More details have been released on the largest ever Costa cruise ship named Costa Smeralda which will arrive at the end of 2019. The Italian based cruise line has announced the naming ceremony of the new ship as a new ere in cruising begins for Costa.
Costa Smeralda, Largest Ever Costa Cruise Ship
Costa Smeralda will be an authentic tribute to Italy, and will offer a unique travel experience inspired by the style, the hospitality and the warmth of the “Belpaese”. Its debut is scheduled for 20 October 2019, with a 15-day vernissage cruise from Hamburg to Savona. Then, on 3 November 2019, still in Savona, the grand celebrations for the naming of Costa Smeralda will begin.
The Costa flagship will be at the cutting edge of environmental care: it will be the first cruise on the global market to be powered both in port and at sea by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the cleanest fossil fuel in the world.
Neil Palomba, President of Costa Cruises, commented:
“In 2018 we are celebrating our 70th anniversary, but as we always have, we are constantly looking towards the future, to innovate and to constantly improve. This is why I am particularly delighted to unveil a preview of our new flagship, Costa Smeralda, a next-generation ship that will bring even more opportunities to take new target guests on cruises, offering them an unforgettable holiday experience,”
“With this ship, we wanted to celebrate our country once again: from its design to the food and wine, everything on board Costa Smeralda will reflect the best of Italy, a country that has always been a byword for hospitality and quality around the world.”
A Ship Dedicated to Italy
Costa Smeralda will pay tribute to Italy, and to the things that people around the world love it and appreciate it for. The tribute begins with the ship’s name that recalls one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in Sardinia (Emerald Coast), as well as the names of the decks and public areas, each one of which is dedicated to famous places and squares of Italy. From Palermo (deck 4), to Trieste (deck 20), Costa Smeralda will take its guests on a veritable tour of Italy, with lots of areas devoted to fun, flavours and festivity.
The new Costa Cruises flagship will have lots more surprises and exciting new things in store that will make it different from the other ships in the fleet, starting with its very own onboard museum: the CoDe – Costa Design Museum will be curated by Matteo Vercelloni. The 400m2 museum will be dedicated to the excellence of Italian design and will feature many of the names that have contributed to the ship’s construction and its success.
The “heart” of the new flagship will be the Colosseo, an area in the middle of the ship with three levels, where the best shows are put on. The bright screens on the walls and on the dome will have a new story to tell in each port of call and at all times of the day, from dawn to sunset. The square will be lined with all the main themed lounge bars, where guests can enjoy a glass of Ferrari sparkling wine or a Campari, admiring the sea through the large glass walls.
Piazza di Spagna, on the other hand, will be a large stairway on three decks facing astern. It will be the ideal place for entertaining guests of all ages, with an open-air balcony on the top deck that has a glass floor that gives you the impression of flying over the sea. At the ship’s bow, Trastevere will be another piazza where guests can relax, chat and enjoy the experience of bars like the Venice-style Il Bacaro and the Gelateria Amarillo (Ice Cream Parlour), shops and musical entertainment all in one area. Another spectacular panoramic view point will be the Passeggiata Volare walkway), which will reach the highest point of the ship, 65 meters up.
Costa Smeralda Itineraries
Costa Smeralda’s 15-day vernissage cruise will set off on 20 October 2019 from Hamburg to Savona. The itinerary will include two-day stops in some of Europe’s most interesting cities from a historic and cultural point of view, like Hamburg, Rotterdam, Lisbon, Barcelona and Marseille. On 4 November 2019 the 6-day inaugural cruise will begin, departing from Savona and calling at Barcelona, Marseille and Civitavecchia. Costa Smeralda will continue to sail in the Western Mediterranean until April 2020, on one-week cruises calling at Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Civitavecchia and La Spezia.
There will be a ton of onboard features including 11 restaurants, Spa, 4 pools, gym, water park and a lot more. There will be a total of 2,612 guest rooms on board Costa Smeralda, comprising 28 suites, 106 rooms with terrace, 1,522 rooms with balcony, 168 outside rooms and 788 inside rooms. Once completed she will be 180,000 gross tons and have a guest capacity of 6,600.
