People don’t realize how easy it is to overcome language barriers until they’re actually in a situation where they have to!! Hand gestures, body language, facial expressions, laughing, smiling, pointing, etc. goes a long way. Humans are all intertwined in a way that goes much deeper than spoken language. Though language barriers can create awkward or difficult situations , they can also create super unique, fun, funny, and humbling experiences. I love to see it, and I’m glad it was talked about so much in this video :)
Being drunk helps communication as well. I was with the military overseas on a foreign base and went into the club. Other GIs would call me over and buy me a drink in order to have me translate as I was the only one who spoke the local language. By about 11PM this stopped happening. I looked around and everyone was plastered - and talking to each other just fine, altho vigorous gestures were prominent.
When I was 10 (my sisters were 8 & 4) my parents took us to Brazil & Argentina to visit relatives. My dad learned some Portuguese, and my grandmother spoke Italian, but us kids only spoke English. We had a ball with other kids! We'd all be yelling the rules of games in our own language, and laughing & gesturing constantly. I really believe that exposure to other cultures & languages is key to getting along in life.
The most useful cruise review I’ve ever seen for one simple reason. “If you’re not ok with babies, this isn’t the line for you”. That’s top quality information. Such a balanced, detailed review. Keep it up.
Oh yes, it was Francesco Schettino's gross negligence. If you'd like to know more about what he did/where he is now, heres my post about it: emmacruises.com/what-happened-to-the-captain-of-the-costa-concordia-conviction-and-sentence/ :)
I sailed on the Costa concordia but was the season before with a different captain. I know it was a different captain because I still have the schedules from the ship and I looked at the paper which said the captain meeting party I will never go on it again.
@@joshuamchenry3537 Helloo, if you're having audio problems please watch this on a phone/tablet. I've spoken to TH-cam and they don't know whats going on. They've escalated the problem to another team and promised to fix it. :(
Who are these people getting onto an Italian cruise ship then writing angry reviews about English not being the main language spoken?! English speakers are so entitled - and I say that as a native English speaker.
Thank you, someone who gets it. The creator of the video, Emma, says herself that she has no issue with language barriers, and I'm a bit surprised at some of the comments. I've seen comments replying to someone who said they find it funny when someone is so disoriented at the locals not speaking perfect english and they received all sorts of negative replies saying they are racist or that such a thing doesn't happen at all, LOL. 😅 It's not criticism towards ALL english speakers, therefore people shouldn't take it as a personal offense. It's just funny from the perspective of someone that doesn't speak english natively and has been abroad several times and communicated in countries where they spoke very little english, not even mentioning italian, and actually had a lot of fun learning local words and learning how to overcome the language differences. I get having complaints about not being able to communicate properly in an emergency or medical situation, but for everything else, just point at stuff, do your best to mimick actions and have fun!
** UPDATE ** - TH-cam aren't sure what's going on with the video, and they can't fix the sound. Sorry about that! If you are having problems please listen to the video on a phone or tablet as those seem to work fine. I appreciate you listening regardless! ❤❤❤
Listening on a windows PC. The audio sounds fine, but it's mono and only in the left speaker. Would be annoying in headphones, but otherwise, it's just fine. Edit to add: At the 6:33 mark, when you went out on the promenade deck, the audio went to the center channel (centered between the two speakers), but as soon as you went next section at 6:45 or so, it went back to left channel only . Are you sure you didn't miss a check box in your editing software? 🙃 Good news, I managed to watch the entire video, and didn't die. In fact I rather enjoyed it 🤣
As an Italian, I can tell you kids staying out late in the summer is totally a thing, especially in the south! I remember staying out in restaurants/bars till 1 am playing with other kids lol the adults have fun, the children have fun, it’s a win-win! 😊
It's also a cruise it's not like the kids have school tomorrow or anything they should be able to stay up as late as they want it's a vacation go wild lol.
@@israelcontreras5332One of life's biggest joys is watching people who hate kids get overly angry when they have to deal with kids. It's absolutely hilarious to me.
I always find it funny to watch English people get nervous when they're not in a 100% English-speaking place. Honestly, it's hilarious to watch them become unorganized, confused.
Do your next holiday in places where nobody speaks each other's languages. I promise it's a win for both. Don't take your phone with you for extra thrill.
I just disembarked from a Costa cruise. The staff is very friendly and the atmosphere is casual and relaxed. The ship is well built. People who review it badly went onboard expecting something else maybe. I don't like dress codes so I just loved Costa: wear whatever you want.
I have been on this Costa cruise, loved it. Top quality ship, great staff and good entertainment. Food was pretty good too. Maybe Italians have lower food standards than Brits ;)
Hello Emma! I loved your review for this Cruise. I was surprised to see that Costa Smeralda was the worst rated cruise line, because last year I have been on the Costa Toscana Cruise ship and they are almost the same. I was very surprised at the politeness of the staff and the quality of the food. We had every night a la carte dinner and the staff was just incredible at answering all of our questions. Also the ship was very clean all around and the shows were amazing to watch. I got a little bit worried when saw the title of the video, but after watching it, I'm sure it will be amazing. Thank you!
Yup, it's most definitely the little things that count, and stuff like that automatic hand washer and the museum on the ship shows that they really do try to go the extra mile. And as someone who's both a history buff and loves collecting old models, I appreciate the museum's collection at 6:26! Costa's museum collection is from the 30s to today, and it shows how much change has happened just in the modern era. Museums inspire us to think, learn, grow, and view things from a different angle. That's why I love them so much. My favorite museum is the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn because not only is it in a legitimate former station (called Court Street) but it houses actual rolling stock ranging from the 1900s to the 1960s on the platforms and they leave the doors open so you could just walk on board, sit, and see the preserved ads. They actually run these old cars on actual lines during the holidays! And if you become a museum member, you could have the opportunity to tour the famous and abandoned City Hall station.
I’ve been on cruises with Holland America and Norwegian before, but I have to say that even if this is the worst rated one it looks 100 times better than the cruises I went on! Would love to try them out sometime :)
I am a bit late to your channel but I have to say that your videos are comprehensive, authentic and very useful for potential cruisers. Cosat does have a poor reputation with English speakers, but your actual, real experience and the analysis was just what viewers want. I can see why you have nearly 300,000 subscribers!
There are so many good things I want to say about you and your videos but one observation I’ve made is that you must have had a distant relative born in Cork Ireland, because unlike many other TH-cam presenters, I don’t have to change the playback speed for you. It’s just perfect. Love you!
Fabulous review. Nobody is perfect - not even cruise passengers. I was on a COSTA Cruise in Europe one month ago. This review sums it up very well. Cruising - in general - has changed from an upper-class style of people "who could afford luxury" to "mass tourism". Starting with "dress codes and "dining room experience". Tuxedos - seem to be a thing of the past. While table cloths - a Maitre D - a Wine Sommelier - or a Cabine Buttler - no more. Other than that - flow with the punches - enjoy - take it as it comes - and let go and enjoy. And enjoyable - it was. I judge "quality" by how people handle problems. The management and the staff could not have been any more efficient, helpful, friendly, and outright touching in the way they addressed issues and solved them with a smile. Thank you COSTA !
I've been on two Costa cruises because they were just so damn cheap. And I had a great time on both cruises, met some friends from Spain, France, and The Netherlands that I still talk to regularly 6 years later.
Italian is a wonderful language and complements Italy's historical and natural beauty! As someone who knows different languages, if anything, being surrounded by a crowd speaking a totally different language than your own should inspire people to take up that language or maybe two more! By learning other languages, we open up as people to new possibilities. Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about.
@@nntflow7058 Spending your time and money on a ship cruising in another part of the world is not mandatory, if you stay at home watching tv the world will happily continue to speak other lovely languages.
But it can't hurt! When I was in Italy I found that if I tried, even just a little, to say something in Italian, I'd have 4 or 5 locals come over & try to help me figure out what I wanted to say! It made me love Italy even more than growing up with Italian immigrant grandparents did. @@nntflow7058
It’s completely unacceptable those parents neglected their baby like that. The wait staff should’ve politely, professionally and assertively asked them to supervise their children to ensure their safety
I CAN’T STAND when parents let their children run around in public spaces with no supervision and endanger themselves and other people because they don’t have any authority as a parent and think nothing can be done. Parents who think that’s okay because other people will watch their kids for them are absolutely disgusting people.
Yes. This is the only thing she said that made me think this cruise might not be a good fit for me. But, if the prices are still this good, I might chance it anyway. @@crystalciera49
@@crystalciera49 Unfortunaly, it's a pretty common thing here in Italy (only by unpolite people, of course, but you'll ever find some of them in great numbers of people), especially in the South. But I'm 100% with you, there.
@@gabrielesolletico6542 It isn't ony an Italian thing and it's not pretty common at all. I've seen Dutch/English parents leave their children do anything they wanted and not caring at all and showing that typical and patronizing Northern European attitude. "We are here to do what we want and be served".
Hi Emma. And with that review in the bank, that's why we trust you for great and informative reviews. You are the best at your craft !! Well Done. And she really did exceed expectations after all those horrible things you shared at the beginning.
@@dafyddthomas7299 ^^ No thanks. You can slow the video down if you'd like to, but it's a conscious decision to be the speed it is. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
@@EmmaCruises That's okay have learning difficulties and autism (Have to watch videos / read books several time to understand). Thanks for your videos and for cheering the Thomas family up -( carer); hope one day to able to go on a European cruise.
Very well done! As a musician who worked on Costa I was happy to see your shout-out to the crew, they work so hard... hope you can sort out the problem with your voiceover only coming out the left speaker haha, messed up my speakers...
TH-cam aren't sure what's going on with the video, they've escalated it to a higher team to get it fixed and hopefully it'll be fixed soon. It won't undo the damage that the bad audio has done, but I can't change anything about that now so best to look onto the next video! :)
How lovely to have an area named for Marcello Mastroiani! A wonderful Italian Actor, much underrated by Hollywood who appeared with Sofia Loren in many excelent films
Unbiased well detailed info, Costa Smeralda is much more beautiful than I had expected. Guess different people with different experience. Love your review, well-done! I subscribed.
My left ear really enjoyed that video! Later this year we will be travelling to Europe for the first time. We also are early eaters (5pm dinner please and thank you) so I guess we'll have some cultural adjustments to make when we visit Italy for the first time! We are also travelling on RCI for the first time, and I assume because they're an American line, it'll mostly be English onboard so that will be our "safe" space haha.
If you visit Spain they have a similarly late dinner time as well as late lunch times. I tried to wait as late as I could, but by 7 I was starving and was still a very early bird!
Amazing video as usual, Emma! I am trying to travel on every cruise line myself, and have yet to try Costa. This ship looks more impressive than I imagined it would! Thanks again for your excellent content!
Very much enjoy your cruise commentary. I appreciate that you don't always go on the main lines as its good to know how others operate. Have cruised in Europe only once but thanks to your videos, my wife and I would like to cruise in Europe in the near future.
I love Costa. Even I’ve been twice on Costa Serena. Because this was my first cruise it has a special place in my heart. Unfortunately these days they are more expensive then MSC. The only reason I sail with MSC is the price. I really miss Costa’s entertainment team. Not the theatre one but the team who is everywhere during the day and night and makes you smile and be happy. I didn’t get that happiness with any other cruise line. This ship looks amazing! Thank you for your detailed review.
Fabulous review, Thanks Emma, was actually a very impressive ship with a few quirks amongst the various guests that make it a cruise with variety..great to see staff were excellent, certainly changed my mind about Costa cruising,,thanks as always
I made a cruise with Costa Deliziosa from Venice to greek islands. It has been a really great experience. The boat is amazing and the services at the top quality. Very good food and drinks. Speaking italian, I had no problems with the language, but neither the strangers had because on the boat they speak all the most spoken languages. 👍🏻❤️🇮🇹
3:51 Why would someone leave a pram in the hallway? That’s just inconsiderate, even if that floor hasn’t got any disabled rooms, how are people with certain disabilities meant to get past?
I read so many awful comments when it comes to cruises. Italians complaining that staff does not speak italian , english complaining that they do not speak english.... however I traveled on the Costa Smeralda and it was really good. We could stay away from children areas and dined in excellent restaurants. Costa offers gourmet packages with world's acclaimed chefs , excellent sushi, pizza , icecream and has so many restaurants to please every taste. The excursions are quite good and well explained. Staff is friendly and much depends on clients too.
Just as I was thinking about booking a costa cruise this summer. I do have a very low tolerance for kids and especially babies, so I might pick a different cruise line. 😅 Thanks for the heads up.
Sounds like it was really a very nice cruise! You are so great at showing appreciation for what you see. I like it that you are kind that way and not someone that criticizes everything when you know the crew are working so hard to make it nice for us passengers :o)
I love Costa cruise line and enjoy being the exotic rare english speaker. There was a cruise director for each main language group, the english director was from New Zealand . My life vest had a faulty strap so I handed it to some one and they rook it away for repair and gave it back to me 2 days later. That was strange.
Thanks Emma, I've been waiting for your review and appreciate the detail you cover. I'll be taking the same cruise in Dec on same ship so very much looking forward to it!
I used to see the Costa Smerelda, docked in Sydney; Australia, in the 1960s. My sister an I used to go onboard on our way home from school, and have a free soft drink at the bar. It was quite common in those days. The staff was very friendly and gave us tours of the ship. I didn’t do a cruise till 50 years later.
We're sailing Costa soon so are binge watching all things Costa to learn all we can. Looks like you had a great time. There are lots of things that are different to British lines - but - bring it on! 🍻
Those hand wash units, they are the same ones Disney uses in their kids clubs! I love to use them during open house and would like to see them available in more places.
Hi Emma, found your channel a few days ago and I'm absolutely loving the content. It's been like going down a rabbit hole - and learning about Cruise Ships (which I admit now are fascinating) has been great!
It’s astounding how many smoking areas were on this ship! And I can’t believe guests are allowed to smoke on balconies. Nice informative video as always!
Those meal hours seem very normal to me and I'm not even Italian. 5 pm for me is usually a small snack or coffee. 8 pm is the usual dinner time. Some days it's 9 or 10 pm though. Breakfast for me is at 1 pm.
You fixed the video!!! Woohoo! The hand washers are fab and Josh's absolute favourite thing I think on the ship! Costa Cruises is definitely a line for families its interesting to hear about it from a family (without young kids)! Fab video Emma!!!
You say I fixed it... I thought I did but theres lots of comments saying audio is still busted, some people only hear from one speaker/headphone even though it should be just stereo sound and not split at all, some people can't hear anything. TH-cam is having a hard time I think! :(
Im really happy that I found this vlog. I have never wanted to go on a cruise of any size. Your Vlogs are slowly changing that. I've been looking in to some of the ones you have done. Being a widow now retired this might be fun. Might prefer the smaller ones. Still going through all your videos so I can choose. Thank you
Great review . Bravo! Cruise Critic is very Anglo oriented and it's not surprising this non-English based cruise line and this ship would score at the bottom . BTW, that's an awful lot to pay for a soda package IMHO . I'd never get full value from it .
An amazing and comprehensive review Emma, well done again, Costa not so bad as we are led to believe, not sure I can convince the wife though! Your hair has grown a lot too!
About Concordia...Is rated so low just for fault of one captain. It was a mistake of JUST ONE person,Schettino,that with arrogance thought he could do a strange move near the cost of islands,that's what happened,just ONE ARROGANT CAPTAIN,and all the ship,the company and the workers went down for fault of one person only even if people told him not to do it,search info on what happened you'll find an excellent italian video on youtube if you're interested. That man wanted to do a difficult move near the cost for let people see the island better,is a move done just is some occasions by experts and only if is alright to do it,but isnt done anymore,he wanted to do it,and because of that the ship get broke.
I have never been tempted to go on a cruise. You managed it with this review! I like hurly-burly, I can tolerate kids (for some reason my better half and I attract them), and I live in a neighborhood in which I'm the cultural minority, so I've found that language barriers are easily overcome by smiling and miming. Thank you for the review! ps- I am now ravenous having seen all the food!
I just came back from a cruise in Costa Smeralda with my partner. For context, just a month before I sailed MSC Divina solo, so I have a fresh memory of that and can't help but compare. I did not like it for a number of reasons, but tl;dr would be "too cramped, too low quality". Staff was great however. Compared to MSC, we did not get much table service in the restaurant during breakfast, as it was mostly buffet service, everywhere on the ship. Want a custom order of eggs benedict or pretty much something other than omelettes or waffles? You're out of luck. Restaurant service in the evening was slooooow, and it felt excessively casual (no tablecloth, no chit-chat with the waiter, noisy space…). Buffet and restaurant opening hours were weird. We were in the 2nd sitting for the evening service, which was 21:20 (!). We never finished dinner before 23.00 (not out of wanting to!). Buffet snack service closes at 6pm, so you've got a massive gap going on there. If you spent the day on land and came back late, you're out of luck and you got to visit one of the "snack stations" (pizza, focaccia, burger, ice cream, waffles and crepes…) around the ship, that are conveniently open at that time, and will serve you at an extra cost. The buffet on the 8th deck also felt excessively crowded (hard to find a table - and can't go in off-peak times, because it opens for such a short period of time, that there aren't really any!), and it was very slow. In most buffet stations, you had to queue and get served, so you really had to commit and spend some time collecting all the food you wanted. We sailed in an inside cabin, and by golly it was SMALL!! Smallest I've ever been to, waaay smaller than Costa Luminosa, MSC Bellissima or MSC Divinna. We really struggled to manoeuvre two people with small luggages. Barely any space on the sides of the bed, or in front of it. The Sanremo theater is… sure, very cool looking. But super inconvenient. The view is often obstructed, people just stand everywhere, and there isn't a lot of seats. Same goes for the Colosseo. Very cool, but it's always overcrowded and you can't enjoy a show there unless you wait for a long time before it starts. All in all, this was the first cruise I did where I ended up skipping many shows, even though they were great, because there were profoundly inconvenient to attend. There seems to be a theme around poor design. For example, elevators. If anyone's sailed on the ship, they know what I mean. They're just not designed to transport the massive number of people, so very often you'll be stopping at every deck with people just looking at a full elevator and not getting in. Or you'll be stuck in the same deck for minutes because someone on the outside keeps smashing the button trying to call a different elevator, but because yours is already on the same floor (but full) the doors keep opening. Over and over again. Really terribly stupid design that does not fare well with the crowds that are on teh ship. Regarding drinks, we ran our numbers and saw no reason to buy a drinks package. We ordered liberally, without much care, and ended up spending less than the average drinks package would've cost - and we also got icecream and other snacks not included in the package. It also helps that there's a Costa Club discount applied in many cases when ordering drinks if you're a member of the club. Finally, even though the ship was huge, we missed having some sort of "adults only" or quiet area around the ship with a view. Everything seemed to be concentrated midship in decks 6-7-8, so not much of a panoramic view there, and it can get very noisy because of shows, music, etc. Note that not everything is negative. Food was good, activities were abundant, and I was surprised to see how many facilities & services existed for kids and families ("family restaurant", nursery/kids club…). But I'm not in that segment, so I cannot comment on that. When you add everything up (smaller cabins, higher cabin density, smaller public spaces, restricted "included" offer in terms of variety and times, no attended breakfast…) it's very clear that Costa is aiming to cut down on cost and offer a cheaper cruising experience. And that's perfectly fine, but just not what I aim for, especially given other cruise lines with similar prices offer a much better overall experience for my expectations.
You didn't choose a room with balcony? How much did you pay overall ? They offer me a special "all you can eat AND drink" for 125 €, do you think it's worth it? I thought it'd be better to eat and drink in each country but i'm not sure...
@@rachparov I tend to go for the cheapest guaranteed room, that’s an inside cabin. I usually don’t mind inside cabins but I do mind the terrible lack of space. Balcony was a cheap upgrade at +100€ for the entire cruise, in retrospective it would’ve been worth it just for the extra space. If you can, I’d recommend a guaranteed balcony cabin. Regarding the 125 eur offer I have not heard of it. What food does it include? What drinks? Does it include alcoholic drinks - and if so, do you plan on drinking? You can go without paying for any food, soft drinks and beer are 4€, bottled water is 4€/1L, cocktails are 7€ with the costa club discount (starting with the basic membership level so make sure to sign up) For me and my partner, packages didn’t make financial sense, but we’re not heavy drinkers and we didn’t go to any speciality restaurants, just ice cream and Nutella crepes here and there.
@@adrinavarro320 i took the balcony room because the price diff with the window cabin wasn't that big (375 € for 8 days), I think that's a very good deal for a first experience. They have the regular over priced offers for the drinks (over 225 € for the drinks alone!) or the food but they made a hybrid offer that includes everything (probably to push a sell), meaning softs, alcohols and buffet/restaurants included in the food package. I didn't plan to drink but i fear that after 18 i might want to chill at bars, even if it's a soft drink. Unless i can bring drinks from outside, is it possible?
@@rachparov in theory you can’t, but I’ve often brought water to my cabin and the odd can of a soft drink. But don’t expect to be drinking your own stuff in public areas. Keep in mind that the buffet is always included and so are the complimentary restaurants for breakfast lunch and dinner. The complimentary sit down dinner restaurant has a very nice four course menu. You can pay for nicer speciality restaurants and for some snacks such as specialty ice cream, crepes and waffles, sushi, pizza… but you don’t need to necessarily. That’s why I’m asking regarding what it includes in the food department. Also, is that a drinks package anytime in the cruise or is it limited to lunch and dinner? Because I was offered a cheaper drinks package that only applied to drinks consumed in the restaurant such as wine, water, beer, sodas…
@@adrinavarro320 I meant bringing stuff in my room, do they check our bags when we enter the ship? Also, it doesn't say anywhere that the buffet is included in the price so that's a bit weird. If food is included, then i wouldn't need the deal they made...
Ahaha I just stumbled upon your channel by accident and would you know it, my family and I are going to embark on this very ship soon (fittingly, with kids) . 😂 Glad that it did leave a positive impression on you despite negative reviews, and I will definitely try to remember your tips for an enjoyable experience!
yeah its weird how much emphasis is put on the fact that only 4% english speaking lmao like do they not think other people like cruises too? I don't see why going on a cruise where people speak different languages is a big deal
You should see the Brit expats in Spain where after 10 years they know one word ..........Hola , and even have the audacity to complain that the servers are talking Spanish ! Not a surprise from a country that has invaded over 190 counties world wide over the centuries
Always love your videos and appreciate your honesty about different aspects - truthful but without either hyperbole or denigration. It's a nice balance. I also love that you were willing to give this much maligned ship a chance, too. Now...where is the vid about your cabin??
Hey Emma, thanks for this video! I started following you this year after I went on my first cruise. It was also a Costa one, here in South America and I fell in love with it. Due to currency exchange rates, a Costa cruise have a more decent price than other lines here. I was curious to see what other lines would be like so I found your channel, I hope to go on an MSC and a Royal Caribbean one soon. Your experience was very simmilar to mine, but since I've never been in a cruise before I found everything amazing. I loved the food, and Brazilians also are used to a late dinner.
@@jckonstanz So you think it’s okay for people to put their kids in dangerous situations by letting them run wild in places like busy restaurants? You’re okay with cruise staff tripping over a kid and injuring themselves? Last I checked, waiters aren’t babysitters. That seems pretty entitled to me, but what do I know…
Thank you, Emma. I have ben looking forward to this video, as my husband and I will be going on our first cruise with Costa Firenze in September. We have done a river cruise on the Danube before, which is completely different from this. You assured me that we have made the right choice. We love Italian food and lifestyle.
Did Toscana from Barcelona to Dubai in November, my 4th Costa cruise. Doing back 2 back on Firenze from Rio to Barcelona then on to Kiel in April. Since covid i think that Costa have upped their game whilst some other lines have gone backwards.
People don’t realize how easy it is to overcome language barriers until they’re actually in a situation where they have to!! Hand gestures, body language, facial expressions, laughing, smiling, pointing, etc. goes a long way. Humans are all intertwined in a way that goes much deeper than spoken language. Though language barriers can create awkward or difficult situations , they can also create super unique, fun, funny, and humbling experiences. I love to see it, and I’m glad it was talked about so much in this video :)
Yesss! So much!! 😀🥳🙏
So very true and well said ❤
Being drunk helps communication as well. I was with the military overseas on a foreign base and went into the club. Other GIs would call me over and buy me a drink in order to have me translate as I was the only one who spoke the local language. By about 11PM this stopped happening. I looked around and everyone was plastered - and talking to each other just fine, altho vigorous gestures were prominent.
When I was 10 (my sisters were 8 & 4) my parents took us to Brazil & Argentina to visit relatives. My dad learned some Portuguese, and my grandmother spoke Italian, but us kids only spoke English. We had a ball with other kids! We'd all be yelling the rules of games in our own language, and laughing & gesturing constantly. I really believe that exposure to other cultures & languages is key to getting along in life.
@@lisavalentine8877I started learning languages in 1992 to be able to talk to relatives.
Only speaking English limits you.
The most useful cruise review I’ve ever seen for one simple reason. “If you’re not ok with babies, this isn’t the line for you”. That’s top quality information.
Such a balanced, detailed review. Keep it up.
Hahaha, it's important!! Thank you! 😁❤️
the audio, though, is all to the left.
@@eurodecibel Yes, TH-cam are fixing it. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Sss2 is? 9k 11th
I'm OK with babies... EXCEPT on my CRUISE! 😣
Costa Concordia was not an accident. It was gross negligence.
Oh yes, it was Francesco Schettino's gross negligence. If you'd like to know more about what he did/where he is now, heres my post about it: emmacruises.com/what-happened-to-the-captain-of-the-costa-concordia-conviction-and-sentence/ :)
I sailed on the Costa concordia but was the season before with a different captain. I know it was a different captain because I still have the schedules from the ship and I looked at the paper which said the captain meeting party I will never go on it again.
Basically all accidents happen due to negligence
It is just me, or is this video mixed entirely to the left speaker?
@@joshuamchenry3537 Helloo, if you're having audio problems please watch this on a phone/tablet. I've spoken to TH-cam and they don't know whats going on. They've escalated the problem to another team and promised to fix it. :(
For the money it looked great and it's so nice you showed appreciation towards the crew who sounded fabulous.
They were sooooo good!!! Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Never cruised on Costa but didn't look too bad. But had I seen Schettino walk into the bridge I would've noped right overboard.
And the cost! I cant stay in a hotel for 5 times that price.
Who are these people getting onto an Italian cruise ship then writing angry reviews about English not being the main language spoken?! English speakers are so entitled - and I say that as a native English speaker.
Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
An intelligent comment, finally!
Thank you, someone who gets it.
The creator of the video, Emma, says herself that she has no issue with language barriers, and I'm a bit surprised at some of the comments.
I've seen comments replying to someone who said they find it funny when someone is so disoriented at the locals not speaking perfect english and they received all sorts of negative replies saying they are racist or that such a thing doesn't happen at all, LOL. 😅
It's not criticism towards ALL english speakers, therefore people shouldn't take it as a personal offense.
It's just funny from the perspective of someone that doesn't speak english natively and has been abroad several times and communicated in countries where they spoke very little english, not even mentioning italian, and actually had a lot of fun learning local words and learning how to overcome the language differences.
I get having complaints about not being able to communicate properly in an emergency or medical situation, but for everything else, just point at stuff, do your best to mimick actions and have fun!
The same Brits who put bad reviews on Spanish hotels because they are full of Spanish people (not joking).
I actually saw a review of someone complaining about Spain because all the people spoke Spanish! How stupid can you be?
** UPDATE ** - TH-cam aren't sure what's going on with the video, and they can't fix the sound. Sorry about that! If you are having problems please listen to the video on a phone or tablet as those seem to work fine. I appreciate you listening regardless! ❤❤❤
I can hear ok but only from left speaker...oh well.Keep up the great vids !!!
Listening on a windows PC. The audio sounds fine, but it's mono and only in the left speaker. Would be annoying in headphones, but otherwise, it's just fine. Edit to add: At the 6:33 mark, when you went out on the promenade deck, the audio went to the center channel (centered between the two speakers), but as soon as you went next section at 6:45 or so, it went back to left channel only . Are you sure you didn't miss a check box in your editing software? 🙃 Good news, I managed to watch the entire video, and didn't die. In fact I rather enjoyed it 🤣
Worth putting up with it for a new Emma Cruises video!
Audio was fine for me. Great review, Emma!
I'm getting sound effects from both speakers, but only voice on on the left.
As an ex-Costa crew member, I appreciate the words about us!
Appreciate all your hard work! 💕
heyy do you know if ppl actually go to costa’s teen club and make friends?? 😭😭
As an Italian, I can tell you kids staying out late in the summer is totally a thing, especially in the south! I remember staying out in restaurants/bars till 1 am playing with other kids lol the adults have fun, the children have fun, it’s a win-win! 😊
except for the people the kids harass.
@@israelcontreras5332Adults can always go elsewhere
It's also a cruise it's not like the kids have school tomorrow or anything they should be able to stay up as late as they want it's a vacation go wild lol.
@@israelcontreras5332One of life's biggest joys is watching people who hate kids get overly angry when they have to deal with kids. It's absolutely hilarious to me.
@@israelcontreras5332 En tu pais dices? Si muy maleducados, por suerte en otros paises no es asi.
P.s. que nombre tan feo
I always find it funny to watch English people get nervous when they're not in a 100% English-speaking place. Honestly, it's hilarious to watch them become unorganized, confused.
any human would be..?
Do your next holiday in places where nobody speaks each other's languages. I promise it's a win for both. Don't take your phone with you for extra thrill.
How is it funny?
Grow up.
I know exactly what you mean
this actually looks like a really nice cruise for being so badly reviewed! the aesthetics are very nice and everything looked very clean.
I just disembarked from a Costa cruise. The staff is very friendly and the atmosphere is casual and relaxed. The ship is well built. People who review it badly went onboard expecting something else maybe. I don't like dress codes so I just loved Costa: wear whatever you want.
@@celtiberianmonolinguals are mad that not everyone speak there language
I have been on this Costa cruise, loved it. Top quality ship, great staff and good entertainment. Food was pretty good too. Maybe Italians have lower food standards than Brits ;)
I love that you always give credit and thanks to staff when they are working hard and doing a great job.
They were the best! Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Hello Emma! I loved your review for this Cruise. I was surprised to see that Costa Smeralda was the worst rated cruise line, because last year I have been on the Costa Toscana Cruise ship and they are almost the same. I was very surprised at the politeness of the staff and the quality of the food. We had every night a la carte dinner and the staff was just incredible at answering all of our questions. Also the ship was very clean all around and the shows were amazing to watch. I got a little bit worried when saw the title of the video, but after watching it, I'm sure it will be amazing.
Thank you!
Smeralda, Firenze and Toscana are the three best ships. Maybe the ratings come from other, older, ships
Yup, it's most definitely the little things that count, and stuff like that automatic hand washer and the museum on the ship shows that they really do try to go the extra mile. And as someone who's both a history buff and loves collecting old models, I appreciate the museum's collection at 6:26! Costa's museum collection is from the 30s to today, and it shows how much change has happened just in the modern era. Museums inspire us to think, learn, grow, and view things from a different angle. That's why I love them so much.
My favorite museum is the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn because not only is it in a legitimate former station (called Court Street) but it houses actual rolling stock ranging from the 1900s to the 1960s on the platforms and they leave the doors open so you could just walk on board, sit, and see the preserved ads. They actually run these old cars on actual lines during the holidays! And if you become a museum member, you could have the opportunity to tour the famous and abandoned City Hall station.
@@AverytheCubanAmerican You would love the rail museum in York England it is fabulous
You should consider selling courses on how to create proper reviews! Thorough yet concise, opinionated yet unbiased, honest yet kind. ❤
Thank you! 😁❤️
I wish every post on U-Tube was as concise & clear as Emma's posts.
Thank you! 😁❤️
Portuguese me immediately raising an eyebrow the moment you said 17h30 is the perfect dinner time
I’ve been on cruises with Holland America and Norwegian before, but I have to say that even if this is the worst rated one it looks 100 times better than the cruises I went on! Would love to try them out sometime :)
I seriously don’t get why Norwegian is seen as such a high end line. Definitely the worst cruise I’ve been on. By day 3, I was ready to leave.
That's why we're not loyal just to 1 or 2 cruise lines. We try any that we can afford to see which suits our style most.
Being tickled by your own salty beach joke was very funny. So glad to hear a fair and appreciative review for the crew. They sound fantastic!
I am a bit late to your channel but I have to say that your videos are comprehensive, authentic and very useful for potential cruisers. Cosat does have a poor reputation with English speakers, but your actual, real experience and the analysis was just what viewers want. I can see why you have nearly 300,000 subscribers!
Thanks so much 🥹❤️
There are so many good things I want to say about you and your videos but one observation I’ve made is that you must have had a distant relative born in Cork Ireland, because unlike many other TH-cam presenters, I don’t have to change the playback speed for you. It’s just perfect. Love you!
What EXCELLENT EDITING. Clever. Narration is fantastic, always a balanced review too.
Fabulous review. Nobody is perfect - not even cruise passengers. I was on a COSTA Cruise in Europe one month ago. This review sums it up very well. Cruising - in general - has changed from an upper-class style of people "who could afford luxury" to "mass tourism".
Starting with "dress codes and "dining room experience". Tuxedos - seem to be a thing of the past. While table cloths - a Maitre D - a Wine Sommelier - or a Cabine Buttler - no more.
Other than that - flow with the punches - enjoy - take it as it comes - and let go and enjoy.
And enjoyable - it was.
I judge "quality" by how people handle problems. The management and the staff could not have been any more efficient, helpful, friendly, and outright touching in the way they addressed issues and solved them with a smile.
Thank you COSTA !
I’m SO looking forward to trying 3 different Costa ships this year - your cruise has made me think I’m going to love it!
Yesss! I think you will :)
I've been on two Costa cruises because they were just so damn cheap. And I had a great time on both cruises, met some friends from Spain, France, and The Netherlands that I still talk to regularly 6 years later.
heyy do you know if ppl actually go to costa’s teen club and make friends?? 😭😭
Italian is a wonderful language and complements Italy's historical and natural beauty! As someone who knows different languages, if anything, being surrounded by a crowd speaking a totally different language than your own should inspire people to take up that language or maybe two more! By learning other languages, we open up as people to new possibilities. Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about.
momento
It's pretty inconvenient to think that you gotta learn a new language for a week on a cruise ship.
@@nntflow7058 Spending your time and money on a ship cruising in another part of the world is not mandatory, if you stay at home watching tv the world will happily continue to speak other lovely languages.
But it can't hurt! When I was in Italy I found that if I tried, even just a little, to say something in Italian, I'd have 4 or 5 locals come over & try to help me figure out what I wanted to say! It made me love Italy even more than growing up with Italian immigrant grandparents did. @@nntflow7058
@@paolocarpi4769 Ahahah! Ben detto!
It’s completely unacceptable those parents neglected their baby like that. The wait staff should’ve politely, professionally and assertively asked them to supervise their children to ensure their safety
I CAN’T STAND when parents let their children run around in public spaces with no supervision and endanger themselves and other people because they don’t have any authority as a parent and think nothing can be done. Parents who think that’s okay because other people will watch their kids for them are absolutely disgusting people.
Yes. This is the only thing she said that made me think this cruise might not be a good fit for me. But, if the prices are still this good, I might chance it anyway. @@crystalciera49
100% You are from an other culture
@@crystalciera49 Unfortunaly, it's a pretty common thing here in Italy (only by unpolite people, of course, but you'll ever find some of them in great numbers of people), especially in the South. But I'm 100% with you, there.
@@gabrielesolletico6542 It isn't ony an Italian thing and it's not pretty common at all. I've seen Dutch/English parents leave their children do anything they wanted and not caring at all and showing that typical and patronizing Northern European attitude. "We are here to do what we want and be served".
Hi Emma. And with that review in the bank, that's why we trust you for great and informative reviews. You are the best at your craft !! Well Done. And she really did exceed expectations after all those horrible things you shared at the beginning.
Thanks so much, maybe I should leave a nice Cruise Critic review???
agree - only grip is for emma to speak less slower and have more gaps in her narration.
@@dafyddthomas7299 ^^ No thanks. You can slow the video down if you'd like to, but it's a conscious decision to be the speed it is. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
@@EmmaCruises That's okay have learning difficulties and autism (Have to watch videos / read books several time to understand). Thanks for your videos and for cheering the Thomas family up -( carer); hope one day to able to go on a European cruise.
@@dafyddthomas7299 Hope you can soon too! Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Good to hear Costa is stepping their game up! 🎉🎉
Very well done! As a musician who worked on Costa I was happy to see your shout-out to the crew, they work so hard... hope you can sort out the problem with your voiceover only coming out the left speaker haha, messed up my speakers...
TH-cam aren't sure what's going on with the video, they've escalated it to a higher team to get it fixed and hopefully it'll be fixed soon. It won't undo the damage that the bad audio has done, but I can't change anything about that now so best to look onto the next video! :)
How lovely to have an area named for Marcello Mastroiani!
A wonderful Italian Actor, much underrated by Hollywood
who appeared with Sofia Loren in many excelent films
Unbiased well detailed info, Costa Smeralda is much more beautiful than I had expected. Guess different people with different experience. Love your review, well-done! I subscribed.
My left ear really enjoyed that video!
Later this year we will be travelling to Europe for the first time. We also are early eaters (5pm dinner please and thank you) so I guess we'll have some cultural adjustments to make when we visit Italy for the first time! We are also travelling on RCI for the first time, and I assume because they're an American line, it'll mostly be English onboard so that will be our "safe" space haha.
Hahaha. Thank you!! :-)
@@EmmaCruises the sound only went into left ear
That happened to me lol
Yep. Left balance only for me too
If you visit Spain they have a similarly late dinner time as well as late lunch times. I tried to wait as late as I could, but by 7 I was starving and was still a very early bird!
Amazing video as usual, Emma! I am trying to travel on every cruise line myself, and have yet to try Costa. This ship looks more impressive than I imagined it would! Thanks again for your excellent content!
Absolutely do it. Thanks so much. :)
great review, i never wanted to go on a cruise before watching your channel but now I can't wait to book one!
YESS!!! Have a great time! 🥳🥳
The book Princess or Royal Carribean-they’re 100000% times better!
Very much enjoy your cruise commentary. I appreciate that you don't always go on the main lines as its good to know how others operate. Have cruised in Europe only once but thanks to your videos, my wife and I would like to cruise in Europe in the near future.
Thanks so much, theres lots of great options :)
I love Costa. Even I’ve been twice on Costa Serena. Because this was my first cruise it has a special place in my heart. Unfortunately these days they are more expensive then MSC. The only reason I sail with MSC is the price.
I really miss Costa’s entertainment team. Not the theatre one but the team who is everywhere during the day and night and makes you smile and be happy. I didn’t get that happiness with any other cruise line.
This ship looks amazing! Thank you for your detailed review.
Fabulous review, Thanks Emma, was actually a very impressive ship with a few quirks amongst the various guests that make it a cruise with variety..great to see staff were excellent, certainly changed my mind about Costa cruising,,thanks as always
Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I made a cruise with Costa Deliziosa from Venice to greek islands. It has been a really great experience. The boat is amazing and the services at the top quality. Very good food and drinks. Speaking italian, I had no problems with the language, but neither the strangers had because on the boat they speak all the most spoken languages. 👍🏻❤️🇮🇹
Did the same in 2019 ! Was great, if not for my kidney stone :) Got acquainted with Italian hospital in Bari. But liked it all
Emma, we've missed you! Thanks for posting this video. Made me realize that it would make sense to visit Europe doing land and sea. You're awesome!
Yess!! Love this. Thanks so much. :)
3:51 Why would someone leave a pram in the hallway? That’s just inconsiderate, even if that floor hasn’t got any disabled rooms, how are people with certain disabilities meant to get past?
British person is shocked by Italians for 25 minutes
😂😂😂
I read so many awful comments when it comes to cruises. Italians complaining that staff does not speak italian , english complaining that they do not speak english.... however I traveled on the Costa Smeralda and it was really good. We could stay away from children areas and dined in excellent restaurants. Costa offers gourmet packages with world's acclaimed chefs , excellent sushi, pizza , icecream and has so many restaurants to please every taste. The excursions are quite good and well explained. Staff is friendly and much depends on clients too.
Just as I was thinking about booking a costa cruise this summer. I do have a very low tolerance for kids and especially babies, so I might pick a different cruise line. 😅 Thanks for the heads up.
Ha ha, yeah maybe! Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I am sure kids have a low tolerance for you too.
Costa, looks good, but poor service. Try Oceania, smaller ships, unique ports, first class service
@@meman6964 how did you get poor service from this video?
@@jaybardon1549 He's just trolling when he said the service is poor. And just bragging about Oceania.
Speaking multiple languages will really open the doors for staff when they are ready.
So true! Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Sounds like it was really a very nice cruise! You are so great at showing appreciation for what you see. I like it that you are kind that way and not someone that criticizes everything when you know the crew are working so hard to make it nice for us passengers :o)
I love Costa cruise line and enjoy being the exotic rare english speaker. There was a cruise director for each main language group, the english director was from New Zealand . My life vest had a faulty strap so I handed it to some one and they rook it away for repair and gave it back to me 2 days later. That was strange.
Don't worry they have spares for everybody at the lifeboat stations :)
I love your personality. It seems you use reason and enjoy the moment.
Thanks so much 🥹❤️
Thanks Emma, I've been waiting for your review and appreciate the detail you cover. I'll be taking the same cruise in Dec on same ship so very much looking forward to it!
A-mazing!! Have a great time! 🥳🥳
Very comprehensive and balanced review!!
Excellent review…..thank you!
Thanks lots!! :-)
I used to see the Costa Smerelda, docked in Sydney; Australia, in the 1960s. My sister an I used to go onboard on our way home from school, and have a free soft drink at the bar. It was quite common in those days. The staff was very friendly and gave us tours of the ship. I didn’t do a cruise till 50 years later.
Costa Smeralda was built in 2019 😅
Emma, you are just delightful. I find your videos to be so enjoyable to watch. Keep up the great work!
Thanks so much you're very kind. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I agree, except for one thing: I think you should down a bit. My brain can’t keep up!
My grandmother has taken many cruises with Costa and has enjoyed it very much
I feel the exact opposite about dinner time. I like to get at the table at around 9 PM and finish at around 10:30
Nooo!! That's bed time!! :')
@@EmmaCruises Yeah, if you're 10...
Love your videos about cruise trips. You do a great job... and I like the way that you tell about the next video they could watch.
Thank you! 😁❤️
The food looks good.
I haven’t been on a cruise since 1990, but I love living vicariously through your videos!
Thanks so much, the food was soooooo good! :)
We're sailing Costa soon so are binge watching all things Costa to learn all we can. Looks like you had a great time. There are lots of things that are different to British lines - but - bring it on! 🍻
Those hand wash units, they are the same ones Disney uses in their kids clubs! I love to use them during open house and would like to see them available in more places.
Love them! Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Very nice! I cannot do communal pools or hot tubs due to ick factor. But all else looks great thank you!
Hey, Emma! Thanks so much for this video! I'm going on my very first cruise on this ship in two weeks. 😊
Thank you! 😁❤️ Have a great time! 🥳🥳
Hi Emma, found your channel a few days ago and I'm absolutely loving the content. It's been like going down a rabbit hole - and learning about Cruise Ships (which I admit now are fascinating) has been great!
Awesome! Thank you!
It’s astounding how many smoking areas were on this ship! And I can’t believe guests are allowed to smoke on balconies. Nice informative video as always!
Thank you! 😁❤️
That's Europe for you. At least on German cruise ships it's pretty much the same
Its ITALIAN DUH
I’d hate that!
@@jasperpike242 in italy you cannot smoke anywhere inside and in some beaches is prohibited to smoke
You have the most pleasant presentation style and skills. I really enjoy your videos..... It seemed like this cruise was fun and an adventure...
Thanks lots that's very kind of you to say :)
Those meal hours seem very normal to me and I'm not even Italian. 5 pm for me is usually a small snack or coffee. 8 pm is the usual dinner time. Some days it's 9 or 10 pm though. Breakfast for me is at 1 pm.
Yes i eat in that way European style :)
You fixed the video!!! Woohoo! The hand washers are fab and Josh's absolute favourite thing I think on the ship! Costa Cruises is definitely a line for families its interesting to hear about it from a family (without young kids)! Fab video Emma!!!
You say I fixed it... I thought I did but theres lots of comments saying audio is still busted, some people only hear from one speaker/headphone even though it should be just stereo sound and not split at all, some people can't hear anything. TH-cam is having a hard time I think! :(
@@EmmaCruises Yea I only hear it out the Left speaker, none the less, great video thanks!
Thank you :(
Watched on IPad casted to my TV & it sounded very loud & perfect.
I cannot believe that this is the worst rated cruise line. The ship looks gorgeous!!!
Love your honesty Emma x You have just sold me on this cruise, and got yourself another sub :)
Yay! Thanks so much.
Sounds like a great deal and a great holiday option for people who have their expectations at a reasonable level
Im really happy that I found this vlog. I have never wanted to go on a cruise of any size. Your Vlogs are slowly changing that. I've been looking in to some of the ones you have done. Being a widow now retired this might be fun. Might prefer the smaller ones. Still going through all your videos so I can choose. Thank you
why is the audio on just on side
Thank you for the olive-specific commentary. Finally, someone who shares my vitriol for them :P
I hate pasta and olives so…..
This video sounds good in my left ear.
"Ooh, you salty beach" had me laughing all the way through!
Yay!! Thank you! 😁❤️
Great review . Bravo! Cruise Critic is very Anglo oriented and it's not surprising this non-English based cruise line and this ship would score at the bottom . BTW, that's an awful lot to pay for a soda package IMHO . I'd never get full value from it .
It's a soft drinks package, so mocktails, juice, tea etc too. Yes! I bet on Italian Cruise Critic it's very different. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
An amazing and comprehensive review Emma, well done again, Costa not so bad as we are led to believe, not sure I can convince the wife though! Your hair has grown a lot too!
Emma - Fantastic and informative review, as always! Great editing and content. Keep it up!
Thank you! 😁❤️
“Numb Bum”. 😂. Love this! I’ll have to use it!
Emma’s first remark to a male suitor … “Could you please say something interesting.” 😂
Just disembarked the HAL Zaandam 14 night Panama Canal and LOVED the hand washers. Want one for home.
About Concordia...Is rated so low just for fault of one captain.
It was a mistake of JUST ONE person,Schettino,that with arrogance thought he could do a strange move near the cost of islands,that's what happened,just ONE ARROGANT CAPTAIN,and all the ship,the company and the workers went down for fault of one person only even if people told him not to do it,search info on what happened you'll find an excellent italian video on youtube if you're interested. That man wanted to do a difficult move near the cost for let people see the island better,is a move done just is some occasions by experts and only if is alright to do it,but isnt done anymore,he wanted to do it,and because of that the ship get broke.
The worst part was waiting too long before declaring emergency state, they waited more than 30mins knowing the ship was taking water on board
Another stellar review. Thanks Emma, I really enjoy your channel.
I never ever wanted to do a cruise in my life. I started watching this chanel randomly and since then i really really wanna go on a cruise 😅
Mwahahahahahha. Thank you! 😁❤️
I agree with you. 5:30 is a great time for dinner.
THE BEST!! ;D
You're crazy.
Hiiiii Emma 🙂🙂 love your videos. Keep up the great work. I’m looking to go on my first cruise this year. Xx
Helloooo!! Thanks so much. Have a great time! 🥳🥳
Never been on a cruise my entire life, but I still enjoy your videos.
Thanks so much 🥹❤️
Thank you very much for sharing! Great video!
I have never been tempted to go on a cruise. You managed it with this review!
I like hurly-burly, I can tolerate kids (for some reason my better half and I attract them), and I live in a neighborhood in which I'm the cultural minority, so I've found that language barriers are easily overcome by smiling and miming.
Thank you for the review!
ps- I am now ravenous having seen all the food!
Yesss!!! I love this. Thanks so much. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I just came back from a cruise in Costa Smeralda with my partner. For context, just a month before I sailed MSC Divina solo, so I have a fresh memory of that and can't help but compare.
I did not like it for a number of reasons, but tl;dr would be "too cramped, too low quality". Staff was great however.
Compared to MSC, we did not get much table service in the restaurant during breakfast, as it was mostly buffet service, everywhere on the ship. Want a custom order of eggs benedict or pretty much something other than omelettes or waffles? You're out of luck.
Restaurant service in the evening was slooooow, and it felt excessively casual (no tablecloth, no chit-chat with the waiter, noisy space…).
Buffet and restaurant opening hours were weird. We were in the 2nd sitting for the evening service, which was 21:20 (!). We never finished dinner before 23.00 (not out of wanting to!). Buffet snack service closes at 6pm, so you've got a massive gap going on there. If you spent the day on land and came back late, you're out of luck and you got to visit one of the "snack stations" (pizza, focaccia, burger, ice cream, waffles and crepes…) around the ship, that are conveniently open at that time, and will serve you at an extra cost.
The buffet on the 8th deck also felt excessively crowded (hard to find a table - and can't go in off-peak times, because it opens for such a short period of time, that there aren't really any!), and it was very slow. In most buffet stations, you had to queue and get served, so you really had to commit and spend some time collecting all the food you wanted.
We sailed in an inside cabin, and by golly it was SMALL!! Smallest I've ever been to, waaay smaller than Costa Luminosa, MSC Bellissima or MSC Divinna. We really struggled to manoeuvre two people with small luggages. Barely any space on the sides of the bed, or in front of it.
The Sanremo theater is… sure, very cool looking. But super inconvenient. The view is often obstructed, people just stand everywhere, and there isn't a lot of seats. Same goes for the Colosseo. Very cool, but it's always overcrowded and you can't enjoy a show there unless you wait for a long time before it starts. All in all, this was the first cruise I did where I ended up skipping many shows, even though they were great, because there were profoundly inconvenient to attend.
There seems to be a theme around poor design. For example, elevators. If anyone's sailed on the ship, they know what I mean. They're just not designed to transport the massive number of people, so very often you'll be stopping at every deck with people just looking at a full elevator and not getting in. Or you'll be stuck in the same deck for minutes because someone on the outside keeps smashing the button trying to call a different elevator, but because yours is already on the same floor (but full) the doors keep opening. Over and over again. Really terribly stupid design that does not fare well with the crowds that are on teh ship.
Regarding drinks, we ran our numbers and saw no reason to buy a drinks package. We ordered liberally, without much care, and ended up spending less than the average drinks package would've cost - and we also got icecream and other snacks not included in the package. It also helps that there's a Costa Club discount applied in many cases when ordering drinks if you're a member of the club.
Finally, even though the ship was huge, we missed having some sort of "adults only" or quiet area around the ship with a view. Everything seemed to be concentrated midship in decks 6-7-8, so not much of a panoramic view there, and it can get very noisy because of shows, music, etc.
Note that not everything is negative. Food was good, activities were abundant, and I was surprised to see how many facilities & services existed for kids and families ("family restaurant", nursery/kids club…). But I'm not in that segment, so I cannot comment on that.
When you add everything up (smaller cabins, higher cabin density, smaller public spaces, restricted "included" offer in terms of variety and times, no attended breakfast…) it's very clear that Costa is aiming to cut down on cost and offer a cheaper cruising experience. And that's perfectly fine, but just not what I aim for, especially given other cruise lines with similar prices offer a much better overall experience for my expectations.
You didn't choose a room with balcony? How much did you pay overall ? They offer me a special "all you can eat AND drink" for 125 €, do you think it's worth it? I thought it'd be better to eat and drink in each country but i'm not sure...
@@rachparov I tend to go for the cheapest guaranteed room, that’s an inside cabin. I usually don’t mind inside cabins but I do mind the terrible lack of space. Balcony was a cheap upgrade at +100€ for the entire cruise, in retrospective it would’ve been worth it just for the extra space. If you can, I’d recommend a guaranteed balcony cabin.
Regarding the 125 eur offer I have not heard of it. What food does it include? What drinks? Does it include alcoholic drinks - and if so, do you plan on drinking?
You can go without paying for any food, soft drinks and beer are 4€, bottled water is 4€/1L, cocktails are 7€ with the costa club discount (starting with the basic membership level so make sure to sign up)
For me and my partner, packages didn’t make financial sense, but we’re not heavy drinkers and we didn’t go to any speciality restaurants, just ice cream and Nutella crepes here and there.
@@adrinavarro320 i took the balcony room because the price diff with the window cabin wasn't that big (375 € for 8 days), I think that's a very good deal for a first experience.
They have the regular over priced offers for the drinks (over 225 € for the drinks alone!) or the food but they made a hybrid offer that includes everything (probably to push a sell), meaning softs, alcohols and buffet/restaurants included in the food package.
I didn't plan to drink but i fear that after 18 i might want to chill at bars, even if it's a soft drink. Unless i can bring drinks from outside, is it possible?
@@rachparov in theory you can’t, but I’ve often brought water to my cabin and the odd can of a soft drink. But don’t expect to be drinking your own stuff in public areas.
Keep in mind that the buffet is always included and so are the complimentary restaurants for breakfast lunch and dinner. The complimentary sit down dinner restaurant has a very nice four course menu. You can pay for nicer speciality restaurants and for some snacks such as specialty ice cream, crepes and waffles, sushi, pizza… but you don’t need to necessarily.
That’s why I’m asking regarding what it includes in the food department. Also, is that a drinks package anytime in the cruise or is it limited to lunch and dinner? Because I was offered a cheaper drinks package that only applied to drinks consumed in the restaurant such as wine, water, beer, sodas…
@@adrinavarro320 I meant bringing stuff in my room, do they check our bags when we enter the ship?
Also, it doesn't say anywhere that the buffet is included in the price so that's a bit weird. If food is included, then i wouldn't need the deal they made...
Ahaha I just stumbled upon your channel by accident and would you know it, my family and I are going to embark on this very ship soon (fittingly, with kids) . 😂 Glad that it did leave a positive impression on you despite negative reviews, and I will definitely try to remember your tips for an enjoyable experience!
Imagine boarding an ITALIAN cruise ship and complaining about nobody speaking English, you don't get more British than that.
But us Yanks have turned such complaints into an art form. 😁
She didn’t say that though.
@@amyw6808she didn't but shoawed the reviews
yeah its weird how much emphasis is put on the fact that only 4% english speaking lmao like do they not think other people like cruises too? I don't see why going on a cruise where people speak different languages is a big deal
You should see the Brit expats in Spain where after 10 years they know one word ..........Hola , and even have the audacity to complain that the servers are talking Spanish ! Not a surprise from a country that has invaded over 190 counties world wide over the centuries
Always love your videos and appreciate your honesty about different aspects - truthful but without either hyperbole or denigration. It's a nice balance. I also love that you were willing to give this much maligned ship a chance, too. Now...where is the vid about your cabin??
Thanks so much 🥹❤️ It’s the next one before this on my channel 😀🙏
@@EmmaCruises Awesome, thanks!
Maybe it’s smart for them to have low ratings as people will be pleasantly surprised when it’s good!
YEP! Very true. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Looks awful to me
I love your orange cruise kitty! 🐱 - we stan Cpt. Hudson!
Hey Emma, thanks for this video! I started following you this year after I went on my first cruise. It was also a Costa one, here in South America and I fell in love with it. Due to currency exchange rates, a Costa cruise have a more decent price than other lines here. I was curious to see what other lines would be like so I found your channel, I hope to go on an MSC and a Royal Caribbean one soon. Your experience was very simmilar to mine, but since I've never been in a cruise before I found everything amazing. I loved the food, and Brazilians also are used to a late dinner.
So glad you enjoyed! Thank you! 😁❤️
2:55 i used those hand washing machines on a Holland America cruise in 2017 and they are AWESOME!
I’d love if people who don’t monitor their kids would be banned from cruises, resorts, etc. seems like such a liability issue.
Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Stay at home, that way no one gets on your nerves. People like you should not be allowed to go travelling throughout Europe.
@@jckonstanz So you think it’s okay for people to put their kids in dangerous situations by letting them run wild in places like busy restaurants? You’re okay with cruise staff tripping over a kid and injuring themselves? Last I checked, waiters aren’t babysitters. That seems pretty entitled to me, but what do I know…
Thank you, Emma. I have ben looking forward to this video, as my husband and I will be going on our first cruise with Costa Firenze in September. We have done a river cruise on the Danube before, which is completely different from this. You assured me that we have made the right choice. We love Italian food and lifestyle.
Thanks so much, you'll love it. Have a great time! 🥳🥳
Thank you very much. We will embark i Copenhagen, which is pretty close to where we live. That’s very practical
@@tovevonjessen1333 I'm going on Firenze this August. How was your cruise on Firenze? And how was ventilation in the casino?
Drink package almost expensive as the cruise
Ha ha, so true! :)
Did Toscana from Barcelona to Dubai in November, my 4th Costa cruise. Doing back 2 back on Firenze from Rio to Barcelona then on to Kiel in April. Since covid i think that Costa have upped their game whilst some other lines have gone backwards.
Yeah! I think so too, they've improved. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I love your videos! Keep up the amazing work!!!
Thanks so much Oliver, trying my best to! :D