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Costa Smeralda interiors salute Italy with piazzas, a Colosseo and more

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Costa Smeralda may be under construction in Finland, but its interiors are 'Made in Italy'
Costa Smeralda will pay tribute to Italy, with decks and public areas dedicated to famous places and squares, a central three-story area called the Colosseo for shows and drinks, and large piazzas forward and aft.

Under construction at Meyer Turku in Finland, the LNG-powered ship is set to debut Oct. 20, 2019, with a 15-day vernissage cruise from Hamburg to Savona, where its naming ceremony will take place Nov. 3.

Costa Cruises president Neil Palomba shared a virtual reality preview of Costa Smeralda's interiors during the 25th 'Protagonisti del Mare' event for travel agents.

'With this ship, we wanted to celebrate our country once again. From its design to the food and wine, everything on board Costa Smeralda will reflect the best of Italy, a country that has always been a byword for hospitality and quality around the world,' Palomba said.

Triple-deck Colosseo

Bright screens on the walls and the dome of the Colosseo will have a new story to tell in each port and throughout the day. The square will be lined with lounges and bars where patrons can order a glass of Ferrari sparkling wine or a Campari and admire the sea through large glass walls.

Piazza di Spagna, a large, three-deck stairway facing astern, will have an open-air balcony with a glass floor on the top deck that gives passengers the impression of flying over the sea. Another spectacular panoramic viewpoint will be the Passeggiata Volare walkway 65 meters above the sea.

At the bow, Trastevere will be another piazza with the Venice-style Il Bacaro, Gelateria Amarillo, shops and musical entertainment.

Museum of Italian design

Costa Smeralda's CoDe (Costa Design) museum will be curated by Matteo Vercelloni. The 400-square-meter exhibition will be dedicated to Italian design excellence and feature many of the names that have contributed to the ship's construction.

Eleven restaurants include Teppanyaki, the Pummid’Oro Pizzeria, the family restaurant Tutti a tavola, which will also offer many entertainment activities, and Laboratorio del Gusto (Taste Lab), where diners can prepare their own mean.

Among the bars are Ferrari Spumante Spazio Bollicine, Aperol Spritz Bar and the elegant Campari Bar. The ship will offer a Nutella Café, too.

Costa Smeralda's spa features a hammam, thalassotherapy pool, 16 treatment rooms, and snow, salt and relaxation rooms, as well as a beauty salon. The gym will be stocked with the latest Technogym equipment. Among the four swimming pools are one with a glass roof and two for children, while another pool has a reserved swimming lane.

A water park with slides, a theater, disco, casino, jazz club, piano bar, games room and children's areas round out the offerings.

New rooms with 'terrace over the sea'

The ship will have 2,612 guest rooms including 28 suites, 106 staterooms with terrace, 1,522 with balcony, 168 ocean-view and 788 inside.

The accommodations have been designed by the Milan-based studio Dordoni Architetti and decorated with the colors and the geometric patterns of the city that each deck is named after—such as Palermo and Trieste—making the interiors welcoming and bright. A new room category with 'terrace over the sea' features an annex where passengers can have breakfast, sip an aperitif or simply enjoy the sound of the waves.

Fifteen noted Italian design firms

In order to provide a genuine 'Made in Italy' interior design, Costa Smeralda's furniture, lighting, fabrics and accessories have been selected in collaboration with prestigious Italian companies like Molteni&C (sofas and chairs), Roda (balcony furniture), Flos (decorative lighting) and Dedar and Rubelli (fabrics and upholstery). These brands form part of a team of 15 renowned Italian suppliers, which includes companies like Kartell, Poltrona Frau and Alessi.

Costa Smeralda's six-day inaugural voyage on Nov. 4, 2019, will sail from Savona to Barcelona, Marseille and Civitavecchia. Western Mediterranean cruises will continue until April 2020. The weeklong itineraries include Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Civitavecchia and La Spezia.