Costa Cruise Italian Style

"Cruising Italian Style"

The parent company of Costa Cruise Line, the Italian based Costa Crociere was bought by Carnival Cruise Line in 1997. Needless to say that Carnival left Costa operating as a separate brand, preserving the style and the image Costa has created for over 50 years in the passenger ship business. As the phrase "Cruising Italian Style" implies, everything onboard seems to be molto Italiano, from the ships design to the celebrated Italian cuisine. In the past the cruise line used to employ all Italian crew, now days they hire personnel from all over the world, although Italians are in key management positions. It is fun to work for this cruise line with it's European atmosphere, passengers are also a mix of Europeans and Americans and the ships change their itineraries regularly (summers in Europe and winters in the Caribbean or South America).

Launched in 1860 as a freighter company that exported Italian olives and olive oil to destinations all over the world, Costa Crociere entered the passenger ship business in the 1940s with the second-hand Anna C. In 1959 Costa began to offer Caribbean cruises aboard the Franca C. When the end of the grand liners came in the 1970s, Costa's vessels were converted into cruise ships. Costa's last former liner, CostaRiviera, was retired in late 2001. Following the takeover by Carnival Corporation in 1997 and eventual complete buyout in 2000, Costa has launched a number of new ships. Costa is known for its "Cruising Italian Style" concept which successfully attracts both North American and European passengers alike. Costa is also very popular with Spanish speaking passengers as Spanish is widely spoken throughout the cruise line. Costa's Caribbean cruises are very popular with Americans, while their Europe and Mediterranean cruises tend to be more popular with and international crowd (especially Italian). In Europe and the Med, English is not the language of the ships, but announcements may be made in several languages.

Fleet and itineraries:

Costa Serena: Italian registered, built 2007, 112.000 gross tons, 3.000 passengers, 1.068 crew members. Itineraries: Mediterranean, Aegian, Canary Islands.

Costa Concordia: Italian registered, built 2006, 105.000 gross tons, 2.720 passengers, 1.027 crew members. Itineraries: Mediterranean.

Costa Fortuna: Italian registered, built 2003, 105.000 gross tons, 2.720 passengers, 1.027 crew members. Itineraries: Mediterranean.

Costa Magica: Italian registered, built 2004, 105.000 gross tons, 2.720 passengers, 1.023 crew members. Itineraries: Europe, Trans-Atlantic, Caribbean.

Costa Mediterranea: Italian registered, built 2003, 85.700 gross tons, 2.114 passengers, 912 crew members. Itineraries: Europe, Trans-Atlantic, Caribbean.

Costa Marina: Liberia registered, built 1990, 25.441 gross tons, 772 passengers, 450 crew members. Itineraries: Mediterranean, Canaries, Madeira. Promoted exclusively to the German speaking market.

Costa Atlantica: Italian registered, built 2000, 84.000 gross tons, 2.112 passengers, 197 crew members. Itineraries: Mediterranean, Trans-Atlantic, Caribbean.

Costa Victoria: Liberia registered, built 1996, 76.000 gross tons, 1.928 passengers, 800 crew members. Itineraries: Mediterranean, Trans-Atlantic, Caribbean.

Costa Allegra:  Liberia registered, built 1992, 30.000 gross tons, 820 passengers, 450 crew members. Itineraries: Mediterranean, Canaries, Scandinavia, Northern Europe, Iceland, Russia/Baltics, Trans-Atlantic, Caribbean.

Costa Romantica: Liberia registered, built 1993, 54.000 gross tons, 1.799 passengers, 610 crew members. Itineraries: Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Norwegian Fjords, Trans-Atlantic, Caribbean.

Costa Classica: Liberia registered, built 1991, 53.000 gross tons, 1.764 passengers, 610 crew members. Itineraries: Mediterranean, Trans-Atlantic, Caribbean.

Costa Europa (former Westeradm): Liberia registered, built 1986, refit 1990, 53.872 gross tons, 1.764 passengers, 612 crew members. Itineraries: Mediterranean, Canaries, Baltics, Scandinavia, Trans-Atlantic, Caribbean.

Costa Tropicale: Liberia registered, built 1991, 47.262 gross tons, 1.486 passengers, 686 crew members. Itineraries: Mediterranean, Panama Canal, Caribbean.