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About Costa |
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What began as a fleet of freighters transporting fabrics and olive oil between Genoa and Sardinia in the mid-1800s is today the largest and most modern cruise fleet in Europe. Costa Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation, is an Italian company with a modern fleet of ships, worldwide itineraries, and a distinct Italian personality.
The Costa fleet sails under the "Cruising Italian Style" banner, thus offering a product that combines the sophisticated elegance of a European vacation with the spirit—not to mention sumptuous cuisine, authentic wine, and warm décor—of the line's Italian heritage. Costa's international family of ships spans the globe, offering cruises of seven days and longer throughout the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and northern Europe, plus offering some transatlantic sailings.
Costa is easily Europe's most innovative cruise line, particularly concerning its aggressive new building program. The cruise line launched two new vessels in 2003, another in 2004—and its newest and biggest ship, Costa Concordia, entered service in July 2006. Its sister ship, Costa Serena, makes her debut in May, 2007. Ship highlights will include a wider range of formal and casual dining venues; one of the largest health and wellness centers at sea; four swimming pools (two will feature retractable domes); and balconies in approximately 62 percent of outside cabins.
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Life Onboard |
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Costa Cruises offers a lively cruise experience -- whether via port-intensive itineraries, with only a handful of let-your-hair-down sea days, or its onboard emphasis on evening entertainment.
In particular, the cruise line's newest ships -- from CostaAtlantica onward -- offer the most diverse nightlife and alternative eating options. Otherwise, a Costa Cruise is a traditional style experience -- albeit with its signature Italian flavor. |
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Fellow Passengers |
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| On European itineraries, Costa attracts mostly European passengers from Italy, France, Germany, Spain and Portugal. On an average winter sailing in Europe, there are 60 - 80 English-speaking passengers. During the summer in Europe, about 20 percent of passengers will be North Americans. (The line's former policy of making announcements in five or more languages has been brought under control. There are now very few announcements, usually only one per day as the ship leaves port.) On South American and Caribbean cruises, the demographics flip-flop, with Costa attracting about 80 percent North American passengers (vs. 20 percent from Europe).
Particularly in its newer ships, investment in the "Club Squok" kids program has helped Costa attract more and more families. Costa's ships also appeal to a wide range of ages, from 20-something first-time cruisers to retirees. . |
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Explore the Ships |
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See the Costa cruise calendar
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How to Book |
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Though we sell a full complement of Costa cruises, customers are unable to book these cruises online at this time. To book a Costa cruise, or to learn more about Costa's ships and itineraries, please call one of our friendly and knowledgeable Cruise Specialists at 1-888-249-3978. |
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Cruise line reviews are provided by CruiseCritic.com, an award-winning cruise community, giving you objective, unbiased information to help you choose the right cruise.
Cruise Critic ©2005, The Independent Traveler, Inc. All rights reserved. |
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