Costa sets out Christmas, New Year cruises with menus inspired by tradition

The itineraries include the United Arab Emirates and Oman, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.

Surprises, themed parties and shows will take place onboard the ships, including a New Year's Eve party poolside, and shows and carols over Christmas. Children will be able to send letters or drawings directly from the ship to Father Christmas, who will bring youngsters gifts.

Caribbean

Costa Fascinosa and Costa Pacifica will operate four different itineraries to the Caribbean islands.

Costa Fascinosa will offer two one-week itineraries, departing on December 23 or 30 from Guadeloupe, sailing the Lesser Antilles. During the Christmas cruise, the vessel will visit Bonaire, Saint Vincent, Saint Lucia, Barbados and Martinique, and sail to Trinidad, Grenada, Saint Vincent, Saint Lucia, Martinique as part of the New Year’s cruise.

Costa Pacifica will offer a 10-day and a 11-day itinerary, leaving from La Romana in the Dominican Republic on December 18 and 28, one dedicated to the Greater Antilles and one to the Lesser Antilles. At Christmas, the ship will visit Ocho Rios, Montego Bay in Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Amber Cove, Samana, and Catalina Island in the Dominican Republic. For New Year's, the ship will sail Curacao, Aruba, Trinidad, Saint Lucia, Barbados, Guadeloupe, Antigua and the British Virgin Islands.

Caribbean and UAE cruises are available with a fly-cruise package.

Arabian Gulf

Costa Toscana will operate a weeklong cruise between the UAE and Oman departing December 24, with two days and one-night spent in destinations that allows for longer exploration of Dubai, Muscat and Abu Dhabi.

New Year’s Eve festivities will take place in Dubai as part of another weeklong cruise departing December 31 that involves a long call and an overnight stay in the city. Visits to Muscat and Abu Dhabi are also part of the sailing. 

Mediterranean

Weeklong cruises to Italy, France and Spain, calling Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Palermo and Civitavecchia/Rome will be available onboard Costa Smeralda, with departures from Savona on December 24 and 31.

Weekly cruises in the eastern Mediterranean, including Croatia, Montenegro and Greece, will be served by Costa Deliziosa; departures are scheduled on December 23 or 30 from Trieste, calling Split in Croatia, Kotor in Montenegro, Katakolon and Athens in Greece and Bari in Italy.

South America

Costa Firenze, Costa Fortuna and Costa Favolosa will offer Christmas and New Year cruises to Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.