Scheduled to debut in November 2019, the new Costa Smeralda will be an authentic tribute to Italy, and offer a unique travel experience inspired by the style, the hospitality and the warmth of the “Belpaese”. As one of the first vessels on the global cruise market to be powered both in port and at sea by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the new Costa flagship will also be at the cutting edge of environmental care.
AN ITALIAN-STYLE, NEXT GENERATION FLAGSHIP
Costa Smeralda will pay tribute to Italy and to the things that people around the world love and appreciate it for. The tribute begins with the ship’s name which 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 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.
“With this ship, we wanted to celebrate our country once again: from its design to the food and wine, everything on board Costa Smeralda will reflect the best of Italy, a country that has always been a byword for hospitality and quality around the world.” – Neil Palomba, President of Costa Cruises
The “heart” of the new flagship will be the Colosseo, an area in the middle of the ship with three levels, where the best shows are put on. The 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, where guests can enjoy a glass of Ferrari sparkling wine or a Campari while admiring the sea through the large glass walls.
Piazza di Spagna, on the other hand, will be a large stairway on three decks facing astern. It will be the ideal place for entertaining guests of all ages, with an open-air balcony on the top deck that has a glass floor that gives you 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), shops and musical entertainment all in one area. Another spectacular panoramic view point will be the Passeggiata Volare walkway, which will reach the highest point of the ship, 65 metres up.
The new Costa Cruises flagship 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 – Costa Design Museum will be curated by Matteo Vercelloni. The 400m² 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 and success.
With eleven restaurants Costa Smeralda will not only be a feast for the eyes, but a feast for the taste buds too. Restaurants will include a Teppanyaki restaurant, the Pummid‘Oro Pizzeria, the family restaurant Tutti a tavola, which will also offer many entertainment activities, and the Laboratorio del Gusto (Taste Lab) where guests can enjoy making their dinner before dining. There will be plenty of bars for guests to relax and enjoy a drink in, like the Ferrari Spumante Spazio Bollicine, the Aperol Spritz Bar on outside decks, the elegant Campari Bar, and many more besides. The Nutella Café will also be a great place to explore.
Of course, 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. 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.
THE ROOMS
The comfortable and elegant rooms too 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. The new category of rooms 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.
For a closer look at the accommodations onboard Costa Smeralda visit : “The design of Italy’s finest cabins on Costa Smeralda“.
ITALIAN MANUFACTURERS
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.
ITINERARIES
Costa Smeralda’s 15-day vernissage cruise will set off on 20 October 2019 from Hamburg to Savona. The itinerary will include two-day stops in some of Europe’s most interesting cities from a historic and cultural point of view, like Hamburg, Rotterdam, Lisbon, Barcelona and Marseille.
After the grand celebrations for the naming ceremony on 3 November 2019 in Savona, Costa Smeralda will begin her 6-day inaugural cruise from Savona on Novermber 4, 2019. Costa Smeralda will continue to sail in the Western Mediterranean until April 2020, on one-week cruises calling at Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Civitavecchia and La Spezia.