COSTA FIRENZE, THE ITALIAN SHIP INSPIRED BY THE BEAUTY OF THE RENAISSANCE, DEPARTS FOR HER FIRST CRUISE
Built by Fincantieri in Marghera, the new Costa ship leaves from Savona for an itinerary entirely devoted to Italy, which will be available throughout the summer.
With the entry into service of Costa Firenze, the flagship Costa Smeralda is once again offering an international itinerary, marking the return of Costa Cruises to France and Spain.
Genova, July 4, 2021 – Costa Firenze, the new ship of the Italian fleet of Costa Cruises, is leaving the port of Savona today on her first cruise.
Designed and built by Fincantieri in the Marghera shipyards, Costa Firenze is inspired by the Florentine Renaissance. It is the fourth Costa ship to sail again in 2021, after Costa Smeralda, Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa, following the company's gradual restart of guest operations.
Costa Firenze's one-week itinerary is entirely dedicated to Italy with six different destinations -- Savona, Civitavecchia/Rome, Naples, Catania, Palermo and Cagliari -- which can be explored in depth with dedicated excursions, thanks to port calls lasting over 10 hours. From the end of July to the end of August, guests will also have the possibility to visit and rediscover Malta, with a stop in la Valletta.
"Costa Firenze is the perfect ambassador of Italian style, which we have combined with a series of product innovations designed especially for families and couples," said Mario Zanetti, president of Costa Cruises. "This is the fourth Costa ship to resume service this summer, confirming the gradual return to normality of our company and the cruise industry, which is of great economic and employment importance for our country".
The interior design of Costa Firenze is inspired by the Tuscan city, home of Renaissance art and culture. The common areas reflect the harmony of a stroll through a Florence street or square, starting with the choice of colors, geometries and shapes in the interior design. The charming atrium 'Piazza della Signoria' is symbolic and pays homage to the Florentine square.
With 13 restaurants and eight bars, the food and wine offer is the widest in the fleet. Every evening the menu features a "destination dish", a dish linked to the destinations visited by the ship, created exclusively for Costa by Bruno Barbieri.
New features linked to Tuscany include the Fiorentina Steak House, where guests can enjoy delicious Tuscan and Italian meats, and the Frescobaldi wine experience, where guests can experience the Cultivating Toscana Diversity tasting the Marchesi Frescobaldi wines.
The numerous outdoor areas are wide, to fully enjoy the sailing experience. Families with children will find plenty to do on board, including a water park and an adventure park, while couples enjoy a private spa, swimming pools and space for intimate moments.
With the entry into service of Costa Firenze, the flagship Costa Smeralda will once again offer an international itinerary in the Mediterranean, marking the return of Costa Cruises to France, with weekly calls at Marseille, and to Spain, with weekly calls at Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, in addition to Savona, Civitavecchia/Rome and Messina.
From September 12, Costa Firenze will expand its itinerary to France and Spain, sailing to Savona, Civitavecchia/Rome, Naples, Ibiza, Barcelona and Marseille. During the winter of 2021-22 Costa Firenze will be positioned in Dubai. The week-long cruises will visit the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman, with calls at Abu Dhabi, Doha, Muscat and a multi-day stopover in Dubai, with specific packages for visits to Expo Dubai 2020, as Costa Cruises is the Gold Sponsor of the Italian Pavilion at Expo Dubai 2020.
After the summer, when a total of four ships will be operating, Costa's restart plan includes Costa Fascinosa scheduled to return to service on September 23 from Savona for 10-day cruises to Lisbon, and Costa Diadema, on September 26 from Savona with long cruises to Turkey and Greece or Spain and Portugal.
During winter 2021-22, a total of seven ships will sail, including the new flagship Costa Toscana, due for delivery in December 2021, offering cruises in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, South America, Arab Emirates, Canary Islands, as well as the Around the World cruise.
During the 2022 summer season, Costa Firenze, Costa Smeralda and Costa Toscana will offer cruises in the western Mediterranean, and Costa Deliziosa, Costa Luminosa and Costa Pacifica in the eastern Mediterranean. Four ships -- Costa Diadema, Costa Fascinosa, Costa Favolosa and Costa Fortuna -- will operate in Northern Europe, offering cruises to Baltic cities and the Norwegian fjords.
Costa’s cruises follow the procedures set out in the Costa Safety Protocol, the protocol developed by the company together with scientific experts and the Italian authorities, which contains operational measures relating to all aspects of the cruise experience, both on board and ashore.
The measures include reducing the number of guests; swab testing for all guests before embarkation and at mid-cruise; swab testing for crew before embarkation and regularly during their stay on board; daily temperature checks; visiting destinations only with protected excursions; physical separation on board and in terminals; new ways of using on-board services; enhanced sanitation and medical services; and the use of protective masks when necessary.
For further information
Costa Cruises Press Office - Tel. +39 010 5483523 / 010 5483068 - costapressoffice@costa.it
Gabriele Baroni - Communication Director - cell. +39 3497668013 - baroni@costa.it
Rossella Carrara – V. P. External Relations & Sustainability Costa Group - rossella.carrara@costa.it
Davide Barbano – Media Relations manager – cell. 334 6525216 - barbano@costa.it
www.costapresscenter.com
