The ship will offer a one-week cruise every Sunday from Dubai from November 2013.
This winter 2013/2014, Costa Cruises (www.costacruises.co.uk) is enhancing its range of itineraries with the arrival of Costa neoRiviera (48,200 gross tonnage and 624 cabins), previously operated as the Grand Mistral under Costa Crociere’s Spanish brand, Iberocruceros.
Starting from 24 November 2013, Costa neoRiviera will be offering a brand new one-week itinerary called ‘The Emirates in style’, with longer stopovers at each port of call to allow guests a leisurely exploration of each destination en route. The itinerary departs every Sunday from Dubai and calls at Muscat, the capital of Oman and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates before returning to Dubai. At each port the ship stops overnight and the following day, effectively introducing a new type of cruise experience.
‘The Emirates in style’ cruise allows guests more time in each port to find out about the places and traditions in this exotic part of the world. A range of exclusive excursions for small groups have been specially devised for this cruise including a day at the beach at the private Al Maya Island Resort located offshore of Abu Dhabi; the unforgettable experience of a night under the desert sky, with an incredible dawn spectacle and breakfast at an Arabian village; a tour of Oman with a visit to Nizwa Fort, dune bashing in Wahiba Sands and an overnight stay in a Bedouin tented camp; and the opportunity to admire the royal stables and a traditional Arabian horse show in Dubai.
As the Grand Mistral, Costa neoRiviera was totally refurbished in 2005 and further enhanced with the addition of new suites and cabins in 2007. The ship has three restaurants (including one buffet), six bars, two shopping arcades, three swimming pools (including a splash pool for kids), jacuzzis, a beauty & wellness centre, hydrotherapy and massages, fitness centre, show lounge and disco. Entering service as Costa neoRiviera, the ship is being revamped with renovations to open-air decks and the inside guest areas, thus adding to the charming atmosphere reminiscent of the Italian and French Rivieras.
Costa Cruises’ programme for the winter 2013/2014 season in the Emirates is also served by Costa Fortuna which will be deployed on one-week cruises from 20 December 2013 to 21 March 2014 with homeport Dubai, an overnight stopover at Muscat and further port calls at Kashab in Oman and Abu Dhabi.
To book your Costa cruise, simply ask your local travel agent or go to www.costacruises.co.uk.
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Notes to Editors
‘The Emirates in style’ – itinerary and excursions
Guests on Costa neoRiviera will be able to see the best of the Emirates and Oman on relaxed tours in groups of no more than 25.
In Dubai, in addition to checking out the city that claims to be the shopping centre of the world, guests can also visit the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper, see the billowing sail design of the 7-star Hotel Burj Al Arab and wonder at the Palma Jumeirah, the world’s largest manmade island shaped in the form of a palm tree. Further excursions include a visit to Sharjah, its Archeological Museum and the royal stables where you can see a traditional Arabian horse show, as well as a trip to ‘the ship of the desert’ with a visit to the camel museum and a camel dairy farm equipped with cutting-edge technology. Also available is a tour of the camel racing track to celebrate a thousand-year-old tradition which is deeply rooted in the Emirati soul.
In more traditional Oman, guests can discover the local culture, admire the architecture in the capital Muscat, visit the famous Muttarah souk where ancient crafts sit side-by-side with state-of-the-art technological gadgetry, tour Mirani Fort and head for the Wahiba Sands desert. The scenic drive by jeep stops at Nizwa, with its 17th century fort and lively souk, en route to the village of Al Hamra, famous for its date plantations and the traditional Omani dwelling at Bait Al Safah, a 500-year-old classic style-mud house with 20 rooms that has been turned into the local museum showing visitors traditional techniques and clothing. In the afternoon, after crossing the dunes at Wahiba Sands, guests come to the camp to spend the night. The following morning on the way back to Muscat there is a stop to visit a traditional Bedouin house.
Last but not least, Abu Dhabi also offers a range of interesting excursion options. A highlight is the luxurious Al Maya private island resort, with a mega-sized heated pool overlooking the Arabian Gulf. The more adventurous will not want to miss out on the excursion featuring a night in the desert with the spectacular views at daybreak followed by breakfast in the perfectly reconstructed Arabian heritage village. This unique experience combines the profound silence and timeless, endless beauty of the desert with the traditions of the people who live there. During the port call at Abu Dhabi guests can of course also visit this incredible city with its skyline and the futuristic ‘Abu Dhabi 2030’ urban structure framework plan, featuring the cultural district with the Guggenheim, Louvre and other large-scale museum projects. The many local tourist attractions include the great ‘White Mosque’ and ‘Ferrari World’, the world’s first Ferrari theme park.
INFORMATION ABOUT ‘THE EMIRATES IN STYLE’ CRUISES ON COSTA neoRIVIERA
Dubai, Emirates and Oman
Departures: every Sunday from 24 November 2013 to 2 February 2014
Duration: nine days/eight nights
Details and fares: ask your Travel Agent, visit www.costacruises.co.uk or phone 0845 351 0552
Costa Cruises is Europe’s no. 1 cruise company (www.costacruises.co.uk). For over 60 years its ships have plied the seas of the world, offering the best in Italian style, hospitality and cuisine and providing dream holidays with the utmost in terms of fun and relaxation. Its fleet, the largest in Europe, has a total of 14 ships in service and 1 new ship to be delivered in October 2014. Costa Cruises has been certified by RINA (Italian Shipping Register) with the BEST4, an integrated system of voluntary certification for social accountability (SA 8000, issued in 2008), environment (UNI EN ISO 14001, 2004), safety (OHSAS 18001, 2007) and quality (UNI EN ISO 9001, 2008). All the ships in the Costa fleet have been assigned RINA’s Green Star notation certifying that they are operated in compliance with the highest environmental protection standards.
For further press information please contact:
Jill Duffell / Laura Jackson / Sakhita Sharma
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