The ship
Lead-era Concordia grand-ship formula
Costa Serena is Concordia-class Costa from 2007 — Italian big-ship atmosphere with room for about 3,000 guests. She helped define Costa’s late-2000s grand-ship formula and still sails hard in European seas.
Main dining and the buffet are included. Specialty steakhouse and premium restaurant nights carry covers; Samsara Restaurant suits wellness keys when fitted.
Evenings centre on the theatre and atrium bars. Daytime is pools and Samsara spa. She is classic Concordia Costa — lively Italian holiday energy without Excellence-class height.
Serena is lead-era Concordia Costa: grand-ship Italian dining, theatre and Samsara spa.
On board
Dining, theatre, Samsara
- 01
Italian dining map
Main dining rooms and the buffet are included. Specialty steakhouse and premium Italian nights carry covers; Samsara Restaurant suits wellness-leaning keys when fitted. Pizzeria and gelato corners fill casual hours. Reserve specialty early on sea days. Drink packages sit outside the simple cruise.
- 02
Theatre and spectacle
The grand theatre runs Costa production shows and guest acts — Italian big-ship spectacle rather than a licensed West End title. Programmes change by season, so check your sailing. Book centre seats on night one if the headline matters.
- 03
After dark
Atrium bars, lounges and the casino carry the post-show loop. Drink packages and specialty cocktails sit outside the cruise. The mood is Italian holiday sparkle — lively, not a quiet British formal ship.
- 04
Pools and Samsara spa
Pool decks take daytime sun. Samsara spa sells treatments and thermal access as extras. Grab shade early on warm sea days. There is no Excel-class coaster here — the outdoor plan is pools and a spa you might actually use.
- 05
Families and fit
Kids’ clubs and family pool space fill in school holidays. Multi-gen Italian and international groups who will use the theatre and specialty nights get the most from Concordia-class Costa. Guests wanting quiet British formal service should look elsewhere.
Specialty steakhouse
The specialty steakhouse is one of the pricier covers on Costa Serena. Quieter and more dressed-up than the buffet. Go here for a splurge dinner. Book early on sea days.
Premium restaurant
The premium Italian or specialty restaurant is a paid occasion night. Mid-to-upper spend versus included dining. Book early if Italian fine dining is your treat.
Samsara Restaurant
Samsara Restaurant serves wellness-leaning menus, often tied to Samsara cabin keys. Confirm whether a cover applies on your sailing. Quieter than the main rooms.
Main dining rooms
Main dining rooms are the included plated core on Costa Serena. Proper sit-down meals without a cover. Best for most evenings.
Buffet
The buffet covers breakfast, lunch and casual evenings. Included once aboard. Quickest seat on a port morning.
Pizzeria
The pizzeria is casual Italian by the slice or plate — typically included or low-cost. Ideal between sail-away and dinner.
Theatre
The grand theatre houses Costa Serena’s production nights — Italian big-ship spectacle, not a West End transfer. Titles change by season; check your sailing. Centre seats on night one if the headline matters.
Atrium bar
Atrium and galleria bars carry the after-dinner wander. Drinks sit outside the simple cruise. Best when you want the social heart of the ship after the show.
Samsara spa
Samsara spa treatments and thermal access are extras — not included in the simple cruise. Book ahead on sea days if heat loungers and steam are your plan.
Casino
The casino is the after-dinner gaming room. Included to enter; stakes are your own.
Fit
Who she is for
- Guests who want Costa’s Italian big-ship holiday — theatre spectacle, specialty Italian nights and Samsara spa — on Concordia-class bones.
- Multi-gen groups happy to budget drinks and one or two specialty nights on Mediterranean weeks.
- Not the ship if you want quiet British formal dining, a small traditional liner, or Excellence-class galleria scale.
Where
Where Serena tends to go
Mediterranean and European seas are the habit; occasional longer charting appears in Costa plans.
Treat this as the ship’s range, not a fixed timetable. When this guide is public, sailings with two or more UK agent prices will sit at the bottom.
Before you book
What the brochure skips
- Specialty dining, drink packages, Samsara or spa extras and Wi-Fi sit outside the simple cruise on most Costa bookings. Price the week as the cruise plus what you will actually buy.
- Compare UK agents on the same Serena sailing — same ship, same date, cruise-only, two guests. The hero price should be the lowest bookable one, not the first logo you recognise.
Next step
Find a sailing
Compare cruise prices for Costa Serena, or open the live map and see where she is now.
Compare all Costa Cruises prices