COSTA CRUISE 27 March 3 April 2006
This was our first Mediterranean cruise and maybe the last.
and we chose by random Costa Victoria  which sails under Italian flag and has a multinational crew.
It is a big cruiser, too big! Length 253 m, width 32 m, 12 decks, Tonnage:76.000tons.
It was an experience but we were not so enchanted by such a big ship with all the queing and crowds.
You get easily lost onboard and its far to walk the endless corridors to different restaurants and decks.
The ship is extremely clean and the staff is very friendly. Most of the passengers were Italian, but we met some people
also from USA and Australia. Nobody from Scandinavia. We were the only Finns onboard.
Connecting flights by Blue1 and SAS  Helsinki-Copenhagen-Venice v.v.
Deteriorated cabin service. Nothing is free anymore. You pay also for a bottle of mineral water.

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Our cabin was on Tosca deck on 9th floor with own balcony where you could sit and admire the views.
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On sundecks it was mostly warm if you could find a place in shelter from the wind.
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We had an own cabin steward Jose and personal waiters at the dinners.
You get spoilt with the food!
Early coffee on the cabin balcony, then breakfast followed with lunch at noon - often outdoors,
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then every night a six course A La Carte dinner is too much for anybody.
If you like Italian food you are on the right ship!
On top of that two formal Gala dinners in one week!

See more about the food!

LINKS and 

Venice
Bari
 Olympia Santorini Mykonos Rhodes Dubrovnik

Look here
not ashore

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not ashore

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CONCLUSION of this cruise:
If you book this cruise be prepared to PAY a  lot of money! Nothing is cheap here.
All the extras cost more than we are used to on other cruises.
If you are a smoker Italian anti smoking laws are implemented strictly and smoking is prohibited
in all indoor restaurants and crowded at the outdoor buffets as also the Italians prefer smoking at meals.
It was an experience and a check-up as intended - but we don't intend to book again on a Costa cruise!
Cruises on Baltic and Stockholm are more our choise at least considering price-quality relation!