COSTA CRUISES RECEIVES ACCOLADES FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FROM CONDE NAST TRAVELER

Only Major Cruise Line to Receive Recognition in 2009 World Savers Awards


MIAMI (September 15, 2009) — Costa, Europe’s Number One Cruise Line, is the only major cruise line to receive recognition in the 2009 Condé Nast Traveler “World Savers Awards.” Highlighted in the September 2009 issue, the “World Savers Awards” honor eight different sectors of the travel industry on how they exhibit social responsibility in five different areas: education programs, wildlife conservation, poverty alleviation, preservation (environmental/cultural) and health initiatives.

In particular, Costa was noted in a cumulative category for cruise lines called “Doing it All,” with a second-place score of 76. The first place winner in the category with a score of 90 was Ecoventura while the third place in the category with a score of 63 was Aqua Expeditions. Additionally, Costa was highlighted in the “Wildlife Conservation” section in the “judges also loved” area for its support of the World Wildlife Fund in the Mediterranean, Antilles and Brazil as well as for the guest educational program that is part of the line’s support of WWF.

“Costa has long been a leader in sustainability efforts, which is reflected by our dedication to supporting and implementing environmental protection programs, among many other measures,” said Maurice Zarmati, president and ceo of Costa Cruise Lines—North America. “We’re honored to receive recognition from the Condé Nast Traveler World Savers Awards for the work we do every day to ensure sustainable tourism.”

Eight travel industry sectors were featured in the “World Savers Awards” including small hotel chains, large hotel chains, city hotels, small lodges and resorts, large lodges and resorts, tour operators, cruise lines and airlines. After being assessed in the five areas noted above, 36 finalists were chosen by the editors from almost 100 applicants.

Since July 2005, Costa has supported the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for the protection of three of the most endangered marine Ecoregions in the world including areas of the Mediterranean Sea, the Greater Antilles and Northeastern Brazil. Targeted operations to assist these regions are carried out by WWF Italy via the generous donations of Costa guests and the company. Costa also provides its guests with informative and educational onboard material to highlight WWF’s efforts, including information for children who participate in Squok Club activities.

Costa’s commitment to safeguarding the environment and to corporate social responsibility in general is reflected in the company’s Sustainability Report (available online at www.costacruises.com), a purely voluntary form of reporting designed to provide comprehensive and transparent information on the effects of corporate activity on the environment and the community.

The Sustainability Report has its roots in the application of the “B.E.S.T. 4” (Business Excellence Sustainable Task), an integrated management system that encompasses four types of voluntary certification of corporate compliance with the highest standards in the areas of quality (UNI EN ISO 9001, issued in 2000), environment (UNI EN ISO 14001, 2004), safety (OHSAS 18001, 1999) and social accountability (SA 8000, 2001), guaranteeing the measurement of company performance and continuous improvement.  Costa obtained the B.E.S.T. 4 from RINA (the Italian Shipping Register) in 2004, becoming the first company in the world to do so.

Costa is the only cruise fleet flying the Italian flag and therefore is the only line whose cruise ships are subject to more restrictive environmental, safety and social accountability regulations. Costa Cruises not only operates in accordance with the prevailing laws but also, where possible, seeks to preempt legislation, setting higher standards for itself and more ambitious objectives by means of internal procedures that go beyond the scope of mandatory requirements of local, national and international regulations.

Costa Cruises is Italy and Europe’s Number One Cruise Line.  For the past 60 years its ships have sailed the world, offering the best in Italian style, hospitality and cuisine and providing dream vacations with the best in fun and relaxation. In 2008, 1.2 million guests chose to cruise with Costa, a record for the European cruise industry. The company’s 14 fleet members, each with her own distinctive characteristics and unique style, all fly the Italian flag and sail each year to 250 destinations in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, South America, the United Arab Emirates, the Far East and the Indian Ocean. Three additional ships are on order through 2012. In Mediobanca’s 2008 survey of over 3,700 Italian enterprises that recorded revenue of at least 50 million euros the previous fiscal year, Costa Crociere S.p.A. ranks 72nd in terms of sales and in 12th place in regards to profitability.