Well-known Italian cruise company Costa Cruises has recently announced their brand new style of cruise holiday, to be titled the ‘neoCollection’ which will debut in 2014. This new collection will have a focus on slow cruising, which will include spending as much time in ports of call as possible, which is entirely exclusive to Costa Cruises.
The neoCollection will be rolled out on its two smaller ships Costa neoRiviera and Costa neoRomantica. These two ships have 624 and 789 staterooms on board respectively.
Their relatively small size makes them the perfect candidates for this type of immersive slow cruising as their smaller size will allow them to visit more intimate ports than the larger ships. Smaller ships also always have a more friendly and welcoming ambiance on board and the service provided is normally more personalised.
The neoCollection focuses on a different type of passenger experience which encourages passengers to make the most of every single precious moment of their holiday by enjoying it in a more leisurely manner.
They aim to tailor their cruise holidays to the needs of their individual passengers and hope to attract a different market as well as retaining their current one.
Costa’s neoCollection cruises will include a longer stay in each Port
The neoCollection itineraries are designed to include longer times in each port of call. This involves a number of overnight stays in certain ports. This is something which is bound to appeal to passengers who like to enjoy a maximum time ashore.
It is also appealing because the smaller ships will be visiting more exclusive ports of call that the larger cruise liners simply cannot access.
New shore excursions have been designed to reflect the neoCollection experience. The shore excursions will be for no more than twenty five guests and aim to highlight natural and cultural attractions in each port of call.
Costa Cruises have collaborated with Universita delle Scienze Gastronomiche which is based in the Italian town of Pollenza in order to create brand new menus on board their neoCollection itineraries. These feature authentic Italian cuisine that also incorporates local foods and wines.
The debut of the neoCollection will be on the 9th February 2014 when Costa neoRiviera will depart from Dubai. This unique 62 day itinerary, being named the Grand African Tour, is a complete circumnavigation of the African continent. Costa neoRiviera will then begin sailing on twelve day itineraries in the most attractive destinations in the Mediterranean.
On the 1st June 2014 Costa neoRomantica will begin sailing 13 and 15 night itineraries in Northern Europe visiting some of the finest spots in the Baltic and beyond the North Cape. These itineraries will allow passengers to experience the magical midnight sun that exists in summer in this area.
Image courtesy of Costa Cruises
Thanks Emma
