Costa Cruises' Costa Deliziosa Embarks on World Cruise

For the first time in 17 years, a Costa ship is undertaking a world cruise. Costa Deliziosa is departed Savona Italy on Wednesday 12/28 for a voyage that will visit 37 ports in five continents during 100 days.

The circumnavigation, which sold out months ago, will carry 2,300 passengers from around the globe. More than half are Italians and Germans, and numerous French and Spaniards will be aboard as well.

Bon voyage festivities in and around the Savona Palacrociere are planned. The terminal and port will be festooned with decorations related to the countries that are charted on the voyage, and a brass band is scheduled to play during embarkation. More than 12,000 white handkerchiefs with the Costa logo will be handed out on the decks of Costa Deliziosa and the two other Costa ships moored at the Palacrociere, and to people shoreside.

Actors dressed like Christopher Columbus and Queen Elizabeth will welcome the passengers, and the ship's central Lido area will stage a party with Neptune, the god of the seas, and past world cruisers appointed as ‘Senators of the Sea.’ The festivities will culminate with the presentation of the ‘Angels of the Sea’ played by 20 young guests who will signal start of the cruise.

Theme parties, celebrations, shows and special events will be offered during segments of the voyage.

The first, the 28-day Christopher Columbus segment, stretches from Savona to France and Spain, across the Atlantic to Madeira, the Antilles, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Panama Canal, Mexico and California’s San Diego and Los Angeles. The second segment is named for James Cook and includes San Francisco, Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia and Singapore. The third and final Marco Polo segment features the Orient, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and the Red Sea.

Among the 250 optional excursions are adventures like a helicopter flyover of the Grand Canyon, a visit to the casinos of Las Vegas, Polynesian dancing in Honolulu, the Pinnacles Desert of Perth and Ayers Rock.

Costa Deliziosa is also scheduled for a second world cruise in 2013, departing from Savona on Jan. 6 and returning on April 16.

During 2012, two other long voyages will operate when Costa Victoria sails a 72-day odyssey from Brazil to China and Costa neoRomantica plys a 107-day journey from Savona to New Zealand. Costa Victoria departs Santos on March 7, and Costa neoRomantica leaves Savona on Sept. 19.

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Costa Romantica Begins Conversion into Cost neoRomantica

Work has commenced at T. Mariotti shipyard in Genoa on a major refurbishment of Costa Romantica.

Costa Cruises signed a contract with the San Giorgio shipyard in Genoa worth around €90m for the restyling work which it will carry out with the assistance of affiliate T. Mariotti.

The work on Costa Romantica – involving drydock, quay and fitting out – is due for completion in mid-February when the vessel will re-emerge as Costa neoRomantica.

This extensive make-over will include the construction of new areas and the introduction of services that represent a major evolution in the Costa product. The objective is to offer a renewed cruise experience.

The restyling works include two new half-deck extensions, 111 new cabins plus 120 cabins and suites with balconies. The ship’s total capacity will increase from 1,697 to 1,800 and the number of cabins from 678 to 789. The new gross tonnage will be around 56,000, up from 53,000gt.

Architects for the interior makeover are Swedish company Tillberg Design and London planners Syntax. Among the new areas on the ship are a wine and cheese bar, a coffee & chocolate bar, a new pizzeria, a cabaret lounge and a nightclub. Another addition is Costa's signature Samsara Spa.

The new-look ship will spend February and March sailing from Savona on 11-day cruises to Spain, Morocco, the Canary Islands and Madeira. Summer will be spent in North European waters.

In September 2012 the ship embarks on a 107-night voyage from Italy to Australia and New Zealand.

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Costa Cruises Costa Romantica to Undergo $135M Refit

Costa Cruises' Costa Romantica will undergo an extensive make-over which will include the construction of new areas including a wine bar, coffee bar, show lounge bar, Samsara Spa and spa accommodations. The wine bar will offer 100 labels and a wide selection of cheeses from around the world, while the coffee bar will also serve sweets. The new show lounge bar will have a dance floor. Also planned are a cabaret and a nightclub. The Samsara Spa will consist of a wellness area with gym, a thalassotherapy pool, treatment rooms, sauna and Turkish bath. There will be 50 Samsara Spa cabins and six spa suites. A restaurant for passengers in Samsara Spa accommodations is planned, too. Costa neoRomantica will also have a club restaurant for fine dining with menus by award-winning chefs.

.During the Genoa drydock, two new half-decks will be added along with 111 cabins, and 120 cabins and suites with balconies will be created. Capacity will increase from 1,697 to 1,800 passengers, while the number of cabins will increase from 678 to 789 and gross tonnage will increase from 53,000 to approximately 56,000.

Costa Cruises selected San Giorgio del Porto shipyard in Genoa for a major restyling of its 1993-built Costa Romantica. San Giorgio del Porto, owned by Genova Industrie Navali Holding Co., will be supported by sister yard T. Mariotti for the transformation. Sweden’s Tillberg Design and London’s Syntax have been commissioned for the interior design.The $135m project, set to begin in late October with completion in late January, will be a full update with the ship to emerge renamed as Costa neoRomantica.

From late February, Costa neoRomantica will sail 11-day cruises to the Canary Islands from Savona. In the summer of 2012, the ship will be positioned in Europe for new two-week itineraries.

Romantica’s sister ship, Costa Classica, is next up for refurbishment, with the work to be performed next year. A contract for the job has yet to be awarded, though both Fincantieri and T. Mariotti are expected to bid.

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