Summer is approaching, and with it comes the desire and the possibility of finally planning moments of leisure, relaxation, and vacations with the blue sea and the bright, golden sun. These are precisely the colors of Costa Cruises, which today announces its programs for summer 2021, with enhanced health and safety protocols, as well as exciting new features for cruises to the best destinations in the Mediterranean.
With extended stays in ports of call and exclusive shore excursions for Costa guests, the Italian company's Mediterranean cruises will feature two ships in the west and two in the east, sailing to Italy, France, Greece, and possibly Spain, with itineraries accessible from 13 different embarkation ports. Each ship will also operate under the Costa Safety Protocol, which includes enhanced health and safety procedures for all aspects of the cruise experience, both onboard and ashore, and which has been successfully implemented since September 6.
“We have updated our program for this summer based on the increasingly likely reopening of ports and destinations, which now allows us to better plan our operations and offer extraordinary cruise vacations to the many guests looking forward to a relaxing and memorable holiday,” said Mario Zanetti, President of Costa Cruises. “We have decided to focus on Mediterranean destinations, close to our European guests, which can be discovered or rediscovered in a truly unique way. Now we can finally say that Costa summer is beginning, and we are eager to welcome back our loyal guests, as well as new cruisers – all of whom can count on us for high-quality service, the finest cuisine and spectacular entertainment, wonderful destinations, and an exceptional onboard experience with enhanced safety protocols.”
The new summer itineraries will feature extended port calls, allowing guests more time ashore. Costa will also introduce a revamped excursion bubble program, giving guests the opportunity to discover off-the-beaten-path destinations exclusive to Costa guests. The onboard experience will be further enhanced with new dining options featuring "destination dishes" inspired by the places we explore.
In addition, Costa's two newest and most innovative ships will operate in the Western Mediterranean: Costa Smeralda, the flagship powered by liquefied natural gas, and Costa Firenze, the new ship inspired by the Florentine Renaissance, delivered last December, which will have its grand debut. The first ship to set sail will be the Costa Smeralda, on May 1st, taking guests to beautiful locations in Italy on three- and four-day mini-cruises, allowing for a shorter experience or, alternatively, a week-long cruise, calling at Savona, La Spezia, Civitavecchia, Naples, Messina, and Cagliari. This Italian itinerary will continue until July 3rd, when the ship will resume offering week-long cruises visiting Savona, Marseille, Palermo, Civitavecchia, and possibly Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca.
Cruises to Italy will continue with the Costa Firenze, which sets sail on its maiden voyage on July 4, with an all-Italian itinerary including Savona, Civitavecchia, Palermo, Naples, Messina, and Cagliari. From September 12 until mid-October, the Costa Firenze will also offer week-long international cruises including Savona, Civitavecchia, Naples, Ibiza, Marseille, and possibly Barcelona.
On the eastern side of the Mediterranean, two other ships will sail: the sister ships Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa. It has been confirmed that the Costa Luminosa will depart Trieste on May 16th, and Bari the following day, focusing on the Greek destinations of Corfu, Piraeus (Athens), Mykonos, and Katakolon.
The Costa Deliziosa will resume its cruises from June 26, offering a week-long itinerary with Venice, an extended one-day and one-night stop in Mykonos, followed by Katakolon, Corfu and Bari.
Costa is working with national and local authorities in the countries included in its ships' itineraries to define in detail the modalities of its operations.
The Italian company recently launched a major innovation: an onboard product designed to be irresistible to Spanish passengers. This includes new cuisine incorporating more dishes from Spanish culture, more Spanish-speaking staff to assist Spanish passengers, and top-notch entertainment from three of Spain's most famous comedians. This Spanish product, initially launched on the Costa Pacifica, will be transferred to the Costa Smeralda, and from the Costa Magica to the Costa Deliziosa.
The summer season in Northern Europe and all other cruises scheduled through mid-September 2021 not included in the itineraries updated today are cancelled due to the uncertainty surrounding the reopening of various destinations, which currently does not guarantee the viability of the itineraries. Costa is in the process of informing travel agencies and affected customers of the changes with detailed ship-by-ship information. These new itineraries for summer 2021 will be available in the coming days.
