Costa Secrets they usually don't tell you about

I got this idea from the Carnival group. What "secrets" have you learned while cruising with Costa that might help others?

Obviously Costa don't have any "secrets"! 154 views and not one reply!

Obviously...

This will be our first cruise on Costa, so not really sure yet.

I think the biggest "secret" is the X1 package.

Fully obstructed view cabins on the Med. and Atlantica have a fully opening door to hear the ocean.

I've been on four Costa cruises, and on each cruise a different pasta was served somewhere on the ship each day during the lunch hours. Most of the time it was prepared fresh in one of the lounges as the passengers lined up to be served, and most of the time it was very good. As I recall, this "pasta bar" was not listed in the daily news letters.

We have only been on the Costa Med so things may be specific to her and her class of ship.

The deal that is the X1... had it twice. Fantastic deal. The waiter finally knew to just set the wine bottles on the table and let us pour for ourselves since they knew the bottle would be toast by the end of the meal anyway. Beer and soft drinks too. Nice.

Daily pasta aaaaand the pasta course at dinner. Loved the pasta course at dinner. Always fresh and generally very creative.

On Spirit Class ships (Costa Med/Atlantica/some Carnival ships too) the almost complete wrap around 3rd deck.. best place to take a stroll after dinner and my favorite, the best place to sit with a drink of the day for almost complete privacy is aft on 3rd. No chairs but the deck is fine and the rumble of the azipods (and the influence of alcohol) on a calm day will lull you to sleep.

Oriental tea... like 10 varieties of fragrant tea. I think the oriental tea service is only on sea days. A real treat.

The free room service cappuccinos for breakfast. We would each get 2 on our tray in the morning with croissants. Lovely treat on your veranda.

I'll try to think of more. :D

We have only been on the Costa Med so things may be specific to her and her class of ship.

 

The deal that is the X1... had it twice. Fantastic deal. The waiter finally knew to just set the wine bottles on the table and let us pour for ourselves since they knew the bottle would be toast by the end of the meal anyway. Beer and soft drinks too. Nice.

 

Daily pasta aaaaand the pasta course at dinner. Loved the pasta course at dinner. Always fresh and generally very creative.

 

On Spirit Class ships (Costa Med/Atlantica/some Carnival ships too) the almost complete wrap around 3rd deck.. best place to take a stroll after dinner and my favorite, the best place to sit with a drink of the day for almost complete privacy is aft on 3rd. No chairs but the deck is fine and the rumble of the azipods (and the influence of alcohol) on a calm day will lull you to sleep.

 

Oriental tea... like 10 varieties of fragrant tea. I think the oriental tea service is only on sea days. A real treat.

 

The free room service cappuccinos for breakfast. We would each get 2 on our tray in the morning with croissants. Lovely treat on your veranda.

 

I'll try to think of more. :D

Thanks for the info.

Newbie to Costa, can the x1 package be used in the lounges or just at meal times

It's an unlimited drink package that can only be used at mealtimes. Do a search on this board, and you will find a huge number of posts about the X-1 package.

I just tried the search, and for some reason it doesn't work. Go to the second page of this forum, and you will find at least two threads relating to the X-1 package.

Fully obstructed view cabins on the Med. and Atlantica have a fully opening door to hear the ocean.

Fireofficier - How does this work?? Does it have the clear plexiglass like a regular balcony when you open the door?? Somehow it just doesn't sound safe..:eek: but maybe it's just me. We have a obstructed oceanview cabin for our Thanksgiving cruise on the Atlantica. DH wants to know if he will be able to see the ocean at all or just hear it? Sounds very interesting.

Thanks so much!

I've been on four Costa cruises, and on each cruise a different pasta was served somewhere on the ship each day during the lunch hours. Most of the time it was prepared fresh in one of the lounges as the passengers lined up to be served, and most of the time it was very good. As I recall, this "pasta bar" was not listed in the daily news letters.

So how did you find it?

We just returned from a cruise on the Classica, and there was a pasta station in the buffet line. However, most days there was also a pasta bar in the Alfresco Cafe on the outside back of the ship. This pasta was made to order, and was better than the pasta from the buffet line.

On other Costa cruises, the pasta bar was in the lounge at the top of the ship or, on the larger ships, they were located in the areas where ice cream and pizza were served.

As for finding them, if they aren't in the daily program, you can try asking one of the crew, or you'll just need to find them by walking around during the time lunch is served. Good luck.

one of the favortie tips i learned here is that cappucinnos are free from room service in the morning.

The following oceanview cabins with obstructed view that one can acutally see and hear the ocean are: 4114 4115, 4122, 23, 4140,41,4148,49, 4196, 97. The best most view is in cabin 4122 and 4123. These cabins are very large (185 sq.ft) and have a large leather sofa, mini fridge, safe, pleanty of closet space and the view is from two french doors that actually open in-ward (you can hold it open with the door stop from the entrance. There is a wooden railing as high as a balcony railing so as safe as those I am sure. From the railing downward it is clear plexiglass or whatever it is called. I just had one 4133 on Carnival Miracle in June and it is the same ship exactly except for the Carnival touch. For the price I prefer it to a regular oceanview that is on a lower deck and just a view. Nice to hear/smell and see the ocean. I laid back on my bed feet towards headboard and enjoyed the view that way. It was great! Have a super cruise.

The following oceanview cabins with obstructed view that one can acutally see and hear the ocean are: 4114 4115, 4122, 23, 4140,41,4148,49, 4196, 97. The best most view is in cabin 4122 and 4123. These cabins are very large (185 sq.ft) and have a large leather sofa, mini fridge, safe, pleanty of closet space and the view is from two french doors that actually open in-ward (you can hold it open with the door stop from the entrance. There is a wooden railing as high as a balcony railing so as safe as those I am sure. From the railing downward it is clear plexiglass or whatever it is called. I just had one 4133 on Carnival Miracle in June and it is the same ship exactly except for the Carnival touch. For the price I prefer it to a regular oceanview that is on a lower deck and just a view. Nice to hear/smell and see the ocean. I laid back on my bed feet towards headboard and enjoyed the view that way. It was great! Have a super cruise.

Thanks for the cabin specific info.

Do you have any idea about 4203, 4205 and 4207 on the Atlantica? On the ship diagram they look like they might have the french doors

I believe these three cabins are all for handicap passengers but if you have been issued a choice between these 3, I would definitely take cabin 4205 as I think this one has a semi obstructed view and yes they will have french doors. The obstruction to the right is part of the lifeboat but to the left side of the doors you can see the ocean down below and across. Definately not cabin 4207 as there is the entire lifeboat in front and I think that 4203 the same. What one can see from these two handicap cabins is the ocean from underneath the lifeboat only. NOt much of a view at all. All the handicaps cabins are larger than the 185 sq. ft. of the outside cabins. I had cabin 4133 obstructed view mid-ship and was quite content with it. Just seeing and smelling the ocean and hearing the waves was great.

I believe these three cabins are all for handicap passengers but if you have been issued a choice between these 3, I would definitely take cabin 4205 as I think this one has a semi obstructed view and yes they will have french doors. The obstruction to the right is part of the lifeboat but to the left side of the doors you can see the ocean down below and across. Definately not cabin 4207 as there is the entire lifeboat in front and I think that 4203 the same. What one can see from these two handicap cabins is the ocean from underneath the lifeboat only. NOt much of a view at all. All the handicaps cabins are larger than the 185 sq. ft. of the outside cabins. I had cabin 4133 obstructed view mid-ship and was quite content with it. Just seeing and smelling the ocean and hearing the waves was great.

Thank You

Not everyone realizes that they do 'toga ' night in the Caribbean.

We found out about it by reading these boards before our last cruise on Costa. They leave a sheet on your bed and thats it ! you are suppose to tie it on you like a toga. They give you some vauge instructions. About a third of the ship participated. It was a hoot.

Since we knew in advance, we went to a costume store and brought our own accessories.

Roman jewely, belts, an olive leaf wreath for my husbands head. He looked like Ceasar !

Be a sport & participate ! It was a load of fun.

Also, like MSC cruiseline, they had carafes of house wine at dinner. Great buy, I think it was $8.00. We each got 2 glasses out of it. On the whole, all liquor is cheaper than american ships and they did not add 15% gratuity !

On many cruise lines, the morning of disembarkation is chaotic and breakfast is almost nonexistant. On my first Costa cruise, however, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the dining room was open for a regular full sit-down breakfast! When I expressed my surprise to the restaurant manager, he said "But of course, you must dine for breakfast!".

It's such an elegant, civilized way to end the cruise. We have made it a tradition now, to all gather together for this last meal. It gives us a chance to say goodbye to friends and family before they scatter about to cars and airline terminals, and to say farewell to the crew.

And don't worry about rushing to get off, or missing the call of your luggage tag color. The dining room is opened very early (I don't recall the exact time). And on all of my Costa cruises disembarkation is very efficient (no sitting around forever in a lounge, though you can if you want to). The colors are called very fast; people form a and simply leave. Each time, we were easily off the ship no later than 9 a.m. Bear in mind, however, that all of our Costa sailings have been in and out of Fort Lauderdale. The experience in other ports may well be different.

We were so confident with Costa's efficency that after the first cruise, we've always booked late morning flights back to NY and have not heeded the usual standard guideline of booking after 1 p.m. However, I wouldn't recommend doing this if you're traveling with senior citizen, kids, etc. I'd classify ourselves as experienced business travelers, so we tend to hussle through airports. :-) Also - there always have been plenty of taxis at the terminal ready to whisk you to the airport.

So - on disembarkation morning -dine for breakfast! :D

Just curious if the spa has facilities that are for the public (who do not necessarily getting spa service), such as hot tub, steam room or sauna, and showers.

Also, people mentioned the capucino is free in breakfast room service, what about at other sit down meal time?

Thanks.

Thanks for the cappucino tip!

Have just returned from the Eastern Med cruise on Costa Victoria. I agree the X1 package is well kept secret. The time taken to embark is also a secret, you are given a number but no indication of time before embarcation, so newbies,like me, just sit. There should be a system of letting you know the waiting time,so you can go a walk, sit outside or get a cup of coffee.

We were told by our English rep that the cheapest way to get coffee was to have a cup brought to your cabin. There are also ads. in the lifts advertising a coffee 'package' in fact there are coffee and water points all over the ship FOC. Decided rep [who sounds like a Butlins red coat] must be on commission.

In general the cruise was superb.We ate breakfast and lunch in the dining room, much more civilised than the buffet, but unless you read the small print in the newsletter you may never know this.

The biggest secret is the poor value of the tours and info about how cheap and easy it is to do it yourself. Unless you are an ancient history fanatic do it youself. Buy a guide book and use taxies, still works out much cheaper.[Haggle for taxi prices}

We had an inside cabin but it was very comfortable and like the rest of the ship spotlessly clean. Even in 5 star hotels I didn't get my towels changed twice a day .

Will I go Costa again? Definately, can't wait

Also, people mentioned the capucino is free in breakfast room service, what about at other sit down meal time?

 

Thanks.

breakfast only. cappucinno is a breakfast drink anyway. no self-respecting italian would dare order it after 10:30. esspresso is the name of the game after that. you can get those for 1.5 euros and they are as good as what you will get in italy.