Ah, where to begin... Embarkation: We arrived at the port with transfers provided through our tour operator just fine. However, we discovered that we had not been provided with Costa luggage tags or the information/ticket booklet which most other travellers seemed to have. Costa reps provided us with tags at the port and we were on our way. Inside the terminal, there are two lines to check in: one for US residents and one for non-US residents. As non-US residents we were directed to the second line. This line seemed to move forward in inches while the first line went very rapidly. After over an hour in line a Costa rep pulled us to a check-in agent and in a few minutes we were boarding the ship. We had about 10 minutes for a quick lunch before the 4pm muster drill. Moral of the story - Canadians can check in in the US resident line.

Stateroom: Our stateroom was on deck 8 and had a fabulous balcony. Our room was larger than I expected and had plenty of storage space for our clothing & bathroom items. Even though we were three adults sharing the cabin, we never felt like we were really in each other's way. Other reviews complained about the firm mattresses. Yes, they were firm, but not uncomfortable for the 7 days we were on board. We spent many, many hours enjoying the balcony.

Ship Info: Loved the daily Today publication. It contained tons of valuable information from sales in the gift shop, hours for dinner, navigational highlights, disembarkation information.... I imagine there was also more information in the ticket booklet which we never received. Decor is a little over the top. After a few days I started to appreciate it more and found it quite beautiful. Gym looked nice, although I didn't manage to work out once during the cruise. Considering how tight my clothes are upon return, that may have been a mistake! Read more