Costa Crociere, the Italian unit in Carnival Corp & plc group, says it will launch Costa neoCollection slow cruise concept that includes longer calls at ports and open seating dining.
“The Costa neoCollection is an invitation to make the most of every minute and holiday in a more leisurely way. This new type of cruise experience is tailored to suit individual tastes and let each person go at their own pace, both on board and ashore, making it ideal for couples and groups of friends,” the company said in a statement.
Costa neoRiviera, which has 624 cabins and which will be transferred from sister brand Iberocruceros, for which it is trading as Grand Mistral, and Costa neoRomantica with 789 cabins will be sailing to new destinations which are off the beaten path and inaccessible to bigger ships.
“The itineraries are designed with longer stopovers in each port, often overnight and part of the next day to allow maximum time on shore and the chance to thoroughly explore each place en route. “
“As cruising is not one size fits all, Costa Cruises has introduced a range of made-to-measure options, notably a series of specially devised shoreside excursions for small groups as well as fine gastronomic products based on the authentic taste sensations of the places visited, thanks to a new collaboration between Costa and the Università delle Scienze Gastronomiche in Pollenzo.”
The Costa neoCollection debuts on 9 February 2014 from Dubai with a special cruise on Costa neoRiviera, the latest addition to the Costa Cruises fleet. This one-off 62-day voyage of discovery, the Grand African Tour, is a circumnavigation of the great continent offering a unique opportunity to combine the sea and the most beautiful Indian Ocean beaches with all the adventure of a safari in South Africa.
Costa neoRiviera will also add a new dimension to cruising in spring and summer, sailing on 12-day itineraries to the most attractive destinations in the Mediterranean, away from the hustle and bustle of mass tourism.
Starting 1 June 2014 and operating throughout the summer, the neoCollection style will also be present on Costa neoRomantica, with 13 and 15-day premium cruises in Northern Europe, beyond the North Cape or to the finest Baltic cities.
Keeping with the leisurely pace of the neoCollection cruises, guests can dine at any time between 6.30pm and 10.30pm without having to choose a particular sitting.
The slow food approach continues ashore, where food and wine excursions offer local product tastings. The Costa neoCollection shoreside tours are planned down to the last detail and specially designed to soak up the culture, scenery and flavours of each place along the route. So as to enhance the independent tourist feel, each excursion is arranged in small groups of no more than 25 people.