Madrid, May 14, 2018 - The 25th edition of "Protagonists of the Sea" was the stage where the Italian company unveiled, for the first time, details and images of what will be its new flagship, the Costa Smeralda.
The new ship, which will be christened in the Italian town of Savona on November 3, 2019, will be one of four new ships that the company will add to its fleet before 2021.
Thanks to an innovative virtual reality system, the more than 1,800 travel agents from around the world present at the event organized annually by Costa Cruiseswere able to see the first images of the Costa Smeralda, which is currently being built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Turku (Finland).
The Vernissage cruise, which will be the company's new flagship, will depart from Hamburg on October 20, 2019, on a 10-day itinerary packed with events in the ports of Rotterdam and Lisbon, arriving in Barcelona on October 30.
From Barcelona, amidst grand celebrations, the ship will embark on its maiden voyage , stopping in Marseille before arriving in Savona on November 3rd. That same evening, its christening ceremony will take place, attended by prominent figures and followed by a magical celebration on board.
Following a series of historic events both on board and in port, the Costa Smeralda will return to Marseille and then arrive in Barcelona. Both this inaugural voyage and the Vernissage are now on sale, with the option to book both together.
The second trip of this ship will consist of a 6-day, 5-night mini-cruise that will depart from Barcelona on November 6 and will visit Marseille, Savona, Rome-Civitavecchia before returning to Barcelona on Monday, November 11.
Those who are passionate about both brand-new cruises and technological innovation now have the opportunity to book the best cabins on any of these three itineraries. Because these cruises are unique, berths tend to sell out very quickly.
After these first three trips, the Costa Smeralda will operate one of the most popular itineraries among Costa Cruises customers in the Mediterranean (Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Civitavecchia/Rome, La Spezia/Florence, Savona, Marseille, Barcelona).
At the forefront of sustainability in its operations, the Costa Smeralda will be the first cruise ship targeting the global market powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), the world's cleanest fossil fuel.
Costa Smeralda will be a tribute to Italy, not only through the ship's name, which refers to one of Sardinia's most beautiful areas, but also through the names of each of its decks and public areas, all inspired by iconic Italian landmarks and squares. Examples include Il Colosseo, a space spanning three decks dedicated to performances; the grand staircase facing the stern, named Piazza di Spagna; and the bow section, christened Trastevere.
The ship will also feature a real museum, the Costa Design Museum, 400 square meters dedicated to the excellence of Italian design.
