wine was always waiting for us on the table and it was never a problem getting another(thirsty work this cruising!) As we arrived in Dubai at 9pm our first meal experience was in the buffet retaurant and I would describe as 'okay' next morning we ordered room service and this arrived promptly(in fact as a guideline order the later slot than you actually want as it always arrived 15-20 mins early) By now we were feeling a little deflated(mediocre food poor wine etc) but I must be honest things got better from there on. The food in the main restaurant was absolutely delicious could not fault it at all,the service was good and the whole atmosphere was super(buzzing and cheerful) We shared our X1 wine with the others on our table several times (they seemed to like it better than us!)and enjoyed their good company. I did not use the spa so cannot comment although the prices were pretty hefty and the staff always seemed to be trying to drum up trade(perhaps if it was a bit more afordable?) The entertainment was okay-on a par with most cruise ships though a special mention must be made for Arthur Petterson (main theatre and piano bar excite)who was a legend! Around the ship is spotlessly clean as was our cabin,which was a good size and had a lovely size balcony with recliner chairs (great for relaxing with a drink after a hard day in the sun!) Our favorite port was Muscat where you can walk from edge of port into the pretty town to haggle in the souks and stroll along the seafront. Our whole cruise experience with Costa was a good one.We thoroughly enjoyed being amongst many other nationalities definately in the minority but found everyone friendly and polite. Everything went smoothly and simply (we didnt need to visit customer relations once)everything can be arranged on the interactive totems-a brilliant idea-though if you need help it is always available. If you could describe yourself as enjoying fun and open minded you will love this ship as we did.Cant wait to go again and wouldnt hesitate to recommend it.Dont miss the midnight buffets that happen most nights they are the best we have experienced and loads of fun too! Read Less

We travelled from Cairns, Australia to join Deliziosa in Dubai for the 7 night cruise. We were able to board the ship around PM but did not get access to our cabin until around 8 PM. Some guests did get into their cabins earlier. The cabin was a good size for comfort and there was plenty of storage space. We did not have any problems with the cabin other than occasionally the shower drainage was not adequate. The cabin stewardess did an excellent job and everything was always ready when we needed it. We found all staff to be very polite and helpful even though we only speak English. The meals in the dining room were of a very good standard and the service was excellent. We had the company of two couples from England at our table and enjoyed their company very much. The buffet meals were also good but we thought there could have been more choices on offer. The X1 wine package was a great deal and we would use this again. We found the activities on board the ship including the theatre entertainment in the evenings to be satisfactory and some of the shows were extremely good. We used the gymnasium often and it is very well equipped. The decor of the ship is truly beautiful and of the highest standard. The amenities of the ship are also very attractive nad it is easy to get around. We would be very happy to do another Costa cruise. Read Less

It was very great. The ship was new and often cleaned and the condition of the ship was well! The itinerary was okay - we visited Dubai, Muscat, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain. Very interesting. The food was also good - okay, the first day, the breakfast was a bit disappointing, but all other days we liked it. Dinner was great - every day. We had to dine in the main restaurant (late eating time). Our waitress was very kind and did a good job. We also liked our stateroom - a mini suite with veranda - very good. The cabin had a lot of space. Our steward could be better. All in all the service was okay. And the freetime? The ship had a lot of innovations, but we didn't use it very often - only the gymnasium, the grand priy simulator and the 4d-cinema. We all liked it. Very recommandable - we would like to go their again! Read Less

First things first, getting on the ship - the embarkation process was very fast and trouble free. We boarded the ship at about 12noon, our cabin was ready and our luggage and cruise cards where already waiting for us. The ship was beautiful, it was kept very clean by a small army of dedicated crew who seemed to work non stop. Our cabin was spacious and very comfortable, and was kept spic and span by our cabin steward Crisanto, he was very attentive and no request was a issue for him. The meals in the MDR where of high quality as was the service from our waiter Avery, the menu had great selections and the food was well presented and always arrived hot. Eating in the buffet for breakfast and lunch was always interesting, there was always a great selection to choose from, and the pasta stations where always a great option. The only thing was the buffet area became a bit crazy sometimes, but it was always entertaining. There was a midnight buffet every night, we never made it it any. The club restaurant was very special, well worth a visit, the food and service is top notch, a real treat was where they make ice cream for you at your table with liquid nitrogen and the steam floats over your table - very special. The entertainment was very good with a good variety of shows to suit all tastes. The Squok club kept our children aged 4 & 8 entertained with a variety of activities. Our youngest was a little scared at first as there where no English speaking children her age, but she soon settled in. The english language barrier was never an issue, as all the crew are required to speak English, some speak & understand it better than others but it was very easy to communicate. Rebekah our English speaking hostess was always available to help out, but we did not have any problems. Rebekah was fantastic, she arranged quizzes & deck walks and other little activities for the English speaking guests. As I said we booked 3 cruises back to back. The first 7 days was Norway and there is not much to say other than - BREATHTAKING. Of the ports that we visited Flam and Hellesylt & Geiranger where my favourite. The second cruise was another 7 days but this time it was to the Blatics and again it was all stunning. St Petersburg & Tallinn are the stand out picks on that leg of our holiday. The final cruise was 10 nights back to Savona "The Crossing" is what the crew was calling it, they where heading to thier home port for the first time since the ship was launched to there was quite an air of excitement on board. (we did the exact same cruise last year) all our port stops where great. All in all this was so far our best holiday ever, and I would recommend the Costa Deliziosa to any of my friends and family. Cruising Italian style is an experience that will leave you with many many fond memories - well for us it has anyway..... Read Less

After reading the reviews on the Costa Deliziosa, we were worried that we wouldn't like it, but having already tried Royal Caribbean, Princess and Island Cruises I can honestly say Costa were far better than our previous cruises. The ship is immaculate, the staff were brilliant, very attentive and really nice, the food was excellent, good quality, served very efficiently and well presented and the entertainment was far better than RC or Princess. We embarked at Dover, with the cruise having started in Copenhagen, we were two of only 20ish english speakers on the passenger list out of 2600, the passengers were mainly italian and german, but we never had a single problem with language as a very large proportion of the staff were very good english speakers. We visited Le Havre (check out the awesome church), Vigo, Lisbon (stunning) Cadiz (where we went to Seville - again stunning) and Malaga, we ended up in Savonna where we flew back to Gatwick. Embarkation and disembarkation were very well organised. The highlights of the cruise were the animators who entertain the passengers around the ship with the hysterical Fabito who does candid camera stunts which are shown before the evening shows. The evening shows are glitzy, professional and nice with a crew x-factor type show which was lovely. The english hostess Rebecka was really attentive but not "in your face" and always available if we had a problem, which we didn't. I would really recommend Costa it is far better than the previous reviewers have reported. We will definitely use them again. Read Less