Costa questions -General

[dogger]

We've done RCC, very nice, looking at Costa for a few reasons but need some answers to some questions.

 

It seems like 40% of the people say the food stinks, is it that are thinking they're going to get real "Italian" food like they get a Olive Garden and what they get is real Italian food, not like Olive Garden. I just can't see it being as bad as people say.

How is the food, am I close that they serve Italian food and not americanized italian?

I stuck to steak almost every night on RCC, and steered clear anything I didn't know.

Is room service free?

How do they handle soda/juice, etc? On RCC they charged you for it or you could buy a mug for unlimited.

Are there free restaurants and buffets and ones where you pay extra

Any other advise or thoughts for an RCC cruiser?

[cariad]

I think Olive Garden food sucks-but being Italian and from a family of great cooks- I think most restaurant Italian food sucks. I loved the food on the Mediterranea. Those who hated the food on Costa will tell you it's because I don't know good Italian food.:)

[rocktheboat]

I am Italian, (born and raised in Italy), If you think what they gave you on the Med during A Caribbean cruise was Italian food, you are NOT Italian.

I understand when Costa cruises Europe the food is much different.

And I would never eat in Olive Garden.

 

Food on the Med was not good. You also need to remember different ships, different chefs.

Nothing much Italian in the food dept. Gravy on the pasta was not good, seafood pasta was pasta with canned seafood on top. Food really did suck.

I don't know if you can order steak everynight. We had asked for a shrimp cocktail one night and were told no, on RCCL we asked and we got it every night.

I do know what good real italian food

tastes like.

Room service was free but we stayed in a suite so not sure in another cabin.

 

Juice was free. Soda was not but they do sell a soda card.

 

Buffet is free, so is pizza, hamburgers and franks.

 

The Medusa resturant had a $20 charge if you were not staying in a suite. Suite pax didn't have to pay the fee. Food here was great, we ate there 3 nights.

 

Ship was wonderful, gaudy but I loved it. Service was also wonderful.

 

Having cruised on both Costa and RCCL I would say they are almost equal.

RCCL's food was not that good either(I was on the Monarch). Costa suites were twice the size of RCCL suites.

 

After cruising Costa and RCCL I will stick with Princess and Celbrity.

 

Strange that Costa is also owned by the same company as Princess and RCCL and cel. are same owned but they are so different.

 

You get what you pay for and Costa cruises are much cheaper and children cruise free so there are more children than adults on board.

[Duff Cruise]

Hi Dogger,

 

I was on the Costa Tropicale late July / early August - hope I can help to answer some of your questions. I thought the food was pretty decent, but I'll give you more details to give you a better idea:

 

1. The best meal was dinner - a variety of choices of at least 3 or four items for each course which changed everyday. There were usually 7 courses (antipasto, soups, pasta, main course, salads, cheese, fruit, dessert) of which our waiter was surprised that we would typically order two (my friends and I were not used to eating italian portions). However, they also accomodated a family beside us who requested items that were not on the menu for that evening. Our waiter knew that we loved the cheese and always had it ready for us when within minutes of us sitting at our table.

 

2. The Lunch buffet was alright. Unfortunately, we never took the opportunity to try the "sit-down" lunch in the restaurant. There was usually some meat, fish, breads, salad, raw veggies, fresh fruit, rice, fries, hamburgers, cooked vegetables (i.e. beans, potatoes, peas, carrots, etc. ) and a pasta chef.

 

3. Buffet Breakfast was the meal that I thought was not as great as the other two. There was typically the same items everyday which got to be a bit boring: Scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, french toast triangles, ricotta, yogurt, semi-ripe watermelon and pineapple. The best solution was to get the omelette chef to make a personalized creation.

 

4. Can't comment on the midnight buffet because we were to busy watching the night-time entertainment or dancing at the disco around that time. Sorry

 

5. Never ordered room service so I don't know if was free or not.

 

6. The Buffet and main restaurant is free - For the other restaurant you have to pay either 20 or 30 euro and I think they make it a romantic dinner for two with candlelight and champagne or something.

 

7. Juice is free at the buffet only. We bought the "boys and girls" package for soda pop (i.e. Coke, sprite) and juices which was about 45 Euros for 20 drinks. (Works out to 2.25 Euro a drink)

[jeb9860]

Dogger I have some menu's if you want to see them. email me at JEB9860@comcast.net. I thought the food was fine. I am not Italian I do not eat at the Olive Garden and I prefer Costa to Princess, but that's just my opinion.

[goldencup]

I returned from Costa Fortuna yesterday and thought that the food was wonderful. It is certainly not American-sized portions but all ours was beautifully cooked and presented.

[rocktheboat]

The food is much different when cruising Europe than when in America. They try to go 90% American when in America.

 

Also remember different ships different chefs.

 

When we were on the Med(you can go back and read others who have posted)the food sucked. At the same time the Atlantica was also in the Caribbean and there were no food complaints. All the posters right now are cruising Europe, It's not the same as cruising from American. And if you don't have children with you Don't cruise Costa. When doing the Caribbean Children are free. So there are more children than adults.

 

People love costa because it's half the price of any other cruise line when cruising with children. Once again you get what you paid for.

[dogger]

Thanks for all the feedback.

 

Interesting they do kids free, I wondered why a 3rd or 4th guest being an adult would be the same as a 4 and 7 year old.

 

LOL on the whole Italian vs Olive Garden, a friend of mine went on and on and on to some customers of his from New York, we have this great new italian place, they show up and he takes them to Olive Garden.

 

On RCCL, we thought the food was great, but thinking back at it, it was okay, but we were okay with it, weren't cruising to get 5 star food.

 

Well, we'll see, but what I paid for a 5 day paying for 3 people, DW and DD and I on RCCL, for $100 less we can do 7 days with a friend for my DD on Costa.

 

I'll book and report back after the cruise.

[rocktheboat]

Price, thats the pull to Costa. Would these people love Costa if the price was the same as RCCL, Princess, Ect for a family of 4.

If I had small children I'm sure I would only cruise Costa, food and all. Who wants to pay the same price for a child as they pay for an adult.

 

Why would anybody living in NYC go to olive garden when they could go to lil Italy.

[jeb9860]

I would like to say that not all kids are free, we booked a suite for a back to back this December and we paid $525 a week for each of our kids, which is the same as the 3rd /4th adult rate. We do not choose Costa for the Free Kids package in fact we prefer not to have too many children on the ship, but over the Christmas week all ships will be filled with children. We choose Costa as the cabin sizes are great, the itineries are good and over a 2 week back to back cruise you get at least 2 more stops with Costa than you do with other lines. plus the service is great, the ships are clean and you meet a great variety of people.

[dogger]

See he was in Wisconsin, customers from new york came to wisconsin and he, being a fool, took them to the NEW Olive Garden. He didn't know it was a chain, this was 10 years ago.

 

As far as the Olive Garden, I don't go unless forced to go which is rare.

 

Does Costa have a fee to take wine/liquor back to your cabin? RCCL had a

$10 corking fee and $10 to take stuff from the duty-free shop back to your cabin.

[but292]

I've been cruising with Costa 3 times and I'm already booked for a 4th one in November. I enjoyed the food and sometimes the way it had been arranged on your plate was so beautiful that you thought you ought to be photographing it rather than eating it.

 

John and Maggie

[rocktheboat]

I only know of 1 Olive garden in NYC, right by times square.

Laugh away but everytime I passed I thought it was a salad resturant.

Not Italian.