Costa, Smoking and Language

We've cruised a lot on U.S.-marketed lines, and are now considering a
Costa cruise out of Venice.

Costa permits smoking in some public areas and in cabins. How much of
a problem is it, actually, on Costa ships in the Med? Are we likely
to get a stinky cabin?

We speak only a little Italian. Is that going to be a problem?

Thanks for any advice.

Please - any help for me on how much smoking there is on Costa
cruises?

Thanks.

Walt Bilofsky wrote:

We've cruised a lot on U.S.-marketed lines, and are now considering a
Costa cruise out of Venice.

Costa permits smoking in some public areas and in cabins. How much of
a problem is it, actually, on Costa ships in the Med? Are we likely
to get a stinky cabin?

We speak only a little Italian. Is that going to be a problem?

Thanks for any advice.

On May 11, 12:04*pm, Walt Bilofsky wrote:
Please - any help for me on how much smoking there is on Costa
cruises?

Thanks.



Walt Bilofsky wrote:
We've cruised a lot on U.S.-marketed lines, and are now considering a
Costa cruise out of Venice.

Costa permits smoking in some public areas and in cabins. *How much of
a problem is it, actually, on Costa ships in the Med? *Are we likely
to get a stinky cabin?

We speak only a little Italian. *Is that going to be a problem?

Thanks for any advice.

I've not sailed Costa ... but their reputation is that smoking is more
prevalent ...
like most things ... it doesn't mean 0% becomes 100 % ... more likely
20 % becomes 30 % ... so it's marginally more likely in my best
guess ... They have smoking areas now like everywhere else ...

I believe that all speak English now ... For the European cruises I
heard in the past you'd have some minor problems ... but I think
that's gone ...

[Default] Thus spake Walt Bilofsky :

Please - any help for me on how much smoking there is on Costa
cruises?

Depending on where you are sailing, announcements are made in between
two (Italian and English in the Caribbean) and five languages (in
addition, German, French and Spanish).

Smoking? Well, Europeans are, despite their "health concious"
government edicts, rather heavy smokers. I'm always amazed at the
French, who ban ALL advertising for tobacco, alcohol and "energy
drinks" (Red Bull, etc). Before the FIA yanked the French GP, the
podium ceremony didn't have the display of the champaign maker, who
is, of course, French (Moet Chandon). Red Bull had to run their cars
without the names (but with the red bull, since it wasn't part of the
branding of the drink). At the time, McLaren was sponsored by West, a
German cigarette. For several years, their cars were logoed "East".
Then the French dropped the hammer on them, and the sidepods were
labeled with the driver's names. Then they were sponsored by Johnny
Walker, but had to run with two legs and "keep walking". And Jordan
was sponsored by Benson & Hedges and ran "Bees and Honey". In the US
it was "Be a Hero" in 2001.

Smoking? Yes. Not in the dining rooms, but almost everywhere else.


Thanks.

Walt Bilofsky wrote:

We've cruised a lot on U.S.-marketed lines, and are now considering a
Costa cruise out of Venice.

Costa permits smoking in some public areas and in cabins. How much of
a problem is it, actually, on Costa ships in the Med? Are we likely
to get a stinky cabin?

We speak only a little Italian. Is that going to be a problem?

Thanks for any advice.
--

- dillon I am not invalid

The RMS Titanic sank on April 15th. US income taxes
are due on April 15th. Coincidence? I think not.

On Fri, 08 May 2009 20:54:33 -0700, Walt Bilofsky
wrote:

We've cruised a lot on U.S.-marketed lines, and are now considering a
Costa cruise out of Venice.

Costa permits smoking in some public areas and in cabins. How much of
a problem is it, actually, on Costa ships in the Med? Are we likely
to get a stinky cabin?

We speak only a little Italian. Is that going to be a problem?

Thanks for any advice.

I have a friend who went on a Mediterranean cruise on a Costa ship.
She's traveled a lot and said there was a lot of smoking all over the
ship and that, in general, the people were not very nice. And she's
not someone who is exactly a shy, shrinking violet, easily offended
sort of person.

Brian wrote: I took a Costa cruise about 5 years ago (Caribbean) and was
most annoyed with it. The ship was beautiful and there was very little
smoking. However, the food was abominable and the Cruise Director
humiliated all the passengers who were i the Talent Show.
Would never ever cruise with them again. rosaly
On Fri, 08 May 2009 20:54:33 -0700, Walt Bilofsky
wrote:


We've cruised a lot on U.S.-marketed lines, and are now considering a
Costa cruise out of Venice.

Costa permits smoking in some public areas and in cabins. How much of
a problem is it, actually, on Costa ships in the Med? Are we likely
to get a stinky cabin?

We speak only a little Italian. Is that going to be a problem?

Thanks for any advice.


I have a friend who went on a Mediterranean cruise on a Costa ship.
She's traveled a lot and said there was a lot of smoking all over the
ship and that, in general, the people were not very nice. And she's
not someone who is exactly a shy, shrinking violet, easily offended
sort of person.

On May 11, 8:49*pm, "Rosaly Z. Greenberger" wrote:
Brian wrote: I took a Costa cruise about 5 years ago (Caribbean) and was

most annoyed with it. The ship was beautiful and there was very little
smoking. *However, the food was abominable and the Cruise Director
humiliated all the passengers who were i the Talent Show.
Would never ever cruise with them again. * * * *rosaly

Humiliating the people in the talent show sounds like fun...unless
you're in the talent show. :0

R

Thanks for the feedback. From what I understand, Costa Caribbean
cruises are marketed mainly to Americans. The passengers on the
cruises in the Med, which is what we're considering, are about 75%
Italians, and the rest mostly other Europeans.

"Rosaly Z. Greenberger" wrote:

Brian wrote: I took a Costa cruise about 5 years ago (Caribbean) and was
most annoyed with it. The ship was beautiful and there was very little
smoking. However, the food was abominable and the Cruise Director
humiliated all the passengers who were i the Talent Show.
Would never ever cruise with them again. rosaly
On Fri, 08 May 2009 20:54:33 -0700, Walt Bilofsky
wrote:


We've cruised a lot on U.S.-marketed lines, and are now considering a
Costa cruise out of Venice.

Costa permits smoking in some public areas and in cabins. How much of
a problem is it, actually, on Costa ships in the Med? Are we likely
to get a stinky cabin?

We speak only a little Italian. Is that going to be a problem?

Thanks for any advice.


I have a friend who went on a Mediterranean cruise on a Costa ship.
She's traveled a lot and said there was a lot of smoking all over the
ship and that, in general, the people were not very nice. And she's
not someone who is exactly a shy, shrinking violet, easily offended
sort of person.

Dillon Pyron wrote:
[Default] Thus spake Walt Bilofsky :

Please - any help for me on how much smoking there is on Costa
cruises?

Depending on where you are sailing, announcements are made in between
two (Italian and English in the Caribbean) and five languages (in
addition, German, French and Spanish).

Smoking? Well, Europeans are, despite their "health concious"
government edicts, rather heavy smokers. I'm always amazed at the
French, who ban ALL advertising for tobacco, alcohol and "energy
drinks" (Red Bull, etc). Before the FIA yanked the French GP, the
podium ceremony didn't have the display of the champaign maker, who
is, of course, French (Moet Chandon). Red Bull had to run their cars
without the names (but with the red bull, since it wasn't part of the
branding of the drink). At the time, McLaren was sponsored by West, a
German cigarette. For several years, their cars were logoed "East".
Then the French dropped the hammer on them, and the sidepods were
labeled with the driver's names. Then they were sponsored by Johnny
Walker, but had to run with two legs and "keep walking". And Jordan
was sponsored by Benson & Hedges and ran "Bees and Honey". In the US
it was "Be a Hero" in 2001.

Smoking? Yes. Not in the dining rooms, but almost everywhere else.


Announcements are made in 5 languages in the Caribbean as well.
Honestly you tune it out after a while!

Smoking is more than US lines, but getting less I would say, and more
proscribed now, only in certain areas.

Jeff