Costa Cruises, the Italian unit in Carnival Corporation & plc group, has reportedly decided to pull out of Asia for the foreseeable future.

“As a result of continuing uncertainties regarding the full restart of international cruises in East Asia, Costa Cruises has decided to reorganise its structure in the region,” the South China Morning Post cited Costa Cruises as saying. The company was cancelling “future Asian home ports cruise programmes,” it added.

The decision comes against the background of continued zero- Covid-19 policies of China, where Costa Cruises had started operations in 2006 with the 28,500 gross ton Costa Allegra. It was the first western cruise line to enter the Chinese source market and to base a ship in the country.

Several ships affected

Two 135,000 gross ton newbuildings, Costa Venezia and Costa Firenze, were built at Fincantieri with the Chinese market in mind. However, the last named ship never entered service in China due to the pandemic and both vessels are now employed on the US market under a new, Costa by Carnival brand. They have also been reflagged from Italy to the Bahamas.

The 114,000 gross ton Costa Serena that was completed in 2009 and which had been employed on the Chinese market remains in lay up in Dubai.

Last year, Costa cruises transferred Costa Atlantica and Costa Mediterranea that are both of about 86,000 gross tons to CSSC Carnival Cruise shipping, a Chinese venture in which the Carnival group has a minority stake. Both these ships that were built at the turn of the millennium are laid up in Cyprus at the moment. The Chinese company also has two 133,500 gross ton newbuildings on order at China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC).

It appears to be unclear at the moment where these two vessels and the second hand purchases would be employed in the future.