Costa neoriveira from Dubai 30th November

[Cidercountry]

Help please....flying Heathrow to Dubai overnight Saturday 30th November arrive - 0800 Sunday morning. Cannot board ship until 3 p.m....does anyone know or have any suggestions how we fill our time and is their a contingency plan with Costa to store your luggage at the port as we shall have about 6 hours to fill....if anyone else has been in a similar situation would be grateful for any suggestions...Thanks..:(

[chrispb]

Help please....flying Heathrow to Dubai overnight Saturday 30th November arrive - 0800 Sunday morning. Cannot board ship until 3 p.m....does anyone know or have any suggestions how we fill our time and is their a contingency plan with Costa to store your luggage at the port as we shall have about 6 hours to fill....if anyone else has been in a similar situation would be grateful for any suggestions...Thanks..:(

 

We arrived in Dubai around 2 or 3 am and were able to board immediately. In fact, boarding went on throughout the night/early hours. Hopefully, you will find things to be the same:) (This was the Favolosa).

[lilybob]

Help please....flying Heathrow to Dubai overnight Saturday 30th November arrive - 0800 Sunday morning. Cannot board ship until 3 p.m....does anyone know or have any suggestions how we fill our time and is their a contingency plan with Costa to store your luggage at the port as we shall have about 6 hours to fill....if anyone else has been in a similar situation would be grateful for any suggestions...Thanks..:(

 

You could take a taxi from the airport and visit Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall. Not sure how much luggage you will have, but there is storage available at the mall. The weather is great that time of the year so you could relax at one of the outdoor cafes at the mall or Souk al Bahar.

 

If you can have your luggage stored at the port, make a stop there and then head over to the creek area of Dubai and perhaps visit the Dubai Cultural Center, Dubai Museum, or just stroll around the old part of Dubai (if you have the energy) admiring the old style architecture. From there, you could still take a taxi and go to Dubai Mall. Are you overnighting in Dubai before sailing away?

[AnonymousCruiser69]

hiring a car and driver in dubai is inexpensive. i suggest you look at the ports of call board for recommendations. there's plenty to see and do to occupy a day.

[cruisefanatic16]

when you come back pls post some pics of the neoriviera thanks

[MasterNotCommander]

Also interested to know more about the NeoRiviera and internal photos please. Hoping we've made a sound decision taking a last minute cruise on this one, Dubai-Dubai 15th December.

[gerry anderson]

Just back from cruise on neoriveria ,It is now open sitting for dinner no first or second sittings ,was major queues for dinner at peak time on second night, after that they opened the buffet for dinner which seemed to solve the problem.One other change was that rooms were only made up once a day

overall had a great time, staff and food were great

Gerry and jackie

[MasterNotCommander]

Just back from cruise on neoriveria ,It is now open sitting for dinner no first or second sittings ,was major queues for dinner at peak time on second night, after that they opened the buffet for dinner which seemed to solve the problem.One other change was that rooms were only made up once a day

overall had a great time, staff and food were great

Gerry and jackie

 

Fantastic, thanks for posting info. Would love to see any photos if you have some of the public rooms. We are looking forwards to our trip. Were there many English speaking passengers? Did you see any children onboard? How busy was the pool? Any good tips or advice?

[gerry anderson]

Ship was only about two 2/3 full so some of the bars were a bit quite,hardly any kids on boards, good few brits and irish on board,as cruise is port intensive one can have pool area to your self if you stay on board

feel free to ask any questions ,afraid we don't have any pictures

Jackie and gerry

[MasterNotCommander]

Ship was only about two 2/3 full so some of the bars were a bit quite,hardly any kids on boards, good few brits and irish on board,as cruise is port intensive one can have pool area to your self if you stay on board

feel free to ask any questions ,afraid we don't have any pictures

Jackie and gerry

 

That's great to know its only 2/3 full. We live out here in Muscat, so don't plan on actually getting off the ship much. Just relaxing onboard. We are travelling with friends, but will also have the children with us and are hoping to make good use of the kids club, particularly in the evenings.

Ironically, both my wife and I have worked on cruise ships and I'm still on passenger ships so it could be considered a busman's holiday, but we really just like to relax and enjoy the service and all inclusive drinks.

 

What sort of entertainment was onboard? What time did you board on the embarkation day and when was your cabin available? What time did you have to disembark on disembarkation day? How was the food onboard? Was there a pizzeria onboard, was it good? Is there a decent pool bar or waiter service?

 

Sorry to bombard you with so many questions, just very eager to know what to expect.

[gerry anderson]

got on board at 3pm got cabin some time between 6and 8 you have to check its ready. We got the all inclusive package great value @ 19.50 euro per day

yes there is pizza bar different menu each day. As for music it was mixed we loved Zita a young lady who played piano each nite in wine bar,look out for bar waiters Rachel and dareene two lovely ladies tell Gerry and Jackie miss there company ,on day disembarkation we had our cabin up to 3 pm and could stay on board till midnight which was great

Gerry and Jackie

 

ps

you can use your package all day disembarkation day

any more questions?

[louiskam]

Jackie, did the ship's public area/stateroom feels "up-to-date"... more modern decor/furnishing, stage/sound, faster WI-FI connection, etc. Are they still feel spacious overall?

[Cidercountry]

Returned from a Cruise last weekend on NeoRiviera...all our doubts and anxiety were soon dismissed...we're able to drop luggage off at Port after early morning arrival from Heathrow..a little hint here, bring something cool to change into as you have a long wait before you can get into your cabin we.used the free shuttle to a small shopping mall and crossed the road for our first walk along the beach....we're able to embark ship at 3 p.m went to Lido Deck where there was a good selection of food the staff very welcoming as they were throughout the cruise. Our cabin was ready about 7 p.m but we could not get in to wash or change so we freshened up and dined as we were as did most other passengers.

 

We were impressed with the ship, although it is one of the smaller ones public areas were spacious adequate for the number of passengers on board. We enjoyed the anytime dining and as we were a party of 4 were given a table for 4 every night...never had to wait. Breakfast was a good selection a bit hectic at times, but never failed to get a table and the cutlery is on a stand on your table so no need to carry these extra items each time. Lunch nice always hot and cold selection. In spite of what others have said we found the food good and well presented. We took the drinks package, excellent value a must if you want to save on drinks...even if you only have the speciality coffees. We would not hesitate to take a costa cruise again. The only complaint. We were told we would have 2 formal nights so brought a lot of unnecessary clothes, so pack smart casual and you will be fine. We only took one organised excursion in Abu Dhabi to the Island...a bit of a disappointment as it was described as a desert Island...however, as soon as we stepped ashore we were greeted by loud booming music which continued throughout our stay...we were told the island is yours to explore and see the gazelle which this place is famous for, but when we tried to walk in either direction outside the limited perimeter, a guy on a quad bike chased us and told us we couldn't go any further as it was private. The pool was beautiful and we did have a nice swim and in the sea but oh the music...so loud...not in keeping with a desert island experience !!

Edited December 17, 2013 by Cidercountry
Spelling.

[gerry anderson]

Jackie, did the ship's public area/stateroom feels "up-to-date"... more modern decor/furnishing, stage/sound, faster WI-FI connection, etc. Are they still feel spacious overall?

 

did not try ships wifi as it was to expensive, in stead we took lead from crew and used free wifi in cruise terminal buildings

Jackie

[MasterNotCommander]

I'm onboard at the moment and agree with all earlier comments. For a 14 year old ship, she is in excellent condition and clearly has gone through several extensive refits including a very professional and thorough conversion from Iberocruco to Costa.

 

For anyone interested we were able to park our car and leave it at the cruise terminal in Dubai for the week by providing the port police with a photocopy of our passport and car registration.

 

This is our first costa cruise, and to compare it to HAL or Princess wouldn't be fair, we still think its a very good ship and worthy of a 4 star rating. Food is great, service is great, entertainment is ok and the ship is clean, smart and comfortable. There is nothing you could say 'wow' about, but also nothing you could really be dissapointed with.

 

Costa and the NeoRiviera has exceeded our expectations so far.

[Starskraper]

Hello to everyone who has posted on this thread. My wife and I are booked on the neoRiveria's 1/26 Dubai to Dubai cruise. This will be my fourth cruise, but first on Costa and first in the Middle East. This will be my wife's first cruise.

 

I appreciate reading everyone's comments in this posting. Your comments make me feel good about booking this cruise. We were very limited in choices for reasons of scheduling and travel arrangements so this was about the only cruise in the world that we could book this time around, but it looks like we will be happy with the choice.

 

I do have a question. In reading online about travel to Dubai, Americans are cautioned about the need for women to dress modestly and the need to avoid public displays of affection. From what you saw on the neoRiveria, do these cautions hold true for the time on the ship as well? I realize that these cautions certainly apply while in the ports, but what about on the ship itself? I've looked everywhere for an answer to this and haven't been able to find anything so I would be most grateful for comments from those who have experienced this cruise first-hand.

 

Thanks in advance.

[AnonymousCruiser69]

Hello to everyone who has posted on this thread. My wife and I are booked on the neoRiveria's 1/26 Dubai to Dubai cruise. This will be my fourth cruise, but first on Costa and first in the Middle East. This will be my wife's first cruise.

 

I appreciate reading everyone's comments in this posting. Your comments make me feel good about booking this cruise. We were very limited in choices for reasons of scheduling and travel arrangements so this was about the only cruise in the world that we could book this time around, but it looks like we will be happy with the choice.

 

I do have a question. In reading online about travel to Dubai, Americans are cautioned about the need for women to dress modestly and the need to avoid public displays of affection. From what you saw on the neoRiveria, do these cautions hold true for the time on the ship as well? I realize that these cautions certainly apply while in the ports, but what about on the ship itself? I've looked everywhere for an answer to this and haven't been able to find anything so I would be most grateful for comments from those who have experienced this cruise first-hand.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

you won't have any 'modesty' restrictions on the ship as it is an italian line. the only thing that might raise an eyebrow is if the shoes and the belt/bag don't match.

[Cidercountry]

Hi yes we were on the second Costa cruise out of.Dubai and can confirm no modesty restrictions apply on ship....very relaxed majority of ladies in bikinis on deck, strappy dresses in evening...anything goes really...we packed evening attire for the formal nights as instructed by Costa only to find there were not any ! So That was a bit of a waste of time and space. I would of course adhere to the modesty rules when ashore..you don't need to wrap up like a mummy! A tee shirt with sleeves and over the knee shorts quite acceptable, you get a few curious stares but they yare now used to many tourists arriving on cruise ships.

 

Otherwise a super cruise I would recommend, any more questions don't hesitate to ask.

[AmoMondo]

Returned from a Cruise last weekend on NeoRiviera...all our doubts and anxiety were soon dismissed...we're able to drop luggage off at Port after early morning arrival from Heathrow..a little hint here, bring something cool to change into as you have a long wait before you can get into your cabin we.used the free shuttle to a small shopping mall and crossed the road for our first walk along the beach....we're able to embark ship at 3 p.m went to Lido Deck where there was a good selection of food the staff very welcoming as they were throughout the cruise. !

 

Hi can you remember which mall the free shuttle was to? I'm going on the Fortuna on 24th and am due to land around 8.00am. Even allowing for time wasted changing into summer weight clothes and queues at immigration, I'd still expect to be at the port around 11am to drop off my luggage., so will need to do something to occupy my time until I can board and heading to a mall would do.

 

Also did they allow you to actually do the embarkation check in when you first arrived or did you have to do that later in the day? What about hand luggage - did they have a storage facility for that too? Last time I was on a Bulf cruise, I got there after lunch and they allowed me to board although I could not get my cabin until around 7 or 8 pm. They had a room near the reception where you could drop off hand luggage leaving you free to wander the ship and use it's facilities without having to trail a big holdall around.

[Cidercountry]

Hi, Yes we landed from U.K about 8 a.m and reached the Port by taxi about

11 a.m. The terminal building is quite pleasant and there is a supply of drinking water laid on... Several people took advantage of the comfy couches and had a sleep, but if you want to do that grab one quick as they are limited. The luggage drop off was very straightforward, we popped in the toilets and changed into something cooler, re packed handed cases in. Took a very light bag minimal to carry. The free shuttle takes you to Jameria beach one Mall...it is quite pleasant quite a few shops in the Italianate style, a few good coffee shops to get a drink and a snack. We did manage to cross the road and have a walk along the beach, but tiredness took over and we caught a shuttle bus back to the terminal where we sat and read and awaited our embarkation which was at 3 p.m we then had to wait in a short queue to fill out the documents. On the ship we went straight to Lido Deck where there was a good hot and cold buffet awaiting us. We had taken advantage of the drinks package so were able to enjoy a nice glass of wine. We went to see where our cabin was and they were busy cleaning, so proceeded up on deck where we found some loungers and had a much needed sleep. We kept our small hand luggage with us, I did not see anywhere on the ship to leave it. We freshened up in the public wash rooms before dinner as of course cabins not available until after 7 p.m and we didn't want to eat later. Most people were in the same position so we didn't feel out of place. It is open dining so this was a big advantage. Hope this covers your questions....you will love the cruise ours was super.

[AmoMondo]

Hi, Yes we landed from U.K about 8 a.m and reached the Port by taxi about

11 a.m. The terminal building is quite pleasant and there is a supply of drinking water laid on... Several people took advantage of the comfy couches and had a sleep, but if you want to do that grab one quick as they are limited. The luggage drop off was very straightforward, we popped in the toilets and changed into something cooler, re packed handed cases in. Took a very light bag minimal to carry. The free shuttle takes you to Jameria beach one Mall...it is quite pleasant quite a few shops in the Italianate style, a few good coffee shops to get a drink and a snack. We did manage to cross the road and have a walk along the beach, but tiredness took over and we caught a shuttle bus back to the terminal where we sat and read and awaited our embarkation which was at 3 p.m we then had to wait in a short queue to fill out the documents. On the ship we went straight to Lido Deck where there was a good hot and cold buffet awaiting us. We had taken advantage of the drinks package so were able to enjoy a nice glass of wine. We went to see where our cabin was and they were busy cleaning, so proceeded up on deck where we found some loungers and had a much needed sleep. We kept our small hand luggage with us, I did not see anywhere on the ship to leave it. We freshened up in the public wash rooms before dinner as of course cabins not available until after 7 p.m and we didn't want to eat later. Most people were in the same position so we didn't feel out of place. It is open dining so this was a big advantage. Hope this covers your questions....you will love the cruise ours was super.

 

Many thanks that was very helpful. I'll look out for the shuttle as it would be nice to while Way a few hours and have a quick trip to the beach to get some fresh sea air. I'll have a post cruise stay at Jumeirah beach Residence after I disembark but sounds like this mall is in a different stretch of the beach. Hopefully will get some sleep on the flight over with Emirates.

[beaniebaby]

Hi looks like we too are on the same cruise on the Fortuna on the 24th. We also arrive approx. 8am in the morning and just looking at the boarding info. It says we can not board until 8pm. It will be a long day so are hoping we will at least be able to board earlier even if we can not access our cabin.:)

[Cidercountry]

Hi Beaniebabe, I can reassure you on the itinerary you will be able to board at 3 p.m but cabin not available to use until after 7 p.m. You will find most people will eat in the dining room that evening as they are dressed, so bear that in mind with your change of clothes earlier in the day. I am surprised Costa still have that info on their literature as they told us it was a mis print and this was when we cruised on 30th November ! We were not looking forward to the long wait to embark, so pleasantly surprised when we could at least get on board for something to eat and drink and a little sleep on the loungers at 3 p.m !

[beaniebaby]

Hi Beaniebabe, I can reassure you on the itinerary you will be able to board at 3 p.m but cabin not available to use until after 7 p.m. You will find most people will eat in the dining room that evening as they are dressed, so bear that in mind with your change of clothes earlier in the day. I am surprised Costa still have that info on their literature as they told us it was a mis print and this was when we cruised on 30th November ! We were not looking forward to the long wait to embark, so pleasantly surprised when we could at least get on board for something to eat and drink and a little sleep on the loungers at 3 p.m !

 

Many thanks for that information. Feel a little better now as we thought we would be in for a long tiring day. Good idea to have a nap on the sun loungers. :)

[AmoMondo]

Hi looks like we too are on the same cruise on the Fortuna on the 24th. We also arrive approx. 8am in the morning and just looking at the boarding info. It says we can not board until 8pm. It will be a long day so are hoping we will at least be able to board earlier even if we can not access our cabin.:)

 

Hiya,

 

What dinner sitting and restaurant have you picked for the cruise? I've picked second and the upper deck of Raffaello restaurant.

Edited January 9, 2014 by AmoMondo