VLOG: What's a Costa Toscana Mediterranean cruise like?
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- Опубліковано 7 чер 2024
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It's cruise vlog time! Tom and I recently returned from spending eight days aboard the brand new Costa Toscana cruise ship exploring the Mediterranean. It was his first-ever ocean cruise and the first one I’ve done since college. Unsure of what to expect with Italian line Costa Cruises, we went into our Europe cruise with an open mind. Have you considered a Costa cruise? What are Costa cruises like?
Thank you to Costa Cruises for hosting us on this Costa Toscana press trip.
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Salut! I'm Diane, an American who has lived in France since 2012 and the creator of the blog/UA-cam channel Oui In France. My channel's focus is "Everyday French life and beyond." I make videos on French culture topics, France vs. US culture comparisons, food, travel, language, and give you my thoughts about what it's like living in France as an American in the Loire Valley. Thanks for being here and if you enjoy this sort of thing, please share with friends and subscribe!
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#costatoscana #costacruises #cruisevlog
➤➤ Thank you to HORIZN STUDIOS for sponsoring a portion of this video. Get 20% OFF w/code HSXOUIINFRANCE: bit.ly/3OQ0176
I absolutely love the ship's design--really different than, say, Princess or NCL. Sleeker, more modern and colorful. And you rocked that one-shouldered swimsuit! Thanks, Diane, and congrats on your sponsorship/s.
Thanks so much!
Woah! That’s an amazing itinerary and the ship looks amazing. She looks so different from the older Costa ships which are very… colourful. 🤣❤️
Great to see you here, Emma. Yes, it was SO fun and the ship was so vibrant and lively. Great way to see the Med!
So glad that I found your channel and appreciate this review. I'm new to cruising and was looking at Costa for Dec 2023. I like the feel and decor of this ship. Merry Christmas/ Happy Holidays!
Love this video. Thank you so much. You do such a great job showing all the goodies on the ship. Hope you have a wonderful rest of the summer. ❤️👍🌿⚘️🌿
Thank you! You too!
That looked like so much fun! Great video. 👏🏾
Thank you 🤗
Great video! You and Tom covered a lot of ground and ocean in 7 days. Costa was not on my radar screen but is now, Thanks for sharing this...
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your cruise with us.
You're very welcome. Thanks for watching!
Fantastic video and so informative! We have cruised on both Smeralda and Toscana and agree with everything you say in the video.
We also did reviews and vlogs and found the ships absolutely awesome! Can’t wait to go back! 😊
Love cruises!! Looks like so much fun. On way to go google Costa’s itineraries… thanks for this
You’re very welcome!
Love your attitude! FANTASTIC!
Surprisingly, I really enjoyed this! I have never had any desire to go on a cruise. There are more people on that ship than in my entire town! I just can't wrap my head around it! Glad you had a good time and I have to admit, it was almost tempting!!
So glad you liked this one!!
Thank you for the good video of the Costa Toscana cruise!
She’s a beautiful ship. Looks like you had a great time and visited some gorgeous places. Capri is up near the top of my list ! Great vlog Diane. 👍🙏
Thank you!
New subscriber here from California. I’m really loving your varied content. Thanks for taking us on vacation with you. I was actually thinking of taking a cruise to the Mediterranean in the future. Thanks to this video, I’m open to cruising on a non U.S. cruise line.
I enjoy seeing Tom on the videos, but he needs to give us a smile when his wife scores a great sponsor deal! Diane is working hard here!
He actually thought I was recording what was in front of the camera and didn’t realize I was filming us selfie style - wasn’t even paying attention 😂 .
Diane, what an information-packed review! Looks like a reasonably priced way to cruise. Kudos to Tom for being the supportive spouse (the look in his eyes said it all, that’s my role when my wife takes us on “adventures”)!
He is SUPER supportive and I'm so grateful for that. The clip of him was funny because he wasn't even paying attention. He didn't realize I was filming us selfie style and thought I was shooting what was on stage in front of us
Thanks, Diane, this was so interesting! I have been on several cruises but not any Italian ones. Never heard of Costa, will have to check it out!
Definitely do!!
Very interesting-never been on a long cruise. Enjoyed the decor. Nothing like traveling in style. Glad you both had a great time.🌊
Thanks so much!
Perfect video! Thank you very much!
Thank you for sharing the cruise line! I just sailed out of the same port in Rome a few weeks ago on another line. Loved it! 🥰
So glad you had a nice trip!!
@@OuiInFranceThank you! It sounded like yours was amazing as well! Definitely piqued my interest in Costa! 😊
Bonjour, I have not seen your videos for a while, but I am happy to see you again. Merci A+
Bonjour! Make sure you are subscribed and have notifications and the bell turned on so you don't miss anything! I publish 3-4 times a month ;-)
Looks like a lovely time 😻🤩
It was! Thank you for watching!
Thank you Diane! What a fascinating video. I've never entertained the idea of going on a 'big' cruise on an ocean liner after enjoying intimate river cruises on barges. You certainly changed my perspective and smashed a few myths. LOL! I definitely prefer European experiences to North American options. Again thanks!
You’re very welcome! Definitely check Costa out. Thanks for watching :-)
Vous avez parfaitement bien représenté la jolie mode canadienne. Merci d'avoir souligné l'origine du vêtement.
Votre documentaire était très bien, sachant qu'il se distingue des précédents.
Merci Diane pour ce beau moment.
Merci beaucoup !
That spa looked amazing! I love the heat in the sauna and steam rooms. To roast then roll around in the snow sounds invigorating lol. I really loved the shower window as well. That was a really nice touch for Costa to find a way to add light and open up the cabin like that. I hope you and Tom take another cruise soon and vlog it. Bon voyage!
It was so fun!!!! Stay tuned..
Hi Diane! You're timing couldn't be better! My partner and I are going on our first cruise in September. It is departing from Barcelona and it's very similar to your itinerary. This is great! Thank you for sharing! Btw, you don't seem to have gotten sunburned. What sunscreen did you use?
Hi Verna, so glad you enjoyed this one! Re: Sunburn, it's because I stay out of the sun as much as possible. I sit in chairs in the shade and if I do go outside, I wear a hat, sunglasses, clothes that cover my chest and shoulders, and always a 50+ sunscreen. I use a Roche Posay one from the pharmacy. I don't mess with the sun!
Wonderful presentation. You are amazingly entertaining
Thank you kindly!
I miss Capri. I was there in April, 2019.
So beautiful!!!!
Cruising is the greatest way to travel. Hopefully I can try Costa someday. Loved your beautiful dress. I am with you. Sauna's are too hot. I would go for the snow room also. Great video.
Thank you so much! And stay tuned for a video later this summer that I know you will like (since I know about your fall travel plans ;-)))
@@OuiInFrance Thank you for remembering. I have cancelled those plans, because I have photograpers wanting Santa in October. But I will definitely be doing that trip again in the next couple of years when I can. I will still look forward to your video. You offer so much great information for American travelers from the voice of experience.
Ship looks great, hopefully the announcements were not in too many languages! The weather has been brutally hot this summer in many parts of the Continent (European mainland excluding UK & Ireland), hope this didn't spoil your trip too much. Some assistance, pehaps lost in translation between US & UK English! We don't close curtains we draw them, shower is in a cubicle not stall.
We are from Toronto, Canada and we going on a Costa cruise next week and were debating getting on at Marseilles to do our own thing. Did you walk into town or take a cab, and how far is it from the cruise port? Thank you so much!!
Hi there, there's a shuttle I believe just outside the cruise port gates that is the cheapest option. I took a taxi, it's about 15 minutes if there's not much traffic to the old port. It's not walkable. Enjoy your trip!
I've done a Costa cruise and agree completely, it's a great way to go. I appreciated the European/Italian style and pace. Two warnings: coffee is not available all day, unlike US cruises. Also, a debit card cannot be used as a credit card! I had to keep getting cash on shore to deposit with the cashier into my room account so I could do onship purchases.
Cool Juli, what ship/itinerary did you do? Glad you had a nice time and like you, I appreciated the Italian style/pace. Interesting about the coffee! On our ship, there were two specific coffee bars you could go to any time to get a cappuccino or whatever caffeinated beverage you wanted. I wonder if that's ship specific?
Interesting too about the debit card. I always have a couple of methods of payment on board but it's cool they do the cash deposit option as well. I used my American CapitalOne credit card to settle up without issue.
Thank you for sharing your experience. ;-)
@@OuiInFrance I did Barcelona-Genoa-Naples-Malta-Barcelona. I liked that dinner each night featured a regional dish, too. Cheers!
Looks like you and Tom had a lovely trip. Have you been on US cruises and if so, how would you compare? Hey-at least you didn’t have to work the locks! 😉 Also-loved the swimsuit and both dresses.
I was on Carnival and NCL I believe twice back in the day with my family when I was in college on Caribbean cruises. The main difference is that on Costa, the majority of the passengers are European. But food options were great, we loved the shows, and had a blast!
Hello Diane! I've always been hesitant to go on a cruise because I'm afraid of getting bored outside of stopovers. Did you ever feel that during the crossing? In any case, this brand new boat seems to offer lots of nice activities.
Could you give us some price indications for extras (excursions, special dishes not included in the ticket price)?
Thank you 😉
Hi there, I feel like it would be hard to get bored. I guess it could happen but some of the activities include the arcade, casino, live music/shows, eat/drink, use the pools or jacuzzis, sunbathe, take a nap, read a book, walk up on the upper deck, do one of the organized activities like karaoke or some other game they have going on, hit the gym, spa, play basketball, etc. We were only at sea one full day I believe so lots of movement and time to go into town off the ship.
Excursions range from about 30 euros per person up to over 100 depending on what it is. Walking tours or a shorter excursion would be cheaper than a full-day kayak tour, just depends.
Gelato was 2.50 for 2 big scoops. When I talk about the sushi, there's a shot of the menu with pricing. Can't remember off the top of my head. The Michelin-starred specialty restaurant Archipelago is 49 euros/person for a spectacular 5-course meal, if I remember correctly.
We found it really reasonably and the cruise fare itself for this route this time of year was under 1000 per person.
Hope that helps!
More than you think! You convinced me to give it a try, maybe in September.
Thanks a lot, Diane!
Hi Diane,
Which one was the best restaurant in your opinion? L'oliveto, La Maremma, L'argentario, Le Anfore or Il Vigneto Osteria?
Was it better to have dinner at 7 or 9 pm?
Hi, I think they would all be of similar quality but it just depends on your personal tastes. I go to bed early and wake up early so for me the earlier dinner option was best. Have a great time!
Thnaks@@OuiInFrance
I would probably go from sauna to snow room and back. Lol
I did 10 seconds sauna, and about 10 minutes in the snow room hahaha
Wow!!💖Hello from Montreal 🤗!This looks amazing!! I have been looking for a Med. Cruise in the fall....surely very nice ship!! Can you , please, just tell me why you think in some blogs there is soooo much bad reviews of Costa cruises? Thanks💖💖💖
I'm not sure but I think a mix of the following. Just some ideas:
- People expecting an American experience and being surprised that there aren't many Americans on the ship at all and having a bit of culture shock hearing other languages spoken, food options they may not be familiar with, etc.
- People who have had bad experiences tend to be very loud about them and all companies have customers who won't have a great time for whatever reason. It's the nature of reviews... people who have a terrible time and an outstanding time are more likely to voice that. People who have a nice cruise don't always take time to leave reviews so the reviews can skew negative. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, you know?
- The Concordia disaster and that people associate Costa with that
Just my 2 cents.
@@OuiInFrance I think you are absolutely right!! A culture shock can be bad!! We travel alot in the Caribbean and all over there is a mix of people ..language...wich I find great!! Ourselves speak 3languages fluently and Spanish and German so..so! I guess the Costa accident is very much on everyone mind still!! Glad 💖...you had a great time!!!!
thanks for video, how was an internet on board?
Truth be told, since we live in Europe and were often not far off the coast (and when docked), our cell phone data plans worked just fine in 4G. That said, when we used it, the onboard wifi seemed on par with other trips I've been on and is perfectly fine for messaging and email.
Costa is on cruise line I avoid after the ship sinking a few years ago
I saw what you won at the arcade. What do you feed him?
Whatever he wants ;-)
Beautiful ship. But you didn’t talk about the cost as your title suggested.
Check out the link in the description. Lots depends on route, dates, cabin, extras, etc. Costa is owned by Carnival and they are definitely accessible price wise and in line with Royal Caribbean, NCL, etc.
Great video! Really enjoyed it. Nice nails!
Thank you!! 😊
Beautiful! Hey, I'm not getting any notifications of your new videos....
Hi Paige, could you tell me more about that? Are you subscribed and have you clicked the bell notification? Are you saying that when you click your subscriptions feed, my videos aren't there or just that you aren't getting a pop-up notification on your phone? Just trying to understand the exact issue so I can help troubleshoot. ;-) Thank you!
Bon Soir de Californie
Bonsoir!!
Bonjour de Chambéry ☺️
Have they rectified the issue that caused the Costa Concordia disaster?
The captain is in jail so I'd say so!
Do not wear black or dark clothes when it is « super hot » in the sun ! The whiter the clothes, the better.
Great video. I have never been on a cruise, because of two main reasons. 1) Most cruises go to hot and sunny destinations, and I absolutely hate hot weather. I cannot stand it. I am miserable when it's hot. So, I might some day consider the Alaska cruise instead. 2) Kids. There are way too many annoying little children running around, whenever I see other people's cruise videos. I don't have children and I don't want to be disturbed by noisy little brats at restaurants, pools, and events. I don't know about Costa Toscana, but I think Virgin does have some no-kids cruises here in the US. Note to parents, you think your kids are cute, but they're not cute for other people who have to tolerate them when they are not well-behaved.
Glad you're going instead of me. I saw quite a few,ships of this design when I was in Venice a few,years ago. I counted how many floors (15) and vowed never to go on one. One of the ships I saw was the Costa Fortuna which a few years later sank due to the idiot captain wanting to show off to his mentor. Luckily he was jailed for his stupidity and cowardice in leaving the ship to sink. Those things are top heavy and when they sink, they sink properly which is how the Costa Fortuna sank. Sorry to pour cold water on your sunshine but I'm not a fan of those things
Thank you for sharing your delightful cruise experience. I cruised on the Costa Mediterranea in 2016 and was disappointed. The ship felt worn out and needed a face lift. Muster was so poorly organized that some passengers were threatening to just walk away. The food was mediocre right down to the bottles of rancid olive oil on the dining tables. I had been looking forward to the Italian food experience and this wasn't what I expected. And I found it difficult to find a snack or coffee unless it was mealtime.The staff was wonderful even though they seemed overworked and I felt sorry for them. This was my first cruise and I have to say I was disappointed.
So glad lots has changed since 2016! You should definitely try a newer ship.
In Europe, you do not snack between meals.
@@jrr3558 En Europe🤔🤔 quelle europe votre commentaire ne veut rien dire l'Europe est un MYTHE .
@@hervedupont6955 encore un Gilet Jaune... Ils savent lire?
@@jrr3558 Gilet jaune ou 🙄
Looks nice.
Costa Cruise lines is owned by Carnival, by the way. And yes, it was the line from the Costa Concordia disaster.
Sorry but can’t watch it all as a cruise is my idea of a nightmare. I’m happy to take the ferry overnight to France from the U.K. and back but that’s it. It does look nice though as far as accommodation.
Boats definitely aren't everyone's cup of tea. Totally get it! My cousin got seasick on a sailing trip to the Calanques in Marseille. It was his last time on a boat!
A ferry is considered transportation. This is an entirely different experience. Perhaps you are afraid of the ocean?
wow! they offered you a cruise for your promotion! It pays to be a youtuber
Salut. I really do not understand how you can support Costa. It is everything but Italian : only international trash. As you saw, crew members are mainly from...Asia. and the boats are huge, ugly and really not environmental friends. You should try "Le Ponant" : this is really European ( French) and much more chic.
The food is mediocre at best. Even in the restaurants where you have to pay. I am talking about Costa Toscana. but I suspect all Costa ships are like this.