Costa Unveils 2010 Voyages to More Than 250 Destinations

Costa Cruises is offering early-booking savings of up to 40 percent on its 2010 program. The Italian line will visit more than 250 destinations around the world on 15 ships. The company will increase capacity by 16 percent in 2010 with the addition of the new Costa Deliziosa, which will sail on a maiden voyage from Savona to Dubai, and a second voyage with stops in India and the Maldives.

The ship will operate from Dubai in its first season. Sister ship Costa Luminosa will operate a special sailing to Greenland in the summer. Additionally, Costa will offer 240 eco-excursions with guided tours to parks, natural reserves and insight into host countries, highlighting the importance of conservation.

Costa’s 2010 North America brochure features sailings to Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. Caribbean, transatlantic and Canada/New England itineraries will be released in separate brochures. Shorter voyages in Europe, the Far East, South America and repositioning cruises are not included in the brochure.

The 2010 Europe season will see 14 of Costa’s 15 ships sailing the region at one point with more seven-night and year-round sailings than any other cruise line. Eastern Mediterranean routes will feature the new Costa Pacifica sailing from Civitavecchia on 11-night cruises to Greece, Egypt and Israel in the winter.

Four ships will sail in Northern Europe, including a new 20-night sailing to Greenland aboard the Costa Luminosa, departing from Amsterdam on Aug. 1. The ship will also sail 11- to 13-night routes to the “Baltic & Russia” and North Cape/Iceland routes from May through August.

Costa in 2010 will feature three ships sailing from Dubai -- the new Costa Deliziosa and Costa Luminosa, as well as Costa Europa. The Costa Deliziosa will sail to Dubai on its inaugural 20-night voyage from Savona on Feb. 5. Its second cruise, a 17-night sailing, will set sail on Feb. 25 from Dubai to India and the Maldives before returning for seven-night Sunday departures from Dubai to the U.A.E. through May.

In the Far East, the Costa Romantica will join Costa Allegra and Costa Classica. The Costa Romantica beginning in spring 2010 will sail 14-night cruises from Singapore to Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand and separate routes to Vietnam and Hong Kong.

The Costa Allegra will offer similar routes in winter and spring 2010 before positioning to Savona from Bombay on April 18. The Costa Classica will sail from Hong Kong on 14-night routes during the winter to the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam and in the spring and summer from Shanghai to Korea, Japan and Taiwan.

In winter 2010, the Costa Concordia will be positioned in South America for the first time, sailing six- and seven-night routes to Brazil from Santos. The Costa Victoria will sail seven-, eight- and nine-night sailings from Buenos Aires to Argentina and Brazil while the Costa Victoria will sail similar nine-night routes from Buenos Aires.