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Costa Diadema thoughts/info


stone1061
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My daughter and I are looking to book this cruise on the Costa Diadema. I was looking for any thoughts or information/reviews of this cruise and itinerrary. It leaves out of Barcelona in November. We also looked at the MSC Seaview but it leaves out of Naples and it just seems leaving out of Barcelona is easier with distance from airport and not having to add additional travel. We are travelling from the US and once we arrive we will be staying one day pre cruise. Thank you for any help/tips you offer. This is our first time in Europe.

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As a long time Costa cruiser with over 25 cruises with them and three on the Diadema, I can say never again on this ship, although we still love Costa.

 

There is not one single bar that is quiet & relaxing where we could sit and chat with people we had met, wherever you go the noise level is above normal, the wonderful piano bar aft which normally is a place which offered a chance to have a quiet drink, turned into somewhere orders must be shouted & often repeated before waiters could understand any order. The only place we found to relax was alongside the Pizza/burger bar and all the foot traffic on deck five. Restaurant's were over crowded even given we could eat in the club restaurant it was chaos finding a table unless we stood outside before doors opened.

 

I would say that this ship is for young to middle age swingers, not for anyone who like a quiet bar or even a place to sit without the constant noise blasting in your ears.

For the first time in 21 years we will not be on a Costa ship for our anniversary next year as only the Diadema in available & we both refuse to consider that.

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Have to say we found the opposite of above.

 

 

Restaurants quiet - Samsara we were the only people in... Piano bar our fave location , nice and relaxing for after dinner coffee then drinks before moving on.

 

 

I guess it depends on the time of year

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We have been on the Diadema three times. We loved the first time, hated the second time so much we said never again and then went again and loved it. It is definitely a younger crowd.

 

Our first and second time we thought the sound engineers had hearing difficulties. The sound levels were distorted they were so high. The last time it was still loud in some of the bars depending where you went but some had great music.

 

If you do go try and get a cabin far from the theatre(whichever deck) unless you stay up late. It can be pretty noisy.

 

Unless you have a stay over in Naples before your cruise(MSC) I would think Barcelona is much easier for boarding. Getting from the airport is really easy and there are loads of options.

 

Riana

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To be fair we had met Rick the piano player twice before on the Magica & he was okay then the music was just right, after speaking to him after one performance he did tell us it was much louder than then due to the younger audience.

 

Yes the Samsara was a lot quieter than the club restaurant we ate there twice over Christmas & once in February, however I certainly would not even consider the Diadema not our sort of ship or even lay-out, the suites were drab and confined.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Our first time on Diadema was awful as I got Norovirus.

2nd time on we were with friends and had a ball. The entertainment was good - especially the Red Alligators in the Country Rock Club.

Our 3rd cruise which was New Years Eve embarkation in Barcelona was a mistake! A very very busy ship. Female Staff in Samsara were the worst ever encountered.

We had breakfast and lunch in the very busy club restaurant and enjoyed the experience.

We felt there was so much disruption at every port of call with people joining and disembarking.

The entertainment wasn’t very good either!

It really put us off doing another Diadema cruise.

 

Caryl

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I've been on Diadema in November. I avoid school holidays and I wouldn't book any ship over Xmas/New Year, but I thought off-season was a nice mix, (and it's been a long time since anyone called me a young swinger!). I stay up pretty late, but you can find quiet corners if you look.

Music far superior to any American ship I've been on (for a while Costa tried to save money on music but as far as I know it's been reinstated on all ships).

I'd also recommend Barcelona over Naples.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Has anyone been on both the Diadema and Voyager of the Seas? Curious how the two compare given that they are of similar tonnage/size (132,500 vs 138,200).

 

I have never been on a Costa cruise (only RCI and Princess) so I decided to go for their biggest/newest ship to experience Costa firsthand, even though I thought the itinerary of one of their other ships on a similar route was slightly better. Fingers crossed we all come back happy that we decided to gave Costa - and the Diadema in particular - a try. :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've been on Adventure of the Seas, which I believe is similar to Voyageur, and Ruby Princess. The ships, nothing particularly bad or particularly good. The passengers, I don't recall there really being much to do except eat, drink, sleep. Princess I recall thinking "couch potatoes", would have been more cost-effective for them to have stayed home watching television. AOS not much better.

Your experience can vary wildly depending on European school holidays.

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