Costa Venezia, The Costa Cruises Ship Designed for The Asian Market, Made Her Maiden Call to Hong Kong

HONG KONG, CHINA -�Media OutReach - 26 April
2019 – Costa Cruises, Italy’s
largest tourism group and Europe’s number one cruise company celebrated the maiden
call of Costa Venezia to Hong Kong on April 24 and invited over 120 guests onboard
for a plaque and key ceremony.

Captain Tihomir Muzic was joined by Mr. Mario
Zanetti, President of Costa Group Asia, Mr. Aaron Liu, JP, Acting Commissioner
for Tourism, Tourism Commission, HKSAR Government, Mr. Anthony Lau, Executive
Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, and Clemente Contestabile, Consul
General of Italy in Hong Kong for an auspicious lion dance eye-dotting ritual.  Together with a lively marching band and ship
performers, showcasing highlights from Costa Venezia’s original musical
production, “Venezia Innamorata“, five colourful lions danced to hip hop
music and kick started the celebrations. Mr. Liu also signed on a special
bottle that brings blessings
from each port of the Costa Venezia’s Marco Polo Voyage — from Trieste, the Mediterranean to the Middle
East, and subsequently from Southeast Asia to Hong Kong.

(from left to right) Clemente Contestabile, Consul General of Italy in
Hong Kong, Mr. Aaron Liu, JP, Acting Commissioner for Tourism, Tourism
Commission, HKSAR Government, Captain Tihomir Muzic, Mr. Mario Zanetti,
President of Costa Group Asia, Mr. Antony Lau, Executive Director, Hong Kong
Tourism Board

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Zanetti said: “As a ship built
specifically for the Asian market, Venezia heralds the start of a new chapter
for Costa, Fincantieri and also the Asian cruise industry as a whole.  From conception to delivery,
everything about Costa Venezia has been designed having the Asian customer in
mind. Costa Venezia will continue to offer the authentic Italian experience
that is a hallmark of Costa, but with further innovations that have never been
seen before and which are designed to meet the needs of the local market even
better.”

Costa Venezia is the largest
ship introduced by Costa to Asia, where the Italian company was the first to
start operating in 2006.

With a gross
tonnage of 135,500 tons, 323 meters in length, 2,116 cabins and a capacity for 5,260
guests, the Costa Venezia offers a series of unprecedented innovations designed
specifically for Asian customers, introducing them to Italian culture,
lifestyle and excellence, starting from the interiors, which are inspired by the
city of Venice.

On
Costa Venezia, guests will experience the uniqueness of Venetian and Italian
culture. The ship’s theatre is inspired by the world-renowned Venetian La
Fenice opera house; the main atrium is reminiscent of St. Mark’s Square, while the
main restaurants recall the traditional architecture of Venetian alleys and squares. Actual
gondolas, made by the Squero di San Trovaso artisans, can also be found on
board.

Guests are able to sample the delights of fine Italian dining
while enjoying home comforts that include a range of Chinese cuisines. The two
main restaurants, Marco Polo and Canal Grande, offer a unique immersion
in the Venetian atmosphere. Starting from a walk in the Grand Canal and the
opportunity to sit close to a real gondola, to admiring the “Ponte dei Sospiri”
(Bridge of Sighs) at the Canal Grande Restaurant, and continuing with the
unique baroque architecture of the Marco Polo restaurant, where guests are served
by 17th century Venetian figured waiters.

At Casanova Restaurant,
guests will find a special menu created by the Italian chef Umberto Bombana, chef of the three-star
Michelin restaurant 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana, one of the five speciality restaurants.  Guests will also feel at home with a wide
choice of Asian food on offer, including hotpot, teppanyaki, dim sum and
noodles.

Costa Venezia features more than
8,000 square feet of retail space amid a two-deck Venetian-style shopping
pavilion which Starboard Cruise Services, the premier retailer at sea, curated
with some of the world’s most celebrated brands.

Presented within an Italian-style
shopping experience in keeping with the iconic Costa Cruises brand, the
collection includes many famous Italian brands, including first-time-at-sea Max
Mara, Salvatore Ferragamo and Bvlgari.

Costa Venezia further appeals to
the Asian shopper with the largest beauty space at sea, measuring more than
2,500 square feet and including over 30 international brands, with the
first-at-sea Clé de Peau Beauté and Hermès, Yves Saint Laurent, La Prairie,
Bvlgari, Chanel, Dior, La Mer, SK-II and more.  Asian beauty brands include Dr. Jart+,
Sulwhasoo and The History of Whoo. The Merchant of Venice, a refined perfumer
that pays homage to the beauty of Venetian culture, also makes its debut at sea
and available for the first time in Asia.

In addition, Bvlgari joins Costa Cruises and Starboard
to present the first production of its kind at sea: “The Bvlgari Jewelry
Show”, an evening of elegance and glamour highlighting the Italian
jeweller’s masterful craftsmanship. During the show, Costa Venezia’s passengers will experience
the epitome of “la dolce vita,” an Italian dream, presenting a dazzling display
of Bvlgari jewels featured onboard at the Bvlgari
boutique.

The luxury line-up also includes
Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Tiffany
& Co., Mikimoto, and many more, making it even
more irresistible when they can be purchased onboard tax and duty-free.

Apart
from shopping, guests are entertained by nightly shows and performances,
including “Venezia Innamorata”, a musical inspired by the love stories of Venetian
author and adventurer Giacomo Casanova, specially created for Costa Venezia’s
Teatro Rosso. Themed parties such as the “Golden Party” and “Carnival
of Venice” masked ball recreate the magical atmosphere of “The City of Canals” onboard.

Soccer
fans will find Asia’s exclusive Juventus Football Club at sea and enjoy a
360-degree Italian football experience with special facilities on Costa
Venezia, including an outdoor soccer field, an indoor academy, a museum showcasing
 historic trophies and memorabilia from as far
back as the 1970s, magazine photos from all eras, jerseys and signed shoes from
the club’s successful seasons, as well as a retail shop selling limited edition commemorative
merchandise.

For
guests who enjoy the outdoors, the ship has both outdoor and indoor swimming
pools and jacuzzis, an aqua park with water slides, a mini-golf course, a
high-rope garden, outdoor fitness facilities, a wellness complex with gym and
spa, clubs for teens and kids, and many
more.

On March 8, the ship embarked from Trieste for the start of its
inaugural cruise: an exceptional 53-day trip following the tracks of Marco Polo
through the Mediterranean to the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the Far East
before docking in Tokyo.

A second
ship designed exclusively for the Asian market, a sister ship to Costa Venezia,
is currently under construction by Fincantieri in Marghera and is expected to
be delivered in 2020.  Together with
Costa Venezia, the arrival of the second new built will help boost the
development of the Asian cruise industry.

About Costa Group

The Costa Group
is the leading cruise company in Europe and China, headquartered in Genoa
(Italy). The 28 ships of the brands Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises and Costa Asia
together have a total capacity of more than 85,000 berths. The fleet will be
further strengthened by 5 new vessels by 2023. The company has a global
workforce of 30,000 employees working onboard and in its 20 offices in 14
countries.

 

Press releases
and photos available at www.costapresscenter.com