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Our Costa Smeralda Cruise SHOCKS Us Again… The Good and The BAD!

Paul and Carole Love to Travel
Paul and Carole Love to Travel
🥉Knowledgeable
👁️ 14K views📅 5 months ago⏱️ 29:25
What This Creator Said
Creator Had Mixed FeelingsCruise Vlog🥉Knowledgeable Creator
👫 Best for GroupAsia · 7 nightsFrom DubaiVeteran Cruiser

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

Creator's Key Takeaways

We've never been This is cruise number 60 and I don't know of any cruise lines that we've been on where you have to pay for a poolside burger.

Costa know how to party, and and if you love live music, you love that real vibrant uh vibe.

We've also noticed there was a a charge of €3 and it was on our internet and that's basically charge you €3 even though you bought the package.

It was absolutely superb. We had two fabulous waiters called Reese's and Rahul.

Creator's Tips & Advice

Check your app or paper program for excursion times as Costa does not make announcements.
Always lock your balcony door with the specific mechanism, not just by closing it.
Be aware that smoking is allowed on balconies, which may be unexpected for some cruisers.

🆕New to Cruising? This Creator Addresses:

Excursion logisticsCheck app or paper program for times; meet on dock as per Costa's policy.
Balcony securityAlways lock balcony door with the specific mechanism, not just closing it.
Smoking on balconiesBe aware that Costa allows smoking on balconies, which may be unexpected.

Questions This Creator Answers

QWhat is the experience like on a Costa Smeralda cruise in the Middle East?
QWhat are the dining options and costs on board?
QWhat should you know about Costa's excursion policy and balcony security?

Topics Covered

Itinerary Route2½ Happy BaconKids Family2½ Happy BaconDining Buffet4 Sad BaconDining Specialty4½ Happy BaconDining Bars Drinks3½ Happy BaconCabin Balcony2½ Sad BaconExcursions3 Sad BaconValue Pricing2 Sad Bacon

Port Highlights

Dubai
Doha
Abu Dhabi
How to read the Trip Bacon Score
Happy Bacon — creators loved this aspect
Sad Bacon — creators took issue with this
Meh — no strong opinion either way

Scale: 0–5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = “meh”, 5 = “bacon bliss”. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.

About our Bacon Score methodology
YouTube Video Description

Join us in episode 2 of our Costa Smeralda Middle East cruise where the day starts in chaos! We eventually get to explore our first port of call Muscat in Oman, we experience more dining venues on board, we learn more about the strange ways of cruising with Costa, and one thing we know for sure Costa know how to party. Our Oman Gulf Desert On The Sea was just something else! 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 £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 🗺️✈️ 📧 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/ ⚓ 🌍 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 🎥 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! 🌟⛴️ 🛜 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 🚢⚓ SHOP - You can also support us through our Amazon Shop https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/paulandcarole 🎒✨ SUPPORT - If you enjoy what we do, subscribe, like, and share with your family and friends! 🌊⛵ #CostaCruises #CostaSmeralda #MiddleEastCruise #Cruiseship #Cruise #Cruising #paulandcarole