Costa Cruises' Costa Luminosa departed from Savona, Italy, yesterday on a 98-day Around-the-World voyage during which guests will cross three oceans and visit 39 destinations on five continents, returning to Savona, Dec. 21. It is an ideal trip for cruise lovers desiring to circumnavigate the world in a little over three months, encountering exotic cultures and extraordinary places.
More than 1,000 guests will departed from Savona, with another 260 boarding tomorrow at Marseille, France, and 240 more embarking at Barcelona, Spain, for a total of nearly 1,500 cruise passengers. A wide range of ages and nationalities is represented: the oldest traveler is 95, while the youngest is just 1 year old. There are more than 30 different nationalities on board, mainly Swiss, German and French, followed by Italian and Spanish.
Costa Luminosa is one of the most amazing ships in Costa's fleet. Even thousands of miles from home, guests will still be able to enjoy real Italian hospitality. And those seeking to follow Costa Luminosa's incredible voyage can simply go to the Costa website and see what's happening in real time through the two webcams installed on board.
Exclusive festivities were planned to celebrate the ship's departure from Savona: a quintet played live music as guests boarded the ship from the Palacrociere, while a special poolside party accompanied the departure "countdown" after greetings from the captain.
"The itinerary of this Around-the-World voyage will include stops in marvelous countries like France, Spain, the Antilles, Colombia, Mexico, the United States, Hawaii, Polynesia, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, India, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Jordan," said Pietro Sinisi, captain of Costa Luminosa. "It's a real dream come true for all great travelers who, thanks to Costa Cruises, will be able to visit five continents during a single trip."
Special shore excursions will give the world cruise an exciting and unique touch. Excursions that are the most popular among guests include a fascinating tour of the island of Antigua and a visit to Nelson's Dockyard National Park, teeming with history; a tour to the attractions of San Diego, California, like the Gaslamp Quarter and the Old Town; and a four-hour visit to see the natural wonders of the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
Costa Luminosa will make longer calls at some particularly interesting destinations such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, California; Honolulu, Hawaii; Cochin and Mumbai, India; and Dubai, U.A.E. (two days); Sydney, Australia; and Singapore (three days). This will give travelers a chance to discover the unique characteristics of these special vacation spots, taking advantage of the exclusive excursions offered by Costa Cruises, some of which include an overnight stay at a hotel on shore: after an afternoon of shopping in Los Angeles and an overnight stay in a magnificent room facing the Sunset Strip, guests will have the opportunity to take a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon; from Sydney guests can experience the magic of Ayers Rock, savoring dinner in the middle of the desert. After discovering the magnificence of "The Twelve Apostles," the iconic limestone stacks of Melbourne, Australia, guests can leave the ship at Perth, Australia, to travel to Bali, there to be immersed in the enchanting atmosphere of white-sand beaches and pristine nature for a couple of days before returning to the ship at Singapore. Finally, from Cochin guests can visit Delhi and Agra, India, to fully experience the spirit of the Indian tradition and admire the Taj Mahal.
"We are extremely proud to welcome our guests onboard this special voyage, and their choice represents how much they are passionate about the Costa brand," said Norbert Stiekema, executive vice president sales and marketing for Costa Cruises. "The Around-the-World cruise follows on the heels of a soldout, record-breaking month of August and represents a really exclusive offer by Costa. Starting in fact from the Round-the-World cruise, the fall season is also on an upswing, and bookings continue to increase. It's a sign of just how much our product is appreciated, offering Italy's finest on board and providing the opportunity to visit a variety of unique destinations in absolute comfort. From this point of view the Around-the-World cruise is obviously at the top, but we have lots of other proposals these months that are suitable for everyone: the short mini-vacations, seven-day cruises to the most beautiful destinations in the Mediterranean, or vacations on board our neoCollection ships that visit brand new locations with longer calls."
The next world cruise departs from Savona on Costa Luminosa on Jan. 6, 2016, with a 108-day itinerary that will cross the two Tropics and end April 23, 2016.
