We selected this cruise because of the itinerary and our positive experiences with the aforementioned Carnival owned cruise lines. Given Costa is a subsidiary of Carnival, Inc., we felt comfortable booking with what we anticipated was a proven commodity. It is also relevant to note that we expected some cultural differences and perhaps even some service level inconsistencies.

Between October 21st and October 28th, the Costa Romantica followed a seven day itinerary to include Messina, Izmir and three ports in Greece which included Santorini, Mykonos, and Athens. What we experienced was a reasonably positive experience with the front line staff (cabin stewards, waiters, etc.) and a tremendous amount of frustration with Costa policies, fees (notably drinking water), and an incredibly poorly conceived buffet (we understand this will be overhauled during dry dock).

Below you will find a bullet point assessment of what we felt was positive (the good), less than desirable (the bad), and what was downright miserable (the ugly). We cruise approximately every 18-24 months and are uncertain of our future with Carnival owned cruise lines given the very disappointing experience last week on Costa Romantica. We hope you take our feedback to heart and consider ways to improve the experience. While we recognize North American travelers compose a small proportion of the passengers on the Costa lines, we would be remiss in sharing that the views expressed in this letter were replicated in conversations we had with several other English speakers at the end of the trip. There was a growing consensus that Costa must exhibit significant improvement to earn the business of repeat North American travelers or avoid being negatively reviewed on popular travel websites. Read more