Costa Smeralda Returns To Genoa After The Winter Season In The United Arab Emirates
Costa Smeralda, flagship of the Costa fleet, will be in Genoa every Friday from April to the end of November, inaugurating her Mediterranean cruise season with a journey through new destinations and breathtaking landscapes.
Costa Smeralda arrived in Genoa today, returning from the winter season in the United Arab Emirates, where she sailed offering week-long cruises between Dubai, Muscat (Oman), Doha (Qatar) and Abu Dhabi.
The Costa Smeralda, flagship of the Costa fleet and sistership to Costa Toscana, completed the long 37-day cruise by circumnavigating the African continent, along destinations at various latitudes including Muscat, Port Louis, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, Walvis Bay, Dakar, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tangier, Barcelona and Ajaccio/Corsica.
Costa Smeralda therefore inaugurates her season in the Western Mediterranean.
From next April 11, and weekly every Friday until November 21, 2025, Costa Smeralda will leave Genoa for an eight-day itinerary in the Western Mediterranean, to discover Italy, France and Spain, among timeless atmospheres, cities of art, beaches and splendid landscapes, with stops in Marseille, Barcelona, Cagliari, Naples and Civitavecchia/Rome, and then return to Genoa.
The itinerary will be even more unique thanks to the “Sea Destinations”, new destinations to be experienced from the perspective of the sea. After leaving Barcelona, for example, and arriving in the Balearic Sea, the ship will reach the darkest spot of the Mediterranean where guests will be able to observe stars and planets guided by the voice of a ship’s officer; or in front of the Bay of Capri you can enjoy a Capri breakfast with Neapolitan coffee and Caprese cake while admiring the spectacle of the Faraglioni at dawn from the ship and finally, once at the Cetacean Sanctuary a fascinating light show will immerse guests in the mysterious world of the most extraordinary marine creatures.
These destinations to be discovered on board, during navigation, are flanked by the “Land Destinations”, land experiences to explore the most iconic places, in full comfort, and at an affordable price, such as the excursions offered in the main calls of the cruise, to learn even more about the cultural heritage of the Mediterranean. These include a visit to the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de la Garde and a walk through breathtaking panoramic views and the symbolic places of Marseille; a walk immersed in the colors of Park Güell and Casa Batlló, then a spectacular view of the city from Montjuïc hill in Barcelona; and again, the colors and flavors of Southern Italy in the alleys of the Rione Sanità, in Naples, under the shadow of Vesuvius, or the possibility of literally immersing yourself in history above the water among the ruins of Pompeii and below, in the submerged Park of Baia among statues, mosaics and remains of Roman villas.
Costa Smeralda offers a truly incredible gastronomic experience, with 21 restaurants and dedicated areas and 19 bars, to enjoy a drink or a break in total relaxation, including themed bars in collaboration with great Italian and international partners. The excellence of taste is represented by the dishes signed by Bruno Barbieri, Hélène Darroze and Ángel León, who offer authentic local recipes in the Destination Dishes and on the menus of the Archipelago restaurant.
Every moment on board Costa Smeralda is an opportunity to explore new flavors and enjoy an unforgettable culinary experience: Pizzeria Pummid’oro serves authentic Italian pizza with sourdough and high-quality ingredients; The Osteria Frescobaldi offers delicious dinners accompanied by the best red wines; the Teppanyaki restaurant combines haute cuisine and entertainment, while Sushino at Costa is a sushi bistro for an authentic Japanese experience.
Salty Beach is ideal for street food; in the Food LAB, guests can experiment with cooking skills or learn how to create perfect cocktails, while for families with children there is a dedicated restaurant.
The ship’s interiors are the result of an extraordinary creative project, curated by Adam D. Tihany, created to enhance and bring to life the colors and atmospheres of Italy in a single location. Furniture, lighting, fabrics and accessories are all “Made in Italy”, created by 15 partners highly representative of Italian excellence. Italian design is also the protagonist in the CoDe – Costa Design Museum, the first museum built on a cruise ship, curated by Matteo Vercelloni.
The space is spread over 400m2 and is designed to capture the spirit of “Italian taste” through a selection of over 470 pieces.
Costa Smeralda has been designed to be a real itinerant “smart city”, where sustainable solutions and circular economy concepts are applied to reduce environmental impact. Thanks to LNG (liquefied natural gas) power, it is possible to almost completely eliminate the emission of sulphur oxides (zero emissions) and particulate matter (95-100% reduction) into the atmosphere, also significantly reducing nitrogen oxide emissions (direct reduction of 85%) and CO2 (up to 20%).
The ship’s entire daily water needs are met by transforming that of the sea through the use of desalinators, and energy consumption is reduced to a minimum thanks to an intelligent energy efficiency system.
In addition, 100% separate collection and recycling of materials such as plastic, paper, glass and aluminum is carried out on board, which are part of an integrated approach, aimed at implementing circular economy projects.
(Costa Smeralda Returns To Genoa After The Winter Season In The United Arab Emirates)
