Costa Luminosa Sets Sail on World Cruise From Savona, Italy

costa luminosaCosta Cruises' Costa Luminosa has launched from Savona, Italy, on a 98-day Around-the-World voyage during which guests will cross three oceans and visit 39 destinations on five continents, returning to Savona on December 21.

More than 1,000 guests departed from Savona, with another 260 boarding at Marseille, France, and 240 more embarking at Barcelona, Spain, for a total of nearly 1,500 cruise passengers. A wide range of ages and nationalities is represented: the oldest traveler is 95, while the youngest is just 1 year old. There are more than 30 different nationalities on board, mainly Swiss, German and French, followed by Italian and Spanish.

Festivities were planned to celebrate the ship's departure from Savona: a quintet played live music as guests boarded the ship from the Palacrociere, while a special poolside party accompanied the departure "countdown" after greetings from the captain. 

The voyage will include stops in countries like France, Spain, the Antilles, Colombia, Mexico, the United States, Hawaii, Polynesia, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, India, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Jordan, said Pietro Sinisi, captain of Costa Luminosa.

Excursions that are the most popular among guests include a tour of the island of Antigua and a visit to Nelson's Dockyard National Park; a tour of the attractions of San Diego, California, like the Gaslamp Quarter and the Old Town; and a four-hour visit to see the natural wonders of Oahu, Hawaii. 

Costa Luminosa will make longer calls at some particularly interesting destinations such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, California; Honolulu, Hawaii; Cochin and Mumbai, India; and Dubai, U.A.E. (two days); Sydney, Australia; and Singapore (three days). 

The next world cruise departs from Savona on Costa Luminosa on January 6, 2016, with a 108-day itinerary that will cross the two Tropics and end April 23, 2016. 

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