The Good, Bad, and Ugly of cruising the Baltics onboard Costa Pacifica

Costa Pacifica Cruise Review to Europe - Northern Europe

Cruises: 2-3 cruises
Reviews: 4
Helpful Votes: 103

Overall rating:

3.7 out of 5
Costa Pacifica

10 Night The Northern Capitals (Kiel Roundtrip)

Sail date: July 09, 2019

Ship: Costa Pacifica

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 1087

Traveled as: Large Group

Reviewed: 5 years ago

Review summary

The question is...Would I recommend taking a Baltic Cruise on Costa Pacifica? I will reluctantly say “Yes”. The Cruise Ship is well worth the money spent. The destinations are absolutely exquisite. The only hesitation I have is the food as it was terrible.

Embarkation

1 out of 5
Getting to the Port in Kiel Germany was very easy. The Cruise Terminal is ~1 mile from the Kiel Train Station (HBF). Plenty of shops and food establishments to peruse before boarding. The boarding process was abysmal. Massive amount of passengers being funneled into 6 check-in stations. It took ~4 hours from arriving at the Terminal to boarding the ship. Baggage arrived to the cabin later in the evening. Absolutely miserable experience.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

1 out of 5
Main Dining Room was mediocre at best. Presentation of dishes was average. Quality and variety was well below average. Little to no fresh vegetables and fruits. Buffet was nearly inedible. Same low quality dishes every single day. The breads and desserts were above average. Little to no fresh vegetables and fruits. Specialty Restaurants were no better. Drink Packages and Bars were above average. This is the primary disappointment. Was expecting good Italian Dining, yet received meals that were so horrible. In addition, four of our party became violently ill throughout the cruise directly related to the food.

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5
The shipboard activities were outstanding. The ship was filled with activity daily and was one of the most exciting cruise ships I have been aboard.

Entertainment

5 out of 5
All of the Performances and Entertainers were excellent. One the most exciting cruise ships I have been aboard.

Children's Programs

No children

Service and Staff

5 out of 5
The Crew were outstanding in all aspects. Very friendly and professional.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5
The ship is in great shape. While the decor is very brash, it fits the energy of the cruise. Appropriate Music throughout the ship.

Cabin / Stateroom

3 out of 5
Cabin is above average with plenty of storage space. Tastefully decorated. The bed and pillows were average.

Ship tip

Really think about how important the quality of food is to your cruise experience.

Ports of call

Kiel, Germany

3 out of 5
No excursion. Good port for Embarking and Disembarking

Gdynia (Gdansk), Poland

3 out of 5
Average port. It is a young city so in a couple of years it will be a much better port. Shuttle to city center is ~$8

Klaipeda, Lithuania

5 out of 5
Wonderful port. Lots to see and do. Walk to the city center. Very inexpensive.

Tallinn, Estonia

5 out of 5
Wonderful port. Lots to see and do. Walk to the city center. Very inexpensive.

St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

5 out of 5
The Crown Jewel of the Baltics. Spend as much time and money as possible in St Petersburg. Extremely inexpensive. Must obtain a Visa prior to cruise or book an Excursion through the cruise line to exit the port. No exceptions.

Helsinki, Finland

3 out of 5
Beautiful port but not much to see or do. Very expensive. Shuttle to city center is ~$15

Stockholm, Sweden

4 out of 5
Wonderful port. Lots to see and do. Shuttle to city center is ~$15

Disembarkation

2 out of 5
Couldn’t get off the ship fast enough. Disembarking is typical as with other ships. Received color coded baggage tags the night before. Pack and set your bags outside your cabin by 1am. Depart the ship at time coordinated by your color code. Bags awaiting you in the Terminal.
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1 Comment

4Goodtimes    5 years ago

Enjoyed your review very much.