Magica - just returned

[mek]

We just returned today from the 4/21 sailing of Costa Magica. I’ll do a full review later, but for now if you have any questions, I’ll be happy to answer them.

[joetrizeo]

where did you go and how long was it?

[mek]

7 nights - Bermuda and Nassau from Ft Lauderdale.

[fllady]

mek, we are doing that cruise next April, so anything to make our first Costa cruise more enjoyable will be a big help for us. We usually cruise on Celebrity,RCL and Princess. Any secrets we can learn from??? What do you recommend on the menus, is Toga night really special? Do you have to wear a toga?

[mek]

Please read the review I just posted. If it doesn't answer your questions, let me know, and I'll be happy to help. BTW, your itinerary for Bermuda is different next year, so you'll have more time there. Just be prepared to use public transportation - either the bus or ferry to get from the ship to Hamilton. Costa did not provide any. I've done it both ways, and it is so much nicer when the ship docks in Hamilton -you simply walk off the ship and you are in town. If you are planning on going to the beaches, it is just as easy to take the bus from the Dockyards as Hamilton. Please be prepared for the difference in the food on Costa - it is nowhere near what you are used to on RCCL, Princess, and Celebrity. I will be the first to admit that food is subjective, but IMHO, you will not get the selection or quality that you are used to getting on the other lines.

[fllady]

Thanks MEK, I just read your review and since you are a seasoned cruiser, as we are, I guess I better prepare myself for a below average cruise. My husband is disabled and we figured on taking this cruise leaving from Florida where we live instead of having to fly north, which is very hard on him. We do have time to change our mind, but because it is one place we want to see, and the ship is there for 2+ days instead of 1. we should get to see most of it. We already knew about the docking, and we know big ships cannot dock in Hamiltion. I'm not too fussy about food, but DH is......

[mek]

My husband is also very picky about food. I can go with the flow, but when he is unhappy, well, I'm sure you know how that goes! He has always been able on previous cruises to get a steak if there is nothing on the menu he likes. Not on Costa! They would not serve anything that wasn't on the menu. He did manage to get some fresh strawberries twice, but honestly you would have thought we were asking for caviar! I cruise for two reasons - one is where the ship is more important than the itinerary - generally the Caribbean - so food, entertaiment, ect are more important that where we go. On the other hand, the itinerary on some cruises is so much more important than what is on the ship. We have cruised Europe several times, one was a "budget" cruise that happened to go where we wanted, so we booked it and actually everything turned out much better than expected. That's one reason we took a chance with Costa. It sounds like your Costa cruise falls into this category. I'm sure you will love Bermuda. If you find the food to be a problem, you can always eat off the ship while you are in port. Perhaps they will address and correct some of the issues by next year.

[mondello]

Thanks MEK, I just read your review and since you are a seasoned cruiser, as we are, I guess I better prepare myself for a below average cruise. My husband is disabled and we figured on taking this cruise leaving from Florida where we live instead of having to fly north, which is very hard on him. We do have time to change our mind, but because it is one place we want to see, and the ship is there for 2+ days instead of 1. we should get to see most of it. We already knew about the docking, and we know big ships cannot dock in Hamiltion. I'm not too fussy about food, but DH is......

Hi Jeanne, Don't be so quick to sell Costa short. A lot of people have found Costa to be very good. You be sure to let us know your opinion after your cruise next year. As for your expectation of a below average cruise because of MEK's or other bad reviews, I'd bet that you will find the Magica very enjoyable.

[fllady]

mondello, We always cruise with an open mind, because every cruise company has their good points and low points. But I do like to be a bit prepared of what we might face. I am constantly reading these boards and others to try and get as much information as possible, so we can be prepared, and like MEK has said we can always eat off ship. We have already had a luncheon on another Costa ship, while it was in port, and although we weren't impressed by all of the paintings, statues etc, the lunch we had was delicious. We didn't sample the buffet. I will let you all know how our cruise goes, God willing we make it till next year!:D

[joetrizeo]

i have said many times, the best way i beleive to describe the food is definitely different. it is classic italian and european cuisine. very good and very authentic. this is not normal cruise food, nor normal food you would find in american chain restraunts or even italian american food. this is fine dining that you will have to go to an independant restraunt in little italy in culture town america to find. i was raised italian and worked at a fine italian restraunt and can say for what costa was aiming to put out, italian food, it is very excellent. Six coures at dinner, app, soup, salad, pasta, entree, dessert. how many are on other cruise lines? the portions were small, but after i ate 6 courses i was full to the brim. if i didnt like the soup choices (i hate my veggies!) i ordered two pastas or two entrees. and at 6'1" 220 lbs i'm no small time eater.

 

basically if you are worried about the food...

if you are use to other cruise line food, normal american dishes and dont ever go to specialty or ethnic restraunts, you *may* not like the food.

if you are use to and like fine dining, different ethnic types of specialty food, and especially italian food (and i dont mean olive garden!) and eating somethings you have never heard of in your life, all different types of sea food, you *may* like costa's food. remember, italy is a peninsula, seafood and pasta are large mainstays of the culture.

 

-imho -Jim

[packercruising]

If you start with the mindset that you are going to have a below average cruise, you will. I would cruise Magica again in a heartbeat. Jimmy Joe and Mondello and a host of others have had great experiences. Others have not.

 

Jim, there is one undisputable fact---- WE GOT AJ HAWK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

[fllady]

Thank you all, I do appreciate the combined comments. We didn't get to be our age, (retired) and size (from eating good food) by not trying everything. We don't like Olive Garden, glad its not like that!;) We usually try to get to those out of the way little specialty restaurants, always get something we can't pronouce but delicious.

[packercruising]

Definitely not Olive Garden :eek:

 

When you get a chance, do a search for our Feb 26, 2006 Magica cruise. Jim did a great job of explaining these Italian dishes :)

[mondello]

Jeff, Congratulations on the Packers landing of A.J. Hawk. That answers my question of where he's going. I was busy working and sleeping and the only draft results I've yet seen were the Browns first 3 picks. Veteran NFL talent evaluator Gil Brandt recently said Hawk was the best pure talent player available. In this age of thugs and criminals in sports, Hawk is a very humble and well grounded guy, an all-around good citizen. As a Michigan fan living in Columbus, I can be very objective and I expect A.J. to be a great one.

[packercruising]

Thank you! Maybe we can get him to come on our cruise next year :) By all accounts he's a class act and his motor never quits running. Jim is from Cleveland, I think.

 

Hey, we got Greg Jennings, WR from Western Michigan. Do you know anything about him?

 

Well back to cruising. MEK, sorry for the detour!

[itsmlf]

I am a seasoned traveler and cruiser and found the food on Magica to be excellent...we were able to order anything we wanted...there was steak available every night for the asking and we even had shrimp cocktail when we asked so dont understand the post earlier. The food definately has a european flair which I really liked...if you havent tasted the good food in Europe and the attention paid to dining you wont care for it. The service was excellent and the ship beautiful so dont prepare yourself for an inferior cruise because you will be very dissapointed.

[mondello]

I didn't have trouble finding something to choose to eat. I was very impressed with the waitstaff service and the food presentation. I wonder if MEK's husband considered having dinner at the Magica's specialty restaraunt, Club Viscenza. This intimate, 80 seat fine steakhouse should have been right up his alley. I do not try to flame others except when they don't get facts straight. However, what are people thinking when they are constantly requesting preferential service (he did get fresh strawberries twice but he couldn't get a steak). The kitchen staff is preparing dinner for 3,000 guests and the menu lists your choices. I guess I'm old school, but I was raised to eat what momma fixed. People can and do receive items that are not listed on the menu. The waiter can only make the long trek back to the kitchen to request off-menu items, I guess it depends on the mood of the kitchen staff whether or not that request is taken kindly.

[ILov2cruise]

i have said many times, the best way i beleive to describe the food is definitely different. it is classic italian and european cuisine. very good and very authentic. this is not normal cruise food, nor normal food you would find in american chain restraunts or even italian american food. this is fine dining that you will have to go to an independant restraunt in little italy in culture town america to find. i was raised italian and worked at a fine italian restraunt and can say for what costa was aiming to put out, italian food, it is very excellent. Six coures at dinner, app, soup, salad, pasta, entree, dessert. how many are on other cruise lines? the portions were small, but after i ate 6 courses i was full to the brim. if i didnt like the soup choices (i hate my veggies!) i ordered two pastas or two entrees. and at 6'1" 220 lbs i'm no small time eater.

 

basically if you are worried about the food...

if you are use to other cruise line food, normal american dishes and dont ever go to specialty or ethnic restraunts, you *may* not like the food.

if you are use to and like fine dining, different ethnic types of specialty food, and especially italian food (and i dont mean olive garden!) and eating somethings you have never heard of in your life, all different types of sea food, you *may* like costa's food. remember, italy is a peninsula, seafood and pasta are large mainstays of the culture.

 

-imho -Jim

 

 

Classic italian, very authentic, not on their best day.

 

Born in Italy, moved to the states when I was 16 so I think I know authentic Italian food and it's not on Costa. When cruising within the states I think Costa goes more toward the American type of food. Other than pasta with canned fish throw on top what was italian. If whatever you ate had an italian name doesn t really mean its italian. Food Was was just ok. I have never eaten in Olive garden but i'd bet it's better than Costa food and closer to the real thing.

[mek]

Mondello - Pardon me, but the facts are straight and we certainly did not request special treatment. My husband noticed someone else at lunch with strawberries, so he asked for some also. As far as ordering a steak - we were told NO! Fine, if that is Costa's policy, then that's just the way it is, but that doesn't mean I have to like it or want to go back. I do have a problem when I requested something as simple as milk several times and never revceived it, or the night the duck was so salty, I couldn't eat it. I would have been perfectly happy to order something else, the only problem was no one ever came back to the table to ask how everything was until dessert. By then it was too late. As far as the comments concerning the authenicity of the Italian dishes, I can assure you my experiences go far beyond Olive Garden or Macaroni Grill, although I would have been thrilled to have something that tasted that good on this cruise. I have been to Italy many times and have had wonderful food there - I didn't expereince that on Costa. As most of us have said before, food is subjective. My Aunt Sue's pot roast will probably be different from your Aunt Sally's, and I will prefer mine over yours. That's just the way things are. For those of you who like the Italian dishes served on Costa because to you they are authentic, fine, I'm happy you're happy. I wasn't and I expressed my oppinions as objectively as I could. While I don't expect a 5 star expereince on any mass line, I would a least like to look forward to a pleasant dining expereince with good food and service, which I did not receive on this cruise. How can anyone possibly justify having a Grand Gala Buffet in the Galley????? I did have fun in spite of the food and service. I love cruising and just wish I had been on another line. I personally love Princess, but on that board you will find people who don't care for Princess food either - it's all about options and shouldn't be personal.

[mek]

ILov2cruise - I noticed you are from New York. Some of the very best Italian food I have ever had was from there and IMO, nothing like the food on Costa. I love to go down to Little Italy when I have the chance. True, they did serve pasta every night, but there are so many great Italian dishes that have nothing to do with pasta - it was a shame they didn't serve some of them.

[itsmlf]

we ordered almost anything we wanted and it was brought that night or the next. all of the ships have cut back on food without a doubt...I cruise often and think costa does quite a good job.

[joetrizeo]

sorry FLLady, i guess two opposing view points from different experts on italian cuisine doesnt help your decision...

 

with respect to ordering off the menu, it seams hit or miss. i was abel to do it no problem, others have been told flat out no. and honestly as a former waiter it comes down to the waiter, its his decision if he wants to go that extra mile in hopes for a little more respect, or to just do the minimum and get by.

 

but i DO know from my experience working serving 400 dinners at once (cant imagine what 1000's would be like) that everything has to be out, preped, cooked, in a timely and orderly matter in order to get the fastest most expediant service. generaly things that arnt on the menu mean they are either boxed up in grosses in the pantry, or frozen by the hundreds in the freezer. i just hope people understand that.

[mondello]

Hi MEK, You need to reread my post because I didn't say you had your facts wrong. I stated that I don't try to flame people for stating their opinions, only when they mis-state facts. They key word that follows is "however," which signifies the exception to my first statment. I am definitely not the chief Costa cheerleader and I do respect the opinions of all CC members. I do try to write clearly and post when I see that I have something to contribute. I read your review and could see where you are coming from. My initial reaction was that you were one tough grader. I really like the interaction that goes on in these threads, although I have seen many instances where it gets personal really quick. The difference of opinions is fine when we can agree to disagree.

[mek]

mondello - I agree with you that everything can become personal very quickly. Just go to some of the other boards - it's tame here! No offense was taken on my part because it is only my oppinion and Costa will not go out of business because of it. I usually take the time to post a few thoughts on cruise when I return, but this is the first time I have ever felt it was necessary to write such a long and detailed review. I can usually go with the flow, but I personally found the food and service to be so sub-par that I felt it was necessary to write the review. I went on this cruise really wanting to like Costa because they have some great European itineraries that I would love to do. I still might bite the bullet and go to Egypt on one of thieir ships because so few lines go there for two days without being on a month long cruise, and Costa offers that option. But, I will have my eyes wide open and eat off ship if necessary. So many people on all of the boards get overly defensive when someone posts something negative about their favorite cruise line. It's as if you are attacking their children! LOL!

[joetrizeo]

i think i speak for mondello too when i say we respect others opinions and thier right to voice them, good or bad, on this forum HOWEVER it is when people (not you) try to deter a fellow cruise go-er away from costa, almost like persuading them or making up thier mind for them. that is why some people can get defensive. make no mistake, you did not do this, i'm just explaining why some people could get defensive. i always like to let people make up thier own minds :)