Costa Cruises
This sparkly, family-friendly Italian ship is more water taxi than cruise ship
The Ship. Costa Diadema is the newest, largest, and grandest ship in the growing Costa Cruises fleet of family-friendly ships, and the company’s flagship. When you step aboard, you’ll be greeted by a 4ft (1.2m) white humanoid robot named ‘Pepper,’ who is seaworthy, and speaks English, German, and Italian, but he won’t carry your carry-on luggage. You’ll see Pepper(s) – there are several of them – dotted around the ship during the cruise, acting as information helpers.
The ship (whose name means ‘tiara’) has a well-proportioned profile with a rounded front, bolt-upright Costa yellow funnel, and nicely tiered aft decks. The lifeboats are mounted lower down; this position gives a sense of balance to the ship’s towering superstructure. Costa Diadema is equipped with a cold ironing facility, allowing it to plug into shore-side electric power, and all solid waste is collected for recycling. All exterior decks are covered in a rubberized material (no teak anywhere), but the railings are made of hardwood. A nice feature is the outdoor 1,640-ft (500-m) walk-around promenade deck.
The interior decor is best decribed as glowing, very bright, and ultra-bold. The central focal point is an (enlarged) atrium lobby (Atrio Eliodoro), with four panoramic elevators. Look upwards from the floor of the lobby and you’ll see the inner part of the multi-deck atrium studded with diamonds – well, blue diamond-look lighting (you’ll find it on the ceilings of other public areas, too). In fact, you’ll see diamonds in the artworks throughout the ship. The reception and the shore-excursion desk (called the Costa Travel Office) are located to one side, while comfortable seating is set around the lobby and adjacent areas.
There are seven restaurants and eateries (four of these are at extra cost) and 15 bars to enjoy including the Birreria La Flamma (a pub with several draft beers/lagers).
A whole shopping street awaits you in the form of the Portobello Market Piazza – filled with designer stores within its 11,840-sq-ft (1,100-sq-m) area. Other public rooms include a 4D racing-car experience, and a chapel – a Costa Cruises must-have.
Niggles include the fact that, in common with many large resort ships today, there is little open space on the upper decks, so be prepared to hunt for seating around the main swimming pool/water park area. You’ll need to take a towel from your cabin, as they are not provided at the pool. Note that passengers embark and disembark at each port of call, so a cruise is more like a water taxi; this means there is little communication between staff and passengers. This is also a high-density ship, with the lowest number of crew per passengers of all the ships in the Costa Cruises fleet. This is all about casual cruising for a youthful clientele who enjoy the Italian flair for life.
Accommodation. The accommodation configuration consists of 12 Grand Suites, 49 Suites, 14 Mini-Suites, 795 Balcony Cabins, 110 Cove Balcony Cabins, 240 Oceanview Cabins, and 666 Interior Cabins. The Grand Suites are not true suites (there’s no completely separate bedroom), and are small when compared to many other ships; they measure 554.3 sq ft (51.5 sq m), including balcony. Some 130 of the suites/cabins are designated Samsara Spa-grade accommodation, whose occupants eat in the intimate Samsara Restaurant.
Suites have larger bathrooms (some with a tub/shower), while many cabins have a shower curtain, instead of a proper glazed door, and a shower head that is fixed (no flexible shower hose except in high-grade accommodation).
Dining. Restaurant Sissi is the cavernous main dining room; located aft, it is two decks high, with bright decor. Seating, which is allocated according to your accommodation grade and location, is at banquettes and individual chairs without armrests.
A second dining room, the single-deck-height Scudo Rosso Restaurant, is located in the center of the ship.
If you expect to be served by jovial Italian waiters, you’ll be disappointed – although the restaurant managers might be Italian. Few tables for two are available, most being for four, six, or eight.
The cuisine is Continental European, with many regional Italian dishes and considerable emphasis on starchy food, particularly pasta: 50 pasta dishes per cruise (buffalo mozzarella cheese is made on board). The food is banquet-style catering, and, except for pasta dishes and cream sauces, its presentation and quality are unmemorable, and the subject of negative passenger comments. Green vegetables are hard to come by, and rice is used as a plate-filler. Breads and bakery items are decent enough (but made from frozen ‘starter’ dough), but desserts are of supermarket quality and lack taste. There is heavy use of canned fruit and jellied desserts and packeted jam, butter, etc.
There’s a wine list, but no wine waiters (table waiters serve both food and wine). Almost all wines are young, and the glasses are small. Note that table water is not provided – you are expected to purchase it.
If you opt for one of the specialty restaurants, note that charges apply.
All ships have self-serve lido buffets with basic items. The regular coffee is decent and quite strong, but the extra-cost (illy) coffee is excellent.
The Samsara Restaurant is a smaller, more intimate venue for occupants of Samsara-grade accommodation. The cuisine focuses more on healthy items, with reduced calories and less fat and salt.
The self-serve Corona Blu Restaurant (a buffet on the Lido Deck) has tacky (AIDA-style), unhygienic cutlery stands on tables.
Costa has introduced some more ethnic-centric eating areas (some at extra cost), such as a Vinoteca, Proseccheria (a Bavarian Bierkeller), a Japanese Tavola Teppanyaki Grill, an extra-cost pizzeria (it’s in the Piazza, so it’s called the Pizzeria in Piazza Pizza – now there’s a mouthful!), and a Gelateria. Club Diadema restaurant is an extra-cost, reservations-required dining spot, and delivers more upscale cuisine. It’s worth it if you are celebrating something special, or for something a little different to the noisy main dining room.
Entertainment. The Emerald Theater – the ship’s showlounge – is spread over three decks and has over 1,500 seats (with tables for drinks), many of which have upright backs, a large stage with proscenium arch, and the latest in LED lighting technology. Costa Cruises’ revue-style shows – performed by a troupe of resident onboard singers/dancers – are all about color, lights, high-energy action, and volume.
A Country Rock Club is something new for Costa Cruises; it’s an upbeat venue for listening to country-rock crossover music.
Spa/Fitness. Measuring some 8,395 sq ft (780 sq m), Samsara Spa is a large facility, spread over three decks. It includes a large gymnasium with the latest in muscle-training equipment, saunas, steam rooms, a thermal area, and several massage/body-treatment rooms. VIP treatment rooms are also available to couples for half-day rentals. You’ll need to purchase a day pass in order to use the sauna/steam rooms, thermal suite, and relaxation area. Some fitness classes are free, while others cost extra.