Costa Is Counting The Days

It is just 150 days until Costa Cruises celebrates its new flagship, Costa Diadema. On Nov. 7, the cruise line will host a special christening event in Genoa, Italy, where Costa Cruises was founded and is headquartered. For the first time, the ship’s godmother will be selected from among participants in a worldwide travel agent competition to be held from July to September.

The christening will celebrate the city of Genoa and Costa Diadema’s guests, as well as its godmother, who will join an impressive list of celebrities who have christened other Costa ships, including Claudia Cardinale, Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Marion Cotillard and Margareth Madè.

Guests on Costa Diadema, fondly called Regina del Mediterraneo (Queen of the Mediterranean), will have an opportunity to book attendance to the ceremony as well as on the preview cruise departing Trieste, Italy, Nov. 1 or the first inaugural cruise departing Savona, Italy, Nov. 8. In addition, consumers can book an invitation to just the inaugural event and spend the night of Nov. 7 onboard.

The new flagship will be docked at Ponte dei Mille, Genoa’s historic shipping terminal. Guests onboard can attend the ceremony in the ship’s Emerald Theatre or watch it on big screens at the Lido Diana Magrodome Pool.

The 132,500-ton Costa Diadema is being built at Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy, and is scheduled for delivery Oct. 30, 2014. Costa Cruises has invested a total of around US$745 million in its construction.

Costa Diadema’s debut will last an entire month, including the preview cruise Nov. 1, the christening Nov. 7 in Genoa and a trio of inaugural cruises Nov. 8, 15 and 22.

Beginning Nov. 29 and for the rest of the 2014-2015 winter season and through the 2015 summer season Costa Diadema will depart Savona on seven-night cruises in the western Mediterranean, calling weekly at Marseille, France; Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, Spain; and Naples and La Spezia, Italy.

Go to http:/www.costacruises.com for more.