Its a small world after all. In fact, the Costa Concordia, Costa Cruises newest ship, will let you explore Europe as fast as it takes you to walk from bow to stern.
Every floor of the ship is named for a different European country, and every room is named and designed after a European city.
Pier Luigi Foschi, CEO of Costa Cruises, said during the ships inaugural ceremony in Civitavecchia, Italy, that the name Concordia symbolizes the friendship and harmony of the nations of Europe.
The vessel pays homage to its home, as the ship will sail in Europe year-round, offering Mediterranean cruises from Civitavecchia. TV channels are in German, Italian and Spanish. Only the spa, where the design incorporates designs from many Asian nations, strays from the theme.
From the Dublin Cigar Bars Gothic-inspired stained-glass windows to the Portuguese clay tiles of the Lisbon Discoteque, the rooms are inspired by a design style of its namesake city. A contemporary art collection onboard the ship exhibits the work of young European art students and their instructors.
A special place for spa-goers
The 112,000-ton ship introduces many new features to Costa and to cruising.
The 20,5000 square-foot Samsara Spa is the largest at sea and the first to have cabins and suites situated within the spa area. A restaurant, reserved exclusively for spa guests, features healthy cuisine.
Costa originally said that Ettore Bocchia, the Michelin-starred Italian chef and creator of molecular cuisine, would create the spa menu, but during the inaugural sailing it said that Bocchia would be a culinary consultant for the ships specialty restaurant, Club Concordia.
The two-deck spa area incorporates a large fitness center that users noted was a bit crowded with fitness machines.
For a fee, guests have access to a thalassotherapy (mineral water) pool and the thermal suite, which showcases several types of interconnecting sauna and steam rooms. Relaxation areas, including a Tea House and a winter garden, feature sea views and relaxing music.
Spa cabins dont differ in layout from others, but their Asian-inspired decor resembles the accents and decor of the spa, while other cabins on the ship are decorated with European art.
Guests in the spa cabins have full use of the entire spa.
Elsewhere on the ship, a Formula One Grand Prix race-car simulator is the first of its kind at sea; it is identical to cars used to train actual race car drivers.
European travel agents were giddy upon meeting Vitantonio Liuzzi, the Italian Formula One race car driver who inaugurated the simulator.
The Concordia also has what Costa said is the first chocolate bar at sea. La Cioccolateria offers nine kinds of fruit dipped in a chocolate fountain.
In addition, the ship boasts the largest enclosable pool deck on any cruise ship, Costa said. The two-level Ponte Francia has two swimming pools, four Jacuzzis and the now-ubiquitous giant movie and video screen located above the pool.
Hans Hesselberg, Costas vice president of hotel operations said the ships amenities will reflect the guests predominantly European tastes. Ships in Europe, he said, generally dont blast the air conditioning to the degree that ships in the U.S. do.
Menus are different, as well: In the Med, Costa offers an Italian menu with international flair, he said. In the U.S., Costa features an American menu with an Italian influence. An American menu also means steaks, iced tea and bigger plates.
To contact reporter Johanna Jainchill, send e-mail to [email protected].
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For more details on this article, see Costa Concordia: A story in design.