COSTA OFFERS EUROPEAN SAILINGS COMPLETE WITH AIR BEGINNING AT JUST $128 PER PERSON A DAY

Packages Feature 10- and 11-night Mediterranean Sailings Throughout Winter
MIAMI (September 30, 2009) – Savor unique European destinations while enjoying La Dolce Vita this winter with Costa, Europe’s Number One Cruise Line. New packages begin at just $1,408 per person and include cruise fare, air fare, air tax, transfers and a one-night post hotel stay, if necessary.

Beginning at $1,408 per person for a 10-night sailing, and at $1,545 for an 11-night sailing, guests may sail aboard sister ships Costa Pacifica or Costa Serena on Eastern or Western Mediterranean itineraries. Starting fares on these air packages are based on roundtrip airfare from JFK to Rome for the 10-night sailing aboard the Costa Pacifica, departing from Civitavecchia on December 9, 2009. This sailing features stops in Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Egypt. Fares for the 11-night sailings are based on airfare from JFK to Savona, Italy for the December 8, 2009 sailing aboard the Costa Serena with stops in Spain, Morocco, the Canary Islands and Madeira. Numerous additional gateways are available from the United States and Canada.

The Costa Pacifica (recently inaugurated in June 2009) and Costa Serena (introduced in 2007), were designed especially to sail the Mediterranean year round. Both vessels feature two pools with retractable glass magrodomes, ensuring pool time is enjoyable at any time of the year. In addition, the ships feature the award-winning Samsara Spa, which at over 23,000 square-feet is one of the largest spas at sea. This spa haven at sea boasts spa accommodations with direct access to the wellness center via private stairway or elevator and access to a dedicated spa restaurant.

Costa offers a “true European experience” to travelers, combining the charm of the old world with incredible innovations of today. This special brand of Italian warmth and European sophistication makes cruising with Costa much more than a voyage to a new and exciting destination – it’s an experience that creates lifetime memories that linger and make guests smile at unexpected moments. From delectable fresh pastas, warm cappuccinos, international guests who become friends from around the world and charming Italian greetings travelers hear such as “buongiorno” and “buonasera,” sailing with Costa brings the passion and vitality of Italy to sea.

For complete information regarding Costa’s winter Europe Air/Sea packages, guests may contact a travel agent, call (800) GO-COSTA or visit www.costacruises.com. Guests in North America may also find Costa on Facebook at www.facebook.com/costacruises.na.

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 over 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.

Costa Cruises has been certified by RINA (Italian Shipping Register) with the BEST4, an integrated system of voluntary certification of corporate compliance with the highest standards governing social accountability (SA 8000, issued in 2001), environment (UNI EN ISO 14001, 2004), safety (OHSAS 18001, 1999) and quality (UNI EN ISO 9001, 2000). All ships in the Costa fleet have been assigned RINA’s Green Star notation certifying that they are operated in compliance with the highest environmental protection standards. Costa Cruises is an official partner of the WWF for the protection of the marine ecoregions of the Mediterranean, the Greater Antilles and Brazil.  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. In 2009, Costa Cruises was ranked the 4th best Italian company for reliability and reputation in the international “Global Reputation Pulse” survey, which covers 600 of the largest companies in 32 countries around the world.