The Italian company is boosting its seven day cruises to the Arabian Gulf with new excursions

Costa Cruises, the largest Italian travel group and Europe’s leading cruise company, has begun its fifth consecutive season in the Arabian Gulf – a destination that Costa was the first company in the world to sail regularly.

From the end of November 2010 through March 2011 Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa – the top range ships of the Costa fleet – will offer seven day cruises to the finest places of the Gulf region.  Costa has forecasted it expects to transport approximately 75,000 passengers with 30 port calls in Abu Dhabi and 150,000 passengers with 31 port calls in Dubai during this winter season.

To coincide with the newly opened “Ferrari World” theme park in Abu Dhabi, Costa has arranged two new excursions to satisfy its many Grand Prix fans, one of which is to visit “Ferrari World”.

The world’s first Ferrari theme park and the largest attraction of its kind, “Ferrari World” offers Ferrari-inspired rides and attractions for visitors of all ages.  Highlights include “Formula Rossa”, the fastest roller coaster on the planet, a journey into the heart of a V12 engine, a virtual tour of the historic Maranello factory and the interactive Paddock exhibit.  Ferrari’s key principles of stylish elegance, design, excellence and technological innovation underpin every aspect of the park.

The other new Abu Dhabi excursion is to Yas Marina, the world’s most cutting-edge Formula 1 circuit.

F1 fans will be able to experience thrills and chills at 350 km/h while on board Costa thanks to the Grand Prix driving simulators from the “Costa racing stable”, available on both Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa.  Far from a video game, the simulators produced originated as Grand Prix cars with advanced real-time vehicle modelling, thus reproducing ultra-realistic sensations of being on the world’s best racing circuits.

Both Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa have dedicated facilities for Arab guests on board, including two prayer rooms for males and females, Middle Eastern cuisine, menus and signs in Arabic, Arab-speaking shipboard staff, and Arabic TV and radio channels.

Costa Luminosa departs from Dubai on Mondays starting 29 November 2010 through 14 March 2011, and Costa Deliziosa on Sundays from 19 December 2010 through 27 March 2011.  The itineraries of both ships start with two nights in Dubai, followed by calls in Muscat (Oman), Al Fujairah (United Arab Emirates), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Bahrain and end with an additional overnight stay in Dubai.

Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa (92,600 gross tonnage and 2,826 total guests each) are the most exclusive and innovative members of the fleet, with contemporary design and use of premium materials such as marble, granite and fine timbers, as well as in the fine works of art on board, notably “Sphere” by sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro on Costa Deliziosa and “Reclining Woman 2004” by Fernando Botero on Costa Luminosa. 

Whether it’s for fun or relaxation, there are an incredibly large number of entertaining things to do on board, all involving the use of modern technology – 4D cinema, roller skating rink, a latest generation golf simulator with real outside putting green, the exclusive Samsara Spa wellness centre with Technogym Kinesis circuit, “Playstation World” dedicated exclusively to Playstation3, and the “Playstation on demand” cabin service.