Review of cabin 9201 on the Costa Favolosa

Hello,

We had booked a sea-view cabin through a Costa advisor in October 2023 for a departure on 13/10/24 on the Costa Favolosa, with a cruise lasting until 22/10/24. When we saw the cabin, what a disappointment: only one stool, no armchair or sofa like we were used to with Costa. The sea view wasn’t great because of a film on the porthole, and the cabin faced the crew promenade. The space between the wall and the edge of the bed was about 30 cm... not easy for getting into bed. We immediately asked to change cabins. After two days, the answer was that no cabins were available. We spent our days in the lounges because there wasn’t enough room for two people to sit—one had to sit on the stool and the other on the bed... Two days before disembarking in Marseille, reception offered us a sea-view cabin on deck 2. We asked to see it: what a difference—space, a sofa, an armchair, a stool, and a real sea view. Unfortunately, with only two days left before disembarking, it was difficult for us "seniors (85 and 73 years old)" to pack our suitcases and bags, unpack them in the new cabin, deal with the walker, and then repack two days later for disembarkation. We filed a complaint with Costa’s customer service, which responded quickly: "You found the cabin small. Please note that our cabins meet standards and are allocated accordingly. It is indeed possible to change cabins if the ship’s occupancy allows it. We offered you this change, which you later declined." In the end, they offered a "commercial discount as an exceptional gesture for booking a future cruise." This cabin 9201 is for one person, not two. The onboard staff were always as friendly and smiling as ever. There were long lines to access the buffets, so it was better to go to the restaurant at lunchtime when we didn’t have excursions. The shows were varied, and the indoor pool was very chilly. We won’t be sailing with Costa again. We’ve booked with MSC for 2025, but after reading some reviews... Mum49

Hi Guylene, I just read your post, which I wasn’t aware of since I don’t usually follow topics about Costa. Costa has always been like a brick wall when you try to make a complaint, and for that reason (among others), we decided 15 years ago to stop traveling with them.

Hello Guylene, I just read your post, which I wasn’t aware of since I don’t follow topics about Costa. Costa has always been like a wall when you have a complaint to make. For this reason and others, we decided 15 years ago to stop traveling with them.

I agree with your opinion on COSTA. We had to involve the Tourism Mediator for a rather specific issue (the suite we were confirmed by phone had already been sold the next day when we tried to pay for it...). The Mediator ruled in our favor, but COSTA simply refused to cooperate. So for the past 5/6 years, we haven’t traveled with COSTA anymore, but I must say I’m tempted to go back on the TOSCANA because we want to travel as a family with kids, and their rates are really advantageous for children compared to MSC, which barely reduces adult fares.

Anyway, it all comes down to what works best for each person, but we haven’t decided yet.

Hi there,

It's true that Costa's rates with kids seem more budget-friendly, especially since the onboard stay package is 11 € per adult per night with Costa and can be paid during the cruise, whereas with MSC, you have to pay this package at booking and it's 12 € per adult per night. Another advantage of Costa is being able to book excursions before the cruise and pay for them onboard, along with other packages like internet and laundry, etc... For the cruise on the Favolosa, we booked for the first time with a "dedicated advisor" from Costa, but we’ve been disappointed since... no response from this person after my email following our return from the cruise. We’re going back to our usual agency—the follow-up is much better than with this "personal Costa advisor"... Have a great day! mum49

Same for us—we’re boycotting Costa. They look down on couples over 60 and prefer families with kids who spend more on ice cream, drinks, and shops. Last time, we got a horrible disabled cabin, and that was the final straw for us. And we’ve never been upgraded, unlike with MSC.

Hi, While chatting on board about the issues with this cabin, I found out from two able-bodied sisters that they’d been given a disabled sea-view cabin... As for upgrades, they’re possible if you buy a cabin with a drinks package (all-inclusive), but since we don’t drink alcohol for medical reasons, we couldn’t get an upgrade—even though we had a Costa Club Gold card until April 2024 (which then switched to "Silver" in May 2024)... We’ll be trying out CFC soon and have already booked with MSC for next year. Have a great day! mum49

We prefer CFC, which we discovered last year. We were there a month ago and we're going back next week. It's nothing like Costa. The ship is smaller, with a maximum of 1,000 passengers—it's much quieter, only one boarding per cruise so just one safety drill, no infernal noise by the pool, and the food is way better, with an ice cream parlor and cheese buffet every day at the buffet. There’s even a sofa in the interior cabins. Sure, it’s a bit more expensive, but the service is better, and service charges are included in the initial price. It’s French-speaking, so it’s easy to communicate, and everything is done to make us happy at reception, where we’ve never had to wait in line...