Hong Kong to Sydney, 23 October 2026 (20 nights)

WE HAD A WONDERFULL CRUISE ON COSTA SERENA the food was lovely and the crew was very very helpful. We would recommend our friend and relatives and yes Indian food was served in ship which came as a surprise from the crew members

The ship was excellent but the service was less so. The only place that the service was good was at evening dinner. In other places at other times the service was generally poor. The prices of drinks and snacks is excessive and one is left with the feeling that Costa are out to take as much money from the passengers as possible. If you drink the only realistic way to make costs sensible is to take out the all inclusive option. The daily service charge is ok except that the service is poor and they then add 15% to everything that you buy. Also two days are lost if you board late and disembark early on the last day but you still pay the service charge. Boarding took place at 3 pm but rooms were not ready until 8 pm which if your flight was in the morning meant a whole day sitting about. Will never book a Costa cruise again because of these points. Ship great, what you would expect, but feeling of being ripped off lingers.

I didn't have high expectations so wasn't disappointed with the ship. There was no welcome onboard but generally the ship is fine. The cabin was spacious as it was a disability cabin with a good hot shower room. The cruise was only 2/3rds full so not too crowded around the ship on a sea day, but would imagine it would be very busy when full. The staff were generally friendly but the service in general was basic as was the entertainment. The passengers were mainly Italian and got involved in the dancing, nightclub & activities. I have been on a few cruise lines which are much better than Costa. This cruise was OK but let down by the restaurant. The food quality was poor, of low quality. The desserts were generally angel whip type and afternoon tea had a very poor selection: one small cookie or a piece of sponge in 1 inch squares! The breakfast selection was good. The restaurant food was never served hot; it was always luke warm on a cold plate. It may taste a bit better if it was hot. The "extra charge" pizza restaurant served good hot pizzas. The bar service and drinks were good. The cruise was only chosen for the ports of call in the Gulf, which I really enjoyed. Try to pre book some tours eg local Omani Khasab fjord trip in a Dhow was 20 euros, 70 euros booked on the ship. I had a good holiday but Costa would never be my first choice.

First time with Costa. Shows & food fine. Cabin was a really good size & great storage space for clothes. Better than any other staterooms we have been in. Only drawback was the long wait at the port in Dubai before we boarded (15.00) & did not get our room until 20.30. After an overnight flight landing in at 8.00am this was not a good start to the cruise. We would like to do the same cruise again but would fly a day earlier. Other than that had a great time.