Costa cruises reviews 2026–2027: is Costa a good cruise line?

Costa Cruises at a glance

Costa Cruises (Costa Crociere) is based in Genoa, Italy, and has been owned by Carnival Corporation since 2000. Every ship flies the Italian flag, and the line sells mainly to European guests. Since September 2026, when Costa Fortuna left for Margaritaville at Sea, the fleet has eight ships.

Fleet

8 ships from September 2026

Price tier

Mainstream

Ship size

About 2,260 guests (Costa Deliziosa) to about 5,200 (Costa Smeralda) at double occupancy

Main regions, winter 2026–27

Western Mediterranean, Canary Islands and Madeira, Caribbean, South America and a world cruise

U.S. departures

None in 2026–2027

North American fares

Cruise Only, or Cruise Plus Drinks with the My Drinks package

Included in Cruise Only

Non-specialty dining, entertainment, daily activities, taxes and fees

Not included

Drinks (unless you book Cruise Plus Drinks), specialty dining and shore excursions

Costa cruise ships

Costa’s fleet runs from the 2010-built Costa Deliziosa to the two LNG-powered Excellence-class ships from 2019 and 2021. Four of the eight belong to the Concordia class and its modified version, built between 2007 and 2012.

• Costa SmeraldaExcellence class, 2019, 185,010 GT, about 5,220 guestsCosta's first LNG-powered ship and one of its two largest. Moves from the Middle East to a seven-day Canary Islands and Madeira route for winter 2026–27.
• Costa ToscanaExcellence class, 2021, 185,010 GTSmeralda's LNG sister. Sails weeklong Mediterranean cruises to Italy, France, Spain and Tunisia in winter 2026–27.
• Costa DiademaModified Dream class, 2014, 133,019 GTCosta's South America ship for 2026–27, with cruises from Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.
• Costa FavolosaModified Concordia class, 2011, 114,500 GTOne of two Caribbean ships for 2026–27, on seven-night cruises from the Dominican Republic and Martinique.
• Costa FascinosaModified Concordia class, 2012, 114,500 GTFavolosa's sister, on the same seven-night Caribbean program.
• Costa PacificaConcordia class, 2009, 114,500 GTStays in the Western Mediterranean after a dry dock, with seven-day cruises and longer trips to southern Europe and North Africa.
• Costa SerenaConcordia class, 2007, 114,500 GTRefitted in late 2025 with a new food court. Sails a 65-night voyage from Tokyo to Buenos Aires from October 2026, then South America, then the Mediterranean from spring 2027.
• Costa DeliziosaLuminosa class, 2010, 92,720 GT, 2,260 guestsThe smallest ship. Sails Costa's world cruise, leaving ports in Italy, Spain and France in November 2026.

Costa has also moved ships to its sister brands. Costa Luminosa became Carnival Luminosa in 2022, and Costa Venezia and Costa Firenze became Carnival Venezia and Carnival Firenze in 2023 and 2024. They sail from U.S. ports as “Carnival Fun Italian Style”: Carnival Firenze from Long Beach until early 2027, then New York, and Carnival Venezia from Miami from May 2027. If you want Costa’s Italian styling from a U.S. port, look at Carnival. Margaritaville at Sea’s three ships were also built for Costa; see our Margaritaville at Sea review.

Is Costa a good cruise line?

Costa is a good cruise line for what it is built to be: an affordable, Italian-run cruise for European vacationers, with big modern ships in the Mediterranean and the Canaries. For most American travelers it is a second choice. You must fly to the ship, the crowd and the onboard style are European, and drinks are extra on the base fare.

Three things shape most Costa cruise reviews, good or bad:

• The guests are mostly European. Costa sells mainly to the European market. That is the appeal for some travelers and the drawback for others.
• The ships vary a lot. Costa Smeralda and Costa Toscana are large, recent ships with LNG engines. The Concordia-class ships date from 2007 to 2012, although Costa Serena was refitted in late 2025.
• Drinks are the big extra. Costa’s North American Cruise Only fare covers non-specialty dining and entertainment, but you pay for drinks. Cruise Plus Drinks adds the My Drinks package: wine, cocktails, beer, spirits, coffee, tea, juices, soft drinks and two half-liter bottles of mineral water per cabin a day.

What about the Costa Concordia?

On January 13, 2012, Costa Concordia ran aground and capsized off the Italian island of Giglio, and 32 people died. The wreck was refloated in 2014 and scrapped in Genoa, and the captain was sentenced to 16 years in prison for manslaughter. It is the event many people still connect with the brand, so it comes up in reviews.

Where Costa sails in 2026 and 2027

Mediterranean

The Mediterranean is Costa’s core. In winter 2026–27, Costa Toscana sails weeklong cruises to Italy, France, Spain and Tunisia, and Costa Pacifica stays in the Western Mediterranean with seven-day and longer cruises. Costa Serena joins the Mediterranean from spring 2027. See our Mediterranean cruise guide and our Italy cruise guide.

Canary Islands and Madeira

Costa Smeralda was meant to spend winter 2026–27 in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In March 2026 Costa cancelled its Middle East season and moved the ship to a seven-day Canary Islands and Madeira route. Our Africa and Middle East guide explains why the Gulf season was dropped across the industry.

Caribbean

Costa Favolosa and Costa Fascinosa sail seven-night Caribbean cruises from the Dominican Republic and Martinique in winter 2026–27. These are not U.S. departures: you fly to the ship. For Caribbean cruises from U.S. ports, see our Caribbean cruise guide.

South America and a world cruise

Costa Diadema sails from Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay from late 2026, and Costa Serena joins it after its 65-night voyage from Tokyo to Buenos Aires. See our South America cruise guide. Costa Deliziosa’s world cruise leaves Italy, Spain and France in November 2026; our world cruise guide compares the options.

Summer 2027

In summer the fleet gathers in Europe. Our CruiseBound listings (checked October 2026) show Costa Pacifica sailing from Istanbul and Piraeus (Athens) from April 2027, Costa Favolosa from Hamburg for Northern Europe, and Costa Smeralda, Costa Toscana and Costa Serena on Western Mediterranean routes from Genoa, Savona, Civitavecchia, Marseille and Barcelona. See our Greece cruise guide and our Northern Europe cruise guide.

How Costa compares

• Against MSC: MSC Cruises is the other big European line with Italian roots, and unlike Costa it sails from U.S. ports, so it is the easier pick for most Americans.
• Against Carnival: Carnival Venezia and Carnival Firenze give you Costa-built ships with Italian styling from U.S. ports. Our Carnival vs MSC comparison weighs the two lines most Americans pick between for a big-ship cruise.
• Our rankings: Costa is not in our best cruise lines ranking, which covers lines that sell widely to U.S. travelers.

Costa cruise prices

Our October 2026 snapshot tracks Costa sailings on CruiseBound, from ports in Europe, the Canary Islands, the Caribbean and South America, and none from the United States. The lowest from-prices belong to very short legs, such as one-night hops between Mediterranean ports, so compare a full seven-night cruise before you judge the fare. Two more checks help.

• Compare Cruise Only with Cruise Plus Drinks. If you will drink wine with dinner most nights, the drinks fare can be worth it.
• Add the flights. Every Costa cruise in 2026–2027 starts outside the United States, so price the flight and a hotel night before you compare with a cruise from home.

Costa cruise reviews FAQ

Is Costa a good cruise line?

For a low-cost Mediterranean or Canary Islands week on a big Italian ship, yes. It suits travelers who like a European atmosphere. If you want a cruise from a U.S. port with an American crowd, MSC, Carnival or Royal Caribbean are easier fits.

Does Costa sail from the United States?

Not in 2026–2027. Costa’s eight ships sail in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands, the Caribbean from the Dominican Republic and Martinique, South America and on a world cruise. Carnival Venezia and Carnival Firenze, both built for Costa, sail for Carnival from U.S. ports.

How many ships does Costa have?

Eight since September 2026, when Costa Fortuna left to become Margaritaville at Sea Beachcomber: Costa Smeralda, Toscana, Diadema, Favolosa, Fascinosa, Pacifica, Serena and Deliziosa.

What is included on a Costa cruise?

Costa’s North American Cruise Only fare includes non-specialty dining, entertainment, daily activities, taxes and fees. Drinks are extra unless you book Cruise Plus Drinks, which adds the My Drinks package.

Who owns Costa Cruises?

Carnival Corporation & plc, which has owned all of it since 2000. Costa is based in Genoa, Italy, and its ships fly the Italian flag.