Overall Score

BERLITZ'S RATING
	Possible	Achieved
Ship	500	341
Accommodation	200	137
Food	400	265
Service	400	283
Entertainment	100	66
Cruise	400	266

How this score is created

Costa Europa was originally the Home Lines cruise ship Homeric, which underwent an $84 million “chop and stretch” operation in 1990 after being purchased by Holland America Line. You don’t even have to look closely to tell where the mid-section was inserted, because the windows are larger than the fore and aft sections. The ship was moved to Costa Cruises (a cruise line wholly owned by Carnival Corporation) in 2002.

When Costa Cruises took over the ship, no structural changes were made, although some of the soft furnishings were changed and the decor was made brighter and more European in style, although, after a £5 million refit, surprisingly few changes are really noticeable. The funnel, however, looks surprisingly good in Costa Cruises’ trademark yellow.

The ship has good teak outside decks and a wrap-around promenade deck with real wooden sunloungers. There is also a good amount of open deck space for sunbathing. There is a magrodome-covered swimming pool deck, but unfortunately it is rather small for the number of passengers carried.

The ship has elegant, functional, and restful interior decor. The public rooms are decorated in pastel tones, although some decor looks dated. The ship absorbs passengers well, and has good passenger flow, but the layout is a little awkward to learn at first.

Most of the public entertainment rooms are located on one deck, which makes access a simple matter. An addition, made when Costa Cruises took over the ship, is the Medusa Ballroom, with stage and proper hardwood dance floor. Also added were more children’s facilities, for the increase in families that now choose this ship. There are several bars and lounges to choose from, some small and intimate, others larger and noisier. However, there are, fortunately, lots of nooks and crannies to play in – much nicer than the warehouse-style public rooms of the latest, larger, ships.

Costa Europa is a well-run, modern ship (comfortable, but certainly not luxurious) that provides a satisfactory cruise experience, particularly for families with children. There are few Italians among the crew, however (except in key positions), as many are from the Philippines.

Passenger gripes: communication with staff is not easy; room service is poor; there are many loud, repetitious and irritating announcements (typically, in at least four languages); shore excursions are expensive; there is some noticeable vibration in some areas. The onboard currency is the euro. Envelopes for gratuities are provided in your cabin and state the amount expected.

Berlitz Guide © Apa Publishing 2008