A milestone in the construction of Costa Smeralda, Costa Cruises’ new flagship, at the Meyer shipyard in Turku, Finland, was marked as the characteristic yellow funnel with the blue “C” was installed.
The funnel is not only a brand symbol, it is directly connected to the main technological innovation of the ship: Costa Smeralda will be the first cruise ship for the world market, specifically Europe, to be fueled, both in port and at sea, by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the cleanest fossil fuel in the world. This environmental transformation will improve air quality, as LNG almost entirely prevents particulate and sulfur oxide emissions at sea and in port. It also significantly reduces emissions of nitrogen oxide and CO2.
At more than 180,000 gross tons and over 2,600 rooms, Costa Smeralda and a sister ship, also being built by Meyer-Turku and scheduled for delivery in 2021, are part of an expansion of the Costa Group fleet in which seven new ships will be delivered by 2023, at a total investment of over 6 billion euros.
Costa Smeralda’s debut is scheduled for Oct. 20, with a 15-day inaugural cruise from Hamburg, Germany, to Savona, Italy. The naming ceremony will take place in Savona Nov. 3. On Nov. 4, a six-day inaugural cruise will depart Savona for Barcelona, Spain; Marseilles, France; and Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy. Costa Smeralda will then continue to sail in the western Mediterranean until April 2021, offering weeklong cruises to Savona; Marseilles; Barcelona; Civitavecchia; Palma de Mallorca, Spain; and La Spezia, Italy.
Costa Smeralda will be a tribute to Italy offering a unique traveling experience celebrating the style, hospitality and warmth of the country. From the name of the ship itself, inspired by one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in Sardinia, to those of its decks and public areas, each name is drawn from famous places and city squares in Italy. From Palermo (Deck 4) to Trieste (Deck 20), Costa Smeralda will be a tour through Italy, with lots of places for guests to share moments of enjoyment, fun and friendship.
The Costa Cruises Experience
For over 70 years, Costa’s fleet has offered an authentic Italian-style holiday for cruisers from every continent. Given the international clientele, announcements are in Italian, Spanish, French, German and English, and the entertainment bridges language barriers with theme parties, musical offerings, games and contests. Costa Cruises takes pride in its culinary traditions, serving authentic Italian food the way real Italians like it, with later dining times, ship-made mozzarella and venues that reflect every region of the country. Guests can indulge in Italy’s most popular food and beverage brands, such as Barilla Pasta, Illy Caffé, Aperol and Ferrari Trento. The Costa experience includes an expansive Samsara Spa program and “Peppa Pig”–branded fleetwide areas and activities for children and youths. On a Costa cruise, North American guests can expect Italy’s Finest on a truly international cruise experience.