Costa Cruises is warning passengers that they may face fines if they bring buffet and restaurant food into their cabins, pool decks and other public areas on the ship.
oneAt least one cruise line will fine passengers who take food from onboard restaurants and cafeterias.
in a letter circulated on social mediaCosta Cruises informed passengers that it is prohibited to bring food from the ship's catering service areas: “For health and hygiene reasons, we would like to inform you that it is strictly prohibited to bring food from buffets and restaurants for consumption in public areas, pool areas, cabins or other interior areas of the ship.”
Those found in violation will be fined 60 euros ($70) per violation, Costa added in the letter, adding that only housekeeping staff are trained to deliver food to cabins in compliance with the line's hygiene and sanitation procedures.
in a declare to independentCosta noted that the letter does not represent a fleet-wide policy change. “In line with our existing policy, on a limited number of specific sailings, onboard communications are being shared as a preventive and deterrent measure to encourage passengers to behave responsibly.”
Continue reading article after our video
Recommend Fodor’s video
Cruise news website Cruise Hive notes that leaving food and dishes in cabins, lounges, pools or other public areas outside of dining facilities has long been a practice. chronic complaint Among experienced cruisers. However, no other cruise line appears to have implemented a similar policy on specific sailings or across all ships and sailings.
Several news outlets and message boards reported that cruisers had mixed feelings about the rule. Some noted that they preferred the convenience of taking food back to the cabin, especially when buffet seating was tight or they noticed other passengers coughing or acting unruly. Others pointed out that Costa's buffets are not open 24 hours a day, but room service is available at all times (for an additional fee for standard cabin passengers). Other reviewers praised the policy and complained that dirty dishes and leftovers scattered throughout the ship ruined their own onboard experience.
Cruise lines have recently introduced additional rules and guidelines that limit the habits of some passengers. Royal Caribbean recently clarified They issued guidelines for decorating hatches (such as not placing decorations over peepholes or using decorations with lithium lights), but not issuing bans. Carnival Cruise Line also issued a statement regarding door decorations, asking guests to follow a similar set of guidelines for safety reasons. Carnival also bans upside-down pineapples on doors to “prevent misunderstandings” (the upside-down pineapple is sometimes considered a coded symbol for swingers).
Costa Cruises is a cruise company headquartered in Genoa and a subsidiary of Carnival Cruise Lines, operating cruises mainly in the Mediterranean, Africa and the Caribbean. The company's ships fly the Italian flag and are branded to offer a unique Italian onboard experience. Costa's website does not contain any information about restrictions on removing food from food service areas on ships. There are only two mentions of food in the company's voyage contract. One states that “ordinary ship food” is included in the voyage fare, and the other states that food purchased on shore cannot be eaten on board and must be kept by the staff until the end of the voyage.
Costa currently has nine ships operating, although costa fortuna It is expected to leave the fleet in September.
