Costa Crociere S.p.A. is an Italian company based in Genoa. The brands Costa Crociere, AIDA Cruises and IberoCruceros belong to Costa Crociere S.p.A. and include a total of 20 ships in active service and 9 on order. The ships currently in service fly the Italian flag and operate in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, the United Arab Emirates, the Far East and the Indian Ocean. Costa Crociere S.p.A. is part of Carnival Corporation & plc, world leader in the cruise industry, and is a member of the prestigious World's Leading Cruise Lines, an association of the world's most important cruise companies.

In 2007 Costa Crociere appeared in two Italian classifications with excellent results: the one of Mediobanca, carried out on 3,600 companies, which considers the best Italian companies whose turnover exceeded  50 million Euros in the latest fiscal year. Costa reached the 19th position among the main industrial groups of the country. The second classification is the one of the Busacca & Associati  Observatory on competitiveness, carried out on 1,600 companies. This classification ranks the Italian companies for competitiveness and strategies: Costa is among the first 20, together with other “made in Italy” brands, famous all over the world.

COSTA CROCIERE is the leading cruise company in Italy and Europe. Costa boasts sixty years of tradition in Italian cruise holidays and is the first international company authorized to operate in China, departing from Chinese ports.

Costa has the biggest and the most modern fleet of all European cruise companies: 12 ships  with a capacity of 23,200 guests in double occupancy cabins. Another 5 ships are currently on order and are foreseen to be delivered within 2012. The Costa fleet will therefore reach a total number of 17 ships and a total passenger capacity of about 36,800 (in double occupancy cabins). From 2000 to 2012 Costa Crociere will invest around 5,5 billion Euros for new ships, 4,5 of which only in Italy.

In 2007 Costa Crociere reached the objective of 1.1 million total passengers in one year, a historical record for the company and for the European Cruise Industry.

Costa Crociere is RINA certified with the B.E.S.T. 4 (Business Excellence Sustainable Task), an integrated system of voluntary certification of corporate compliance with the highest international standards involving social accountability (SA 8000), environment (UNI EN ISO 14001), safety (OHSAS 18001) and quality (UNI EN ISO 9001).

Costa Crociere  is the first company in the world that was awarded by RINA with  the voluntary "Green Star" notation for the whole fleet. The assignment of the Green Star means that RINA has certified that all Costa's vessels are operated in an environmentally responsible manner and help protect the air and sea in the areas where they sail.  The Green Star notation is based on the highest environmental protection standards for the prevention of pollution of the marine environment and it is actually stricter than the prevailing provisions of the international Marpol convention.

Since July 2005 Costa Crociere has been supporting the W.W.F. (World Wildlife Fund) for the protection of three of the most precious and endangered marine Ecoregions in the world:  the areas of the Mediterranean Sea, the Greater Antilles, and north-eastern Brazil.  Costa Crociere's commitment is aimed at providing every passenger with informative and educational material.  Furthermore, targeted operations will be carried out by W.W.F. ITALIA in the three Ecoregions, thanks partly to the financial support of its new partner Costa Crociere and all its Guests.

Costa Crociere is an international company with offices in 28 cities in 16 different countries: Genoa, Milan, Rome, Padua, Turin, Naples, Palermo, Bologna, Bari,  Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, London, Frankfurt, Rostock, Linz, Zurich, Brussels, Lisbon, Miami, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Sao Paolo, Rio de Janeiro, Manila, La Romana (Dominican Republic), Hong Kong and Shanghai.

The company is able to count on a young and international staff: 70% of Costa's 15,000 employees - consisting of about 14,000 onboard and 1,000 ground staff - are under 40 years old and come from 80 different countries. 

In 2007, 98% of all passengers were satisfied clients.

There are 65,000 Travel Agencies working with Costa Crociere all over the world. 

In 2000 Costa Crociere launched a programme to enlarge its fleet, involving an investment of about 5.5 billion Euros over a thirteen-year period:

- in July 2000 the Costa Atlantica came into service (2,114 guests in double occupancy cabins), built in the Finnish Kvaerner Masa Yards shipyard, the ship that marked the beginning for the substantial increase programme of the Costa fleet;

- in April 2001 the Costa Tropicale came into service (with a tonnage of 36,000 tons and a passenger capacity of 1,022 in double occupancy cabins), given to P&O Australia in October 2005;

- in April 2002 the Costa Europa came into service (1,488 guests in double occupancy cabins);

- on 22nd May 2003 the Costa Mediterranea, twin sister of the Costa Atlantica, was delivered;

- on November 14th, 2003 the Costa Fortuna was delivered, the first of the two ships with a tonnage of 102,600 tons, with a passenger capacity each of 2,702 in double occupancy cabins, ordered to Fincantieri of Genoa Sestri Ponente;

- on 29 October 2004 the Costa Magica, the sister of the Costa Fortuna, was delivered;

- in July 2006 the Costa Concordia came into service, a new ship with a tonnage of 114,500 tons and with a passenger capacity of 3,000 (in double occupancy cabins), the first of three twin ships to be built at Fincantieri Yard of Genoa Sestri Ponente;

- in May 2007 the Costa Serena, the new twin sister ship of the Costa Concordia, was delivered to the company. The Costa fleet therefore reaches 12 ships with a total passenger capacity of 23,200 (in double occupancy cabins);

- in spring 2009 the Costa Luminosa, a new ship with a tonnage of 92,700 tons and with a passenger capacity of 2,260 (in double occupancy cabins), will come into service. It is being built at Fincantieri Yard in Marghera;

- always in spring 2009 the Costa Pacifica, twin sister of the Costa Concordia and of the Costa Serena, will come into service. Within the end of 2009 the Costa fleet will reach 14 ships with a total passenger capacity of about 28,500 guests (in double occupancy cabins);

- in spring 2010, the Costa Deliziosa, the second ship with a tonnage of 92,700 tons and with a passenger capacity of 2,260 (in double occupancy cabins), will enter the fleet. The Costa fleet will therefore reach 15 ships with a total passenger capacity of about 30,800 guests (in double occupancy cabins);

- in spring 2011 and 2012 two new ships of the “Concordia” class, with a tonnage of 114,500 tons, is foreseen to come into service. They will be built always at Fincantieri Yard in Marghera. The Costa fleet will reach a total of 17 ships with a total passenger capacity of about 36,800 guests (in double occupancy cabins). 

The beginning
1854: Giacomo Costa founded "Giacomo Costa fu Andrea", a small company dedicated to the small-scale trade of olive oil and fabrics.

The first half of the twentieth century
1924: "Giacomo Costa fu Andrea" developed into a company producing olive oil and purchased the steamer Ravenna for the supply of raw materials.

1947: in February, with the launch of the steamer Maria C., which also carried 50 passengers, the company extended its business to incorporate passenger transport.

1948: the motor ship Anna C., the first ship of the fleet entirely dedicated to the passengers, left Genoa for Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires on 31st  March. During the same year the company changed its name from "Giacomo Costa fu Andrea" to "Linea C". 

The second half of the twentieth century
1950s: the transport of passengers develops even further. The "Linea C", the scheduled service which connects Europe to South America, grows up with new ships. Real cruises start during breaks of scheduled liners. In the Sixties, Costa is the first operator in the world to offer cruises in the Caribbean.

1980s: the group decided to concentrate on the cruise sector. Following radical reorganisation, Costa Crociere S.p.A. was founded in 1986.

1990s: Costa proposed a new product niche: the cruise within everyone's reach. In 1993 it became the first tour operator to introduce television advertising campaigns, with the slogan "We sail for your enjoyment".

1997: Costa Crociere S.p.A was acquired jointly by Carnival Corporation and Airtours with equal shares. This change in the ownership was followed by a corporate reorganisation and further repositioning. The advertising slogan became "Grande come il mare" (As big as the sea).

From 2000 to today
2000: the Costa Atlantica was born. Carnival Corporation bought out the 50% share of the company belonging to Airtours and acquired full control of Costa Crociere. The Costa fleet ships returned to flying the Italian flag, and a twin sister ship to the Costa Atlantica and two new ships to be built in Genoa by Fincantieri were ordered.

2001: with the arrival of the Costa Tropicale in June, the fleet numbered eight ships; the Costa Riviera was retired from duty in November.

2002: in April the Costa Europa joins Costa Crociere fleet. A new ironic advertising campaign is launched. The slogan is "La vacanza che ti manca" (The holiday you miss).

2003: April saw the foundation of Carnival Corporation & plc, the world leader in the cruise sector, of which Costa Crociere is also a member. The Costa Mediterranea, twin sister of the Costa Atlantica, commenced duty in May. The Costa Fortuna, the largest passenger ship in Italian history, built by Fincantieri in Genoa Sestri Ponente, commenced duty in November. The Palacrociere, the new Savona cruise terminal, jointly financed and managed by the company, was also inaugurated.

2004: in January the signing of a letter of intention with Fincantieri was announced for the construction of a new ship with a tonnage of 114,500 tons, the Costa Concordia, to be delivered in July 2006. In November two important events for the company: the Costa Magica, twin sister of the Costa Fortuna, came into service; Costa Crociere S.p.A. acquired the brand AIDA Cruises, cruise leader in Germany.

2005: in January Costa Crociere announced the order to Fincantieri for a twin sister ship of the Costa Concordia, named Costa Serena, which will be ready in May 2007, and transfer of the Costa Tropicale to the P&O Australia brand in October 2005. In December another order was announced for a new ship, twin sister of the Costa Concordia and of the Costa Serena, which will be ready in spring 2009.

2006: Costa Crociere announces its expansion in Asia Pacific. From the summer 2006 a ship, the Costa Allegra, will be positioned in China, and from the winter 2006/2007 two ships of the Group, the Costa Classica and the AIDACara, will depart from Dubai, while another one, the Costa Marina, will depart from Singapore. In June Costa announces the order to Fincantieri for a new ship with a tonnage of 92,700 tons and an option for a twin sister ship, to be ready in sping 2009 and 2010 respectively.

2007: Costa Crociere becomes more and more international with the announcement, in February, of a new exclusive itinerary: cruises from Mauritius in winter 2007/2008. On April, 24th the Palacruceros came into service, the new Barcelona cruise terminal financed and managed by the company. On May, 15th Costa Serena was delivered. On 17th July Costa Crociere reached the European historical record  of 1 million Guests booked in only one year. The announced Joint Venture between Costa Crociere S.p.A. and Orizonia Corporaciòn was approved for the creation of the brand  “Iberocruceros”, belonging to the Costa group and operating in the Spanish market. In October the order to Fincantieri for 2 further ships of the “Concordia” class, with a tonnage of 114,500 tons, was announced.

2008: Costa Crociere celebrates its 60 years of history. The positioning of two ships in the Far East from spring 2009 as well as new cruises in North America for the autumn 2009 are announced.


Complete history in .PDF format