just back from the Atlantic crossing Meiterranea

A few remarks from an European cruiser.

The ship is awfull big ,not enough deckchairs available,well more than

enough towels.

The pools very crowded,with Italian families .

A very few Americans aboard ,alas.

The ship is very clean.

The stewards are working very hard !!

The service for me was EXCELLENT !

The tip about the matresstopper excellent. Thanks .

The tip about the winearrangment excellent , Thanks

THE TIP about the extra cappucino's EXCELLENT thanks .

The cruisemaster was low very low.

There was no toganight.

Europeans are not in for that event.

The Spa I enjoyed it every day ,one off the most beautifull places aboard. in front of the ship with a view from the bubblepool over the sea.

.

The food was the best I ever had on many many cruises, BUT

European style !!!!!

The quality and the diversity in 16 days was amazing !!!!!

18 hours drinks ,ice and pizza's available.

AND the whole day FRESH fruit I never had that before,

That was a nice surprice I eat a lot off that. (fruit)

Also in the cabin a lot of tropical fruit !

I can't understand what kind of people are complaining about that.

Comparing the prices one paid it is 5 star food on a price of 3 stars.

My only complaint is that there is no quite place to find, outdoors,

only on the 11/12 floor.

Lucky the sea was soooooooo calm that I have spend many hours on my balcony.

Cabin breakfast was the same as on any other ship. 4/5 stars

Good for me.

I heard ,never been there, that the buffet offers plenty in English/American/European breakfaststyle.

Once again I can't understand all the complaints about that.

Perhaps they never cruised before.

The only thing that ---botherd --- me was the awfull crowd !

1200 passengers in the diningroom. I was sitting on table 19 with a view,lucky for me.

All the ladies where dressed very well every evening.The gala's even better !

There was no informal dressing on the 16 days.

Even when the --Today --says INFORMAL

There where a lot off welldressed man too .

YES I am going to take a Atlanticcrossing with Costa again !!

But now I am prepared for the crowded decks !!!!!

That is my only worry for the next cruise with Costa.

This is review is posted by the

Flying Dutchlady

Please explain what you meant by tip about winearrangement and cappucino

as I am cruising on this ship from Venice next month

Nice to cruise from Venice.

The winearrangement is 5 bottles wine ,1 sparkling bottle and 10 soda

for 119 Euro. The wine is reasonable.

You should ask for it the first evening,when you prefer wine at your dinner.

Wine a la carte is much more expensive.

In the morning you can start with 1/2/3/ cappucino's and croissants for breakfast in your cabin.

There is a lot more to order for breakfast.

After this you can go to the buffets or the restaurant to finish your breakfast,when you need more.

The cappucino;s on deck cost more than 2 Euro.

Ask for a matress topper ,you need it.

I have slept 16 days as good as --------

Have a nice trip.

happy cruising!

Flying Dutchlady

Please explain what you meant by tip about winearrangement and cappucino

as I am cruising on this ship from Venice next month

Hi Jean, Just to clarify, in case you didn't get her post clearly. She was just thanking everybody for the "tips," information that she learned on this board that made her cruise more enjoyable. The wine & water package available from Costa for those who enjoy wine with dinner each night. Guests can order cappucino off the room service breakfast menu for free, whereas it cost extra if you order it in the dining room. Also, the mattress topper is available on request. This can be a godsend for those who don't care for the thin mattresses provided. It can be requested by calling Costa in advance or just ask your room steward the first day aboard. Hope this clarifies the post.

Hi Cronestein, Glad to hear you enjoyed your cruise. I seem to recall that someone wished you smooth seas. You made it home in time to see the tulips blooming, which I read came late to Holland this year.

I agree with most of the comments of cronestein/ flying dutchlady. We (signifigant other and I) were on the same cruise.

It was our first time with Costa, but it will not be the last. It helps that I speak and understand Italian and a bit of German.

I know that one of the large German groups had some sort of drink plan, as they had a red dot on their Costa Cards and were able to get soft drinks and beer -- many large beers -- by just showing the card.

The "reserved" deck lounges situation was the same as on most other cruises and at some resorts. Many people think that it is their right to tie up a deck lounge all day and only use it for a few hours. One man even had the gall to use one lounge to lie on and another to block the wind. When a friend asked to use it he got very irate and yelled at her. Language barrier in action.

Thanks for your post

Thanks Mondello for the kind words ,indeed when I fly over our country all the flowers where blooming.A lovely sight!

There are a lot of tourists in the Netherlands.

I just heard on tv that there was a fire on the Calypso.One of ---my --- first ships,a long long time ago.

Every thing is OK ,but it must have been a nasty experience in the icy cold Northsea in the middle of the night

.

When something like that happens when you are in the diningroom of the Mediterranea on the end ,than I don''t know where to go.

There where about 460 passengers a board of the Calypso all Dutch

Nothing serious happened thanks -----------

KS1K, sure we where on the same ship,even on the same deck where the accident with the chair happened.

You are right when you speak some languages its often easier .

! speak 3 fluent and one more or less. But some people are stonedeaf in any language.(even their own )

They miss the manners to travel like wellbehaved people,and since anyone can afford a trip like this, it should becoming worse.

That is my biggest problem with the crowded decks.

People speaking 7/8 different languages don't understand each other, and with an attitude of -----WHO the hell are you ----- and alcoholic drinks , big problems are born !!

5 very calm seadays without seasickness is for many to endless.

This is the first time I have been in such a situation.

When the sea is rough ,many are seasick.

But this time, I have never seen such flat sea for 5 days,very annoying indeed.

I hope next time again, windforce 5/6 !!!! and most of them are in the cabin.

Or I must pay a lot more and travel with a 6 star vessel.

I think that is a pity , because its not Costa but some people travelling Costa.

By the way , THE SHOWS WHERE AMAZING don't you think so ?

Flying Dutchlady

Dutch Lady/ cronestein:

Yes, the shows were AMAZING. Especially the "Shadow Images." I thought that it would be boring, but it was VERY well done.

I also enjoyed the cocktail parties. As we had first sitting we could attend the first sitting cocktail party and then go to the second sitting one as well and get a good seat for the show.

I agree with your comments concerning " some people are stonedeaf in any language.(even their own )

They miss the manners to travel like wellbehaved people,and since anyone can afford a trip like this, it should becoming worse."

It is part of life on a cruise ship. Some people are just not tuned in to the whole picture. It is a shame.

We met some wonderful people on the cruise. On a tour of Maderia there were 6 English speaking people and the rest were Italians. When we arrived at the lunch stop I suggested that the other 4 English speakers sit together and we would sit with an Italian couple. What a wonderful couple. They live in Geona and their daughter worked in the photo concession on the ship. We would have missed this opprotunity if we had stayed in our own small world. It is a blessing to be multilingual.

I often say that most Americans speak one language (poorly) and most of the rest of the world is multilungual. I have often been thankful that I learned two other languages ( Italian and Japanese). Did you see the Japanese tourists in Maderia? I was surprised to see them and they were surprised when I spoke to them.

Thanks

Nice to hear from you,Yes the shows where really 5*

Even better than HAL and Cunard !

Funnie ,I was also first sitting and sitting on the 5 row in the theatre.

Because my leg was not willing to do what I like to do , I was sitting in a wheelchair.

My ---pusher--drives me by accident ALSO twice to the coctailpartie.

Never mind I like champagne.

I also liked the EASTEREGG as a Eastersurprise in the cabin ,a really nice gesture.

The mango's and other fresh fruit in the cabin was also a treat every day.

Like 5* vessels.

The crew responded very well on kind worths and gives a good service,pushers driving my wheelchair ,when I need then.

When you are travelling alone you are depended of then.

Yes ,I have seen the Japenes,but in our country there are a lot more.

Thousand and thousands to see the blooming tulips.So we are used to that.

I always hire a taxi instead of a excursion to see the isles.

But most of the isles I have seen a lot of times,so I stay in town,like in Funchal.

I am curious if we have seen each other in that crowd on board.

I am going to cross the Atlantic as soon as possible.again ! am addicted I

But I like to do that with the English and the Americans,because -crossing--Americans are very interesting,with an open mind.

I am not in for a bunch of Germans.

OK Costa again,but the crowd is still a nightmare for me.

Hope to hear from you !

Good sunday

Flying Dutchlady