Costa Toscana Cabins
There are 2,663 cabins aboard Costa Toscana, 1,550 of which offer private balconies. The ship also offers economical inside staterooms with no view, and fixed-window oceanview staterooms, in addition to the higher-priced balcony and suite categories.
Cabins were designed by Dordoni Architetti of Milan, and feature lighting, soft furnishings and furniture from all-Italian suppliers, giving these rooms a decidedly Euro-modern look and feel that is far and away different from most cruise ship cabins past cruisers might be used to.
Even at the lowest-end of the accommodation spectrum, Costa Toscana impresses with inside cabins that have many of the same thoughtful décor and design touches as their more expensive counterparts. Flat-panel televisions are recessed into an attractive colored wall accent panel, and a small desk is adorned with a fixed lamp with a glass shade for an increased sense of space. The desk contains two drawers, one of which houses the room's built-in hairdryer. Vanity mirrors run floor-to-ceiling, and all rooms contain three European-style electrical outlets and three USB-powered outlets. Individual reading lights are mounted behind the bed, which can be positioned either as two twins or one queen.
Oceanview staterooms add a comfortable couch and daybed combination, along with larger bathrooms. Clad in marble accents, these smartly-designed bathrooms could be the best-designed at sea, and rival those found on more upscale competitors like Viking. Showers are spacious and offer glass doors that open inward, while a mixture of shelves and baskets offer more storage space than most are likely to need.
Another unique feature: oceanview cabins have a small sitting area built-in to the wall underneath the oversized window, perfect for lazy gazing out at sea.
Balcony staterooms come equipped with a generously-sized balcony at even the lowest grade. Each balcony consists of two "director-style" chairs and a small table, and chairs can be folded up and stored elsewhere for more space. Upper grades of balcony cabin add larger balconies that offer more space both inside and out, along with the presence of loungers on extended balconies.
Balconies come in two distinct categories: full, standard balcony cabins with plexiglass railings; and sheltered balconies lower down on Deck 5 that are inset into the hull of the ship. These also have plexiglass railings, but have storm windows and doors (large, metal coverings on hinges recessed into the exterior balcony wall) that may be shut by crew during inclement weather due to the close proximity of these cabins to the waterline -- though cabins are still three decks above that point.
Suites, as one might expect, are varied, and offer substantially more living space, along with the largest balconies on the ship. Suites also come with a wide array of VIP perks, like butler service, in-room canapes, pillow menus, upgraded toiletries, and other amenities depending on cabin grade.
Cabins aren't all cookie-cutter, either: the stateroom colors and décor change depending on the deck the room is located on.
Most cabins, however, do not include mini-bars or small refrigerators, and balcony lights cannot be controlled by passengers, despite the presence of an external light mounted above the door that is, presumably, for emergency use only.
Costa allows smoking on external balconies, but not in cabins.
Costa Toscana's Terrace Suite Cabins Are a Hit
The hottest accommodations ticket aboard Costa Toscana are the ship's new Terrace Suites. There are just 14 of these rooms onboard, spread across Deck 8 and Deck 9. Nearly identical to balcony rooms, they differ in one important area: each room has an internal, and external, balcony area, with the internal balcony functioning as a sort of oceangoing in-room solarium.
Windows can open completely when weather allows, turning these rooms into open-air balconies reminiscent of those found on some newer river cruise ships. Terrace Suites on Deck 8 are level with the ship's aft promenade deck (known as the Infinity Walk), with railings attractively clad in faux vines for increased privacy and separation from the main promenade.
Cabins to Avoid on Costa Toscana
If you aren't a fan of the nightlife, avoid the aft-facing cabins and suites aboard Costa Toscana. While the views are incredible and the balconies, in some cases, are generously-sized, the presence of significant nightlife and an onboard DJ spinning tunes at the below Infinity Bar on Deck 7 means these staterooms and suites will be subject to increased noise until roughly 1 a.m. on most days. Light sleepers, beware!
Cruise Critic's Cabin Picks on Costa Toscana
On a Budget: The Oceanview cabins aboard Costa Toscana are a great marriage of value and amenities. We particularly like the small loveseat-style seating area below cabin windows, and the generous amount of space these rooms offer.
For Families: Extended Balcony staterooms offer more interior and exterior space for families to spread out, without having to jump to the suite category. For more space, consider booking a connecting stateroom as well -- two balcony staterooms are still, in many cases, more affordably priced than one suite.
Splash: The Terrace Suites aboard Costa Toscana are among the most unique at sea thanks to their unique two-balconies-in-one concept. The catch? With just 14 of these beauties onboard, they're likely to sell out well in advance, so some pre-planning is required to snag one before they're gone.
Splurge: Costa Toscana's eight forward-facing Grand Suites are among the nicest onboard, with 350 square feet of living space and a 100-square-foot balcony, not to mention a commanding view of the sea ahead.