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Address |
200 S. Park Rd., Suite 200, Hollywood, FL 33021-8541 |
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Phone |
800/462-6782 or 954/266-5600 |
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Fax |
954/2662100 |
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Online |
www.costacruises.com |
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Enjoyment Factor |
3 |
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Dining |
2 |
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Activities |
4 |
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Children's Program |
2 |
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Entertainment |
3 |
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Service |
2 |
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Overall Value |
3 |
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The Line in a Nutshell
Imagine a Carnival megaship hijacked by an Italian circus troupe: That's Costa. The words of the day are fun, festive, and international, with big, bright new megaships providing the venue. Expect a really good time, but don't set your sights too high for cuisine. Sails to: Caribbean.
The Experience
For years, Costa has played up its Italian heritage as the main factor that distinguishes it from Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and the rest -- even though the line is part of the Carnival Corporation empire, and many members of the service staff are as Italian as Chico Marx. Still, there's an Italianate essence here, with more pasta dishes on the menu than on any other line; more classical Italian music among the entertainment offerings; Italian-flavored activities facilitated by a young, mostly Italian, and ridiculously attractive "animation staff"; and a huge number of Italian Americans among the passengers. The interiors of the line's newest ships are by Carnival's designer-in-chief Joe Farcus, who took inspiration from Italy's traditions of painting and architecture but still stuck close to his signature "more is more" style -- think Venice a la Vegas.
Pros
Italian flavor: Entertainment, activities, and cuisine are presented with an Italian carnival flair.
Very active, very fun: There are a lot of activities, and Costa passengers love to participate, creating a festive and social environment morning to night.
Cons
Average dining: While the pizza is excellent and some of the pasta dishes work well, overall the cuisine only gets a "C" compared with the other big mainstream lines.
