By
Rebecca Gibson |
Costa Cruises new flagship Costa Diadema has sailed into her first cruise port after departing Fincantieri’s Maghera yard in Venice on 30 October.
While in Trieste, the €550 million flagship will host an onboard party and serve as a backdrop for a fireworks display. The ship will embark on her ‘vernissage’ cruise from Trieste on 1 November, which includes calls at Dubrovnik, Croatia; Corfu, Greece; Malta; and Naples and Genoa, Italy.
On 7 November, the flagship will be christened in Genoa by Italian travel agent Carolina Miceli, who will be joined by four maids of honour from Germany, Spain, France and China.
After her christening, Costa Diadema will sail to Savona, where her maiden visit will also mark the official inauguration of the second terminal of the Palacrociere, built by Costa with a total investment of €9 million.
From 8 November until the end of summer 2015, Costa Diadema will be deployed in the western Mediterranean, sailing seven-day cruises to Marseille, France; Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Naples, Florence and La Spezia, Italy.
Costa Diadema, which is the line’s 15th ship, was constructed by more than 1,000 shipyard workers, 2,500 subcontractors and around 400 Italian interior suppliers.
Weighing 132,500gt and measuring more than 300 metres in length and 37 metres in width, Costa Diadema has 1,862 guest cabins and offers split-level and interconnected rooms directly overlooking the sea to evoke the atmosphere of an Italian coastal resort. In addition, the flagship offers a range of new dining and entertainment venues including Teppanyaki, Country Rock Club, an arcade with interactive games, Portobello Market Piazza, a three-level Samsara Spa and a 500 m open-air promenade with cabanas, restaurants and bars.