The Costa Venezia, a ship built by Costa Cruises specifically for the Chinese market, has successfully held its naming ceremony and will soon embark on a “once-in-a-lifetime” journey, retracing Marco Polo’s footsteps as it arrives in Shanghai in May.
Costa Cruises, the Italian lifestyle brand under Carnival Corporation (NYSE/LSE: CCL;NYSE: CUK), the world’s largest leisure travel company, held the naming ceremony for its new ship Costa Venezia in Trieste, Italy. Michael Thamm, Global CEO of Costa Cruises Group and CEO of Carnival Asia, Mario Zanetti, President of Costa Cruises Asia, and Roberto Dipiazza, Mayor of Trieste, were among the distinguished guests attending the ceremony.
On the day of the celebration, the Italian Frecce Tricolori aerobatic team performed an outstanding aerial display over the harbor, sending best wishes to Trieste. This marked the official start of the Costa Venezia naming ceremony.
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Italian Frecce Tricolori Aerobatic Team Performance
Following industry tradition, Costa Cruises held a grand bottle-breaking ceremony to bless the new ship Costa Venezia and wish it smooth sailing ahead. For this memorable moment, Costa Cruises invited a special family—a Chinese trio—as the ship’s launching family. This family first sailed with Costa Cruises on the Costa Classic and embarked on their first-ever cruise experience aboard it, falling in love with life at sea ever since. Through distinctive products and thoughtful services, Costa aims to build emotional connections with guests and bring joy and happiness to more Chinese consumers.
“We are very pleased to hold the naming ceremony for Costa Venezia in the beautiful Italian city of Trieste. Featuring unprecedented innovations, Costa Venezia offers Chinese consumers an authentic Italian cruise experience. The launch of Costa Venezia marks a milestone not only for the brand itself but also for the thriving Chinese market,” said Mario Zanetti, President of Costa Cruises Asia, at the naming ceremony.
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President of Costa Group Asia, Mario Zanetti, delivering a speech at the ceremony
After the naming ceremony, Costa Cruises also prepared a seasonal menu inspired by the Michelin-starred restaurant 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana for the guests, offering an authentic taste of Italy. Specialty onboard restaurants such as the Grand Canal Restaurant and the Marco Polo Restaurant, with their distinctive décor and classic Chinese and Western cuisines, allowed guests to enjoy a “culinary feast.” These delectable offerings will continue to satisfy passengers’ palates in the days to come. More notably, Costa Venezia also features a variety of spectacular performances and Italian-style entertainment activities, transporting guests as if they were in “Venice.”
Departing from the Italian port of Trieste, the ship passes through Dubrovnik in Croatia, Heraklion in Greece, Egypt, then reaches Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the Middle East before heading to India via Sri Lanka, and continuing through Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, finally arriving in China. On this unique itinerary, Costa Venezia also attracted numerous celebrities to experience the ship. Their presence revealed must-visit spots aboard the Venezia, from living facilities to dining options, providing Chinese travelers with a “perfect check-in guide.” As this “once-in-a-lifetime” journey progresses, it slowly unveils the mysterious veil of the Costa Venezia.
While ensuring high-quality service, continuous innovation has always been a core philosophy of Costa. With the evolving consumption habits of Chinese tourists, Costa Cruises continues to explore new brand promotion models to offer more distinctive and vibrant products and services. As such, Costa Cruises has joined hands with Fliggy, Alibaba’s online travel platform, to launch a new collaboration. Through initiatives like the “Fliggy Super Brand Day,” more Chinese consumers can get to know and experience Costa Cruises. On the day of the event, partner Fliggy was also present to provide full support, live-streaming the entire Costa Venezia naming ceremony so that Chinese consumers could get an early glimpse of the ship’s captivating charm.
As the newest addition to the existing Costa Asian fleet, the arrival of Costa Venezia marks a significant milestone for the brand. Designed with a focus on the leisure and entertainment preferences of Chinese consumers, Costa Venezia integrates numerous Italian elements such as the Venice Carnival and the globally renowned Gran Carnival, vividly showcasing authentic Italian culture. In terms of interior design, Costa Venezia draws inspiration from the urban characteristics of Venice, offering passengers an immersive “Magical Venice” journey. Additionally, Costa Venezia will continue its collaboration with Juventus Football Club to deliver an authentic Italian football experience at sea. The cruise line has also partnered with the renowned Italian luxury jewelry brand Bulgari to stage a fashion show, presenting guests with a dazzling “fashion extravaganza at sea.” Through continuously innovative products and services, Costa Cruises will further integrate cruising with culture, sports, entertainment, and fashion, bringing Chinese consumers an ever more refined Italian cruise experience and perfectly embodying the brand philosophy of “Discovering Great Moments at Sea.”
Costa Venezia
This Costa Venezia, built specifically for the Chinese market, officially set sail from Trieste on March 8, 2019, following Marco Polo’s classic route to take passengers on a voyage of discovery. After this “once-in-a-lifetime” journey, Costa Venezia will finally arrive in Shanghai in May 2019, bringing a unique Italian-style cruise experience to passengers across East Asia. Subsequently, the ship’s sister vessel will officially enter service in the Chinese market in 2020.