Deliziosa in the Caribbean

Since the Luminosa will not return to Miami in winter of 2015-2016, I was excited to find Deliziosa will take her place. I am anxious to book a winter cruise on Deliziosa but although her sailings are listed on Costa's web site booking is not possible, not even pricing. I called Costa to ask when I could book and the sales reps did not even know the Deliziosa was headed to Miami. Seems the home office had not loaded the info into their internal system.

So I hope info is completed on the web site, at least pricing so I can at least plan ahead. Some might think its too early, but I am a planner by nature. Its been a long time since I sailed Costa, I loved the old Costa and look forward to seeing how it has matured since Carnival took over. I sailed the Atlantica after the take over and was not pleased, especially with the Farcus interiors missing the true Italian design found on earlier ships of the line.

Its been long enough, time to sail Costa again and see how the product compares to MSC which I sail on for the first time this September.

I would appreciate comments on the Deliziosa to wet my appetite, maybe even to book a summer med cruise on Costa in 2015.

Thanks for any thoughts.

Tom

Luminosa and Deliziosa are almost identical, later versions of the Atlantica. You may or may not like the decor. The theatre has been dropped one deck, eliminating the forward deck 1 lounge. A Samsara restaurant has been added, the dance floor in front of the restaurant was eliminated and the disco raised one deck. The dance floor in the lobby has been replaced by what I call the Deathstar hood ornament. Ugly and useless.

The Grand Bar has been enlarged, I think it's much nicer. Not quite as spectacular as the Queens Room on Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, but a close second. The Deck 3 Cafe has been redesigned, fully enclosed and no smoking, although smoking has been almost non-existent in my experience (I think there's a smoking lounge).

Costa musicians continue to take pride in playing what the passengers want to hear.

I have been on MSC Divina. The food was somewhat better, but otherwise I was not at all impressed, everything else came second to Costa.

If you want a preview, here she is in Valencia, Spain this afternoon, right next to her VERY fresh out of drydock (as in first sailing, repositioning to summer home), soon to be fleetmate, the Grand Celebration (formerly of Carnival).

Dancer Bob- I love the death star. I think it is the most dramatic piece of art commissioned for a ship since I started sailing. BUT, the problem with the death star is the installation on a Farcus designed space. By the way I hate Farcus designs.....his idea of Italian design is nuts. His design is Carnival not Costa. My hope is that Costa will slowly gut their fleet and start over with timeless Italian design like the Cost neoRomantica. The death star as you call it was just stunning in her original space, the Classica's lobby. A simple clean space with a multi deck ceiling and a over hanging stair case above. The sculpture was perfect for its original space, not competing with the current lobby in its over the top harlot red busy busy splash in your face décor.

Costa needs to go back to their Italian roots and drop Farcus, end of story.

I had hoped to sail Luminosa (slightly less farcasian in décor), but now must settle for Deliziosa. I will book her for a feb 2016 sailing if the web site ever indicates the books are open for reservations.

Woody Windy.....thanks for the photo. I thought the Celebration would get a new funnel and drop the winged funnel a Carnival trademark. I don't see the Celebration getting a subsequent rebuild to the quality of the NeoRomantica, she is too old. I did look over her interior on youtube and was happy to see her color pallet was not that of her original life as the Carnival Celebration. I sailed her the second month of service in 1987 and still laugh at her dinning room....aqua, pink, orange and excessive light bulbs. If Celebration gets a big refit and is made to look tryly Italian, I would consider her after having a lot of Pino Grigio:D:D:D

I want the old Costa....they need to break away from Carnival that has made them Carnival glitz with a yellow stack.

If they don't change their style, direction and image, MSC is going to kill them in my opinion.

More pictures please!:p

Woody Windy.....thanks for the photo. I thought the Celebration would get a new funnel and drop the winged funnel a Carnival trademark. I don't see the Celebration getting a subsequent rebuild to the quality of the NeoRomantica, she is too old. I did look over her interior on youtube and was happy to see her color pallet was not that of her original life as the Carnival Celebration. I sailed her the second month of service in 1987 and still laugh at her dinning room....aqua, pink, orange and excessive light bulbs. If Celebration gets a big refit and is made to look tryly Italian, I would consider her after having a lot of Pino Grigio:D:D:D

I want the old Costa....they need to break away from Carnival that has made them Carnival glitz with a yellow stack.

If they don't change their style, direction and image, MSC is going to kill them in my opinion.

More pictures please!:p

You're welcome! I do have a few more of Celebration, in a new thread dedicated to her. As for the funnel, I understand she is to continue sailing as Ibero for the rest of the summer before formally changing her name, so some of the old branding had to remain.

Perhaps there will be a secondary refit following the high season, certainly enough to change any remaining branding elements (e.g. Costa instead of Grand Celebration and probably at least painting, if not replacing, the funnel.) My understanding is that this latest refurbishment cost around $6 million, and took about 2 weeks. Not sure how much or how long the tweaks above would take.

RMS, I don't think you're going to like Deliziosa. The way you focus on decor- is gay-friendly a factor? If so, Costa attracts mostly straights, MSC Divina was much more gay-friendly.

The decor on MSC Divina I found to be pretty eclectic- no real unifying theme, even more confused than Costa.

The way MSC is discounting cruises, I wonder how much longer they can afford to keep Divina in he Caribbean.

I have sailed good ships, buckets that called themselves ships and less than desirable ships.

For some reason Costa is calling me back. Although the Luminosa appears to be a bit nicer in décor to my eyes, the Deliziosa will do just fine.

I have had only a few bad cruises, and it wasn't the hardware that made them bad. It came down to service and passengers that soured the experience.

All I need need is a clean bed, a hot shower, a good bartender, a good waiter and some food well prepared but not necessarily fancy.

The Deliziosa has a schedule listed for Jan-March 2016 yet not open for booking. As soon as I can book, may choose the Feb 5 sailing.

I love being at sea, I love the simplicity and should have great time. Reviews on cruise Critic can at times be very harsh.....I will decide for myself.

Now to find out more about the ship....like how good the gym is as I hit the gym every morning for 1 to 2 hours before breakfast. Whether the steam and sauna are good for an afternoon sweat before dressing for dinner. And is there a nice piano bar for me to spend time in meeting new people.

I started sailing Costa on the Carla C, what a far cry from what the Deliziosa...I just hope there is some Italian ambiance onboard. Now when will they let me book.....maybe I will splurge and book a suite:D:D:D

As far as the death star...to each his own. I personally think it is one of the most dramatic works of art I have ever seen at sea. The problem is the current installation which is horrible. The globe was meant to stand on its own and not compete with its surrounding area. To have it sitting is a harlot red room overloaded with Farcus details is in my opinion is a crime.

When I boarded the Classica for her maiden voyage the globe sat in a bare stark room with no ceiling. The recessed lights in the surrounding walls made the shiny surface sparkle...the floating staircase above reflected on its top making it a jaw dropping experience for me. The rest of the ship was stark, clean and uncluttered like a modern museum.....I loved it, other Americans I spoke to for the most part seemed to dislike it.

I can only guess this piece of art was moved when the Classica's future was in question and should be returned to her if the Classica is to become part of the neo collection. If not,then move it to the neoRomantica. To me the original Romantica lobby with its original cone and mobile was nothing to the sculpture on the Classica.

If Costa ever builds a high style Italian ship again, I hope they build a spot for the "death Star".

But to each his or her own.

As to relating décor/ style to sexual orientation, I am bewildered. Friendly is friendly, regardless of orientation. In my 76 ships to date only one was homophobic and that was the Seabourn Sun. On most ships its the passengers and not the crew that can pose a challenge.

I spent 12 years in the United States Marine Corps...intimidation does not concern me. I cruise to have a good time, if people have a problem then its their problem not mine. Enough of my soap box, time to make dinner.

I decided to book a suite on the Deliziosa in Feb 2016. The cruises for the first quarter of 2016 are listed but have a note stating they are not for sale at this time. Well I waited for a month now and still not available for booking.

Well....I logged in with my country being that of Italy........guess what...

the cruises are there with prices. so Italians can book but here in the US we cannot. Even the US Costa reps say they have nothing on the cruises.

Well I guess I will take my money to MSC......bye bye Costa.