Tips in travelling by Costa cruise ship in the Mediterranean?

Question

HI!
My family is planning to take a vacation in the Mediterranean. We're planning to take the Costa cruise. This is our first time to travel via cruise ship and would appreciate any tips from previous travellers of Costa.
My family consists of 4: my husband, me, my 11yr old son and 5 yr old daughter. Any tips on what cabin in what part of the ship is best to avoid seasickness, etc. would be very appreciated.
Also, we like buying lots(!) of stuff from different places but I read that passengers are allowed only 1 baggage and 1 hand-carried bag per person. Is this strictly enforced? Any tips on how I can stow some stuff that would not fit in my baggage on the way home?
Any other useful information would be very appreciated.
Thank you very much in advance!

Answer 1

I have been on two cruises in the Mediterranean but not on a Costa ship. So I can answer SOME of your questions but not all based on having been on one of their cruises/ships.

From the Costa web site I found this: "
Costa does not have a luggage restriction however please check with your air carrier prior to your departure as some airlines may have weight restriction which is beyond our control."

You may want to go to the Costa web site and read some of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's):
http://www.costacruise.com/B2C/USA/Support/FAQs/Default.htm

So from that I take it that Costa is like all of the other cruise lines and you can take/bring whatever the airline allows. I have been on almost 20 cruises and we,(wife and I) normally take 2 pieces of luggage each, plus a carry on. To give yourself plenty of room for stuff you buy, pack light. Plan to wear everything that you pack (except underwear) twice; mix and match tops, etc.

Its best to pack using soft-sided luggage because with space limited in your cabin it fits under the beds better if its not hard sided luggage. Take a small carry-on bag for the last night of the cruise. On the last evening you will be required to put your luggage outside your cabin by about 2:00 AM so that they can start taking it down to the lower deck for offloading the next morning. So you will need a small bag for your toiletries and and your clothes that you sleep in.

Some people worry about getting sea sick, but the ships being used these days have automated stabilizers which minimize the rocking. The larger ships cut through the water so easy that you don’t even feel like you are moving. When there is bad weather the cruise lines will steer around and away from it, sometimes changing the order of port stops. Also, the ships generally move overnight and dock in the mornings so you don’t feel much movement. Consequently, your chances of getting sea sick are minimal. There is generally less motion than on an airplane. On the two Mediterranean cruises that we did the seas were very calm and there was hardly any motion. Remember also that the cruise ship will be about 900 feet long and it is not affected by the seas the way a small boat or ferry would be. However, if you are still concerned then the lower decks in the center of the ship have the less motion and also an outside cabin is better than an inside cabin; you need to be able to see the sea.

If you do get sick, all ships have a doctor and they will dispense sea sick medicines. If you are prone to motion sickness, just get pills or a patch from your own doctor before you go, or go to a boating store and get a sea sickness bracelet.

Some other tips:

- If you can, plan to fly to the departure port a day early so that you do not have to worry about missed flights and connections. If you are changing time zones it will give your body time to adjust and you time to rest from the long trip.

-If your cruise included many connections, flying, train and bus, buy travel insurance and get it from an independent supplier, not the cruise line.

-Join the cruise club so that the cruise line will send you their specials and so that you can get discounts on future cruises with them. The discount will typically be $50 to $100 per person.

- Cruise lines charge a lot for the photos they take so take your own photos around the ship when you get the chance, especially on the formal nights. Ask other passengers to take photos for you, they generally are very willing.

-Review the listing of tours offered on your cruise and decide whether you want to pay for a tour or go on your own. HOWEVER, the one big advantage of going on ship sponsored tours is THE SHIP WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU if your ship sponsored tour is late getting back to the ship. If you will be in a port for 12 to 16 hours you are probably safe to go on your own for most anything. But if you are only there for six to eight hours you may want to stay close to the ship or go on the ship tours.

- Take a 6-pack of water and/or soft drinks in your carry on for your cabin.

- take a cup or mug with a lid for cold drinks when you are around the pool, most plastic glasses on cruise ships are small.

The dress on ship is casual all day until 6:00PM. So take swim wear, shorts, sandals, beach shoes, your snorkel equipment if you have it, sun glasses and sun screen, lotions, a cap or big hat for the sun, a book if you are a reader, your music player, sneakers and clothes to workout in if you like to use the gym, your camera, and other personal toiletries.

After 6:00 PM they request that you wear "sports casual" attire. That's attire that you would expect a person to wear in a business office, shirt with a collar, slacks, skirt, blouse, etc. You can still wear shorts and swim wear in the pools and spas but not in public areas like dining rooms and restaurants, show rooms, bars, casino, etc.

Most 7-day cruises have two formal nights when you can wear your best stuff and get pictures taken, and maybe meet the ship’s Captain. The formal nights are REQUESTED not required attire. But most people do dress up in a tux for men and a long dress (any color) for women. Some men just wear a suit and tie and some women wear a nice dress but not a gown. You will not be denied access to the dining room or anything else if you choose not to dress up. (we usually take off the formal stuff after dinner and pictures anyway)

Answer 2

this site can help you

http://allcruiselines.info