12-Day Mediterranean Cruise Aboard COSTA SERENA

Just back from the Costa Serena from Hong Kong toTokyo cruise, and unfortunately, it was a huge disappointment.

– Despite being a Silver Card member, our inside cabin was not upgraded, while our first-time cruisers friends (booked on my recommendation) got an upgrade.

– Cabin was constantly noisy due to the “crew only” area next door. We barely slept the whole trip.

– Guest Services (Hannah) called back, but she hadn’t received all the details, so I had to explain everything again. They sent a small gift box with Costa items like a luggage scale—but not a single room change was offered!

– Internet package line took over 2 hours.

– Friends’ cabin card kept failing, requiring repeated trips to reception.

– Ceres restaurant was very slow, especially for drinks, and food quality varied daily.

– Buffet still has old COVID-era glass shields, making it hard to reach food.

– The ship is from 2007, showing its age, and pools/jacuzzis were overcrowded.

– Despite reporting issues, almost nothing was resolved.

After an amazing experience on Costa Diadema in the Norwegian fjords last year, this was extremely disappointing.

Costa Serena? Never again.

We traveled on Costa Serena in Asia after the refurbishment. The ship looks more appealing, but even after the renovation it still feels “old.” Honestly, the refurbishment seemed more like a cosmetic update than a complete modernization.

We stayed in a Suite cabin, which was large and spacious, but clearly dated. Most of the “renovation” was done by wrapping the existing woodwork with a film (plastic/adhesive) that imitates wood, and the carpets were replaced—visible improvements, but they don’t really change the overall impression.

The food in the Club restaurant also didn’t impress us. It was just okay and, for us, it wasn’t worth the extra cost or the expectations.

The most disappointing part was the crew’s attitude. During embarkation, we were poorly guided, with limited assistance and confusing communication. Disembarkation felt similar—there was no warm farewell, almost as if they were doing us a favor by letting us leave.

Overall: a comfortable cabin due to the space, a decent ship after the refurbishment, but the experience didn’t feel as high-end as we expected.

As a Silver member of the Costa Club loyalty program, I was supposed to receive a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine. However, the butler (one of the Suite perks) told me they didn’t have any available when I left. I didn’t understand that at all—it made no sense.

As the title suggests, it is good for first-timers.

Onboarding and offboarding in Manila take time, but I guess that's the Philippines for you haha

Food was just okay at the buffet, but I am not a fan of buffet line service, (like in cafeterias in schools) as it takes time to line up. The fine dining place (only tried Ceres) was truly great, and you always have a designated schedule. My parents already experienced Royal Caribbean, yet they enjoyed this fine dining place primarily because of the assured schedule every night. The food was awesome in Ceres. Great selections; I ended up ordering two servings of at least a course every night. My schedule in Ceres would always be the highlight of my day!

Personally, I enjoyed it primarily because of the service.

Shout out to Carlos of Ceres Restaurant and Mohammad, as our cabin steward! Truly superb service!