Costa Crociere to Add Costa Classica to Costa neoCollection Fleet Costa Cruises is adding Costa Classica to its new product line, the Costa neoCollection. In December 2014 following a major refit, the 53,000-ton, 654-cabin Costa Classica will join the Costa neoCollection and be renamed Costa neoClassica. Together with Costa neoRomantica and Costa neoRiviera, Costa neoClassica will offer longer “slow cruising” itineraries to unique destinations with beautiful natural scenery and exciting cultural attractions.
Costa neoClassica’s arrival will herald the introduction of new destinations and new itineraries. The ship’s first cruise, the 26-day “From Egypt to the Spice Islands” voyage will depart Savona, Italy, Dec. 18, 2014. After transiting the Suez Canal, guests will be able to visit Jerusalem on Christmas Day during a call at Eilat, Israel; at Aqaba, Jordan, there will be excursions to the rose-red city of Petra; and at Safaga, Egypt, guests can visit the region’s ancient marvels.
Costa neoClassica will start 2015 with calls at Oman and the Seychelles, Madagascar, Réunion Island and Mauritius in the African region.
From Jan. 11 through Feb. 22, 2015, Costa neoClassica will offer four 16-day “Indian Ocean, Paradise on Earth” cruises from its homeport of Port Louis, Mauritius. The leisurely itinerary will enable guests to explore the pristine beaches, turquoise water and palm trees of the Seychelles on a two-night, three-day call at Mahé, followed by stops to experience the natural splendor of Madagascar, Réunion and Mauritius. Guests will travel from Italy to Mauritius for the cruise on a Costa charter flight.
On March 8 Costa neoClassica heads back to the Mediterranean on a grand 32-day cruise themed “From the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean of Antiquity,” sailing from Mauritius and calling at Madagascar, the Seychelles, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Greece, Croatia and Italy.
From April through June and from September through November, Costa neoClassica will sail from Venice and Ancona, Italy, on the 11-day “Venice and Italy’s Treasures” itinerary. The route is a journey of discovery to Mediterranean locations full of history and culture including Calabria, Italy, and Sicily with calls at Corigliano Calabro, Italy; Syracuse, Sicily; Ionian Greece; Malta; Kotor, Montenegro; and Split, Croatia.
From April through September the ship also will sail a 16-day “Voyage from Venice to the Black Sea” itinerary from Venice and Ancona. From June 27 through Aug. 15 Costa neoClassica will depart every Saturday from Istanbul on a weeklong “Istanbul and the Greek Islands” itinerary with air connections via Costa charter flights from Italy.
The itinerary includes calls at Rhodes, Kos and Samos, Greece; and Izmir, Turkey, before returning to Istanbul, where guests can spend a full day and stay onboard overnight before disembarking for home. The unhurried call at Istanbul lets guests visit such attractions as the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia Museum, Topkapi Palace, Spice Market and more.
In the evening guests can dine at the evocative Kervansaray Night Club or marvel at the city during a boat ride on the Bosphorus.
With Costa neoCollection cruises, each port is highlighted by tours tailor-made for small groups of no more than 25 participants. Planned down to the last detail, guests become immersed in the culture, scenery and flavors of each call along the route.