Costa Cruises held a quiet naming ceremony in Savona, Italy, on March 2 for the renovated Costa NeoRomantica, formerly the Costa Romantica.
Costa’s top management attended the private blessing conducted by Bishop Vittorio Lupi of Savona.
A minute of silence was observed in respect and mourning for the victims of the Costa Concordia accident on Jan. 13.
Serving as Costa NeoRomantica’s godmothers were Francesca Scuffi, a member of the Costa Club for repeat guests, and Gabriella Gentile, a member of the Costa Concordia’s crew. She was chosen as a “symbol of the gratitude the company expresses toward Costa Concordia’s crew,” the line said.
The 1,600-passenger ship underwent a $120 million revitalization during a five-month drydock at the San Giorgio del Porto shipyard in Genoa.
Its inaugural cruise is an 11-night Canary Islands sailing, roundtrip from Savona and calling at Barcelona; Casablanca and Agadir, Morocco; Arrecife and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands; Madeira; and Malaga, Spain.
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