Costa Cruises has held the traditional coin ceremony for its newest ship, the Costa Venezia, named in honour of the city of Venice.

As the first Vista-class ship specifically designed and built for China, Costa Venezia in 2019 will bring the rich culture, history and romance of Venice to its Chinese guests.

During the coin ceremony, one newly minted commemorative coin was officially placed in the ship’s keel as a symbol of good luck and blessings for the crew and passengers on-board the ship and her future journeys.

The event connected Italy and China to mark this milestone, which was attended by government officials, trade partners and senior executives from Costa Cruises. 

“Costa Cruises is thrilled to have a new ship that is built to offer the best experience to Chinese consumers,” said Michael Thamm, chief executive Costa Group and Carnival Asia.

“The Costa Venezia demonstrates our strong commitment and confidence in the world’s fastest growing cruise market.

“Her arrival in 2019 will further enhance our offerings for Chinese guests to reinforce our leading position in China.”

To be built by the Italy-based Fincantieri shipbuilding company, the 135,500-ton Costa Venezia will feature 2,116 passenger cabins and a capacity of 5,260 total passengers.

It is the first ship in the world that features a design that entirely reflects her name and the city where she was built.

“With the Costa Venezia, Costa Cruises is proud to showcase the allure of one of Italy’s most famous and culturally rich cities and regions to Chinese consumers,” said Mario Zanetti, president of Costa Group Asia.

“The planned addition of the ship to our Asia fleet is part of our continued efforts to innovate and consistently exceed our guests’ expectations by providing authentic and memorable Italian experiences to everyone who sails with us.”