Coast Cruises - Costa Serena
Fast Facts
Vessel: Costa Serena
Cruise Line: Costa Cruises
Star Rating: Not yet rated
Tonnage: 114,500 GRT
Max Passenger Capacity: 1465 (double occupancy)
Entered Service: May 2007
Facilities: 4 Swimming pools (2 with retractable roofs), 5 jacuzzi hydromassage baths, Samara Spa, 5 restaurants (one la carte).
Costa Serena
Classical mythology is the theme for Costa Cruises' new flagship, Costa Serena.
.Launched amid great fanfare in Marseilles on May 19, 2007, Costa Serena, the 114,000-ton, 1500-berth leviathan is the latest in the frantic Costa build program that will bring the fleet to 15 vessels by 2010. Launched after her slightly smaller sister, Costa Concordia, she will be followed by the similarly massive Costa Luminosa in 2008.
Walking her 14 passenger decks, which make her as high as a 23-storey building, the resounding theme of classical mythology is overwhelmingly evident, over-the-top even. But chief designer, American Joe Farcus, makes no apologies. "I used the characters of classical mythology to create the sense of fantasy and escapism," asserts Farcus, "and each of the public spaces, from the bars and restaurants to the casino and theatre, bears the name of a famous Greek or Roman God."
Jove, the god of light and skies, gives his name to the high-tech theatre Giove; Apollo, the god of music and song adorns the main bar and dance floor; Venus fittingly sponsors the beauty salon, while Giano, the Romans' two-faced divinity, presides ominously over the casino.
One of the significant points of difference in this latest Costa offering is the Samsara Spa and Wellness concept, which includes premium cabins and staterooms with their own dining and spa access. The Samsara Spa itself is enormous, occupying more than 2000 square metres, and acknowledging that the latest trends in land-based hospitality are extending offshore.
Beside the food, wine and therapies, guests can extend their menu of fantasies to include a stint in a state-of-the-art Grand Prix driving simulator that employs a full-scale replica of an F1 coupled to the equivalent of a flight simulator.
Farcus is also unashamedly excited about the multi-million dollar expenditure on works of art, both original and reproductions, that adorn every corner of the public spaces.
"There is very little off-the-shelf in my designs," he avows, "Almost everything is custom-made from original Costa designs."
During our preview cruise aboard Serena from Genoa to Venice, much ado was also made of the Michelin-starred chef, Ettore Bocchia, who will create the a la carte menu for the exclusive Club Bacco Restaurant named after, you guessed it, Bacchus the God of wine and good living.
Costa Serena will sail from her homeport of Venice on a series of Mediterranean cruises that will include the Greek Islands, Istanbul and the Adriatic Coast.
Written by Roderick Eime - Issue 29 spring 07