Costa Cruises (www.costacruises.co.uk) has announced the beginning of a new style of cruising on board its ships with the advent of the Costa neoCollection. The new slow cruise collection is exclusive to the Italian Company
Costa neoRiviera (624 cabins) and Costa neoRomantica (789 cabins) will be sailing to new destinations which are off the beaten path and inaccessible to bigger ships. The itineraries are designed with longer stopovers in each port, often overnight and part of the next day to allow maximum time on shore and the chance to thoroughly explore each place en route. As cruising is not one size fits all, Costa Cruises has introduced a range of made-to-measure options, notably a series of specially devised shoreside excursions for small groups as well as fine gastronomic products based on the authentic taste sensations of the places visited, thanks to a new collaboration between Costa and the Università delle Scienze Gastronomiche in Pollenzo.
The Costa neoCollection debuts on 9 February 2014 from Dubai with a special cruise on Costa neoRiviera, the latest addition to the Costa Cruises fleet. This one-off 62-day voyage of discovery, the Grand African Tour, is a totally innovative circumnavigation of the great continent offering a unique opportunity to combine the sea and the most beautiful Indian Ocean beaches with all the adventure of a safari in South Africa. Costa neoRiviera will also add a new dimension to cruising in spring and summer, sailing on 12-day itineraries to the most attractive destinations in the Mediterranean, away from the hustle and bustle of mass tourism. Starting 1 June 2014 and operating throughout the summer, the neoCollection style will also be present on Costa neoRomantica, with 13 and 15-day premium cruises in Northern Europe, beyond the North Cape or to the finest Baltic cities.
The ships:
Costa neoRiviera (48,200 gross tonnage and 624 cabins) with her cosy, comfortable, intimate spaces is reminiscent of a large sailing yacht. With 624 staterooms including 94 suites, four panoramic suites and six grand suites – all fitted with private verandas – Costa neoRiviera exudes a charming atmosphere reminiscent of the Italian and French Rivieras. The ship has three restaurants (including one buffet), six bars, two shopping arcades, three swimming pools, including one for children, jacuzzis, a beauty & wellness centre with thalassotherapy, hydrotherapy and massages, fitness centre, show lounge and disco.
Costa neoRomantica (56,000 gross tonnage and 789 cabins) is the jewel in the Costa crown. The ship is modern, stylish and exclusive with a dazzling array of amenities, from the opulent Samsara Spa to four restaurants and a Wine & Cheese bar. Lovers of traditional Italian cuisine will enjoy the ship’s pizzeria, equipped with a genuine wood burning brick oven. Light and airy, the substantial use on board of glass and wood panelling is one of the distinguishing features of the ship’s interior decoration. The different public areas blend into one another in an intriguing interplay of sleek lines and transparency, leaving even more space for the real star of the show on any cruise – the sea.
