The Costa Luminosa is a popular floating resort. The waters are crowded with sea-worthy vessels, so to make planning easier, we've done all the prep work for a cruise vacation. As part of a Huffington Post Travel series on cruise ships, here is a tip sheet offering all the key information one could ever need to know about the Costa Luminosa.
Destination
According to its itinerary, the
regularly sails Northern Europe and Western Mediterranean cruises, based on a seasonal schedule, ranging from four- to 10-night trips. During the summer months, the ship embarks on Northern Europe cruises from Copenhagen, Denmark, making port in cities like Oslo, Norway, Helsinki, Finland and Lisbon, Portugal. During the fall months, the ship sets sail from Savona, Italy, or Barcelona, Spain, and undertakes Western Mediterranean cruises, visiting such ports as Malaga, Spain, Casablanca, Morocco, and Lisbon. The Costa Luminosa also makes occasional tours of the Baltic Sea and various Scandinavian destinations.
Grand Ship
The Costa Luminosa is a hybrid vessel design, based on a combination of the Vista class of cruise ships and the designs of two others in the Costa fleet, the Costa Atlantica and the Costa Mediterranea, according to the Cruise Business Review. At 92,600 gross tons, the Costa Luminosa is smaller than the largest cruise ships while maintaining its vibe as a large, all-inclusive cruiser. It houses 1,130 cabins, for a passenger capacity of approximately 2,200.
Special Features
The Costa Luminosa features several unusual amenities, according to
. Perhaps most prominent is the Formula One driving simulator, considered one of the most authentic driving simulations available. There is also a golf simulator, a video game promotion called Play Station World and an outdoor skating rink. The Costa Luminosa features four hot tubs and three pools.
Accommodations
The Costa Luminosa offers a fairly wide range of options for cabins and accomodations, according to
. All cabins feature a safe for storing valuable personal belongings, a refrigerator and hair dryer. All cabins feature private baths with showers. Suites add whirlpool baths, concierge service and various additional amenities. The Samsara option allows passengers direct access to the onboard spa. A majority of the ship's cabins feature balcony access. The most luxurious suite aboard the Costa Luminosa is the Panorama, located aft and featuring a wraparound balconey.
Cost
As detailed on its official website, the Costa Luminosa offers five major pricing packages, with various additional fees and services. The five major packages include interior cabins, starting at about $1,600 for a seven-night cruise; oceanview cabins, starting at about $1,900 for a seven-night cruise; veranda cabins, starting around $2,100 for a seven-night cruise; a Samsara Spa package, with cabins that offer direct access to the Samsara Spa and start around $2,600 for a seven-night cruise; and suites, starting at about $3,000 for a seven-night cruise. The official website regularly offers certain discounts and deals.
Excursion
One of the best excursions to take from the Costa Luminosa is a hop on/hop off tour available in Abu Dhabi, as detailed in this
from CruiseCritic.com. This excursion features bus tours of Red City and a Blue Beach tour of various hotels and resorts. It also features stops at the Wafi Mall and the opportunity to sail on a dhow. There is a free shuttle from the Dubai Mall back to the ship if you are in the area of the beach tour.
Dining Experience
There are four restaurants on the Costa Luminosa. The Taurus restaurant has open seating for its breakfast buffet and lunch, but requires reservations at night. Ristorante Buffet Andromeda is an eatery open through late afternoon and serves American and European cuisine. The ship's onboard spa also has a restaurant, but passengers who are not already involved in a spa experience must pay an additional cover charge to eat there. The ship's luxury dining is at the Luminosa Club, which features a Michelin-star chef and experimental cuisine. Expect to make reservations and pay a cover charge to eat at the Luminosa Club.
Maiden Voyage
According to About.com, the Costa Luminosa's maiden voyage was on June 3, 2009. It undertook a Western and Southern European tour, encompassing stops such as Olympia in Greece, St. Tropez in France, Cadiz in Spain, and Gilbraltar. On June 5th of that journey, the Costa Luminosa was christened in Genoa, Italy.
In The News
Our research revealed no notable news stories or safety concerns regarding the Costa Luminosa.
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A tour of the Costa Luminosa.
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