LindsayMc22 Posted March 15, 2018 #1 Share Posted March 15, 2018 We are thinking of cruising with Costa next January. We have been on mostly NCL ships however have maxed out our itineraries for the time of year we can travel. Just looking for a comparison between NCL and Costa. Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nanwel Posted March 18, 2018 #2 Share Posted March 18, 2018 I have just come off Costa Deliozza,single. and loved it. Not keen personally on Norweign - had a bad trip on Dawn - very rude staff in a family suite. I Costa Menu translations were a bit off - hard to know what you were getting on some items, but all were very good. Costa was cleanest ship I have been on in years - always cleaning everything. Rooms were larger and the flow of the ship was nice - easy to get around. If change of ports was your main concern, you will not be disappointed in Costa - I felt I got value for my $ without being gouged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindsayMc22 Posted March 18, 2018 Author #3 Share Posted March 18, 2018 I have just come off Costa Deliozza,single. and loved it. Not keen personally on Norweign - had a bad trip on Dawn - very rude staff in a family suite. I Costa Menu translations were a bit off - hard to know what you were getting on some items, but all were very good. Costa was cleanest ship I have been on in years - always cleaning everything. Rooms were larger and the flow of the ship was nice - easy to get around. If change of ports was your main concern, you will not be disappointed in Costa - I felt I got value for my $ without being gouged. Thanks for your reply! My husband is mainly concerned about the language onboard. Which is their first language? How was the entertainment? And was the entertainment in a different language or was there English entertainment? How were sea days? Did you find there was enough to occupy your time? Thanks in advance! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nanwel Posted March 19, 2018 #4 Share Posted March 19, 2018 Keep loosing this thread, hope this answer get through. Language was most Italian - then English/French/and sometimes others There were many nationalities on board, but never had any trouble. All staff speak Eng. Shows were a dance production - no language/ many stage shows were musical or things that did not need specific language. I am single Cnd - sat with couple from Cnd, Us and a single gentleman us. Dinners were great fun - lots of entertainment in the main dinning room - like ships used to do and few do now. Fairly good library - locked except 10-12 and 2-5. Lots of entertainment on the pool deck and seafood buffets there on sea days. Glass cover for pool deck on rainy days. Mix of cruisers from all over the world - most variety I have ever seen - but all spoke a few words of E and we all managed to communicate. But, I am a world traveller and can say a few words in most languages. Ship was full, but never crowded - loved it - reminds me of cruising a few years ago when staff actually cared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindsayMc22 Posted March 19, 2018 Author #5 Share Posted March 19, 2018 Keep loosing this thread, hope this answer get through.Language was most Italian - then English/French/and sometimes others There were many nationalities on board, but never had any trouble. All staff speak Eng. Shows were a dance production - no language/ many stage shows were musical or things that did not need specific language. I am single Cnd - sat with couple from Cnd, Us and a single gentleman us. Dinners were great fun - lots of entertainment in the main dinning room - like ships used to do and few do now. Fairly good library - locked except 10-12 and 2-5. Lots of entertainment on the pool deck and seafood buffets there on sea days. Glass cover for pool deck on rainy days. Mix of cruisers from all over the world - most variety I have ever seen - but all spoke a few words of E and we all managed to communicate. But, I am a world traveller and can say a few words in most languages. Ship was full, but never crowded - loved it - reminds me of cruising a few years ago when staff actually cared. Thank you so Much! That is great information. We are from Canada as well, up in Sudbury - northern Ontario. Cruising is our life, and after crushing Norwegian and celebrity, it’s time to try something new. Thanks so much!! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nanwel Posted March 19, 2018 #6 Share Posted March 19, 2018 No problem - hope you enjoy the Costa line - I did. Felt modern, but a step back in time as well. Yes, I am in Orillia, and know Sudbury well - used to have a business partner there and my daughter went to Laurentian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindsayMc22 Posted March 19, 2018 Author #7 Share Posted March 19, 2018 No problem - hope you enjoy the Costa line - I did. Felt modern, but a step back in time as well. Yes, I am in Orillia, and know Sudbury well - used to have a business partner there and my daughter went to Laurentian Oh very cool! Laurentian is a wonderful university. Been to Orillia a few times, and will be going to Rama again soon! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejincali Posted March 19, 2018 #8 Share Posted March 19, 2018 I found the entertainment to be of higher quality on NCL vs. Costa. One tip when cruising Costa is to get to know the English host--he can introduce you to other English speakers if you like to socialize on cruises. And if you like Espresso, you've found your cruise line! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d66d66 Posted March 19, 2018 #9 Share Posted March 19, 2018 My husband and I loved our Costa cruise to the Baltic. The food was great, and the ship (Luminosa) was beautiful. The only English speakers were the staff and a few passengers. The majority were Italians, but we never felt left out. The entertainment is OK in the theater, but the small venues had wonderful singers and musicians. Do tours on your own because there will not be any for English speakers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.M.T. Posted March 20, 2018 #10 Share Posted March 20, 2018 With regards to tours. If there are not enough English speaks, then the tour could be combined with French or German speakers. Or even cancelled outright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alicat58 Posted March 21, 2018 #11 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Our most recent Diadema experience was totally different to the past. LOADS of Americans. We did three excursions with Costa, 2 really being transfers. The one guided tour had one bus just for English and the one we were on was French and English. I agree though, do your own thing. With small kids sitting on a bus for long is not ideal. They get bored and irritable. Alicat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindsayMc22 Posted March 23, 2018 Author #12 Share Posted March 23, 2018 Our most recent Diadema experience was totally different to the past. LOADS of Americans. We did three excursions with Costa, 2 really being transfers. The one guided tour had one bus just for English and the one we were on was French and English. I agree though, do your own thing. With small kids sitting on a bus for long is not ideal. They get bored and irritable. Alicat Thanks for the info! Did you enjoy the Diadema overall? Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alicat58 Posted March 24, 2018 #13 Share Posted March 24, 2018 Hi Lindsay This was our fourth time on the Diadema. I was very surprised that hubby suggested going on her because we said "never again". We actually really enjoyed it. There was a good buzz on the ship, I didn't think the food was a problem and for the first time on the Diadema we actually enjoyed the entertainment. They went through a phase of starting bar entertainment quite late but all three bars stated something at 20.15. The Grandbar started dance lessons at 17h00 and it was followed by bands rather than piped music. The atrium was even earlier but with the "market" going on there daily we never went in the evenings. Our biggest issue in the past was the decibels the sound engineers set up. It distorted and was ear paining. This time it was still loud but sensible. By the way I don't speak Italian, French or German. Never had a problem on a Costa cruise. All and all a very enjoyable cruise. Alicat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancer Bob Posted March 27, 2018 #14 Share Posted March 27, 2018 Was on Deliziosa in January, am on Mediterranea now. Costa does seems to have returned to two groups in the Grand Bar with continuous music, plus several alternatives. Costa musicians try harder to please than any other cruise line I know. Entertainment on NCL I found much inferior. Pretty lowest-common-denomitor, at-home-watching-television stuff. Discussing options with the Cruise Director, he couldn't care less ("no resources", which could be true, the musicians were pretty lacklustre, but that just moves the disdain to corporate Entertainment booking). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNCruzer56 Posted April 26, 2018 #15 Share Posted April 26, 2018 Done both. We are not loyal to any cruz line as so many are and the loyalty seems to be paying off less and less. Overhead announcements are usually in 5 languages but obviously tend to be shorter. They put us at an English speaking table, 2 Kiwis, 2 Canucks and 4 Yanks. We all got along great, even closed the dining room twice and met up ashore a couple of times. One thing we didn`t like was the buffet breakfast. There was little to no eggs and meat, but a ton of carbs-rolls, pastries etc. We had to go to MDR for an American breakfast-and it went pretty fast. Entertainment was average, but in the port intensive and lots of walking Med, after dinner, you`re pretty much pooped (climbed that dam mountain in Kotar). Try all the cruz lines, vive la différence! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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