New ship, great personnel: cabin, dinner crew, course instructors, entertainers
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Wonderful presentation of dinner menu items. Everything tasty, good mix of choices. The one night we did not eat in main dining area it was difficult to find options except for cafeteria. Crew made everything flo well, provided amusing antedotes, and got everyone involved with festivities. Cafeteria backed up at common times, food there was ok. Fresh fruit until the last day, then canned....
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Attended several options for arts & crafts and came away with fun & usable items, new talents too. Wish the water & aerobics courses were more frequent and at regular hours, where possible, to accomodate port calls. Sometimes there were too many things going on at the same time in the same area and consequently too many people, too much noise. The evening shows (went to all but one) were top notch, including the crew's talent show the last evening. Especially enjoyed Sinagoga (saw him in Notre Dam de Paris in Verona and loved seeing him again). Downside, we had hoped to get messages, etc but prices were way over the top, beautiful facility, but hardly used.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Towel bunnies fun, room steward very attentive, dancing with the waiter/waitress, arts & crafts teacher very hands on & helpful. Downside golf room, no men's driver and purser's office unwilling to take interim comments or provide any data regarding other Costa cruises. Impressive language capabilities across the board.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
There were log jams on the walking deck and the photo deck and smoking everywhere outside and even common areas inside. We avoided those areas. Funishing were beautiful and of great quality, comfortable too. Lights and decor a bit too gaudi for me but festive. Rooms were clean, but look into some of the kitchen areas (in passing) was scary.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Clean & comfortable. With an indoor cabin appreciated ship's remote (TV) view so could tell what was happening outside. Interesting artwork rooms, corridors, and stairwells.
If you haven't been to Olympia, got to go. We'd already been there, but our friends took the tour and thoroughly enjoyed. Speaking Greek with the shop keepers. Internet cafe cheap.
Take the horse and buggy ride, for 4 people 15. No bargaining for carpets as we had done in the past, so kind of disappointing (no more magic carpets....) . Shopping in general prices good and unusal (fun & realtively inexpensive), not made in China, goods.
Istanbul is a must see and port time the longest (0730 to 1800). So much to see as with any large city you only get a taste in one day. Go back and stay at least three days.
Don't Miss: Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi (crown jewels epecially), Grand & spice bazaars, if time take ferry over to Asian side and rtn for fish sandwiches at port
Pros: entertainment, selection of dinner menu, cleanliness of rooms, ship's personnel at all levels (except purser's desk), arts & crafts, water aerobics, dance classes and Venician party
Cons: cost of spa treatments, training, misleading seminars, irregular hours for activities, smoking in all open areas even inside, crowdedness of area where photos are exhibited, purser's desk personnel not accomodating, didn't know very much about the company, complaints, general info, missing golf club
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