Costa Smeralda
Product brand
UnclaimedCosta Smeralda is a large LNG-powered Excellence-class cruise ship operated by Costa Cruises.
Last updated August 26, 2026
Overview
Costa Smeralda is an Excellence-class cruise ship operated by Costa Cruises, which belongs to Carnival Corporation & plc. Constructed by Meyer Turku in Finland with support from Neptun Werft, the vessel was conceived as part of Carnival Corporation's expansion of liquefied natural gas-powered cruise capacity. With gross tonnage of approximately 185,010, Costa Smeralda is one of the largest vessels ever operated by Costa Cruises and is the second-largest Costa ship after her sister vessel, Costa Toscana, according to the cited reference material. The ship takes its name from the Costa Smeralda, or Emerald Coast, a well-known coastal area of Sardinia. Her design is derived from the technical and architectural platform that developed into the Helios and Excellence-class family of ships, including AIDAnova and other large vessels within the Carnival group. Costa Smeralda is designed around dual-fuel propulsion and can obtain both propulsion and onboard electrical power from liquefied natural gas. The vessel is equipped with four MaK 16VM46DF engines, with a combined maximum power of about 37,000 kilowatts and a stated service speed of approximately 21.5 knots. The ship measures about 337 metres in length, 42 metres in beam and 8.8 metres in draught. It has 20 decks, 2,612 passenger cabins and accommodation for approximately 5,224 guests at double occupancy, with a maximum passenger capacity of about 6,554. Its crew complement is approximately 1,646. These dimensions place Costa Smeralda among the world's largest cruise ships and give Costa Cruises a flagship-scale platform for multi-port Mediterranean itineraries. Costa Cruises announced the vessel as its first LNG-powered ship in 2017 after Carnival Corporation had ordered a series of large LNG cruise ships from Meyer Turku in 2015. Construction included steel cutting in September 2017, keel laying and a coin ceremony in July 2018, float-out in March 2019 and sea trials in October and November 2019. Technical complexity caused two delivery postponements and the cancellation or rescheduling of the original inaugural plans. Meyer Turku ultimately delivered the vessel to Costa on 5 December 2019. Costa Smeralda entered service from Savona on 21 December 2019, operating Western Mediterranean cruises that included ports such as Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Civitavecchia and La Spezia. Cagliari and Palermo were subsequently associated with different seasonal itineraries. A planned 2021 deployment to the Persian Gulf from Dubai represented an expansion beyond the ship's initial Mediterranean operating pattern. The ship's early career also intersected with the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2020, Costa Smeralda was temporarily held at Civitavecchia after two passengers were tested for suspected coronavirus infection. The tests were negative and passengers were permitted to disembark the following day. In January 2021, the vessel collided with a crane in Savona, destroying one lifeboat. Despite these incidents, Costa Smeralda remains an active Costa Cruises vessel and is principally positioned as a large, contemporary, LNG-powered cruise experience for international leisure travelers.
History
Costa Smeralda was developed during Carnival Corporation's expansion into LNG-powered cruise ships. On 15 June 2015, Carnival Corporation announced an order for four large LNG-fueled vessels from Meyer Turku, with one ship allocated to Costa Cruises. Costa announced the vessel's name, Costa Smeralda, at the ship's steel-cutting ceremony on 13 September 2017. The name refers to Sardinia's Costa Smeralda, or Emerald Coast, linking the ship to Italian coastal identity and Costa Cruises' national heritage. The vessel's construction followed a platform that originated with the Helios-class design and later formed the basis for the Excellence-class family. The ship was assembled at Meyer Turku with assistance from Neptun Werft, which supplied a section containing major machinery and associated systems. The keel-laying and coin ceremonies took place on 4 July 2018, and the completed hull was floated out on 15 March 2019. Costa Smeralda completed one round of sea trials beginning on 7 October 2019 and a second round beginning on 16 November. The project encountered schedule problems. Delivery was initially expected in October 2019, with an inaugural voyage planned from Hamburg and a christening planned for Savona. On 16 September, Meyer Turku and Costa announced a postponement of roughly one month, citing technical complexity. A second delay was announced on 29 October, pushing the inaugural voyage further into December and leading to the cancellation or rescheduling of previously advertised cruises and ceremonies. The ship was delivered to Costa on 5 December 2019. Following delivery, Costa Smeralda sailed toward the Mediterranean for industry presentations in Barcelona, Marseille and Savona. Her official inaugural cruise began from Savona on 21 December 2019, calling at Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Civitavecchia and La Spezia. The vessel subsequently operated regular Mediterranean itineraries, with later seasonal planning involving Cagliari and Palermo. A Persian Gulf deployment from Dubai was scheduled for the period from April through October 2021. The ship's early operational history was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2020, Costa Smeralda was held at Civitavecchia after a passenger developed a fever and two people were tested for the virus. The tests were negative, and passengers were allowed to go ashore the following day. On 22 January 2021, the vessel collided with a crane in Savona and one lifeboat was destroyed. The cited reference material continues to identify Costa Smeralda as an active Costa Cruises vessel and describes it as one of the largest ships in the Costa fleet.
- 2021
Savona crane collision
[1]A collision with a crane in Savona destroyed one lifeboat.
- 2020
Civitavecchia quarantine
[1]The ship was temporarily held after suspected coronavirus cases were reported; subsequent tests were negative.
- 2019
Ship floated out and completes sea trials
[1]Costa Smeralda was floated out in March and completed two rounds of sea trials later in the year.
- 2019
Delivery to Costa Cruises
[1]Meyer Turku delivered the ship to Costa Cruises on 5 December after construction delays.
- 2019
Inaugural cruise begins
[1]The ship officially entered passenger service from Savona on 21 December.
- 2018
Keel laid
[1]The keel-laying and coin ceremonies marked the beginning of the ship's hull assembly.
- 2017
Costa Smeralda name announced
[1]Costa announced the name of its first LNG-powered vessel during the ship's steel-cutting ceremony.
- 2015
Carnival Corporation orders LNG-powered ships
[1]Carnival Corporation announced an order for four large LNG-powered cruise ships from Meyer Turku, including a vessel intended for Costa Cruises.
Products and positioning
A flagship-scale Costa Cruises vessel combining large-capacity resort cruising with LNG propulsion and Mediterranean destination programming.
Cruise ship · 2019
Costa Smeralda cruise ship
Costa Smeralda is a 185,010-gross-ton, 337-metre Excellence-class cruise ship with 20 decks, 2,612 passenger cabins and capacity for approximately 5,224 guests at double occupancy. It uses dual-fuel LNG propulsion through four MaK 16VM46DF engines and has a stated service speed of about 21.5 knots. The vessel combines accommodation, dining, entertainment and destination-based cruise services in a large resort-style ship.
Brand decisions
2019
Inaugural schedule revised after construction delaysOtherBackground
Technical complexities pushed the planned delivery beyond the original October 2019 target.
Action taken
Costa and Meyer Turku postponed delivery, cancelled or rescheduled early cruises and moved the inaugural voyage to 21 December from Savona.
Aftermath
The ship was delivered on 5 December and entered service later that month.
2015
Adoption of LNG propulsionStrategyBackground
Carnival Corporation ordered a group of large LNG-powered ships as part of its fleet development program, with Costa Smeralda selected as a Costa Cruises vessel.
Action taken
The ship was designed with dual-fuel engines capable of receiving propulsion and onboard electrical power from LNG.
Aftermath
Costa Smeralda became one of Costa Cruises' principal large-scale LNG-powered vessels and entered service in 2019.
Recent events
- 2021
Costa Smeralda collides with a crane in Savona[1]
Other
The ship struck a crane in Savona, causing the destruction of one of its lifeboats.
- 2020
Costa Smeralda temporarily quarantined at Civitavecchia[1]
Regulation · Other
The vessel and approximately 6,000 people aboard were temporarily held after two suspected coronavirus cases were reported. Tests later found no SARS-CoV-2 infection and passengers were allowed ashore.
- 2019
Costa Smeralda construction and delivery postponed[1]
Other
Technical complexities led to two delivery postponements, moving the ship's handover and inaugural schedule beyond the originally planned October 2019 timeline.
- 2019
Costa Smeralda enters service from Savona[1]
Product launch
After delivery in December, Costa Smeralda began her inaugural cruise on 21 December from Savona, visiting several Western Mediterranean ports.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/costa-smeralda · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled