Costa Crociere's new flagship, currently being fitted out in Genoa-Sestri Ponente, will make her debut in May with a series of presentations in Savona, Marseilles, Palermo and Venice for over 6000 travel agents from all over the world.

The christening ceremony will be held in Marseilles on May 19, while the maiden cruise will set sail from Venice on May 26 and also offer departures from Bari.

Costa Crociere, the number one cruise company in Europe, has announced the details of the official presentation of its new flagship Costa Serena (112,000 gross tonnage and total guest capacity of 3780).

The cruise liner, which is currently nearing completion of fitting-out at Fincantieri's yard in Genoa-Sestri Ponente, will make her official debut in May 2007. The Costa Serena is set for delivery on May 15, when she will officially become the 12th member of the Costa fleet, Europe's largest and most advanced. Following delivery, the Costa Serena will be deployed on a Mediterranean tour of presentation involving more than 6000 travel agents from all over the world (from the Europe to the Americas and the Far East). The tour will include calls in Savona (May 17), Marseilles (May 20), Palermo (May 22 & 23) and Venice (May 25).

The christening event has also been confirmed for May 19 in Marseilles. A week later on May 26 the maiden cruise will depart from Venice, with an 8-day itinerary to Turkey and Greece via Bari (May 27). Every Sunday from June through November 2007 the Costa Serena will depart from the port of the city of canals on 7-day cruises calling at Bari, Olympia (Greece), Smirne and Istanbul (Turkey), and Dubrovnik (Croatia). In winter 2007/2008 she will offer 10- and 11-day cruise vacations to the Canary Islands departing from Savona.
Like her sister ship Costa Concordia, the Costa Serena will be the largest vessel flying the Italian flag: 112,000 gross tonnage and 290 meters in length, 1500 cabins and total guest capacity of 3780. She will also feature all the main innovations offered by her sister ship Costa Concordia:

- the Samsara Spa, one of the largest wellness centers ever built on a cruise ship (2154 m2). The number of Samsara cabins, i.e. those with direct access to the Spa, will increase to 99 (there are 67 on the Costa Concordia), comprising 87 staterooms and 12 suites (covering an additional 2322 m2), in response to the enormous popularity of this innovation. Also included is the exclusive Ristorante Samsara, with its specially conceived wellness menus;
- two swimming pools with a sliding glass roof, one astern and the other amidships on the same deck. In addition, the central pool area will be fitted with a giant 18 m2 movie screen, which can be used for daytime projection of video clips as well as nighttime film screenings;
- the totally authentic Grand Prix driving simulator, the most accurate representation of F1 ever;
- menus in the Costa Serena's “Club Bacco” à la carte restaurant devised by the Italian culinary innovator Ettore Bocchia, executive chef at the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio and a Michelin restaurateur.

The interiors of the Costa Serena are designed by the ingenious American architect Joe Farcus, their central theme being Greek and Roman mythology. This is also the leitmotiv running through her many works of art.

In addition to the Costa Serena, Costa Crociere has commissioned 3 more ships - all from Fincantieri - which will enhance its fleet, Europe's largest and most advanced, currently 11 strong with total capacity of approximately 20,500 lower berths in dual occupancy cabins. The Sestri Ponente yard will build a third sister ship of the Costa Concordia and Costa Serena, due for delivery in summer 2009. Meanwhile, two 92,700 gross tonnage running mates will be built in Marghera, one due to enter service in spring 2009 and the other in March 2010. These 4 new orders amount to a total investment of almost 2 billion euros by Costa Crociere, as part of a fleet expansion and upgrading program worth almost 4.5 billion euros which was launched by the Italian Company in 2000. By 2010, when the last of the new buildings is delivered, the Costa Crociere fleet will be 15 strong and have total capacity of over 30,800 passengers (in dual occupancy cabins).