Costa Readying Two Ships to Start Mediterranean Cruising

Costa Crociere may be readying two ships to start cruising in the Mediterranean as soon as August, according to crew aboard the line's ships who attended a recent town hall-style meeting.

The ships that would be put into operation will reportedly be the newest vessels in the Italian brand's fleet, the 2014-built Diadema, and the 2019-built Smeralda. 

In a letter sent to the crew, Costa said it has been working with various institutions to restart operations with a limited number of vessels, as soon as August. However, any restart would be linked to a certain number of conditions, according to the company.

The new challenge is for Costa to crew its ships, with Costa noting that many countries are restricting the movement of the crew, presenting challenges in getting crew to the ships.

Thus, Costa is asking that crew near the end of their contracts consider extending their contracts aboard.

"We official inform all crew members under a valid contract that they will be requested to fulfil their contract commitment, continuing the regular schedule of operation," a company letter read.