July 14, 2003 -- Costa Cruises cracks the champagne on its newest fleet member, the CostaMediterranea; Holland America follows Carnival's lead and adds new Caribbean cruise routes from historic Norfolk, Virginia.
Costa Cruises Christens CostaMediterranea
On Saturday, June 7, Spanish actress/model Ines Sastre broke the champagne over the 86,000-ton, 2,112-passenger CostaMediterranea, Costa's most lavish vessel yet, and the new flagship of its fleet. Ceremonies took place in Naples, Italy.
Like her three-year-old sister-ship, CostaAtlantica, CostaMediterranea represents a new chapter for Costa, which despite being owned by American Carnival Corporation is very much an Italian cruise line, based in Genoa and catering primarily to European passengers. Six of the line's eight ships are based in Europe year-round. Construction-wise, the vessel is based on the same blueprint as Carnival's Spirit-class ships, which was also used for Holland America's new Vista-class ships, Zuiderdam and Oosterdam, and is being adapted as well for Cunard's Queen Victoria, due to launch in early 2005.
Inside, CostaAtlantica and CostaMediterranea both bear a distinct Carnival family resemblance too since their designer, Joe Farcus, is the man who's been responsible for Carnival's interior design since day one. For CostaMediterranea, Farcus took Costa's "Cruising Italian Style" mantra and ran with it, creating a bright, theme-park interpretation of 17th- and 18th-century Italian palaces, full of Carrara marble and lots and lots of Murano-style glass. In the main Degli Argentieri dining room, ceiling frescos look down over intimate clusters of tables, while the Club Medusa specialty restaurant, perched at the top of the ship, offers a menu by Gualtiero Marchesi, the first Italian chef to receive three Michelin stars.
Cabins are notably roomy, and 678 of them (out of a total 1,057) have balconies. Amenities around the ship include the usual: pools, casino, themed lounges, internet cafe, fitness center and spa, pizzeria, children's center, and multiple theaters.
CostaMediterranea will be based in Genoa, Italy, through October 26, offering 7-night Mediterranean cruises. On November 5 she'll make an interesting 16-night transatlantic cruise to Ft. Lauderdale, stopping in Barcelona, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, Sint Maarten, the Dominican Republic, and Nassau, with 7 days at sea. Prices for this cruise are currently starting around $1,100 on www.icruise.com--a heckuva deal. From late November through early April the ship will sail 7-night eastern and western Caribbean cruises, for which Costa is offering a special cabin-upgrade promotion. See our "Notable Cruise Deals of the Week" section for details.
Costa: 800/462-6782, www.costacruises.com
Holland America Announces Caribbean Cruises from Norfolk, VA
Beginning in January 2004, Holland America's 1,266-passenger Maasdam will offer a slate of fifteen 10- and 11-night Caribbean cruises from historic Norfolk, Virginia.
The line is the second to announce sailing from Norfolk in 2004, joining Carnival's Carnival Victory, which offers a handful of 2-night cruises to nowhere and 6-night Bahamas itineraries. Maasdam's cruises, considerably longer and visiting some off-the-beaten path ports, should appeal to an entirely different group of passengers.
The ship's eight 11-night cruises will visit Half Moon Cay (Holland America's private Bahamian island) and Tortola in the British Virgin Islands before sailing into the less-touristed southern Caribbean, visiting Dominica, Barbados, and Guadeloupe, then back north via St. Thomas, with four days at sea total. These southern Caribbean departures are scheduled for Jan 20, Feb 10, March 2 and 23, Nov 9 and 30, and Dec 11 and 22.
Seven 10-night cruises will sail to the eastern Caribbean, visiting Half Moon Cay, San Juan, Sint Maarten, Antigua, and St. Thomas, with four days at sea. Sailing dates are Jan 31, Feb 21, March 13, April 3 and 13, Oct 30, and Nov 20.
Built in 1993, Maasdam is part of Holland America's Statendam class, one of the attractive series of midsize ships in the market. Well laid out and easy to navigate, her appealing public areas are livened up with just a dash of glitz, plus touches of marble, teak, polished brass, and a collection of maritime artifacts and mostly European and Indonesian art, lending a classic ambience. The onboard mood is low-key during the day and dressy at night, the cabins are large and comfortable, and there are dozens of comfortable nooks all over the ships in which you can curl up and relax.
Prices start officially at $1,099, though rates available at some of the online agencies are currently starting around $900 for 10-night cruises and $975 for 11-night.
Holland America: 877-724-5425, www.halw.com.