The Costa Luminosa cruise ship has set sail again from the port of Trieste, becoming the second Costa Cruises ship to resume operations in 2021 and the first to do so in the Adriatic Sea and Greece. The company plans to reactivate its cruises this summer, operating a total of four ships.
The week-long itinerary for the Costa Luminosa includes, in addition to Trieste, visits to Bari and four beautiful Greek destinations: Corfu, Athens, Mykonos, and Katakolon/Olympia. It will be available throughout the upcoming summer season and part of autumn until mid-November 2021, for a total of 27 cruises.
The return to sea of the Costa Luminosa was celebrated yesterday in a ceremony in Trieste with the president of Costa Cruises, Mario Zanetti, and together with several local authorities, including the mayor of Trieste, Roberto Dipiazza; the councilor of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, Pierpaolo Roberti; the captain of the Trieste Coast Guard, Vincenzo Vitale; and the general manager of Trieste Terminal Passeggeri, Francesco Mariani.
“With the resumption of the Costa Luminosa, we are finally bringing cruises back to the Adriatic Sea and Greece, one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations, reactivating a sector of great importance to the economies of many European countries, including Italy, as well as the eastern Mediterranean,” declared Mario Zanetti, President of Costa Cruises. “To illustrate the significance of this restart, before the pause caused by the pandemic, our company generated an annual economic impact of almost €13 billion in Europe, creating more than 63,000 jobs. We are especially pleased to resume from Trieste, a city that has always warmly welcomed us, and which will be the home port of the Costa Luminosa not only this year, but also in 2022. We look to the future with optimism and are working to make Trieste even more strategic for cruises, promoting sustainable development and a high-quality guest experience.”.
Health and safety measures have been enhanced through the adoption of the Costa Safety Protocol, developed by the company in conjunction with expert scientists and Italian authorities, which covers all aspects of the cruise experience, both onboard and ashore. These measures include a reduced number of guests onboard; swab tests for all passengers before embarkation and midway through the cruise; swab tests for crew before embarkation and regularly throughout their time onboard; daily 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 protective face masks.
As for the vacation experience, guests will enjoy some new features, including a revamped shore excursion program that will allow them to discover off-the-beaten-path destinations, exclusively designed for Costa passengers. Guests will also enjoy new menu offerings featuring dishes specific to the places Costa Luminosa will visit.
The Costa Luminosa is the second of four Costa ships that will operate in the summer of 2021, offering Mediterranean cruises. On May 1, the flagship Costa Smeralda departed from Savona with an itinerary dedicated exclusively to Italy. On June 26, the Costa Deliziosa will resume sailing with week-long cruises to Greece. On July 4, the Costa Firenze, the new ship inspired by the Florentine Renaissance, will set sail with week-long cruises to Italy. Additionally, starting July 3, the Costa Smeralda will begin sailing international itineraries, with week-long cruises to Italy, France, and possibly Spain.
“The resumption of Costa cruises from Trieste is one of the many positive signs of recovery for our local economy. Trieste, like all of Italy’s artistic cities, was severely affected by the pandemic crisis. Now bookings are resuming, and we are gradually returning to normal. Trieste and the Friuli Venezia Giulia region are ready to welcome visitors again, thanks in part to the safety protocols we have implemented,” declared Pierpaolo Roberti, Regional Councilor for Friuli Venezia Giulia.
