Costa Cruises is expanding its new Costa neoCollection by introducing Costa neoClassica to its fleet from December 2014. After a radical renewal programme, Costa Classica will be renamed Costa neoClassica and will join Costa neoRomantica and Costa neoRiviera to offer ‘slow cruises’ to unique destinations with great natural scenery and superb cultural attractions. The arrival of the Costa neoClassica will coincide with the introduction of new destinations and new itineraries as below.

From Egypt to the “spice islands”

The first cruise ‘From Egypt to the “spice islands”’ will sail from Savona on 18 December 2014 and last 26 days. After crossing the Suez Canal, on Christmas Day during the call at Eilat (Israel), guests will be able to visit the holy-city of Jerusalem; from Aqaba (Jordan) they can discover Petra and from Safaga (Egypt), the marvels of ancient Egypt.  The cruise will continue onwards to Oman, the Seychelles, Madagascar, Reunion and Mauritius for the start of the New Year.

Indian Ocean, paradise on Earth

Departing Port Louis (Mauritius), from 11 January to 22 February 2015, Costa neoClassica will offer four 16-day ‘Indian Ocean, paradise on Earth’ cruises. The itinerary will offer guests the pleasure of cruising with the backdrop of pristine beaches, turquoise waters and palm trees that characterise the Seychelles, in addition to a two-night, three-day stay at Mahé. Furthermore, holidaymakers will get to enjoy the unspoilt natural splendour of Madagascar, Réunion and Mauritius.  The itinerary includes flights from Italy to Mauritius on a Costa charter flight.

From the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean of Antiquity 

Departing 8 March 2015, Costa neoClassica is scheduled to head back to the Mediterranean for another grand 32-day cruise ‘From the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean of Antiquity’, which will sail from Mauritius to ports in Madagascar, the Seychelles, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Greece, Croatia and Italy.

Istanbul and the Greek islands

During the 2015 summer season, from 27 June to 15 August 2015, Costa neoClassica will depart Istanbul (Turkey) every Saturday for an exclusive one-week cruise, ‘Istanbul and the Greek islands’. The itinerary calls at Rhodes (Greece), Kos (Greece), Samos (Greece) and Izmir (Turkey) before returning to Istanbul, where passengers can enjoy a one-night, two-day stay before returning home.

Venice and Italy’s treasures

 From 8 April to 7 June 2015 and 13 September to 7 November 2015, Costa neoClassica will operate the 11-day ‘Venice and Italy’s treasures’ itinerary departing Venice (Italy) and Ancona (Italy) for Calabria (Italy) and Sicily (Italy). On this route, the ship will also call at ports in Greece; Malta; Kotor Fjord in Montenegro and Croatia.

From 18 April to 23 September 2015, Costa neoClassica will also operate the 16-day ‘Voyage from Venice to the Black Sea’ cruise from Venice and Ancona.

The itineraries operated by Costa neoClassica, Costa neoRiviera and Costa neoRomantica are presented in the new Costa neoCollection brochure, available at travel agencies, and features 20 months of exclusive itineraries from April 2014 to November 2015, to destinations in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, U.A.E and Oman, Indian Ocean and Africa.

Offering longer calls at each port to allow passengers more time on shore to explore in greater depth each port city, the new “neo experience” excursions have been tailor-made for small groups to lap up the culture, scenery and flavours of each destination visited along the route. Costa neoCollection is the ultimate solution for all travellers seeking a ‘slow cruise’. From honeymooners to group-travellers, each passenger will enjoy cruising at their own pace.

Whether ashore or on board, guests of Costa neoCollection ships will be able to enjoy local culinary delights influenced by the various ports of call on route. The menus in the restaurants and buffets comprise of regional recipes designed to foster the great local gastronomy and cultural cuisine.  In keeping with the leisurely pace of the neoCollection cruises, guests can dine at any time without constrain.

Quality is the hallmark of Costa neoCollection and is present throughout the cruise experience: from the time of booking to the actual slow cruise experience itself.  Before leaving, guests can consult a tour expert to create personalised itineraries to match their tastes and interests and once passengers are on board, a dedicated concierge is available to provide assistance with their custom-made cruise choices.

Info courtesy of Costa Cruises