After the successful restart of cruising by Costa Deliziosa and Costa Diadema, Costa Cruises, a part of Carnival Corporation & plc, announced that starting October 10, Costa Smeralda will also return to cruise operations with new and enhanced health protocols.
For the restart of its flagship, the first ship in its fleet to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), Costa Cruises has designed a new one-week itinerary dedicated “to the rediscovery of the best of Italy.” A total of five cruises are scheduled, from October 10 to November 7, that will allow guests to visit beautiful Italian cities of art and natural parks of rare beauty, as well as taste traditional local cuisine.
The first call on the itinerary is Savona, from where guests can also visit nearby destinations like Genoa or Finalborgo. The second call is La Spezia, with excursions to Cinque Terre, Lerici, Florence or Pisa. The next call is Cagliari, followed by Naples, with the possibility to visit Sorrento, Pompei and the Royal Palace of Caserta. The last two destinations on the itinerary are Messina, with excursions to the Etna volcano and Taormina; and Civitavecchia, which offers visits to Rome and Tarquinia.
Like the other two Costa ships that have already returned to service, the “Costa Safety Protocol” will be in place on board Costa Smeralda. The protocol, developed by the company together with scientific experts, includes new operational measures that address the COVID-19 situation, fully compliant with the provisions defined by the Italian and European authorities. Key measures include antigen swab tests for all guests and crew before embarkation, temperature checks while disembarking and returning to the ship, visits to destinations only with protected excursions and physical distancing onboard and at the terminals. In addition, with a reduction in the number of passengers, the enhanced protocols include new ways of using onboard services, improved sanitization and medical services, and the use of protective face masks when necessary.
Costa Smeralda was christened in Savona this year on February 22. The onboard highlight is the CoDe - Costa Design Museum—touted as the first museum built on a cruise ship. There’s also the Solemio Spa, thematic bars in collaboration with major Italian brands, 16 restaurants and more.
Starting on November 14 2020, Costa Smeralda is scheduled to resume its one-week itinerary in Italy, France and Spain, again departing from Savona. Costa is working with the national and local authorities of the countries included in this itinerary, with the goal of offering guests a safe and enjoyable holiday experience through the implementation of the "Costa Safety Protocol" both on board and in all destinations.
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