The new Costa Firenze, inspired by the sublime beauty of Florence, the cradle of the Italian Renaissance, was presented on 2 July in the Port of Savona ahead of her maiden voyage of 4 July, as a symbol of rebirth and a new departure towards more sustainable tourism.
The debut of the new Italian 135,000-gt Costa Firenze, designed and built by Fincantieri, offering a capacity of up to 5260 guests and 1100 crew, was presided over by the President of Costa Cruises, Mario Zanetti, and by the Mayor of Florence, Dario Nardella. The Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority was represented by the Secretary General, Paolo Piacenza, who presented the Commander of the ship with the traditional Port Authority coat of arms in honour of the maiden voyage from the Port of Savona.
The cruise line continues to follow the procedures outlined in the Costa Safety Protocol, introduced by the company together with a team of scientific experts and the Italian authorities, to ensure the full safety of all its passengers, with the application of stringent health measures both onboard and ashore in protected off-shore excursions.
The debut of the new Costa cruise ship from Savona paves the way for more sustainable tourism: the vessel achieved RINA Green Star 3 rating and will flank the LNG-powered flagship Costa Smeralda which offers scheduled sailings from the homeport of Savona every Saturday.
During the ceremony, Costa Cruises unveiled a new manifesto for sustainable and inclusive tourism, whereby destinations are no longer to be considered purely as a range of tourist attractions, but as communities to build together a model of tourism that generates greater economic and social value. The panel members of the round-table talks included President Zanetti, the Mayor of Florence Nardella, the Mayor of Savona Ilaria Caprioglio, the President of ENIT Giorgio Palmucci, MP Luca Pastorino, President of the Commission for Tourism of the National Association of Italian City Councils (ANCI) and MEP Brando Benifei.
