Costa Cruises Earns Two Porthole Cruise Magazine 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards

Costa Cruises earned top honors in the Best Mediterranean Itineraries and Best Africa/Middle East Itineraries categories in Porthole Cruise Magazine’s 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards. This is the third consecutive year Costa won for its Africa/Middle East itineraries and the second consecutive year the line topped the Mediterranean itineraries category.

For the past 13 years, Porthole Cruise Magazine — one of the world’s leading cruise travel publications — has held the annual awards to honor the best in the cruise industry and destinations as voted and determined by thousands of the publication’s readers.

“The fact that we have won consecutive awards in these categories is a testament to the consistency of the Costa product and service,” said Maurice Zarmati, president and CEO of Costa Cruises North America. “Porthole Cruise Magazine’s discerning readers recognize the value and uniquely Italian style cruising that have made Costa Europe’s leading cruise line.”

As Europe’s leading cruise line, Costa has a prominent presence in the Mediterranean cruising the region year-round. In 2011, 13 Costa ships visited the Mediterranean, calling at destinations in Italy, France, Spain, Tunisia, Morocco, Greece, Croatia, Turkey, Egypt and Israel. In 2012 all 16 ships, including Costa Fascinosa — which debuts in May — sail throughout the Mediterranean to more than 50 ports in the region.

In 2006 Costa Cruises became the first cruise company to offer regular itineraries in the Middle East, with seven-day United Arab Emirate cruises using Dubai as homeport. In 2011, it solidified its leadership role in the U.A.E. market by deploying its newest flagship, Costa Favolosa, there for the 2011-12 season, making it the largest and most advanced ship ever deployed in the Middle East.

Costa Favolosa will make 58 port calls in the U.A.E. during winter 2011-12 sailing the Arabian Gulf. The seven-night cruises call at Dubai, U.A.E.; Muscat, Oman; Fujairah and Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. and Khasab, Oman.

For more than 60 years Costa Cruises’ ships have sailed worldwide, offering the best in Italian style, hospitality and cuisine, while providing holidays focused on fun and relaxation. The line’s 14 ships visit 250 destinations throughout the Mediterranean, northern Europe, the Baltic, Caribbean, South America, United Arab Emirates, Far East and Indian Ocean. Two new ships are on order from Fincantieri for delivery in 2012 and 2014.