Carnival Corporation has been making strategic changes to its Italian brand, Costa Cruises, as a result of the pandemic and now more fleet moves may be coming.
In Carnival’s third quarter earnings release, the company said it was evaluating further moves for Costa.
“Given Costa Cruises’ significant presence in Asia, particularly China, which remains closed to cruising, the brand continues to evaluate deployment options and fleet optimization alternatives beyond the previously announced transfers of Costa Luminosa to Carnival Cruise Line as well as Costa Venezia and Costa Firenze to the COSTA by CARNIVAL concept,” the company said.
The Costa Luminosa recently transferred to Carnival Cruise Line, while the Venezia will move to the Costa by Carnival concept and sail from New York in 2023, followed by the Firenze moving to Costa by Carnival to sail from the U.S. West Coast in 2024.
The Costa Magica remains out of service, as does the Costa Serena, which had been positioned in Asia year-round.
Two other Costa ships, the Atlantica and Costa Mediterranea, transferred prior the pandemic to Carnival’s joint venture with China State Shipbuilding Corporation and remain out of service with Costa branding.
