Ship Review & Photos - COSTA neo ROMANTICA

Ever since I saw the interiors of the recently refurbished COSTA ROMANTICA, known today as COSTA neoROMANTICA (CnR) I've been keen to sail on her. I've never been drawn to Costa Cruises as essentially they operate a European version of Carnival Cruise Lines, right down to the same ship designs and interior designer, but surely CnR was going to be something different? I wasn't disappointed. CnR started out as COSTA ROMANTICA in 1993 and along with her near sister COSTA CLASSICA, they were branded under a new Costa upscale division called EuroLuxe Cruises. You might say this was Costa's answer to the Greek shipping company Chandris spinning off its own upscale brand called Celebrity Cruises. No need for much detail as to what happened, but suffice to say there is no longer EuroLuxe Cruises (very short lived) while Celebrity Cruises is thriving under the ownership of Royal Caribbean. The two EuroLuxe ships were quietly retreated back to the Costa Cruises brand and have been happily sailing under Costa ever since. Costa was a very different animal back then, being family owned and operating a range of older and newer vessels that somehow seemed more true to their Italian heritage than the Costa of today. Carnival Corporation acquired a partial stake in Costa and eventually this progressed to full ownership and today Costa operates as a brand under the Carnival Corporation umbrella. Until recently, by any account Costa Cruises would be considered a roaring success. Carnival exploited the need for a Carnival Cruise Lines style of cruising for the European Market, and Costa was the perfect contender. Under Carnival, Costa started building larger and larger mega-ships that are high density, action filled ships that resemble floating Las Vegas hotels not unlike Carnival, their American counterpart. Much to my surprise, the European clientele embraced the flashy American style concept and more and more ships were built. For a time, Costa was the fastest growing brand under the Carnival Corporate umbrella.

So how does CnR fit in with this expansion? I don't know all the details but Costa management decided on an experiment. Take the existing COSTA ROMANTICA and transform her into an upscale, boutique style ship that would cater to adults on a worldwide cruising schedule. Costa did a fine job on the refurbishment, and the result is a stunning ship that would not be out of place operating for a much more luxury line such as Crystal Cruises. The ship is void of the typical Costa neon and flash, and instead showcases public spaces that are luxurious and contemporary in style. There is no large show lounge, no massive video screens or water slides on deck, no children's pool and in fact children's facilities are almost non-existant except for a small playroom. The onboard atmosphere is low-key which is fitting for such a refined ship, but herein lies the problem. While Costa did a fine job with the refurbishment of the ship, they have fallen short in the marketing required to promote the ship as something unique within their fleet. For this reason the ship receives low scores from Costa passengers expecting Vegas style shows, non-stop action and extensive children's facilities which Costa is known for. It also creates an extra burden on the ship's staff and crew as they deal with disgruntled families that expected something completely different than what CnR offers. Sailing on CnR for me was a blast from the past. She is a "shippy-ship" which simply means that she will be appreciated by anyone that started cruising before 100,000 gt floating mega-resorts with thousands of balconies and features more suited to a land based resort. CnR feels like a ship, from the pleasant ship fragrance right down to her handling in rougher seas. The majority of cabins are void of balconies and instead feature a more traditional but oversized porthole. Two traditional aspects where CnR fails miserably are the lack of a promenade deck and the fact there is no public forward facing viewing deck. Both of these features actually exist on the ship, but they have been designated as crew only areas which is truly unfortunate.

This sailing was my 99th cruise, but it many ways it felt like my first. Costa does things quite differently from North American based cruise lines and it took a little getting used to. None of it was bad, just different and I often times found the differences refreshing, and sometimes frustrating. First and foremost I have to give Costa credit for catering to multiple nationalities with a great deal of success. Everything is offered in five different languages and this alone is extremely challenging. On my particular sailing there were only six Americans onboard, and very few English speaking passengers. Perhaps under 100. The vast majority were Italian, followed by French, then German, then Spanish. I could not have been more impressed with the crew of which most spoke multiple languages, perhaps not fluently but enough to get by. One minute they had to interact in German, then French, then Italian, and so on. As an American which tends to be extremely English-centric, I was beyond impressed. I had three primary concerns about Costa before I booked, and they all turned out to non-issues. Multiple announcements in five languages, excessive smoking, and multiple embarkation/disembarkation ports on a single cruise. As it turns out, announcements were kept to a minimum and rarely did you hear one. There may have been five during the entire 11-day voyage. Smoking was no more prevalent than any other cruise I have sailed. Costa handled embarkation and disembarking in the three turnaround ports almost as if they were simply transit ports. There was no extra disruption and you never felt as if hundreds were embarking or disembarking while you simply enjoyed a transit port. Costa knew exactly who was getting on and off in each port, and specific instructions were provided when it's your turn to disembark. There are no announcements and the process is simple. I only wish this style would work in the US but with the CBP requirements it will never happen. We embarked in Rome (Civitavecchia) and it was fairly effortless. Pier side we dropped off our bags, turned over our passports, and showed our cruise ticket. As we walked onboard a picture was taken with a handheld device and we were directed to our cabin. The door was open and inside were our Costa Cards, welcome letters, dining reservation card, and emergency drill cards which are handed in when you attend the mandatory drill. We only had about 6 people at our drill which was held in the meeting room by the English speaking hostess. Your credit card for onboard purchases can be registered at your convenience at any of the Costa "Totems" that are located throughout the ship. I must say it was all very civilized just as disembarkation was 11 days later.

Since the CnR was refurbished to a higher standard than the typical Costa ship, there were standard amenities that you would not find on other ships in the fleet. For instance we had Frette robes, slippers, and an umbrella in the cabin. For turndown service a Frette bedside linen was placed on the floor on each side of the bed, something I have only seen on Silversea. Some nights we had handmade Costa chocolates waiting for us as a goodnight snack. The flat panel TV was extra-large and offered full interactive capabilities which were probably the best I've seen on any ship. Unfortunately the selection of English speaking channels were minimal and there were no free movie channels. There was a small selection of on-demand movies that you had to pay for, and I felt this was something that could have been improved upon. Room service was available at no charge in our cabin grade, but it was a minimal selection of cold items only. This is certainly something that seems to be copied from Costa's sister brand Carnival in the US, which also has a minimal cold selection of room service items. We received fresh fruit daily and canapés on a few nights which was a nice touch.

As I mentioned earlier Costa caters to multiple languages, so this reflects in the entertainment onboard. It was mostly musical which needs no translation. Since there is no large show lounge there are no large production shows which was fine by me. For me the best entertainment was a superb wine & cheese venue called Enoteca Verona. The selection was fantastic as was the Italian Sommelier. He knew exactly what wines to recommend and paired them with a fantastic selection of fruit & cheese that were complimentary when you purchased a glass of wine. His creations really became the highlight of my evening, and dare I say enjoyed the wine, fruit & cheese far more than the dining room selections. In the dining room we enjoyed a wonderful table for two by the window in a smaller annex at the entry to the main room. The more intimate setting certainly made you feel as though you were sailing on a much smaller ship. We got to know several of our dining room companions in our "private" annex which made the experience that much more enjoyable. Service and food quality were mixed, and my partner actually lost several pounds on this cruise. The menus, preparation, and presentation were definitely more geared to a European clientele. For instance for some fish dishes the entire fish would arrive complete with head and tail. Likewise the shrimp which would arrive with head, feet, and shell in tact. This is just not typical on American based cruise ships and while I personally didn't mind, my partner found very little to eat that he actually enjoyed. Red meat was rarely offered, and when something like a steak was offered, it was of inferior quality than even a low-end steakhouse in the US. I found sticking with pasta was the best bet, and many pasta dishes were quite tasty. Deserts followed the European tradition of being far less rich than an American counterpart. Receiving you salad shortly after the main entree also took a little getting used to. The buffet restaurant followed the same trend as the dining room, and the selection was far less than what you would expect on a US based ship. The times that the buffet was open was also rather limited compared to US based ships, and oddly enough the grill (burgers, etc) was often only open for dinner and not lunch. Not a big loss as Costa probably has the worst burgers I've ever seen or tasted. They were pink in color even though they were fully cooked, and tasted like cardboard. I've never seen anything quite like them, and once was enough. There was also a dedicated pizzeria onboard and the pizza was delicious, but oddly enough again it was only open for dinner and not lunch. Also you had to pay for the pizza which seemed rather odd and petty on an Italian based ship. 7.50 Euros per person. Towards the end of the cruise we were invited to a tour of the galley hosted by the Executive Chef. His name was Adam Lockwood, and funny enough he was from England. A little surprising on an Italian ship and perhaps this helped explain the food situation? It just didn't seem very Italian. Overall we just felt the cuisine lacked variety and quality. Some of that is no doubt due to cultural differences, but having traveled the world and as a person that enjoys a great variety of cuisine, I was disappointed. This is one aspect of the CnR that would prevent me from sailing on her again, at least on an extensive voyage of multiple weeks.

CnR featured a small library & internet cafe, an aft-facing nightclub, a tiny casino by US standards, two ballroom type lounges, and two pools surrounded by adequate deck space. I felt the pool areas were lovely and spacious with comfortable loungers and unlimited towels which was a nice touch. No signing in and out pool towels or having to return them to your cabin. At the very aft of the ship was an adults only deck and bar that featured a jacuzzi. This was a lovely space with luxury outdoor lounging areas and an incredible view. It was quiet and featured its own bar. The fact that children were not permitted provided an extra appeal. Unfortunately there were quite a few kids on this cruise, which frankly the ship wasn't designed to handle. There are no children's pools or facilities except for a small "Squok Club" for the toddlers. The kids had little to do except run rampant throughout the ship. The meeting room was turned into a teen center but it was completely inadequate for the task and Costa really needs to rethink the marketing for this ship. The families were disappointed because the kids had nothing to do, and the adults without children were disappointed because there were kids running all over the ship. I quickly learned that European kids are no different than American kids when left to their own devices. They can be equally if not more obnoxious. The running and screaming down the halls at all hours became tedious, and often times the parents were just behind the kids but ignored the fact that the kids were yelling at the top of their lungs well after midnight. Kids excessively screaming in any language is annoying! This aspect of the experience along with the cuisine that I mentioned earlier were probably the two biggest disappointments of the experience.

Special mention must be made of the Samara Spa. I hope you have the opportunity to view the photos I took of this area, because it's truly exceptional. In fact I would say it's the most beautiful and extensive spa I've experienced on any ship. When Costa made the decision to refurbish the COSTA ROMANTICA, they placed a great deal of emphasis on the spa. In fact the forward facing two level show lounge was removed entirely and in its place a multi-level spa with every amenity imaginable. Most of the crew will tell you that CnR is designed around the spa, and I believe it. The problem again is that Costa is not promoting this feature in any special way, so it goes unappreciated and unused by many passengers. Spa revenue is not meeting expectations so the experiment will not be repeated on sister ship COSTA CLASSICA or any other Costa ship for that matter. It's a shame and I feel only Costa itself is to blame. I had unlimited use of the spa and took full advantage of it for a couple hours each day. You are issued a water proof wrist band with an electronic sensor that unlocks all the doors in the spa and gives you full access. Two features I've never seen on any other ship are tanning beds and a cold room which you sit in after the sauna. Another feature I've only seen on QM2 is a foot soak and massager. In addition there are the usual steam and saunas (Thermal Suite), relaxation rooms, a wonderful "tea room" in which various teas are served while you enjoy a beautiful forward facing view, and fitness center and beauty salon. The centerpiece is a fantastic tiered therapy pool with amazing views. My partner and I befriended the Spa Manager Silvio, and we found him to be exceptionally friendly and greatly enjoyed his conversation. It was interesting chatting with him about the various challenges he faces with the multiple nationalities onboard, and also his experience as a crew member on the COSTA CONCORDIA when it struck the rock and capsized. We booked one service in the couples massage room which was lovely, and I greatly enjoyed my first hot stone message. I highly recommend it!

Believe it or not we actually visited some ports on this cruise as well. From Rome we sailed to Savona, Barcelona, Casablanca, Funchal, Tenerife, and Malaga. We had pre-booked a few tours online before the cruise, and all were canceled except for one because of not enough English speaking participants. Credits for the canceled tours were applied to our onboard account. We didn't mind because generally we enjoy doing things on our own, but it's a warning for those that like to plan ahead. Don't count on your Costa arranged tour actually operating and you won't find out until the day before that it's canceled. This makes it difficult for people that like to plan everything out, and may be another reason to cross Costa off your list if you are English speaking and enjoy organized tours. I would recommend booking a reputable 3rd party tour operator that will guarantee operation of the tour. Casablanca was the only stop where we really felt the impact, as generally it's not a city you want to explore on your own and the best bet is to get out of the city altogether. We were offered a tour to Marrakech in English as a replacement, but spending 13 hours on a tour where over 10 hours is spent on a bus was not appealing to us. Many of our ports offered hop-on, hop-off bus tours and this is an excellent and inexpensive way to sightsee. We really enjoyed Funchal as well as Malaga, where we ventured to the beautiful seaside resort of Marbella. I would be happy to return to either of these cities for a more lengthly visit. Of course you can never go wrong with Barcelona and as usual we greatly enjoyed this charming city.

There were so many aspects of this trip that we really enjoyed, but several that missed the mark as well. While I loved the COSTA neoROMANTICA itself, certain aspects of the software such as the cuisine were disappointing. Experiencing the different style in which Costa operates compared to US based cruise lines was mostly enjoyable, but some components could be frustrating such as the tours being canceled and understanding exactly how things are done. Once you figured it out all was good, but getting to that point could be challenging at times. I truly hope to see Costa figure out how to successfully market CnR in a way that benefits her style and design, but for now she seems lost in a fleet that she is generally not compatible with. I don't see myself sailing on any Costa mega-ships in the future, as I might as well just cruise on Carnival, but I would love to return to the CnR given the right circumstances.

I'm happy to entertain any questions you may have, and please enjoy the extensive photos at the link below.

Ernie

Photo Link:

Some preview photos from my collection. The full set at this link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eroller/sets/72157633422471461/

thanks for taking the time to write such and extensive review and posting all the beautiful photos!

from a design standpoint, what a beautiful ship.

Thanks for your extensive review.

Keith

What a terrific review -

I was looking forward to hearing how you got on -

I love NeoR - you summed her up so well.

Cant wait now until September to return on her!:D

Thank you for sharing your photo album - I showed it to my Canadian friends who are sailing with us - (first time Costa). They adore little ships so we thought they would love NeoR - the cruise itself is a great route for us.

Your photos are fabulous - so sorry your partner didnt find food to suit though - that was a shame - Hope he survived it okay!

Wish I could lose a few lbs on a cruise lol!

Fish is our industry - I have a professional filleter at hand - we own a fish company - so for us, heads, tails and shells = good fish. But I can imagiine for others eyes etc on a plate can be off putting.

I'd have asked the waiters to de bone - very common in European restaurants for the waiters to be asked to fillet tableside (Thats a FillIT lol as opposed to a FillAY ;)

Love the pics - fanastic album - so kind of you to share it with us!

Thank you for sharing your photo album - I showed it to my Canadian friends who are sailing with us - (first time Costa). They adore little ships so we thought they would love NeoR - the cruise itself is a great route for us.

Your photos are fabulous - so sorry your partner didnt find food to suit though - that was a shame - Hope he survived it okay!

Wish I could lose a few lbs on a cruise lol!

Fish is our industry - I have a professional filleter at hand - we own a fish company - so for us, heads, tails and shells = good fish. But I can imagiine for others eyes etc on a plate can be off putting.

I'd have asked the waiters to de bone - very common in European restaurants for the waiters to be asked to fillet tableside (Thats a FillIT lol as opposed to a FillAY ;)

Love the pics - fanastic album - so kind of you to share it with us!

I'm so glad you enjoyed the review and photos, and I hope your friends enjoy them as well.

There was a fairly new Executive Chef onboard during our cruise, so perhaps that played a role? Generally speaking I would say the fish and pasta were safe bets. Chicken and red meat not so much. The quality was not great and the preparation left a lot to be desired. As I mentioned in the review the burgers were the oddest looking things I've ever seen, and they tasted equally as odd. My partner actually loves fish, but he has been getting strange allergic reactions to it so he has been avoiding fish to the extent he can. It's a shame.

Anyway as you know the CnR is really a charming ship. Beautifully decorated and just the right size. I wish there were more like her.

Ernie

Great review Ernie. The ship is beautiful but I don't think the Costa product is for us. You can definitely tell that this is not a typical "Farcus" designed product. The ship looks very elegant. Love the photo in the Cigar bar of the old Costa ships.

Great review Ernie. The ship is beautiful but I don't think the Costa product is for us. You can definitely tell that this is not a typical "Farcus" designed product. The ship looks very elegant. Love the photo in the Cigar bar of the old Costa ships.

Glad you enjoyed it Gordon. Without question the Costa product is not for everyone. I'm not even sure I would return expect perhaps to neoROMANTICA if the price and itinerary were right. I really loved the ship itself, but the software aspect of the experience was uneven.

Ernie

I am I right in assuming you dined in the SAMSARA restaurant?, if so you would have found it small and intimate with a smaller menu than the MDR. We dined there most nights and never had more than 6 fellow passengers with us. The CLUB restaurant was brilliant, the menu only contained 2 items my wife would , Chateaubriand and chicken so we only had 1 visit, but the staff were fantastic.

The English head chef was from England , Huddersfield actually, but I doubt he had much input into the food prepared, as all menus are dictated by head office.

As for the multi linguistic crew our steward , who was from VietNam, spoke 12 languages, 4 very fluently including English, which, he hoped one day to return home and teach.

I was on the "old" Romantica in 2011 for a two week Indian Ocean cruise. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the ship, but judging from your photos, the neoRomantica is a vast improvement. I agree that Costa needs to improve their marketing the ship to an adult passenger mix, as the refurbishment was designed for.

Regarding the cuisine and menu, the whole fish and complete shrimp served is exactly the way it's done in Italy so on an Italian ship that's to be expected. I agree with the previous poster that the executive chef on board has to work with the menus (and recipes) dictated by the head office in Genoa, but is allowed to vary slightly, depending on what he has available in the galley cupboards.

I sailed in her when she was new in the 1990's - its too bad CCL has control now - I miss the old Italian LIne, Home LInes, Lauro & Costa....they truly were fabulous lines...the crew & officers were excellent, the food 5 star, the ship decor luxurious & cutting edge - making them both interesting & comfortable and the fun never ending.

Thanks for the pictures.

I truly hope to see Costa figure out how to successfully market CnR in a way that benefits her style and design, but for now she seems lost in a fleet that she is generally not compatible with. I don't see myself sailing on any Costa mega-ships in the future, as I might as well just cruise on Carnival, but I would love to return to the CnR given the right circumstances.

Nice pictures, and thanks for the review.

I wonder what if this ship is under the management of a different cruise company, will they market this ship differently and make it more appealing to a wider customer group.

Great review Ernie and wonderful photos. Brought back many memories of our sailing on CnR in December, Indonesia back home to Australia. I must agree with pretty much all your comments, especially the fact that she should be advertised in a different category as a boutique ship. We loved the new ship and suited us perfectly, but probably not for all.

I can't believe that was your cruise number 99!! Whilst we have done many we have a l o n g way to go!!!

We've loved Costa since our first cruise with them in 2009; done 8 with them now. We know their 'ways' and what to expect so are never disappointed.....sometimes surprised though as with CnR. They have great itineraries and really good prices, which we always take into consideration when comparing ships.

Thanks again...:D

eroller, great photos and wonderful trip report. I want to go now. Thank you.

Thank you for all the kind comments. I'm very pleased that people are finding the review & pics interesting and hopefully informative.

Ernie

When I sailed the Classica on her maiden voyage I fell in love with her. Then sailed the Romantica on her maiden voyage and found her to be wonderful as well even if less money was spent on her interior. I think she is now stunning. I don't know of any other ship that has been modified to this extent. I must admit I would have preferred the spa to be aft of the stern pool and the current forward space designed to resemble the forward lounge on the Costa Victoria.

Having read the Classica is going to join the neo group I am wondering whether she will wind up like her sibling. The neo Riviera appears to have been just refreshed with no major changes.....just soft goods. If the Classica becomes as stunning as her younger sister and is sailing out of Istanbul.......I may have to put her on my to do list.

Costa.......bring the Romantica to Florida and compete with MSC....and leave Farcus outta here.

I loved the old quirky Costa pre Carnival.....have not recovered from the Atlantica. To think Farcus compares his designs on par with the décor on the Normandie.......how strange.

When I sailed the Classica on her maiden voyage I fell in love with her. Then sailed the Romantica on her maiden voyage and found her to be wonderful as well even if less money was spent on her interior. I think she is now stunning. I don't know of any other ship that has been modified to this extent. I must admit I would have preferred the spa to be aft of the stern pool and the current forward space designed to resemble the forward lounge on the Costa Victoria.

Having read the Classica is going to join the neo group I am wondering whether she will wind up like her sibling. The neo Riviera appears to have been just refreshed with no major changes.....just soft goods. If the Classica becomes as stunning as her younger sister and is sailing out of Istanbul.......I may have to put her on my to do list.

Costa.......bring the Romantica to Florida and compete with MSC....and leave Farcus outta here.

I loved the old quirky Costa pre Carnival.....have not recovered from the Atlantica. To think Farcus compares his designs on par with the décor on the Normandie.......how strange.

I mentioned this in the MSC thread, but CLASSICA will not receive the same extensive refurbishment as neoROMANTICA. More of a sprucing up. CnR was a one-off experiment that won't be repeated with Costa. Frankly the ship is too upscale for Costa's market and they have a hard time selling her (so she ends up filled with kids which she can't accommodate). CnR is really a ship for adults. Also remember there is no show lounge so no big Vegas style shows. In its place is the most gorgeous spa you will ever find on land or sea. Good luck with your decision.

e roller....just wondering what category cabin you had, as you seem to have had more perks than we did.....

I am currently on neoRomatica. My impressions so far- much inferior to Luminosa/Deliziosa. I am very unhappy with the "dance floor" in the Grand Bar, not at all the standard that I would expect from Costa. It is most definitely NOT a ballroom lounge. I am pleased to report that the two groups that play here are everything I would expect from Costa, also the keyboard player in the Tango disco (which isn't a disco). I am very disappointed in how the Cabaret Vienna (which does have a small but decent floor) is scheduled- they use it as the disco.

The restaurant menu allowing for local availability, seems the same as on Luminosa in February. Yes, they charge E7.50 per person for pizza which is free on other ships. Nor is there any attempt at midnight snacks.

I have been assigned a handicapped cabin- I haven't seen anything so awkward and badly arranged since the studios on Epic. However, this may not apply to other cabins, still researching.

I was on MSC Divina in January. I'll stick with Costa, but not neoR.

I am currently on neoRomatica. My impressions so far- much inferior to Luminosa/Deliziosa. I am very unhappy with the "dance floor" in the Grand Bar, not at all the standard that I would expect from Costa. It is most definitely NOT a ballroom lounge. I am pleased to report that the two groups that play here are everything I would expect from Costa, also the keyboard player in the Tango disco (which isn't a disco). I am very disappointed in how the Cabaret Vienna (which does have a small but decent floor) is scheduled- they use it as the disco.

The restaurant menu allowing for local availability, seems the same as on Luminosa in February. Yes, they charge E7.50 per person for pizza which is free on other ships. Nor is there any attempt at midnight snacks.

I have been assigned a handicapped cabin- I haven't seen anything so awkward and badly arranged since the studios on Epic. However, this may not apply to other cabins, still researching.

I was on MSC Divina in January. I'll stick with Costa, but not neoR.

We're thinking of neoRiviera (not neoRomantica)'s western Med. Sept. sailing to some interesting ports. Would like to get more of its past passengers comments first. Enjoy both "Victoria" & " Luminosa" Europe sailings though.

e roller....just wondering what category cabin you had, as you seem to have had more perks than we did.....

I was in a category EP. Hope that helps! Standard outside on Copenhagen Deck. It's designated as "Premium" so that gets you a few extra perks over a "Classic" cabin, which is any category ending with the letter "C".

Hope that helps.

I am currently on neoRomatica. My impressions so far- much inferior to Luminosa/Deliziosa. I am very unhappy with the "dance floor" in the Grand Bar, not at all the standard that I would expect from Costa. It is most definitely NOT a ballroom lounge. I am pleased to report that the two groups that play here are everything I would expect from Costa, also the keyboard player in the Tango disco (which isn't a disco). I am very disappointed in how the Cabaret Vienna (which does have a small but decent floor) is scheduled- they use it as the disco.

The restaurant menu allowing for local availability, seems the same as on Luminosa in February. Yes, they charge E7.50 per person for pizza which is free on other ships. Nor is there any attempt at midnight snacks.

I have been assigned a handicapped cabin- I haven't seen anything so awkward and badly arranged since the studios on Epic. However, this may not apply to other cabins, still researching.

I was on MSC Divina in January. I'll stick with Costa, but not neoR.

:eek:Bob - I thought you would love it - it always seemed so dance friendly - hope it gets better for you! Disco? It was always pianist early evening, then after 11pm - we were in there every night until 3-4am for sure clubbing the night away....

No more gala nights, no more disco - if this keeps up we wont be returning to one of our favourite ships :(

How about the Vienna lounge?That was always the most popular for dancers on both of our cruises on NeoR? They are using that as the disco?????how very odd :(

I was in a category EP. Hope that helps! Standard outside on Copenhagen Deck. It's designated as "Premium" so that gets you a few extra perks over a "Classic" cabin, which is any category ending with the letter "C".

 

Hope that helps.

It seems the "Classic" cabin guests will pay (€5,00 per order?) for his/her morning room-service breakfast, among others. Was it just the basic continental breakfast menu?

It seems the "Classic" cabin guests will pay (€5,00 per order?) for his/her morning room-service breakfast, among others. Was it just the basic continental breakfast menu?

Yes. Nothing special.