Five Costa Ships to be Deployed in Caribbean and S. America

In November and December 2006 five Costa Crociere ships will set sail from the Savona Palacrociere, the terminal managed by the Company, on transatlantic cruises bound for the Caribbean and South America. Before departing for South America, one of the five – the Costa Romantica – will be dry-docked in the port of Genoa, where she will undergo routine maintenance. The first transatlantic cruise, on board the Costa Magica, left November 2. The ship will arrive in Fort Lauderdale after an 18-day itinerary with stopovers in Spain, the Canary Islands, the Antilles, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. Two more transatlantic cruises bound for the Caribbean are being offered by the Costa Mediterranea and the Costa Atlantica. The Costa Mediterranea will depart on November 17 and reach Fort Lauderale on December 2, after ports of call in Spain, the Canary Islands, the Antilles, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. The Costa Atlantica will leave on December 3 for Guadeloupe, in the Antilles, after calling en route in Gibraltar, the Canary Islands, the Antilles and the Dominican Republic. Once they are positioned in the Caribbean, these three Costa ships will be offering mainly 7-day cruises throughout the winter; all three will be featuring at least one new route, which will include exclusive new destinations such as Saint Barth, the Roatan Islands, Grand Turk and Belize City.

Meanwhile, two more transatlantic cruises departing from the Savona Palacrociere will be heading for South America. The Costa Fortuna sets sail on November 30, with destination Santos: this will be an 18-day* cruise with stopovers in Gibraltar, Spain, the Canary Islands and on the Brazilian coast. The deployment of the Costa Fortuna is an absolute first that will bring about an approximately up to 20% increase in Costa’s cruise accommodation capacity in South America. The Costa Romantica will depart on November 21 bound for Santos on an 18-day cruise taking in Spain, the Canary Islands and the Brazilian coast. Prior to departure for South America, the Costa Romantica will be dry-docked in the port of Genoa from November 7 to 20, where she will be subjected to routine maintenance work, performed on each vessel every two years. The work on Costa Romantica – 53,000 gross tonnage and 1,700 Guests - will involve both the Engine and Hotel sections. As far as concerns the former, the main job will be careenage, with cleaning and repainting of the hull; in the Hotel department the carpet, curtains and upholstery will be replaced in all public areas and cabins. The maintenance work will entail a total investment worth almost 5 million euros.