Tag Archives: Costa Smeralda

Costa Restarts Cruises With New Program From March 27

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Costa Cruises will be restarting service on the Costa Smeralda from March 27 and on the Costa Luminosa from May 2. This was announced by its parent company, Carnival Corporation, in a press release.

“The cruise ships of Costa Cruises … are ready to set sail again and offer guests holidays filled with leisure and relaxation, along with enhanced health and safety protocols,” the company said.

The Costa Smeralda program will consist of an unchanged itinerary across Italy for three- or four-day mini-cruises or, alternatively, a 7-day cruise, calling at Savona, La Spezia, Civitavecchia, Naples, Messina and Cagliari.

On May 1, the Costa Smeralda will return to one-week cruises in the Western Mediterranean with visits to Italy (Savona, Civitavecchia and Palermo), France (Marseille) and Spain (Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca).

The Costa Luminosa will be departing from Trieste from May 2, and the following day from Bari, confirming its program of one-week cruises in Greece and Croatia, according to the press release.

“Costa is working with national and local authorities of the countries included in the itineraries of its ships outside Italy to define the details of the restart of cruise operations, with enhanced health and safety measures through the implementation of the Costa Safety Protocol,” Carnival Corporation wrote. “The protocol contains operational measures related to all aspects of the cruise experience, both onboard and ashore, which were implemented in the past months of cruise operations.”

All other cruises scheduled until the end of May, and not included in the program updated on Feb. 17, will be cancelled. Costa is in the process of informing travel agents and customers affected by changes.

Costa Toscana floated out at Meyer Turku shipyard.

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Costa Toscana has been designed to be a travelling 'smart city' (Image: Costa Cruises)
Costa Toscana has been designed to be a travelling ‘smart city’ (Image: Costa Cruises)

Costa Toscana is the third of five LNG-powered newbuilds ordered by Costa Group for its subsidiary lines. Two other vessels, Costa Smeralda and AIDAnova have already entered service. They are part of an expansion plan that includes seven new ships to be delivered to Costa Group by 2023, for a total investment of more than €6Bn (US$7.27Bn).

Costa saidthe vessel has been designed to be a travelling ’smart city.’ The use of LNG is expected to eliminate sulphur dioxide emissions and reduce particulate matter into the atmosphere by over 90% while also lowering nitrogen oxide up to 85% and CO2 emissions by up to 20%.

Desalinisation plants on board will process seawater directly to meet the vessel’s daily water supply requirements, and energy consumption will be reduced to a minimum via an intelligent energy efficiency system. In addition, 100% separate collection and recycling of materials such as plastic, paper, glass and aluminium will be carried out onboard, as part of an integrated approach aimed at supporting circular economy projects.

The vessel’s design was curated by hospitality designer Adam D Tihany who worked with Milanese architects Dordoni Architetti, New York-based Jeffrey Beers International and cruise ship specialist Partner Ship Design in designing different areas of the ship. Costa Toscana features Italian-made furnishings, lighting, fabrics and accessories.

At the heart of the new flagship is the Colosseo – a three-deck-high, midship-located show lounge featuring large LED screens mounted on its walls and dome. The vessel features 2,600 cabins for its occupants and the Sea Terrace cabins offer a verandah with a view of the ocean.

Costa Cruises chief commercial officer and president of Costa Group Asia, Mario Zanetti said “Despite the current challenging scenario, Costa Group is confirming its investment in fleet expansion. We are confident in the recovery of our industry, and we are excited about the arrival of new ships like Costa Toscana, which embodies the elements we want to focus on for the future.”

Meyer Turku chief executive Tim Meyer said “The float-out is always a very special occasion for us shipbuilders, as the ship is finally set to its natural environment. As this is also the start of the final stage of shipbuilding, all the exciting colours, venues and features will start taking their final form. In the coming months it will be finalised at the pier and then tested and commissioned in Q3 for delivery. “

Once interior fittings have been completed, Costa Toscana will make its maiden voyage in Brazil in the 2021-22 cruise season departing Santos on 26 December 2021, with a week-long itinerary visiting Salvador and Ilhéus, before returning to Santos on 2 January 2022.

Costa Forced to Cancel Christmas and New Years Cruises

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Costa Diadema.

Costa has cancelled its holiday cruise program, citing a request from the Italian government. 

“This is a temporary stop that, as stated by the Government itself, has never questioned the reliability of the health protocols adopted in collaboration with the Italian authorities,” the company said, in a press release. “Those protocols represent a unique model in the tourism sector at an international level, and have proven their full effectiveness in the last 4 months of operation in Italy.”

Costa said that during the holiday period, its ships would be in various ports and it would offer a special food donation program. 

Costa also said, in a prepared statement: “The cruise suspension does not only affect the Company but the entire ecosystem that depends on cruises, such as travel agencies, shipyards, ports and local activities of destinations visited by ships the ports and local activities of the destinations visited by the ships, that the Company helped to restart in the second half of the year.

“The cancellation of Christmas and New Year’s Eve cruises, among the most popular of the year, therefore represents a further economic sacrifice for Costa Cruises and the entire industry, in a period that was already very difficult for the entire sector, that relied on these operations.”

Costa said it will resume service with the Costa Smeralda on January 7, 2021, with the one-week itinerary, dedicated exclusively to Italy, that can be divided into two short cruises of three and four days each, departing from Civitavecchia. The four-day mini-cruise sails to Central and Southern Italy, with stops in Naples, Messina and Cagliari. The three-day cruise voyages to Central and Northern Italy, and includes visits to Civitavecchia, La Spezia and Savona.