Dubai To Host The Launch Of New Costa Cruises Ship

Dubai on 23 February 2010 will be the place and time where Costa Cruises’ new flagship vessel, Costa Deliziosa, will be named.

This is another jewel in Dubai’s rapidly growing crown since this event represents the first time a cruise ship is to be christened in the emirate.

The naming ceremony for the 15th ship in Costa’s fleet will be carried out during the vessel’s Grand Inaugural cruise, which will see the boat depart from Savona on February 5 2010 and arrive in Dubai for a three day-stay beginning on February 23. Passengers on board the Costa Deliziosa for the first leg of the maiden voyage will be invited to the naming ceremony.

The Costa Deliziosa is still under construction as it is being worked on at Venice’s Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard and is scheduled for delivery on January 29 2010.

The Costa Deliziosa will have a gross tonnage of 92,600 and will have the capacity to accommodate 2,826 guests on board.

Alongside her sister ship the Costa Luminosa, which was named on June 5, the Costa Deliziosa will become Costa Cruises’ most innovative and exclusive vessel.

Both ships are scheduled to spend the 2009/10 winter in the Persian Gulf where they will offer weeklong cruises from Dubai.

Costa’s ships are expected to bring 140,000 passengers to Dubai during the winter 2009/2010 season thanks to the availability of three ships – Costa Europa is set to join her two sisters, the Costa Luminosa and the Costa Deliziosa, and they will offer a total of 32 calls.

The economic impact of the presence of the three Costa vessels has been estimated at around €14 million. This figure takes into account direct spending from Costa guests, transfers, shore excursions, cruise ship expenses, general expenses such as food and beverage for the cruises.

Most guests of the cruise line are expected to come from Europe, with Italian, German, British, and French passengers making up the bulk of Costa guests.

Costa started its activities in the Gulf in winter 2006/2007 with the Costa Classica. Its operations in the new cruise destination proved immediately successful and Costa Cruises has since increased its offer in the area year after year.

Meanwhile, the AIDA Cruises ship AIDAdiva is also scheduled to call Dubai 20 times during the 2009/10 winter.