The Costa Serena will operate 23 new sailings in India from November 4 to January 1, with its gastronomy and entertainment customized to suit the tastes of Indian passengers.
The trips will last between two and five days and will include Mumbai, Cochin, Goa and, for the first time, the Lakshadweep Islands, a tropical archipelago surrounded by coral reefs.
Yesterday in Mumbai, the announcement was made in the presence of: Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways of the Government of India; Roberto Alberti, Senior Vice President and Commercial Director of Costa Cruises; Francesco Raffa, Director of the Asia Region and Growth Markets of Costa Cruises; Alessandro De Masi, Consul General of Italy in Mumbai, and other senior officials.
Alberti stated: “We have a strong and lasting connection with this wonderful country: we have sailed our ships in India in the past, and many of our colleagues on board are from India. We select and recruit them through specialized training schools based in the country. We are firmly committed to offering our Indian guests a unique holiday experience on board the Costa Serena and are looking forward to commencing operations in November.”
The Costa Serena expands its presence in Asia, after offering itineraries from Thailand, South Korea, and Taiwan. With a capacity for 3,780 passengers, it will be Costa's largest ship to operate domestic routes in India.
The cruises have been developed in collaboration with Costa's general sales agent in India, Lotus Aero Enterprises, and will coincide with the Hindu festival of Diwali in mid-November.
Sonowal commented: “India’s waterways are a treasure waiting to be explored by tourists; our country is full of picturesque places and beautiful destinations.” He added that the program aligns with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Dekho Apna Desh, “an initiative launched as an appeal… to the Indian people to choose domestic tourism.”
