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We Start Our Costa Smeralda Cruise | Embarkation and First Impressions!

Paul and Carole Love to Travel
Paul and Carole Love to Travel
πŸ₯‰Knowledgeable
πŸ‘οΈ 15K viewsπŸ“… 7 months ago⏱️ 33:58
What This Creator Said
Creator Had Mixed FeelingsCruise VlogπŸ₯‰Knowledgeable Creator
πŸ‘« Best for GroupAsia Β· 7 nightsFrom DubaiFirst-Time Cruiser

Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.

Creator's Key Takeaways

So, is Costa as bad as people say? Have we made a huge mistake?

The staff behind the counters were lovely and helpful and smiling. And the food was good.

The atmosphere was awesome and it was absolutely fantastic.

Creator's Tips & Advice

βœ“Use the Costa app for internet and daily programs.
βœ“Be prepared for a 'survival of the fittest' mentality in crowded areas.
βœ“Expect minimalistic cabin design that may feel sparse initially.

πŸ†•New to Cruising? This Creator Addresses:

Cabin being too sparse β€” Wait to see if items are added later in the day, like furniture or a fridge.
Crowd behavior and lack of politeness β€” Adopt a 'survival of the fittest' approach in crowded areas.

Questions This Creator Answers

QWhat are the first impressions of the Costa Smeralda ship and cabin?
QHow is the food and service on the first day?
QWhat is the entertainment like on the first evening?

Topics Covered

Embarkation1Β½ Happy BaconCabin Balcony2Β½ Happy BaconEntertainment Shows3Β½ Happy BaconService Crew2 Happy BaconItinerary Route2 Happy BaconDining Buffet2Β½ Happy BaconDining Bars Drinks2 Sad BaconPort Destination3Β½ Happy Bacon

Port Highlights

Abu Dhabi
Dubai4 Happy Bacon
Muscat
How to read the Trip Bacon Score
Happy Bacon β€” creators loved this aspect
Sad Bacon β€” creators took issue with this
Meh β€” no strong opinion either way

Scale: 0–5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = β€œmeh”, 5 = β€œbacon bliss”. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.

About our Bacon Score methodology
YouTube Video Description↓

We start our Costa Smeralda Middle East Cruise in Dubai. In this video we give our first impressions of our Sea Balcony cabin, discuss initial thoughts on food and service, show you the entertainment we experienced and let you know what we think of the ship and our first passenger experience with Costa Cruises. We spent 7 nights on Costa Smeralda cruising from Dubai, to Muscat in Oman, Doha in Qatar, and Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates. We booked a Cruise Only Fare, in a Sea Balcony, with a My Drinks Bevarage Package and we paid Β£855 per person. We cruised on Costa Smeralda in February 2025. Check out our balcony cabin review and tour here - https://youtu.be/OoVWM8C5Qb0?si=dZOcM1TPbsBxP0wG ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ⛴️ Join us on one of our GROUP CRUISES - Find all the information how to here - https://paulandcarolelovetotravel.com/group-cruise/ 🌎 WEBSITE - Visit our website Paul and Carole Love to Travel - https://paulandcarolelovetotravel.com for more cruise and travel inspiration πŸ—ΊοΈβœˆοΈ πŸ“§ NEWSLETTER - Sign up for our Newsletter here for all our news and group cruises information - https://paulandcarolelovetotravel.com/sign-up-for-our-newsletter/ 🌊 CRUISE BOOKING - Our recommended travel agent is Dan Hammond of GoCruise&Travel. We have been using Dan since 2021 and he has always looked after us very well. Whether you're craving a Caribbean cruise getaway or a land based Mediterranean escape, Dan has you covered. Contact him today via email at dan@gocruise.uk.com or give him a call at 01622 891895 to start planning your perfect trip. If you prefer, simply complete our booking form for a no-obligation quote: https://paulandcarolelovetotravel.com/bookings/ βš“ 🌍 CRUISE MAPS - We are loving our Cruise Maps and if you would like to receive 10% off your order - use our affiliate paulandcarole link here - https://thecruisemaps.com/products/cruise-map?dt_id=2085122 πŸŽ₯ SOCIAL MEDIA - Don't miss a moment of the action! Hit that subscribe button (it's free!) to stay updated when our new vlogs and videos are published. And for even more exclusive content, follow us on Instagram @paulandcarolelovetotravel Facebook https://www.facebook.com/paulandcarolelovetotravel/ TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@paulandcarole?_t=8kV3CjIInSa&_r=1 X (Twitter) https://twitter.com/paulandcarole. 🌟 MEMBERSHIP - Plus, if you want to support our journey and unlock special perks, check out our Patreon at patreon.com/paulandcarolelovetotravel or you can join this channel as a You Tube Member to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpnRH1jL_EKoVv5VWoyiB0A/join Your support is very much appreciated! πŸŒŸβ›΄οΈ πŸ›œ ONLINE SAFETY - Stay safe on line by using a VPN. We use Surfshark - Find out more here - https://links.surfsharkbiz.com/u/click?_t=c7117ac13602475283b7d8224bf8726f&_m=be3004b90c5f4661b78099b19fc49cae&_e=xtzHA-2i95JbQEUlnHHmzb36O4rZcRNxguPued6a6ayFT5Oxp7cxzYhvlfHQK-lbAXybvvSRKWsuc4kSL-WonBRc1kQoGtsJ-JqAiti-aci0-9mg8TfFCpDonMo2-W7VITJVrupOmbp926k1tn9jmWSjASmhygkW50nkqNaXDMmJjUs-sEZbZ21bJltSb2inGef5rg-5e49NdHsw3e1MMyVqXsOPb1mbMXh5jQbMh5LT-x2MT4LpBxCILUt34qEr3-tpt1DwYx1XSRxBk9HT2Q%3D%3D πŸš’βš“ SHOP - You can also support us through our Amazon Shop https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/paulandcarole πŸŽ’βœ¨ SUPPORT - If you enjoy what we do, subscribe, like, and share with your family and friends! πŸŒŠβ›΅ #CostaCruises #CostaSmeralda #MiddleEastCruise #Cruiseship #Cruise #Cruising #paulandcarole