Where's my stuff???? Romantica 5/17

[jql999]

Hi Everyone,

 

We're booked (I hope) on the Romantica leaving Genoa on May 17. I have received nothing physical from Costa yet! Is this typical? I called customer service last week and they said they were "processing documents" for May now.

 

After sending them a (ahem) review of their convoluted, hard to navigate web site, I got an email from customer service telling me that I'd get an email 4 days prior to sailing. Excuse me? EMAIL?

 

I know I booked online - but I'd really like a brochure or itinerary or SOMETHING. :eek:

 

I'd really like some information like... When are the formal nights? How formal is formal? I'd like more info on excursions and services on the ship. I'd like to find out how much services at the salon cost.

 

Since Costa is being less than helpful - can anyone here help?

 

Thanks.

[e46guy]

Hi,

 

I booked my cruise through a travel agent and I, too, have not recieved any documents. Hopefully we'll get something real soon!

[Jo42]

We've just received our stuff, about a week ago, for our May 9th trip but we were told it would probably arrive about 7-10 days before departure.

[TDOTCRUISR]

Same as Jo42...On the same May 8th trip & rec'd pkg a wk ago, so it seems to be the norm. I booked through a T/A so I don't know if that would make a difference. Even with a booking number it took 4 days to get onto their website, which doesn't provide much info anyway. Don't know if you've read

prev threads, but the info that I see on the .com site is diff from the UK site (confirmed with Jo42's help). More than half of the tours are not posted on the .com site. I sent Costa an email a wk ago & have yet to hear from them. Can't pre-book any tours since the ones mentionned in the tkt pkg aren't listed & are the ones I would prefer. Will have to wait till boarding. With the rolling itinerary of boarding & disembarking at diff ports, I hope there's space left & time to book since tour#1 starts first thing the next a.m. I hear that tours can be booked from the cabin. I'm allergic to confusion & am a self-confessed plan-a-holic!

[jkasm]

Received my docs last week for 5/17 sailing. Booked through online travel agent. They were sent to them first, then forwarded to me. Ask you TA if they've received them yet.

[e46guy]

Got my documents today!!

[Pinkiegirl1947]

Dear jql999,

 

Yes - same story for us. We had booked through a travel agent in January for our April 10th cruise. I called them the week before our April 10th cruise to inquire about the tickets, itinerary etc, and they were very apologetic about the lateness of trip documents.

 

The travel agents received a bunch of them from Costa and proceded to send them to us by express mail with a note that said they understood if were were upset. (rec'd April 7th for our April 10 cruise)

 

Luckily that was the only slip up. Everything else went quite smoothly. I don't know what the problem is....perhaps too many cruisers and not enough people to process things.

 

In response to the question about "how formal is formal"....

 

We had 2 formal nights on the Mediterranea. We saw a few sequins and and a few tuxedos on both the dress-up nights, but really one can wear anything from a nice church outfit, all the way to a "Knock 'em dead" dress for women, and dark suits for the men. Tuxedos are certainly optional on this cruise line.

 

There is also an Italian night - you can wear your "Kiss me, I'm Italian!" t-shirt) or other red, white and green outfit, and a Roman toga night. They give you an extra sheet to dress up in, but some veteran travellers brought their own costumes with "authentic" Roman acessories. Pretty much anything goes!!

 

Hope you all have fun and enjoy your cruises!

[jql999]

Thanks everyone. We got our tickets last week.

[Mahya]

was?

 

Was it good, bad, fair to middlin, disaster or great?

 

Thinking of taking Romantica or Europa on the Mediterranean

cruise in late summer, early fall.

 

Your experiences would be helpful

[o2byoung]

One thing that you may not know about Costa with booking through a travel agent or on line. According to the recording while waiting for a Costa rep to answer the recording says YOU MUST visit their website and fill out the Homeland security form before they will send out tickets.

 

Has everyone filled out their form? Yes the other cruise lines ask you to fill out the form for Homeland Security but Costa is the only one I know that says they will not issue documents till the form is filled out.

[jql999]

I've posted my impressions/experiences in a couple of other threads. The short answer is that we had a wonderful time and thought it was an excellent value. It is very European.