Costa Cruises Marking Solar Eclipse with Special Med Voyage

Costa Cruises Marking Solar Eclipse with Special Med Voyage

Costa Cruises has unveiled a special itinerary centered around the solar eclipse that is returning to the Mediterranean in August after 20 years.

The cruise line said in a press release that there will be two departures for its eight-day Eclipse Cruise aboard the Costa Pacifica, one from Civitavecchia (Rome) on August 8 and the other from Savona on August 9.

“Experiencing a total solar eclipse from the path of totality at sea is truly an extraordinary event we’re thrilled to offer our guests,” said Priscilla Reyes, head of sales for Costa Cruises North America.

“Witnessing this awe-inspiring celestial event from the open water, surrounded by clear horizon views and the shared excitement of fellow travelers, transforms this natural phenomenon into a truly unforgettable moment.”

After visiting destinations such as St. Tropez, Palma and Valencia, the ship will reach the Balearic Sea on August 12, 2026.

At Costa’s eclipse-focused sea destination: “Balearic Sea – Solar Eclipse,” guests equipped with safety glasses will observe the phenomenon from the outer decks.

A subject-matter expert from the Astronomical Observatory of Genoa, Italy, will provide narration to make the experience complete.

The ship will then continue to Olbia and Aranci Gulf, before returning to Civitavecchia and Savona on August 15 and 16, respectively.

Costa Sales ‘Robust’ as Easter Cruises Kick Off European Season

Costa Cruises is highlighting a series of Easter cruises including sailings in the Western Mediterranean, South America and a two-week cruise bound for the Canary Islands, according to a press release.

“Sales in the last three months have been robust. Ship occupancy is growing steadily, and summer programs are selling quickly with a high demand for cabins. This is a very encouraging outlook, considering that our capacity in the Mediterranean has increased compared to 2019, while keeping our capacity in Northern Europe constant, thanks to the entry of new, state-of-the-art ships into the fleet in the last three years, such as Costa Toscana and Costa Smeralda,” said Mario Zanetti, president of Costa Cruises.

The Easter cruises mark the beginning of the spring-summer 2023 season. The Costa Toscana will be returning to the Mediterranean after a winter in the Arabian Gulf and will be offering one-week cruises to Genoa, Marseille, Barcelona, Cagliari, Naples and Civitavecchia/Rome. 

The Costa Smeralda will offer a one-week itinerary to Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca (Ibiza in summer), Palermo, and Civitavecchia/Rome. Joining them in the Mediterranean is the Costa Diadema, which underwent major renovation work over the winter and restarted on Friday. 

The Costa Diadema will introduce new experiences onboard such as the Archipelago restaurant, where guests can enjoy menus crafted by chefs Bruno Barbieri, Hélène Darroze and Ángel León; the Sushino at Costa, a sushi bistro by the sea; and the Fiorentina Steak House, featuring Italian and international meats. The Costa Diadema will offer two-week cruises to the Canary Islands and a one-week itinerary starting May 7, with calls in Savona, Civitavecchia/Rome, Cagliari or Ajaccio (depending on departures), Palma de Mallorca, Valencia and Marseille.

Starting on April 13, the Fortuna will also offer sailings in the western Mediterranean including a three-day mini-cruise and 14-day itineraries to Turkey and the Canary Islands. In the summer, the Costa Fortuna will offer a new two-week itinerary exploring the Greek and Balearic islands with calls in Savona, Civitavecchia/Rome, Messina, Crete, Rhodes, Mykonos, Santorini, Kefalonia, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona and Marseille.

The Costa Deliziosa will sail to Marghera/Venice, Katakolon/Olympia (Greece), Mykonos (Greece) Santorini (Greece) and Bari while the Costa Pacifica will visit Catania, Malta, Mykonos and Santorini. 

The Costa Fascinosa will sail 12-day itineraries to the North Cape, or nine-day cruises to the Baltic. The Costa Favolosa will explore Iceland, the Lofoten Islands and Greenland while the Costa Firenze will offer one-week cruises in the Norwegian fjords.

Costa Details Full Cruise Fleet Restart Plan

Costa Mediterranea in the Port of Amsterdam, Photo credit Spacejunkie2

Costa Cruises has detailed its full cruise fleet restart plan, starting with the Costa Toscana sailing on March 5, according to the Carnival Corporation brand.

Deployment and sales are now open from spring 2022 to winter 2022-2023, with ships calling at 179 ports with cruises from three to 127 days.

“We are seeing the growth in demand for holidays, and I am sure that this trend will increase further in the coming weeks,” said Roberto Alberti, SVP & Chief Commercial Officer of Costa Cruises.

“We think our offer is the best ever, thanks to elements that combine unique experiences, both onboard and ashore. Our rich itinerary program suits every need and includes some great new features, such as cruises to Turkey. Our cruise experience has been profoundly enriched and will allow guests to discover destinations in an authentic way, also thanks to extended stops in some ports. Furthermore, our guests will be able to enjoy their vacations on a fleet with latest generation ships, which combine sustainable innovation with entertainment, hospitality and well-being.”

Summer Season Start-Up Program:

  • Costa Toscana – March 5 (Mediterranean)
  • Costa Favolosa – April 28 (Mediterranean)
  • Costa Venezia – May 1 (Mediterranean)
  • Costa Smedalra – May 7 ((Mediterranean)
  • Costa Pacifica – June 4 (Mediterranean)
  • Costa Luminosa – Atlantic Islands 
  • Costa Fortuna – June 12 (Northern Europe)
  • Costa Diadema – May 5 (Mediterranean)
  • Costa Fascinosa – May 1 (Atlantic Islands)
  • Costa Deliziosa – April 15 (Mediterranean)
  • Costa Firenze – April 7 (Mediterranean)

For the height of the summer season, four ships, the Costa Fortuna, Costa Favolosa, Costa Fascinosa and Costa Diadema, will be deployed in Northern Europe.

Costa said that for winter 2022-2023, it will deploy the Firenze in the Middle East while the Venezia will stay in Istanbul for 11-day cruises for the winter. The Diadema will offer two-week sailings to the Canary Islands. The Costa Pacifica and Costa Fascinosa will be in the Caribbean while the Costa Smeralda will be offering one-week cruises in the Western Mediterranean. The Costa Toscana, Costa Favolosa and Costa Fortuna will be in South America.

In addition, the Costa Deliziosa will be offering a world cruise, departing from Venice on January 6, 2023, or from Savona on January 11, 2023.

The Costa Luminosa’s grand cruises are also back, departing from Genoa on January 8, 2023, and from Buenos Aires on February 27, 2023, going from the Mediterranean to Tierra del Fuego and back, sailing up the Amazon River to Manaus.

Also of note, Costa said the Serena’s program to resume cruising in Asia will be announced soon.