For the first time ever, Costa
Cruises will sail from Melbourne
in 2012-13 with the transformed
Costa neoRomantica.
IN a meeting with Cruise Weekly last month,
Dario Rustico, VP, sales and marketing of Pacific
Asia operations, divulged that Australians
would see “a lot more of Costa very soon”.
The Italian cruise line can now officially
confirm that it will introduce nine cruises out
of Australia next year with its newly renovated
ship Costa neoRomantica.
The new itineraries include calls to Sydney,
Melbourne, Darwin, Cairns, Brisbane, Hobart
and Burnie in Australia as well as several ports
in New Zealand.
Embarkation and disembarkation ports
include Melbourne, Singapore, Mauritius,
Dubai and Savona (Italy).
The wide range of options, from 21 to 88
nights, allow cruising between Italy and
Melbourne via the Arabian Gulf, Indian Ocean
and Australasia.
Once in Australia, Costa neoRomantica will
also offer a three-week Christmas holiday
sailing from Melbourne on 13 December 2012
visiting Sydney, Auckland, Tauranga,
Wellington, Akaroa, Dunedin, Fjordland,
Hobart and return to Melbourne.
The first grand cruise departs from Savona
on 19 September 2012 to reach Melbourne on
13 December, with calls in Naples, Egypt, Suez
Canal, Israel, Jordan, Oman, United Arab
Emirates, Mauritius, India, Maldives, Seychelles,
Madagascar and Reunion, Sri Lanka, Thailand,
Malaysia, Singapore, Bali, Lombok (Indonesia),
Darwin, Brisbane and Sydney.
Australians will be able to purchase cruises as
Savona-Melbourne, Dubai-Melbourne,
Mauritius-Melbourne and Singapore-Melbourne.
On 3 January 2013 Costa neoRomantica will
leave Australia to return to Italy through four
21-night to 25-night grand cruises: Melbourne-
Singapore; Singapore-Mauritius; Mauritius-
Dubai; Dubai-Savona, arriving on 1 April 2013.
Australians will be able to purchase cruises
from Melbourne to Singapore, Mauritius,
Dubai or Savona cruises.
“Following the previously announced visit of
one of our newest and most innovative ships,
Costa Deliziosa, which is scheduled to call into
Sydney, Melbourne and Perth this February
2012, we are excited to announce our intention
to double our presence during the local summer
season 2012/2013 when both Costa Deliziosa
and Costa neoRomantica will be sailing through
Australia and New Zealand,” Rustico said.
“We are eager to show off these ships and to
welcome as many Australians and New
Zealanders as we are sure they will remain
impressed by the overall quality of our interiors
as well as by our service, hospitality and cuisine.”
As Europe’s top cruise company and Italy’s
largest tourism group, Costa is investing
approximately 90 million euros to transform
Costa Romantica into Costa neoRomantica
over the next few months.
New areas will be constructed, including two
new half-decks, 111 additional cabins, more
private balconies and a wine bar.
Samsara Spa, a 4,200 square metre wellness
area, will include a gym, swimming pool for
thalassotherapy, treatment rooms, sauna,
Turkish bath, 50 cabins and six suites and a
special restaurant.
Capacity is set increase from 1,697 to 1,800
passengers, and the total displacement will be
approximately 56,000 gross tonnage.
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