Costa Toscana Christened in Barcelona

Posted on 17 June, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

The new Costa Toscana has been christened in Barcelona by Chanel, a young singer, actress and dancer who enjoyed great success in Spain and in all of Europe after her exhibition during the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest.

Mario Zanetti, President of Costa Cruises commented: “It is a great thrill to celebrate the christening of our Costa Toscana in Barcelona, a city to which we are particularly attached and where we have been at home since the beginning of our history.

“For this occasion, we have organized an event to celebrate the start of a summer that marks the serene resumption of travel and vacations. The event also features the excellence of Costa’s offerings in all aspects, from high gastronomy to high-quality entertainment, to unique experiences ashore,” he said.

“According to recent market research, nearly 14 million Europeans are dreaming of taking a cruise in the next 12 months, and cruises are among the trips with the highest potential to meet the needs of destinations exploration. We must take advantage of this upswing to promote more sustainable tourism that respects the environment and values local communities. Our commitment is expressed not only through technologically advanced ships such as the LNG-powered Costa Toscana, but also by supporting innovative projects whose scope goes beyond the tourism sector, such as Chef Ángel León’s project.”

She joined the ship’s Captain Pietro Sinisi for the ribbon-cutting ceremony in which a bottle was shattered on the ship’s prow, as per maritime tradition.

The event was hosted by two exceptional masters of ceremonies: Carlos Sobera and Flora Gonzalez, two real stars of Spanish television well-loved by the general public.

The ceremony was then closed by a performance by the Italian artist Andrea Casta, a “globetrotter” violinist who has performed all over the world with his electric violin and his unique luminous bow.

Among the guests were Spanish celebrities, such as “El Sevilla”.

As the ship leaves Barcelona on the way to Valencia, guests can look forward to a performance by Meduza, a famous Italian trio of house music producers, who will host an exclusive DJ set onboard. The aperitif and gala dinner will be signed by Spanish chef Ángel León known as the “chef of the sea” who has been awarded 3 Michelin stars with his restaurant Aponiente.

Costa Cruises and Ángel León are further strengthening their collaboration, addressing a theme that both have long been committed to, which is environmental sustainability. Through her Costa Cruises Foundation, Costa Cruises is supporting a worldwide pioneering project: the development of the “marine grain.”

Restaurant Aponiente’s research centre has started the cultivation of the Zostera marina in the Bay of Cadiz. The Zostera marina is a plant that helps generate greater marine biodiversity, thus enriching the ecosystem. Thanks to the support of the Costa Cruises Foundation, the cultivated area of the ocean garden, which is currently about 3,000 m2, can be expanded, in order to promote the project and export the Zostera marina to new coastal areas, the company said.

Costa will sail 10 ships this summer, with the Toscana offering a week-long Western Mediterranean program,

Costa Returns to Northern Europe After Three-Year Gap

Posted on 12 June, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

Costa Cruises is sailing in Northern Europe for the first time since 2019. The brand returned to the region with the Costa Diadema, which kicked off the season on May 27.

The vessel is part of a three-ship program in the region, which will see the company offering itineraries to the Norwegian Fjords, the Baltic, the British Islands, Iceland and more.

Cruising in Northern Europe for the first time, the Costa Diadema is now sailing a series of seven-night cruises to the Norwegian Fjords.

The vessel’s itineraries depart from Kiel (Germany) and Copenhagen (Denmark) and include visits to several ports in Norway, such as Flam, Bergen, Hellesylt, Nordfjordeid, Stavanger, and Haugesund.

Another ship based in Kiel for the summer, the Costa Fascinosa will offer longer cruises to the Baltic and the Cape North.

Starting on June 7, the 3,012-guest ship sails ten- to 12-night itineraries that ports including Helsinki, Stockholm, Riga, Gdynia, Trondheim, Honningsvag, Tromso, Olden and more.

Resuming service ahead of its program in Northern Europe, the Costa Fortuna completes the deployment lineup.

The 2003-built vessel will offer cruises departing from three different ports in the Netherlands and Germany: Ijmuiden, Amsterdam and Bremerhaven.

Extending from June 11 to August 28, the ship’s program features port-intensive cruises, with 11- to 14-night itineraries to the British Islands, Iceland, and the Norwegian Fjords.

A fourth ship, the Costa Favolosa, was also set to sail in the region for the company in 2022, offering itineraries at the Baltic.

The vessel’s program, which featured visits to Saint Petersburg, was entirely cancelled by the company due to the recent developments in Russia.

After becoming one of the first mainstream cruise lines to resume service in 2020, Costa focused its European operations in the Mediterranean.

With the travel restrictions in Northern Europe, the company decided to cancel its entire local program in 2020 and 2021.

The majority of cruise passengers believe sailings are “ideal for people of ages”

Posted on 16 May, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

P&O Britannia in the Caribbean sun, photo credit Spacejunkie2

Cruise specialist Cruise.co.uk asked 850 consumers to name what they viewed as the three main misconceptions about cruising.

The most common mistaken belief identified by the survey was that cruise “is only for retired people”, with more than half (54%) of those polled believing cruise holidays are actually “ideal for people of all ages”.

The next misconception is cruises are “expensive”. Just under half (42%) of respondents felt there are cruise holidays to suit every budget, and compared to other types of holidays, they are “extremely” good value.

The third preventing people from booking a cruise was “seasickness”. More than a third (38%) maintain modern ships, with their advanced stabilisation, ensuring it’s “plain sailing” onboard.

Overall, 84% of respondents said there are still misconceptions about cruising among the general public, but 32% said there are fewer misconceptions than there were two years ago, as more people try cruising for the first time.

Tony Andrews, deputy managing director of Cruise.co.uk, said the survey “lifts the lid” on some of those “tired cliches we’ve all heard about cruise holidays”.

“There are cruises out there for all ages, from young families stepping onboard a ship for the first time to senior sailors toasting a happy retirement,” he said.

“And there’s so much more to enjoy onboard these days – from incredible spas, pools and even water parks to ice rinks, climbing walls and West End quality shows – everyone can make the most of their time onboard and explore new destinations in comfort.”