Costa Cruises

Costa Cruises, originally known as Costa Crociere, is an Italian cruise line and a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation since 2000. Headquartered in Genoa, Italy, the company primarily serves the Italian cruise market but offers itineraries worldwide.

Founded in 1854 by Giacomo Costa as Giacomo Costa fu Andrea, the company originally operated cargo ships transporting olive oil and textiles. After being passed down to Costa’s sons, the company rebranded as Linea C and began offering passenger cruises to destinations like South America, the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean. In 1986, it was renamed Costa Cruises and shifted its focus entirely to cruising, becoming Europe’s market leader with a 19% market share. Carnival Corporation acquired 50% of the company in 1997 and fully acquired it in the early 2000s.

Notably, Costa Cruises expanded its operations in 2004 by acquiring the German brand AIDA. In 2014, with the discontinuation of Ibero Cruises, its vessels were integrated into Costa’s fleet and rebranded. However, Costa also faced significant challenges, including the 2012 Costa Concordia tragedy, where the ship ran aground and capsized off the Italian coast, resulting in 32 fatalities. Just weeks later, the Costa Allegra experienced a fire that left it adrift for 13 hours in pirate-infested waters near Somalia before being safely towed.

All Costa ships sail under the Italian flag. Due to this flag of convenience, crew members joining ships in Italy must obtain an Italian visa, as they are technically working within Italian territory. Our page on VISAS for Seafarers provides detailed steps for obtaining this visa, as well as providing information on others like the Schengen, Australian, etc.

Costa Cruises is unique in broadcasting announcements in at least four languages: English, Italian, German, and French. Spanish and Portuguese are also included, depending on the passenger demographics.