The Costa Toscana, the latest addition to the fleet of the Italian cruise line Costa Cruises, will depart from Valencia for the first time today on its inaugural cruise. This is the ship's first call in Valencia, and it will make 58 dockings at the Port of Valencia's piers before the end of the year. The president of the Port Authority of Valencia (APV), Aurelio Martínez, presented the traditional "socarrat" (a type of paella) to the captain of the Costa Toscana, Pietro Sinisi, in a ceremony also attended by the president of Costa Cruises, Mario Zanetti, and the regional secretary of Tourism for the Valencian Government, Francesc Colomer.
“The Costa Toscana is an innovative ship that reinterprets the cruise experience, including a new way of discovering destinations, which we have been working on in recent months. The launch of the Costa Toscana also represents a new step in the journey that will return our fleet to full capacity this summer.”.
Between the spring 2022 season and the winter 2022-23 season, Costa will offer more than 1,800 cruises, with itineraries ranging from 3 to 127 days. The company's ships will visit 179 destinations worldwide, with a completely revamped shore excursion program offering nearly 1,800 different tours for unique experiences in the heart of each location, thanks also to extended port calls. The culinary offerings will be equally rich: Costa ships will feature a total of 112 restaurants or dining areas across the fleet, with exciting new additions such as dishes created by chefs Bruno Barbieri, Hélène Darroze, and Ángel León, included in the cruise price and featuring interpretations of the flavors of the following day's destinations.
The first Costa Toscana cruise, departing from Valencia today, March 8, 2022, will offer a week-long itinerary visiting Valencia, Palermo, Civitavecchia/Rome, Savona, and Marseille. Following its debut, the new flagship will remain in the Western Mediterranean until the end of November. During the summer season, the ship will call at Savona, Civitavecchia/Rome, Naples, Ibiza, Valencia, and Marseille, while in the autumn, the Ibiza stop will be replaced by Palma.
Costa Toscana's commitment to the environment goes beyond the use of LNG. The ship is a "smart city" with advanced circular economy solutions, aiming to take a further step towards environmental sustainability. To this end, they meet all the ship's daily water needs by desalinating seawater. Furthermore, they minimize energy consumption thanks to an intelligent system that improves efficiency. The elevators have virtually zero energy consumption and recycle 100% of their energy, and the kitchens are low-impact, with ovens equipped with a controlled ventilation system.
Another of Costa Toscana's commitments is to the recycling of materials such as plastic, paper, glass, and aluminum, with 100% selective collection. Regarding food, they have designed more than 500 recipes that prioritize seasonality, local sourcing, and the nutritional value of ingredients. They also work to raise awareness among both passengers and crew about responsible consumption. Together with the 4GOODFOOD program, they have reduced food waste by 35% and donated hundreds of thousands of meals to people in need.
In terms of design, the interiors of the Costa Toscana are the result of an extraordinary project, led by Adam D. Tihany, and created to enhance and represent the colors and ambiance of this wonderful Italian region in a single space. The furniture, lighting, fabrics, and accessories are all “Made in Italy,” designed by 15 partners who embody Italian excellence.
Furthermore, the onboard offering is perfectly integrated into this extraordinary context: from the Solemio Spa to the entertainment areas; the themed bars, in collaboration with major Italian and international brands, and even the 21 restaurants and areas dedicated to the “gastronomic experience”.
