AIDA Moves Restart Forward, Cruising from Italy In October

Posted on 17 September, 2020 by Spacejunkie2

AIDA Cruises will expand its range of cruises this fall with new voyages visiting the highlights of Italy, starting on Oct. 17, 2020.

Carnival’s German brand is thus moving up its restart from November to October.

The new seven-day itinerary departs from Civitavecchia near Rome and travels to Palermo and Catania in Sicily, Naples and La Spezia. In Rome, an overnight stay is planned. AIDA did not say what ship will be put into service first.

The voyages will be offered weekly until Nov. 28, 2020.

Bookings open Monday, Sept. 21.

AIDA had previously announced its fall and winter program for 2020 and 2021, sending the AIDAmar to the Canary Islands, starting Nov. 1, 2020, followed by the AIDAperla Nov. 7, taking over the program originally intended for the AIDAnova.

The AIDAmar will sail from Las Palmas, while the AIDAperla will use Tenerife in addition to Las Palmas for turnarounds.

AIDA also plans to launch service in the Western Mediterranean with the AIDAstella on Dec. 12, 2020, sailing seven-day cruises from Palma, Mallorca.

Costa Cruises to limit resumption in sailings to Italian passengers only

Posted on 14 August, 2020 by Spacejunkie2

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).

Costa Victoria sold for scrap

Posted on 30 June, 2020 by Spacejunkie2

Costa Cruises confirmed that the Costa Victoria has left its fleet, with ownership transferred to a subsidiary of the San Giorgio del Porto shipyard. The ship awaits demolition.

Earlier this month, Costa parent company Carnival Corp. said plans were in place to remove six ships within 90 days, with more to come. Carnival Corp. accelerated plans already in place because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last week, the 23-year-old Costa Victoria arrived in Piombino, Italy, where San Giorgio has a subsidiary yard, according to the city’s mayor. In a Facebook post, the mayor said that the 1,928-passenger ship was being prepared for demolition.

Carnival Corp. had said in an earlier release that San Giorgio is the only Italian company listed in the Register of Environmental Ship Reclamation & Recycling Facilities and able to carry out green ship recycling projects.

San Giorgio is the shipyard that carried out the recycling and demolition of the Costa Concordia after the ship ran aground and partly sank in January 2012.