On June 5, Costa Cruise Line, will give a glamorous “benvenuto” to its two newest ships on one historic night. During this special celebration, the Italian cruise line will host the first ever dual inaugural as it christens the Costa Luminosa – The Ship of Light – and Costa Pacifica – The Ship of Sound.
Costa Luminosa — The Ship of Light
The Costa Luminosa is the first in a new class of ships for Costa, complete with 68 percent of accommodations featuring verandas —the most for a Costa ship. Décor will be highlighted by a contemporary design marked by iridescent colors, fine marbles, warm woods, mother-of-pearl details and world-class art. This includes a sculpture commissioned by artist Fernando Botero, entitled “Reclining Woman 2004,” which will be on display in the ship’s Supernova atrium. An unpublished series of photographs of the Colombian artist at work in his studios in Paris and Pietrasanta will also be exhibited. Beyond Botero, guests will find 200 original paintings and 3,000 serigraphs and prints throughout the ship. Decadent design accents include 120 Murano glass chandeliers, 1,100 decorative tiles, 20 types of marble, granite and mosaics and 500 square meters of mother-of-pearl in the ship’s specialty restaurant, the Club Luminosa.
Theatre productions truly take center stage with the ship’s new 20-seat 4D cinema, where sight, sound, touch and scent come together to form a multisensory experience for guests. This Costa “first” also features seats that roll in tandem with action as it unfolds onscreen. The ship’s Phoenix theatre will seat 800 guests and feature 14,000 lights, all working together to create special effects.
Costa is also bringing PlayStation onboard with exclusive dedicated areas equipped with PS3 consoles and the latest-generation videogames. Themed evenings and challenges on a mega-screen overlooking the pool deck will also be planned and guests may enjoy PS3 games from the comfort of their cabin with on-demand games. A roller skating track on one of the ship’s top decks will allow guests to try roller skating with strap-and-go “Skorpion” skates that attach to one’s shoes.
For sports aficionados, an 18-hole golf simulator let guests “hit the links at sea” on 37 virtual courses, while a putting green on one of the ship’s top decks offers a real-life golf experience–both are Costa firsts. For race car fans, the ship features a Grand Prix race car driving simulator, one of the most accurate representations of Formula One racing available.
Spa-goers will enjoy Costa’s renowned Samsara Spa which features special spa cabins (52 cabins and four suites), with direct access to the spa via private elevator and stairway.
Costa Pacifica — The Ship of Sound
Inspired by music, the Costa Pacifica is a sister ship to the Costa Serena and Costa Concordia and will feature a complete musical experience that may be felt throughout the ship. Interior design elements are inspired by music, including the atrium with its musical symbols and instruments as décor, while a soundtrack created especially for the ship by the famed Italian composer Mauro Pagani will offer a musical treat for guests during their cruise. A recording studio gives guests the opportunity to create their own hit records while lounges will feature live singers covering the best music from the past and present.
Italian composer Mauro Pagani arranged an orchestra of 43 top-notch musicians to perform music for the exclusive Costa Pacifica musical compilation. This orchestra features 12 first violins, 12 second violins, four violas, four cellos, one double bass, two French horns, two bassoons, two flutes, two clarinets, one organ and one soloist oboe. He also formed a 14-piece Big Band composed of five saxophones, three trumpets, two trombones, as well as drums, a double bass, piano and guitar. The resulting product: 29 incredible musical pieces from the past and present including classics by Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Puccini and modern “classic” songs such as New York, New York, My Way and Girl from Ipanema as well as eight original tracks by Pagani. All tracks are featured on a double CD, which will also be available for purchase.
A recording studio in the Stardust Theatre will delight musical novices and professionals alike by allowing them to record their very own CD in a state-of-the-art studio. Featuring the latest equipment, guests can record their favorite songs on a CD with the assistance of a special engineer.
Each corridor on the ship will feature its own music by masters from Chopin to Beethoven while each lounge will feature its own international music, chosen by Pagani. 22 musicians aboard the ship will be divided into orchestras, trios, duos and pianists who will play from eight grand pianos and one baby grand piano. More than 10 singers will perform live in the lounges.
Similar to the Costa Luminosa, the Costa Pacifica will also feature the Samsara Spa (91 cabins, 12 suites), PlayStation areas, a Grand Prix race car driving simulator and expansive lido pool area with a retractable magrodome extending over two decks.
Both new ships will feature specialty restaurants with menus created by the revered Ettore Bocchia, executive chef at the Michelin-star restaurant Mistral at the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio, Italy. His creations explore the relationship of how temperature and the molecular structure of food and taste come together, creating rich cuisine that feels light. The two ships will also feature exclusive selections of Amarone Aneri Stella 2003, a decadent red wine reserved especially for Costa (only 133 bottles are available on each ship).
The Costa Luminosa and Costa Pacifica are due for delivery at the end of April and the end of May 2009 respectively, and will be christened together in Genoa, Italy on June 5. Three additional ships are on order.
