Costa Cruises announced it continued to "work for a responsible and safe start" of its sailings, scheduled for September 2020 and became the first cruise line to earn the “Biosafety Trust Certification” from RINA, the more than 150-year-old testing, certification, inspection, and ship classification firm that developed the new management system certification program.
The certification process which is carried out via audits examines all aspects of life onboard and ashore and assesses the compliance of the innovative system with the scheme procedures aimed at the control and prevention of infections.
To obtain certification from RINA, training modules for crew members have been created in compliance with the new health protocols as well as with the associated shipboard management system implemented by Costa Cruises. The training programs reinforce the strict procedures in place onboard the line’s ships, in the embarkation terminals and during shore trips, introduced with Costa Safety Protocol, the new health protocol developed by the company, with the support of independent experts, in response to the pandemic.
Based on the epidemiological situation as well as considering the opinion of experts, from the first departure of Costa Deliziosa, scheduled for September 6, and to follow on all cruise ships that will return into operations, the Costa company will perform the antigenic COVID-19 swab tests to all embarking passengers.
The test is to be carried out within the pre-boarding procedures that were defined according to the protocols of the health authorities and Costa Safety Protocol. The quick antigenic test is due to identify any suspicious Coronavirus cases that may be subjected to a PCR test for a further check, thus determining the possibility of embarkation. The cruise company is also offering its passengers the option to subscribe dedicated insurance.
The return of Costa is planned to be progressive and in the name of maximum safety for crews, guests, and destination communities. The company has chosen to offer only itineraries in Italy, reserved exclusively for Italian passengers, for its September voyages.
The first ship to sail is Costa Deliziosa, which will cruise between September 6 and 27. Costa Deliziosa is scheduled to depart every Sunday from Trieste, Italy, allowing passengers to rediscover 5 destinations in Southern Italy rich in history and culture, like Bari, Brindisi, Corigliano-Rossano, Siracusa, Catania.
On September 19, Costa Diadema is scheduled to leave from Genoa (Milan) to visit Italian seaside resorts and art cities in the western Mediterranean: Civitavecchia-Rome, Naples, Cagliari Sardinia, Palermo Sicily, La Spezia.