Online reviews should always be taken with a grain of salt, but after spending 7 days on Cruise Critic’s worst-rated cruise line, I can’t help but agree with the rating.
In the age of online reviews, it’s no secret that prospective cruisers do thorough research before booking a cruise line, ship, and itinerary. Cruise Critic is one of the most popular websites to browse when planning a cruise, as it offers reviews on nearly every ship imaginable.
Cruisers can read reviews on a cruise line’s food, cabins, service, ship design, onboard activities, and overall atmosphere. Knowing what to expect before booking a cruise is helpful, as reviews can hint at which cruise lines to choose—or which to avoid.
When researching European cruises earlier this spring, I neglected to read Cruise Critic’s reviews before booking. Scheduling commitments meant I could only cruise the Mediterranean in April, a month in which far fewer ships are sailing in the region. Therefore, I had limited options for my vacation.
Most American cruise lines weren’t yet in Europe, and I couldn't afford a luxury cruise line. I was left with only two main options: MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises. Both European lines offered similar itineraries on new mega-ships, but a 7-night itinerary on Costa Toscana caught my eye.
Wanting to visit ports like Palma de Mallorca and Palermo, I booked the sailing without much research. It wasn’t until after I booked, though, that I realized just how poorly the ship—and cruise line—was rated.
Costa Cruises has a 3.0 out of 5 rating on Cruise Critic, the lowest among popular cruise lines
Cruise Critic’s ratings average passenger reviews on a scale of 0-5 for a particular cruise line. Costa Cruises comes in dead last when comparing today’s most popular mainstream lines:
- Carnival Cruise Line: 3.8
- Costa Cruises: 3.0
- Disney Cruise Line: 4.2
- MSC Cruises: 3.3
- Norwegian Cruise Line: 3.6
- Royal Caribbean: 3.9
Even compared to MSC Cruises, which frequently receives poor reviews, Costa Cruises is rated even worse. Reviews mentioned phrases like “Five star ship with two star service” and “a nightmare at sea,” among others. Costa Toscana, in particular, is rated at just 2.8 out of 5.
As the 8th biggest ship in the world that only launched three years ago, I was shocked by the horrible reviews. Then again, Costa Cruises does not exactly have the best reputation in the industry.
Most people know of Costa Cruises because of the Costa Concordia disaster of 2012, which killed 32 people onboard when the ship capsized after hitting a rock off the coast of Italy. This event single-handedly ruined the cruise line’s reputation, but still, Costa Cruises has remained popular with the European market.
Fellow Cruise.Blog writer Allie even commented on my ambitious cruise line of choice.
“I don’t think I could look past the Concordia disaster to cruise on Costa. Stay safe Jenna!!!”
Nonetheless, I didn’t want to let an event that occurred 12 years ago, or a selection of online reviews, ruin my cruise experience. Just last year, I booked an MSC cruise despite the cruise line’s reputation, and it ended up being one of my favorite cruises yet.
Plus, Costa Cruises’ website promised my vacation would be unforgettable, and that I could enjoy the widest variety of gastronomic experiences in Costa’s fleet. With 13 pools, 11 restaurants, and 19 bars and lounges, it seemed like I made the right decision booking Costa Toscana.
That being said, I wouldn’t truly know until I got onboard.
A speedy embarkation process made a great first impression
I kept an open mind about Costa Cruises in the weeks leading up to my sailing, and soon enough, it was time for my cruise to begin.
Costa Cruises permits a flexible embarkation process on its European itineraries, allowing guests to embark and disembark the ship in any port of call. While Costa Toscana’s itinerary technically “resets” in Savona, Italy—where a majority of passengers embark the ship—you can start your cruise at any port on the itinerary.
Upon arrival at the terminal in Civitavecchia, just outside of Rome, it appeared the port was not a popular embarkation city. The lack of lines was a welcome sight. I started off my vacation on a relaxing note, and I was onboard within minutes of my arrival.
Exploring the ship, I was initially confused by Costa’s negative reviews
Walking around the ship on embarkation day, I was impressed by the condition and modern aesthetics of the vessel. My first stop was the Volare Skywalk, a walkway rising above the pool deck and offering panoramic views of the ship and ocean.
The pool deck was unlike any I’ve seen before. The main pool was in a gigantic, multi-story indoor dome, a major plus for the chilly and rainy days I would encounter on my itinerary.
I visited three additional pools and several hot tubs on the upper decks, along with the Infinity Bar pool on deck 7.
Both a Solarium on the pool deck and the Infinity Bar were identified as adults-only, although the ship appeared to be catered to families overall. With waterslides, a kids-only buffet, and the spacious Squok Club for kids, Costa Toscana had a lot of families onboard.
Indoors, I found the ship bright and open, with light wood interiors, colorful artwork, and stylish seating in public areas. Countless cafes, shops, bars, and restaurants dotted the decks. All of this left me with the impression that there would be a lot of options to choose from throughout the week.
At this point on embarkation day, I couldn’t understand where the negative reviews were coming from—the ship appeared just as well-designed as other new ships I had experienced.
A cabin upgrade was an unexpected surprise, furthering my positive first impressions
Once the cabins were ready, I headed to my stateroom on Deck 12. When I booked my Costa Toscana cruise, I booked a guarantee interior cabin. This meant I could not choose my cabin location, meaning my exact stateroom number would be assigned closer to the sail date.
To my surprise, I received an upgrade to a balcony stateroom. Theoretically, guarantee cabins can occasionally result in an upgrade if your guaranteed category sells out, but the chances of this occurring always seemed dismal.
I wasn’t sure what a cruise cabin would be like on the worst-rated cruise line, but I found my Costa Toscana stateroom just as comfortable as any other cabin.
Because the ship is just three years old, the cabin was furnished with modern decor, new furniture, and an abundance of outlets. I found the room surprisingly spacious, and it was a major upgrade from the windowless interior cabin I originally booked.
I quickly unpacked my belongings and settled into my cabin. Throughout the week, my cozy stateroom would become a sanctuary onboard to rest after busy port days… and to escape the insane crowds I would soon encounter.
Related: I paid $1,090 for a cabin on the worst-rated cruise line
My opinion on the cruise line changed for the worse after dining at Costa Toscana’s buffet
After my flawless embarkation process and cabin upgrade, I still couldn’t understand why Costa Cruises was rated so poorly. Following my first trip to the ship's main buffet, La Sagra Dei Sapori, I began to see through my rose-colored glasses.
Entering the buffet on embarkation day, I was surprised to discover it was not self-service, and that each station had long lines. At first, I thought I may have chosen a bad time to dine, but every meal was the same chaotic mess.
Dinner, in particular, was a free-for-all. The venue was only open from 7:30 to 9:00PM, and such limited hours clearly did not match guest demand. Lines for the meat and fish station were exceptionally long, so much so that I didn’t bother with the station during my cruise.
Even filling up a glass of water was an ordeal with long lines; the ship’s painfully slow water dispensers took 35 seconds to fill a single glass.
I was flabbergasted that a ship made to accommodate over 6,000 guests could have such a small, inefficient buffet.
Fortunately, I soon discovered the main dining rooms offer buffet service for breakfast and lunch, too. Here I encountered almost no lines and far more seating—it was a complete 180 compared to the main buffet upstairs. Yet if I wanted dinner at the buffet, I was forced to brave the chaos of La Sagra Dei Sapori.
I found the food quality excellent overall, a surprise considering the poor reviews
Despite my initial chaotic buffet experience, I can’t say I have many complaints about the food quality on Costa Cruises. Overall, I found both the included and specialty options top-tier.
Main dining room dishes were smaller than what I expected, but with four courses, I felt it was the perfect amount of food overall. The menu options were quite elegant, from the pumpkin walnut ravioli, Palermo-style swordfish, and vegetarian lasagna.
Picky eaters don’t need to worry, as a classic menu was available each evening with dishes like roast beef, marinara sauce, and meat tortellini.
The buffet’s food quality was better than I expected, and I found certain items offered—like fried prawns—quite intriguing, considering you wouldn’t usually find this on an American cruise line.
My only main complaint about Costa Cruises’ complimentary food was the lack of variety at the buffet, as I noticed the same dishes being served each meal.
Pasta sauces and soup options could occasionally change, but generally, there was not much variety. Items like pizza and hamburgers were only offered at specialty restaurants.
Speaking of specialty restaurants, I was absolutely blown away by the quality
I tried four specialty restaurants on my Costa Toscana cruise. From the hibachi to the Neapolitan-style pizzeria, all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant, and steakhouse, I’d argue the specialty restaurants were the best I’ve ever had on any cruise line.
As a matter of fact, the pesto pistachio pizza at Pizzeria Pummid’Oro was so mouthwatering that I could have sworn I was back in Naples!
Unfortunately, however, the dining package I purchased did not exactly offer the best value. At €110, the package included three restaurants. It wasn’t until after I purchased the package, though, that I realized I could have dined à la carte at three restaurants for a lower total price.
My €42 teppanyaki meal, €23 all-you-can-eat sushi dinner, and €39 steakhouse dinner would have totaled €104 if I paid à la carte, leaving me €6 short on breaking even.
I found this price model strange, as most cruise lines offer a dining package to provide extra value to passengers. The only way to break even on Costa’s 3-night package was to dine at Archipelago, the ship’s most upscale restaurant, but I preferred the other restaurant choices available.
In the end, I am glad I tried specialty restaurants as the food quality was far beyond my expectations, but I wish I purchased the meals à la carte instead.
Related: Top 10 cruise dining mistakes
As an Italian cruise line, Costa Cruises catered to European guests
If I had to guess, I was one of the only American passengers onboard Costa Toscana during my sailing. The vast majority of passengers on the ship were Italian, French, Spanish, and German, with a very small minority of other nationalities.
Because of the passenger demographic, the ship caters to European guests over North American passengers. Food, for instance, is catered to Italian tastes over American, with a mouthwatering display of scrumptious pastries at breakfast outshining the nonexistent line for omelets.
Other cultural differences, such as a higher tolerance for smoking (including on passengers' balconies), later mealtimes, and a lack of enforcement at the adults-only pools, were apparent. Being familiar with Italian culture, none of the minor differences onboard shocked me, although I could do without the heavy presence of smoking in outdoor spaces.
Additionally, the primary language spoken on the ship is Italian, but announcements and activities were also made in English, Spanish, French, and German. Each language offers its own shore excursions, too.
Therefore, English speakers will still find the ship manageable, as all service-based crew members can speak English with guests. Most crew members from countries like The Philippines and India much preferred speaking English over other languages, anyway.
Speaking of crew members, I encountered nothing but positive interactions with the staff of Costa Toscana. From waiters to bartenders, my cabin steward, and staff at the shore excursions desk, everyone was friendly and talented, often switching between five languages in a matter of seconds!
I noticed there was less chit-chat with crew members compared to an American cruise line, and that no poolside bar service was offered, but this did not affect my opinion of Costa Cruises in one way or another.
Programming was limited on the ship
As my cruise continued, I was surprised by the lack of programming available, especially during the day.
I browsed Oggi A Bordo, the daily activity schedule, each day on Costa’s app or on the physical copy brought to my stateroom (which sometimes, weirdly enough, did not arrive in English). I was surprised to discover that very few activities were offered during the day, with most events happening only after 7PM.
While my itinerary was port-intensive, I expected at least some events to happen throughout the day. Instead, all that was offered were morning exercise classes and an occasional game of trivia.
On Costa Toscana’s only sea day, more programming was offered in the morning and afternoon. Pool deck parties appeared popular, and there seemed to be an abundance of kid-focused events at the Squok Club. Even still, it paled in comparison to the busy schedules of cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival.
What I could see of entertainment shows was impressive, but the poor theater design ruined the experience
In the evening, entertainment and activities ramped up. Multiple bars had live bands, which I greatly enjoyed, and I was impressed to see 45-minute entertainment productions offered nearly evening evening. Sometimes, in fact, there were two separate production shows happening at the same time in different spaces.
Due to the multiple languages spoken by guests on Costa Toscana, most entertainment shows did not have a strong plot. Instead, they combined acrobatics, dancing, and vocals (often in English), allowing the show to appeal to a wider audience.
Despite the number of production shows performed, the seating situation was, frankly, horrible. Production shows in Colosseo, the ship’s 3-story atrium, had limited seating without obstructed views. This led to crowds of guests standing to watch the performance behind those lucky enough to snag the most coveted seats.
The Poltrona Frau Arena, the ship’s other entertainment space, also had limited seating options, as it doubled as both a theater and a nightclub. The lack of a traditional theater, unfortunately, did not appear to be a successful design choice, and it affected my ability to enjoy the ship’s entertainment shows.
You can still have a great time on any cruise ship, but I’m not rushing to take another Costa cruise
During my last port day in Palermo, I thought to myself, “I could get off the ship today and be totally fine,” something I’ve only felt a handful of times while cruising. Although I enjoyed certain aspects of my experience, the negatives started to outweigh the positives as my cruise neared its end.
After 22 cruises, I’ve never experienced a cruise line with as many extremes as Costa Cruises. On one hand, the cruise line had the most high-quality specialty restaurants I’ve dined at yet, but on the other, the complimentary options were lacking.
Likewise, the crowds in some areas of the ship—including disembarking on port days—were extremely poorly managed. Yet the ship’s Reception desk was the most organized I’ve ever seen, with a ticket queue system instead of a traditional line.
As a cruise line with relatively low fares, I expected to feel nickel-and-dimed onboard, but sometimes spending extra money felt inevitable. Opportunities to spend extra on Costa Toscana were everywhere, from €11 takeout sushi boxes to €3.50 water bottles in my cabin.
I couldn’t help but think that making a few more complimentary venues and water stations would have greatly cut down on crowds in select areas of the ship.
Finally, as I was cruising solo on Costa Toscana, I would have appreciated more onboard programming. Activities can be a great way to meet other passengers onboard, and attending events like trivia, craft workshops, port lectures, and game shows keep each day interesting and different.
Overall, some Cruise Critic reviews were spot-on
Unfortunately, I see why Costa Cruises has such a low rating on Cruise Critic, though I would never call my experience onboard a “nightmare at sea” like other reviews.
In the end, a cruise is all about your mindset. While my Costa Cruise was far from perfect, I still had a nice time onboard and made lasting memories both onboard the ship and in my itinerary's five ports of call.
Jenna DeLaurentis
Jenna DeLaurentis enjoys exploring new ports of call around the world on a cruise ship, learning about new cultures, discovering beautiful landscapes, and trying diverse cuisine. She loves to get active while at port, whether cycling through mountains in the Caribbean or scuba diving under the sea.
