zCosta Luminosa Reviews

super ship, only 2 yrs old, every comfort, very modern. we had a balcony cabin and it was excellent. our 11 nights were smooth even when we had some rough seas, this ship was not affected. Costa ships are EU Flagged (Italy), so they meet every regulation, so safe.

Meals were excellent, especially in the formal down stairs dinning rooms. the staff could not do enough and every evening meal had a new theme, with the best being the italian night, when the waiters start singing. the atmosphere is great throughout the ship. the theater was really impressive. we did not use the casino but it was always busy as the slot machines are 1 cent a time, so most put in a couple of euros and get a lot of plays.

we took the x1 drink package (you ring costa cruises to book this) and it gave us unlimited bottled water, unlimited bottles of wine (!) and beer with lunch, dinner and at the bars between 1200 and 1600 when the buffet is on. it cost 100 euros per person, but a bottle of wine at meals was 19 euros plus 15 % so it was really good value, in fact when we finished a bottle of wine with our meals the waiters brought another bottle of water and a new bottle of wine! (and you can take the bottle of wine from the restaurant and sip it in the entertainment bars or on deck or take back to the cabin etc, they are very relaxed).

we flew to Nice France and took a local train to Savona Italy to catch the ship, which gave us some time in Montecarlo.

Costa Cruises (part of carnival) were really good value, i would use again.

Visited the in place to be .... Dubai.
Great itinerary, great weather !
The Luminosa is a lovely ship, very comfortable, with great public areas.
If you want to be entertained in the day, go round the main pool deck - there is always something going on. It is much quieter up on the higher decks if you like peace and quiet.
Waiters in the evening in the main dining room were awesome - great fun ! The buffet is open in the evening but only serves a couple of dishes and pizza. So if you want the full dining experience go to the main dining room for a feast.
Took a drinks package - brilliant value - would really recommend this.

Perhaps one of the best looking ships I have ever seen, the interior is incredibley striking from the minute you set foot onboard. Very modern, almost a futuristic feel to the Luminosa.
Really nice cabins with plenty of room, good size balcony.
Initially was concerned about the ship being Italian but the atmosphere was great & all the staff seemed to speak a variety of languages so everyone was well looked after.
Entertainment was music & performance focused rather than speech based, probably as there were about 6 main nationalities onboard.
The race car machine is a great idea & really good fun. And the 4D cinema is a unique concept that i have never seen before on a ship.
Food on the ship was great in the evening, very extensive menu, a few dishes looked a little over complicated for me but on the whole very good. The lunch buffet was a mixture of pizza, pasta, meats, cheese, salad etc etc, what you'd expect really, but with a little more Italian influence.
Probably the best ship out of Dubai anyway & we combined it with a few days in Dubai so overall it was a great holiday.

The Emirates as a whole is a fascinating place to visit, seeing how the different cultures are compared to how we live in the UK.
The difference in architecture (height and shapes of buildings are amazing)

The Ship

From afar the ship seems huge in size, onboard feels quite cozy even though she carries 2826 passengers. The decoration is quite striking but not in your face. Lots to do onboard ranging from mini golf to drving a race car (which is a great experience and a must).

Food

Im a very fussy eater but I found the food onboard very nice, always something to eat at anytime of the day.
The evening dining room the service is excellent the waiters / waitresses are always on hand to tend to your every need.
With upto 6 courses to choose from you will always find something.

Entertainment i.e. Casino & Bars

The Casino's are always very busy after 12am (not that I indulge in that kind of stuff). The bars were a very nice place to meet up with the people that you had during the day i.e around the pool or on a shore excursion.

Service

Excellent all the way through the cruise, couldnt do enough for anyone.

Cabin

Very spacious even for a balcony cabin, always kept spotless by the attendant (beds made and dressed a different way everyday).

Value for money

Unbleievable value for money compared to likes of Royal Caribbean whos prices are alot higher than Costa, even for the same trip. I will definitely be returning to Costa Cruises again, especially to Dubai.

Pre paid drinks package

Bargain for someone who likes to have quite afew drinks during the day/night - only £32.20 pppd. This price might seem alot but drinks are roughly 6/7 euros each and then the 15% service charge is added on top, when you pre pay the drinks package this is not added to your bill.

Ports of Call tips and recommendations

Dubai, Muscat, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain & back to Dubai.

I got off at Abu Dhabi, which is very much like Dubai but feels different, less hussle and bussle.
The cultural village is a must, you can see how they locals lived throughout the years, also the various palaces which are located throughout the state.

Also Dubai being the best place to get off and visit, there is so much to do here! Lunch at the atlantis, Wadi Wadi waterpark, water flight over the dubai state just to mention afew (which is an understatement).
The people are very friendly and very accommodating.