I did my very first cruise with my family when I was 15 years old and something immediately made me love it. I love the idea of falling asleep in one place and wakeup in another the next morning and I love discovering multiple places and countries and just unpacking once. That being said, I was and still am a huge ship geek as well and sailing on these giant ships has always been an experience for me. So when I got the chance to sail on MSCs newest and largest ship, the MSC Grandiosa, I simply couldn’t say no.
Main Pool area onboard MSC Grandiosa
The Grandiosa holds true to its name: it is massive! One of the newest shis in the MSC family can accommodate up to 6334 passengers on 19 decks, with 11 restaurants and 20 bars and dozens of activities. I just couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw how huge she is for the first time!
We all know that cruise ships have had a bad rap over the last few years due to their environmental impact. Well, the good news is that MSC Grandiosa has some amazing environmental features. For example, the ship is equipped with a selective catalytic reduction system that helps to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 90%, along with a closed-loop exhaust gas cleaning system that reduces ship sulfur emissions by 97%. All lights onboard are LED and there’s also a pretty amazing water filter system that doesn’t dump grey water in the sea. Furthermore, the ship also plugs into the port electric system to delivers electricity and reduce emissions when docked. I am so glad that a big cruise company such as MSC is moving forward with better environmental features!
So now, let’s talk about 7 reasons you should book a cruise on the Grandiosa.
Activities
You would think that you would find time to explore the whole ship and experience everything it has to offer on a week-long cruise, but you would be wrond. MSC Grandiosa offers so many different activities onboard for those who love adventure, cusine, relaxing… there’s something for everybody. The Grandiosa has its own casino, bowling alley but also an impressive game arcade with VR games and F1 simulators! If you prefer to read a book in a cozy atmosphere, there are plenty of bars and lounges to spend time and, after dinner, there are shows in the 2 theatres, including one by Cirque du Soleil. There is also a spa onboard if you’d like to take relaxing to another level!
Pressing pause
If you like to relax as much as you like to explore during your vacation, you’ll be happy to learn that there are plenty of things to press pause during your cruise! The ship has multiple swimming pools and jacuzzis, both indoors and outdoors, which means that you’ll always be able to relax, no matter the weather! But that’s not all, there’s also a spa on board with plenty of treatments to help you relax a bit more. There’s even a barbershop as well! But to be honest with you, my favorite way to relax was to stare out at the sea on my private balcony. I could hear the waves and enjoy the view without any noise around!
Cabins
Well, let’s start with what I liked the most: our cabin! On previous cruises I did, I almost always had the cheapest guarantee inside cabin which I love don’t get me wrong. They allow me to cruise on budget and in turn cruise more often, buuuuut… that doesn’t mean I would say no to a balbony cabin! When we entered our cabin aboard the Grandiosa, I was immediately blown away by how much light and space we had. Our room was on deck 12, which means that we were high above the sea and that we had a panoramic view of each city we visited, definitely a perk that inside cabins do not have! Our cabin also had a very comfy couch that can turn into a bed if you’re traveling with kids. What struck me the most is that even if space is limited (the max size is 22 square meters), everything has been cleverly designed to maximize space. There’s a good size closet, with plenty of hanging space, but also a very long desk with shelves and drawers to organize everything. Each cabin is also equipped with Zoe, a voice-controlled personal assistant that can answer most of your questions regarding the ship, like restaurant hours or showtimes.
If you prefer a larger or smaller cabin, the options are pretty endless! We visited a suite that had its own jacuzzi but also a duplex suite, with breathtaking views on the sea. If you’re more on a budget, they also have interior cabins & studios that are more affordable.
Luxurious design!
From the glamorous, blinged out Swarovski staircase to the artfully themed Galleria Grandiosa, you will be surrounded by elegance in all design elements on this ship. Perhaps the most stunning example is the almost 90 meters long LED dome that projects a digital sky over the 2-story promenade. Whether you are shopping, dining at one of the specialty restaurants, sipping a cocktail in one of the bars, or socializing and enjoying in some live entertainment, you are sure to love Galleria Grandiosa and the rest of the luxurious touches throughout the ship.
Galleria Grandiosa was probably my favorite area of the ship. There was always something happening in the Galleria and no matter how many times I walked along the promenade I was always in shock that this is actually… on a ship!
Galleria Grandiosa
Powered by technology
Besides the technology behind the innovative stage productions and LED dome, MSC Grandiosa features the MSC for Me smartphone app. MSC for Me is MSC Cruises’ multi-channel digital program that enables guests to interact with the ship and crew members anytime, in any place, to better serve their needs, save them time and really make the most of their vacation. Key features include a handy app for smartphones, an interactive TV in the stateroom and interactive digital screens around the ship, meaning guests can access information, book services – like specialty restaurants and on board performances – navigate around the ship, and more.
One tech feature which everyone will notice onboard MSC Grandiosa is Zoe, the first virtual cruise assistant, ZOE can speak seven languages, answer hundreds of questions about the cruise and provide information about on-board services, guidance and suggestions or help to book a service.
Dining
Along with the traditional main dining room and buffet, MSC Grandiosa has several specialty venues for cruisers to indulge in various cuisines. Continuing the Mediterranean-influence, MSC Grandiosa is home to Hola Tapas Bar by Michelin-starred chef Ramon Freixa. Cruisers will also find the American-style steakhouse, Butcher’s Cut, serving up prime cuts. Kaito Teppanyaki and Sushi Bar serves up Asian favorites in a lively atmosphere. One new specialty restaurant also made a debut on MSC Grandiosa, L’Atelier Bistrot, a french restaurant whose design was inspired by neo-classical French architecture. An authentic experience all troughout, from cuisine to interior design! Further, those with a sweet tooth will love Jean Philippe’s Crepes, Ice Cream, and Chocolate.
The main dining room and buffet offer a good variety of quality dishes but I would definitely recommend dining in at least one speciality restaurant. They all offer themed dishes and an authentic, unique experiences! Oh, and definitely treat yourself with some Jean Philippe’s Crepes located in the Galleria, they were delicious…!
Entertainment
In addition to nightly live music and six different productions shows in the main theater, MSC Grandiosa also hosts two one of a kind Cirque du Soleil shows. The Carousel Lounge is a circular venue that is custom built to accommodate these theatrical performances. Guests can enjoy a dinner and a show experience. Each of these shows has a unique concept, ambiance, storyline, and costumes. These shows, not found anywhere else in the world, are part of a longstanding partnership with the entertainment leader for a total of eight original shows on MSC Cruises’ Meraviglia class ships. You can also participate in various dance lessons, quizzes and other types of entertainment onboard!
In conclusion, I would highly recommend booking a cruise on Grandiosa or on any of her sister ships (Meraviglia, Bellissima, Virtuosa) These ships have everything you can think of and more. There is always something to do it just depends on what you like! Grandsioa also has an amazing itinerary in the Mediterranean so… what are you waiting for!
I also sailed on Grandiosa’s older sister ship MSC Bellissima, so if you’d like to read more about that experience CLICK HERE and if you have any questions about MSC or Grandiosa or anything really, feel free to send me a message on Instagram, Twitter or just e-mail me!
THE SHIP INSPIRED BY THE BEAUTY OF THE RENAISSANCE
Just as I came back home from Savona from my Costa Smeralda cruise, a new Costa beauty decided to make her maiden appearance in the city!
Today, in the port of Savona, Costa Cruises presented a preview of the Costa Firenze, their newest ship in the fleet which will finally leave on her maiden voyage on the 4th of July! She was designed and built by Fincantieri at the Marghera shipyard near Venice. Firenze was delivered almost six months ago, but due to an ongoing pandemic her inaugural season has been pushed back several times, but she is finally here, ready for her first passengers! Soooo exciting!
Costa Firenze is inspired by the Florentine Renaissance at its greatest glory and captures in detail the taste for beauty for which the city of Florence is known worldwide.
The interior design reflects the harmony of a walk down a street or square in Florence, starting with the choice of colors, geometries and shapes of the interior design. The charming atrium ‘Piazza della Signoria’ is symbolic and pays homage to the Florentine square. Part of the on-board offer is also characterized by the Florentine inspiration, as in the case of the Fiorentina Steak House, which offers some of the best Tuscan meats, and the Frescobaldi wine experience, where guests can experience the Cultivating Toscana Diversity, tasting the Marchesi Frescobaldi wines.
‘Piazza della Signoria’ – main atrium on board Costa Firenze
Costa Firenze is the second Vista-class ship built for Costa. The first one was Costa Venezia back in 2019 which was inspired by, yes you guessed it, the stunning city of Venice! I had the honour to sail on her maiden voyage and she was such a beautiful ship, comepletely different from any previous ship built for Costa, in a good way of course, but unfortunately not many people got to sail on Venezia before she left Europe to sail year-round in Asia. Luckily, Costa Firenze will be staying in Europe for much longer!
Costa Firenze’s first cruises, starting with the inaugural voyage on July 4, will allow guests to visit six different Italian destinations in a week’s holiday: Savona, Civitavecchia/Rome, Naples, Catania, Palermo and Cagliari, which can be explored in depth with dedicated excursions, with port calls lasting over 10 hours. From the end of July to the end of August, the itinerary will also allow guests to rediscover Malta, with a stop in Valletta, and from 12 September also France (Marseille) and Spain (Barcelona and Ibiza), with departures from Italy. During the winter of 2021-22 Costa Firenze will be positioned in Dubai to visit the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman. The one-week itinerary includes Abu Dhabi, Doha, Muscat and a multi-day stop in Dubai, with specific packages for visiting Expo Dubai 2020. Costa Cruises is the Gold Sponsor of the Italian Pavilion at Expo Dubai 2020. And finally she will be back in the Mediterranean for the summer season of 2022 so you will definitely have a chance on this stunning new ship!
Costa Firenze in Savona!
To seal the link with the city, Costa Cruises President Mario Zanetti and the Mayor of Florence, Dario Nardella, announced a cooperation agreement on board the Costa Firenze to promote tourism in the city, starting with Costa’s contribution to the restoration of Dante’s plaques on the 700th anniversary of Dante Alighieri’s death.
There are a total of 33 stone plaques, placed in many places in the city, the result of a historical research project dating to the early 20th century. Each plaque bears a quotation from one of the three canticles of the Divina Commedia — nine from the Inferno, five from the Purgatorio and 19 from the Paradiso — in which reference is made to places, real events and illustrious citizens of the time. By following the plaques, which trace a poetic path, citizens and tourists can relive places and historical events in which the greatpoet was often a protagonist.
The preview of the Costa Firenze was also an opportunity for Costa to present its Manifesto for valuedriven, sustainable and inclusive tourism: a decalogue summarizing the company’s commitment to grow together with the territories visited by its ships. According to the Manifesto, destinations are not considered as a set of tourist attractions, but as communities to build together a model of tourism that generates greater economic and social value, inspiring a new “renaissance”. With the presentation of the Manifesto, Costa will initiate a process of sharing with institutions, associations and stakeholders in the cities, regions and countries where the company is operating to develop a dialogue and a collaboration that follows the principles of the Manifesto, starting from the Costa Firenze itinerary.
Here is what President of Costa Cruises and the mayor of Savona had to say during the preview!
“Costa Firenze’s concept is inspired by an iconic city, which represents Italian art, taste and refinement in the world’s collective imagination. We designed this ship to offer our guests a unique experience, especially for families and couples. The debut of Costa Firenze, as well as the restart of the three other Costa ships that have returned to cruising in recent weeks, is an opportunity for us to promote a new model of tourism, in which we strongly believe as a leading company in the sector. As we have made explicit in our manifesto, this model aims at the collaboration among different public and private entities to enhance the excellence of the territories in a sustainable way. The cooperation with the city of Florence is the first concrete manifestation of this approach: Costa Firenze will become a true platform for promoting the city of Florence around the world, particularly during Expo 2020 Dubai”
– Mario Zanetti, Costa Cruises President
“Savona welcomes Costa Firenze, a new ship celebrating the 25th year of Costa Cruises operations in the port. In this quarter of a century, Costa and the city have grown together. During the five years of my management as a Mayor of Savona, we developed a great collaboration on inclusion and sustainability projects and a great support for cultural initiatives. Furthermore, we are glad that the Costa Firenze, a ship dedicated to the city of Florence, arrives in Savona just when our city is celebrating the 700th anniversary of Dante Alighieri’s death, with an exhibition in the Civic Art Gallery dedicated to the precious Dante volumes, normally kept in the Ancient Fund of the Civic Library”
-Ilaria Caprioglio, Mayor of Savona
Costa Firenze in Civitavecchia in June 2021
What do you think about this brand new ship? What are your thoughts on the design and are you maybe booked on this beauty?🤩
As I’ve previously mentioned, I sailed on her older sister ship Costa Venezia and I fell in love with that ship, so I wouldn’t think twice about booking a cruise on Firenze! I just love how they incomporated these older design elements, but made them look contemporary which gives the whole ship such a unique look and style! They are also pretty large ships so they have so much to offer, you really have to give them a try! I know I’m looking at those cruise deals on Firenze like a hawk 😜
And she’s named at last! Special celebrations were held today in Savona for the naming ceremony of Costa Smeralda, Costa Cruises’ sensational new flagship!
The ship’s godmother and star of the event was international celebrity Penélope Cruz, who performed the ribbon-cutting duties with the traditional breaking of the bottle against the bow of the ship in the presence of the Master of Costa Smeralda, Paolo Benini. Also starring at the celebration was the Italian multi-starred chef Bruno Barbieri, who personally conceived and presented a special gala cocktail, giving guests a taste of his creativity and experience.
The event for Costa Smeralda continued with an extraordinary acrobatic show called “Dream” produced by the creative genius of Viktor Klee and staged in the splendid setting of the Colosseo, the innovative and technologically advanced theatre located at the center of the ship, with nine of the world’s best acrobats. The celebrations ended with a spectacular display of fireworks launched from a barge positioned in the stretch of sea in front of the Priamar Fortress, lighting up the sky of Savona and giving the ship a fitting sendoff.
About Costa Smeralda!
Costa Smeralda is a breakthrough for the cruise industry, as she represents an exceptional combination of environmental innovation, smart technologies and Italian excellence in design, food and experiences. Costa Smeralda is a tribute to Italy thanks to the extraordinary creative project led by designer Adam D. Tihany that celebrates Italy and gives guests the chance to experience the best it can offer, all in one place. The furnishings, lighting, fabrics and upholstery, and accessories were all made in Italy especially for the new flagship, by 15 partners who are all ambassadors of Italian excellence, and all spaces are inspired by the beauties of Italy. A celebration of Italian design is showcased in the CoDe – Costa Design Museum, the firstever museum on a cruise ship. The amenities on board are perfectly in line with their sumptuous surroundings. Highlights include the Solemio Spa, the entertainment areas, theme bars in collaboration with leading Italian brands, 16 restaurants and “food experience” areas, including those conceived for casual family dining. The innovative Ristorante LAB offers guests the chance to have fun cooking and learning about food sustainability at the same time. A new concept of entertainment onboard, based on shows and happenings going on at the same time in different parts of the ship, transforms Costa Smeralda into a unique entertainment venue.
The ship is as a “travelling smart city”, where sustainable technologies and circular economy concepts are applied to reduce the environmental footprint and support sustainable cruising. With her innovative technological propulsion system based on LNG, the most advanced fuel technology currently available to reduce emissions, she is able to virtually eliminate sulfur dioxide emissions (zero emissions) and particulate matter (95-100% reduction), while greatly reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides (direct reduction of 85%) and CO2 (up to 20%). On board, special desalinisation plants process seawater directly to meet daily water supply requirements, and energy consumption is reduced to a minimum thanks to an intelligent energy management system. Waste is managed on board with 100% separate collection for recycling of plastic, paper, glass and aluminum, using an integrated approach inspired by circular economy projects. Finally, the 4GOODFOOD program applied on board is designed to reduce food wastage and to recover food surpluses for social betterment in cooperation with the European Federation of Food Banks.
The naming of a new ship is always very exciting – especially in the case of Costa Smeralda, because she is an unprecedented project. A cruise holiday on this ship allows our guests to enjoy memorable experiences both on board and ashore – whether it is the food, relaxation, high-tech entertainment or authentic encounters in the destinations we visit. This is the Costa of the future, providing us with new opportunities to grow the market and attract consumers who have never been on a cruise before,”
Costa Cruises President Neil Palomba
I was lucky enough to be able to cruise onboard Costa Smeralda on one of her first ever sailings! I loved so many things about this ship and I can confirm that she really is a Sensational ship! You can check out my full review of Costa Smeralda HERE!
Hi everyone, thanks for clicking! As some of you may already know, I was lucky enough to cruise onboard Costa Smeralda during her inaugural season, in fact, I was on her 4th sailing EVER! Yes! She was that new! And I have to say, she is definitely one of my favorite ships I’ve sailed on, if not THE favorite…! There are so many things to love about this brand new ship, naturally because it’s one of the biggest cruise ships sailing today but also because it’s truly different from other Costa ships! Here’s a list of things that I really loved and a couple of tips that should come in handy if you’re either booked or if you’re considering sailing on Costa Smeralda!
Design
I’ve been on cruise ships ranging from 700 passengers up to 6000 thousand and I was slightly worried about the size of Costa Smeralda… I was expecting crowds and lines, but luckily I was wrong! Smeralda can accommodate up to 6.554 passengers, but it doesn’t feel too busy, there’s always somewhere to sit, there is so much space on this ship! One thing that really separates Smeralda from other Costa ships is her contemporary design! Costa Smeralda is a very contemporary looking ship, both inside and out. Color schemes are really subtle, but at the same time colorful and lively like on older Costa ships. The overall look of the ship is a really interesting balance between a traditional feel and a modern feel, and so although the decor is very contemporary, the artwork is sort of traditional so it has quite a nice mix to it. In addition the furnishings, lighting, fabrics and upholstery, and accessories were all made in Italy especially for Costa Smeralda! I loved the design of this ship, not just the interiors but also the outdoor areas, there are so many places for sunbathing and relaxing or even just walking around, such as the Lungomare Riviera. It’s a full wraparound promenade on deck 8 and it’s one of my favorite areas onboard, it’s perfect for late night walks!
Cabins were not too shabby either! I was in an interior cabin, and as we all know, they’re usually not really exciting, but whoever designed this cabin really had functionallity as his top priority. It’s certainly not big but somehow it had everything you might need! The only problem I had was that the bed mattress was too firm, but that’s maybe just because it was basically brand new!
All in all, I love this new direction and approach to interior design that Costa is taking, everything looks really classy and modern, while still maintaining that italian charm!
Entertainment
Catching a show on this ship is pretty easy because there are multiple shows each night! One thing I really loved about entertainment onboard Costa Smeralda is the casual approach to evening entertainment. Most shows take place in the ship’s main atrium, The Colosseo, which turns into a theatre in the evenings. It offers tiered style seating on all three decks. It’s perfect because if you don’t like the show you can just walk away without anyone noticing and continue with your evening or you can casually check out what’s happening in the Colosseo without interrupting anyone. It’s a perfect concept in my opinion, more ships should adapt this “Theatrium” concept! Some shows also take place in the much smaller San Remo Theatre which can turn into a night club with a pretty large dance floor! Most of the shows are usual singing and dancing variety shows, magician shows, juggler shows… but The Colosseo is also used for acrobatic, Cirque du Soleil style performances. All the shows looked really good because they utilise LED screens that are everywhere, fire, smoke…! Shows last around 30 minutes both in the theatre and in the theatrium so if you have a short attention span, shows onboard won’t be a problem. I was really impressed by the entertainment onboard, it has to be really difficult for them to come up with shows that work in so many languages. We’ve heard a lot of great singers and dancers, and acrobats, overall I was really impressed! Parties onboard were a lot of fun as well, don’t miss them!
Dining
If you like Italian food, this is a ship for you! There is so much pasta, cheese, tomato sauce… delicious! Guests have access to 16 restaurants, including the all new Ristorante LAB where guests can have fun cooking and learning about food sustainablitiy at the same time. There are two more specialty restaurants, Pizzeria Pummid’Oro and the Teppanyaki restaurant. Pizza in the Pizzeria was delicious, great value for money too, especially if you’re a Costa Club member! What I really loved about dining on this ship is the fact that there are multiple restaurants open for breakfast and lunch! Usually, 3 main restaurants (+the buffet) are open for breakfast and lunch and they all offer buffet style service, so if one is busy, just go to another one! There are also screens troughout the ship that show how busy each restaurant is! (green, yellow, orange and red – depending on how busy is each restaurant)
Onboard atmosphere
There’s just something about the atmosphere onboard Costa ships! They are all so lively and fun, but at the same time not too crazy! Costa Smeralda really comes alive at night, the ship is full of live music in the evenings and everyone is ready to party! When you wonder around this ship in the evening there is so much music, it’s so loud, it’s so lively… it’s a really vibrant ship! And let me tell you something, Italians really do know how to party. Everyone onboard is so friendly and ready to chat even when you don’t speak italian (I don’t!)! I also love that this cruise is definitely not just for old people, there were so many kids onboard, babies, teenagers, people in their 20s and people in their 80s… it’s really a ship for everyone! Overall, a really happy ship in the evenings, but relaxing and quiet during the day… perfect combination if you ask me!
International and Italian onboard experience
Sailing on Costa ships is a really international experience! Costa is an italian cruise line and it’s generally geared towards Italian passengers, that said you’ll find people on a Costa cruise who speak German, Spanish, French, Hungarian… so you can definitely cruise with Costa without having any Italian speaking skills, I mean… Look at me! Ha-ha! Just expect that most of the passengers on the ship won’t speak the same language you’re speaking (unless you’re Italian of course!) On my cruise there were around 200 English speaking passengers and there is an English speaking representative to help you out if you have any problems on board. What I like about this Italian and international experience is being surrounded by so many different nationalities and languages, it really feels like you’re travelling! Everything onboard Costa Smeralda feels like a genuine Italian experience, the decor, atmosphere, entertainment, food… I really love that! If you’re looking for a great way to explore the Mediterranean with a really european atmosphere onboard, book a cruise onboard Costa Smeralda!
Environmental friendliness
Green is the way to go, so why not choose one of the greenest ships out there! If you didn’t know, Costa Smeralda is powered by LNG (liquified natural gas). The use of LNG greatly lessens emissions of nitrogen oxides and CO2, which makes Smeralda one of the greenest ships at sea! Environmental friendliness made it to your cabin too! In your cabin, you will no longer find a mini fridge, they removed them from every cabin on the ship to save energy. I don’t mind this change since I never really used the mini fridge, but they still offer “mini-bar” snacks like they used to (kinder chocolate, chips… etc.) Food waste is a big problem in the cruise industry so Costa decided to limit food waste on this ship, the buffet now has glass partitions in front of the food so you have to ask/show what you want to a server behind the counter who will then fill your plate. These glass partitions are also a more hygienic solution since only the cooks touch your food! Table cloths are also a thing of the past on Costa Smeralda, both for hygienic and power saving reasons, small but great ways to make a difference! We all know that cruising is definitely not the most enviromentally friendly vacation you can have but thankfully the industry is going in the right direction with ships like Smeralda!
Price
I can’t pretend that I didn’t love the price of this cruise! It was so cheap considering that we were sailing on a brand new ship just a few weeks after Christmas! You can definitely cruise on budget and still have an amazing time! I didn’t really spend a lot onboard either… If you have a drinks package you’re all good, well except maybe a souvenir ship model, or a Nutella waffle… alright you can definitely spend a lot of money onboard but you can certainly cruise on budget with Costa. You really get your money’s worth too! I love that you can cruise with Costa for a reasonable price and still get a pretty good cruise experience in return, it’s definitely not a premium cruise line but you do get what you paid for!
All in all, I would definitely recommend this ship to anyone who wants to have fun and experience and explore a couple of major Mediterranean cities! Costa has come a long way in perfecting their onboard experience for both Italian guests but also for their international passengers. You can have an amazing cruise no matter which language you’re speaking! And the ship itself is just stunning in my opinion, it’s a perfect combination between contemporary and tradional italian design, it’s big but also not too big! If you’re thinking of booking a Costa cruise, definitely start with this ship!
Smeralda Tips!
Pack a comfortable pair of shoes! – Smeralda is a big ship and you need a pair of comfortable shoes to explore this huge ship! Also, most of the cities that Smeralda is visiting are large and have so many thing to offer and the last thing you need is a pair of uncomfortable shoes!
Pack something white! – White night is definitely THE night! Everyone has something white on, either a white t-shirt, pants, shoes… some have all three on!
DON’T miss the Silent Disco! – The Silent Disco is probably the funniest party onboard! It was so fun to just look at everyone dance like nobody’s watching! It’s a party that everyone goes to, since it’s a brand new thing on Costa and I personally loved it!
Consider buying a drinks package! – On Costa ships you don’t get free tap water with your meals in the main dining room and juices are only available during breakfast. Water is of course available 24/7 in the Buffet. On this cruise I’ve had the Panzo & Cena drinks package again, it is the cheapest one but it was pretty adequate for my needs. It included sodas, selected wines and beers by the glass during the lunch and dinner in the MDR and the buffet. As a fan of sodas during my meals this package was perfect for me. There are also more expensive and more inclusive drinks packages offered that include a much wider selection of drinks and you can use those packages in all bars on the ship!
Check out the water slides! – Not many Costa ships offer waterslides that are this wild! You can choose between two small and two big waterslides… they are all exciting but the bowl-shaped one is really, really fast…!
Go to a sit down restaurant for Breakfast & Lunch to avoid crowds! – Everybody heads to buffet for breakfast and lunch… *sighs* Onboard Costa Smeralda you can have a self service style breakfast and lunch in 3 main dining rooms! They all offer the same variety of food, but you will definitely avoid the crowds!
DON’T, I repeat DO NOT miss the Mister & Miss cruise competitions! – These pageants are the funniest events that happen on this ship, people are dying of laughter during these “competitions”, some competitors go ALL out…!
Join Costa Club! – Definitely join Costa Club if you haven’t already because you will receive up to 50% discount on dining in specialty restaurants. You will also recieve special deals and discounts in bars and in onboard shops! There is also a special cocktail party for Costa Club members, it’s free to join and the perks are great! It also works like every cruise loyalty program out there, collect cruise points and you might get some additional perks!
Internet is actually worth it! – On my cruise I bought the social internet package for 25 Euros and it was definitely worth it! Just don’t expect those speeds you have at home but it was nice to stay connected on social media, I bought it primarely because of my Instagram page to keep you all updated and it worked great!
Opt for early dining! – Dinners on Costa are quite an event and they tend to last so if you have late sitting, your dinner might end around 10:30 PM and that’s too late for me personally. Keep that in mind if you’re like me and you like to dine early!
Check out “Oggi a bordo” to see what’s happening where! – Oggi a bordo is your usual daily cruise newsletter that you will find in your cabin every evening and it tells you what’s happening the next day! I always take a picture of it to have it with me all the time!
I hope that you will find some of these tips useful! I loved my cruise onboard this ship and I hope you will too and if you’re still not booked… what are you waiting for!?
If you’d like to check out my full review of Costa Smeralda CLICK HERE and you can also check out my blog post where I talk all about how safe cruise ships actually are! CLICK HERE!
If you have any questions about Costa Smeralda, Costa Cruises or anything in general, feel free to comment, message or e-mail me! I’m always happy to talk about cruising!
Hello everyone! I’m back from a cruise that I will remember for quite some time! I was onboard Costa Smeralda for 7 nights on her 4th ever cruise, she was so new that I could still smell that “fresh-out-of-the-shipyard” smell. I booked this cruise almost a year ago, when Smeralda was just a pile of steel in Finland, so my anticipation to board this ship was through the roof! Now I can finally share my thoughts about this ship and hopefully show you how amazing she is!
About the ship!
Costa Smeralda is the new flagship of Costa Cruises, and she is one big ship, and when I say big I mean: 185.000 gross registered tons, 19 decks, 22 elevators, 4 pools, 4 main dining rooms…. she is the 5th largest cruise ship in the world after all! She can accommodate 6.554 passengers at max occupancy and they are taken care of by the crew of 1.600 people, impressive numbers! Smeralda is a part of the Excellence/Helios class of cruise ships ordered by Carnival Corporation, you may already know something about her sister ships: AIDAnova, P&O Iona and Carnival Mardi Gras. What makes these ships special is their propulsion. They are powered by LNG (liquified natural gas), the use of LNG greatly lessens emissions of nitrogen oxides and CO2, which makes Smeralda one of the greenest ships at sea!
This ship is also quite different when it comes to interior design compared to older Costa ships. Costa Smeralda is a very contemporary looking ship, both inside and out. Color schemes are more subtle and toned down. The overall look of the ship is a really interesting balance between a traditional feel and a modern feel, and so although some of the decor is sort of traditional the artwork is very contemporary so it has quite a nice mix to it. In addition the furnishings, lighting, fabrics and upholstery, and accessories were all made in Italy especially for Costa Smeralda! I really liked the look of this ship, I think it was time for Costa to give us something completely different when it comes to design and they gave us a truly beautiful ship. Little Italy at sea!
“Does it feel crowded onboard?“ ,”Is the ship too big?”
These are the most frequent questions I get asked when it comes to large ships. I would say that for a ship that can accommodate 6.500 passengers, Smeralda handles crowds pretty well. With such a large number of people onboard, of course you can expect some lines during the peak hours at the buffet and congested hallways when everyone’s leaving the theatre, but other than that, it never felt more crowded than smaller ships I’ve been on. There are three main interior public decks on this ship so people do spread out in the evenings, I never felt like there were six thousand people with me onboard because you could always find a quiet place to sit down and enjoy in some beautiful views, which were plentiful on this cruise! What I also liked about this ship is that, even though she’s the 5th largest in the world, she never felt overly big. I believe they achieved this by separating public areas and adding many smaller bars, lounges and cozy nooks. There is no large interior promenade or an open air boardwalk on this ship, so it still has that “smaller ship charm”, which I love!
Huge windows in the main atrium
Trastevere
Accommodation
On this cruise I stayed in a…. you guessed it, guaranteed inside cabin! But as you all know I don’t mind them at all, especially when they look like the one I had on Smeralda. Inside cabins are not that exciting, but they’re great if you’re cruising on a tight budget and you want to save some money. My cabin was themed around the city of Venice (deck 14). Each deck is named after an Italian city so therefore all the cabins on that deck are themed around that city! The stateroom was snug, yes, but you can expect that from every inside cabin. It was nicely furnished and decorated, everything was still brand new and shiny… I wish I could always sail on a brand new ship. Storage space was decent, three closets and two drawers under the table, just enough space for 8 days! There are multiple USB plugs in the cabin, two european plugs and one US. The bathroom is really nice, probably the nicest looking bathroom I had on a ship! It looks like it’s made out expensive marble, it has clean lines, many shelves for your toiletries. it’s functional and the most important thing, the shower has a glass door, goodbye shower curtains! Environmental friendliness made it to your cabin too! In your cabin, you will no longer find a mini fridge, they removed them from every cabin on the ship to save energy. I don’t mind this change since I never really used the mini fridge, but they still offer “mini-bar” snacks like they used to (kinder chocolate, chips… etc.) If you’re not up for cruising in an inside cabin, there are also oceanview cabins, cove-balcony cabins, balcony cabins, suites and there are also cabins with a small winter garden between your cabin and the balcony. They all look similar but with different color palettes.
Deck 10 (Rome)
Interior stateroom
Activities onboard
There are quite a lot of things to do on this ship. Let’s start with the top decks! There are four pools onboard Costa Smeralda and two of them are heated, there are also four infinity hot tubs in the main pool area! If you’d like something that will get your blood pumping, there is a pretty large aquapark on the top deck. There are two large waterslides for adults and two slightly smaller ones for kids! I tried them all (even though it was only 12 degrees Celsius outside!) and all I will say is that the bowl-shaped one is really, really fast…!
La Spiaggia
Top Deck
On the top deck you will also find the sports court, Passeggiata Volare (a walkway suspended above the top deck, 65 meters above the waterline!), a couple of bars, partially enclosed solarium which is perfect for windy days and at the back of the ship, you will find the stunning Piazza di Spagna. It’s a large stairway on three decks facing the stern of the ship. It is based on the Spanish Steps in Rome and offers the ideal place for entertaining guests. The glass-bottomed, open-air balcony on the top deck provides the exciting experience of flying over the sea.
On-board spa and wellness facilities are pretty big, but you cannot expect anything less from a ship of this size. The gym on the other hand was big, but sometimes not big enough, on a sea day it was packed! It is located on the top deck and from there you will have best the sea views on the ship, a good way to lure you into the gym! I haven’t used the spa facilities on this ship, I literally didn’t have enough time even though I saw some great offers… I’ve heard from other passengers I’ve met onboard that the spa is worth the money and that it’s is really well equipped, especially the thermal area!
SkyBridge
Piazza di Spagna
Kids facilities are also quite extensive too, with areas for younger and older children. There weren’t many children onboard our cruise, but we did board the ship just after the winter break ended. There is also the arcade where children can spend all your money!
I don’t know if you can count shopping as an onboard activity, but you can certainly shop on this ship! You can also try your luck at the ship’s casino or maybe opt for a cheaper activity, or should I say, a free activity and check out the first museum at sea. The CoDe museum is dedicated to the excellence of Italian design and showcases 470 items from many Italian designers and design firms that contributed to the ship’s construction!
There were also activities organised by the onboard animation team, activities like morning walks and afternoon yoga were on the daily schedule almost every day. You could also participate in game shows, quizzes, dance lessons, arts and crafts type activities like napkin folding techniques and origami lessons. There was even a “Funny tour” of Costa Smeralda organised by animators every day! There is something for everyone and I was never bored to be honest, on the contrary, I was always busy walking around the ship, checking out what’s happening! Make sure to also check out what’s happening on the ship in your daily newspaper that’s delivered to your stateroom each evening. It’s called “Oggi a Bordo” and it includes all the information you’re going to need for the next day. I always take a photo of it with my phone so I have it with me all the time!
The CoDe Museum
Entartainment
Costa switched things up on Smeralda when it comes to entertainment as well! Unlike other Costa ships, Smeralda has two theatres, or should I say one smaller, San Remo Theatre and one slightly bigger “theatrium” called The Colosseo! You must be thinking, “What exactly is a theatrium…”? Well, just like the name says, it acts as the main atrium during the day and in the evening it becomes a 3 deck high theatre with tiered seating all around. Both venues are used for all kinds of shows, such as your usual singing and dancing variety shows, magician shows, juggler shows… but The Colosseo is also used for acrobatic, Cirque du Soleil style performances. All the shows looked really good because they utilise LED screens that are everywhere! Shows last around 30 minutes both in the theatre and in the theatrium so if you have a short attention span, shows onboard won’t be a problem. What I really like about The Colosseo is that you can just walk through that 3 deck high area and see what’s happening. All the shows are repeated multiple times throughout your cruise because usually, shows are held simultaneously in the theatre and in the theatrium. There was also a Peppa Pig show for children and a Costa show for Costa club members!
Each night, the animation team organises fun themed parties onboard. They usually start around 11PM and last ’till 1AM. On my cruise we had a Latin, White, Extravagant, Rockmantic and 70s & 80s party. Of course, I cannot forget to mention the Silent Disco which is new to Costa and it was without a doubt my favorite party onboard! These parties are held in either The San Remo theatre, The Colosseo or La Spiaggia pool area! Themed parties are a big thing on Costa so be sure to check them out! I am not a big dancer so it was a challenge to avoid animators who are inviting people to the dance floor! Some nights I was successful in avoiding them and some nights they won, but I have to say, it was fun to participate, Italians do know how to party!
Rockmantic Party!
If you’d like a more relaxing evening, there are a couple of live music venues onboard. There is a jazz bar, piano bar and the grand bar and they all have live music ’till at least 1AM!
Each night had a theme and a suggested dress code, for example on our cruise there was an Italian night and the suggested dress code was red, white and green. We also had a white night, extravagant night, elegant night and Latin night! I loved this, it’s fun to participate even in a small way. However, these are only suggested dress codes so if you don’t have anything that fits the suggested dress code, don’t worry! I’ve seen a lot of people doing their own thing and after all it is only suggested!
San Remo Theatre
The Colosseo
Dining
Costa Smeralda not only offers the best in Italian design, it also features the best Italian cuisine. Guests have access to 16 restaurants, including the all new Ristorante LAB where guests can have fun cooking and learning about food sustainablitiy at the same time. There are two more specialty restaurants, Pizzeria Pummid’Oro and the Teppanyaki restaurant. I tried the pizza in the Pizzeria and it was delicious, great value for money too, especially if you’re a Costa club member!
Pizzeria Pummid’Oro
Tip: If you plan on dining in specialty restaurants, definitely join Costa Club if you haven’t already because you will receive up to 50% discount on dining in specialty restaurants. You will also recieve special deals and discounts in bars and shops onboard!
When it comes to complimentary food venues, there are 4 main, bistro-styled restaurants, the main buffet and the Tutti a Tavola Restaurant dedicated to families with children.
Usually, 3 main restaurants are open for breakfast and lunch and they offer buffet style service. While for dinner, you will have assigned seating. When you board you are assigned to either early or late sitting, there is no flexibility when it comes to that, though you might be able to switch from early to late or vice versa if your Maitre D’ approves it. Dinners on Costa are quite an event and they consist of 5 or 6 courses and they last for ages. It’s quite fun actually, a truly different experience!
The main buffet (La Sagra dei Sapori) is open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner and it does close between meals. The buffet is great, the quality and variety of food was very good. The food definitely has a Mediterranean flavor to it, lots of pasta, tomato sauce, cheese… you can really tell you’re on an Italian ship! Costa wanted to limit food waste on the ship, so the buffet now has glass partitions in front of the food so you have to ask/show what you want and then the person behind the counter will fill your plate. They have a large number of people working behind the counters so the lines were not bigger than on any other ship, You can still eat as much as you want and try as many dishes as you’d like! These glass partitions are also a more hygienic solution since only the cooks touch your food! Table cloths are also a thing of the past on Costa Smeralda, both for hygienic and power saving reasons, small but great ways to make a difference. I would absolutely recommend desserts and pastries on Costa, they’re really tasty! I can’t even tell you how many donuts, pancakes and waffles I ate every morning. Delicious!
Beverage packages
Something I would definitely recommend is buying a drinks package. On Costa ships you don’t get free tap water with your meals in the main dining room and juices are only available during breakfast. Water is of course available 24/7 in the Buffet. On this cruise I’ve had the Panzo & Cena drinks package again, it is the cheapest one but it was pretty adequate for my needs. It included sodas, selected wines and beers by the glass during the lunch and dinner in the MDR and the buffet. As a fan of sodas during my meals this package was perfect for me. There are also more expensive and more inclusive drinks packages offered that include a much wider selection of drinks and you can use those packages in all bars on the ship!
Itinerary
On this 7-night cruise we visited six amazing destinations in the Mediterranean, including the embarkation port Savona! To be quite honest, I wasn’t even looking at the itinerary when I was booking this cruise because the selling point for me was sailing on a brand new Costa ship, 5th largest cruise ship in the world! Having said that, I loved each city and I explored each one quite a bit! We visited Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Civitavecchia (Rome) and La Spezia!
If you’ve ever done a Western Mediterranean cruise, chances are that you’ve visited Marseille, Barcelona, Civitavecchia and Palma de Mallorca. They are all really popular cruise destinations. Savona and La Spezia on the other hand, are smaller ports with much less cruise traffic.
Savona is the main homeport of many Costa ships. Savona is located in the region of Liguria in northern Italy. The city is an important seaport and at one point used to be the most important city in Italy for heavy industries. Savona gained its popularity first because of its resident, Christopher Columbus. La Spezia is not too far either! La Spezia has a great combination of historical buildings, beautiful scenery, and fantastic surrounding sites. Due to its location, La Spezia is a prime location if you want to explore Liguria and Tuscany and you can easily travel to Pisa, Florence and Genoa. Furthermore, La Spezia lies in close proximity to the world renowned Cinque Terre and day trips to this marvellous destination are easy to find. If you don’t already know, Cinque Terre is that idyllic looking Italian village built on steep cliffs of Ligurias coast, you’ve probably seen a picture of it on Instagram!
This time we did two excursions trough Costa! I don’t usually book excursions on the ship, but on rare occasions I do. We booked an excursion to Rome(Civitavecchia) and an excursion to Pisa(La Spezia). Both of these cities are not that close to the port where the ship actually docks, so I felt safer when booking trough Costa because I really didn’t want to miss my ship! Both excursions were great, you can choose your preferred language group and I would say that they are great value for money. Even if we had to spend a little more money, it gave me peace of mind. But you can certainly reach Rome and Pisa on your own with no problem, trains and buses in Italy are pretty cheap and run quite often.
Palma de Mallorca
All in all, I loved this itinerary because you can really do so many things in each port, even if you’ve already been there! Each city offers so much… for example, you can visit Barcelona a hundred times and you will still have places to visit on your 101 visit and if you don’t care about the cities, you can always stay onboard. It’s always nice to explore the ship while it’s docked!
Costa
On Instagram and Twitter I frequently get asked “Is Costa for me?” or “Can I go on a Costa cruise even though I don’t speak any Italian?“. My answer is always, try it out and see if it works for you. Costa is an italian cruise line and it’s generally geared towards Italian passengers, that said you’ll find people on a Costa cruise who speak German, Spanish, French, Hungarian… so you can definitely cruise with Costa without having any Italian speaking skills, I mean… Look at me! Ha-ha! Just expect that most of the passengers on the ship won’t speak the same language you’re speaking (unless you’re Italian of course!) On my cruise there were around 200 English speaking passengers and there is an English speaking representative to help you out if you have any problems on board.
Lungomare Riviera / Promenade deck
In my opinion Costa is an Italian version of Carnival. Fun ships with an Italian twist. Expect international crowds and passengers of all age groups. On my cruise I saw toddlers and people over the age of 80, so it’s definitely for all age groups! I would also like to mention that Costa ships are quite loud and full of life, so keep that in mind if you’re looking for a more peaceful and quiet atmosphere onboard! I would recommend this line to anyone who likes to party and have a good time, try new things and be immersed in a different culture! If you’re thinking about booking or have a chance to book a cruise on this ship or this cruise line definitely check it out. If you like it great, if not at least you know for certain that it’s not for you!
Final thoughts
In conclusion, I’ve spent an amazing week aboard this brand new ship and I would not think twice about cruising with Costa or on Costa Smeralda again! I like the product that Costa is offering and I really like what they did with this new ship. They gave us something new and different, but they still managed to maintain that Costa feeling. This ship has so much to offer and she’s sailing on a great route, if you’re booked on her you’re in for a treat! I think that my cruise was fantastic value for money! If you’re sailing on Smeralda in the next couple of months be aware that maybe not everything is going to perfect, since the ship is still brand new and has it’s quirks. You’ve gotta take it with a grain of salt and just accept that not everything’s going to be absolutely perfect!
La Spiaggia pool area
What also makes or breaks a cruise is the ship’s crew! And the crew of Costa Smeralda definitely made this cruise special. I want to thank all of them for taking good care of us, but especially our great room steward, amazing waitors and immensely funny and energetic animation team! They even made me dance, that’s how energetic and persistent they are!
This was not my first Costa cruise, just last October, I was onboard Costa Luminosa on an Eastern Mediterranean cruise. I loved that ship and you can read my review of Costa Luminosa and my cruise HERE! I can’t wait to book another Costa cruise since the atmosphere onboard Costa ships is just so familiar and friendly, I can’t wait to be back! If you’re new to cruising you can also check out my blog post “30 tips for first time cruisers”. You can never be too ready for your first cruise!
If you have any questions about this ship or Costa feel free to ask!
All in all, I’d like to thank Costa for an amazing cruise experience and all of your for your likes, comments and constant support here and on Instagram. I am so grateful that I get to share my cruise passion and adventures with all of you!
One of the most anticipated cruise ships to debut in 2019 is finally here! Costa Cruises has taken delivery of Costa Smeralda, its new flagship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the marine industry’s most advanced fuel technology and part of an innovative initiative to significantly reduce environmental impact.
The handover ceremony took place today (Dec. 5th) at the Meyer shipyard in Turku, Finland, where the ship was built. Costa Smeralda is the first ship in the Costa fleet to use LNG, both in port and at sea. It is part of an expansion plan that includes an investment of over six billion euros for seven new ships to be delivered by 2023 to the Costa Group, which consists of Costa Cruises, Germany-based AIDA Cruises and Costa Asia. Five of the vessels – including Costa Smeralda and her sister ship Costa Toscana, currently under construction at Meyer Turku and scheduled for delivery in 2021 – will be powered by LNG. With the arrival of Costa Smeralda, the Costa Group fleet rises to a total of 29 ships in service, all flying the Italian flag, underscoring the company’s leadership in Europe and China.
The use of LNG is a major development in minimizing environmental impact and significantly improving air quality, with the virtual elimination of sulfur dioxide emissions (zero emissions) and particulate matter (95- 100% reduction). LNG also significantly reduces emissions of nitrogen oxide (direct reduction of 85%) and CO2 (reduction of up to 20%).
“Costa Smeralda will be a further boost to the use of LNG in cruise ships, a technology we were the first to believe in, setting a new course in the cruise sector. Our Costa Group has invested in the construction of five new LNG ships as part of our leadership in sustainable tourism. It is an innovation in the cruise and overall shipping industries, destined to mark a step change as it guarantees a significant reduction in our environmental impact without compromising the safety aspects that are an essential priority for us”
Neil Palomba, President of Costa Cruises
Costa Smeralda approaching Meyer Turku on her way back from 2nd sea trials.
Costa Smeralda will leave the Turku shipyard on December 6 en route to the Mediterranean for three presentations with travel agents: Barcelona on December 18, where the ship will be refueled with liquefied natural gas; Marseilles on December 19; and Savona on December 20. On December 21, Costa Smeralda will leave Savona for its first one-week cruise, calling at Marseilles, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Civitavecchia and La Spezia.
One of the greenest ships in the industry!
Costa Smeralda is truly a traveling “smart city”. Apart from the major innovation of liquefied natural gas, the ship incorporates a series of cutting-edge technological innovations designed to further reduce environmental impact.
The daily water requirement is achieved directly from the sea thanks to the ship’s desalination systems. Energy consumption is reduced to a minimum by using LED lights, recovering the heat generated by the engines, the particular shape of the hull designed to significantly reduce drag in the water, and newgeneration elevators that recover energy by re-introducing it into the electricity system.
Costa Smeralda leaving Meyer Turku to start her 2nd sea trials.
Single-use plastic, which for some years has already been eliminated from Costa ships for most catering purposes and replaced with alternative materials, will gradually be reduced well in advance of the European Directive objectives. One hundred percent separate waste collection and recycling of materials, including plastic, paper, glass and aluminum, will be part of an integrated approach designed to support circular economy projects.
Close attention will be paid to food on Costa Smeralda. The brand’s 4GOODFOOD program is dedicated to reducing food waste and recovering surpluses for social purposes. In addition, the new ship will feature the innovations of the LAB – Laboratorio del Gusto Restaurant — which takes an entertaining approach to involving guests in food sustainability.
With over 180,000 gross tonnage and over 2,600 rooms, Costa Smeralda is the result of a unique creative project led by Adam D. Tihany, created to immerse guests in experiencing Italy’s finest all in one place. Tihany relied on an international pool of four prestigious architecture firms commissioned to design the various areas of the ship. All of the furnishings, lighting, fabrics and accessories are made in Italy, either standard produced or designed specifically for the new flagship by 15 partners who represent Italian excellence. Italian design will also star in the CoDe – Costa Design Museum, the first museum created on a cruise ship. The extraordinary environment also features the Solemio Spa; various entertainment areas, including the Colosseum, with its screens for high-tech content shows; themed bars, in collaboration with major Italian brands; 16 restaurants and “food experience” areas, including a new restaurant for families
I love that Costa and Carnival corporation in general is rolling out these enviromentally friendly ships. What’s also commendable is that Costa is trying to reduce food waste onboard their ships, one of the biggest problems in the cruise indutry if you ask me…
I honestly cannot wait to explore this ship in January and bring you all along with me on this journey! I’ll be on the fourth sailing so I’m still expecting that “new ship smell”!¨Of course I will post and update you all about it on my instagram and twitter and you can, as always expect a full tour and review on my blog when I come back! Here I come, Costa Smeralda!
Exciting news! Costa Smeralda has successfully passed the technical sea trials carried out with liquefied natural gas (LNG), the cleanest fossil fuel in the world, which represents a real innovation in the cruise industry.
One of the greenest ships in the industry!
The Costa Smeralda is in fact the second cruise ship in the world, after AIDAnova, which is also part of the Costa Group fleet, to use this fuel, both in port and at sea, which guarantees a low environmental impact. LNG enables the virtual total elimination of sulfur dioxide emissions and particulate matter, and a significant reduction of nitrogen oxide and CO2.
During the sea trials, which began on Saturday 16 November, the ship carried out a series of tests to verify the correct operation of systems, equipment and engines with LNG propulsion. “The fueling of cruise ships with LNG is an innovation in which we were the first to believe five years ago, when we ordered the Costa Smeralda, setting an example for the sector which has since been followed by other companies. It is a safe and reliable technology, which is currently the most effective and feasible solution to ensure a significant reduction in the environmental impact of cruise ships in port and at sea”. – declared Neil Palomba, President of Costa Cruises.
Once the sea trials were finished, the ship returned to the Meyer shipyard in Turku, Finland, to complete the interior layout. The first Costa Smeralda cruise will depart from Savona on 21 December 2019. The itinerary, which will be repeated until May 16, 2020, will include Savona (Saturday), Marseilles (Sunday), Barcelona (Monday), Palma de Mallorca (Tuesday), Civitavecchia (Thursday) and La Spezia (Friday).
Ways of reducing the environmental impact
The great innovation of liquefied natural gas fuel is added to other technological innovations, designed to further reduce the environmental impact of the ship, intended to make the Costa Smeralda a real travelling “smart city”. The ship will in fact be able to produce the daily water requirement by directly converting sea water and will minimize energy consumption thanks to the use of LED lights, the recovery of heat produced by the engines, the particular shape of the hull designed to significantly reduce friction with the water and elevators of new generation, designed to recover the operating energy through the re-introduction into the electrical system.
Costa Smeralda will represent the synthesis of the coherent commitment to the reduction of disposable plastic, a central theme for the company for about twenty years. Eliminated for the most part in the context of catering and hotels and replaced with alternative materials, plastic will be further reduced, anticipating the objectives of the European Directive. 100% separate collection and recycling of materials such as plastic, paper, glass and aluminum will be part of an integrated approach aimed at the implementation of circular economy projects. Also on the new flagship great attention will be devoted to the theme of food, with the 4GOOFOOD program dedicated to the reduction of food waste and the recovery of surpluses for social purposes, with the innovation of the Restaurant LAB – Laboratory of Taste, to involve guests in an entertaining way in the field of food sustainability.
I’m so excited to board this ship in January! I will be on the fourth sailing which is amazing! Everything about this ship looks exciting and new for Costa so I cannot wait to tell you more about this ship in January!
Cruise Ship Paradise 