Costa Firenze

The 2021-built Costa Firenze cruise ship is the second newbuild liner in the Costa fleet - following the 2019-built sistership Costa Venezia. Both vessels were produced by the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri - Venezia at Monfalcone Shipyard (near Trieste) and Firenze at Marghera Shipyard (near Venice). Each vessel has GT tonnage 135,500 tons, 2116 cabins and passenger capacity 4200 (max 5260 pax).

From the same series (Vista-class sisterships) are also the CCL-Carnival liners Vista (2016), Horizon (2018) and Panorama (2019).

History - construction and ownership

Costa Cruises is a Genoa-headquartered subsidiary company owned by Carnival Corporation. Costa is Europe's second-largest cruise line (after MSC) with year-round operations in the Mediterranean. Costa was founded in 1854 as a cargo shipping company. It started passenger shipping services in 1947, with regular Transatlantic crossings between Europe (Italy) and South America. In 2000, Costa Cruises was acquired by Carnival Corporation (shipowner).

Ship's design features more efficient use of both indoor and open-deck spaces, with several multi-functional areas. The activity (Lido) deck features an aqua park with a water slide, high-rope garden, mini-golf course. The pool deck is covered with a retractable glass roof. The Beach Club (adults only complex) is beneath the glass roof and features a swimming pool, waterslides, rock climbing wall, sports deck area. This deck also has a giant LED wall for movies and other outdoor video entertainment.

The ship has dedicated club lounges for teens and kids, including for toddlers. The panoramic glass elevators also connect the outdoor areas. There is a glass-bottomed skywalk, huge wellness complex (Organic Spa and Fitness), Plaza (with numerous bars and shops), Atrium Lobby Lounge (meeting place with a stage for street performers), large-capacity Theater (main show lounge).

Another agreement (with the German shipbuilder Meyer Werft) was signed in July 2015 and included the construction of 4 new ships. The contract was finalized in April 2016. Of these 4 vessels, 2 are for Costa Cruises (Costa Smeralda from the new Helios-class vessels) and the other 2 for AIDA Cruises (Carnival's German brand).

Managed by Costa Group, the Costa and AIDA combined fleet is Europe's largest. In 2014, one out of every two cruise ship tourists in Europe sailed on either AIDA or Costa ship. In 2015, Costa Group had 20 offices in 14 countries, ~27000 shipyard employees and total passenger capacity of 68,000+ berths (across the combined fleet). Costa Group also is the leader of China's rapidly growing cruise market in Asia.

Besides the ship's staff and crew, Costa cruise passengers are also served by Peper robots - the latest cyborg technology implemented fleetwide in 2016. These humanoid robots greet and guide passengers upon embarkation. They also assist them throughout the cruise by providing information and tips on onboard dining, entertainment, enrichment program (workshops, pre-scheduled events), casino and shopping promotions, shore excursions and tours. Pepper robots are mobile and communicate in 3 languages (English, German, Italian). They can also interpret human emotions by analyzing voice tones and facial expressions.

Cruise itinerary program

Costa Firenze itinerary program was originally planned to start in October 2020 with a month-long inaugural cruise season in Europe/Mediterranean, from the Italian homeports Trieste and Savona. Next was scheduled (starting November 2, 2020) a 51-day relocation voyage from Savona to Hong Kong China.

Bookings for all (five) 5- to 7-day Mediterranean itineraries and the 51-day Europe-China voyage were opened on May 6, 2019. However, due to the Coronavirus crisis, the vessel's delivery was delayed and its itinerary program significantly postponed and changed.

Costa Firenze's Maiden Voyage (7-day itinerary Trieste to Savona) had to start on October 1, 2020, to Bari, Barcelona and Marseille. On October 8, a roundtrip from Savona had to visit Marseille, Barcelona, Savona. Departing from Savona on October 12, 19 and 26, the liner had scheduled three 7-day itineraries visiting Naples (replaced by Civitavecchia-Rome for itinerary October 19), Messina Sicily (replaced with Palermo Sicily for itinerary October 19), Valencia, Barcelona, Marseille. The last scheduled voyage (available for booking) was the 51-day Suez Canal repositioning cruise leaving out of Savona (November 2, 2020) and planned to end in Hong Kong (December 22, 2020).

In late-October 2020, Costa made several major itinerary changes for the ships Deliziosa, Diadema and Favolosa. Firenze's inauguration was rescheduled for February 28, 2021. The 7-day Western Mediterranean program was based on homeporting in Genoa for roundtrips visiting La Spezia, Naples, Valencia, Barcelona and Marseille. Roundtrips were also offered from Marseilles and Barcelona. A new 7-day itinerary (roundtrip from homeport Civitavecchia-Rome) visits Naples, Ibiza (Balearic Spain), Barcelona, Marseilles, Genoa, with alternative homeporting in Marseilles (roundtrip departures).

After the inaugural season in Europe (March-October 2021), Costa Firenze had to be relocated (via Suez Canal) to Asia to join the sistership Venezia.

In late-April 2021 Costa rescheduled Firenze's Maiden Voyage for July 4th, with an all-Italian itinerary (7-day) visiting Savona, Civitavecchia, Palermo Sicily, Naples, Messina Sicily, Cagliari Sardinia. The Mediterranean season (June 4 thru October 11) ended with the 36-day Suez Canal repositioning cruise from Barcelona to Singapore.

Decks and Cabins

Costa Firenze staterooms (2116 total) are in 4 main categories: Balcony Suites, Balcony Cabins, Oceanview (with picture windows) and Inside.

All cabins provide a shower in the bathroom, twin beds (convertible to a Queen-sized double bed), hairdryer, electronic safe box (in the closet), mirrored vanity desk with chair, smart HDTV. Balcony Staterooms also feature sofa beds as well as paid-for minibars. Wifi is available in all staterooms for an additional charge as well as in public areas. Suites receive free 24-hour room service, slippers, bathrobes plus drinks package and personal valet.

The boat has 14 decks (all passenger-accessible), of which 12 are with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Costa Firenze offers a total of 13 restaurants and 7 bar lounges. The food offerings consist of classic Italian dishes, fast food, traditional Asian and Chinese cuisine. Italian food includes the menu of 3-star Michelin chef Umberto Bombana. However, authentic Chinese cuisine is available in the main and speciality restaurants at any time.

Follows the complete list of Costa Firenze restaurants and food bars.

• The Main Restaurant (waiter-served) and the Lido deck buffet restaurant (Versilia Restaurant) offer Chinese and Italian food from the early hours until night.
• Another option is street food, with Dim Sum offering traditional Chinese food.
• Casanova Restaurant is the ship's stand-out specialty restaurant. Its menu was created by Italian chef Umberto Bombana of 3-star Michelin restaurant Otto e Mezzo Bombana.
• Ristorante dei Medici
• Ristorante Palazzo Vecchio
• Frutti di Mare is a seafood restaurant serving Venetian and oriental dishes.
• Lanai BBQ Restaurant and La Fiorentina Steak House both feature sea views.
• Napoli Pizza delivers classic Italian pizza anytime anywhere onboard.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Costa Firenze was specially designed to showcase Italian food, lifestyle, and culture, which is why the ship's atrium is modelled on the St Mark's Square in Venice and there are a couple of real gondolas onboard. The Lounge Tuscany is where travellers can have a virtual reality trip through the port city in a gondola and the Grand Canal Restaurant features a "canal-side" walk to admire the Bridge of Sighs - Ponte dei Sospiri. The restaurant replicates the architecture of Venetian alleys and guests are served by waiters specially dressed as 17th century Venetians. Costa Firenze voyages also offer a Venice Carnival party night with Italian entertainment and Venetian masks.

Every night there are shows in the theatre with a focus on Italian productions like Venezia Innamorata, which is based on the life of Venetian lover Giacomo Casanova. The Lounge Della Moda is where guests can join Costa Venezia Film Festival, being entertained with songs from popular films and watching Venice Film Festival movies.

Despite the Italian ambiance of Costa Firenze, the vessel has been designed exclusively for Chinese passengers with much of the entertainment Chinese, including the Golden Party where there are gifts and surprises to be won every ten minutes.

Typical family entertainment is at the heart of the experience, including kids' clubs, mini-golf, Rope Garden, and Water Park Laguna for onboard fun.

The ship also features some of the most popular Asian entertainment venues (including 11 karaoke rooms) and the Masquerade Ball event themed on Venice City's Carnevale. The liner has 6 large bar lounges (serving premium cocktails) plus Bella Bar (for bubble teas and fresh-made juices).

Onboard shopping

Costa Firenxe's retail shopping (managed by Starboard Cruise Services) is tax- and duty-free and features premium brands (including best-known Italian designers), exclusive (for the ship) collections as well as memorable shopping experiences.

Spanning 13 decks, Firenze's Galleria Shops offer a huge variety of retail categories, including jewelry-watches-glasses, fashion clothing and accessories, shoes-handbags-hats, cosmetics-perfumes-fragrances-skincare-bath products, special gifts and souvenirs, travel essentials.

• The Italy-themed collections are rotating (the merchandise is refreshed twice per cruise) and feature hand-made pottery, miniatures, keyrings, decorative magnets.
• Italian brands on the liner include Salvatore Ferragamo (designer handbags, shoes, ties, belts), Ciclamini Milano (handmade jewelry), MYTO Firenze (artisan jewelry), Save My Bag (handmade bags, totes, clutches, crossbodies, accessories), as well as the major fashion brands Versace, Prada, Giorgio Armani, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, Bottega Veneta, Diesel, Ermanno Scervino, Etro, Marni, Missoni, Trussardi, Moschino, Roberto Cavalli.
• New brands presented onboard include Louis Vuitton (designer handbags) and What Goes Around Comes Around (vintage streetwear).

The onboard Retail Concierge service enables in-cabin shopping, as well as private store appointments and guided outings).

The vessel is named after Firenze - Florence's historic downtown (centro storico di Firenze) which in 1982 was declared UNESCO World Heritage Site. Firenze is also the capital city of Italy's Tuscany region, after which is named the fleetmate Costa Toscana (2021).

In January 2016, the shipowner Carnival Corporation signed an MoA agreement with Fincantieri to build 4 new vessels. Contracts were finalized in April 2016. Of these, 2 units were for Costa Asia (Venezia, Firenze), 1 for Princess (Enchanted) and 1 for P&O Australia (TBN-2022). With this shipbuilding order, Carnival Corporation had a total of 17 ships on order scheduled for deliveries between 2016-2020. All four units are Fincantieri- built (at the shipyards Monfalcone and Marghera) with scheduled deliveries in 2019-2022.

The shipbuilding order was placed on April 2, 2016. Vessel's construction started with the keel-laying ceremony held on May 26, 2018. Like the sistership Venezia, Firenze's shipbuilder is Fincantieri's Marghera Shipyard (near Venice Italy). The propulsion system is diesel-electric. Ship's powerplant consists of all 5x Tier-II compliant MAN marine diesel engines (two model 14V48/60CR, three model 8L48 / 60CR) providing total power output 62,4 MW.

Between 2019-2021, a total of 4 new ships were scheduled to enter service for Costa Cruises, increasing the company's fleet capacity with 43% (17-liners fleet). The Costa ship Firenze was originally scheduled for delivery on September 30, 2020, with the naming ceremony to be held in Venice.

The vessel was launched (floated out from drydock) on November 6, 2019, at the Marghera Shipyard. The float-out ceremony's godmother/madrina was Franca Pierobon (a shipyard employee). The launch ceremony was attended by Vanessa Li (Costa Asia's VP) and Luigi Matarazzo (Fincantieri SpA's General Manager for the company's Merchant Ships Division).

Costa Firenze is one of all 7 newbuilds ordered by Carnival Corporation for Costa Group (scheduled deliveries 2019-2023) and part of the company's EUR 6 billion investment plan. Venezia and Firenze are Costa's largest vessels ever homeported in China.

Following the planned for October 2020 inauguration, the newbuild was scheduled for a month-long Mediterranean cruise season. The inaugural itineraries were planned from homeports Trieste and Savona. On November 2, 2020, had to start the 51-day repositioning cruise from Europe to China (Savona to Hong Kong via Suez Canal) for year-round deployment in East Asia. However, due to the ongoing Coronavirus crisis, the ship's delivery was delayed and the inaugural cruise program cancelled.

On December 22, 2020, following the successful completion of sea trials off Sicily Island, Costa Firenze was officially delivered to Costa Crociere by Fincantieri Marghera. The delivery ceremony was attended by Michael Thamm (Costa Group's and Carnival Asia's CEO), Giuseppe Bono (Fincantieri SpA's CEO) and Mario Zanetti (Costa Cruises' CCO/Chief Commercial Officer, and Costa Asia's President).

Inaugural cruise itineraries 2021

Next tables show the new ship's inaugural voyages scheduled for 2021 as themes, call ports, and times. Prices for the 7-day Med roundtrips were in the range EUR 730-1020 (USD 890-1250) per person with double occupancy.

(MAIDEN VOYAGE/first cruise) 7-day Western Mediterranean itinerary roundtrip from Spain. Roundtrips were also offered from Genoa, Civitavecchia, Savona.

7-day "Western Mediterranean with Sicily and Sardinia" itinerary

36-day Suez Canal repositioning from Europe to Asia (from EUR 2570 / USD 3140 pp)

The relocation voyage was also offered in smaller segments:

• Oct 15 (22-day) Barcelona to Dubai (EUR 1580 / USD 1930 pp)
• Oct 17 (20-day) Savona to Dubai (EUR 1430 / USD 1745 pp)
• Oct 17 (34-day) Savona to Singapore (EUR 2430 / USD 2970 pp)
• Oct 18 (33-day) Civitavecchia to Singapore (EUR 2360 / USD 2885 pp)
• Nov 6 (14-day) Dubai to Singapore (EUR 1000 / USD 1225 pp)

Godspeed!