costacrociere – Cruise Ship Paradise

7 reasons to book a cruise on the MSC Grandiosa

I did my very first cruise with my family when I was 15 years old and something immediately made me love it. I love the idea of falling asleep in one place and wakeup in another the next morning and I love discovering multiple places and countries and just unpacking once. That being said, I was and still am a huge ship geek as well and sailing on these giant ships has always been an experience for me. So when I got the chance to sail on MSCs newest and largest ship, the MSC Grandiosa, I simply couldn’t say no.

The Grandiosa holds true to its name: it is massive! One of the newest shis in the MSC family can accommodate up to 6334 passengers on 19 decks, with 11 restaurants and 20 bars and dozens of activities. I just couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw how huge she is for the first time!

We all know that cruise ships have had a bad rap over the last few years due to their environmental impact. Well, the good news is that MSC Grandiosa has some amazing environmental features. For example, the ship is equipped with a selective catalytic reduction system that helps to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 90%, along with a closed-loop exhaust gas cleaning system that reduces ship sulfur emissions by 97%. All lights onboard are LED and there’s also a pretty amazing water filter system that doesn’t dump grey water in the sea. Furthermore, the ship also plugs into the port electric system to delivers electricity and reduce emissions when docked. I am so glad that a big cruise company such as MSC is moving forward with better environmental features!

So now, let’s talk about 7 reasons you should book a cruise on the Grandiosa.

Activities

You would think that you would find time to explore the whole ship and experience everything it has to offer on a week-long cruise, but you would be wrond. MSC Grandiosa offers so many different activities onboard for those who love adventure, cusine, relaxing… there’s something for everybody. The Grandiosa has its own casino, bowling alley but also an impressive game arcade with VR games and F1 simulators! If you prefer to read a book in a cozy atmosphere, there are plenty of bars and lounges to spend time and, after dinner, there are shows in the 2 theatres, including one by Cirque du Soleil. There is also a spa onboard if you’d like to take relaxing to another level!

Pressing pause

If you like to relax as much as you like to explore during your vacation, you’ll be happy to learn that there are plenty of things to press pause during your cruise! The ship has multiple swimming pools and jacuzzis, both indoors and outdoors, which means that you’ll always be able to relax, no matter the weather! But that’s not all, there’s also a spa on board with plenty of treatments to help you relax a bit more. There’s even a barbershop as well! But to be honest with you, my favorite way to relax was to stare out at the sea on my private balcony. I could hear the waves and enjoy the view without any noise around!

Cabins

Well, let’s start with what I liked the most: our cabin! On previous cruises I did, I almost always had the cheapest guarantee inside cabin which I love don’t get me wrong. They allow me to cruise on budget and in turn cruise more often, buuuuut… that doesn’t mean I would say no to a balbony cabin! When we entered our cabin aboard the Grandiosa, I was immediately blown away by how much light and space we had. Our room was on deck 12, which means that we were high above the sea and that we had a panoramic view of each city we visited, definitely a perk that inside cabins do not have! Our cabin also had a very comfy couch that can turn into a bed if you’re traveling with kids. What struck me the most is that even if space is limited (the max size is 22 square meters), everything has been cleverly designed to maximize space. There’s a good size closet, with plenty of hanging space, but also a very long desk with shelves and drawers to organize everything. Each cabin is also equipped with Zoe, a voice-controlled personal assistant that can answer most of your questions regarding the ship, like restaurant hours or showtimes.

If you prefer a larger or smaller cabin, the options are pretty endless! We visited a suite that had its own jacuzzi but also a duplex suite, with breathtaking views on the sea. If you’re more on a budget, they also have interior cabins & studios that are more affordable.

Luxurious design!

From the glamorous, blinged out Swarovski staircase to the artfully themed Galleria Grandiosa, you will be surrounded by elegance in all design elements on this ship. Perhaps the most stunning example is the almost 90 meters long LED dome that projects a digital sky over the 2-story promenade. Whether you are shopping, dining at one of the specialty restaurants, sipping a cocktail in one of the bars, or socializing and enjoying in some live entertainment, you are sure to love Galleria Grandiosa and the rest of the luxurious touches throughout the ship.

Galleria Grandiosa was probably my favorite area of the ship. There was always something happening in the Galleria and no matter how many times I walked along the promenade I was always in shock that this is actually… on a ship!

Powered by technology

Besides the technology behind the innovative stage productions and LED dome, MSC Grandiosa features the MSC for Me smartphone app. MSC for Me is MSC Cruises’ multi-channel digital program that enables guests to interact with the ship and crew members anytime, in any place, to better serve their needs, save them time and really make the most of their vacation. Key features include a handy app for smartphones, an interactive TV in the stateroom and interactive digital screens around the ship, meaning guests can access information, book services – like specialty restaurants and on board performances – navigate around the ship, and more.

One tech feature which everyone will notice onboard MSC Grandiosa is Zoe, the first virtual cruise assistant, ZOE can speak seven languages, answer hundreds of questions about the cruise and provide information about on-board services, guidance and suggestions or help to book a service.

Dining

Along with the traditional main dining room and buffet, MSC Grandiosa has several specialty venues for cruisers to indulge in various cuisines. Continuing the Mediterranean-influence, MSC Grandiosa is home to Hola Tapas Bar by Michelin-starred chef Ramon Freixa. Cruisers will also find the American-style steakhouse, Butcher’s Cut, serving up prime cuts. Kaito Teppanyaki and Sushi Bar serves up Asian favorites in a lively atmosphere. One new specialty restaurant also made a debut on MSC Grandiosa, L’Atelier Bistrot, a french restaurant whose design was inspired by neo-classical French architecture. An authentic experience all troughout, from cuisine to interior design! Further, those with a sweet tooth will love Jean Philippe’s Crepes, Ice Cream, and Chocolate.

The main dining room and buffet offer a good variety of quality dishes but I would definitely recommend dining in at least one speciality restaurant. They all offer themed dishes and an authentic, unique experiences! Oh, and definitely treat yourself with some Jean Philippe’s Crepes located in the Galleria, they were delicious…!

Entertainment

In addition to nightly live music and six different productions shows in the main theater, MSC Grandiosa also hosts two one of a kind Cirque du Soleil shows. The Carousel Lounge is a circular venue that is custom built to accommodate these theatrical performances. Guests can enjoy a dinner and a show experience. Each of these shows has a unique concept, ambiance, storyline, and costumes. These shows, not found anywhere else in the world, are part of a longstanding partnership with the entertainment leader for a total of eight original shows on MSC Cruises’ Meraviglia class ships. You can also participate in various dance lessons, quizzes and other types of entertainment onboard!

In conclusion, I would highly recommend booking a cruise on Grandiosa or on any of her sister ships (Meraviglia, Bellissima, Virtuosa) These ships have everything you can think of and more. There is always something to do it just depends on what you like! Grandsioa also has an amazing itinerary in the Mediterranean so… what are you waiting for!

I also sailed on Grandiosa’s older sister ship MSC Bellissima, so if you’d like to read more about that experience CLICK HERE and if you have any questions about MSC or Grandiosa or anything really, feel free to send me a message on Instagram, Twitter or just e-mail me!

As always, thank you for reading, Dominik!

Costa Cruises Unveils Costa Firenze!

FeaturedLeave a comment

THE SHIP INSPIRED BY THE BEAUTY OF THE RENAISSANCE

Just as I came back home from Savona from my Costa Smeralda cruise, a new Costa beauty decided to make her maiden appearance in the city!

Today, in the port of Savona, Costa Cruises presented a preview of the Costa Firenze, their newest ship in the fleet which will finally leave on her maiden voyage on the 4th of July!
She was designed and built by Fincantieri at the Marghera shipyard near Venice. Firenze was delivered almost six months ago, but due to an ongoing pandemic her inaugural season has been pushed back several times, but she is finally here, ready for her first passengers! Soooo exciting!

Costa Firenze is inspired by the Florentine Renaissance at its greatest glory and captures in detail the taste for beauty for which the city of Florence is known worldwide.

The interior design reflects the harmony of a walk down a street or square in Florence, starting with the choice of colors, geometries and shapes of the interior design. The charming atrium ‘Piazza della Signoria’ is symbolic and pays homage to the Florentine square. Part of the on-board offer is also characterized by the Florentine inspiration, as in the case of the Fiorentina Steak House, which offers some of the best Tuscan meats, and the Frescobaldi wine experience, where guests can experience the Cultivating Toscana Diversity, tasting the Marchesi Frescobaldi wines.

‘Piazza della Signoria’ – main atrium on board Costa Firenze

Costa Firenze is the second Vista-class ship built for Costa. The first one was Costa Venezia back in 2019 which was inspired by, yes you guessed it, the stunning city of Venice! I had the honour to sail on her maiden voyage and she was such a beautiful ship, comepletely different from any previous ship built for Costa, in a good way of course, but unfortunately not many people got to sail on Venezia before she left Europe to sail year-round in Asia. Luckily, Costa Firenze will be staying in Europe for much longer!

Costa Firenze’s first cruises, starting with the inaugural voyage on July 4, will allow guests to visit six different Italian destinations in a week’s holiday: Savona, Civitavecchia/Rome, Naples, Catania, Palermo and
Cagliari, which can be explored in depth with dedicated excursions, with port calls lasting over 10 hours.
From the end of July to the end of August, the itinerary will also allow guests to rediscover Malta, with a stop in Valletta, and from 12 September also France (Marseille) and Spain (Barcelona and Ibiza), with departures from Italy.
During the winter of 2021-22 Costa Firenze will be positioned in Dubai to visit the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman. The one-week itinerary includes Abu Dhabi, Doha, Muscat and a multi-day stop in Dubai,
with specific packages for visiting Expo Dubai 2020. Costa Cruises is the Gold Sponsor of the Italian Pavilion at Expo Dubai 2020. And finally she will be back in the Mediterranean for the summer season of 2022 so you will definitely have a chance on this stunning new ship!

To seal the link with the city, Costa Cruises President Mario Zanetti and the Mayor of Florence, Dario Nardella, announced a cooperation agreement on board the Costa Firenze to promote tourism in the city,
starting with Costa’s contribution to the restoration of Dante’s plaques on the 700th anniversary of Dante Alighieri’s death.

There are a total of 33 stone plaques, placed in many places in the city, the result of a historical research project dating to the early 20th century. Each plaque bears a quotation from one of the three canticles of
the Divina Commedia — nine from the Inferno, five from the Purgatorio and 19 from the Paradiso — in which reference is made to places, real events and illustrious citizens of the time. By following the plaques, which trace a poetic path, citizens and tourists can relive places and historical events in which the greatpoet was often a protagonist.

The preview of the Costa Firenze was also an opportunity for Costa to present its Manifesto for valuedriven, sustainable and inclusive tourism: a decalogue summarizing the company’s commitment to grow
together with the territories visited by its ships. According to the Manifesto, destinations are not considered as a set of tourist attractions, but as communities to build together a model of tourism that
generates greater economic and social value, inspiring a new “renaissance”. With the presentation of the Manifesto, Costa will initiate a process of sharing with institutions, associations and stakeholders in the cities, regions and countries where the company is operating to develop a dialogue and a collaboration that follows the principles of the Manifesto, starting from the Costa Firenze itinerary.

Here is what President of Costa Cruises and the mayor of Savona had to say during the preview!

“Costa Firenze’s concept is inspired by an iconic city, which represents Italian art, taste and refinement in
the world’s collective imagination. We designed this ship to offer our guests a unique experience, especially
for families and couples. The debut of Costa Firenze, as well as the restart of the three other Costa ships that
have returned to cruising in recent weeks, is an opportunity for us to promote a new model of tourism, in
which we strongly believe as a leading company in the sector. As we have made explicit in our manifesto,
this model aims at the collaboration among different public and private entities to enhance the excellence
of the territories in a sustainable way. The cooperation with the city of Florence is the first concrete
manifestation of this approach: Costa Firenze will become a true platform for promoting the city of Florence
around the world, particularly during Expo 2020 Dubai”
– Mario Zanetti, Costa Cruises President

“Savona welcomes Costa Firenze, a new ship celebrating the 25th year of Costa Cruises operations in the
port. In this quarter of a century, Costa and the city have grown together. During the five years of my
management as a Mayor of Savona, we developed a great collaboration on inclusion and sustainability
projects and a great support for cultural initiatives. Furthermore, we are glad that the Costa Firenze, a ship
dedicated to the city of Florence, arrives in Savona just when our city is celebrating the 700th anniversary of
Dante Alighieri’s death, with an exhibition in the Civic Art Gallery dedicated to the precious Dante volumes,
normally kept in the Ancient Fund of the Civic Library”
-Ilaria Caprioglio, Mayor of Savona

Costa Firenze in Civitavecchia in June 2021

What do you think about this brand new ship? What are your thoughts on the design and are you maybe booked on this beauty?🤩

As I’ve previously mentioned, I sailed on her older sister ship Costa Venezia and I fell in love with that ship, so I wouldn’t think twice about booking a cruise on Firenze! I just love how they incomporated these older design elements, but made them look contemporary which gives the whole ship such a unique look and style! They are also pretty large ships so they have so much to offer, you really have to give them a try! I know I’m looking at those cruise deals on Firenze like a hawk 😜

Thanks for reading, Dominik!

Costa Smeralda named by Godmother Penélope Cruz!

22. February 2020.27. April 2020.Dominik | Cruise Ship ParadiseLeave a comment

And she’s named at last! Special celebrations were held today in Savona for the naming ceremony of Costa Smeralda, Costa Cruises’ sensational new flagship!

The ship’s godmother and star of the event was international celebrity Penélope Cruz, who performed the ribbon-cutting duties with the traditional breaking of the bottle against the bow of the ship in the presence of the Master of Costa Smeralda, Paolo Benini. Also starring at the celebration was the Italian multi-starred chef Bruno Barbieri, who personally conceived and presented a special gala cocktail, giving guests a taste of his creativity and experience.

The event for Costa Smeralda continued with an extraordinary acrobatic show called “Dream” produced by the creative genius of Viktor Klee and staged in the splendid setting of the Colosseo, the innovative and technologically advanced theatre located at the center of the ship, with nine of the world’s best acrobats. The celebrations ended with a spectacular display of fireworks launched from a barge positioned in the stretch of sea in front of the Priamar Fortress, lighting up the sky of Savona and giving the ship a fitting sendoff.

About Costa Smeralda!

Costa Smeralda is a breakthrough for the cruise industry, as she represents an exceptional combination of environmental innovation, smart technologies and Italian excellence in design, food and experiences. Costa Smeralda is a tribute to Italy thanks to the extraordinary creative project led by designer Adam D. Tihany that celebrates Italy and gives guests the chance to experience the best it can offer, all in one place. The furnishings, lighting, fabrics and upholstery, and accessories were all made in Italy especially for the new flagship, by 15 partners who are all ambassadors of Italian excellence, and all spaces are inspired by the beauties of Italy. A celebration of Italian design is showcased in the CoDe – Costa Design Museum, the firstever museum on a cruise ship. The amenities on board are perfectly in line with their sumptuous surroundings. Highlights include the Solemio Spa, the entertainment areas, theme bars in collaboration with leading Italian brands, 16 restaurants and “food experience” areas, including those conceived for casual family dining. The innovative Ristorante LAB offers guests the chance to have fun cooking and learning about food sustainability at the same time. A new concept of entertainment onboard, based on shows and happenings going on at the same time in different parts of the ship, transforms Costa Smeralda into a unique entertainment venue.

The ship is as a “travelling smart city”, where sustainable technologies and circular economy concepts are applied to reduce the environmental footprint and support sustainable cruising. With her innovative technological propulsion system based on LNG, the most advanced fuel technology currently available to reduce emissions, she is able to virtually eliminate sulfur dioxide emissions (zero emissions) and particulate
matter (95-100% reduction), while greatly reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides (direct reduction of 85%) and CO2 (up to 20%). On board, special desalinisation plants process seawater directly to meet daily water supply requirements, and energy consumption is reduced to a minimum thanks to an intelligent energy management system. Waste is managed on board with 100% separate collection for recycling of plastic, paper, glass and aluminum, using an integrated approach inspired by circular economy projects. Finally, the 4GOODFOOD program applied on board is designed to reduce food wastage and to recover food surpluses for social betterment in cooperation with the European Federation of Food Banks.

The naming of a new ship is always very exciting – especially in the case of Costa Smeralda, because she is an unprecedented project. A cruise holiday on this ship allows our guests to enjoy memorable experiences both on board and ashore – whether it is the food, relaxation, high-tech entertainment or authentic encounters in the destinations we visit. This is the Costa of the future, providing us with new opportunities to grow the market and attract consumers who have never been on a cruise before,”
Costa Cruises
President Neil Palomba

I was lucky enough to be able to cruise onboard Costa Smeralda on one of her first ever sailings! I loved so many things about this ship and I can confirm that she really is a Sensational ship! You can check out my full review of Costa Smeralda HERE!

As always, thank you for reading!

Costa Luminosa – review (2019)

Featured2 Comments

Costa Luminosa docked in Split, Croatia!

Hi everyone! I’m back from yet another amazing cruise adventure! I was on a 7-night Eastern Mediterranean cruise out of Venice on Costa Luminosa! This wasn’t my first Costa cruise, but it was my first time aboard Costa Luminosa. Here are my thoughts on this Italian beauty!

About the ship

Costa Luminosa is a mid-sized cruise ship, but at 92.700 gross tons and 11 passengers decks she definitely feels big and spacious. Costa Luminosa has a nearly identical sister ship Costa Deliziosa. They are both a hybrid class, taking the best features of previous Spirit and Vista class vessels owned by Carnival Corporation. At double occupancy, Luminosa can carry 2.260 guests and around 2.800 with all berths filled. That’s nothing compared to new ships these days! But she comes from a time when her size was slightly more impressive, she was delivered by Fincantieri shipyard in 2009, which makes her exactly 10 years old. Would you think that she is 10 years old while on-board..? Not at all, I was pleasantly surprised by the condition of the ship. Everything seemed properly maintained and clean.

I always get questions “Does it feel crowded onboard?“, I would say that this ship handles crowds pretty well. With more than 2500 people aboard, of course you can expect some lines during the peak hours at the buffet but that’s about it. I never felt like there were two and half thousand people with me because you could always find a quiet place to sit down and enjoy in some beautiful views, which were plentiful on this cruise!

Regarding my cabin, I stayed in a guaranteed inside cabin on Deck 5 forward. This cabin was clean, in a good condition and pretty functional. It was decently sized and had plenty of storage space, which is important on longer cruises. Some people really dislike inside cabins, but to me they’re perfect since I spend most of my time walking around the ship, so even when I have a balcony I don’t really use it all that much… it all depends on what you like! That’s why there are so many cabin options these days! Inside cabins are not that exciting, but they’re great if you’re cruising on a tight budget and you want to save some money.

Activities onboard

On the top deck you will find two large pools and four whirlpools. The aft pool and two whirlpools are for adults only which is great since there are many families with kids on board and we all know how loud kids can get! Both pools were sea water pools and were not heated, but whirlpools were definitely a hit with the crowds since there was always someone using them! Around both pools there is enough space for lounging and sunbathing, there are also pool bars nearby if you fancy a drink by the pool. Personally, I’m not really a fan of pools or hot tubs on-board, but they looked pretty inviting on this ship so I did take advantage of the empty pool deck and empty hot tubs while the ship was docked in Split, Croatia. Hot tubs were especially relaxing, definitely go for a swim on port days!

There were many other things to do on-board, activities like morning walks and afternoon yoga were on the daily schedule almost every day. You could also participate in game shows, quizzes, arts and crafts activities like napkin folding techniques and origami lessons. There was something for everyone.

On-board gym, spa and wellness facilities are pretty big for a ship of this size. The gym was never crowded, not even on a sea day. It is located on the top deck forward and from there you will have best sea views on the ship, a good way to lure you into the gym! I haven’t used spa facilities on this ship, but I’ve heard from other passengers that they’re worth the money.

Entertainment

Entertainment was consistent in quality all troughout the cruise. There were shows held in the main theatre every night. It’s good to know that Costa shows are slightly different than your average cruise shows because Costa ships do attract a more international crowd so most of the shows are musical, dance style shows with most of the songs being in English. There were also acrobatics shows which were also quite good, but the show that attracted the biggest crowd was ‘The Voice at Sea’. Basically the same principle like the show you watch on your TV, but with passengers being the participants. Costa organised an exclusive show only for Costa club members too! It was amazing and we were even offered with complimentary snacks and drinks! Definitely join Costa Club before your cruise, it’s easy and free to join! Fun fact: Top Costa cruiser on our cruise was a gentleman from Austria who sailed on 69 cruises with Costa… what a number!

Every evening there was live music in a couple of venues on-board, all different styles and genres. Something for everyone. There was also a two story disco which hosted a differently themed party every night. There was even a Peppa Pig foam party for kids! This ship definitely comes alive in the evenings! Highlight of this cruise for many passengers was the “Mister Cruise” election, which guarantees good laughs all throughout! Definitely not your usual beauty pageant!

Theme nights!

Each night had a theme and a suggested dress code, for example on our cruise there was an Italian night and the suggested dress code was red, white and green. We also had a white night, gala night and Latin night! I loved this, it’s fun to participate even in a small way. These are only suggested dress codes so if you don’t have anything that fits the suggested dress code, don’t worry! I’ve seen a lot of people doing their own thing and after all it is only suggested!

Dining

On an Italian ship you can expect some good Italian food and it does not disappoint! There are a couple of complimentary food venues such as the main buffet, Taurus Restaurant (main dining room) and Burger & Grill bar on the pool deck! There are also upcharge restaurants, Club Luminosa, Samsara Restaurant and Pizzeria Pummid’oro. Tip: If you plan on dining in specialty restaurants, definitely join Costa Club if you haven’t already because you will receive up to 50% discount on dining in specialty restaurants. You will also recieve special deals and discounts in bars and shops onboard!

Food in complimentary restaurants was pretty good. There is a large variety in both the MDR and the Buffet so you will definitely find something delicious to fill your plate with. If you’re not up for fancy Italian dishes you can always grab a burger and fries at the Burger bar on the pool deck. I would absolutely recommend desserts and pastries on Costa, they’re really tasty! I can’t even tell you how many donuts, pancakes and waffles I ate every morning. Delicious!

Dinners on Costa are quite an event on-board and usually last at least two hours. You can have up to 5 to 6 courses if you want to! When you board you are assigned to either early (main) or late sitting. Early sitting is at 18:45 and late is at 21:15. We were assigned late sitting which was not ideal, but I usually don’t go the MDR every night of the cruise anyway so not a big deal. If you really want to change sittings you can do that by asking the Maitre D’ and he will do anything he can to accommodate your needs! I’ve seen many people switch from late to early sitting since the late sitting does end quite late. See what works for you.

Beverage packages

Something I would definitely recommend is buying a drinks package. On Costa ships you don’t get free water with your meals in the main dining room and juices are only available during breakfast. Water is of course available 24/7 in the Buffet. On this cruise I’ve had the Panzo & Cena drinks package, it is the cheapest one but it was pretty adequate for my needs. It included sodas, selected wines and beers by the glass during the lunch and dinner in the MDR and the buffet. As a fan of sodas during my meals this package was perfect for me. There are also more expensive and more inclusive drinks packages offered that include a much wider selection of drinks and you can use those packages in all bars on the ship!

Itinerary

On this 7-night cruise, we visited six ports, including Venice. Some of them I’ve already been to but I was really excited to visit one port I’ve heard and seen so much about. I’m talking about Kotor, Montenegro! After visiting this beautiful city I would definitely recommend it to everyone. Not only is the city charming and stunning, but the scenery that you see on the way in and out of the Bay of Kotor will leave you speechless. It is the only fjord in the Adriatic and truly a hidden gem. If you think that your ship is huge, just wait to see it anchored in Kotor, it’ll look tiny compared to steep cliffs of surrounding mountains! I’m so glad I had a chance to visit it in October when the crowds are starting to die down since the old town is quite busy during the summer months!

We also visited Split in Croatia, the second biggest city in Croatia! The main attraction is the Diocletians Palace which is a short walk from the cruise pier, really convenient and a nice port to visit at least once! Next port was Katakolon, Greece. This little town used to be a fishing village but was developed by the influx of many cruise passengers which use this port as a starting point for their tours to Olympia, a place were first Olympic games were held!

Highlight of this cruise for many people was Athens! The capitol of Greece offers many things, but one of the main locations everybody visits when in Athens is the Acropolis. With that in mind, expect crowds and lines. The ticket to visit the Acropolis costs 20 Euros, but online you can buy a ‘skip a line’ ticket for 21.50 Euros, which is great if you’re a cruise passenger since every minute in port is valuable! Port of Pireaus (port in which cruise ships dock) is not near the Acropolis or the city center of Athens so you will have to take a shuttle bus organised by your cruise line, a shore excursion organised by your cruise line or you can take the bus or metro. Ticket for metro costs 1.50 Euro and it’s a 20 minute ride from the port to the city center where the Acropolis is located. We took the metro, but be aware that this is a big city so leave enough time to make it back to port on time! You definitely DON’T want to miss your ship!

Costa

On Instagram and Twitter I frequently get asked “Is Costa for me?” or “Can I go on a Costa cruise even though I don’t speak any Italian?“. My answer is always, try it out and see if it works for you. But what I can tell you is that you can definitely cruise with Costa without having any Italian speaking skills, I mean… Look at me! Ha-ha! Just expect that most of the passengers on the ship won’t speak the same language you’re speaking (unless you’re Italian of course!) On my cruise there were around 60 English speaking passengers and there is an English speaking representative to help you out if you have any problems on board.

In my opinion Costa is an Italian version of Carnival. Fun ships with an Italian twist. Expect international crowds and passengers of all age groups. On my cruise I saw toddlers and people over the age of 80, so it’s definitely for all age groups! I would also like to mention that Costa ships are quite loud and full of life, so keep that in mind if you’re looking for a more peaceful and quiet atmosphere onboard! I would recommend this line to anyone who likes to party and have a good time, try new things and be immersed in a different culture! If you’re thinking about booking or have a chance to book a cruise on this ship or this cruise line definitely check it out. If you like it great, if not at least you know for certain that it’s not for you!

Final thoughts

In conclusion, I had a blast on this magnificent ship and I would not think twice about cruising with Costa or on Costa Luminosa again! I like the product that Costa is offering and I also like that they offer good deals and a variety of itineraries. This was not my first time on Costa as I’ve already mentioned, I was on the Inaugural sailing of Costa’s newest ship, Costa Venezia! To say that I loved that ship is an understatement! A ship specifically built for the Asian market but with Italy and Venice as it’s trademark! I have a review of my cruise on that amazing ship on my blog too! Check it out HERE! I also have a cruise booked on the highly anticipated Costa Smeralda, new LNG powered mega ship for Costa! January can’t come soon enough! I’ll be posting about that experience too on my instagram and of course here, so stay tuned!

All in all, I’d like to thank Costa for an amazing cruise experience and all of your for your likes, comments and constant support here and on Instagram. I am so grateful that I get to share my cruise passion and adventures with all of you!

As always, thanks for reading, Dominik!

Costa Venezia – My experience on a brand new ship!

Featured2 Comments

In March of 2019 I was lucky enough to be on the “vernissage” cruise of Costa Venezia. Yes! I was on the first cruise of a completely new ship! A first new Costa ship to debut in 5 years. To say it was amazing would be an understatement!
Costa Venezia is a Costa ship specifically designed and made to cater to Asian guests. She is a ship built with the Chinese market in mind. At 135.000 GTs she is currently the biggest Costa ship, well at least until November when Costa Smeralda will debut at 180.000 GTs. If Costa Venezia looks familiar to you, I’m going to tell you why’s that. It’s because Costa Venezia is a Vista class ship. Other ships in that class are very well known Carnival fun ships Carnival Vista and Horizon, her corporate cousins! If you’re a ship geek like me here are a couple of quick facts about the ship:

Length: 324 meters
Passenger capacity: 5.260
Crew: 1.300
Passenger decks: 14

Venezia only did two cruises that were available to be booked by western guests. A Six-day “Vernissage” cruise and a 53-day repositioning cruise from Trieste to Tokyo! I was lucky and also quick enough to book a 6-day cruise on this beauty that is probably not coming back to Europe anytime soon!
The cruise I was on started and ended in Trieste, Italy and visited Bari, Corfu and Dubrovnik. We were also meant to visit Zadar, Croatia but because of bad weather conditions we stayed in Dubrovnik for an overnight which I really can’t complain about since so many people pay extra for cruises that include overnight port stops!

I started my cruise by arriving in Trieste a day before the cruise to explore the city because I’ve never been to Trieste but to also see the ship docked there, since it’s christening happened just a day before, so it was tied up in Trieste for three days for the press to take a look at the amazing new ship before it’s started it’s first cruise!
Trieste is a beautiful city, full of history and places to explore. You can spend a good amount of time just walking around and admiring the beauty of this small coastal city. Trieste is not a big city but it’s love for it’s sea and ships runs strong, since the city was established and fueled by fishers and shipbuilders, this was best shown in a way that all throughout the day visitors were pouring down to the city’s waterfront to snap a picture of a brand new ship that was built in a nearby shipyard located in the city of Monfalcone. You could sense an amount of pride that Italians have for these Italian built ships that sail all around the world.

I rented a room not too far from the cruise terminal (which is conveniently located right across the main city square) so walking to the ship next morning did not take too long. Boarding (from arriving to the terminal to boarding the ship) did take some time but you have to know that the cruise terminal in Trieste is not as big as terminals in larger cruise ports. Boarding did not last longer than an hour, and with good company time flies! And there we were, on a brand new ship. We stepped on to the ship around noon and the cabins were already ready, but that’s because NO-ONE stayed in them before us so crew had more time to get our cabins ready. Usually cabins are not ready that early!
The ship is beautifully decorated and the theme you ask? Of course, it’s Venice! Everything is made to pay tribute to that unique Italian town but not in a tacky way. Costa found a way to pay homage to this Italian city while still making the ship look contemporary and classy. Main decks of this huge ship are decks 4,5 & 6 where everything from main restaurants to shops and the Main Atrium is located. And of course decks 10&11 where the spa, buffet and the lido deck is located.

I stayed in an ocean view cabin on deck 1. The cabin was pretty big, but the thing I did not expect was two washrooms! There was a washroom with a toilet, shower and a sink and there was another washroom with a tub and a sink! It was amazing to have this, I can only imagine how useful this is when there are 4 people in the cabin! The cabin number was 1392 and it was nicely decorated with the main theme ofcourse being Venice. There are many plug sockets and USB charging ports. There is also a flat screen TV where you can check your onboard account, book shore excursions and spa treatments. Storage space was also nice with three huge closets and drawers underneath the table. Weirdly enough there was no mini fridge. Oh well, that’s a feature I almost never use anyway! We had an amazing room steward called Dante, he was very helpful and took care of us and our cabin everyday!

One of my favorite parts of this ship was the ships Atrium. It was made to look like Piazza San Marco in Venice and somehow they did manage to cramp the charm and beauty of Piazza San Marco into this three deck high space. I was also impressed by the ships Lido pool area. It looked like a small city square with a pool and even two huge artificial trees. How crazy does that sound but trust me, it looks even better in person!
Some other amazing features of this ship were it’s Main Theatre called Rosso theatre, which is all red and gold and takes your breath away. But be aware that the theatre on this ship is slightly smaller, so it does tend to fill up pretty quickly. I heard that this is a problem also on Carnival Vista and Horizon which share the same layout. There are also multiple lounges and bars where various events can be held, like trivia, dance classes etc. Costa Venezia also has a large number of high end shops and a huge casino. Much larger then I’ve seen on any other ship. One of the best design features of this class of ships is it’s outdoor promenade on Deck 5 which goes around the whole ship and offers outdoor seating for many specialty restaurants and loungers to soak up the sun!

Dining

This ship has two main restaurants, Marco Polo Restaurant(mid-ship, one deck) and Grand Canal Restaurant (aft, two decks). I was assigned early seating in the Grand Canal Restaurant and that’s the more beautiful one in my opinion since it literally has a canal in the middle of the restaurant with a real gondola in it! You can also dine in four specialty restaurants onboard. On the lido deck you will also find Burger bar and Dim-Sum (wok food restaurant) and at the back of the buffet there is a Pizza bar and a sea food shack. These we all complimentary on or cruise but I believe that there was a fee added when the ship arrived in China.
Now about the food and service. The food in the main restaurant was great and I have nothing to complain about there, food in the buffet was also great but throughout six days I saw little to no change in what they were offering. On Costa ships you will find best desserts in my opinion, from cakes to sugar free soufflés, everything is amazing! Service on the ship was excellent and I have nothing bad to say about any of the crew. Of course it was the first sailing so it would be crazy to expect everything to be perfect. It’s new ship for the crew as much as it’s new to you! So go on inaugural sailings with a bit of understanding that some things will go wrong, or take longer or be confusing so pack some patience and you’ll be good to go!

Now about the itinerary!

To be quite honest as a passionate cruiser and cruise ship “geek”, on this cruise the itinerary took a backseat. After all it was all about the brand new ship! Having said that, this itinerary was great for a short cruise! I did not take shore excursions at any of the ports, but made sure to at least see main attractions of each city. On the first day we visited Bari, Italy, a bustling port city, more oriented towards industry than tourism. It has an old city in which you can explore narrow old ally ways. The old city is a short, 10-minute walk from where the ships docks. We walked for a bit, bought a mandatory fridge magnet and returned back onboard to enjoy the ship!

On the second day of the cruise we visited Corfu, Greece, a beautiful town which is really picturesque and charming. I bet everyone who’s gone on an eastern Mediterranean cruise visited Corfu, but it’s a town worth visiting many times since it’s so nice to just walk around the town and enjoy the Greek culture all around you. You can take some amazing photos in Corfu and find some good bargains in it’s plentiful street shops which offer basically everything and anything! Don’t judge me, but in Croatia we do not have Starbucks so whenever I see one, it’s a must go for me. There are also many cafés, and the prices are really good. The city center, is not that close to the cruise port. You can take a shuttle bus which takes you to the city center for a small fee or go on foot, which I did and I would say it is a half an hour walk along the main road.

Our final stop was Dubrovnik, Croatia, or as many tourists know it as the city where massively popular TV show Game Of Thrones was shot! This was supposed to be a one day stop but it turned into an overnight stop in Dubrovnik. Which when you think about it sounds really elite since many luxury cruise lines offer overnight stops to explore the city you’re docked in. I got really lucky in a way! In Dubrovnik you can explore the old town which is not big but it’s full of historical places you can read about all day long. It’s a city so rich with history that one day is not enough to learn about everything this city can tell you! But be aware, thousands of tourists flock to this city during the summer season so better avoid Dubrovnik from June-September! Port of Gruz, cruise port in Dubrovnik is a good 30-minute walk away from the Old town, but every cruise line offers shuttle buses which take you from the pier to the city center. Prices can vary, on my cruise it was 10€ pp and buses were leaving every ten minutes.

In conclusion, I would have to say that I was amazed by the beauty of this new Costa ship and by the new direction Costa is taking, regarding to their interior designs. I was not expecting perfect service and food since I am familiar with the fact that some inaugural cruises do not go as planned but on this cruise nothing was that much different from any other ordinary cruise. I found out that on my cruise there were only around 3.600 passangers so it’s was no wonder that I never felt like the ship was overcrowded or had any problems with passanger flow. This ship also has these new “smart elevators”. You can find these elevators only on this ship and Carnival Horizon. They are made to handle a bigger number of people in a way that you press a deck on a screen you want to go on infront of elevators banks and the screen directs you to an elevator that’s going to that deck. It makes sense since elevator can then take a direct route to that deck. The problem is not many people were familiar with this technology so I did not really see the difference in crowding and waiting times compared to traditional elevators.

I would definitely recommend this ship and Costa to anyone who wants to have an Italian experience at sea. It is a lively cruise line with most of the passengers coming from many European countries. On Costa ships you will always find live music being played in various lounges and also many activities take place during the day and run well into late night, for those who want to party! Service and food is amazing so if you haven’t tried Costa yet I definitely recommend that you at least try the Italian way of cruising!

As always, thank you for reading, Dominik!