When Costa Smeralda sets sail later this year she will offer a unique travel experience inspired by the style, hospitality and warmth of Italy. Costa Cruises’ new flagship is scheduled to leave Hamburg on October 20th for a 15-day vernissage cruise to Savona where she will officially be named on November 3rd.
AN ITALIAN-STYLE, NEXT GENERATION FLAGSHIP
With a name inspired by one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in Sardinia, Costa Smeralda will take its guests on a journey through Italy that will be unique in terms of innovative design and on-board services. She will pay tribute to the many things about Italy that people around the world love and appreciate.
The tribute begins with the ship’s name that recalls one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in Sardinia – the Emerald Coast, as well as the names of the decks and public areas, each one of which is dedicated to the 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 “heart” of the new flagship will be the Colosseo, an area in the middle of the ship with three levels, ideal to enjoy the best show performances. 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 so guests can enjoy a glass of Ferrari sparkling wine or a Campari, while admiring the sea through the large glass walls.
Piazza di Spagna, a large stairway on three decks facing astern, will be the ideal place to entertain guests of all ages. The glass floor of the open-air balcony on the top deck will give 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), and where shops and musical entertainment come together in one area.
Another spectacular panoramic view point will be the Passeggiata Volare, a walkway, which will reach 65 metres high, the highest point of the ship.
The new Costa ship 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. The Costa Design 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.
In order to provide a genuinely “Made in Italy” design experience, Costa Smeralda furniture, lighting, fabrics and accessories have been selected in collaboration with prestigious Italian companies like Molteni&C (sofas and seats), Roda (balcony furniture), Flos (decorative lights), Dedar and Rubelli (fabrics and upholstery). These brands form part of a team of fifteen renowned Italian suppliers, which includes companies like Kartell, Poltrona Frau and Alessi.
AN ITALIAN CULINARY JOURNEY
The ship will be a feast for the eyes but also a feast for the taste buds. Costa Smeralda will have eleven restaurants, including a Teppanyaki restaurant, the Pummid’Oro Pizzeria, the Laboratorio del Gusto (Taste Lab) where guests can enjoy making their dinner before dining and the family restaurant Tutti a tavola, which will also offer many entertainment activities.
There will be plenty of bars for guests to relax and enjoy a drink. In fact Costa Smeralda will offer no less than 19 bars like the Ferrari Spumante Spazio Bollicine, an Aperol Spritz Bar on the outside decks and the elegant Campari Bar. Another great (and sweet) place to explore will be the Nutella Café.
RELAXING IN ITALY
Costa Smeralda would not be complete without one of the jewels in Costa Cruises’ crown: its spa! With a beauty salon, hammam, thalassotherapy pool, 16 treatment rooms, and snow, salt and relaxation rooms it will be a true wellness paradise. Guests who want to relax and enjoy the sun can use the four swimming pools, including one pool with a roof and two kids pools, and one reserved swimming pool deck.
People who want to stay in shape on holiday can use the gym and multi-sports pitch with sea view. The gym will display the most innovative Technogym equipment, for a truly unique and engaging experience. And the fun continues at the water park with its slides, at the theatre, disco, casino, jazz club piano bar and games room and in the special kids areas.
SWEET ITALIAN DREAMS
The comfortable and elegant rooms onboard Costa Smeralda will exude Italian taste and style. They have been designed by the Milan based studio Dordoni Architetti and decorated with the colours and the geometric patterns of the city that each deck is named after, making the interiors welcoming and bright.
Costa Smeralda will introduce a new category of rooms to the fleet. The new staterooms with a “terrace over the sea” feature a splendid annex where guests can have breakfast, sip on an aperitif, or simply enjoy the sound of the waves.
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.
ITINERARIES
Costa Smeralda wil set of on a 15-day vernissage cruise on 20 October 2019. The voyage to Savona will include two-day stops in Hamburg, Rotterdam, Lisbon, Barcelona and Marseille.
The Costa Smeralda christening ceremony will be celebrated in grand style in Savona on November 3, 2019. The six-day inaugural cruise will depart from Savona on November 4, 2019, and sail to Barcelona, Marseilles and Civitavecchia (Rome).
Costa Smeralda will continue to sail in the Western Mediterranean offering one-week cruises calling at Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Civitavecchia and La Spezia.