59 Costa’s guests can participate in unique experiences such as snorkelling at the sunken city of Baia in Italy infrastructure to provide shoreside electricity to cruise ships. “The cruise industry has proactively implemented shore power – 147 of the ships in the Cruise Lines International Association member fleet can already connect to shore power – but ports aren’t making progress as quickly,” says Truscello. “In the Mediterranean, which is our main destination, the only port currently providing shore power is Valletta in Malta. However, ports like Barcelona in Spain and Genoa and Savona in Italy are set to follow soon.” Another fundamental aspect of itinerary planning is to find diverse destinations that meet the ever-evolving expectations of guests. “We listen to our customers’ preferences and continually improve our itineraries by going to new and exciting destinations worldwide,” says Truscello. In summer 2024, for instance, Costa introduced a new ‘fly and cruise’ offering in Greece and Turkey. “It was a great success, so we’ll repeat it in summer 2025 and 2026,” says Truscello. “We also debuted seven-day ‘fly and cruise’ itineraries to the Canary Islands, and we’ll introduce similar voyages with direct flights from Europe to some of the most beautiful destinations in Asia from November 2025 to January 2026. “We’ll offer two different itineraries onboard Costa Serena with embarkations in Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan’s capital, Tokyo. One will focus on exploring the rich traditions and modern cities in Japan, while the other will explore the diverse landscapes and cultures of Southeast Asia.” Costa has developed a range of shore excursions to fully immerse guests in the destinations they visit. Many are tailored to meet the needs and interests of its main target groups: families and couples. “This summer we launched new family-friendly tours in the Western Mediterranean, designing separate programmes for children aged three to 13 and for those aged 14 to 17,” says Truscello. “The slow-paced excursions for younger children include both moments of fun and rest, while the programme for teenagers focuses on adventure and autonomy. They can enjoy activities like Instagrammable walks in Naples, Italy street art tours in Marseille, France, and surfing in Cagliari, Italy.” There are also “extraordinary experiences” for couples looking for “something special”, says Truscello. “In Italy, for example, couples can join a tour of food markets in Palermo or go snorkelling at the sunken city of Baia in the Campi Flegrei.” In summer 2024, Costa introduced ‘Sea Destinations’ to enable guests to participate in unique onboard experiences connected to the destinations they will visit during their cruise in the Mediterranean or Northern Europe. “We offer these experiences both before and after the guests have been onshore,” says Truscello. “For instance, guests can enjoy a typical caprese breakfast while sailing past the spectacular Faraglioni Rocks of Capri island before disembarking in Naples. Alternatively, when they re-embark after visiting Ibiza in Spain, guests can celebrate with a chic sunset party in Formentera bay. Following their success, we’ll also provide Sea Destinations in the Caribbean and the United Arab Emirates this winter. These innovative experiences help our guests see destinations from an unprecedented and unique perspective.”
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