Costa Cruises became the first
international cruise company to homeport in Dubai, United Arab
Emirates, when the Costa Classica sailed from the port on Dec. 23,
Costa said.
"We're delighted to
begin this new cruise program out of Dubai -- a global first which
establishes our place as a truly international operator on the
world stage," said Pier Luigi Foschi, Chairman and CEO of Costa
Crociere, in a statement. "These new itineraries are already
proving to be very popular with our guests -- and to this end we
intend to significantly increase the number of cruises here next
winter."
The seven-day
itineraries from Dubai include two nights in Dubai and one-day
stopovers in Muscat, Oman; Abu Dhabi and Fujairah, UAE; and
Bahrain.
The 53,000-ton
Costa Classica will depart from Dubai every Saturday on sailings
marketed to Europeans and North Americans. The line expects to
carry about 44,000 passengers this season.
Costa will offer
additional capacity in the 2007-2008 season when it sends two
cruise ships to Dubai: the 53,000-ton Costa Romantica and the
55,000-ton Costa Europa. The two ships will be deployed on the same
itinerary currently offered by the Costa Classica in the Gulf
region.
The Costa Romantica
will sail on Saturdays from Dec. 21, 2007 to March 30, 2008 and the
Costa Europa will depart every Sunday from December 22, 2007
through February 25, 2008.
To
contact reporter Johanna Jainchill, send e-mail to [email protected].