Costa Cruises Cruises

Costa is an Italian-flagged line built around Italian-style bars and restaurants, and its ships are aimed first at the European market. North Americans who book it usually do so for price or a particular Mediterranean itinerary, and should expect a European cruise rather than a US one with an Italian accent. Costa Toscana, which began its first voyage in March 2022 from Savona, runs on liquefied natural gas and carries up to about 6,500 passengers - a very large, busy ship with a waterpark and a full theater program.

Drinks are not in the base fare. Costa sells several packages - a Classic package covering beer, wine by the glass, cocktails, soft drinks, coffee and bottled water, a broader Brindiamo package, and a youth package for ages 4 to 17 - and a daily service charge is added on top, so confirm the current figure for your sailing when booking. Kids' clubs are free, split into age groups from young children through two teen clubs (12-14 and 15-17), and run in morning, afternoon and late-evening sessions. Families comparing Costa with MSC will find the two similar in market and price; MSC has a larger Caribbean presence for Americans, while Costa stays more firmly European.

Sources: travelpulse.com, ship-technology.com, emmacruises.com, travelpulse.com, nauticalflock.com