Costa Toscana: Costa Cruises Christens New LNG-powered Flagship in Barcelona
Italian cruise line Costa Cruises on Thursday held a christening ceremony for its new flagship, the Costa Toscana, in the port of Barcelona, Spain.
The LNG-powered, Italian-flagged ship sailed away from Civitavecchia, Italy on Monday, making a stop in Naples on Thursday, before arriving in Barcelona on Thursday for the christening ceremony. The 337-meter ship is one of the largest ocean liners and can accommodate 6,554 passengers.
Chanel, a Cuban-Spanish singer, dancer, and actress, who recently earned a high third spot in the Eurovision standings with her SloMo song, was the Godmother of the ship.
She joined Captain Pietro Sinisi for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, where a bottle of Italian sparkling wine was broken on the ship's hull in a time-honored maritime tradition.
"Europeans dreaming of a cruise"
Costa Toscana in Naples - Credit: Bartolomej Tomić
“It is a great thrill to celebrate the christening of our Costa Toscana in Barcelona, a city to which we are particularly attached and where we have been at home since the beginning of our history,” said Mario Zanetti, president of Costa Cruises. “For this occasion, we have organized an event to celebrate the start of a summer that marks the serene resumption of travel and vacations."
Zanetti added: "The event also features the excellence of Costa's offerings in all aspects, from high gastronomy to high-quality entertainment to unique experiences ashore. According to recent market research, nearly 14 million Europeans are dreaming of taking a cruise in the next 12 months, and cruises are among the trips with the highest potential to meet the needs of destination exploration. 
Passengers can play football (soccer) or basketball on the top deck of the ship - Credit: Bartolomej Tomić
According to the company, the Costa Toscana cruise ship, delivered in December 2021 by Meyer Turku in Finland, represents the restart of Costa Cruises’ fleet, which will operate 10 ships this summer.
During the summer of 2022, Costa Toscana offers a weeklong itinerary calling at some of the most beautiful cities and islands of the western Mediterranean: Savona, Rome (Civitavecchia), and Naples, Italy; Ibiza and Valencia, Spain; and Marseille, France.
During the fall cruise season, Palma de Mallorca, Spain, will replace Ibiza on the itinerary.
"Summer 2022 appears to be heading toward a significant upswing in travel. According to research commissioned by Costa Cruises from Human Highway in Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, nearly 14 million Europeans dream of taking a cruise in the next 12 months. The sea seems to be the favorite place in all countries, while ingredients of the ideal vacation include rest, entertainment, gastronomy and discovering new destinations," the company, which describes its new flagship Costa Toscana as a "traveling smart city," said. 
A Water slide on Deck 16 of the Costa Toscana - Credit: Bartolomej Tomić
Emission Cuts
Costa, which on Wednesday announced the launch of a dedicated decarbonization department, said that using LNG to power the ship, the emissions of sulfur oxides and particulates into the atmosphere are almost completely eliminated (95-100% reduction). Emissions of nitrogen oxide are also significantly reduced (direct reduction of 85%), as well as the carbon dioxide emissions (up to 20%).
The Costa Group, which includes the Italian brand Costa Cruises and the German brand AIDA Cruises, was the first in the cruise industry to use LNG and currently counts four ships powered by this technology: AIDAnova, Costa Smeralda, Costa Toscana and AIDACosma.
Italian Design
Costa Toscana's interiors are the result of a creative project curated by the renowned designer Adam D. Tihany, who wanted to bring to life the colors and atmosphere of the Italian region of Tuscany.
Furniture, lighting, fabrics, and accessories are all "Made in Italy," created by 15 partners who represent Italian excellence. 
Credit: Bartolomej Tomić
"The onboard atmosphere is perfectly integrated in this extraordinary context: from the Solemio Spa to the areas dedicated to entertainment; from the thematic bars, in collaboration with great Italian and international brands, to the 21 restaurants and areas dedicated to the "food experience," including the new Archipelago Restaurant, which offers menus conceived to explore cruise destinations created for Costa by three chefs — Bruno Barbieri, Hélène Darroze, and Ángel León. For the enjoyment of the little ones, there is the Splash AcquaPark, with its slide positioned on the highest deck, a new area dedicated to video games and the Squok Club," Costa Cruises said.
Costa Toscana in Barcelona - Credit: Costa Cruises
