Costa Cruises’ fleet expansion programme continues with the latest flagship due to depart Italy next month

The Costa Fascinosa, the latest flagship of Costa Cruises, will be officially delivered to Costa on 5 May 2012 at the Venice Passenger Terminal.

The ship is set to make her debut just two months after the delivery of the Costa neoRomantica and will be followed by a new 132,500 gross tonnage Costa ship in October 2014, also to be built in Marghera.

The Costa Fascinosa will depart for her vernissage cruise on 6 May 2012 from Venice bound for Slovenia, Trieste and Croatia on a cruise hosting the 19th edition of the ‘Champions of the Sea’, an annual event celebrating the best travel agents partnering with Costa Cruises across five continents.

Following this, the Costa Fascinosa will depart from Venice once again on her inaugural cruise – a ten day itinerary taking in Greece, Israel and Turkey. For the remainder of the 2012 summer season until late November, the Costa Fascinosa will be offering seven-day cruises from Venice and Bari to Greece and Croatia.

The cruise ship which was built at the Marghera yard has successfully completed her sea trials, passing a series of running tests on her systems, machinery and engines, and will be officially handed over to Costa Cruises by the builder Fincantieri the day before her vernissage cruise.

The total investment made by Costa Cruises for the Costa Fascinosa is worth 510 million euros. The construction of the ship in Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard involved the labor of around 3,000 yard workers plus a further 7,000 people employed by about 500 contracted suppliers, most of which are Italian firms.

The Costa Fascinosa will be the largest cruise ship flying the Italian flag. As her name suggests, Costa Fascinosa (114,500 gross tonnage and 3,800 total guests) has been designed to act as a tribute to all things that exude charm – people and places synonymous with allure and seduction. The central theme for her interiors, conceived by architect Joseph Farcus, is the atmosphere inspired by great historic films, the characters that made them famous and the works that brought success to the most celebrated theatres in the world.

For more information, please visit www.costacruises.com or to book a cruise please click here to find your local ACE travel agent.

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Costa Cruises has teamed with Venini and Italian artists for bespoke art

Costa Cruises has partnered with Italian glass experts Venini to commission three vases that will be displayed on Costa Fascinosa’s vernissage cruise on 6 May 2012.

Designed by prominent Italian artists Flavio Lucchini, Emanuela Venturini and Casagrande & Recalcati, the vases will premiere at Superstudio 13 in Milan as part of the Temporary Museum for New Design’s event to showcase objects that symbolise Italian art and architecture.

The artists were given the themes of ‘charm’ and ‘beauty’ to inspire their vase designs – the philosophical and artistic concepts that inspired the design of Costa Fascinosa.

The vases will join more than 4,000 original works of art and 50,000 multiples on ships in the Costa fleet, positioning Costa Cruises as a leading investor in the European art market.

The Costa Fascinosa will be the largest cruise ship flying the Italian flag. As her name suggests, Costa Fascinosa (114,500 gross tonnage and 3,800 total guests) has been designed to act as a tribute to all things that exude charm – people and places synonymous with allure and seduction. The central theme for her interiors, conceived by architect Joseph Farcus, is the atmosphere inspired by great historic films, the characters who made them famous and the works that brought success to the most celebrated theatres in the world.

For more information, please visit www.costacruises.com or to book please click here to find your local ACE travel agent. 

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Costa Cruises compares 2012 figures with bookings from previous year

Costa Cruises has announced that bookings over the last two weeks for its Easter cruises in 2012 have exceeded figures recorded over the same period for its Easter cruises in 2011, demonstrating that cruising remains one of the most popular types of holiday this Easter.

Costa Cruises has five ships operating in the Mediterranean this Easter offering a variety of itineraries. Costa neoRomantica departed on a nine-day Western Mediterranean cruise on 31 March to Savona, Marseilles, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Cagliari, Malta, Catania and Naples, while Costa Mediterranea departs today, 4 April, on an 11-day cruise to Greece, Israel and Turkey, a route also operated by Costa Pacifica, leaving on 8 April. On 6 April, Costa Deliziosa sets sail on a five-day mini-cruise to Savona, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and Ajaccio, while Costa Serena embarks on a one-week Western Mediterranean itinerary on 8 April visiting Savona, Civitavecchia, Palermo, Palma de Mallorca, Valencia and Marseilles.

Among the most popular new cruises in the Mediterranean this season are the mini-cruises of Costa Luminosa, Costa Atlantica and Costa Deliziosa, introduced for spring 2012 and especially suited to first time cruisers and people with a limited time frame who want to make the most of their holiday.

For those wishing to venture further afield to more exotic destinations this Easter, there are also one week cruises to the Caribbean on Costa Atlantica and Costa Luminosa, one week cruises to the United Arab Emirates and Oman departing from Dubai on the flagship Costa Favolosa, and two weeks on Costa Classica to Malaysia and Thailand, departing from Singapore.

Costa Victoria to call China home from May 2012

Costa Cruises has announced that Costa Victoria will depart on its maiden Asian voyage on 18 May 2012, from the new Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal in China. The ship will embark on four to seven night cruises, with calls along the South Korean and Japanese coastline.

Costa Cruises, the largest Italian travel group and Europe’s number one cruise company, was the first international cruise company to enter the Chinese market and have used this experience to create a bespoke service aboard Costa Victoria.

Mr. Buhdy Bok, Vice President Pacific Asia and China, Costa Cruises, said: “We are thrilled to be able to bring the new Costa Victoria to Asia. Choosing Shanghai as the home port for Costa Victoria is important for the growth of Costa Cruises in the Asia Pacific region and also demonstrates our commitment to promote the city as a leading international shipping centre in the region.”

“No other country is quite so renowned for its sense of fashion and style as Italy. This is a strength we want to emphasise in Costa Victoria, hence the decor and brands that can be found onboard. ‘Italy at sea’ is an apt way to describe the Costa Victoria as it embodies all of the qualities that make Italy great: fantastic food, fashion and friendly service.”

Costa Victoria has many Asian-inspired dining options available to guests. The ship offers a range of local cuisine in four of its five restaurants. In the largest of these restaurants, the Sinfornia, dinner will be served in two sittings - the first with traditional Chinese or Italian dishes, and the latter with a greater selection of Japanese and South Korean food to choose from. The second largest of these four restaurants, the Fantasia, will appeal to Chinese diners looking for a taste of home.
In the evenings, one of the world’s top Michael Jackson impersonators, ICE, will perform MJ’s greatest hits in the Festival Showroom. There will also be a fashion show that offers guests a refined form of entertainment in the cavernous, two-deck theatre. Live music, games and competitions complete the nightlife to be found throughout Costa Victoria’s ten bars and discos.

Costa Victoria will stop at several destinations in Japan including the tropical paradise Hososhima/Miyazaki, Wakayama; which boasts the largest hot spring resort, Osaka; Japan’s second largest city and the popular sightseeing cities in the Kanto Area Yokohama and Tokyo, the capital city. In the South Korean part of the itinerary, destinations include ‘island of the Gods’ Jeju, the picturesque harbour town of Yeosu and South Korea’s second largest city, Busan.

Welcoming ceremony in Dubai for the largest and most advanced cruise ship operating in the Emirates. Costa Cruises, Europe’s number one cruise company, opens its sixth consecutive season in the Emirates with the inaugural call in Dubai of the flagship Costa Favolosa.

The flagship’s arrival at the port on 15 December 2011 was celebrated with a welcoming ceremony attended by Awah Al Ketbi, CEO of AL Ketbi Consultancy, the company which runs the Costa representative office in Dubai, Captain Mauro Muratore and government officials and VIP guests from Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, tourism and maritime sectors.

Costa Favolosa (114,500 gross tonnage and 3,800 total guests) is the largest and most advanced ship ever deployed in the Emirates, a world-first cruise destination offered by Costa in 2006. From 16 December 2011 to 6 April 2012, Costa Favolosa will be sailing on seven-night cruises in the exotic seas of the Arabian Gulf, with two days in Dubai, one-day stopovers in Muscat (Oman), Fujairah (UAE), Abu Dhabi (UAE) and Khasab (Oman) and ending with a further overnight stay in Dubai.

The Jewels of the Emirates cruise has an itinerary reminiscent of A Thousand and One Nights, offering a tantalizing mix of past and future, unspoiled oases and stunning futuristic architecture, dune surfing, mosques and skyscrapers. This year’s route features the additional port call of Khasab (Oman), which boasts towering cliffs and deep blue waters. Thanks to the positioning of Costa Favolosa, Costa will make 58 port calls in the United Arab Emirates in winter 2011/2012 and expects to clock up approximately 233,000 passenger movements.

AIDA Cruises, the number one cruise company for the German market and part of the Costa Crociere S.p.A. Group, will also be offering seven-night cruises in the Arabic Gulf from Dubai in winter 2011/12, with her ship Aida blu (71,300 gross tonnage and 2,500 total guests), totalling around 90,000 passenger movements in the United Arab Emirates.

Costa Favolosa

Weighing in at 114,500 gross tonnage and accommodating up to 3,800 guests, Costa Favolosa is the largest cruise ship flying the Italian flag. With spacious outside areas, state-of-the-art technology, impeccable service, and modern marvels of art and design, Costa Favolosa is the perfect setting for a fairy-tale holiday. The main innovations include six new veranda suites with their own Jacuzzis, and a new entertainment area featuring virtual reality in the 4D Cinema and PlayStation World. There is also a new children’s open-air Aqua Park water playground with its own pirate galleon.

Her facilities combine the very best of the Costa product, including the 6,000m2 Samsara Spa, one of the largest wellness centres ever built on a cruise ship, with dedicated cabins and restaurant; a large central lido extending over two decks with a sliding glass roof for all-year round relaxation and a giant 18m2 film screen showing music videos and other entertainment; the Grand Prix driving simulator 60m above the sea, produced from an original GP car, reproduces the excitement of the world’s best racing circuits, and finally, the world’s most advanced golf simulator.

The brand new design aft pool area is particularly large and inviting: 1,000 m2 of space dedicated to relaxation and entertainment with 160 sun loungers, suspended whirlpool tubs and an invigorating waterfall. The shipboard gym offers all the latest Technogym equipment, which allows users to browse the Internet, watch TV and listen to their iPods while they train. The culinary experiences on board are a feast for the palate and offer something for everyone: from the à la carte Club to the wellness restaurant, the self-service buffet with dishes typical of the places visited during the cruise, and the traditional Mediterranean delicacies in the two main restaurants.

Meanwhile, culture vultures will revel in Costa Favolosa’s exclusive, specially commissioned art collection of over 6,000 works (comprising original works and copies) that enhance the interior decoration of the ship and her cabins. The Costa Favolosa’s position at the cutting edge of cruise ship building technology also extends to environmental compliance, which has always been a Costa hallmark. Like other fleet members, the Italian company’s new flagship is equipped for cold ironing, a system whereby the ship is plugged into shore side electrical power, enabling generators to be shut down during port stopovers.

Top Italian chefs, Carlo Cracco and Benedetta Parodi join forces to combine traditional yet creative festive menus

Costa Cruises, Europe’s number one cruise company, is offering two exclusive menus for Christmas and New Year’s Eve, specially devised by two of Italy’s finest chefs and popular personalities, Carlo Cracco and Benedetta Parodi.

Lucky cruisers who have chosen one of Costa’s sailings in the United Arab Emirates or the Mediterranean during the festive season will be treated to the special dishes, but as the recipes will be made available online, non-cruisers will also be able to try them out for themselves in the comfort of their own homes.

Carlo Cracco and Benedetta Parodi are both exceptional interpreters of the country’s inimitable culinary culture, based on simple high quality ingredients combined in original ways. The choice also reflects Costa Cruises’ determination to export the very best Italian excellence around the world on board its 15 ships.

The Christmas and New Year’s Eve meals on Costa Cruises’ fleet will be supervised by Costa Cruises Executive Chef, Stefano Fontanesi, who is responsible for ensuring compliance with quality standards that are the distinguishing feature of the cuisine on offer on all of Costa Crociere’s ships.

The festive menus are particularly special because, while consistent with Italian tradition, they are a superb blend of Cracco’s creative flair and the wholesome flavor and practicality of Parodi’s approach to the culinary arts. Classic Italian staples for the holiday season like cotechino, a fresh pork sausage traditionally served with stewed lentils, has been reinvented as a starter with a truffle fondue, while the lentils will be used to garnish a lobster salad together with sprouts, celery and a bisque (thick cream shellfish soup). There are also traditional Christmas dishes on the menu, such as guinea fowl and panettone.

The menu will be accompanied by a selection of fine wines produced by Aneri, an excellent quality label that has become one of Costa Cruises’ partners. Highly recommended wines for the Christmas and New Year’s Eve tables are the Leda Bianco doc 2009 Aneri, the Pinot Nero doc 2008 Aneri and the much sought after Prosecco di Valdobbiadene doc “Aneri” N° 1.

Costa’s end-of-year cruises are always favorites with the Italian Company’s customers. This year approximately 70,000 guests will be taking a Christmas and/or New Year’s Eve cruise vacation with some 15 ships deployed on itineraries in the Mediterranean, Canary Islands, United Arab Emirates, Indian Ocean, Far East, Caribbean, South America and Red Sea.

Key achievements include the launch of the world-first Sustainable Cruise project

Costa Cruises, Europe’s number one cruise company, has announced impressive environmental and community-focused results in the sixth edition of its Sustainability Report, available online at www.costacruise.com/best4.

Key achievements from the latest report include a year on year increase of 26% on rubbish recycled in ports, a 34% reduction over three years in emissions of ozone-depleting substances, an 11% reduction over three years in CO2 emissions and the extension of community-focused projects in Brazil. Costa Cruises has also launched the Sustainable Cruise project, the world’s first shipboard experimental project for the recovery of organic waste, which is funded by the European Union and aims to prove the viability of recycling food waste, paper and packaging on board ships.

The latest results come as further proof that Costa Cruises operates not merely in accordance with the established environmental compliance laws, but continuously strives to achieve wider objectives. Through a dedicated management and control system that goes beyond the scope of mandatory requirements laid down by local, national and international regulations, Costa Cruises aims to deliver pre-emptive solutions for improving environmental standards.

The main results obtained in 2010 were as follows:

• An increase of 26% year on year in the proportion of rubbish recycled in port: One hundred per cent of rubbish (solid waste including paper, plastic, glass and metal) on board Costa ships is sorted for recycling and landed in different containers, so that the rubbish can be processed accordingly by those ports where suitable onshore facilities are available. In 2010, Costa Cruises entered into new agreements to this effect, bringing about a significant increase in onshore recycling.

• Costa Cruises’ commitment to the recovery and recycling of waste reinforced with a global first experimental project: Costa Cruises is the Project Manager of the Sustainable Cruise EU project, which was launched in September 2011. For the first time, a ship, Costa Pacifica, will aim to demonstrate the viability of treating organic food waste so that it can be used as compost or fuel. The activities on board will also include the recycling of packaging and paper. The Sustainable Cruise project, which will end in June 2014, is funded by the “LIFE” Programme, the EU’s funding instrument for innovative or trial environmental projects.

• A reduction of approximately 11% in fuel consumption and consequently in CO2 emissions (2007-2010): This reduction was achieved thanks to the implementation of various energy-saving measures on board, such as the use of ecological silicone-based coatings for the ship’s hull which enhances hydrodynamic performance and reduces the growth of microorganisms on the hull surface without any toxic effects. Other measures include the use of low power consumption LED light bulbs, installation of an automatic lighting control system designed to adjust the external lighting in accordance with the current sunlight intensity, energy-efficient HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) technology, optimising output with automated temperature control in the staterooms and public spaces based on effective need and the use of inverters to optimise the performance of fans and blowers in the engine room. Costa Cruises’ efforts in this area achieved recognition on 25 November this year, when the Company received the ABB Energy Efficiency Award 2011. ABB is a global leader in power and automation technologies that improve performance while lowering environmental impact.

• A reduction of 34.2% in the production of ozone-depleting substances from refrigerating and air conditioning systems (2007-2010): Steps taken on board included the continuous maintenance and monitoring of systems and the introduction of HFCs (hydro fluorocarbons) as substitutes for HCFC (hydro chlorofluorocarbon) refrigerants.

• Costa Cruises became the first cruise line to take part in REPCET: In July 2010, Costa Cruises, through its partnership with WWF Italia, became the first and only cruise line in the world to take part in the pilot REPCET project, a reporting system aimed at reducing collisions between ships and whales while tracking their movements. Costa Cruises has been an official partner of WWF Italia for the protection of the sea since July 2005. In 2009, the partnership was extended with the objective of setting up a network of new marine protected areas in the Mediterranean. Testimony to Costa Cruises’ engagement in this area is its policy banning overboard discharge of bilge water (even when suitably treated) within the Whale Sanctuary, an area of the Ligurian Sea covering approximately 100,000km² with a particularly high concentration of Mediterranean marine mammals. Meanwhile, since 2005, Costa Cruises has been collaborating with the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission to find a new way of monitoring climate change in the Mediterranean.

• Environmentally friendly cleaning products introduced: The ships in the Costa fleet use products supplied by Ecolab, the global leader in cleaning, sanitising and food safety products and services, in order to guarantee the best results with the lowest possible environmental impact.

The report also describes initiatives undertaken in the field of social responsibility. In 2009, Costa Cruises began a series of on-going waste recycling programmes on board its liners calling in Brazil, with the aim of financing local social development and environmental sustainability projects. In particular, the activities launched in Salvador de Bahia and Santos involve the recycling of certain types of waste produced on the ships (used cooking oil, glass, aluminium and, since 2010, PET plastic in Salvador De Bahia). The earnings from the waste recycled are used to fund community support programmes such as the renovation of the kitchen and canteen in the Cantinho Alegre School in Santos, which caters for about 160 pupils.

The Sustainability Report is a purely voluntary form of reporting designed to provide comprehensive and transparent information on the effects of corporate activity on the environment and the community. In addition to its social, environmental and economic performance, the Report also conveys the Company’s basic operating principles. The Sustainability Report has its roots in the application of the B.E.S.T. 4 (Business Excellence Sustainable Task), an integrated management system that encompasses four types of voluntary certification of corporate compliance with the highest standards in the areas of quality (UNI EN ISO 9001, issued in 2008), environment (UNI EN ISO 14001, 2004), safety (OHSAS 18001, 2007) and social accountability (SA 8000, 2001), guaranteeing the measurement of company performance and continuous improvement.

Costa Cruises’ latest flagship to be officially named in the Ligurian port city next year

Costa Cruises, Europe’s number one cruise company, has announced that the naming ceremony for new flagship, Costa Fascinosa, will take place in Savona on 6 May 2012.

The 16th member of Costa Cruises’ fleet, (114,500 gross tonnage and 3,800 total guests), is currently being fitted out at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard. Together with her sister ship, Costa Favolosa, she will be the largest cruise ship flying the Italian flag.

The announcement was made by Costa Crociere S.p.A. Chairman & CEO Pier Luigi Foschi during Costa Favolosa’s first call at Savona. Costa Fascinosa will be the first cruise ship to be inaugurated in the Ligurian port city, and the event will take place during Costa Fascinosa’s first vernissage cruise of the ship, departing from Venice on 2 May 2012. The naming event will be staged with the support of the Port Authority of Savona, the local Chamber of Commerce, the Municipality of Savona, the Savona Provincial Administration and the Liguria Regional Administration.

Costa Cruises has invested around €510 million in Costa Fascinosa. After Costa Fascinosa, Costa Cruises plans to add another cruise ship to their fleet, to be built in the Marghera yard. The new ship (132,500 gross tonnage and 4,928 total guests), is scheduled for delivery in October 2014. Since 2000, Costa Cruises has ordered a total of 10 new ships from Fincantieri’s Italian shipyards, with a total investment worth more than €5 billion.

To support the resulting increase of ships and guests arriving in Savona, Costa Cruises has continued to invest in the growth of the Savona Palacrociere cruise terminal, which has been managed directly by the Italian company since 2003. January 2012 will mark the start of building work on the second terminal, with an investment worth around €9 million. The new terminal building is expected to be ready by March 2013.

In 2011, Costa Cruises’ passenger movements at the Palacrociere reached a record one million people, a 35% growth compared to 2010. In 2012, 14 of Costa’s 16 ships will be calling at least once at the Savona Palacrociere. A total of around 230 calls are scheduled next year with more than one million cruise passenger movements.

The presence of Costa’s ships generates an important economic impact on the local area. According to a study carried out by MIP, the Milan Polytechnic Business School, in 2010 Costa Cruises generated a direct economic impact of more than €5.5 million in the Port of Savona and of €230 million in the Liguria region.

In addition to the naming of Costa Fascinosa, the Savona Palacrociere will be the starting point for two other major events.

On 28 December 2011, Costa Deliziosa will set sail on the historic round-the-world cruise, which has long been a highlight of Costa’s itineraries. The 100-day world voyage departs from Savona before porting at Los Angeles via the Caribbean and the Panama Canal, from Los Angeles to Singapore with stopovers in San Francisco, Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand and Australia and from Singapore to Savona via Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the Red Sea and Egypt. About 2,300 guests from all over the world will embark on Costa Deliziosa’s round-the-world cruise.

On 20 February 2012, the Palacrociere will welcome Costa neoRomantica’s first cruise following the radical €90 million refurbishment of Costa Romantica, currently being carried out at the San Giorgio del Porto and T. Mariotti yards in Genoa. The 11-day itinerary includes Spain, Morocco, the Canary Islands and Madeira. In spring 2012, the Costa neoRomantica will offer 15-day cruises to the magical Atlantic capitals, while in summer 2012 the Costa neoRomantica will be operating in Northern Europe, offering 15-day cruises that will bring together the best destinations of the Fjords and Baltic Capitals for the first time, as well as two cruises to the Spietzbergen Islands. The stylish ambience of the Costa neoRomantica will also be the setting for the Grand Cruise, departing on 19 September 2012 from Savona to Australia and New Zealand, via the finest and most fascinating places in the eastern hemisphere.

Costa’s ships began calling at Savona in November 1996 with the arrival of Costa Riviera. The Palacrociere, which Costa co-financed with an approximately €3.6 million investment, opened on 24 November 2003. Conceived by the Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill, the Palacrociere is specially designed and built to provide hospitality and high quality services for cruise guests. Thanks to its innovative architecture, the terminal is able to reduce waiting time to a minimum, while combining the utmost comfort with maximum security. Over the years, RINA has awarded the Savona Palacrociere with various accolades from the B.E.S.T. 4 (Business Excellence Sustainable Task), an integrated voluntary scheme certifying corporate compliance with the highest international standards in the areas of Social Accountability (SA 8000, issued in 2001), Environment (UNI EN ISO 14001, 2004), Safety (OHSAS 18001, 1999) and Quality (UNI EN ISO 9001, 2000).

New ship to operate week-long cruises in Red Sea during 2012

Costa Cruises, the largest Italian travel group and Europe’s no.1 cruise company, has announced the arrival of a new ship in the Costa fleet - the Costa Voyager.

Costa Voyager, formally part of the Iberocruceros fleet, will offer guests 416 cabins in total, (houses 927 guests) including 16 panoramic suites and 12 suites with private balconies. Relaxation and fun will be guaranteed by three restaurants, four bars, a theatre, wellness centre and gym, treatment rooms, sauna and Turkish bath, swimming pool, disco, shopping centre and children’s club (Squok club).

The arrival of the Costa Voyager enhances the Italian company’s versatile fleet of ships, with a range of dimensions and differing characteristics, offering customers a series of brand new itineraries. More specifically, the technical characteristics of the Costa Voyager make her especially suitable for cruises to the Red Sea, a relatively new destination for Costa Cruises and one that will be offered throughout 2012.

Costa Voyager's first cruise will be a 15-day journey from Savona, departing on 20 November 2011 and travelling to Sharm el-Sheikh in the Red Sea. From 5 December 2011 to the end of 2012, Costa Voyager will be offering week-long cruises in the Red Sea, departing on Mondays from Sharm el-Sheikh and calling at Eilat (Israel), Aqaba (Jordan), Safaga (Egypt) and Sokhna (Egypt).

The Costa Voyager itinerary combines relaxation and culture, from an extraordinarily beautiful sea to cultural and archaeological treasures. From Eilat, excursions organised by Costa Cruises will take guests to a natural oasis in the Negev desert, the fortress of Masada and the wonderful landscapes of the Dead Sea. From Aqaba, visit the pink city of Petra, carved into the mountain. From Safaga there are excursions to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings, visiting the tombs of the Pharaohs or enjoying the natural beauty of Hurghada and the crystal waters of the island of Mahamya. From Sokhna you can travel to beautiful beaches.

Before entering into service for the Costa fleet, the ship will be undergoing renovation work at the San Giorgio shipyard in the Port of Genoa, from 9 to 19 November 2011, costing an estimated 2.5 million euros. Once the work has been completed, Costa Voyager will begin to operate for the Costa Cruises fleet, offering the excellent Italian service that is a distinctive feature of Costa cruises.

The Costa Voyager will not be the only member of the Costa fleet in the Genoese shipyards. From 29 October 2011 through until mid-February 2012, work is being carried out at the San Giorgio del Porto and T. Mariotti yards on the radical refurbishment of the Costa Romantica. The 90 million euro restyling will turn her into a completely new ship; with the name changing to the Costa neoRomantica.

Four million cruise passenger movements in 2011 puts Costa in the top 10 of Italy’s most profitable companies

Costa Cruises’ ships have brought approximately four million cruise passenger movements to Italy’s ports in 2011 – 50% more than last year. The Costa fleet called at a total of 22 ports in Italy and clocked up approximately 900 calls.

These new figures were revealed at the Italian Cruise Day forum in Venice, confirming Costa as the leading cruise company in Italy and Greater Europe. The Italian company has again been included in the Top 10 of Italy’s most profitable companies (survey by Mediobanca) and took the number one position in the Tourism Industry category.

According to another study by MIP (Milan Polytechnic) the Costa Group generated an impact of over €2.2 billion for Italy’s economy through tourism.

“Despite the current economic situation, Italian cruising remains a growth industry and continues to play a key role in terms of the creation of wealth and employment,” says Gianni Onorato, President of the Costa Crociere S.p.A. Group. “Costa Cruises is Italy and Europe’s number one cruise company and the driving force for the continent’s cruise industry as a whole and we are so pleased that for the second year running we were in the Top 10 of Italy’s most profitable companies, in the Top 50 in terms of sales and the first in the tourism industry”.

Costa Cruises growth in the Mediterranean in 2011 can be attributed to the entry of a new flagship – Costa Favolosa – the largest Italian passenger ship afloat with 3,800 guest capacity. The Costa Favolosa is part of the €11 billion euro fleet expansion programme for the Costa Crociere S.p.A. Group.

April 2012 will see the delivery of the Costa Fascinosa - sister ship of the Costa Favolosa. In October 2014 there will be another addition to the fleet in the form of a 132,500-tonne ship accommodating 4,928 guests. Plus, the Costa Cruise line has ordered a total of 10 new buildings from Fincantieri’s Italian shipyards, with a total investment worth over €5 billion.

Costa Cruises Romantica due for major refurbishment

Work has commenced on the radical refurbishment of the Costa Cruises fleet member, Costa Romantica, which is due for completion in mid-February 2012.

In August this year, Costa Cruises – the largest Italian travel group and Europe’s no.1 cruise company – invested around 90 million euros in the major restyling operations on the ship. Specialists in ship repair and conversion, the San Giorgio shipyard who are based in the Port of Genoa will carry out the work along with affiliate T. Mariotti.

Thanks to the restyling, the ship will be completely renovated and become the Costa neoRomantica.

The restyling works include two new half-deck extensions, 111 new cabins, plus 120 cabins and suites with private balconies. The ship’s guest capacity will increase from 1,697 to 1,800 with the number of cabins rising from 678 to 789 (and her new gross tonnage will be around 56,000).

The architect behind the project is Swedish company Tillberg Design, which has a 40-year history in marine interior design.

Among the new areas on the ship, Costa neoRomantica guests will find a wine and cheese bar, with 100 different labels and a wide selection of cheeses from around the world; a coffee & chocolate bar to enjoy selected sweets and coffee; a new Italian pizzeria; a cabaret lounge and a nightclub.

Another addition is the Samsara Spa, a 4200m2 wellness area with a gym, thalassotherapy pool, treatment rooms, sauna, Turkish bath, 50 cabins and six suites, as well as a dedicated spa restaurant.

From 20 February 2012, the Costa neoRomantica will add a new dimension to cruising and offer guests brand new destinations and itineraries – some close to home and some more exotic.

The renewed ship will set sail from Savona on an 11-day cruise to Spain, Morocco, the Canary Islands and Madeira. This itinerary is scheduled to continue until 24 March. From 4 April to 2 May, and then again in late summer on 5 September, the Costa neoRomantica will offer 15-day cruises to the magical Atlantic capitals. Throughout summer, the Costa neoRomantica will be operating in Northern Europe, offering 15-day cruises that for the first time will bring together the best destinations of the Fjords and Baltic Capitals and two cruises to the Spietzbergen Islands.
The stylish ambience of the Costa neoRomantica will also be the setting for the Grand Cruise from Italy to Australia and New Zealand, via the finest and most fascinating places in the eastern hemisphere. Departing on 19 September 2012, this 107-night extraordinary cruise is another of the highly popular, new round-the-world voyages offered by Costa on the routes of the great navigators of the past.

Costa Cruises announces that its latest flagship, Costa Favolosa, will be arriving in the United Arab Emirates in winter 2011/12.Costa Cruises plans to make 22 port calls with a total of 233,000 passenger movements in the UAE.

The announcement came at the Seatrade Middle East Cruise Convention in Dubai, the biggest event of the year for cruise operators in the Middle East, where the President of Costa Cruises, Gianni Onorato, confirmed that Europe’s number one cruise company will be reinforcing their presence in the UAE with the Costa Favolosa’s debut deployment in the region (114,500 gross tonnage and 3,800 total Guests).

Costa Favolosa will be the biggest and most advanced cruise ship operating in the United Arab Emirates, a cruise destination which Costa first introduced in 2006. The latest flagship of the Costa fleet was built by Fincantieri at its Marghera yard and named in Trieste on 2 July 2011.

“Costa Favolosa will be the largest and most advanced ship ever deployed in the region,” announced Costa Cruises President Gianni Onorato.

“She will offer our guests a truly unique opportunity to visit the most intriguing destinations in the UAE and Oman, on board an Italian cruise ship providing superb comfort, exclusive services and state-of-the-art hi-tech entertainment.”

From 16 December 2011 to 6 April 2012, Costa Favolosa will be sailing in the exotic seas of the Arabian Gulf on seven-night cruises with two days in Dubai, one-day stopovers in Muscat (Oman), Fujairah (UAE), Abu Dhabi (UAE) and Khasab (Oman) and ending with a further overnight stay in Dubai.

This “Jewels of the Emirates” cruise with an itinerary reminiscent of A Thousand and One Nights offers a tantalising mix of past and future, unspoiled oases and stunning futuristic architecture, dune surfing, mosques and skyscrapers. This year’s route features the additional port call of Khasab (Oman), which boasts towering cliffs and deep blue waters.

Europe’s number one cruise company wins the RINA Group’s first green prize for cruising 

Costa Cruises, the largest Italian travel group and Europe’s number one cruise company, has been awarded the ‘2011 Green Cruise’ prize by RINA Group.

The ceremony took place in Montecarlo at the annual “RINA Green Night” event sponsored by the RINA Group, where top environmentally sustainable projects are awarded for their efforts. For the first time, the event included a category dedicated to cruise ships, which was won by Costa Cruises.

On 2 July 2011, Costa’s new flagship, Costa Favolosa, also received the ‘Green Plus’ certification at its naming ceremony in Trieste, for the cutting-edge environmental initiatives employed on the ship.

The Green Plus is the highest certification assigned by RINA Group to ships that are environmentally compliant. The Green Plus is a voluntary award certifying compliance with environmental protection standards that are far stricter than those set out by the international MARPOL Convention. The Green Plus certification lays down specific restrictions for each of the 11 different pollution sources for vessels - garbage, gray water, sewage, oily wastes from machinery spaces, CO2, ozone depleting substances, greenhouse gases, particulate matter, sulphur oxides, nitrogen and ballast water.

The new edition of Costa Cruises’ 2012 annual brochure will be available from September 2011

Costa Cruises, Europe’s number one cruise company, has announced exciting news for its 2012 itineraries, with several new and unique programmes.

With increasing interest in destinations such as the Mediterranean and North Europe, Costa Cruises has added extra programmes to satisfy the demand from guests.

COSTA FASCINOSA DOUBLES HER DEBUT
The new Costa flagship (114,500 gross tonnage and 3,800 total guests), which is being built by Fincantieri at Marghera (Venice) Yards, will make her debut in spring 2012. The company is introducing two new vernissage cruises before the already scheduled inaugural cruise to satisfy the demand to experience this new ship on its first few voyages. The first mini vernissage cruise, departing from Venice on 2 May 2012, will call at Dubrovnik (Croatia), Capri (Italy) and Savona (Italy). The second vernissage cruise will depart from Savona on 7 May 2012, calling at Corfu (Greece), Kotor (Montenegro) and Venice.

MEDITERRANEAN: BEACH, FUN AND CULTURE ON THE TOP OF THE LIST
New summer itineraries in the Mediterranean will be dedicated to the most popular holiday preferences: beach, fun and culture.

The first itinerary is a fly and cruise programme, homeporting in Rhodes and is a beach oriented seven-night itinerary in the Aegean Sea, visiting six different Greek islands. From the end of June to mid-September 2012, Costa Atlantica will depart from Rhodes every Friday to Kos, Samos, Izmir (Turkey), Mykonos, Santorini and Heraklion/Crete Island.

From 14 September until November 2012, the ship will continue her seven-night cruises from Rhodes with a more cultural itinerary, including Cyprus, Turkey, Israel and Greece.

Another brand new summer itinerary is dedicated to beaches and fun. From June to September 2012, Costa Serena will be offering seven-night cruises including Savona, Rome (Civitavecchia-Italy), Costa Smeralda (Olbia-Italy), an overnight call in Ibiza (from which it is possible to reach the island of Formentera), Palma de Mallorca (Balearic Islands) and Marseilles (France) – with shore excursions to Provence.

A new itinerary is also scheduled in the Eastern Mediterranean to discover the beautiful Dalmatian Coast. During the entire summer season, Costa Classica will be offering a seven-night itinerary including a full day in Dubrovnik that will allow excursions to Medjugorje, one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the world. Costa Classica’s new itinerary consists of: Trieste, Ancona, Dubrovnik/Medjugorje, Kefalonia (Greece), Corfu (Greece), Kotor (Montenegro) and Split (Croatia).

The new seven-night Western Mediterranean summer itinerary of Costa Concordia will call at Savona (Italy), Barcelona (Spain), Malta, Palma de Mallorca (Balearic Islands), Catania (Italy) and Naples (Italy).

MEDITERRANEAN: MORE ITINERARIES IN THE BLACK SEA, PORTUGAL AND ISRAEL
Israel, Black Sea and Portugal are all increasingly popular destinations and itineraries have been altered to reflect this. In April 2012 and for departures between September to November 2012, Costa Pacifica’s 11-night cruises, which previously featured Egypt, will be replaced by a Greece/Israel/Turkey itinerary with two days in Israel at Ashod and Haifa to visit Jerusalem and the Holy Land.

Costa Mediterranea will also be offering two additional 13-night Black Sea cruises as well as four new 10-night cruises to Lisbon and Casablanca with an overnight in Lisbon.

In autumn 2012, Costa Fortuna will be replacing 10-night cruises to Egypt with the already existing nine-night cruises to Lisbon and Casablanca.

MEDITERRANEAN: CAGLIARI REPLACES TUNIS
The Italian port of Cagliari will be replacing Tunis for the seven-night Western Mediterranean summer cruises of Costa Allegra, the seven-night Western Mediterranean winter cruises of Costa Concordia and for all Costa Deliziosa mini cruises in December 2011 and April 2012.

NORTH EUROPE: MORE CRUISES IN THE FJORDS
In order to satisfy the increased demand for this area, in summer 2012, Costa Luminosa and Costa Fortuna will be offering additional seven-night cruises to the Fjords.

NORTHERN EUROPE: NEW ITINERARIES FOR THE NEW SHIP “COSTA neoROMANTICA”
During winter 2011/12, Costa Romantica will be completely refurbished to become a brand new ship, Costa neoRomantica. After an initial 11-night Canary Islands cruise, from the end of March until mid September 2012, the ship will be dedicated to a new programme of 14-night cruises, with exclusive itineraries covering North Europe: four cruises to discover the most interesting destination on the Atlantic Sea, such as Amsterdam, Bruges, Le Havre, St. Malo, Bordeaux, Oporto and Lisbon; six unique cruises that for the first time will bring together the best destinations of the Fjords and Baltic Capitals and two cruises to Spitsbergen Island.

GRAND CRUISES TO THE INDIAN OCEAN, FAR EAST & AUSTRALIA
Costa Cruises will also introduce new long-distance cruises on ancient navigators’ routes, dedicated to cruise fans. From 19 September 2012, Costa neoRomantica will offer a new 21-night Grand Cruise from Italy towards the Arabian Gulf, Indian Ocean, Far East and Australia and return. Destinations included in these grand cruises include Israel, Jordan, Oman, India, Seychelles, Mauritius, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.

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Below is a list of all Costa itineraries for 2012:

MEDITERRANEAN

Mediterranean - Winter 2011/2012
- In December 2011, Costa Deliziosa will be offering three mini-cruises in the Western Mediterranean including Cagliari
- Costa Serena will offer 11-night cruises to the Canary Islands and 11-night cruises to Greece, Israel and Turkey, with two days in Israel (Ashod and Haifa)
- Costa Concordia will offer seven-night Western Mediterranean cruises including Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma, Cagliari, Palermo and Civitavecchia
- From 20 February to 24 March 2012, Costa neoRomantica will be deployed on 11-night cruises to the Canary Islands

Mediterranean - Spring 2012
- Designed for those who would like to experience a mini Costa cruise, in spring 2012, Costa Atlantica will offer brand new itineraries. Four and five-night mini-cruises (calling Savona, Barcelona, Ibiza/Palma de Mallorca, Ajaccio and Marseille) allow embarkation from Savona, Barcelona and Marseille
- Costa Pacifica will offer 11-night cruises to Greece, Israel and Turkey, including two days in Israel (Ashod and Haifa)
- Costa Serena will offer a seven-night itinerary to Savona, Civitavecchia, Palermo, Palma, Valencia and Marseilles
- Costa Magica will offer 10-night cruises including Marseille, Livorno, Palermo, Athens, Izmir, Rhodes and Malta
- In April and May 2012, Costa Fortuna will depart on seven-night cruises to Venice, Bari, Olympia, Santorini, Rhodes and Dubrovnik

Mediterranean - Summer 2012
- Costa Fascinosa, the new flagship, will debut with two vernissage cruises from Venice on 2 May 2012 and Savona on 7 May 2012, followed by a 10-night inaugural cruise with an overnight stay in Haifa. For the rest of the summer season, until November 2012, Costa Fascinosa will be offering seven-night cruises to Venice, Bari, Olympia, Santorini, Rhodes and Dubrovnik
- From April to November 2012, Costa Favolosa will depart on seven-night cruises to Venice, Bari, Olympia, Izmir, Istanbul and Dubrovnik
- From May to November 2012, Costa Classica will leave from Trieste and Ancona on new seven-night cruises to Dubrovnik/ Medjugorje, Cefalonia, Corfu, Kotor and Split
- From April to November 2012, Costa Concordia will be offering new seven-night cruises to Savona, Barcelona, Malta, Palma, Catania and Naples
- From June to September 2012, Costa Serena will be offering seven-night cruises including Savona, Civitavecchia, Costa Smeralda/Olbia, an overnight call in Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca and Marseille.
- From June to September 2012, Costa Atlantica will be departing from Rhodes on a brand new Greek Island itinerary to Kos, Samos, Izmir, Mykonos, Santorini and Heraklion/Crete
- From July to August 2012, Costa Allegra will be offering seven-night cruises including Barcelona, Villefranche, Livorno, Capri, Malta, Cagliari and Minorca
- From March to November 2012 Costa Mediterranea will offer 13-night cruises to the Black Sea, 11-night cruises to the Canary Islands, 10-night cruises to Lisbon and Casablanca with an overnight in Lisbon and 11-night cruises to Greece, Israel and Turkey, with two days in Israel (Ashod and Haifa)

Mediterranean - Autumn 2012
- Costa Deliziosa will be offering 11-night cruises to the Canary Islands
- Costa Luminosa will be offering three, four and five-night mini cruises in the West Mediterranean, calling at Savona, Barcelona, Ibiza/Palma de Mallorca, Ajaccio and Marseilles
- Costa Atlantica will continue her seven-night cruises from Rhodes with a more cultural itinerary, including Cyprus, Turkey, Israel and Greece
- Costa Fortuna will be offering nine-night cruises to Lisbon and Casablanca
- Costa Pacifica will be offering 11-night cruises to Greece, Israel and Turkey, including two days in Israel (Ashod and Haifa)
- Costa Serena will be offering a seven-night itinerary to Savona, Civitavecchia, Palermo, Palma, Valencia, Marseilles
- Costa Magica will be offering 10-night cruises including Marseille, Livorno, Palermo, Athens, Izmir, Rhodes and Malta

NORTHERN EUROPE – Summer 2012
- Costa Magica will depart from Amsterdam on eight-night cruises allowing guests to visit six of Europe’s top capital cities on the one cruise: Paris, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen and Oslo
- Costa Deliziosa will depart from Amsterdam on 11-night cruises to North Cape and 14-night cruise to Spitsbergen and an 11-night cruise in the Baltic
- Costa Luminosa will be operating out of Amsterdam on seven-night cruises to the Norwegian Fjords and Baltic cities
- Costa Pacifica will be positioned in Germany (homeports Kiel and Hamburg) for 10- to 16-night cruises to North Cape, Iceland, the Spitsbergen Islands and Baltic cities
- Costa Fortuna will homeport in Copenhagen on seven-night cruises to the Norwegian Fjords and Baltic cities
- From the end of March until mid September 2012, Costa neoRomantica will be dedicated to new programmes of 14-night cruises with exclusive itineraries covering North Europe: four cruises to discover Bruges, Le Havre, St. Malo, Bordeaux, Oporto and Lisbon as well as six cruises including for the first time both Fjords and Baltic Capitals and two cruises to the Spitsbergen Islands.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – Winter 2011/12
From December 2011 to April 2012, Costa Favolosa will be operating on one-week cruises with two days in Dubai and one-day calls at Muscat (Oman), Fujairah (UAE), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Khasab (Oman) and an additional overnight stay in Dubai.

INDIAN OCEAN - Winter 2011/12
From December 2011 to February 2012, Costa Allegra will sail from Mauritius on 14-night Indian Ocean cruises with port calls in the Seychelles, Madagascar and Reunion on an exclusive route only offered by Costa Cruises.

RED SEA – All year long
From December 2011 to the end of 2012, Costa Voyager will offer seven-night Red Sea cruises from Sharm el Sheikh. The itinerary includes Sharm el Sheikh, an overnight in Eilat (Israel), Aqaba (Jordan), Safaga (Egypt) and Sokhna (Egypt) before returning to Sharm el Sheikh. Costa Voyager is a ship which will be transferred from Iberocruceros and operated by Costa Cruises.

FAR EAST - All year long
- Until March 2012, Costa Classica will depart from Singapore on a 14-night itinerary, which can be broken down into two seven-night segments, sailing to Thailand and Malaysia. She will also operate out of Hong Kong on four and five-night cruises to Taiwan and Vietnam.
- From May to October 2012, Costa Victoria will offer mini-cruises and seven-night cruises to Japan and South Korea from Shanghai. In November she will depart from Singapore on a 14-night itinerary, which can be broken down into two seven-night segments, sailing to Thailand and Malaysia.

CARIBBEAN - Winter 2011/12
- For the first time, Costa Luminosa will be positioned in the Caribbean on seven-night cruises out of Guadeloupe and calling at a different Caribbean island each day, including Martinique, St. Maarten, Dominican Republic, Catalina Island, Tortola and Antigua. For the first time, Costa Luminosa will also bring to the Caribbean “wellness cruises” thanks to the shipboard Samsara Spa
- Costa Mediterranea will be offering seven-night Caribbean cruises from Guadeloupe alternating two different itineraries which include the most renowned and beloved venues in the Caribbean such as Aruba, Curacao, Catalina Island, Isla Margarita, Santa Lucia, St Maarten, Antigua, Dominica and Barbados
- Costa Atlantica will be deployed on a 10-night route departing from Miami and porting at Grand Turk, Ocho Rios (Jamaica), Grand Cayman, Roatan (Honduras), Cozumel (Mexico) and Nassau (Bahamas)

SOUTH AMERICA – Winter 2011/12
- Costa Pacifica will make her debut in this part of the world, with cruises focused on Brazil
- Costa Magica will be offering cruises to Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina
- Costa Fortuna will be offering cruises to Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina
- Costa Victoria will be positioned in Santos for nine-night cruises in South America calling at Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Porto Belo and Ilhabela

ROUND-THE-WORLD CRUISES
On 28 December 2011 and 6 January 2013, Costa Deliziosa will set sail from Savona on two 100-day round-the-world trips, with the westbound route embracing five continents: from Savona to Los Angeles; from Los Angeles to Singapore; from Singapore to Savona.

GRAND CRUISES FROM SOUTH AMERICA TO ASIA
Departing from Santos on 7 March 2012, Costa Victoria will sail to Shanghai on an exclusive 72-night cruise made up of four different sections consumers can buy singly.
The first leg is from Santos to Savona on a 17-night cruise (calling at Rio de Janeiro, Salvador de Bahia, Recife, Cape Verde, Canary Islands, Madeira, Lisbon, Gibralta and Barcelona). The second leg departs on 24 March 2012 when Costa Victoria will sail from Savona to Dubai on an 18-night cruise (calling at Naples, Port Said, Suez Canal Transit, Sharm el Sheikh, Safaga, Aqaba, Salalah and Muscat). The third leg of the ship’s positioning to China will start on 11 April 2012. Costa Victoria will sail from Dubai to Singapore on a 20-night cruise (calling at Mumbai, Goa, Cochin, Malè, Colombo, Phuket and Port Klang-Maldives). Costa Victoria will then offer the fourth leg of the positioning to Shanghai through a 17-night cruise calling at Bangkok, Ho Chi Min City, Da Nang, Halong Bay, Hainan and Hong Kong.

GRAND CRUISES FROM ITALY TO AUSTRALIA
From 19 September 2012, Costa neoRomantica will be offering new 21-night and 23-night “Grand Cruises” towards the Arabian Gulf, Indian Ocean, Far East and Australia and return. The first grand cruise will depart from Italy to reach Dubai, calling at Naples, Egypt, Suez Canal, the Red Sea, Israel, Jordan, Oman and United Arab Emirates. The second cruise, departing from Dubai on 10 October 2012, will go to Mauritius and include India, Seychelles, Madagascar, Reunion. The third grand cruise departs from Mauritius on 31 October 2012, and will call at the Seychelles, Maldives, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. The fourth grand cruise, departing from Singapore on 21 November 2012, will end in Melbourne (Australia), calling at Bali, Lombok (Indonesia), Brisbane and Sydney (Australia). The fifth grand cruise will leave from Sydney on 14 December 2012, visiting Australia and New Zealand. On 5 January 2013, Costa neoRomantica will depart from Melbourne to come back to Italy through four 21-night grand cruises: Melbourne-Singapore; Singapore-Mauritius; Mauritius-Dubai; Dubai-Savona.

Launching on 26 August, Costa Cruises is offering three new itineraries to popular Japanese destinations and will introduce new cities in 2012.

Costa Cruises, Europe’s number one cruise company, is resuming its Japan itineraries and introducing new destinations.

On 26 August 2011, Costa Classica will be leaving Shanghai for a four-day cruise calling at Fukuoka (Japan) and Cheju (South Korea) before returning to Shanghai.

This decision demonstrates Costa’s confidence in Japan’s tourism market and its support of the revitalisation of the local tourism industry; as the first international cruise company to enter the Chinese market, Costa Cruises has been operating cruise itineraries from China to Japan for more than five years.

From August to October this year, Costa Classica, home-ported in Shanghai, will operate a total of 12 cruises to Japan and South Korea.

The wide selection of itineraries includes three Japanese destinations: Fukuoka, Nagasaki and Kagoshima: four-day cruises to Fukuoka and Cheju (South Korea); a six-day cruise to Pusan (South Korea), Fukuoka and Kagoshima and a five-day cruise to Fukuoka, Nagasaki and Cheju (South Korea).

In 2012, Costa will further expand its operations in Asia and the Far East, with the deployment for the first time of the Costa Victoria (75,200 gross tonnage and 2,394 total guests), which will replace the Costa Classica (53,000 gross tonnage and 1,680 total guests).

For the first time on these cruises the Costa Victoria will offer guests the chance to book 246 veranda cabins to enjoy the splendid scenery of the Far East, including Japan, from the privacy of their own cabins. Costa Cruises will increase its offer in the area by about 40%.

In 2012, Costa Victoria will sail to an array of new destinations in Japan including the tropical paradise of Hososhima/Miyazaki; Wakayama, which boasts the largest hot spring resort; Osaka, Japan’s second largest city; the popular sightseeing cities in the Kanto Area, Yokohama and Tokyo, the capital city.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (www.jnto.go.jp), a joint statement from the World Health Organization, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Meteorological Organization, the International Maritime Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization has reaffirmed that operations can continue normally into and out of Japan's major airports and sea ports.