In a decade of writing about travel, one storied Italian cruise line was missing from my passport: Costa Cruises. That changed last September, when I joined a group of travel writers to sail on Costa’s newest and largest ship, Costa Smeralda, which was having its delayed inaugural season a year and a half after its December 2019 delivery.
Despite its delay, the ship had stayed on my radar. After all, Smeralda is a hard one to overlook. Weighing in at 185,000 tons and carrying 6,554 passengers at full capacity, Costa Smeralda is — for now — the world’s sixth-largest cruise ship. Smeralda is also notable for being the second-ever liquefied natural gas-powered cruise ship (a sister, Costa Toscana, debuts in March). While the onboard operation felt similar to the mainstream brands known to American cruisers, the Smeralda experience injects a healthy dose of Italian style.
Beyond spaces named for landmarks in Italy, such as the Colosseo atrium and Piazza Trastevere, clients will notice that an Italian design aesthetic imbues Smeralda’s Piazza di Spagna, where a grand, three-deck stairway descends to an alfresco balcony facing aft. The embrace of all things Italy reaches its apex at Smeralda’s onboard museum, the Costa Design Museum (or CoDe). The venue is a tribute to Italian design through the decades, with almost 500 items exhibited, ranging from ceramics to couture, furniture, toys and appliances.
Naturally, Smeralda’s dining leans Italian, and cruise fare includes full-service dining rooms along with La Sagra dei Sapori, its buffet. Food options with a surcharge include Pizzeria Pummid’Oro, a teppanyaki restaurant, a poke bowl option, a gelato bar, a Nutella bar, a sushi bar and more.
Dining options on Costa Smeralda specialize in Italian fare.
Credit: 2022 Costa CruisesIn addition, Costa Smeralda features lots of lounges for imbibing. Some were themed to specific beverages — there is an Aperol Spritz bar, and I couldn’t resist a Negroni at the Campari Bar.
Costa Smeralda cabins come in four basic categories — inside, oceanview, balcony and suite — but there are variations within these types, so be sure to check square footage when booking.
There are a few designated smoking zones in the ship’s public areas, but smoking is also allowed on cabin balconies. Clients should be warned: Cigarette smoke often wafted across my balcony.
Onboard entertainment was extensive and varied. Team games, Zumba fitness sessions, acrobatics, stage shows and live music are found on the daily schedule — usually with an Italian twist, and not always conducted in English. The Solemio Spa has 16 treatment rooms, a hammam, a thalassotherapy pool with swing chairs, a salt room and a snow room filled with real snow.
Some staterooms come with an interior day bed and a balcony.
Credit: 2022 Costa CruisesYear-round, Costa Smeralda sails a seven-day loop itinerary connecting France, Spain and Italy. Civitavecchia, one hour from Rome’s airport, is a starting/ending point, with calls at Savona and Palermo, Italy; Marseille, France; and Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, Spain. In November 2021, as pandemic interruptions to cruising spiked, Costa Smeralda was taken out of service. The ship will resume its itineraries this May.
Heading into 2022, COVID-19 protocols will continue to evolve. When I sailed with Costa in September, vaccinations were not required; however, antigen testing was conducted at the terminal before boarding, and an additional test was given midway through the cruise. Advisors should be sure to check the current regulations before booking.
In the end, for those who want to combine an Italian holiday with a Mediterranean cruise, Costa Smeralda is a good bet for la dolce vita.
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