Costa Mediterranea Cruise: Expert Review 2023
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It was one of the first companies to offer passenger shipping services and has since grown to become one of the largest cruise lines in the world. Today, Costa Cruises is part of the Carnival Corporation, which also owns several other popular cruise lines. As the ship sails in the Mediterranean, Europeans make up the majority of cruisers, primarily Italians followed by Germans, French, Spanish and Brits. Among the Italian crowd, many are families with small children. The age range, therefore, is wide, especially during school holidays.
Where does Costa Toscana sail to?
The sister ships are actually built to Panamax specifications, which means they're not only smaller than many of their fleetmates, but they're more flexible, too. Since Deliziosa can slide through the Panama Canal, it has more itinerary possibilities, and, indeed, it's been doing annual world cruises since 2011. It's also what you would expect from Costa Cruises' newest, largest and most innovative ship, one dubbed "Regina del Mediterraneo" -- Queen of the Mediterranean. The name Diadema means tiara, and there's more than enough razzle-dazzle onboard to call this Costa's crowning glory, at least for now. For starters, there's an art collection of more than 7,000 works, most falling under a royal motif, as in jewels, gowns or pop princesses.
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Expect to hear lots of languages spoken onboard -- often loudly and boisterously. That's just how things are here, and you can either embrace it or rail against it -- but the former is definitely going to give you a better experience than the latter. Because of this, Costa Toscana is a ship that feels younger and hipper than most. It's also a ship that embraces and welcomes people of all ages; no one is going to "shush" kids onboard who are having fun, and passengers enthusiastically participate in all activities with cheers and shouts.
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Designated cabins throughout Costa Smeralda offer accessible features in all accommodation categories. Bathrooms are equipped with either roll-in shower, transfer shower (providing maneuvering clearance and a shower bench), or an accessible bathtub. Elevators and accessible restrooms are available for all public (non-cabin) decks.
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Most officers and most of the entertainment staff hail from Italy. Costa Smeralda attracts a lot of families, especially during summer and school holidays. Several areas are set aside for kids, Squok Club for children ages three to 11 and Teen Zone, for kids up to age 17, and age-specific activities are provided. There is a video arcade at La Sala Giochi and Tutti a Tavola is a dedicated family restaurant next to the Squok Club. As ADA requirements don’t apply to ships not sailing out of the US, information on Costa Smerelda’s accessibility features is somewhat slim. There are special cabins to accommodate those with disabilities, such as no step to get into the bathroom and larger doors to accommodate wheelchairs, and specially equipped cabins can be provided upon request.
The Italian attitude extends to entertainment and the genial party atmosphere onboard. In the evenings, there are up to seven different dance venues to choose from, playing everything from Italian favorites and dance standards to Latin and Euro-pop. Entertainment staff, known as "animators," lead line dances and conduct wacky events like the "Mr. Costa Contest," which includes a partial striptease by contestants.
Our biggest reason for giving Costa a below-average rating is its track record for safety. Despite implementing new safety procedures and improving protocols overall, Costa ships still had collisions in 2017 and 2019, though fortunately there was no loss of life resulting from those incidents. Costa Smeralda has a staffed medical facility with a physician available for more serious issues; consultations are charged to an on-board account. Hand sanitizer stations are everywhere, and restaurant entrances feature high-tech automated hand-washing stations. A selection of cabins are set aside for quarantine guests or crew, as needed. You’ll also find a live jazz combo at Quelli della Notte, a piano bar at Il Cielo in una Stanza with live music and singalongs, while the Mastroianni Grand Bar is the main dance floor offering a variety of musical genres.
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Caribbean sailings are one of their specialties, with budget-friendly fares often starting at $139 per person for a three-night Bahamas cruise. However, guests should be aware of additional costs for gratuities, drinks, and dining packages, and even for basics like choosing the stateroom or dining room seating time. While the low initial fares may seem like a bargain, fees for "extras" can add up quickly, so it's worth comparing MSC to other cruise lines before booking your sailing. Speaking of weeklong Mediterranean itineraries, cruisers have the option of embarking and disembarking at nearly every port of call. In other words, several hundred (or thousand) cruisers board and leave the ship on any given day. We overheard one Canadian passenger describe it as a floating hop-on, hop-off tour.
Though Costa does not reference jeans directly in its written policy, denim is allowed in the dining room. Deliziosa's Mediterranean itineraries attract cruisers of all ages, and summers see lots of families onboard. The world cruises attract an older demographic, with an average age of about 65, and travelers are typically retired and affluent.
Costa further eases the landing by having several liaisons onboard dedicated to non-Italian speaking guests. These ambassadors first meet their dedicated language groups during the safety briefing at the start of the cruise and remain accessible throughout the voyage to smooth over any hiccups foreign guests encounter. There are some differences an English-speaking audience should be aware of.
Other amenities that might be important to you are Wi-Fi, spa services, babysitting, fitness classes, and upgraded dining experiences. You can usually get a decent discount if you sign up for an amenities package before you sail, so keep an eye out for promotions in the months leading up to your sailing. Costa Cruises offers a wide range of itineraries to destinations all over the world, including the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and South America. The cruise line has a fleet of nine ships, each with its own unique style and amenities. Costa Cruises caters to a diverse range of travelers, from families with young children to retirees looking for a luxurious getaway, but you'll find your fellow cruisers to be distinctly European on most sailings. Most passengers aboard Costa Toscana hail from Italy, with cruisers from France, Germany and Spain making up the remainder of the guests.
In addition to bar service available in each dining venue, Costa Smeralda has about a dozen standalone bars spread around the ship. Live music percolates at the Mastroianni Grand Bar, Quelli della Notte Jazz Club, and Il Cielo in una Stanza Piano Bar. While Costa definitely welcomes older, more experienced, passengers, the average age on Costa Toscana skewed younger, with many couples and families in their 40's travelling. Multi-generational families are present at all times of the year, even during our late-September sailing.
The good news is you can choose the air gateway (or train station for Europeans) that's most convenient for you. The bad news is there's a lifeboat drill almost daily, accompanied by shipwide announcements in multiple languages, and there's little first-day sailaway fanfare. The captain's welcome, for example, could happen on the last day of your trip, rather than the usual second night out. This is a party ship that comes alive from cocktail hour well into the wee hours. Italians (the majority of the passengers) and their fellow Europeans know how to live it up, including families with small children who go everywhere at all hours. Either you love being immersed in the European lifestyle onboard, or you're pining for familiar American ways of doing things, including dining.
In any case, we wonder how the Europeans all manage to stay up so late and still head off on morning shore excursions on the port-heavy itineraries. For someone who doesn’t speak Italian, a Costa Smeralda cruise provides a gentler immersion into Italian culture than an independent land vacation. Virtually all guest-facing crew members speak English, menus are available in multiple languages, and shore excursions are segregated by language.
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