Costa Smeralda: Sports, Gym & Running Track Reviewed

How good is the fitness and sports offering on the Costa Smeralda? We took one of our longest cruises ever on this ship. We spent 39 days sailing from Dubai, around Africa, and back to Genoa. That gave us plenty of time to check out the running track, gym, classes, swimming and other sports options on board and rate them.

⭐ Sport-Ahoi Score: 3.0 / 5 🙂

Note on the Sport-Ahoi rating: This rating focuses solely on the sporting opportunities on board and is not an overall review of the ship. Even with a lower rating, a ship can still be a great choice for a sporty holiday when combined with active excursions and exercise ashore.

🏃‍♂️ Running & Cardio – 3/5

The running track is on Deck 18, at the back of the ship. It's about 200 meters long. We saw a few runners extend the loop further forward on the deck. You can even work the Skywalk into your route. But the track is fairly narrow, and lots of guests pass through it just to get to the back of the ship. It's really only pleasant to run there early in the morning or in the evening. During the day, the deck gets so busy that running smoothly is barely possible.

The gym's cardio equipment is a different story. There are several modern treadmills and cross-trainers, and we always found one free. Though our sailing was a repositioning cruise, so occupancy was likely well under 50%.

The bikes are more limited: just two upright bikes and two recumbent bikes. These were often taken. The spin bikes were only available during paid classes.

Overall, the running track only works for training up to a point. For a proper workout, we'd suggest the gym or a run onshore instead.

🏋️‍♂️ Gym & Strength Training – 3/5

The gym on the Costa Smeralda is in the middle of Deck 16. It has floor-to-ceiling windows with a great sea view. On one sea day off the African coast, we even spotted whales from the treadmill. The gym is modern and was kept very clean. It has various Technogym strength machines, two multi-function cable machines, and a free-weight area with three dumbbell benches.

For a ship this size, the gym isn't very large. When it got busy, we sometimes had to wait for a free-weight bench or a cable machine. Part of the reason: performers and some crew members were also allowed to use the passenger gym. The rest of the crew has a separate gym in the crew area.

Official opening hours were 7 AM to 10 PM. You could train outside these hours too, but other staff were then also allowed to use the gym.

Overall, it's a solid gym, and we enjoyed training there. Just expect some limits when the ship is fuller.

🧘 Fitness Classes – 3/5

The class schedule was varied, with options like yoga, pilates and spinning. Some classes are free. So-called premium classes, like pilates or spinning, cost extra. One highlight, especially for older guests, was a free class held every morning on Deck 16 at the La Spiaggia Beach Club. A member of the fitness team led exercises to loud music, and everyone joined in at their own pace. Around 50 to 100 people gathered by the pool each time. With a group that size, nobody minded if you stopped early or took a break.

Overall, the class program is varied. But when it comes to cost, we think it can't quite match cruise lines like AIDA or Mein Schiff.

🏊 Swimming – 2/5

The Costa Smeralda doesn't have a real sports pool. The La Spiaggia Beach Club does have a pool, but it's only good for a few short laps. When it gets busy, even that becomes difficult. It can't compete with the sports pools on Mein Schiff ships. But limited swimming is possible during quieter times. We'd suggest doing another sport, then relaxing afterward in one of the four free pools at La Spiaggia.

🏀 Ball Sports – 3/5

Deck 18 has a modern multi-sport court. Volleyball was played there often during the day, and anyone could join. Basketball games were common too. In the evenings, you'd often see the crew playing – they even had their own basketball coach.

Overall, this is a standard ball sports setup. It doesn't fall behind other ships, but it doesn't stand out either.

🚴 Active Cruise Line Excursions – 2/5

Active shore excursions from the cruise line were almost nonexistent on our trip, both outside Europe and at the European ports. This might be different on a typical Mediterranean cruise. Compared to lines like AIDA or Mein Schiff, this is still an area with room to improve. If you're after an active excursion, we'd suggest booking one yourself through GetYourGuide or Viator. You might also find something in our collection of active shore excursions.

🧖 Recovery & Relaxation – 3/5

The spa comes at an extra cost. Free to use, though, are the four whirlpools at the La Spiaggia Beach Club. Our tip: if you're on the late dinner sitting, head there around 8 PM. By then, many guests are already at dinner or getting ready for it, so the whirlpools are quieter. That said, the crew often starts cleaning the pools around that time too.

So there are some free ways to relax and recover on board.

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🧠 Our Verdict

The Costa Smeralda offers a solid sports program overall. Its strengths are the modern gym and the free recovery options at La Spiaggia Beach Club, right next to the fitness area. Its weaknesses: the running track only really works during quiet hours, many fitness classes cost extra, and the excursion program isn't built around sport and activity.

The Costa Smeralda isn't a dedicated sports ship. But it gives you enough ways to stay active on board. All told, we're giving the ship a Sport-Ahoi Score of 3.0 / 5.

Note: All information reflects the personal opinions of the Sport-Ahoi authors, based on our own experience or careful research. Factual details, such as the number of available machines or facilities, are provided without guarantee. If you notice an error, we'd love to hear from you via our contact page.