Costa Cruises 2026: Italian Mediterranean & Worldwide Cruise Packages from UAE | Travelwings UAE

Overview: Costa Cruises is one of the world's oldest and most-recognised Italian cruise lines, founded in 1854 as a shipping company in Genoa and operating cruises since 1948. The line is owned by Carnival Corporation since 2003 and operates a fleet of eight active ships including the LNG-powered flagships Costa Toscana (2021, 183,000 GT, 6,600 passenger capacity) and Costa Smeralda (2019, the sister ship), plus Costa Pacifica, Costa Fortuna, Costa Diadema, Costa Fascinosa, Costa Favolosa, Costa Deliziosa, and Costa Serena. Costa is built around Italian-style cruising — multi-course Italian-led dining, Caffè Vergnano espresso, Italian design throughout, and a Mediterranean-led itinerary calendar. Travelwings UAE offers Costa Cruises packages on Mediterranean (Western and Eastern), Canary Islands, Caribbean, Northern Europe, and world-cruise sailings as fly-to packages from Dubai (DXB) to embarkation ports including Genoa, Savona, Barcelona, and the Canaries. For UAE travellers wanting authentic Italian-style cruising, Costa remains one of the strongest options on the wider Travelwings cruise portfolio.

When UAE travellers research European mainstream cruising, three Italian-led brands tend to surface: MSC, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Costa. Of those, Costa has the longest heritage — 75+ years of cruise operations under the same Italian identity — and the strongest ""Made in Italy"" positioning. The ships are built around Italian quality, the dining is led by Italian regional cuisine, the language onboard is multilingual but Italian-default, and the wider experience is closer to a Mediterranean coastal holiday than to an American-style mega-ship cruise. This page covers the full Costa Cruises proposition for UAE travellers — fleet, current routes, real package pricing from Travelwings UAE, and the recent programme changes that affect Costa's UAE operations.

Who Is Costa Cruises?

Costa Crociere SpA (Costa Cruises) was founded in 1854 in Genoa, Italy by Giacomo Costa as an olive-oil importing company that gradually built a shipping operation around it. The company began passenger ocean transport in 1948 with the converted freighter Anna C — making the first transatlantic Italian passenger sailing — and grew the cruise division through the second half of the 20th century to become Europe's largest cruise brand by the 1990s. Costa was acquired by Carnival Corporation in 1997 (with Carnival taking full ownership in 2003), and now sits within the Carnival Corporation family alongside Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Cunard Line, and AIDA Cruises.

Costa is headquartered in Genoa, Italy and operates one of the largest cruise fleets in Europe, with eight active ocean ships covering Mediterranean, Caribbean, Northern Europe, Indian Ocean, Far East (China), and world-cruise itineraries. The line is known for its Italian-style cruising approach, multi-generational family operations, the Caffè Vergnano partnership (Italian coffee onboard since 2021), the ITA Airways fly-cruise partnership for medium- and long-haul packages, and a commitment to LNG-powered newbuilds across the modern Excellence-class fleet.

Which Costa Cruise Ships Are Available to UAE Travellers?

Costa operates eight active ships across multiple classes, with the newest LNG-powered Excellence-class flagships defining the modern fleet:

Costa Toscana — The line's flagship. Launched in March 2022, built at Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. Capacity 6,218 passengers at maximum, 183,000 GT, 17 passenger decks, 337 metres long. LNG-powered, making it one of the most environmentally friendly large ships afloat. Italian-design throughout from staterooms (designed by Milan-based Dordoni Architetti) to public spaces, plus the Caffè Vergnano cafés. Sails Western Mediterranean and Eastern Mediterranean itineraries primarily.

Costa Smeralda — Sister ship of Costa Toscana, launched December 2019. Same 6,600-passenger double-occupancy capacity and 183,000 GT scale. The flagship of the LNG-powered Costa fleet, with a giant LED screen covering the main atrium ceiling and 21 onboard restaurants and bars. For winter 2026-27, Costa Smeralda is deployed to the Canary Islands and Madeira with new 7-day itineraries from Las Palmas rather than the previously planned Dubai homeport.

Costa Pacifica — Concordia-class ship (2009, 114,500 GT, 3,000 passengers). Following dry-dock maintenance in December 2026, Costa Pacifica deploys to the Western Mediterranean with new 8-day cruises and longer Southern Europe and North Africa voyages.

Costa Diadema — Costa-class ship (2014, 132,500 GT, 4,947 passengers). Mediterranean-focused.

Costa Fascinosa, Costa Favolosa — Concordia-class sister ships (2012, 2011), elegant and technologically equipped, operating Caribbean and Mediterranean routes.

Costa Fortuna — Destiny-class ship (2003, 102,587 GT). Recent 2025 winter deployment to the Canary Islands.

Costa Deliziosa — Spirit-class ship (2010, 92,720 GT, 2,260 passengers). The traditional round-the-world voyage ship — Costa's 2026/27 world cruise departs November 2026 from Italian, Spanish, and French ports aboard Costa Deliziosa.

Costa Serena — Concordia-class ship (2007). For 2026/27, Costa Serena operates a new 65-night voyage from Tokyo in October 2026 calling at 24 destinations before arriving in Buenos Aires.

What Are the Current Costa Cruise Routes Available to UAE Travellers?

Costa's 2026/27 deployment covers five regions globally:

Western Mediterranean (the core Costa programme):
- 7- and 8-night itineraries from Genoa, Savona, Civitavecchia (Rome), Barcelona, and Marseille
- Calls at Naples, Palermo, Valletta (Malta), Cagliari, Tarragona, Palma de Mallorca, and Tunis
- Operated primarily by Costa Toscana and Costa Pacifica

Eastern Mediterranean and Adriatic (seasonal):
- Athens, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Split, the Greek Islands (Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes), Turkey (Kuşadası), and Israel calls on selected itineraries

Canary Islands and Madeira:
- New 7-day itineraries from Las Palmas on Costa Smeralda (the flagship's winter 2026-27 deployment), and Costa Fortuna on Canary Islands sailings from Tarragona

Caribbean and South America:
- Costa Diadema and Costa Serena sail from Brazil and Argentina ports
- Costa Favolosa and Costa Fascinosa sail from the Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo) and Martinique (Fort-de-France)

World Cruises (2026/27 programme):
- Costa Deliziosa world cruise — Traditional round-the-world voyage departing November 2026 from Italian, Spanish, and French homeports
- Costa Serena Tokyo–Buenos Aires — A new 65-night voyage departing Tokyo in October 2026, calling at 24 destinations across Asia, the Pacific, and South America before arriving in Buenos Aires

Important note on UAE/Middle East operations: As of March 2026, Costa Cruises has confirmed it will not operate any voyages to the UAE or the broader Middle East region during winter 2026–27. The previously planned Costa Smeralda Dubai deployment has been reassigned to the Canary Islands. UAE travellers who previously booked Costa Toscana or Costa Smeralda from Dubai have been transferred to equivalent Costa itineraries in the Mediterranean or Canary Islands with the same booking conditions. Costa Toscana herself last operated UAE sailings during the 2024/25 season — the line's first UAE deployment in its modern era. The Travelwings cruise team can advise on the current state of Costa's UAE programme for future seasons and offer alternative regional cruise options.

What's Onboard Costa Cruise Ships?

The Costa onboard experience follows a recognisably Italian template across the fleet:

Italian-led dining

• Main dining rooms with multi-course Italian-led menus — first plate (pasta or risotto), second plate (meat or fish), Italian-led wines
• Buffet (Marketplace) with regional Italian rotations across cuisines
• Speciality restaurants — Pizzeria Pummid'oro (authentic Neapolitan pizza), Teppanyaki, La Cucina di Bruno Barbieri (Michelin-starred chef partnership)
• Caffè Vergnano cafés — onboard partnership with Italy's iconic 1882-founded coffee brand, on all Excellence-class ships
• Multi-generational family dining tradition built into the dining structure

Italian design throughout

• Costa Toscana's staterooms designed by Milan-based Dordoni Architetti
• Italian-designed lighting, fabrics, and furniture across the modern fleet
• Murano glass features on Italian-themed ships

Entertainment

• Costa Theatre with full theatre productions, often Italian-led
• Casino, multiple bars and lounges, themed deck parties
• ""Sea Destinations"" onboard programme — themed activities aligned with the cruise's ports of call

Family programmes

• ""Squok Club"" for children (split by age group: Mini, Maxi, Junior)
• Family cabin configurations including connecting rooms
• Children sail at significantly reduced rates during school holiday periods

Wellness

• Costa Spa with massages, beauty treatments, hammam, and saunas
• Multiple pools (some with retractable roofs on Excellence-class ships)
• Fitness centre and outdoor sports decks

Innovation on Excellence-class ships (Toscana, Smeralda)

• LNG-powered hybrid propulsion (the cleanest fossil fuel option at scale)
• LED-screen atriums spanning multiple decks
• Italy's Finest design philosophy — quality, hospitality, gastronomy, entertainment

The wider Travelwings UAE cruise portfolio covers every major cruise line across mainstream, premium, and ultra-luxury tiers, with Costa positioned squarely in the European-mainstream segment alongside other Carnival-family and competing operators.

What's Included in a Costa Cruise Package from Travelwings?

A typical Costa Cruise package booked through Travelwings UAE includes:

• Cabin accommodation for the full sailing in your selected category — Interior (Classic), Ocean View, Balcony, Mini Suite, or Suite
• All main meals across the main dining rooms and Marketplace buffet
• Onboard entertainment including theatre productions, deck parties, and themed nights
• All non-premium pools and outdoor activities
• Squok Club kids' programmes for ages 3+ across multiple age bands
• Port charges and government taxes
• Round-trip flights from Dubai (DXB), Abu Dhabi (AUH), or Sharjah (SHJ) on fly-to packages — Costa partners with ITA Airways for fly-cruise packages
• Airport-to-port and port-to-airport transfers on most packages
• 24/7 Travelwings UAE customer support
• Tabby instalment options on eligible packages

Items typically outside the standard inclusion: gratuities (a daily service charge applies), Costa's ""All Inclusive Drinks"" beverage package (available as an add-on), speciality restaurant cover charges, shore excursions, spa treatments, and casino spend.

How Much Do Costa Cruise Packages Cost from the UAE?

Costa pricing on Travelwings UAE delivers strong value in the mainstream European cruising tier:

• 7-night Western Mediterranean (Costa Toscana from Barcelona or Civitavecchia) — From approximately AED 4,500 per person twin-share including return flights from Dubai, the cruise, transfers, and standard inclusions
• 7-night Eastern Mediterranean (Costa Toscana, Costa Pacifica from Genoa or Trieste) — From around AED 5,000 per person
• 8-night Western Mediterranean and North Africa (Costa Pacifica from late 2026) — From around AED 5,800 per person
• 7-night Canary Islands and Madeira (Costa Smeralda from Las Palmas, winter 2026-27) — From around AED 5,500 per person
• Caribbean fly-to packages (Costa Fascinosa, Costa Favolosa) — From around AED 9,000 per person
• Suite-category packages on any itinerary — From around AED 11,000+ per person
• World cruise segments (Costa Deliziosa, Costa Serena Tokyo-Buenos Aires) — Premium pricing; AED 30,000–80,000+ per person depending on segment length
• Mini-cruise formats (3-4 nights) when available — From around AED 2,800 per person

Pricing varies significantly with season — July and August peak Mediterranean weeks, Christmas and New Year holiday sailings, and Eid Al Adha and Eid Al Fitr alignment weeks sit at the top of the band; April–May and September–October shoulder months deliver the strongest value. While Costa's pricing entry tier sits competitively against MSC and Norwegian, MSC currently offers stronger Arabian Gulf winter coverage from Dubai for UAE travellers who want a direct-departure cruise option — see the MSC Cruises page for current Dubai-departure routes and pricing.

When Is the Best Time to Cruise with Costa from the UAE?

Costa's seasonal calendar matches the European cruising calendar:

• Mediterranean — April through November, with July–August at peak European holiday rates; May, June, September, and October deliver the strongest value
• Canary Islands — November through March, leveraging the year-round mild Atlantic weather (18–24°C)
• Caribbean — November through April, with December–March at peak rates
• World Cruise segments — Variable depending on the specific leg
• Northern Europe and Norwegian Fjords — May through September only

For UAE travellers, May, June, September, October offer the strongest Mediterranean Costa pricing; December–March delivers the most appealing Canary Islands option (warm Atlantic alternative to the Mediterranean off-season); and November–March is peak for any Caribbean Costa booking.

What Makes Costa Different from Other European Cruise Lines?

UAE travellers comparing Costa against other major European-mainstream cruise lines typically weigh three differentiators:

1. Italian-style cruising as the brand DNA: Costa is ""Made in Italy"" at the core — Italian design, Italian-led cuisine, Italian crew leadership, Caffè Vergnano partnership. MSC (despite Italian-Swiss ownership) operates with a more international cruising style, and Costa typically delivers the deepest Italian-style experience of the mainstream European lines.

2. Carnival Corporation family ownership: As part of the world's largest cruise corporation, Costa benefits from Carnival's purchasing scale, fleet maintenance infrastructure, and global reservation systems. This translates into competitive entry-level pricing and reliable operations.

3. World-cruise heritage: Costa Deliziosa's traditional round-the-world voyage and the Costa Serena Tokyo-Buenos Aires extended itinerary give Costa a long-voyage credibility that few competitors match. For UAE travellers building a bucket-list trip across a 60+ night world cruise, Costa is one of the strongest brand choices.

For a direct comparison against Costa, UAE travellers most often look at MSC (also Italian-Swiss, also European-mainstream, with current Arabian Gulf winter coverage from Dubai) and at the American-style large-ship alternative on the Royal Caribbean Cruise page — where Anthem of the Seas operates direct from Port Rashid during the cooler Gulf weather months and entry pricing starts from AED 1,499 per person.

How Do You Book a Costa Cruise from the UAE?

Booking a Costa Cruise through Travelwings UAE is a straightforward fly-to package process. Browse the available Costa sailings on this page, contact the Travelwings cruise desk with your preferred dates, embarkation port (Genoa, Savona, Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Las Palmas, or the relevant destination homeport), ship preference, cabin category, and group composition. The team confirms live availability against Costa's inventory, locks the cabin, and sends an all-in AED quote covering return flights from Dubai to the embarkation port, pre-cruise hotel if your flight arrives the day before sailing, transfers, the cruise fare itself, and any add-ons you've requested.

All prices, inclusions, availability, and offers shown are indicative and subject to change without notice based on seasonal demand, supplier terms, and travel dates. Final pricing is confirmed at the time of booking with Travelwings.

Frequently Asked Questions About Costa Cruises

1. How much does a Costa Cruise from the UAE cost?

Costa Cruise packages on Travelwings UAE start from approximately AED 4,500 per person twin-share for 7-night Western Mediterranean sailings on Costa Toscana, including return flights from Dubai to Barcelona or Civitavecchia, the cruise, and transfers. Canary Islands sailings on Costa Smeralda start from around AED 5,500 per person, Caribbean fly-to packages from around AED 9,000, and world cruise segments from approximately AED 30,000+ per person depending on the leg length.

2. Does Costa Cruises sail from Dubai?

As of March 2026, Costa Cruises has confirmed it will not operate any voyages to the UAE or the broader Middle East region during winter 2026–27. Costa Toscana operated UAE Dubai-departure sailings during 2024/25, and Costa Smeralda was previously scheduled to return to Dubai for winter 2026–27 before being redeployed to the Canary Islands. UAE travellers wanting a Costa Cruise currently board via fly-to packages from Dubai to Genoa, Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Las Palmas, or other European homeports.

3. What is Costa Toscana like?

Costa Toscana is Costa's flagship — a 183,000 GT LNG-powered cruise ship with capacity for 6,218 passengers, 17 passenger decks, and 337 metres of length. Italian-designed throughout, with staterooms designed by Milan-based Dordoni Architetti, 21 onboard restaurants and bars, a Caffè Vergnano café, multiple pools, Costa Theatre, casino, the Squok Club for kids, Costa Spa, and Pummid'oro authentic Neapolitan pizzeria. It's one of the most modern and environmentally advanced ships in European cruising.

4. What's the difference between Costa Cruises and MSC Cruises?

Both Costa and MSC are major European cruise lines with Italian heritage, but they differ in important ways. Costa is fully Italian (founded Genoa 1854, headquartered Genoa) and operates with the most authentic ""Made in Italy"" onboard experience — Italian dining, Italian crew leadership, Italian design language. MSC is Italian-Swiss (founded Naples 1970, headquartered Geneva) and operates with a more international style on larger ships, plus current Arabian Gulf winter homeporting that Costa lacks. Costa is owned by Carnival Corporation; MSC is privately owned by the Aponte family.

5. What ships does Costa Cruises operate?

Costa operates eight active ocean ships: Costa Toscana (2021 flagship, LNG-powered), Costa Smeralda (2019 LNG-powered sister), Costa Pacifica (2009), Costa Diadema (2014), Costa Fascinosa (2012), Costa Favolosa (2011), Costa Fortuna (2003), Costa Deliziosa (2010), and Costa Serena (2007). The newest LNG-powered Excellence-class ships (Toscana and Smeralda) define the modern fleet, while the older Concordia-class and Destiny-class ships cover lower-cost itineraries.

6. Is Costa Cruises family-friendly?

Yes — Costa operates one of Europe's strongest family-cruising programmes. The Squok Club is split across age bands (Mini for ages 3–6, Maxi for ages 7–11, Junior for teens 12–17), and Costa traditionally runs significant children-sail-free or children-at-reduced-rates promotions during school holiday periods including Christmas, Easter, and summer. Family cabin configurations including connecting rooms and family suites are available across the fleet. Italian-style family dining culture (multi-generational tables, kids welcomed everywhere) suits regional UAE family travel particularly well.

7. When is the best time to take a Costa Cruise?

For Mediterranean Costa sailings, May, June, September, and October offer the strongest combination of pricing, weather, and ship availability — peak July–August Mediterranean weeks see the highest prices. For Canary Islands Costa cruises (the flagship Smeralda's winter 2026–27 deployment), November through March delivers warm Atlantic weather and softer pricing. Caribbean Costa cruises peak December–April; world cruise bookings are typically locked 12–18 months ahead.

8. Does Costa Cruises offer all-inclusive packages?

Costa offers an ""All Inclusive Drinks"" package as an add-on that bundles unlimited soft drinks, water, beer, wines by the glass, and select cocktails into the cruise fare. Costa also offers various promotional fare tiers (such as Total Comfort packages) that combine drinks, speciality dining, and other inclusions for a flat add-on price. The standard Costa fare is not all-inclusive — it covers cabin, main meals, entertainment, and pools, with drinks, speciality dining, gratuities, and excursions sitting outside.

9. Can I book a Costa Cruise on Tabby instalments?

Yes — Travelwings UAE offers Tabby ""book now, pay later"" on eligible Costa Cruise packages, splitting the total across instalment payments. Final balance is typically due 60 to 90 days before departure. Confirm specific instalment terms with the Travelwings cruise team at the time of booking.

10. What is Costa's world cruise programme?

Costa operates two world cruise voyages for 2026/27: Costa Deliziosa's traditional round-the-world voyage departing November 2026 from Italian, Spanish, and French homeports, and a new Costa Serena 65-night voyage departing Tokyo in October 2026 calling at 24 destinations across Asia, the Pacific, and South America before arriving in Buenos Aires. UAE travellers can book full voyages or shorter segments depending on availability.

11. What's the difference between Costa Toscana and Costa Smeralda?

Costa Toscana and Costa Smeralda are sister ships — both Excellence-class, both LNG-powered, both 183,000 GT, both around 6,600-passenger double-occupancy capacity, both Italian-designed, both with the giant LED atrium ceiling and Caffè Vergnano cafés. The key practical differences are deployment (Toscana 2026–27 in the Mediterranean, Smeralda in the Canary Islands), and minor design variations between launches (Smeralda 2019, Toscana 2021). Either delivers essentially the same modern Italian cruising experience.