We're heading out on Costa

[AnonymousCruiser69]

princess pizza, while good, is more like the pizza here in the US. costa pizza is more like what is found in italy. depends on your tastes. some prefer a really deep-dish (like genos in chicago). not sure what type is favored in OK, but regional differences are always interesting to me.

 

dancing is a big deal on costa - much moreso than the other lines i have been on. i don't dance, but i do enjoy watching.

 

pizza on costa:

 

genos deep dish pizza (chicago style):

Edited October 31, 2013 by AnonymousCruiser69

[Blondie008]

I wish now I had taken pictures from the NeoRomantica's Pizzaria :rolleyes:

It was VERY different from our pizza on Magica. Sure, there was an upcharge = 7.5 euro BUT it was a HUGE wow factor. I cannot see it lasting though as it was really empty and very few seemed to use it. The staff a joy, and chefs happy to cook pizza to each individuals requirements. ie half in half of different toppings etc. For 7.5 euro it was a bargain - but - lot of meanies on board who wont eat anything which doesnt come free.

Love love love NeoR's Capri pizzaria

hmnomhmmnom.... it was worth the tummy ache i get from eating flour :o

 

The only other cruise ship where pizza sticks in my head - have to say - Celebrity Constellation, delivered boxed up - to your cabin - it was awesome!

 

Yup - Costa DO need to be tapping into that real Italian feel - boxed up REAL pizzas in room service would be a great add on for them.

[cricketts]

i took pics of the majority of my meals on costa. they can be seen here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1748219

Thanks for the excellent pictures...the chocolate croissants might have sold me!

[editor@cruisecritic]

Hmmm. I was in Premium, didn't hear anything about an option for 7 or 9 p.m. But come to think of it, one night at about 7 p.m. I was wandering around the promenade deck (to answer CruiseTrail's question!) and was surprised to see people in the dining room at about 7:15 p.m.

 

Carolyn

 

Thanks. Did you book Classic cabins? Premium cabins provide the setting choice of either 7 pm. or 9 pm. at your own discretion. Any reason why you didn't opt for the Premium, since the added cost is so low its negligible.

 

Philip

Edited November 1, 2013 by editor@cruisecritic

[editor@cruisecritic]

Thanks for the feedback! Your quote below -- totally agree with you on that, you said it better than I could:

 

One more thought: what we really enjoyed on the Luminosa (and on the Fascinosa and the Fortuna) was the liveliness of the passengers and the fun vibe throughout the ship. We have been on cruises where the public spaces on the ship were eerily deserted by 11PM. On the Luminosa, there would be a dance floor (in the main lounge, not the disco) full of couples, having fun dancing to live music at 12:30AM! If this is common on any other cruise line, I have not encountered it. Passengers seem to come aboard Costa seeking to have a good time; from all appearances, they succeed.

 

I'm not a late night kind of gal but there were at least two nights when we were still live and kicking at 1 and 2 a.m. It's a fun ship.

 

Carolyn

 

 

I was on the Luminosa recently, Aug 31 - Sep 10, Copenhagen to Savona. I generally agree with most, but not all of your impressions.

 

 

 

Totally agree here. The dinner time experience and performances by the waitstaff are a total hoot and not to be missed. It's hard to tell who enjoys it more, the performers or the passengers. A rollicking good time. Yes, sitting down to begin dinner at 9:30PM is a different experience. Even more so when the table next to you has a 6 year old.

 

 

 

The pizza on Princess is the best we have found at sea. While we greatly enjoyed the food on the Luminosa, Costa pizza on all three of our Costa cruises is not even close to the pizza served on Princess. You call it "amazing"; I prefer the adjective "edible" and that's about as far as I'll go. I find this both surprising, and disappointing, for an Italian cruise line, as one might reasonably expect this to be a signature item for them.

 

 

 

This was our 20th cruise. I did not find the décor appreciably blander or more glitzy than any other ship. We have sailed RCI, Crystal, HAL, Princess and Celebrity.

 

 

 

We are not smokers and we were not bothered a bit anywhere on the ship. Even in the Electra Grand Bar, the main lounge, where we would sit on the non-smoking side of the room and smokers would be on the other, to us, the smell of smoking was undetectable. On just a couple of occasions did we catch a whiff as we entered or exited the casino.

 

One more thought: what we really enjoyed on the Luminosa (and on the Fascinosa and the Fortuna) was the liveliness of the passengers and the fun vibe throughout the ship. We have been on cruises where the public spaces on the ship were eerily deserted by 11PM. On the Luminosa, there would be a dance floor (in the main lounge, not the disco) full of couples, having fun dancing to live music at 12:30AM! If this is common on any other cruise line, I have not encountered it. Passengers seem to come aboard Costa seeking to have a good time; from all appearances, they succeed.

[kfowinst]

I enjoyed reading your mini review. I do think Americans will need to go in with their eyes open, but I'm sure the experience will appeal to many fun loving Americans who are looking for something a bit different - especially those who enjoy good old fashioned dancing, but on a fun and lively ship!

 

I agree the pasta was really good... The pizza was fairly decent and the base very nice, but it was not a patch on true Neapolitan pizza. But then again, you're not going to find a wood fired oven on a cruise ship. The made to order pizza was much better than by-the-slice. I had Hawaiian - which made me chuckle because pineapple on pizza in Italy is sacrilege! I do love it though :)

 

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Edited November 2, 2013 by kfowinst

[cruising oceangal]

I, too, enjoyed reading your mini review!! My DH and I are looking forward to cruising on the Luminosa!! We will be celebrating the New Year onboard and from your comments, it should be a lively party, lol!!:)

 

Thank you Carolyn for sharing!!

 

Barb

[kfowinst]

Hi Carolyn

 

Just wondering if you've published your full review yet? I would be interested to hear what you think.

 

Please share with us when you publish it.

 

Thanks ! :)

[daddyoboy]

Yes Carolyn, I am sailing this Saturday 12/7 on the Costa Luminosa, and would love to see your entire review (or what you have completed up to this point) !

[JTOJR]

What I would suggest to my friend:

1. Samsara is the way of cruising on Costa.

 

 

Can anyone elaborate on this? We are booked on the Luminosa for a Christmas cruise leaving Dec 17th and I have not found anything explaining a Samsara package that can be purchased separately. What does this include and at what price? And how do we purchase it?

 

Thanks for any info.

[kfowinst]

Can anyone elaborate on this? We are booked on the Luminosa for a Christmas cruise leaving Dec 17th and I have not found anything explaining a Samsara package that can be purchased separately. What does this include and at what price? And how do we purchase it?

 

Thanks for any info.

 

 

I was on the Costa Luminosa in October and was informed about the Dreams package at the spa (when we purchased our day pass).

 

The dreams package cost €420pp per week for any cabin type, it included....

 

Unlimited spa access throughout the cruise. You get slippers and a robe, whereas these are not available to day spa guests.

 

Samsara restaurant access for the whole cruise. Apparently the food is much healthier and tastier than MDR. I have not tried it myself.

 

2 massage treatments at the spa. The regular price is around 120 Euros per treatment, so the dreams package represents excellent value. I don't know if you can exchange these for beauty treatments.

 

Enjoy. the Samsara spa experience is wonderful.

[phider]

Can anyone elaborate on this? We are booked on the Luminosa for a Christmas cruise leaving Dec 17th and I have not found anything explaining a Samsara package that can be purchased separately. What does this include and at what price? And how do we purchase it?

 

Thanks for any info.

 

The Samsara experience on Costa, is really only a treat if you are into health and body treatments and stuff like that. I am just saying, as not everyone think that is equal relaxing and being on a holiday. Anyways, you can purchase it directly when you book your cruise, by booking a Samsara Cabin. As a Samsara passenger, you get body treatments, a cabin with upgraded interior, priority access to the Samsara restaurant. Look it up on the Costa website it states both prices and what you get.

 

Philip

[cricketts]

The Samsara experience on Costa, is really only a treat if you are into health and body treatments and stuff like that. I am just saying, as not everyone think that is equal relaxing and being on a holiday. Anyways, you can purchase it directly when you book your cruise, by booking a Samsara Cabin. As a Samsara passenger, you get body treatments, a cabin with upgraded interior, priority access to the Samsara restaurant. Look it up on the Costa website it states both prices and what you get.

 

Philip

Which ships is Samsara on? We're going to be on Mediterranea and I don't see anything on the website thats offers this.

[phider]

Which ships is Samsara on? We're going to be on Mediterranea and I don't see anything on the website thats offers this.

 

I know its on their 4 flag ships.. Deliziosa which I am on right now offers it. If you look up Samsara on the Costa website without choosing ship first, it states which 4 it is. As I said, you need to be into body and self healing to think its worth the price. If you just want a good eating experience which is above the one you get at the MDR, you can purchase individual access to it for 25 euro pp, which is the same as for the Club restaurant, which I found to be great value and used it every second night. 25 euro pp for the extra service and quality is a real bargain.

 

Philip

Edited December 8, 2013 by phider

[AnonymousCruiser69]

Which ships is Samsara on? We're going to be on Mediterranea and I don't see anything on the website thats offers this.

 

mediterranea has it.

[cricketts]

mediterranea has it.

Thank you! That sounds great!

[editor@cruisecritic]

Not sure that Costa Mediterranean has the Samsara cabins, unless they were recently added (to the best of my oft-faulty recollection, the concept iis only on the newest ships), but still, worth checking with your travel agent or on the website.

Which ships is Samsara on? We're going to be on Mediterranea and I don't see anything on the website thats offers this.

 

 

Carolyn