The Costa Smeralda, Costa Cruises' flagship, departed from the port of Savona on Saturday for a week-long cruise around Italy. It is the first ship from the Italian company to resume operations in 2021, officially kicking off the summer season, during which a total of four Costa ships will sail the Mediterranean.
“This year, May 1st has taken on a special meaning for Costa Cruises: on Labor Day, our company restarted operations, celebrating the resumption of work for us and for the entire cruise industry. We are delighted to be departing again from a port in Liguria, the region that has been our home for over 70 years,” stated Mario Zanetti, President of Costa Cruises. “The cruise and tourism sector is essential for the economic recovery. We hope that today’s restart signals a return to normality for us, for our guests, whom we are delighted to welcome back, and for all the suppliers working in our sector.”
The Costa Smeralda's inaugural cruise features an all-Italian itinerary, with visits to Savona as well as Civitavecchia/Rome, Naples, Messina, Cagliari, and La Spezia. Guests can choose to book the full itinerary for a week-long vacation or split it into three- and four-day mini-cruises for a shorter getaway.
Health and safety procedures have been enhanced through the adoption of the Costa Safety Protocol, developed by the company in conjunction with scientific experts and Italian authorities. This protocol outlines operational measures related to all aspects of the cruise experience, both onboard and ashore. These measures include: reduced guest capacity; swab tests for all guests before embarkation and midway through the cruise; swab tests for crew before embarkation and regularly throughout their time onboard; temperature checks each time guests disembark and re-enter the ship, and each time they enter restaurants; visits to destinations only with protected excursions; social distancing onboard and in terminals; new ways of using onboard services; enhanced health and medical services; and the use of face masks when required.
As for the holiday experience, guests will be able to enjoy new features, such as a completely revamped excursion program, which will allow them to discover off-the-beaten-path destinations, exclusively for Costa guests, and new menu options with dishes related to the places visited on the itinerary.
Furthermore, Costa's relaunch coincides with the launch of the most advanced ship in the fleet in terms of reducing environmental impact. Indeed, the Costa Smeralda is the company's first cruise ship powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), the most advanced propulsion technology currently available for reducing emissions. All of the ship's daily water needs are met through the direct transformation of seawater via desalination plants; energy consumption is minimized thanks to an intelligent energy efficiency system; and waste is managed onboard with 100% separation for the recycling of plastic, paper, glass, and aluminum.
The Costa Smeralda is the first of four ships that will operate for Costa in the summer of 2021, offering Mediterranean cruises. On May 16, the Costa Luminosa will resume service, offering week-long cruises to Greece. On June 26, the Costa Deliziosa will also return to its week-long Greek cruises. On July 4, the Costa Firenze, the new ship inspired by the Florentine Renaissance, will sail a week-long Italian itinerary. Along with the return of the Costa Firenze, from July 3, the Costa Smeralda will resume international itineraries, with week-long cruises to Italy, France, and possibly Spain as soon as authorities allow.
