Costa Diadema

The 2014-built Costa Diadema cruise ship is a Dream-class liner, the flagship of Costa Cruises (replacing Costa Fascinosa) and the newest vessel in the fleet. "Diadema" means “tiara” in Italian.

The vessel (IMO number 9636888) is currently Italy-flagged (MMSI 247353700) and registered in Genoa.

History - Construction and Ownership

Costa Cruises is headquartered in Genoa and is a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation. Costa is Europe’s second-largest cruise line (after MSC Cruises) and operates year-round in the Mediterranean. Founded in 1854 as a cargo shipping company, Costa began passenger shipping services in 1947 with regular transatlantic crossings between Italy and South America. The company was acquired by Carnival Corporation in 2000.

The 3800-passenger Costa Diadema was designed with numerous innovations in dining, entertainment, and onboard technology. Upon entering service, she became the largest Italian-flagged cruise ship afloat. While her design resembles Carnival’s Dream-class ships, Diadema is larger, features more onboard space, and introduces a new décor and design concept. Her refined elegance and inviting atmosphere ensure comfort and relaxation. Guests can enjoy a diverse culinary offering from around the world and indulge in wellness at the Samsara Spa.

In addition to her crew and staff, Costa passengers are assisted by Pepper robots, humanoid robots introduced fleetwide in 2016. These robots greet guests at embarkation and assist throughout the cruise with information on dining, entertainment, workshops, casino and shopping promotions, and shore excursions. Pepper robots are mobile, speak English, German, and Italian, and can interpret emotions through voice tone and facial expressions.

Decks and Cabins

Costa Diadema has 1886 staterooms in 15 categories, including 28 Suites, 905 Balcony cabins (100 of which are “Cove Balcony”), 240 Oceanviews, and 666 Inside cabins (17 for solo travelers). There are also 36 wheelchair-accessible cabins. A total of 161 Samsara Spa cabins are available, including 11 Suites, 90 Balcony, and 40 Interior staterooms.

The largest accommodations are the Grand Suites (275–345 ft² / 26–32 m²), with terraces ranging from 65–275 ft² / 6–26 m².

The ship has 14 passenger decks, with cabins located on 9 of them.

Shipboard Dining Options - Food and Drinks

Costa Diadema features seven restaurants, four of which require an additional charge (Samsara Restaurant, Club Restaurant, Teppanyaki, and La Piazza Pizza Pizzeria), along with 15 bars, including ‘Vinoteca Huit-Huit’, ‘Birreria La Fiamma’, ‘Bar Bollicine’, and ‘Gelateria Amarillo’.

Scudo Rosso Restaurant, the larger of the two main dining rooms (MDRs), spans the entire width of Deck 3 and is the only complimentary venue offering cooked breakfast with bacon and eggs. Sissi Restaurant, the second MDR, offers elegant décor with golden tones and mother-of-pearl accents, plus panoramic ocean views. It operates for dinner and occasionally lunch on sea days. Complimentary 24-hour room service is also available.

Complete list of Costa Diadema restaurants and food venues:

• Ristorante “Scudo Rosso” – complimentary forward dining room (open seating for breakfast and lunch; fixed seating for dinner at 6:30 pm and 9:00 pm)
• Ristorante “Sissi” – complimentary 2-level aft dining room (fixed seating for dinner)
• Ristorante Club Diadema – specialty steakhouse restaurant (a la carte menu; dinner only; reservations required)
• Tavola Teppanyaki – Japanese specialty restaurant with Asian cuisine
• La Piazza Pizza – 24-hour pizzeria (complimentary)
• Ristorante Samsara – serves healthy, low-calorie meals; complimentary for Samsara cabin guests; surcharge for others (reservations required)
• Ristorante Corona Blu – self-service buffet (complimentary; offers breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner; converts to a waiter-service pizzeria in the evening)

Since 2021, "Destination Dishes" (created by celebrity chefs Bruno Barbieri, Helene Darroze, and Angel Leon) are featured daily in the MDRs. These meals are inspired by destinations the ship will visit the following day.

Shipboard Entertainment Options - Fun and Sport

The Samsara Spa spans four decks and 7800 m², featuring a modern gym, spa treatment rooms, thalassotherapy pool, sauna, UVA solarium, and steam room. Outdoor facilities include a jogging track, multisports court, eight hot tubs, three pools (one with retractable roof), and a kids’ pool.

Entertainment options include a 4D cinema, 3-deck theatre, disco, country rock club, casino, 2-deck games area, and a Formula 1 Grand Prix simulator.

Complete list of Costa Diadema lounges and entertainment venues:

• Teatro Emerald – 3-level show lounge with musicals, concerts, ballet, circus, and laser shows
• 4D Cinema – 3D movies with motion seating
• Grand Bar Orlov – live music, quiz games, fashion shows
• Country Rock Club – live classic rock music
• Cigar Lounge – cigars and fine liquors
• Bar Bollicine – Prosecco and champagne bar
• Sala Carte – card room
• Casino Golden Jubilee – casino with adjacent bar
• Diadema Atrium (“Atrio Eliodoro”) – central open-floor atrium with live music and bar
• Atrio Sissi – smaller, aft atrium
• Sala Desiree and Sala Tiara – lounge bars
• Principe Nero – piano bar
• Salone La Buena – grand lounge with bar
• Discoteca Opernball – 2-level nightclub with DJ
• Biblioteca Gubelin – library and Internet room
• Portobello Market and Galleria Shops – duty-free retail
• Birreria “La Fiamma” – brewery/pub; Vinoteca “Huit-Huit” – wine bar
• Gelateria Amarillo – ice cream parlor
• Bar Stella del Sud and Balconata – with two cantilevered whirlpools
• Area Foto – photo gallery and shop
• Scuderia Costa – F1-themed bar with simulator
• Mondo Virtuale – arcade
• Cappella – wedding chapel and religious services
• Squok Club – kids’ area with Mini and Maxi clubs, activities, babysitting
• Teen Zone – teen area with age-specific clubs and programs
• Centro Benessere Samsara – 3-level spa and wellness complex with fitness, beauty salon, massage rooms, thermal suites, solarium, and more
• Lido Diana – pool area with whirlpools, LED screen, PlayStation nights
• Lido Stella del Sud – pool area with whirlpools
• Lido Squok – kids’ mini aquapark
• Winter Garden – glass-roofed lounge with live music and greenery
• Balconata Belle Etoile – outdoor movie screen
• Solarium – open-air relaxation zone
• Campo da Gioco – basketball/tennis court; Jogging Track; Roller Skating Track; Putting Green; Virtual Golf

Itineraries

Costa Diadema operates primarily in Europe, with itineraries focused on the Western Mediterranean. Seasonally, she is deployed to the Caribbean, sailing roundtrip from Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe), and offers repositioning voyages between Europe and the Caribbean.

In September 2022, Costa canceled Diadema’s winter schedule (Nov 18, 2022 – March 28, 2023, totaling 137 departures), which included 14-day Canary Islands voyages from homeports in Italy (Savona), Spain (Valencia, Barcelona), and France (Marseille). The ship resumed service on April 7, 2023, from Barcelona.

The vessel (Fincantieri Marghera yard/hull number 6203) has a volume of 133,019 GT, a DWT of 11,118 tons, and a maximum draught of 8.5 m. The powerplant is based on Wartsila marine diesel engines (models 12V46C and 8L46C) with a combined power output of 42 MW. The registered shipowner and management company is COSTA CROCIERE S.p.A., while the ISM Manager is CARNIVAL MARITIME GmbH.

Diadema is among Costa's largest liners. Following her inaugural cruise/maiden voyage (November 10, 2014, from Venice to Savona), she became the largest Italy-flagged vessel, replacing Costa Fascinosa as the fleet's flagship. Her sisterships from the DREAM-class (Carnival's "Fun Ships") include Carnival Breeze, Carnival Dream, and Carnival Magic.

At the time, Diadema represented Costa’s largest shipbuilding order, placed on August 3, 2011.

Her construction began with the keel-laying ceremony on December 10, 2012, at the Marghera Shipyard (Venice, Italy). The vessel was launched/floated out from drydock on November 16, 2013, officially delivered to Costa on October 25, 2014, and christened on November 7 in Venice. The inaugural cruise departed Venice on November 8. The 7-day Western Mediterranean itinerary included calls to ports in Italy (Naples, La Spezia, Savona), Spain (Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca), and France (Marseille).

Diadema was the first cruise ship to debut a laser maze show, allowing all guests to participate in the race. In 2016, Costa trialed its 4GOODFOOD program on Diadema, aimed at reducing food waste. The initiative achieved approximately a 50% reduction in food waste and up to 20% lower food consumption at the onboard self-service buffet restaurants.

In 2017, Diadema became the first ship in the fleet to introduce onboard-made, certified mozzarella produced from buffalo milk. The product, branded "Latteria del Curatino," was developed through a partnership with two Campania-based dairy companies—"Comat" (a dairy equipment manufacturer) and "Podere dei Leoni" (a leading producer of certified buffalo mozzarella). With this innovation, Costa became the world's first cruise company to serve freshly made mozzarella at sea.

Costa Diadema’s most recent drydock refurbishment was conducted from November 5-19, 2023, at Chantier Naval de Marseille (France). The project included general maintenance, classification inspections, technical overhauls, and extensive renovations and upgrades to all public areas, venues, and passenger staterooms, including new carpeting and soft furnishings.