Overall a very good cruise with tending to excellence for me as a single passenger. Boarding was a bit delayed, because of some officials for boarder control hadn’t been in time, but however I was onboard within 35 minutes from official start of boarding. Costa succeeded to get me onboard within 20 min on an earlier cruise elsewhere, but for me the second fast boarding ever anyway. As I didn’t stay in my cabin I don’t know exactly when my luggage arrived, but for sure not more than two hours after my boarding.

The ship is a huge one with a capacity of about 3800 passengers. But although the MDR was pretty full most evenings I hadn’t the impression of an overcrowded ship. There are way enough facilities to find a spot for everybody, only that passengers are reserving “their” deckchairs before breakfast with their towels is ongoing, although Costa forbids it expressively. General the service is great, especially in restaurants and bars. How can it be that some people in bars, serving hundreds or thousands guests a day, remember already the second day your name and the drink you had the day before? By the way: be sure that you have a drinking package that suits your needs, otherwise you’ll pay a fortune instead of a moderate price for a package.

I got the first seating for dinner, but my request to change to the late seating was honoured the next day. The meals were in most cases delicious Italian kitchen, completed by some local courses. Nearly everything was done between very well prepared and just perfect - just two courses disappointed me personally - on a cruise of three weeks. Generally Costa could do something with the cheese offered with dinner. The cheese itself varied daily and I enjoyed it, but it was every evening “cheese with dried fruit” and dried fruit were three weeks just raisins. Overall I really enjoyed the meals offered and at home I know more restaurants I dislike than those I’d recommend to you. Read more