Name: Alan & Judith Labovitz
Email: alanl@acd.net
Age: 62 (Alan)
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Costa-Victoria
SailingDate: 2/1/98
Itinerary: Eastern Carribean
FoodDiningRoom: 50
CruiseDirector: 50
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 70
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 50
DiningRoomService: 50
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 50
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 70
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 85
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 70
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 50
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 70
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 09 Feb 1998
Time: 19:34:45
Remote Name: 208.207.98.142
Remote User:

Comments

This was our 5th cruise, and our second Costa. We’ve cruised on Carnival, Norwegian and Holland America; we chose
Costa Victoria because we had had an excellent experience on the Costa Romantica in 1995.

However, we were extremely disappointed in this cruise.

Positives: The ship is clean; our cabin steward was delightful and efficient. Some of the piano entertainers in the lounges
were enjoyable. Our dinner waiter was great!

Negatives The food was the worst of any of our previous cruises. . The Lido buffets lacked variety from day to day, and
what was offered was poorly prepared and served. Cold scrambled eggs every day is inappropriate! The noon buffets were
no better….the same food offered at each meal. The steam tables did not keep the food hot! In the main dining room,
food preparation was also poor, Pancakes, waffles, eggs and the like were tough, cold and tasteless. We felt discriminated
against by not being Italian. One morning we had terrible service and could not even get a glass of water; a table of
Italians next to us had 3 waiters hovering around them. We couldn’t get the attention of even one.:

We spoke with many other passengers on the ship and the same concerns were expressed!

The cruise director was virtually invisible. We really missed Nick Weir!!!

There were insufficient lounge chairs on the deck, and insufficient seating in the main theatres.

We had to argue with the maitre’d to arrange for second seating (which we had requested and which appeared to have
been confirmed on our documents ) Once that was straightened out, we had an excellent waiter and pleasant tablemates
(who also had to argue to get second seating). The variety and quality of the food was very poor compared to previous
cruises, especially Holland America.

The ship was clean, but entirely too crowded. There were long lines for virtually every activity. And no room to relax on
the deck.

Although ‘no-smoking’ areas were clearly marked. the signs were ignored which was very unpleasant (and unhealthy) for
those of us who do not smoke!

Many of the non-English speaking passengers were quite rude….they did not allow us to get on or off elevators, stairs, or
aisles if they were there. I was almost knocked down by a woman behind me who was apparently in a great hurry.

Our cruise sales person was told by Costa that there would be two formal, two semi-formal and two casual evenings.
Instead, there were two formal evenings and four casual evenings.

The ship is very confusing to navigate. Surely management could help make it a little more ‘user friendly’ by perhaps
color-coding signs to rooms which were front/rear of boat. We got lost a lot and since few staff spoke English well enough,
it was very frustrating to get from point A to point B.

The photographers were great! In fact, they (and their pictures) were the best part of the cruise.

We are planning a cruise to the Panama Canal; it will NOT be on a Costa ship.

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