Costa Diadema Debuts in Argentina and Uruguay

Costa Diadema Debuts in Argentina and Uruguay

One of three Costa Cruises ships in South America this season, the Costa Diadema recently offered its first-ever cruise to Argentina and Uruguay.

The 3,700-guest ship debuted in the two countries as part of a seven-night itinerary that includes visits to Buenos Aires and Montevideo, as well as the Brazilian ports of Santos and Itajaí.

Sailing from multiple homeports, the cruise will be offered through early April and also includes three days at sea.

“We had great demand for this itinerary in the 2023-24 season, so we decided to increase our offering in this region,” said Renê Hermann, Costa’s Brazil president.

The Costa Diadema takes over the itinerary from the smaller Costa Favolosa, which had been sailing to Argentina and Uruguay for the past two summer seasons.

While most of the ship’s capacity will be allocated to the Brazilian market, passengers will also be able to embark in Argentina.

“We’ve also seen significant demand in the country, and we’ll have guests embarking there too,” Hermann told Cruise Industry News.

In addition to the Costa Diadema, Costa’s 2024-25 deployment in South America also includes the Costa Favolosa and the Costa Pacifica.

The Costa Pacifica opened the company’s season in South America after arriving in Brazil in late November.

Sailing from Santos and Rio de Janeiro, the 2009-built vessel will be fully dedicated to the Brazilian market through late March.

Offering longer itineraries in the region, the Costa Favolosa is also offering cruises to Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.

The vessel’s eight- to nine-night itineraries sail from Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and Montevideo and visit destinations that include Punta del Este, Balneário Camboriú and Ilhabela.

After completing its schedule of seven-night cruises in the region, the Costa Diadema is scheduled to offer short cruises from Santos before returning to Europe in late April.

Costa Pacifica Becomes First Ship to Watch Santos’ Firework Display

Costa Pacifica Becomes First Ship to Watch Santos’ Firework Display

The Costa Pacifica became the first cruise ship to watch the New Year’s Eve fireworks display in Santos, Brazil.

The Costa Cruises ship reached the town as part of an eight-night cruise to Brazil.

Before anchoring in Santos Bay for the 14-minute firework display, the Pacifica embarked guests in Santos and Rio de Janeiro.

In addition to its two homeports, the itinerary also included visits to Búzios, Angra dos Reis, Ilhabela, and Balneário Camboriú.

According to Santos Mayor Rogério Santos, the operation highlights the town’s status as a major cruise hub.

“It is an extremely important action to promote Santos not only during New Year’s Eve but throughout the season, in all seasons of the year,” he said.

Continuing its deployment in South America, the Costa Pacifica is set to offer a series of three- to seven-night cruises from Santos and Rio through late March.

Costa’s 2024-25 season in the region also includes the Costa Diadema and the Costa Favolosa, with itineraries departing from different homeports.

A traditional destination for cruise ships during New Year’s Eve, Rio de Janeiro received six ships to ring in 2025.

The lineup included two vessels from Costa Cruises, the Costa Favolosa and the Costa Deliziosa, as well as four ships from MSC Cruises, including the MSC Grandiosa, which is currently the largest vessel sailing in Brazil.

The 4,888-guest ship joined the MSC Seaview, the MSC Orchestra and the MSC Poesia for the 12-minute firework display.

In Portugal’s Madeira Island, 11 cruise ships gathered in Funchal for the port city’s New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Nine different companies were represented, including AIDA, Cunard, and Fred. Olsen, Hapag-Lloyd, Marella, Phoenix Reisen, Saga and TUI.

The largest ship on the scene was the 3,000-guest Queen Anne, which entered service for Cunard in April 2024.

 

Carnival Corporation Actively Managing Brand and Ship Portfolio

Carnival Corporation Actively Managing Brand and Ship Portfolio

“We’ve been actively managing the portfolio and allocating ships differently, moving vessels and winding up a brand in the case of P&O Australia,” said Josh Weinstein, president and CEO of Carnival Corporation.

“I think it’s setting ourselves up to really put the assets where the highest returns are in the immediate term and the medium term, while we help all the brands who aren’t yet where I think they should be, get to those levels,” he continued, speaking on the company’s year-end and fourth-quarter earnings call.

“At a base level, it’s a continuation of all of those things in the commercial space and having those great brand leaders really lean in even further. We’re investing in our people. We’re investing in our tools, our revenue management tools, to make sure that we are utilizing the technology effectively to optimize the yields.”

Weinsten also pointed to strength in onboard spending.

“We’ve got a good amount of runway to continue the progress we’ve been making around pulling forward the spend, which as everybody knows, opens up the second wallet and the more people spend before they get on the cruise, the more they spend on the cruise. So our brands are again working hard to continue that and we’re nowhere near what the cap could be on those types of efforts.”

Brazil’s Santos Port Authority to Offer Reduced Fees for Cruise Ships

Brazil’s Santos Port Authority to Offer Reduced Fees for Cruise Ships

Santos Port Authority (SPA) is offering reduced operational fees for cruise ships visiting the Port of Santos in Brazil, according to a press release.

As part of a new set of regulations introduced in October, discounted fees will be provided to cruise lines based on the volume of passengers travelling to the port onboard their ships.

The reduction in fees ranges from 10 to 60 per cent, with the maximum benefit offered to operators bringing more than 680,000 passengers.

SPA also provides discounts for various types of vessels that achieve a certain rating on a local index of sustainability and efficiency.

“This is another way to encourage operators who adopt best practices,” said SPA President Anderson Pomini.

The new regulation for discounted fees will be in effect for 12 months and may be extended based on the port authority’s evaluation of its effectiveness.

Operators will provisionally receive the discounts based on their own estimates, the Santos Port Authority explained.

Numbers will later be adjusted at the end of the cruise season based on actual data from SPA’s data system.

The regulation requires operators to inform SPA in advance about their estimated number of passengers and specific schedules.

As the largest homeport in Brazil, Santos is set to seeten cruise ships during the 2024-25 season.

In addition to welcoming transit calls, the port will serve as a base for three ships from MSC Cruises, including the MSC Grandiosa, the MSC Seaview and the MSC Splendida.

A fourth ship from the company, the MSC Armonia, is also scheduled to sail from Santos between February and March.

Costa Cruises is also offering cruises departing from the port onboard two ships: the Costa Diadema and the Costa Pacifica.

Brands visiting the port for transit calls include Princess Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Crystal and Villa Vie Residences.

Goddess of the Night Reportedly Detained by Italian Authorities

Goddess of the Night Reportedly Detained by Italian Authorities

The Goddess of the Night has reportedly been detained by Italian authorities while docked at the Port of Brindisi.

According to Reuters, the 2,720-guest vessel was seized on Wednesday following complaints about poor sanitary conditions onboard.

The ship, owned by Seajets, was impounded by order of local prosecutors to allow further investigations, the agency said.

The Goddess of the Night was chartered by the Italian government to serve as a floating hotel during the 50th Summit of the Group of Seven (G7).

The ship was supposed to accommodate police forces serving at the event, which is taking place in Italy’s Apulia region.

Since arriving in Brindisi earlier this week, however, the 103,000-ton vessel has been criticized for its poor sanitary condition, Reuters reported.

Unions claim that many cabins could not be used due to water leaks, broken air conditioning and malfunctioning toilets.

As a result, officers who were set to stay on the vessel have now been transferred to hotels and another ship, the news agency said.

Citing the local police forces, Reuters said that initial investigations carried out onboard showed “significant hygienic-sanitary criticalities and serious accommodation deficiencies.”

According to Italian media, the local government paid around 6.5 million euros to charter the Goddess of the Night for eight days.

The vessel was scheduled to house over 2,600 public security and police officers. In addition to the use of the ship’s staterooms and public areas, the charter deal included catering services, with three meals set to be served onboard per day.

Built for Carnival Corporation’s Costa Cruises brand, the Goddess of the Night was sold to Greece-based Seajets in early 2023.

The ship has been out of service since early 2020, the 2004-built ship is poised to soon launch service for a new cruise brand, Neonyx Cruises.

The first sailing of the brand, which will offer an adults-only product focused on parties and nightlife, is set to depart on July 15, 2024.

Adora Cruises’ Second Ship To Get Upsized

Adora Cruises’ Second Ship To Get Upsized

According to a report from China Daily, the new vessel will be 17.4 meters longer than the 2023-built sister ship.

Currently under construction at China State Shipbuilding Company’s Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Yard in Shanghai, the cruise ship is scheduled to enter service in 2025.

At 141,000 gross tons, the newbuild will be roughly five percent larger than the 135,500-ton Adora Magic City, the report added.

Citing shipyard sources, China Daily also said that the new vessel will feature an optimized interior layout, in addition to enhanced facilities.

“China State Shipbuilding Company will continuously make efforts to enhance the second cruise ship’s design, craftsmanship, construction and facilities to achieve higher quality, greater efficiency and lower cost,” the report concluded.

With its construction started in August 2022, the second China-made cruise ship currently has 75 percent of its design workload finished, while 58 percent of the production design was completed.

Both the 2025 newbuild and the Adora Magic City feature a basic project based on Carnival Corporation’s Vista class.

Built to serve the Chinese domestic market, the vessels offer a series of customized features, including an expanded shopping area and a series of alternative restaurants.

After five years in the making, the Adora Magic City kicked off a series of short cruises to the Far East departing from Shanghai in January.

Also built at the Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Yard, the 4,200-guest ship became the first large cruise ship ever constructed in China.

In addition to the two newbuilds, Adora Cruises also operates the former Costa Mediterranea. Now named Mediterranea, the 2003-built ship is offering a series of short cruises departing from Tianjin.

Red Sea Changes: Carnival Corp. Rerouting 12 Cruise Ships

Red Sea Changes: Carnival Corp. Rerouting 12 Cruise Ships

Carnival Corporation said on Tuesday it had made the decision to reroute itineraries for 12 ships across seven brands, which were scheduled to transit the Red Sea through May 2024.

The Red Sea rerouting is expected to have an adjusted earnings per share impact of $0.07 to $0.08 for full year 2024, the company announced, with the vast majority of the impact in the second quarter.

Carnival said it has not seen an impact on booking trends due to the Red Sea situation and has no other Red Sea transits until November 2024.

Piraeus Welcomes First Ship of the Year, Costa Deliziosa

Piraeus Welcomes First Ship of the Year, Costa Deliziosa

The Port of Piraeus has welcomed its first cruise ship call of the new year with the arrival of the Costa Deliziosa on Tuesday, January 2, according to a press release.

To mark the occasion, the Management of Piraeus Port Authority hosted a special ceremony with the exchange of plaques and Christmas treats for all passengers.

The Costa Deliziosa arrived from Izmir, Turkey during its 14-night Mediterranean voyage sailing roundtrip from Trieste, Italy.

The ship then continued its trip to Dubrovnik, Croatia and will also call in Bari, Italy, before returning to Trieste on Saturday, January 6.

The port also reported historical records for cruise passengers in 2023, with approximately 1.5 million passengers, compared to 880,000 in 2022. Additionally, the total number of cruise ships that visited the port was 760.

The port expects record arrivals in 2024.

Margaritaville at Sea Launches ‘Three Sail Free’ Sale

Margaritaville at Sea Launches ‘Three Sail Free’ Sale

Margaritaville at Sea launched “Three Guests Sail Free” allowing paying passengers to add up to three additional guests for free, depending on the stateroom capacity.

The company’s biggest offer yet applies to all sailings and itineraries on both the Paradise and Islander ships in 2024, according to a press release. 

Guests also have the option to pay monthly via uplift with 0 percent interest for up to nine months.  The offer is valid for bookings made between January 9 and Feb. 12, 2024.

“There is nothing better than sailing the open ocean and exploring new destinations with friends or loved ones, and our new offer lets our guests bring up to three of their favorite people along for the journey,” said Christopher Ivy, CEO. “And with two ships, four ports of call, and two- to 5-night itineraries, there has never been a better time to bring your entire crew aboard Margaritaville at Sea.”  

 

Weinstein: ‘Costa On The Rebound’

Weinstein: ‘Costa On The Rebound’

Costa Favolosa entering the port of Liverpool, photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr Account)

“Costa is one of those brands that’s really on the rebound,” said Josh Weinstein, president and CEO of Carnival Corporation, speaking on the company’s third-quarter earnings call.

Weinstein credits Costa President Mario Zanetti with leading the turnaround of the Italian brand, which is launching a new marketing campaign.

“Their research based on their market and the segment that they’re trying to hit in their market was all about experiences and leaning into particular messaging in particular ways to convey it because the product for Costa is already fantastic,” Weinstein said.

He continued that Costa and AIDA posted solid numbers for August, with occupancy coming in at 119 per cent, above the 109 per cent average number Carnival reported for its nine brands.

“In fact, in Q3, AIDA and Costa delivered higher yields than 2019,” he said, noting they did this with the absence of Saint Petersburg in what would have been high-yielding Baltic itineraries.

Carnival Corp Posts 109% Occupancy in Third Quarter

Carnival Corp Posts 109% Occupancy in Third Quarter

P&O one of the Carnival Group, photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr account)

Carnival Corporation’s nine brands enjoyed full ships in the third quarter of 2023 as the company delivered a profit of over $1 billion and record revenue.

The ships on average were 109 percent full. Cruise ship occupancy is calculated by having two people in each stateroom, bringing a ship to 100 per cent. Any additional guests, such as children, will push a ship over the 100 per cent mark.

The company said that the 109 per cent occupancy number was better than its own expectations and marked a return to historical levels, compared to just 84 per cent in 2022 and 113 per cent in 2019, the last normal year prior to the pandemic.

“On the European front, occupancy came in better than anticipated for Costa and AIDA, with both brands hitting 119 per cent occupancy in August. Not to be outdone, P&O Cruises achieved its highest occupancy in over a decade,” said Josh Weinstein, president and CEO, on the company’s third-quarter earnings call.

“And so I can’t say that their yields were higher. But I can tell you that their occupancy is back, and they are well on their way, and that’s absolutely as expected,” said Weinstein, commenting on the company’s P&O brand.

Costa Cruises Named Official Cruise Line of the Ryder Cup 2023

Costa Cruises Named Official Cruise Line of the Ryder Cup 2023

Costa Cruises announced that it was named the Official Cruise Line of the 2023 Ryder Cup 2023 competition which kicks off on September 28.

Costa Cruises will be attending the event with its own dedicated space inside the Ryder Cup Village, where it’s proposing a real putting challenge, during which visitors will be able to challenge themselves.

Guests onboard the Costa Toscana and Costa Smeralda will also get to experience the excitement of the Ryder Cup and attend the final days of the competition, which ends on October 1.

During the Ryder Cup, the cruise line is also offering its Cruise and Golf package, allowing guests to join a cruise aboard the Costa Toscana and Costa Smeralda during the two ships’ calls, to play at some of the most prestigious golf clubs in the Mediterranean and the United Arab Emirates.

Guests can choose up to four of the 24 best itineraries in Italy, France and Spain, such as the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, the Circolo del Golf Roma Acquasanta, the Golf Club Garlenda in Savona, the Golf Club Genova Sant’Anna, the Real Club de Golf El Prat in Barcelona, the Son Gual Golf in Palma de Mallorca and the Golf Bastide de la Salette in Marseille. 

With the Costa Toscana, guests sailing during the upcoming winter will be able to discover up to four of the 15 most famous golf clubs in the Arab Emirates, Oman and Doha, such as the Emirates Golf Club or ‘The Els Club’ in Dubai, the Abu Dhabi Golf Club and Yas Links Golf Club in Abu Dhabi, the Almouj Golf Club and the Ghala Golf Club in Muscat, and the Doha Golf Club.

Additionally, there is a special offer for golfers to enjoy a range of restaurants available on the Costa Smeralda and Costa Toscana, such as the Archipelago restaurant and try some of the treatments and services in the “Solemio” spa and beauty salon onboard.

 

Mediterranea Returns to Asia Ahead of Adora Cruises Debut

Mediterranea Returns to Asia Ahead of Adora Cruises Debut

After spending several months out of service in Europe, the former Costa Mediterranea returned to Asia earlier this month.

Set to debut for Adora Cruises in the fourth quarter, the 2003-built vessel is currently undergoing a refit in Singapore. Being prepared to serve the Chinese market starting this fall, the cruise ship entered the drydock of the Tuas Shipyard on August 15.

In addition to regular maintenance and class surveys, the Mediterranea is expected to be upgraded for Adora, receiving new features and also a new livery.

According to the company, the new ship’s new colour scheme was created to blend the Mediterranean’s iconic blue, green, and white tones, recreating the “elegant and artistic temperament” of the European inner sea.

In addition to the unique livery, the 2,100-guest vessel will also offer a new onboard experience tailored to the Chinese market, Adora Cruises added.

Renamed Mediterranea, the cruise ship is scheduled to offer a series of short international cruises from Tianjin later this year.

Originally built for Costa Cruises, the 86,000-ton vessel first entered service in 2003. After nearly 20 years of serving the Italian brand, the vessel was sold to CSSC Carnival – which later became Adora Cruises – in 2021.

Sharing the design of Carnival Cruise Line’s Spirit Class, the vessel features themed interiors that pay homage to Italy’s palaces and castles.

Designed by the hospitality architect Joe Farcus, the public areas include three pool decks, a multi-story atrium, a selection of dining venues and several bars and lounges.

Following the Mediterranea, the Adora Magic City is also scheduled to start service for Adora Cruises later this year. In the final stages of construction, the China-built vessel will offer short cruises from Shanghai.

A joint venture between Carnival Corporation and the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, Adora Cruises also operated the Costa Atlantica. Currently laid-up in Italy, the 2000-built vessel is a sister to the former Costa Mediterranea.

Weinstein: More Carnival Cruise Line Capacity Generating Outsized Returns

Weinstein: More Carnival Cruise Line Capacity Generating Outsized Returns

Moving two former Costa Cruises ships originally built for sailing Asia to the Carnival Cruise Line brand in North America has been an instant success, said John Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation, speaking on the company’s second-quarter earnings call.

Weinstein said that Carnival Cruise Line will amount to about a third of Carnival Corporation capacity in 2023 and 2024, compared to approximately 25 per cent pre-pandemic.

The Venezia debuted in New York earlier in June and is the first of two ships that will operate under the ‘Fun Italian Style’ branding, with the Firenze set to join the fleet next year, sailing from Long Beach.

“These transfers are part of our portfolio management strategy, which is contributing to Carnival Cruise Lines's capacity, growing 22 per cent more than pre-pause expectations. And Costa’s capacity is reduced by 36 per cent, compared to pre-pause expectations,” Weinstein explained.

“The added capacity to Carnival Cruise Line will not only generate outsized returns for the company but rightsizing the Costa brand is also having these desired effects of supporting its revenue profile confirmed by recent booking and pricing trends,” he said.

“We remain committed to our strategy of owning a portfolio of world-class brands, many of which are truly dedicated to specific markets and it’s clear the strength of this portfolio is now shifting into high gear.”

Photo: Antonio Silva

CSSC Carnival Cruise Shipping Changes Name to Adora Cruises

CSSC Carnival Cruise Shipping Changes Name to Adora Cruises

CSSC Carnival Cruise Shipping Limited announced today it has changed its name to Adora Cruises Limited, effective immediately.

The new name, inspired by its brand name “Adora Cruises” will further strengthen the popularity and reputation among customers and reflects the vision of the company to bring to guests A Voyage in Love and to build a leading homegrown Chinese cruise line, according to a press release.

Adora Cruises Limited also adopts the same logo as its brand Adora Cruises, using Chinese red, sunshine yellow, earth green and star-sea blue in the shape of A and the ship bow to display the brand personality of happiness, care, vitality, and creativity. Its ambition is to bring guests a tasteful combination of traditional elegance and modern flair, and an immersive and fun-filled experience at sea.

“Our new company name is in line with our brand name, which is more memorable and recognizable. It better communicates our goal to build the most admired cruise brand in China. Together with the company’s name changing, Adora Cruises Limited gets ready to set sail in the full resumption of the Chinese cruise market,” said Chen Ranfeng, Managing Director of Adora Cruises Limited.

The former CSSC Carnival Cruise Shipping Limited was founded in 2018. After years of development, the company has solidly enhanced its operational capability in sales, marketing and commercial operation, product design and development, hotel management, maritime operation, and newbuild project supervision and development etc.

Yang Guobing, Chairman of Adora Cruises Limited, said, “After years of development, Adora Cruises Limited has become an independent and full-functioning cruise company and has its own brand. We are getting well prepared in sales and marketing, product and hotel management and maritime operation.”

Carnival Venezia Heading to Port Canaveral in 2024

Carnival Venezia Heading to Port Canaveral in 2024

Carnival Cruise Line announced the Venezia will move from New York to Port Canaveral in late 2024, according to a press release.

“The sailings we’re opening today will allow us to share this new signature fun with more guests and bring another truly dynamic offering to one of our most popular homeports,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Carnival Venezia’s seasonal operation in Port Canaveral will bring our deployment there to five vessels and give our valued Carnival guests another great option when sailing from Central Florida.”

The cruise line will reposition the Carnival Venezia from New York with a 12-day Southern Caribbean Carnival Journeys voyage which departs on December 6, 2024, with calls in St. Thomas, Aruba, Curacao and Grand Turk before arriving in Port Canaveral on December 18, 2024. 

The ship will depart from Port Canaveral on the same day embarking on a four-day Bahamas cruise with visits to Nassau and Freeport. The Carnival Venezia will then sail 15 seven-day cruises and two 14-day Carnival Journeys voyages. The ship will return to New York in the spring of 2025.

Sailings aboard the Carnival Venezia from Port Canaveral currently on sale include:

• Seven-day Exotic Eastern Caribbean cruise departing on December 22, 2024, with calls in Grand Turk; San Juan, Puerto Rico and St. Thomas;
• Seven-Day Exotic Eastern Caribbean voyage departing on January 5, 2025, with visits to Amber Cove; San Juan, Puerto Rico and St. Thomas;
• Seven-Day Exotic Western Caribbean cruise departing on December 29, 2024, January 26, 2025, and March 23, 2025, visiting Mahogany Bay, Isla Roatan; Belize and Cozumel, Mexico;
• Seven-Day Western Caribbean itinerary departing on February 9, 2025, and March 9, 2025, with stops at Nassau, Bahamas; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands;
• Seven-Day Western Caribbean journey departing on April 6, 2025, and April 20, 2025, with calls in Nassau, Bahamas; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. 

 

The two 14-day Caribbean cruises depart on January 12, 2025, and February 23, 2025. 

The Carnival Venezia will set sail on its 15-day Carnival Journeys transatlantic sailing on May 29, 2023, from Barcelona.

The ship’s first cruise from New York to Bermuda is scheduled for June 15, 2023. 

 

Costa Sales ‘Robust’ as Easter Cruises Kick Off European Season

Costa Sales ‘Robust’ as Easter Cruises Kick Off European Season

Costa Cruises is highlighting a series of Easter cruises including sailings in the Western Mediterranean, South America and a two-week cruise bound for the Canary Islands, according to a press release.

“Sales in the last three months have been robust. Ship occupancy is growing steadily, and summer programs are selling quickly with a high demand for cabins. This is a very encouraging outlook, considering that our capacity in the Mediterranean has increased compared to 2019, while keeping our capacity in Northern Europe constant, thanks to the entry of new, state-of-the-art ships into the fleet in the last three years, such as Costa Toscana and Costa Smeralda,” said Mario Zanetti, president of Costa Cruises.

The Easter cruises mark the beginning of the spring-summer 2023 season. The Costa Toscana will be returning to the Mediterranean after a winter in the Arabian Gulf and will be offering one-week cruises to Genoa, Marseille, Barcelona, Cagliari, Naples and Civitavecchia/Rome. 

The Costa Smeralda will offer a one-week itinerary to Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca (Ibiza in summer), Palermo, and Civitavecchia/Rome. Joining them in the Mediterranean is the Costa Diadema, which underwent major renovation work over the winter and restarted on Friday. 

The Costa Diadema will introduce new experiences onboard such as the Archipelago restaurant, where guests can enjoy menus crafted by chefs Bruno Barbieri, Hélène Darroze and Ángel León; the Sushino at Costa, a sushi bistro by the sea; and the Fiorentina Steak House, featuring Italian and international meats. The Costa Diadema will offer two-week cruises to the Canary Islands and a one-week itinerary starting May 7, with calls in Savona, Civitavecchia/Rome, Cagliari or Ajaccio (depending on departures), Palma de Mallorca, Valencia and Marseille.

Starting on April 13, the Fortuna will also offer sailings in the western Mediterranean including a three-day mini-cruise and 14-day itineraries to Turkey and the Canary Islands. In the summer, the Costa Fortuna will offer a new two-week itinerary exploring the Greek and Balearic islands with calls in Savona, Civitavecchia/Rome, Messina, Crete, Rhodes, Mykonos, Santorini, Kefalonia, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona and Marseille.

The Costa Deliziosa will sail to Marghera/Venice, Katakolon/Olympia (Greece), Mykonos (Greece) Santorini (Greece) and Bari while the Costa Pacifica will visit Catania, Malta, Mykonos and Santorini. 

The Costa Fascinosa will sail 12-day itineraries to the North Cape, or nine-day cruises to the Baltic. The Costa Favolosa will explore Iceland, the Lofoten Islands and Greenland while the Costa Firenze will offer one-week cruises in the Norwegian fjords.

 

Costa Atlantica Returns to Southern Europe

Costa Atlantica Returns to Southern Europe

After several months anchored off the island of Cyprus, the Costa Atlantica recently returned to Southern Europe.

Currently, on its way to Marseille, the Spirit-class vessel also visited two Italian ports in March: Augusta and Naples.

Three years after its last drydock, the 2000-built cruise ship is expected to undergo scheduled maintenance at a local shipyard once it arrives at the French port.

Originally operated by Costa Cruises, the Costa Atlantica was sold into Carnival Corporation’s joint venture with China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) in 2018.

Handed over to its new owners a few days before the COVID-19 pandemic operational pause in early 2020, the vessel has remained out of revenue service.

Despite the change of ownership, Atlantica also retained its original name, in addition to Costa’s colours and features.

In November 2022, the Carnival Corporation – CSSC joint venture revealed plans to launch service in China under the Adora Cruises brand.

With a newbuild under construction in Shanghai, the company intends to welcome its first guests in late 2023.

Plans for the service restart of the Costa Atlantica and its sister ship Costa Mediterranea – which was also sold to the joint venture in 2018 – are yet to be confirmed.

The Atlantica originally debuted in 2000, becoming the first vessel in Carnival Corporation’s Spirit Class.

In addition to the Costa Mediterranea, the series of ships also include four ships operated by Carnival Cruise Line: the Carnival Spirit, the Carnival Miracle, the Carnival Legend and the Carnival Pride.

Built for Costa Cruises, the 2,100-guest ship served the company’s traditional markets in Europe for nearly 15 years before being repositioned to Asia in mid-2013.

Sailing year-round in the region through 2020, the Atlantica served different countries and markets, including Singapore, Taiwan, China and more.

In 2015, the ship also became the first to offer a world cruise from China. Sailing roundtrip from Shanghai, the 86-day itinerary included visits to 28 destinations in 18 different countries.

 

Carnival Firenze Opens for Sale with Cruises from Long Beach

Carnival Firenze Opens for Sale with Cruises from Long Beach

Carnival Cruise Line announced that it has opened reservations for the inaugural season of the Carnival Firenze, which will offer year-round sailings from Long Beach, California from May 2024 through April 2025.

“Carnival Firenze is named after the spectacular city of Florence, Italy. She was designed to evoke the same charm and beauty found in Florence and she’ll also pack in plenty of Carnival fun, which will be brought to life by the friendly and dedicated team members that make cruises across our fleet memorable,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.

“This truly stunning ship will serve as a great new cruise vacation option from Long Beach, joining Carnival Panorama and Radiance, and offering a range of sailing lengths to Baja Mexico and the Mexican Riviera.”

The new sailings feature 15 different itineraries of three to seven-day cruises. Sailings from Long Beach, California include:

• A five-day Mexican Riviera Inaugural Cruise, departing on May 2, 2024, with calls in Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, Mexico;
• A six-day Mexican Riviera Cruise, with multiple departure options and calls in Ensenada and two days in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico;
• A seven-day Mexican Riviera Cruise, with multiple departure options and calls in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

 

The Carnival Firenze will be the second ship to feature the all-new Carnival Fun Italian Style, after Carnival Venezia, which will make its debut in May 2023.

Costa and AIDA Eye Methanol With New Agreement

Costa and AIDA Eye Methanol With New Agreement

Costa Group and the leading methanol producer, Proman, have signed an MOU to drive further the implementation of methanol as a marine fuel for the cruise industry, according to a press release.

The partnership aims to accelerate the energy transition and decarbonization of the existing fleet for Costa and AIDA by enhancing the supply of sustainable methanol, paving the way for the retrofitting of existing vessels to operate on clean fuel, as well as investment in further methanol-fueled new builds.

“The technology to retrofit a vessel to accept methanol as a fuel is available today. Our methanol products can facilitate the transition to low-carbon intensity fuels. Methanol-powered vessels have a proven track record of reducing and eliminating major greenhouse gas emissions, delivering immediate air quality improvements around major ports and shipping lanes. We are excited to bring our expertise along the full methanol value chain to help deliver on Costa Group’s bold ambitions,” said Tim Cornelius, Proman’s Managing Director of Corporate Development.

“We are reducing the carbon footprint of our fleet while at the port and at sea, investing in advanced environmental technologies and partnering with companies such as Proman who share a passion for the sustainable energy transition. By enabling cruise ships to use methanol as a propulsion fuel, Costa follows the ambition to take the next big step towards GHG-neutral operations of our fleet by 2050,” added Dr Christoph Schladoer, VP of Decarbonization Costa Group.