Costa Cruises
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Do Not Sail Costa—Even If It Were Free
Do Not Sail Costa—Even If It Were Free Ship: Costa Pacifica Duration: 14 days Staterooms: Interior and Balcony Total Cost: ~$10,000 for four passengers including excursions Redeeming Features: None identified This was, without question, the worst cruise I’ve experienced in over 20 years and more than 50 voyages. I’ve sailed with budget lines like Carnival and luxury lines like Viking, so I understand different standards—but Costa’s performance fell drastically below even the most basic expectations for safety, sanitation, service, and organization. I’ve never submitted a negative review before—until now. 🚨 Safety & Sanitation: Inexcusable Failures - Crew inexperience: A majority of onboard crew seemed to be on their first cruise or first contract. They couldn’t accurately locate muster stations or provide assistance—an alarming oversight given Costa’s recent safety incidents. - Sanitation: Public restrooms on Deck 5 and near the buffet were frequently out of order. In staterooms, only one toilet worked at a time—thankfully, we had two rooms. Out of 19 hand-sanitizer stations, 13 were empty or broken. This violates basic maritime health codes. - Hygiene breakdown: Illness spread rapidly across the ship. A fellow passenger openly urinated in a public hallway—a scene that sadly didn’t seem out of place. Glassware and plates were often so poorly cleaned that my 8-year-old asked why the water “tasted funny.” 🍽 Dining: Inconsistent, Often Inedible - Only 3 of 14 dinner nights were genuinely enjoyable. On the others, well-intentioned but overburdened staff struggled to serve basic needs. - Drink woes: Even with a drinks package, water was hard to come by. Wine or beer—never more than one drink per person over a two-hour dinner unless chased repeatedly. - Buffet blunders: Spoiled yogurt, green cheese, and almost nonexistent butter were regular features. Lines took 15–20 minutes, and disputes even turned physical. - I’ve never had to grocery shop during a cruise before—but this time I did. Food quality was so unreliable that we bought staples ashore. On the plus side—I lost some weight. 🥤 Drink Package & Water Access: A Waste I purchased Costa’s “My Drinks” package expecting value. But with broken water dispensers and long bar lines, a bottle of store-bought water and local wine would have been more reliable. Unless you drink heavily and can wrangle a second pour, don’t expect it to deliver. 🛳 Excursions & Shore Access: Mismanaged Chaos - Ports changed four times—three pre-cruise, once mid-voyage. Our main port, Mykonos, was removed with under 24-hour notice and minimal explanation. - No shore access without Costa excursions—tender ports meant up to three hours of waiting just to disembark during a six–eight-hour stop. - The “My Excursions 3-pack” deal was abruptly cancelled by desk agents, even though it was active in the Costa app. - At Argostoli, four lifeboats handled all passengers on a 40 °C day—families stood under relentless sun with no shade or seating for over an hour. 📱 App & Wi‑Fi: Completely Unreliable The Costa app was required for menus, programs, and excursions—but it seldom worked. Full internet access was purchased by a member of our party—and still we faced multiple horizon-wide connectivity failures with no compensation or fallback. No printed menus were provided. If the app failed—which it often did—you could only get help by waiting in another line. 🛏 Cabins & Staff: The Only Bright Spots When the toilets functioned, the cabins were fine. Stewards were attentive and hardworking—but it felt like they were holding up a collapsing system. 👧 Kids Club: Disastrous Our daughters, usually thrilled by cruise kids clubs, went once and refused to return. Their verdict: “It’s just coloring. No games, no fun.” That’s it. 🛑 Bottom Line: Avoid Costa at All Costs I would have disembarked early if not for logistical constraints. Costa offered zero compensation or apology for widespread failures. Two weeks of vacation were wasted. At this price point, any other cruise line will deliver a vastly superior experience. DO NOT CRUISE WITH COSTA—NOT EVEN IF IT’S FREE.