Costa
Cruises is actively working to grow its North American
business by highlighting its popular Western Mediterranean and Caribbean
itineraries and the line’s immersive international experiences, focusing on
gastronomy and the 2027 World Cruise.?
TravelPulse
caught up with Dario Rustico, general manager-Americas for Costa Cruises, at
CLIA’s Cruise360 in
late April at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida,
where he spoke with travel advisors about Costa’s latest news and unique
selling points.
While North America is a complementary market for
Italy-based Costa, part of the Carnival Corporation, “it’s growing in
importance,” said Rustico. “That is why we are here talking with our key
partners…. We believe that Costa, for the type of product, the type of programs
that we have, has the potential to grow exponentially here.”
Popular Mediterranean and Caribbean
Cruises
While Costa doesn’t sail from any U.S. ports, Rustico
pointed to Costa’s seven-night Western Mediterranean itineraries and its departures
from the Dominican Republic as the most popular for U.S. travelers. Costa's
seven-night Western Mediterranean cruises depart from Barcelona or Civitavecchia/Rome.
“It’s a great classic, because you can do three countries in seven nights—France,
Spain and Italy,” he said. “And you can really get a feel of the
European/Mediterranean vibe.”
Rustico said Costa's seven-night Caribbean cruises
from the Dominican Republic have “great potential to grow” with U.S. clients.
The line’s Santo Domingo and La Romana itineraries offer travelers the chance
to experience different islands than those typically visited on ships that depart
from South Florida. Costa Fascinosa, for instance, sails from Santo Domingo and
visits Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Maarten and St. Kitts, and Costa's private
beach on Catalina Island.?
Guadeloupe is one of the ports of call visited on Costa’s itineraries from the Dominican Republic. (Photo Credit: Costa Cruises Media)
In addition to interesting itineraries, another
selling point for Costa is its “international crowd,” which enhances the
ambiance onboard, according to Rustico: “If you cruise with us in Brazil, you
will have a lot of Brazilians, a lot of Argentinians. And you really feel that
South American vibe. If you cruise with us in the Caribbean, there will be a
lot of Mexicans, a lot of Colombians, and you will feel that Latin American
vibe, because the product is customized to serve and to please the people that
are on board.”
Similarly, the high number of European travelers
onboard Costa’s European cruises means “you really immerse yourself into the
culture you’re visiting,” he said. “It’s enriching because you see it from the
perspective of the people that are from there.”
Focus on Gastronomy
Costa’s Italian heritage also influences the onboard
experience, particularly when it comes to its culinary offerings. “We have
invested a lot during the past years to improve our gastronomy,” said Rustico.
In fact, Costa has partnerships with three renowned Michelin-starred chefs—Italy’s
Bruno Barbieri, France’s Hélène Darroze and Spain’s ?ngel León. At Costa’s
Archipelago restaurant, guests can taste three distinct menus crafted by the
trio.?
Guests can taste cuisine by three renowned Michelin-starred chefs at Costa’s Archipelago restaurant. (Photo Credit: Costa Cruises Media)
Five-Continent World Cruise
Raising Costa’s North American profile will be its World
Cruise 2027, a 139-day experience on Costa Deliziosa, departing on November 25,
2026, from Savona, Italy, and returning on April 12, 2027, after crossing five
continents and visiting 47 destinations. The itinerary includes iconic cities
on the U.S. East and West coasts—including New York, Miami (Port Everglades),
San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco—as well as Hawaii, Australia, Japan,
Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, the Maldives, South Africa and more.?
In addition to the complete 139-day itinerary,
advisors can book clients on a 100-day cruise that boards in San Francisco. “It’s
a very beautiful itinerary,” said Rustico, “and we hope to see a lot of
Americans onboard this very special World Cruise on five continents.”?
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