Costa Cruises North America is ready to “swing for the green” as the official sponsoring cruise line of the 2023 Ryder Cup, golf’s preeminent international team competition. The biennial event will be held for the first time in Italy at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome, from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, 2023. To celebrate this exclusive partnership, Costa launched a new “Cruise & Golf” program, with two packages and 15 international courses to choose from.
Starting in May 2022 on Costa Smeralda’s seven-day summer Mediterranean cruises, this “un-fore-gettable” offer enables guests to play on some of the most prestigious golf courses in Italy, France and Spain, all while enjoying a cruise holiday on board Costa’s most innovative ship. Packages aren’t limited to one golf course — Rome has five; Savona, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca each has two; and Marseille offers four courses. An avid golfer could take back-to-back seven-day cruises and not play the same course twice.
“As the world’s leading international cruise line, Costa is thrilled to be the official cruise line sponsor of the Ryder Cup, the world’s preeminent international golf tournament,” said Scott Knutson, vice president of sales and marketing for Costa Cruises North America. “With our new package, golfing guests can play a different course every day, and when they aren’t playing, they can explore the Med on an excursion or relax on board. It’s a win-win for golfers, or, as we now say in Italian — a foro-in-uno!”
Expert and novice golfers can hone their skills with either the “Birdie” or “Eagle” package. The Birdie package offers access to three exclusive golf clubs in the western Mediterranean, and the Eagle package provides access to four clubs. Both packages include priority disembarkation and embarkation daily, equipment stored and insured for the duration of the cruise, a welcome kit in the cabin, a snack basket, private transfers to and from the golf courses, and a golf kit consisting of a set of golf balls, lanyard with card holder, a golf bag tag and branded cap. Additional perks include early breakfast times to allow priority disembarkation, choice of dinner time and reserved seating in the restaurant, and special onboard offers.
Costa Cruises’ largest and most innovative ship, Costa Smeralda pays homage to Italy, the cruise line’s birthplace. The 6,554-guest ship offers 1,550 balcony cabins, 13 pools and hot tubs, 11 restaurants and snack bars, and 19 bars and lounges. The line’s flagship is powered by LNG (liquefied natural gas), the cleanest marine fuel.
About the Ryder Cup
Today, the Ryder Cup is golf’s preeminent event, biennially bringing together two 12-member teams from the United States and Europe to compete on a three-day worldwide stage. Spanning 91 years and 42 competitions, the Ryder Cup also is among the last great professional sporting events where winning — not prize money — is the reward.
Costa’s Italian Cruise 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 multiple languages, and the entertainment bridges language barriers with music and dance, theme parties, games and contests. Costa Cruises serves authentic Italian food the way real Italians like it — with later dining times, ship-made mozzarella cheese 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, Aperol, Ferrari Trento and Vergnano coffee. The Costa experience includes an expansive Samsara Spa program and “Peppa Pig”–branded fleetwide areas and activities for children and youths. North American guests can expect a truly international vacation experience on a Costa cruise.
For more information and reservations, contact your travel professional, visit costacruises.com or contact Costa Cruises North America at 1-800-GO-COSTA (800-462-6782), Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time. Connect directly with Costa socially on Costa’s official Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages.