Anyone with experience with Costa cruises before?

[Madhouse]

Hi, we are going to the mediterranean in october and was originally looking at Grand princess and Millenium and just happen to see Costa cruises. Anyone had any experience cruising with them? How is their standard compared to the Princess and Celebrity?

Val

[hyacinth]

We have been on the Victoria to Cozumel etc. It was fun, though a bit more homey/family /small if I can say such a thing. I think it depends on what you are looking for. We had great lectures on the Mayan culture. We even had a lady teaching crafts (she does this on many ships)and she has become quite a friend via e-mail. Th staff were so friendly and got to know us even in the fast buffet rooms and sometimes joined our classes for a couple of minutes. Kids were allowed in our classes dependent on what we were doing and their own ages....so my kids thought this was great. We made our smaller cash tips into shirts (great with the American dollar). The spa was good and the kids had opportunity to join in on these sessions too. There was Catholic services daily (as on Celebrity), with an Italian priest whose accent was charming. Tips on where and what to do for excursions were more personalized as they would suggest stuff geared to your group. The kids activities and adult ones were fun: toga parties etc. The kids came back with photos of theirs as they dressed as Disney characters etc.
On the bad side, the older passengers hated the noise..I sometimes felt that no one slept throughout the night! And they also hated the activity during the day with stuff at the pool and other public areas.

[NancyN]

I was on the Costa Med and had a wonderful time, but it is a totally different experience than the typical "American" cruise. Be prepared to hear all announcments and activities in 5 languages (English will not be the first). Since you will be sailing in Europe on a Italian cruise line, you will definitely be in the minority on this ship, and will have to quickly acclimate yourself to the different cultural behaviors. As for comparisons, Costa is an average mainstream cruise line. Think of it as a Carnival cruise with a European flavor (great fun, party atmosphere, late night activity).

As for comparisons: Celebrity is a premium class cruise line and, as such, offers a more upscale product. I think you will find the food and service both superior to Costa. I have not been on the Grand, but based on my past Princess cruises if I were to rank them in order of quality of product, it would be: Celebrity, Princess and Costa. The Millennium, by the way, is an absolutely beautiful ship. My med cruise on her last summer was phenomenal.

Hope these comments help - but, if it were me, I think I would stick with one of your original ideas.

Nancy