By
Rebecca Gibson |
Costa Cruises will offer guests sailing on Costa Diadema the choice of three new types of shore excursions when she debuts on 7 November 2014.
The line’s new flagship will sail seven-day cruises in the Western Mediterranean Sea from 8 November, vsiting Italian ports of Savona, Naples and La Spezia, as well as the French port of Marseille and the Spanish ports of Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca.
Passengers onboard the vessel can opt for Easy day trips, Scoperta e Sapori (Discover and Taste) excursions and Bike Tours. The line will also offer exclusive excursions on Costa Diadema’s three inaugural cruise in November, including a one-day excursion from La Spezia to the Formula One museum, track, testing areas and the pits in Maranello.
Costa’s Easy day trips enable guests to use the line’s transfer services and tour guides to travel to attractions and then explore the sites on their own. For example, when in Marseille, passengers can visit St John’s fortress, St Mary Major Cathedral and Le Panier old town district, while those calling at the port of Savona can tour the Aquarium, the old city and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Palazzi dei Rolli in Genoa. Passengers calling at La Spezia can explore the cities of Florence, Pisa and Lucca, as well as Portovenere and Cinque Terre. The line will also provide Easy tours in Naples, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca.
Targeted at passengers who want to experience local culture, the Scoperta e Sapori excursions will enable guests to enjoy traditional cuisine and visit historical sites. For example, guests will be able to eat authentic Italian pizza and visit Pompeii and Hercolaneum while in Naples, or take a jeep tour to the Alpuane Alps and the Carrara marble quarries in Tuscany, before enjoying croutons with lardo di Colonnata and returning to La Spezia. Passengers can also enjoy street food in Marseille, traditional Focaccia bread in Genoa and a ‘Taste of Tapas and Barcelona’ tour.
As part of the line’s Bike Tours programme, which has already been introduced to Costa Favolosa and Costa Fortuna’s summer itineraries, guests can cycle around the island of Palma de Mallorca. Tours will also be available along the western Ligurian coast in Savonna and in Barcelona.
Staff in the ship’s onboard Tour Office will provide guests with information about each port of call and help them to book personal excursions with a dedicated guide and transfer services. In addition, the onboard Excursion totems allow guests to view videos or photos of the destinations and share their experiences and comments with other travellers.