Built in 1991 and refurbished in 2007, this 52,926-ton cruise liner is 723 ft long, stacks up 10 decks high, and has a beam of 102 ft. She carries 1,302 passengers and a European crew of 590 at a leisurely pace of 18.5 knots. The
Classica is a close sister to the
Romantica but with a larger spa and fitness center built high on Deck 11, where the latter has a block of premium cabins and suites.
Costa began as a family-owed cargo ship company and got into the passenger trade after World War II with a fleet of mostly second-hand ships trading between the Mediterranean and the East Coast of South America. As air travel took over the liner business, Costa turned to cruising. Carnival Corp. bought an interest in 1997 and took full ownership in 2000. The CostaClassica was built under Costa ownership.
The passenger lists vary considerably according to the cruising region. In the late spring, summer and early fall months when the ship is making 7-day cruises in the Mediterranean, the line attracts Italians, Germans, French, Spanish and Portuguese passengers of all ages with lots of families during the school holidays. In the winter she is based in the Persian Gulf with few families aboard, and her East Asian itineraries, being longer, attract an older European clientele and locally some Asian passengers.
In the summer months, the ship is based in Trieste for 7-day cruises to Dubrovnik, Corfu, Piraeus (Athens) and two Greek Islands. Then come fall she repositions to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for 7-day cruises in the Persian Gulf. She then makes a long repositioning voyage to Hong Kong for varying itineraries to China, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan, returning to Europe in the spring.
Modern Italian design incorporates angular shapes, fine art, glass, and sweeps of marble, lending a contemporary elegance that matches the sleek exterior lines of this Italian-registered ship. The atmosphere is casual during the day, with most passengers dressing up a bit for dinner. Costume parties call for more finery, especially at the farewell toga parties when a surprising number of passengers deck themselves in sheets. And the Fiesta Italiana, an Italian street festival, sees the ship really come alive, with suggested evening dress attire in red, white and green, the colors of the Italian flag. The attractive public areas, on the top four of 10 decks, showcase ultramodern Italian style, with clean lines, original art (including a Pomodoro bronze), futuristic sculpture, and an extensive use of marble. Big windows afford dramatic views out to sea.
The open-plan layout allows passengers to flow freely through lounges, restaurants and bars. The onboard piazza features street lights and awninged cafes, and the pastry shop resembles a Venetian cafe. Lounge areas include a spectacular observatory lounge during the day and disco at night with 360-degree views, akin to Royal Caribbean's Viking Crown Lounge. Giorgio Cristini, who is known for his designs at La Scala, has embellished the one-level, two sitting (7 and 9 pm) Tivoli Restaurant with murals of Renaissance and Roman inspiration. Italian and Continental food figure on the menu, pasta is offered at lunch and dinner, and low-calorie meals are an option. La Trattoria serves buffets indoors and out at breakfast and lunch. It offers dramatic ocean views amid its teak floors, marble tables, and hand-painted tiles, but the food is markedly inferior to that in the main restaurant, where choices are ample and of good quality. The pizzeria is probably the biggest hit of all as one might expect on an Italian ship. The multitiered show room, inspired by a Renaissance amphitheater, offers uncomfortable seating but with good sight lines for Vegas-style shows with an Italian or European accent. Plush decor makes the ballroom a sophisticated spot for nighttime entertainment. The Venetian-style bar is expensive-looking and stylish, its rich mahogany, Italian marble, and sofas upholstered in warm prints framing a teak dance floor. The sculpture garden nearby is nice for quiet moments.
The casino has roulette tables, slot machines and a circular bar. The high-up spa has an up-to-date fitness center, aerobics floor, steam rooms and saunas, whirlpools and massage rooms and a great view. A salon, thalassotherapy and health bar top off the beauty options. The ship has, in addition, two outdoor pools, a medium-length jogging track, an Internet Cafe-library, card room and meeting rooms. The Costa Kids' Club and Costa Teens' Club are well-run, and youngsters are supervised during "Parents' Night Out" evenings that include their own dinner arrangements.
The 654 cabins have TVs, safes, hair dryers and shower baths. Passengers can choose from doubles with two lower beds, or queens, and some rooms have extra upper berths. The 216 inside units measure 175 sq ft, while the 438 outsides are 200 sq ft. The latter have large, round windows instead of portholes. The 10 suites with (the only) verandas average 580 sq ft. Six cabins are wheelchair-accessible, but none is smoke-free. Cabin service is nonstop but limited to pizzas and sandwiches (except in suites).
Few Americans will be aboard but those that find their way to the CostaClassica will need to take to a very European ship with multiple language announcements, including English, and a sleek European-modern design, similar to other Costa-designed ships and radically different from the far more glittery Carnival-inspired interiors. Costa's primary competition in the Mediterranean is MSC Cruises.
