The Mediterranean remains a favourite destination, with the novelty of cruises to Istanbul. To spend the holidays in warm destinations, the Italian company proposes the Caribbean and the Arab Emirates. And there are those who will be celebrating the New Year with an Around the World Cruise.

For Christmas and New Year 2023-24 the Italian company Costa Cruises will offer 19 cruises, with a total of 84,000 berths, on board 10 ships, allowing passengers to visit around 60 different destinations with more than 100 calls in the Mediterranean, Canary Islands,Caribbean, Arab Emirates, South America and Asia.

The Mediterranean is a popular destination also in the coming festive season, thanks to its exceptional variety of different cultures, traditions, cities of art and landscapes. It is also a very accessible destination, thanks to the numerous embarkation ports available, as many as 13 with Costa Cruises. In particular, Costa Smeralda will offer one-week cruises in Italy, France and Spain, visiting Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Palermo and Civitavecchia/Rome.

Also in the Mediterranean, the Costa Deliziosa will be proposing a great novelty: one-week cruises to Greece and Turkey, with departures from Trieste and Bari, for two different itineraries that will lead to the discovery of magnificent destinations such as Istanbul, Athens, Corfu, Crete, Dubrovnik. These cruises can be combined into a single two-week holiday, with a three-day stop in Istanbul, to best experience this fantastic city in the magical atmosphere of New Year’s Eve.

For a longer break, there are the “Costa Voyages”: unique itineraries, from 10 to 15 days, in which the experience of travelling to unusual destinations meets gastronomy and entertainment never seen on board Costa ships, even more innovative and surprising. For Christmas and New Year, in particular, it will be possible to discover the Canary Islands on board the Costa Firenze, with a two-week cruise, from Savona, visiting Valencia, Funchal, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Lanzarote, Cadiz, Barcelona and Marseille.

Those who want a warm break in an exotic destination, but only a few hours’ flight from Europe, can come onboard the Costa Toscana to discover the Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar. The proposed one-week itinerary includes long calls in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Muscat, to experience these destinations at their best, where desert and traditions meet futuristic cities. Scheduled embarkations are from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, which can be easily reached by flights from Europe.

Costa guests can also spend Christmas and New Year in the warmth of the Caribbean. The Costa Fortuna and Costa Pacifica offer four different one-week itineraries, which can be combined into a single two-week holiday. Guests can choose between the islands of the Lesser Antilles, such as Guadeloupe, Antigua, Martinique, Grenada, Barbados, or the Greater Antilles, with Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. Also in this case the formula is ‘flight+cruise’, with departures from the main European airports.

In addition, Costa offers a wide range of cruises in South America and Asia, mainly dedicated to local markets. In South America, the Costa Diadema, Costa Favolosa and Costa Fascinosa will visit some of the most beautiful destinations in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, while in Asia the Costa Serena will offer itineraries dedicated exclusively to India.

To start the new year in a truly unique way on 6 January 2024, the 2024 edition of the Around World Cruise will set sail from Trieste: it’s every traveller’s dream, visiting five continents in four months, circumnavigating the globe.

Costa’s Christmas and New Year cruises will offer the chance to visit magnificent destinations without giving up the traditions that distinguish this period. On board there will be decorations, the big Christmas tree, the traditional countdown with a New Year’s Eve toast, plus special events, such as Christmas shows in the theatre, the Christmas party by the pool, the New Year’s Eve party in all the ship’s lounges, games, and flash mobs. Even the little ones will be able to experience the festive atmosphere on board, with games, karaoke, themed entertainment, and a meeting with Santa Klaus who will distribute presents to them. To respect Christmas customs also at the table, the menus on 25 December and 31 December will include some typical Italian and Mediterranean dishes.