Although Costa is owned by Carnival, everything from the food to the crew attitude is influenced by the line’s Italian roots. The ships themselves have over-the-top, gilded décor and the staff members organize wacky contests and lead line dances. No matter where you cruise, sailing on this line is one big Italian party: You’ll either roll your eyes or throw yourself into the “Ciao, bella!” lifestyle.
Not in love with the outrageous décor? With Adam Tihany as creative director of the next two ships under construction — scheduled to launch in 2019 and 2020 — we suspect the look could get toned down … way down.