Questions for Costa past passengers

[Tania]

I'm considering another Costa cruise, our last one was in 1983.

 

1) What does the line offer past passengers?

 

2) Do they offer a soda card? Can you bring soda onboard?

 

3) Can you purchase botles of liquor from room service or do you have to resort to smuggling? Can you bring on bottles of wine...

 

4) Is autotip a policy or is tipping left to your discretion?

 

Any other items particular to Costa? I remember the food being terrific.

 

Thanks,

 

Tania

[Ta421sBtrHalf]

1) What does the line offer past passengers?

 

2) Do they offer a soda card? Can you bring soda onboard?

 

3) Can you purchase botles of liquor from room service or do you have to resort to smuggling? Can you bring on bottles of wine...

 

4) Is autotip a policy or is tipping left to your discretion?

 

Any other items particular to Costa? I remember the food being terrific.

 

 

1]There was a past guest cocktail party with the captain and you got a free picture taken with him, and we got a discount, not a great one but still it was more than nothing.

 

2]They have a soda coupon book you get 20 coupons for $30.00 plus 15% service charge. It is worth it because you can buy other virgin drinks besides soda with it. I am sure you can bring your own soda because we bring our own bottled water to take on excursions.

 

3]This I don't know, You can buy wine packages before you go onboard

 

4]it is all auto tip except for the butler service that comes with the suites, that is at your descretion (sp?).

 

5]Outstanding service and a great time.

[Cruise4Andy]

Tania:

 

Costa has already a program in place in Europe, "The Costa Club", which gives incentives, discounts and special offers to past Costa customers.

 

Costa is currently working to put the same program in place for the U.S. sailings and will be available shortly. All past Costa customers will be automatically signed up for the Costa Club. If you sail before the program starts or before you will receive your Costa Club membership, you can mention that you are past Costa sailer and they will take that into consideration.

 

That's the info which I received directly from Costa.

 

Just wanted to share that with you...

 

 

Andy

[rocktheboat]

Yes you can buy liquor for your room but the price is higher than if you but it to take home. The ship store sells at a lower price but they hold it till the last night.

We brought liguor at a store in key West, they did not take it away from us when we returned to the ship. Friends of ours brought beer in Progresso Mex. they also were allowed to bring it to their cabin.

[CruisinMatt]

We've always carried spirits in from ports-of-call and they never stopped us at all. :)

[Tania]

Thanks for all the responses. I'm the type of person who likes to know what's waiting ahead.

 

How controlled is the smoking in public areas, if at all? I've heard that thhis can be a problem.

[Ta421sBtrHalf]

Thanks for all the responses. I'm the type of person who likes to know what's waiting ahead.

 

How controlled is the smoking in public areas, if at all? I've heard that thhis can be a problem.

 

Quite honestly I did not find smoking a problem at all except for in a few out of the way bars. It was the same experience last year.

[rski]

My husband and I will be cruising for the first time on February 6th on the Costa Altantica. I have found your messages very informative! To smuggle booze, do I need to put it in a water bottle or just put it in my luggage? Someone mentioned bringing water on board ... do they not provide water bottles? (We are not in a suite!) Do I contact Costa beforehand for the wine and pop coupons or do I buy them when I board the ship?

 

Also, how fancy do women dress on informal nights? Does my husband need to wear a tie?

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences!

[Ta421sBtrHalf]

My husband and I will be cruising for the first time on February 6th on the Costa Altantica. I have found your messages very informative! To smuggle booze, do I need to put it in a water bottle or just put it in my luggage? Someone mentioned bringing water on board ... do they not provide water bottles? (We are not in a suite!) Do I contact Costa beforehand for the wine and pop coupons or do I buy them when I board the ship?

 

Also, how fancy do women dress on informal nights? Does my husband need to wear a tie?

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences!

 

I never smuggled booze onboard, but I do bring my own water. Water bottles are not provided in any room, suite or otherwise, except for purchase. If you go to costa's website you can pre-purchase packages for a few dollars cheaper than what they are when you get onboard. We oredered the coupons online and received them at dinner on the first night. All of the packages are listed in your docs near the back.

 

I did not see anyone dressed fancy on informal night. I just wore like a cotton dress and sandals on these nights. Most of the women had on simple dresses or pant suits. I saw a lot of no-no's in the dining room that week though, including shorts and tank tops.

[christina_haws]

I was on the Atlantica on the 1/16 sailing and we could not bring alcohol on board from the ports and take it to our rooms. We tried a few different times and after they spotted it in our backpacks on the x-ray screen we were politely told to see the man at the bottom of the stairs. He then logged it in and it was held for us. We received it at the end of the cruise.

 

I don't know why it was impossible for us, but we didn't really mind. We wanted it more for home anyway.

 

Christina