Cruise Line Warns Guests They Could Face $70 Charge for Taking Food From the Restaurants and Buffets

Grabbing a little plate from the buffet to take back to your cabin is one of those cruise habits plenty of passengers barely think twice about.

Maybe the buffet is packed. Maybe you want a quiet snack on the balcony. Or maybe you’re just saving a pastry for later because, well, cruise pastry logic is different from land pastry logic.

But on Costa Cruises, guests are now being warned that taking food away from the buffet or onboard restaurants could come with a €60 cleaning charge, which is roughly $70 USD.

The rule has sparked plenty of debate among cruisers. Some say it’s a fair response to messy passenger behavior. Others think it creates problems for guests who rely on easy access to food outside set dining times.

Costa Cruises Warns Guests About Taking Food From Dining Areas

Costa Cruises has issued a reminder to guests that food from buffet areas and restaurants should be eaten only in designated dining spaces.

A translated notice circulating on social media states:

“For reasons of health and hygiene, we wish to inform you that it is strictly forbidden to take food from the buffet areas and restaurants for consumption in the public areas of the ship, the pool zones, in cabins, or in other interior areas.”

The notice continues:

“Please note that failure to comply with this regulation may result in a charge of €60 for cleaning operations.”

That means passengers who carry plates back to their cabins, eat buffet food around the pool, or leave dishes in public spaces may risk being charged.

It’s not the kind of cruise fee most guests expect to see on their account. Drink package? Sure. Specialty dining? Fine. A cleaning fee for wandering off with a plate of buffet food? That’s a new one for many cruisers.

Why Costa Says the Rule Is in Place

Costa says the policy is tied to health, hygiene, and cleanliness onboard.

Cruise ships serve thousands of meals a day, and buffet areas are among the busiest spots on any sailing. When food is carried around the ship, left in cabins, abandoned on stairs, or forgotten by pool loungers, it can create a mess for crew and a hygiene concern for everyone else.

The rule is meant to reduce the risk of food contamination, keep public areas cleaner, and avoid issues with pests or parasites.

To be clear, this doesn’t mean Costa Cruises has a reputation for dirty ships. The point appears to be prevention rather than damage control.

Anyone who has cruised before has probably seen the other side of the problem. A half-finished plate left outside a cabin door. Cups sitting near elevators. A breakfast tray left beside a stairwell.

It only takes a few guests doing that before a ship starts looking messy fast.

Room Service Is Still Available, But Guests Can’t Do It Themselves

Costa is not banning guests from eating in their cabins altogether. Room service is still available.

But under this policy, guests are not meant to transport food themselves from the buffet or restaurants back to their rooms. Instead, food delivery to cabins must go through room service staff.

Costa’s notice says:

“Only Room Service staff, appropriately trained on hygiene-sanitary procedures, are authorized to transport and deliver food to guests’ cabins, upon request of the service.”

Many cruisers are used to solving the “I don’t want to eat in the buffet crowd” problem by making their own little takeaway plate. On some lines, that’s completely normal. On Costa, guests are being told not to do that.

Room service is available on Costa ships, but it may come with a charge depending on cabin type. Costa’s information says the service is free for guests in Suites and Premium cabins, while other cabins are charged.

So for some passengers, this new reminder may feel less like a hygiene rule and more like the loss of a free workaround.

Some Cruisers Aren’t Happy About the Change

Not everyone is thrilled.

One of the biggest complaints is that cruise ship buffets are not always open around the clock. If a guest wants a snack later, or needs food at certain times for medical reasons, being unable to take something back to the cabin could feel restrictive.

One cruiser reacted:

“I think it’s an inappropriate measure !!!! In that case the buffet should always stay open like at MSC!!!!”

Others raised a more practical point: what happens when the buffet is full?

Peak breakfast and lunch times can be chaotic on any cruise ship. Finding a table can feel like a sport. If guests are told they can’t take food elsewhere, they may be left circling with a plate while trying to spot someone who looks vaguely finished with their coffee.

That’s not exactly the relaxing cruise morning people picture when they book.

There are also guests who simply prefer eating in peace. A balcony breakfast, a quiet cabin lunch, or a snack away from the noise can be part of the experience for many cruisers.

Other Cruisers Think Costa Has a Point

Still, plenty of cruise fans support the rule.

For them, this is less about restricting guests and more about dealing with the mess some passengers leave behind.

One cruise fan wrote:

“It was time… I’ve seen people leave their garbage on the stairs. I think it’s right, especially on the Adriatic mini cruises, vandals rise. Let’s hope someone checks seriously…”

It’s easy to see why some passengers feel that way.

Cruise ship crews already have a huge amount to handle. When guests leave plates in hallways, on pool decks, near elevators, or in random public corners, someone has to clean it up.

How This Compares With Other Cruise Lines

Costa’s approach appears stricter than what many passengers are used to on other major cruise lines.

On Carnival Cruise Line, for example, guests are generally used to ordering room service or taking snacks back to their cabins. Passengers are often told to leave used plates and cutlery outside their doors when they’re finished, with crew collecting items during regular hallway checks.

Other Carnival Corporation brands, including Princess Cruises and Holland America Line, also appear to allow more flexibility around where guests eat, at least compared with Costa’s new reminder.

As of now, Costa appears to be the only Carnival Corporation brand known for enforcing this exact type of policy.

That doesn’t mean other cruise lines will copy it. But cruise lines do pay attention when one brand tests a rule that could reduce cleaning issues or improve onboard hygiene.

For now, this seems to be a Costa-specific situation.

What Costa Guests Should Know Before Sailing

If you’re booked on Costa Cruises, the safest approach is simple: eat buffet and restaurant food in the dining areas unless crew tell you otherwise.

If you want food in your cabin, use room service rather than carrying plates back yourself.

It’s also worth checking the Costa app, daily program, or onboard information once you sail, since exact dining times and service options can vary by ship and itinerary.

Guests with medical needs or dietary concerns should speak with the cruise line or onboard staff. It’s better to ask in advance than risk confusion once you’re already at sea.

The rule may feel frustrating to some passengers, especially those who are used to more relaxed buffet habits on other cruise lines. But Costa’s message is clear: food from buffets and restaurants should stay in the dining areas, and ignoring that warning could cost €60.

For anyone who likes to sneak a croissant back to the cabin for later, this is one cruise line where that little habit may not be worth it.

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