Costa ship joins neoCollection after €22. 5 million refit in Italy
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Costa Classica has rejoined the Costa Cruises fleet as Costa neoClassica after a €22.5 million refurbishment at the San Giorgio del Porto yards in Genoa, Italy.
Joining the Costa neoCollection with Costa neoRomantica and Costa neoRiviera, the 53,000gt ship was in drydock from 8 November to 18 December. During the project, 600 technicians and 400 crew members worked to clean and repaint the ship’s hull, and carry out maintenance work on the engine section.
Meanwhile, architect and design firm Partner Ship Design (PSD) refitted many of the public areas and cabins onboard the ship to bring ‘Italy’s finest’ to guests. All cabins have been redecorated with a new colour palette and now feature an Illy coffee pod machine, while the suites have new balcony furniture and Elemis beauty products.
In addition, PSD has refurbished the wellness area, adding the TRX area for Total Body Resistance Exercises; renovated the open deck and provided telescopes for the signature Costa neoCollection Stargazer experience; and refurbished the Al Fresco café. Tables for groups of two and four have been added to Restaurant Tivoli, while the food and beverage menus have been expanded in collaboration with the Università delle Scienze Gastronomiche in Pollenzo to offer regional recipes that make use of ingredients sourced from each of the ports.
Like the other Costa neoCollection ships, Costa neoClassica has a professional Concierge service, enabling guests to access advice about onboard services and onshore activities.
Costa neoClassica’s 25-day maiden voyage – named From Egypt to the Spice Islands – departed on 18 December from the Italian port of Savona. It includes a transit of the Suez Canal and visits to Eilat and Jerusalem, Israel; Aqaba, Jordan; Safaga, Egypt; Oman, United Arab Emirates; the Seychelles, Madagascar, Réunion and Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.
From 12 January to 23 February 2015, the ship will sail four 14-day Indian Ocean, Paradise on Earth cruises from her homeport in Port Louis, Mauritius. Guests will spend three days in Mahé in the Seychelles, and will also visit Madagascar, Réunion and Mauritius.
In March, Costa neoClassica will return to the Mediterranean on another 30-day From the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean of Antiquity cruise, which sails from Mauritius and calls at Madagascar, the Seychelles, Oman, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Greece, Croatia and Italy.
From spring 2015 Costa neoClassica will be deployed in the eastern Mediterranean, sailing various itineraries to destinations such as Malta; Venice and Corigliano Calabro, Italy; Kotor, Montenegro; Split and Dubrovnik, Croatia; Corfu, Santorini, Cefalonia, Mykonos and Athens, Greece; and Istanbul, Turkey.