Costa Cruises new Costa Journeys program is set to explore different and unique destinations in 2023 and 2024, with six ships featured in the new itinerary program.
The recently announced experience include “extended itineraries,” Costa said, as part of longer cruises to the Holy Land, Egypt, the Azores Archipelago, the Canary Islands, Morocco, Tunisia and more.
Cruise Industry News highlights some of the cruises and itineraries included in the company’s new concept.
Egypt and the Holy Land
Ship: Costa Pacifica
Dates: Several departures between October and November 2023
Length: 14 nights
Homeports: Savona (Italy); Haifa (Israel); Barcelona (Spain); and Marseille (France)
Complete Itinerary: Savona, Naples and Catania (Italy); Marseille (France); Barcelona (Spain); La Valetta (Malta); Alexandria and Port Said (Egypt); Haifa (Israel); and Heraklion (Greece)
The new program includes several departures to the Holy Land and Egypt. Between October and November 2023, the Costa Pacifica sets sail from Savona, Barcelona and Marseille for a series of 14-night itineraries to destinations in Italy, Spain, France, Malta, Egypt, Israel and Greece.
With changing ports of call, the itineraries were designed to allows guests to “embark on a journey of mystery and mysticism”, Costa said, and include shore excursions to the Egyptian Museum, the great pyramids of Giza, the holy sites in Jerusalem, the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, the Wailing Wall and more.
Similar cruises are also set to be offered by the Costa Fortuna in 2024.
Canary Island and Portugal
Ship: Costa Firenze
Date: Several departures between October 2023 and January 2024
Length: 14 nights
Homeports: Savona (Italy); Barcelona (Spain); and Marseille (France)
Complete Itinerary: Savona (Italy); Marseille (France); Barcelona, Cádiz, Valencia, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Arrecife de Lanzarote and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain); and Funchal (Portugal)
Between late 2023 and late 2024, three ships are set to visit the Canary Islands as part of Costa’s new Journeys.
The Costa Firenze is set to offer 14-night cruises to the Spanish archipelago departing from Italy, Spain and France during most of the 2023-24 winter season. In addition to Portugal’s Madeira Island, the ship’s itineraries feature visits to different islands in the Canaries, such as Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Lanzarote.
According to the company, the itinerary is ideal for nature lovers, with tours focusing on the islands’ geography and environment. Guests will be able, for instance, to explore stretches of solidified lava and volcanic cones in Lanzarote’s Timanfaya National Park, or venture into the depths of the earth in Tenerife’s Cueva del Viento, which is described as the most extensive lava tunnel in Europe.
From the Mediterranean to Madeira and the Azores
Ship: Costa Fascinosa
Dates: April 2024
Length: 14 nights
Homeports: Savona (Italy); Marseille (France); and Barcelona (Spain)
Complete Itinerary: Savona (Italy); Marseille (France); Barcelona, Málaga and Cádiz (Spain); Funchal, Ponta Delgada and Praia da Vitória (Portugal)
The Costa Fascinosa is offering a unique cruise that sails between the Mediterranean, the Madeira Island and the Azores Archipelago in 2024. Part of the Costa Journeys experience as well, the 14-night itinerary sails from Italy, Spain and France and features visits to three Portuguese island destinations in the Atlantic: Funchal, Ponta Delgada and Praia da Vitória.
According to Costa Cruises, the shore excursions in Azores invite guests to search for the “secret ingredient” of the famous purple volcanic tea and enjoy a lunch with “cozido das Furnas,” a mix of meats cooked in pots buried underground.
In Madeira, passengers will be able to explore the unique traditions of the island, like descending mountains in the traditional wicker baskets called “cestinhos.”
Turkey, Greece and Tunisia
Ship: Costa Fortuna
Dates: April 2024
Length: 14 nights
Homeports: Savona and Civitavecchia (Italy); Barcelona (Spain); and Marseille (France)
Complete Itinerary: Savona, Civitavecchia and Catania (Italy); Barcelona (Spain); Marseille (France); Tunis (Tunisia); Piraeus (Greece); Izmir and Istanbul (Turkey)
The lineup also includes different itineraries to Turkey and the Eastern Mediterranean onboard the Costa Fortuna in 2023 and 2024.
Guests will have the opportunity to experience Istanbul from four perspectives: on foot, by tram, by metro, and by boat, Costa said, immersing themselves in the city’s culture and daily life. In Izmir, they can discover Turkish rituals and then take a stroll through the village of Alaçati, which blends the East and the West, the company added.
Combining destinations in both parts of Europe’s inner sea, the itineraries algo feature visits to ports in Greece, Italy, Spain, France and Tunisia.
Morocco and Gibraltar
Ship: Costa Favolosa
Date: October and November 2024
Length: Ten nights
Homeports: Savona (Italy); and Marseille (France)
Complete Itinerary: Savona (Italy); Marseille (France); Valencia and Málaga (Spain); Gibraltar (UK); Tangier and Casablanca (Morocco)
Connecting Southern Europe and Africa, three ships are set to offer Costa Journeys to Morocco. In late 2024 the Costa Favolosa sails from Italy and France for a ten-night itinerary that features visits to Tangier and Casablanca, in addition to three ports in the UK and Spain.
In Casablanca, two new excursions will be available, Costa said, allowing guests to immerse themselves in Moroccan traditions with visits to the Hassan I Mosque, followed by lunches at Rick’s Café, a restaurant inspired by the 1942-released Casablanca movie.
Meanwhile, in Tangier, passengers will be able to explore the markets of the white city and savor the flavors of Moroccan cuisine, Costa added.
