Don't do it!!!

Costa Luminosa Cruise Review to Caribbean - Eastern

heavenlyescape

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 4-6 cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 62

Overall rating:

3 out of 5

Verified Review

7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)

Sail date: December 29, 2019

Ship: Costa Luminosa

Traveled as: Large Group

Reviewed: 4 years ago

Review summary

There is only one staff member who was exceptional and worthy of mentioning and that was Juan Zapata (bar tender) He always provided service with a smile and had a pep in his step. All other staff were rude and unhappy. They need to have food open at all times or atleast until midnight! They need to work on some new mixed drinks and better beer for their packages.

Embarkation

4 out of 5

embarkation was quick and easy, however, it made me nervous that they don't give you room keys they just leave your room unlocked with you baggage in it and you go to your room (when they are ready-which they never announced overhead) to get your room keys

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

1 out of 5

The Buffet had the same horrible food the whole cruise. Breakfast was a long line and you were lucky to get any waffles and we only got french toast one morning. Lunch was always lunchmeat. We ate in the dining rooms for dinners. The waiter was very rude and unhappy with any requests. Their English menus (the main language is Italian) were not very well translated and still very hard to understand-we basically had no idea what we were ordering. We purchased the drink package--Don't do it! They only have Heineken beer and it is disgusting. We literally made a list of all drinks we COULD have, and tried over 60 drinks---horrible! They don't know how to make a daiquiri or margarita. Their liquor is cheep and disgusting. Out of the whole menu we found maybe 4 drinks we could tolerate!

Onboard Activities

2 out of 5

They played the same song over and over---it was in a foreign language so we had no clue what they were saying. They didn't have many activities at all. We attended the new years eve celebration which was not worth waiting up for other than they actually had food out in the evening which is a plus because they close buffets and all food around 8pm everynight!

Entertainment

2 out of 5

We went to the shows every night. While their vocalists are talented by the 5th night I had had it with singing and dancing. They did have a nice acrobatic show and the only reason I gave 2 stars instead of one is because they had a comedian the last night that was amazing. Otherwise if you don't mind listening to singing (with mics turned up too loud) and watching dancing everynight--Don't do it! The whole ship only had 3 basketballs to check out---but they check them out and never ask for them back--we ran into a kid who had one and his mom told him to keep it in his room for the whole cruise--they need to require them back after a certain time!

Children's Programs

4 out of 5

Our grandson seemed to enjoy it. They did some fun activities with peppa pig with him, and were friendly and remembered his name.

Service and Staff

1 out of 5

We only had our room cleaned once while onboard so never knew who our room steward was. They don't do creative stuff in the rooms like other cruises we have been on (folding towels into animals/etc). There were blankets in the drawers under the couch with what appeared to be urine stains on them. I sat them out the one day we had our room cleaned hoping for clean ones and they just folded them and put them on the couch--yuck! Our waiter was rude and barely spoke english (Jose Pena). He didn't smile and the first night we were seated (we had to move dinner times) he basically told us we shouldn't be there. We had a substitute waiter one night and he was great! They don't offer you anything but water to drink and you're lucky to get a refill of your water! One of the bar tenders was so rude to me I almost lost it. He purposely kept helping everyone around me (even going so far to take my drink order-fill 2 other peoples' drink orders that arrived after me-then finally filling my drink order --which was just a soda!)--his name was Roberto Santo. Their staff is NOT friendly at all! We got better service with a smile at the hotel after the cruise. They don't make eye contact, don't smile, and don't bother asking them questions---they don't speak English. We had many just turn their back on us and walk away!

Ship Quality

3 out of 5

It was fairly clean and the layout was okay. While in the theater if there was something going on at the bar outside you could hear both--which is probably why they had the singers mics turned up unreasonably high!

Cabin / Stateroom

4 out of 5

The beds are not very comfortable. The layout was nice. The refrigerator didn't work and made everything hot. There is just one plug in the room and one in the bathroom (that won't accept a curling iron) The lighting was amazing, and the deck was roomy.

Ship tip

Don't do it! This was our 4th cruise and by far the worst! They close their food stations (you have to pay for pizza at night, and ice cream costs too). Their staff is RUDE. Their water machines take a magician to run!

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