S.p.A. (), operating as Costa Cruises, is an Italian cruise line founded in 1948 and organized as a wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc since 2000. Based in Genoa, Italy, the cruise line primarily caters to the European cruise market, but the company's 10 ships, which all sail under the Italian flag, provide itineraries sailing to countries globally."Company profile ." Costa Cruises. Retrieved on January 20, 2010."Dati Societari ." Costa Cruises. Retrieved on 15 January 2012. "Sede legale: Piazza Piccapietra 48, 16121 Genova - Italia"
History Origins Founded in Genoa in 1854 by Giacomo Costa (1836–1916) as Giacomo Costa fu Andrea, the company originally traded in olive oils and textiles, later establishing its own refinery and the brand "Dante". In 1924, the company was passed to the founder's sons (Federico, Eugenio and Enrico) and started shipping activities, buying its first cargo vessel, Ravenna. Seven more cargo ships were purchased before World War II, during which all but one were lost.
Costa Line After the war, the company decided to rebuild its shipping business, but concentrating on passenger traffic, particularly across the Atlantic. In 1946–1947 they bought three American-owned cargo ships, refitting them with accommodation for 25 first class passengers, and in 1947 commenced a scheduled liner service between Genoa, Montevideo and Buenos Aires. At the same time, the name of the company was changed to Linea C. In March 1948, full passenger services were introduced on the South American route, operated by the ship Anna C, with her previous capacity increased from 100 to 500 passengers. The ship departed from Genoa and reached Buenos Aires 16 days after departure, the first ocean liner to cross the South Atlantic Ocean following World War II.
In 1958, Costa commissioned their first purpose-built ship, Federico C, which provided a liner service between Genoa, Italy and Buenos Aires, Argentina via Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 1959, the company gradually transitioned into offering more pleasure holidays, with trips being offered in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean regions. The second purpose built ship, Eugenio C, debuted in 1966, designed by famous naval architect Nicolò Costanzi. Linea C went on to own 12 more ships by 1980, making the company the owner of the world's largest fleet of passenger ships. In 1986, Linea C changed its name to Costa Cruises and became a cruise-centered business.
The line had decided to modernize its fleet by the late 1980s, and ordered two new ships in 1987, which became Costa Classica and Costa Romantica entering service in 1991 and 1993 respectively. The line also converted and completely rebuilt two former container ships into Costa Marina and Costa Allegra around the same time as ordering the two new ships. Costa wanted to create a new upscale European brand for their new ships and launched the short-lived EuroLuxe brand.
The Costa Victoria debuted in 1996, and was the largest cruise ship ever built in Germany at the time, and largest for the Costa. Its completion cost was covered by selling the Eugenio Costa. The Costa Victoria would be the final ship completed under the Costa family brand before the line was taken over by Carnival Corporation & plc. The ship was scheduled to have a sister, the Costa Olympia, which was never completed for the line after the shipyards bankruptcy, and instead the uncompleted hull was sold to Norwegian Cruise Line.
In March 1997, Carnival and Airtours PLC purchased Costa Cruises for $300 million, on a 50:50 basis. At the time, Costa Cruises was the leading European cruise line, with an estimated market share of 19%.
Carnival subsidiary After Carnival's take over, a new-building program commenced for the line, utilizing Carnival Cruise Lines Spirit-class and Destiny-class design platforms for the new ships. The line would also utilize Carnival's designer Joe Farcus, who undertook the interior design, moving away from the contemporary Italian style of the previous ships to more themed public spaces similar to Carnival Cruise Line. The first ship delivered under Carnival Corp management, was Costa Atlantica in 2000.
In 2000, Carnival Corporation took full control of Costa Crociere after buying out Airtours' 50% interest for $525 million. Carnival Corporation would transfer older ships from their other brands to Costa, with the Costa Tropicale (former Carnival Cruise Line Tropicale) in 2001, and the Costa Europa (former Holland American Line Westerdam) in 2002.
In 2002, Carnival Corporation and P&O Princess Cruises merged to form Carnival Corporation & plc, bringing together both companies' assets under one corporation. As of 2018, Costa accounted for approximately 12% of Carnival Corporation & plc's revenue.
In 2004, Costa Crociere purchased control of AIDA Cruises of Germany. Carnival Corporation and the Spanish tour operator Orizonia Group created a joint venture in 2007, Ibero Cruises, which was absorbed into Costa Cruises in 2014.
The company attracted international attention when Costa Concordia ran aground and capsized off the coast of Italy on 13 January 2012. Thirty-two people died in the disaster. Six weeks later, the company made headlines again when a fire on Costa Allegra left it drifting without power for 13 hours in waters near Somalia frequented by pirates, before the ship was taken under tow.
In February 2018, Costa announced its partnership with the Italian football club, Juventus.
In December 2019, Costa debuted Costa Smeralda and became the second cruise line to operate a cruise ship fully powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), following AIDA's one year earlier. Costa Smeralda was joined by her sister LNG ship, Costa Toscana, in 2021.
Owing to the Covid pandemic of 2020, Costa sold some of its ships, including the Costa Victoria and Costa neoRomantica to help cut costs. It also led to the continued long term layup of the Costa Magica and Costa Serena.
In 2022, parent company Carnival Corp. announced they would be transferring ships out of the fleet to help balance overall fleet capacities due to the pandemic and the selling of numerous ships. It was announced the Costa Luminosa would be transferred to Carnival Cruise Line, the Costa Venezia and the Costa Firenze will join Carnival Fleet under the new "Carnival Fun Italian Style" concept in 2023 and 2024 respectively.
In February 2023, it was announced that Costa Magica had been sold to Seajets, a Greek/Cypriot ferry company.
On 31 March 2023, Costa Cruises celebrated its 75th anniversary.
In May 2025, it was announced that Costa Fortuna had been sold to Margaritaville at Sea, leaving the fleet in September 2026.
Fleet Current fleet Ship Built Builder Entered service for Costa Gross tonnage Flag Notes Image Concordia class Costa Serena 2007 Fincantieri 2007 114,500 Concordia class Costa Pacifica 2009 Fincantieri 2009 114,500 Concordia class Costa Favolosa 2011 Fincantieri 2011 114,500 Modified Concordia class Costa Fascinosa 2012 Fincantieri 2012 114,500 Modified Concordia class Luminosa class (Hybrid Spirit/Vista class) Costa Deliziosa 2010 Fincantieri 2010 92,720 Hybrid design between Atlantica- and Vista-class ships Diadema (Dream) class Costa Diadema 2014 Fincantieri 2014 133,019 Modified Dream-class ship Excellence class Costa Smeralda 2019 Meyer Turku 2019 185,010 Largest ship built for Costa Cruises. Powered by LNG. Costa Toscana 2021 Meyer Turku 2021 185,010 Powered by LNG.
Former fleet Costa's former fleet in chronological order: Ship In Costa service Notes ImageMaria C 1946–1953 Passenger-cargoBuilt in 1913 in Bremen as Pommern, and later USS Rappahannock and William Luckenbach. Scrapped in 1953. Giovanna C 1947–1953 Passenger-cargoBuilt in 1919 in Asano, Japan as Eastern Trader, later Horace Luckenbach. Scrapped in 1953. Luisa C 1947–1955 Passenger-cargoBuilt in 1919 in Asano, Japan as Eastern Merchant, later Robert Luckenbach. Sold in 1955 and renamed Sula, then scrapped in 1959.Anna C1948–1971 Formerly Prince Line's Southern Prince. Requisitioned as HMS Southern Prince in World War II.Scrapped after a serious fire in 1971.Andrea C 1948–1981 Built in 1942 as the Ocean ship, Ocean Virtue. Converted for passenger use in 1948.Scrapped in 1982.Franca C 1952–1977 Was one of the world's oldest active cruise ships (built in 1914) when finally retired from service in 2009. Laid up until 2015, then converted to a land locked hotel in Bintan, Indonesia from 2016 to 2019 and renamed Doulos Phos, The Ship HotelFederico C 1958–1983 First purpose built passenger ship for Costa Line. Abandoned and sank in 2000 after engine room flooded.Bianca C. 1959–1961 Sank on 24 October 1961 following an explosion and fire in the engine room.Enrico CEnrico Costa 1965–1994 Sold to MSC Cruises in 1994 and renamed Symphony. Scrapped in 2001.Eugenio C 1966–1996 Sold in 1996 by Costa Cruises to Bremer Vulcan shipyard in part exchange for the construction of the Costa Victoria. Resold and saw further service as Edinburgh Castle for Direct Cruises and as The Big Red Boat II for Premier Cruises. Laid up from 2000 until 2005. Scrapped in Alang in 2005.Carla CCarla Costa 1967–1992 Scrapped in Aliaga in 1994 after a fire destroyed the ship. Flavia 1968–1982 Formerly the Cunard Line's RMS Media. Scrapped in 1989 in Kaohsiung after a fire. Fulvia C 1969–1970 Sank on 20 July 1970 following an explosion and fire in the engine room off Tenerife, Canary Islands. Italia 1974–1983 Scrapped in 2010 at Alang as Sapphire. Angelina Lauro 1977–1979 Chartered from Lauro Lines. The ship was destroyed by fire while dockedin Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands on 30 March 1979.The ship later sank on 24 September 1979 while being towed to a scrapyard. World Renaissance 1977–1982 Chartered from Epirotiki from 1977 until the early 1980s.Scrapped in Alang in 2010. Danae C 1979–1992 Scrapped in Aliağa in 2015. Daphne C 1979–1997 Scrapped in Alang in 2014. Amerikanis 1980–1984 Chartered from the Chandris Line between 1980 and 1984.Scrapped in Alang in 2001. 1981–1984 Formerly an ocean liner before being converted into cruise ship.Struck a breakwater in 1984 and partially sank, then scrapped. Costa Riviera 1981–1993; 1994–2002 Scrapped in Alang in 2002. Costa Marina 1988–2011 Converted container ship. Scrapped at Alang in 2014.Costa Allegra 1989–2012 Converted container ship. Withdrawn from service following an engine room fire on 27 February 2012 and scrapped in Aliaga.Costa ClassicaCosta neoClassica 1991–2018 Originally Costa Classica, she received a €18 million refit in 2014 and renamed Costa neoClassica. Left the fleet in March 2018 after being sold to Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line and now operating as Margaritaville at Sea Paradise.Costa RomanticaCosta neoRomantica 1993–2020 Originally Costa Romantica, received a €90 million refit in 2012 adding two half decks and was renamed Costa neoRomantica. The ship was sold to Celestyal Cruises renamed Celestyal Experience and left the fleet in 2020.