So we took a Costa cruise last week.

[redsonja76]

I'm still not entirely sure what the heck we were thinking. It's one thing to go on a Disney cruise and then after that sail on say Princess, or Royal Carribbean, but it's an entirely different thing to sail on Disney and then go on something so horrible as a Costa cruise. We were ALL sadly disappointed. The only things that saved the cruise for us were:
1. We sailed with friends.
2. The ports were AWESOME. (Olympia, Santorini, Rhodes, Dubrovnik)
3. Our stateroom was spacious.
4. The absolute best drink package I've ever seen on a cruise. 19.50 Euro a day per person covered all the drinks you could want from the basic nickel and diming of the soda/juice/bottled water, but it also included cappucino, espresso, and alcoholic drinks. We for sure got our money's worth of Bailey's Banana Coladas.

Things I hated:
1. Customer service was completely lacking.
2. Kids program for my 5 year old was basically a bunch of tv watching.
3. Teen program was non existent.
4. A HUGE lack of organized activities.
5. Minimum access to food choices. It was diner in the main dining room or no dinner at all.
6. Food was terrible.

So, I guess I'm back to planning our next Disney cruise for next year! Oh Disney, I'll never stray again (except for the RCL I already have booked for this summer lol).

 

[brianvdb]

I'm still not entirely sure what the heck we were thinking. It's one thing to go on a Disney cruise and then after that sail on say Princess, or Royal Carribbean, but it's an entirely different thing to sail on Disney and then go on something so horrible as a Costa cruise. We were ALL sadly disappointed. The only things that saved the cruise for us were:
1. We sailed with friends.
2. The ports were AWESOME. (Olympia, Santorini, Rhodes, Dubrovnik)
3. Our stateroom was spacious.
4. The absolute best drink package I've ever seen on a cruise. 19.50 Euro a day per person covered all the drinks you could want from the basic nickel and diming of the soda/juice/bottled water, but it also included cappucino, espresso, and alcoholic drinks. We for sure got our money's worth of Bailey's Banana Coladas.

Things I hated:
1. Customer service was completely lacking.
2. Kids program for my 5 year old was basically a bunch of tv watching.
3. Teen program was non existent.
4. A HUGE lack of organized activities.
5. Minimum access to food choices. It was diner in the main dining room or no dinner at all.
6. Food was terrible.

So, I guess I'm back to planning our next Disney cruise for next year! Oh Disney, I'll never stray again (except for the RCL I already have booked for this summer lol).

As of a few weeks ago, Costa cruise fares had been reduced by 80-90%. I'm surprised they haven't folded yet.

 

[gailg3horses]

Well at least you made it back alive and in one piece.

 

[Green Tea]

I've been on Costa and it was fine. Weird such a different experience. The room was large as you said. When I went the food was good and everywhere. Service was good. I didn't have any complaints, really.

 

[jdb in AZ]

As of a few weeks ago, Costa cruise fares had been reduced by 80-90%. I'm surprised they haven't folded yet.

They're a subsidiary of Carnival, so they have the huge conglomeration to keep them afloat (so to speak.) Otherwise I suspect they would have folded long before the Concordia captain hit rock bottom.

 

[gatzsd]

We actually sailed the Costa Concordia in 2007 - although we were glad to make it off alive, we too thought it was an absolutely horrible cruise.
We did a lot of the Med stops you did but also included Egypt and that part was awesome. The food was so terrible we had to bring food on the ship from the ports so we had something decent to eat! The service in the dining room was even worse. Also there seemed to be a definite lack of activities for english speaking passengers - my husband and I ended up playing a lot of cards because we were so bored on sea days. He asked me never to ask him to do another cruise EVER. Fast forward 3 years later when we now have a 3 year old daughter and I talked him into doing the Med on Disney with her. It took A LOT of coaxing but now he is almost as hooked as I am on Disney cruises.