Costa Cruise Lines is the largest cruise line in Europe, and as it builds new ships regularly (like its parent company, Carnival), it has one of the most modern fleets, particularly in the Mediterranean. And like Carnival, Costa Cruise Lines does regular upgrades. (In late 2013, the Voyager, Classica, neoRiviera, Victoria and Mediterranea entered dry dock for multimillion dollar refurbishments.)
Known as the line that cruises "Italian Style," Costa Cruise Lines projects a lively and appealing Italian vibe (count on finding delicious pastas on the menus) that attracts an international mix of passengers. The onboard currency is the Euro and announcements are made a number of languages, including English, Italian, French, German and Spanish.
Given the passenger mix, the entertainment bridges language barriers, with theme parties, a mix of musical offerings, from classical to rock, and games and contests cooked up by the youthful and energetic cruise staff.
While most Costa Cruise Lines ships homeport in the Med and offer the greatest variety of sailings there and in Northern Europe, they also travel to other destinations (including the Caribbean in winter; Canada and New England in the fall). Costa Cruise Lines has pushed the itinerary map to include exotic ports in China and Southeast Asia and the United Arab Emirates (the line homeports two ships in Dubai).