The cruise was a good experience, but mainly because of the beautiful ports we visited. Our favorite port was Olympia, Greece. We will cruise again, but unfortunately not with Costa cruise line.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
1 out of 5
The food on board the Luminosa was mediocre at best and inedible at worst. In general, the offerings were bland and poorly represented Italian cuisine. In conversations with many other guests, we learned that they were similarly disappointed with the food on board the ship. My husband, who is vegan, suffered more than I did. He was expected to choose between a dry, flavorless bean burger
(which according to the menu was a frozen product) or a soggy, equally flavorless vegan frittata at EVERY meal except breakfast, which offered fried potatoes and fresh bread. Two poorly prepared options at every meal for seven days! Surely, professionally trained chefs are capable of more creativity and should take more pride in what they prepare. When we asked about the lack of options and bland food, we were told that this is the set menu. While I understand that it must be a challenge to provide savory meals which appeal to every palette and which conform to the varied dietary restrictions of guests, we have cruised with 5 different lines which all managed this feat with more skill than the culinary team on board the Luminosa. Even though I am not a chef, I have been able to develop more flavor in my small kitchen at home. It would be unfair not to acknowledge the diligence and hard work of the wait staff in the dining room and buffet, however. They were fabulous!
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Entertainment
3 out of 5
La Vie Est Belle was thoroughly entertaining!
Children's Programs
We do not have children.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
The wait staff was phenomenal! Our cabin steward Mehrlin was amazing! By day 3, we had dubbed him Mehrlin the magician.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
We were comfortable. Our cabin steward did a wonderful job keeping the cabin tidy. The balcony afforded beautiful views and fresh air for the duration of our cruise.
Ship tip
Do not book shore excursions directly with the Luminosa. We found that in each port, we were able to book the exact same tour for a third of the price charged on board the ship. If you are visiting Bari, Italy, Costa will charge you 7 euro 95/ person for a transfer from the ship to the city. Avoid this unnecessary cost. The walk from the ship to the city takes about 10 minutes at a leisurely pace. We learned this after we had been gypped. Don't make a similar mistake. In general, Costa charged for simple amenities which were included free of charge on every other line we sailed with. The tendency to nickle and dime guests gets old very quickly. The cruise line's aim is obviously to make money, and while I'm no economist, I would say it is going about it in the wrong way. Savvy consumers simply make the choice to cruise with another line in future, or, like my husband and I did, refuse to patronize any of the services on board the ship and wait until the port stop to spend their money. Either way, ultimately, the cruise line loses.
While I would not generalize all Italians, the Venetians we met were incredibly rude and seemed to resent tourists. Our guide on the walking tour of Venice and Doge's Palace went so far as to say that tourism has not been good for Venice and that the city is suffering because it cannot withstand the pressures of mass tourism. Her remarks were offensive given that she is directly employed in the very industry which she and other Venetians seem to believe threaten their city. Their economy benefits tremendously from the trickle down effects of tourism and natives would do well to remember that, because while Venetian masks, leather goods and blown glass seem to be manufactured on a large scale, how much Murano glass, Venetian masks and leather goods can a person buy? Is it enough for Venice to ease its reliance on mass tourism and its economy would still thrive? My husband and I have decided that this is not a city we wish to visit again. We work very hard for our money and would prefer to spend it in a destination where visitors are treated with more respect.
We enjoyed the Bari city tour and the tasting of local products which followed. The people we met were incredibly gracious and accommodating! After Venice, their kindness was refreshing.
We enjoyed our visit to the Acropolis and other historical sites. The city is very beige though, so do not expect a vibrant cityscape. Lunch was disappointing. The tour guide explained that she would be eating at a particular restaurant and suggested that members of her tour group do so as well, since the food was good and the kitchen was clean. We took her suggestion despite our suspicion that her recommendation was likely biased, and a disappointing, overpriced lunch was the result. We also shopped in Athens. The prices were high, though not so high as in Venice, and in hindsight, we should have saved our money for our next stop, Olympia, which had far better options at lower prices.
Beautiful city! The stop was marred by bad weather which made it difficult to navigate the streets. Also, by the time we docked and exited the ship, it was half past 3. This left very little daylight to take in the mysterious beauty of this port.
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