NEW YORK, Nov 17 — Ahead of the maiden voyage of its massive Costa Diadema liner, scheduled for late 2014, the Italian cruise company is expanding its offer of cruises aboard smaller ships with the launch of its neoCollection range.

Offered aboard the relatively small Costa neoRiviera and Costa neoRomantica ships, the new high-end cruises are marketed to those looking for a more leisurely travel experience, with longer stopovers in each port.

Costa is also highlighting the exclusivity of its neoCollection cruises, as well as the possibility for customisation.

Once on board, passengers can consult with a concierge to sign up for a number of optional amenities or activities. They can take part in special evenings and events aboard the ship, or in excursions organised for small groups during stopovers.

The atmosphere of the cruise will aim to highlight the local culture of the regions visited, namely through the cuisine served.

The first cruise in the neoCollection line, aboard the neoRiviera, will depart from Dubai on February 9, 2014. By the arrival of spring, the same ship will sail the Mediterranean Sea for neoCollection cruises leaving from Marseille and Toulon.

The neoRomantica, meanwhile, will offer two-week cruises in the Norwegian fjords, the Northern Cape, Spitsbergen and the Baltic Sea during the summer season.

On Friday, November 15, Costa celebrated the technical launch of its Costa Diadema, which it describes as “the brightest jewel in the Costa fleet,” built in the Fincantieri de Marghera shipyard in Italy.

With room for nearly 5,000 passengers, the Diadema includes a 7,800m square meter spa, a three-storey theater, a 4D cinema, three swimming pools, a sports field and an outdoor jogging track.

The ship is expected to go into service from October 2014. — AFP