A Popular European Cruise Line Has Been Rated As One Of The Worst In The World

What's the worst cruise in the world? It's a matter of opinion, of course, but skim through the reviews on Cruise Critic, and one name stands out: Costa Cruises, ranked as "average" with only 3 out of 5 stars from 1,540 reviewers. The most recent reviews are not kind.   

"... the stench of the carpets on the stairs, as well as the sewage, the ship is like a passenger toilet. The food in the buffet and restaurants is terrible, the crew is uncultured and the worst I've ever seen," said one of the cruise line's past guests. Another complained, "The food was terrible — worse than prison food — and you even had to pay for water at dinner." "The Ryanair of the Seas" was the damning verdict of another recent passenger. 

That last comparison is especially apt. What budget flyer Ryanair does for air travel, Costa Cruises offers to the cruising world. On its website, an eight-day Caribbean cruise costs about $530 per person, and a two-day mini cruise from Kiel to Copenhagen is $92 per person. That's cheaper than the average hotel room in the Danish capital. With cruise enthusiasts marking their calendars to get the best rates, Costa Cruises offers attractive budget options all year round. 

Costa Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation, operates nine ships across Europe, Asia, the Americas, and the Arab Emirates. In 2012, it suffered a devastating disaster when one of its ships, the Costa Concordia, ran aground off the coast of Italy, sinking the ship and killing dozens on board. Since then, however, Costa Cruises has recovered with steady growth, despite a brief stumble during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cruise bloggers have flocked to Costa Cruises to share their opinions on the cruise line. Proudly Italia, Costa is the one cruise line to fly the national flag and is popular with European travelers, especially Italian speakers. Blogger Emma Cruises, who steeled herself for a seven-night Mediterranean adventure on the Costa Smeralda, estimated that only 4% of passengers spoke English, but this wasn't an issue, as the staff is versed in a variety of languages. Costa caters to families, offering free cruises for kids under 18 who are traveling in the same cabin as two adults. In true Mediterranean style, the cruise features a few loud late-night parties that begin at midnight and are open to passengers of all ages. 

While some reviews criticized the food as "prison food", bloggers like Jenna DeLaurentis praised Costa Cruises' food quality. Aboard the Costa Toscana, she noted that the buffets featured fresh seafood, daily pasta dishes, and a "mouthwatering display of scrumptious pastries" at breakfast. The main complaint was overcrowding during meal times, with long lines and limited space. 

It seems that the key to enjoying your time on Costa Cruises is to keep your expectations in check, as with any budget travel, and keeping in mind the unsettling reasons why some avoid taking a cruise, like an underwhelming itinerary. Experienced cruisers, such as Travel Addicts Life, booked the extras they wanted as part of an all-inclusive deal, which included drinks. That saved money and avoided queues later. They also took advantage of Costa Cruises' upgrades and loyalty programs, resulting in nicer cabins with more space. Several cruise bloggers were pleased with their cabins and staterooms. The Flip Flop Traveller gave his Costa Smeralda room a Grade A for spacious and tasteful design. When it came to personal space, however, he gave the cruise an F for the number of people on board — more than 8,000!

Seasoned cruise travelers know that the key to a good cruise is good planning, including knowing what to pack. In the case of Costa Cruises, passengers dreaming of a luxury holiday cruise far from the maddening crowds may be disappointed by crowded buffets and late-night parties. For those travelers who book their voyages with budget expectations, however, Costa Cruises may turn out to be a pleasant surprise.