Costa Cruises Review

Costa Cruises' Costa Concordia. Photo courtesy of Costa Cruises

Long renowned for cruising “Italian Style,” Costa Cruises is the largest cruise line in Europe and one that attracts an international crowd drawn to its fun and flamboyant style.

As part of Carnival Corporation, Costa has access to the parent company’s deep pockets; as a result, Costa has one of the most active shipbuilding programs of any brand in the industry.

The line has used that money well to build one of the most modern fleets in the Mediterranean and beyond. Almost all of these are post-Panamax behemoths registering over 100,000 tons, but a couple are of the Panamax variety and small enough to fit through the locks of the Panama Canal.

Costa Cruises’ International Mix

Mostly modeled on Carnival ships—the newest even share the same interior designer—the Costa vessels distinguish themselves with their Continental themes and Italian spirit. Passengers are an international mix, more so than on most North American-based cruise lines, so announcements are made in a variety of languages including English, Italian, French, German, and Spanish, and the currency onboard is typically the euro rather than the dollar.

The Ambience On Costa Cruises

It's hard not to be impressed by the magnificent Atrium aboard Costa Mediterranea. Photo courtesy of Costa Cruises

You can enjoy classical music aboard Costa ships, but also plenty of rock, pop, and other genres. Menus are heavy on pasta and Italian-style cooking, served up alongside other culinary delights to provide a mix of cuisines and flavors. Even the names of the ships have an Italian flair. Entertainment is designed to bridge different languages and nationalities, uniting passengers from around the world.

Activities stress audience participation and the young, bouncy and attractive cruise staff encourages everyone to celebrate and have a good time, Italian style. Late-night theme parties and contests are always well attended and guaranteed to get passengers laughing out loud. Overall, the ambiance can best be summed up in one word: Exuberant.

Costa Does The Med & More

Costa Allegra boasts an unusual, though oddly appealing, profile. Photo courtesy of Costa Cruises

Costa keeps most of its ships in its home waters of the Mediterranean year-round, but also deploys them throughout the globe. One or two vessels are always positioned in the Caribbean for the North American winter, and the line has recently been a pioneer in developing the United Arab Emirates as a regional homeport by positioning some of its newest tonnage there—one ship, the Costa Deliziosa, was even christened in Dubai.

Costa indeed travels far and wide: The line was the first international cruise brand to offer regularly scheduled cruises from China, and recently offered a seasonal program of cruises from the U.S. East Coast to Canada/New England. But while the ships and destinations may change, one thing is always found aboard a Costa cruise liner: Its famous Italian signature of love, laughter, and la dolce vita.

Costa Cruises Ship Reviews

Avid Cruiser Posts Featuring Costa Cruises

 

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    Providing a wonderful ambiance on your cruise could be a great way to entertain your passengers. They could enjoy all those programs that you would be holding making them become more active to participate in this kind of activity.

  • Pingback: Costas nya Deliziosa ger en smak av Italien | Avid Cruiser Sverige | Kryssningar, kryssningsfartyg och destinationer

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