According to a press release issued today, the Costa Firenze made her debut in Genoa, inaugurating the restart of Costa’s cruises from the city.
In 2022 the Italian company, which started cruising in July last year, will call at Genoa every Thursday until the end of November 2022, for a one-week Western Mediterranean itinerary, which also includes Marseille, Barcelona, Cagliari, Palermo and Civitavecchia/Rome. In addition to Costa Firenze, from November 13th until the end of the year, Costa Luminosa will also be in Genoa every Sunday, again for one-week cruises in the Western Mediterranean. In 2022 Costa will be in Genoa for a total of 45 calls. In 2020 and 2021 Costa Cruises only had a few calls due to the Covid pandemic. In 2023 Costa expects a further growth of her presence in Genoa, thanks to the arrival, every Friday from April to November, of Costa Toscana, the new Liquefied Natural Gas-powered ship of the fleet.
Starting from today, there will be another important innovation on board of Costa Firenze, as her guests will be able to visit Genoa freely, either by taking part in the excursions organized by the company, without the need for the “bubble” that protected them from contact with the external people, or independently, getting off the ship on their own. The new regulations, which came into force on April 1st, will be applied to all destinations, subject to compliance with any requirements imposed by local authorities.
“After a two-year pause, we are finally returning regularly with our cruises to Genoa. We are doing so with a new-generation ship, Costa Firenze, and an even richer product that will allow to explore our destinations in the best possible way” – said Mario Zanetti, President of Costa Cruises. “Costa Firenze, as well as the other ships in the fleet, offers the opportunity to generate shared value in the territories, and contribute to creating models of future development that are sustainable and able to multiply growth opportunities for the territory. I am thinking, for example, of projects such as cold ironing, i.e., the use of land-based energy for ships calling at ports.”
Costa Firenze’s first call was an opportunity to talk about the enhancement of the territory, port facilities and sustainable innovation, during a conference entitled “The future of cruise tourism and the Genoa model”, hosted on board and attended by representatives of the institutions and companies involved in cruise activities in the port of Genoa, including the President of the Liguria Region, Giovanni Toti, and the Mayor of Genoa, Marco Bucci.
“We are proud and honored to host the debut of this marvelous cruise ship in Genoa: today Costa Cruises sails again from Genoa – said the President of the Liguria Region, Giovanni Toti – This event, after the very difficult period we experienced with the health emergency, also marks the restart of the entire sector, in which Liguria is a leader. In the last two years Costa Cruises has not lost ground but, on the contrary, has invested in health protocols in order to be prepared for this challenge, facing a season that we are convinced will be extraordinary. The forecasts for this year see a growth that exceeds +110% of passengers compared to 2021: important figures, which make us confident in a strong recovery of the cruise sector, despite the effects of the ongoing conflict that we hope will soon find a diplomatic solution. Liguria has all the credentials to be ready to seize all the opportunities for development related to cruises, with the main Ligurian cities ready to welcome those who want to visit our wonderful land in the coming weeks and months”.
Moreover, during the event on Costa Firenze, the city’s institutions signed their adhesion to the Manifesto for value-driven, sustainable and inclusive tourism: a decalogue summarizing Costa Cruises commitment to grow together with the territories visited by her ships, considering the destinations not as a set of tourist attractions, but as communities to build together with a model of tourism that generates greater economic and social value, looking at a new “renaissance” in sustainable tourism.
“Cruises has always been a strategic sector for Genoa thanks to its ability to generate employment and bring tourists to our city – said the mayor of Genoa, Marco Bucci. “Everything, however, must take place under the sign of sustainability. For this reason, we are pleased that Costa is promoting, also through its Manifesto, a conscious and sustainable tourism. We are ready to give our support”.
Costa Firenze, built at Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera and dedicated to the Florentine Renaissance, is a 135,000-ton ship with 2,136 guest cabins. With 13 different restaurants and 8 bars, the food and wine offer is among the widest in the fleet. There are plenty of outdoor spaces to fully enjoy the sailing experience. Families with children will be able to choose between different activities to do on board, including a water park and an adventure park, and couples will find a private spa, swimming pools and various spaces to enjoy a moment of privacy. The offer of excursions available has been redesigned to explore hidden and less frequented gems, and to enjoy the most authentic traditions, flavors and colors.
For further information about Costa Cruises ships and itineraries, please visit them at https://www.costacruises.com/.
