Costa reveals revamped neoClassica

The Piazza Navona Grand Bar on-board Costa neoClassica

Costa neoClassica has recently undergone a complete redesign at the San Giorgio del Porto yards in Genoa at a cost of €22.5 million. The 53,000 gross ton Costa Cruises vessel has benefited from the refitting of its 654 cabins and of its public areas to bring it in line with other Costa neoCollection cruise ships.

Cabins have been designed with bright and luminous colours and now feature Illy coffee pod machines as well as Elemis amenities and beauty products.

The Al Fresco Café has been designed to resemble a peaceful park-like environment whilst the lounge areas on the open deck have been renovated to benefit sun-lovers. Self-services touch screen portals (known as “Totems”) have also been installed on-board enabling guests to browse activities at leisure.

As part of their evening program of events Costa Cruises will offer a “Stargazer” experience on-board which will enable guests to learn about the night skies through high-quality telescopes, assisted by Costa experts.

In terms of itineraries, Costa neoClassica is set to call into a selection of lesser-visited ports this year. Selected itineraries will also offer longer calls with some overnight calls scheduled too.

The “From Egypt to the Spice Islands” itinerary will call at ports including Eilat (Israel), Aqaba (Jordan), Oman, the Seychelles, Madagascar, Réunion and Mauritius. Then the “Indian Ocean, paradise on earth” itinerary will depart Port Louis (Mauritius) and tour the Indian Ocean and call at the Seychelles, Mahé, Madagascar, Réunion and Mauritius.

Thereafter Costa neoClassica will be deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean for the spring and summer 2015 seasons. Itineraries will include calls to destinations within Italy, Greece, Malta, Turkey, Montenegro and Croatia. Certain itineraries will include overnight calls to Venice and Istanbul enabling guests to experience authentic Italian and Turkish night life respectively. Overnight calls also allow more daylight hours for guests to explore further afield in each of the destinations. Venice offers an abundance of monuments, palaces, harmonious bridges, gondolas, traditional narrow streets and picturesque squares whilst Istanbul is known for the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia Museum, the Topkapi Palace, the Spice Market and more.


(Photo credit to Costa Cruises)

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Costa Introduces The neoCollection

Costa Cruises has announced the beginning of a new style of cruising on board its ships with the advent of the all-new Costa neoCollection.

The Costa neoCollection is an invitation to make the most of every minute and holiday in a more leisurely way. This new type of cruise experience is tailored to suit individual tastes and let each person go at their own pace, both on board and ashore, making it ideal for couples and groups of friends.

Newly-revamped duo Costa neoRiviera (624 cabins) and Costa neoRomantica (789 cabins) will be sailing to new destinations which are off the beaten path and inaccessible to bigger ships. The itineraries are designed with longer stopovers in each port, often overnight and part of the next day to allow maximum time on shore and the chance to thoroughly explore each place en route. 

As cruising is not one-size-fits-all, Costa has introduced a range of made-to-measure options, notably a series of specially devised shoreside excursions for small groups as well as fine gastronomic products based on the authentic taste sensations of the places visited, thanks to a new collaboration between Costa and the Università delle Scienze Gastronomiche in Pollenzo.

The Costa neoCollection debuts on February 9 from Dubai with a special cruise on Costa neoRiviera, the latest addition to the Costa fleet. This one-off 62-day voyage of discovery, the Grand African Tour, is a totally innovative circumnavigation of the great continent offering a unique opportunity to combine the sea and the most beautiful Indian Ocean beaches with all the adventure of a safari in South Africa.  

Costa neoRiviera will also add a new dimension to cruising in spring and summer, sailing on 12-day itineraries to the most attractive destinations in the Mediterranean, away from the hustle and bustle of mass tourism. Starting June 1 and operating throughout the summer, the neoCollection style will also be present on Costa neoRomantica, with 13 and 15-day premium cruises in Northern Europe, beyond the North Cape and to the finest Baltic cities.

More info: visit www.costacruises.co.uk.

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