The Italian cruise line Costa Cruises plans to resume sailings on seven of it’s cruise ships by the end of January 2021. According to the presentation, in the first phase of the plan only Italian guests will board the cruise ships, with limited occupancy and strict health and safety protocols. The first ships to resume cruising will sail round trips to Italian ports and with a possible stop in Valleta, Malta, according to the plan. Gradually in Phase 2 and 3 French and Spanish guests will be allowed to board the ships, and finally cruises will be open to all European citizens.

First Costa ship to hit the high seas once again will be Costa Deliziosa, which will sail from Venice on Aug. 15, on a 7-days Eastern Mediterranean voyage with stops in Catania, Siracusa, Valletta and Bari. On August 29, Costa Diadema will set sail from the port of Genova on a 7-day Western Med cruises to Palermo, Valletta, Catania, Napoli, and Civitavecchia. The third ship to resume cruising in Phase 1, and still to be confirmed, is Costa Luminosa which is expected to resume 7-day Saudi Arabia and Emirates Itineraries departing from Dubai.

Costa Cruises Plan for re-starting cruises in five phases

Phase 1

Costa Cruises plans to resume voyages from August to September with the following ships:

DELIZIOSA, DIADEMA, LUMINOSA (Saudi Arabia TBC)

In this phase, all three ships will sail only with Italian guests with 50% - 60% capacity. According to the plan, Deliziosa and Diadema will sail on 7-days Western and Eastern Med itineraries with stops in Italian ports and Valletta, Malta.

Phase 2

In the second phase, SMERALDA will join DELIZIOSA, DIADEMA, and LUMINOSA in October. In this phase, all four ships will sail only with guests from Italy, Spain, and France.

Phase 3

This phase will be implemented in November 2020 and all European guests will be allowed to sail on DELIZIOSA, DIADEMA, SMERALDA, and LUMINOSA.

Phase 4

Starting from December, six Costa cruise ship are scheduled to sail with European guests on board SMERALDA, DELIZIOSA, DIADEMA, FASCINOSA, LUMINOSA, FIRENZE

There will be a variety of itineraries West Med 7, East Med7, Caribe, SAM, Emirates. Med 7+14 (ex Fortuna) starting from Xmas.

Phase 5

Costa cruises will offer cruises on seven cruise ships inculdeing SMERALDA, DELIZIOSA, DIADEMA, FASCINOSA, LUMINOSA, FIRENZE, PACIFICA

Costa Deliziosa: Phase 1

Starting from 15 August to  5 September 2020, the ship will sail on a 7 days Western and Eastern Mediterranean voyages only with Italian guests and 60% occupancy. The ship will sail only to Italian ports, with exception of the port of Valetta, Malta. Guests will embark in Venice and Bari.

Costa Deliziosa: Phase 2

From 5 Sep –10 Oct Costa Deliziosa will sail 7-day Eastern cruises with stops in Italy and Greece with Italian French and Spanish guests onboard and a maximum occupancy of 70%. Embarkation ports will be Venice and Bari

Costa Deliziosa: Phase 3, 4 and 5

From 10 Oct to 3 Jan All European guests will be allowed to board the Deliziosa with a maximum occupancy of 80%. The World Cruise will start as scheduled on January 3, 2021, in Phase 5

Costa Diadema Phase 1 and 2

Costa Diadema will resume cruises with 7 day Western Mediterranean itineraries from 29 Aug – 26 Sep, sailing to Italian ports, and to Valletta, Malta. During this phase, only Italian Guests will embark from the ports in Genoa, Palermo, Catania, Napoli, and Civitavecchia. Occupancy 50%

Costa Diadema Phase 3

All European guests will be allowed to board Costa Diadema. Starting November 1, the ship will set sail on a 7-day Western Med cruises from Genoa to  Napoli, Palma de Mallorca, and Marseille.

Occupancy 50%

Costa Diadema Phase 4-5

In December the ship will reposition to the Caribbean, offering 7 days itineraries from the home port Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe, with stops in Tortola, Philipsburg, St John's Rosseau and Martinique. The ship will sail only with European guests with 70% Occupancy.

Costa Smeralda Phase 2

Smeralda will resume cruises in Phase 2 with Italian Spanish and French guests and 60% maximum occupancy. From 26 Sept 31 Oct, the ship will sail 7 days Western Mediterranean cruises cruise from Savona to Marseille, Barcelona, overnight in Palma de Mallorca and Civitavecchia. 

Costa Smeralda Phase 3,4,5

From 31 Oct, Smeralda will sail 7 days Western Mediterranean cruises departing from Savona to Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Palermo and Civitavecchia with all European guests and 70% occupancy.

Costa Fascinosa Phase 4 and 5

According to the plan, South America itineraries on Costa Fascinosa will resume on December 6, in PHASE 4-5.

The ship will sail on a roundtrip voyages from Santos, Brazil visiting Buzios, Salvador de Bahia, Ilheus and Ilha Grande, with South American guests and a maximum occupancy of 70-80%

Costa Luminosa Phase 3,4,5

After repositioning cruise from Savona, Costa Luminosa will resume cruises in PHASE 3-4-5. The ship will depart on 26 Nov and sail regular 7-day round trips from Dubai to Muscat, Doha, and overnight stay in Abu Dhabi. The ship will sail only with European guests.

Costa Firenze Phase 4 and 5

Costa Firenze, the latest cruise ship joining Costa Cruises fleet, will sail on a 7 -day Wester Mediterannean voyages starting December 20, from Savona to Marseille, Barcelona, Valencia, Palermo, Civitavecchia. Firenze will also sail 14 Mediterranean cruises from Savona visiting the ports of Marseille, Barcelona, Iraklion, Izmir, Istanbul with overnight, Piraeus (Athens), Palermo, and Civitavecchia. The ship will also sail a 14-day Mediterannean voyage with stops in Israel.

Costa Pacifica Phase 5

Pacifica will resume cruises in Phase 5, departing from the port of Savona on December 26, on a 14-day cruise to Marseille, Barcelona, Casablanca, Arrecife, Fuerteventura, Tenerife, Funchal, and Malaga.

According to the plan, there is a possible option with Azores in late Winter.

Costa Toscana update

The delivery of the ship is expected on November 21. Firence will replace Toscana in Spring-Summer-Fall season in 2021 sailing 7-days Western Mediterranean itineraries.

Positioning of the ship from Turku shipyard to the Med upon delivery will be empty. Toscana in Med 7 instead of Smeralda (to Dubai as planned).