Tag Archives: Costa cruise

Costa Releases More Details on Restart

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Costa Diadema

Costa Cruises restart plan includes two new itineraries for Italian guests only, sailing to only Italian ports. Guests will only be allowed off the ship on organized shore excursions from Costa.

From September 6 to September 27, the Costa Deliziosa will depart every Sunday from Trieste, with calls in Bari and Brindisi in Puglia, Corigliano-Rossano in Calabria, Siracusa and Catania in Sicily.

On September 19, the Costa Diadema will leave from Genoa and call at Civitavecchia/Rome, Naples, Palermo, Cagliari and La Spezia.

“With the aim to allow guests to better enjoy their holidays while respecting the safety of guests, crew and local communities, the company has developed the Costa Safety Protocol for its fleet,” the company announced. “The Costa Safety protocol is a comprehensive set of measures and procedures in response to the COVID-19 situation, relating to all aspects of the cruise experience, both onboard and ashore. Supported by a panel of independent scientific experts in Public Health, the Costa Safety Protocol is consistent with the health protocols defined by the Italian Government and European (EU Healthy Gateways) authorities. The protocol will be constantly updated based on the evolution of the scenario and medical knowledge.”

Costa Cruises to limit resumption in sailings to Italian passengers only

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Costa Cruises to limit resumption in sailings to Italian passengers only

Costa Cruises return to operations next month will be restricted to passengers from its home country of Italy only.

However, the company also confirmed the extension of its pause in operations until September 30 for all the other cruises.

The Carnival Corporation brand is to resume sailing with one-week itineraries on two ships.

Costa Deliziosa will depart from Trieste and Costa Diadema from Genoa.

The cruises “will be reserved exclusively for Italian guests, with one-week itineraries calling at Italian ports only, allowing to rediscover in safety Italy’s finest destinations,” the company said.

“The decision was made considering the evolution of the epidemiological scenario and taking in account the regulation issued by the Italian Ministry of Health regarding mandatory checks for travellers returning from some European and foreign destinations, which suggests a cautious approach.

“Therefore, this solution will allow Costa guests to better enjoy their holiday, with fewer worries.”

Costa Deliziosa will sail on September 6, 13, 20, 27 and Costa Diadema on September 19, with further itineraries to be announced: “as soon as possible”.

The line said: “Costa is working for a responsible and safe resumption of its cruises starting from 6 September, as already announced in recent days, tirelessly monitoring the epidemiological situation that is constantly evolving.

“The company hopes that from October the situation will allow to welcome onboard its ships also guests of other nationalities.”

The company added: “Costa is continuing to work in close cooperation with flag state authorities, Italian regions, local institutions, health authorities, harbour master’s offices, ports and terminals and RINA to ensure a responsible, smooth and well-organised application of the new regulations and protocols approved by the Italian government for the restart of cruises.”

The move follows rival MSC Cruises announcing the resumption of sailings in the Mediterranean from Sunday (August 16).

Celestyal, Fred. Olsen pick up Carnival Corp. ships

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Live Cruise Ship Tracker for MS Amsterdam, Holland America Line ...

Europe-based lines Celestyal Cruises and Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines both said they had purchased ships from Carnival Corp., which has said will shed 13 ships from its nine brands this year.

Greece-based Celestyal said it had acquired the 1993-built, 1,800-passenger Costa NeoRomantica from Costa Cruises, while Fred. Olsen said it had purchased the youngest pair of the four ships leaving Holland America Line’s fleet.

The U.K.-based Fred. Olsen said it had acquired the Amsterdam, built-in 2000, and the Rotterdam, built-in 1997 and would rename them the Bolette and Borealis, respectively, both names of former Fred. Olsen ships.

“We have chosen these vessels as they will fit seamlessly into our existing fleet of small ships, each carrying under 1,500 guests, bringing with them new and larger public areas whilst not compromising on our small-ship experience,” said Fred. Olsen Jr., chairman of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, in a statement. “This increase in our capacity demonstrates our confidence in the future. With over 170 years of seafaring history, we have sailed through many difficult periods. With these new additions to the fleet, we will come out of this current situation stronger than ever, ready to deliver the award-winning itineraries that we are famous for.”

The Costa NeoRomantica.

Celestyal’s CEO, Chris Theophilides said that the NeoRomantica purchase is part of the line’s strategic growth plan, despite being on pause until 2021.

“I’m delighted with the addition of this midsize cruise vessel to our fleet,” Theophilides said in a statement. “She is ideally suited to our business model and is very well appointed following her significant transformation in 2012.”

Details of the ship’s delivery and deployment will be announced at a later date, Celestyal said. It is the second Costa ship to exit its fleet since Carnival Corp.’s announcement about shedding ships. The 23-year-old Costa Victoria was sold for scrap.