Sailings Depart from Savona in Summer 2009 with Calls in Greece, Israel and Egypt

We are offering an extraordinary glimpse into Israel at exceptional values during our Summer 2009 European cruise season aboard the intimate Costa Marina. Fares for 11-night sailings begin at just $2,499 and include stops in Italy, Greece, Crete, Israel and Egypt.

These select sailings aboard the Costa Marina (25,600-tons, 776 double occupancy capacity) depart from Savona, Italy on June 29; July 10, 21; and August 1, 12 and 23. Ports of call featured include Argostoli, Greece; Heraklion, Crete; Ashdod, Israel; Port Said, Egypt; Nauplia, Greece and Naples, Italy. This is the first time Costa is offering routes with a port of call in Israel since 2001.

“We all know very well that travelers these days want to embark on vacations that are more meaningful and more valuable than ever before,”  said Maurice Zarmati, President and CEO of Costa Cruise Lines—North America. “Our guests have long told us how much they would like for us to return to Israel on our Eastern Mediterranean voyages and we’re thrilled to do just that on this outstanding 11-night sailing at an unbeatable price.”

Your clients will begin and end their journey with Italy’s charms before venturing deep into the natural beauty of Greece’s landscapes and cultures. From there, they’ll reach Ashdod, Israel, a modern city from which they may visit centuries-old historical destinations including Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Also included in this incredible itinerary is a stop in Port Said, Egypt, where your clients may visit Cairo and the Pyramids of Giza.

The Costa Marina is one of the most intimate ships in our fleet. Design features include wide windows, skylights and glass atriums that combine to create a stunning contemporary design and infuse the ambience of the ship with an unexplainable energetic character. Interiors are nautically inspired, creating a crisp, continental feel.

Costa Cruises is Italy and Europe’s number one cruise line.  For the past 60 years our ships have sailed the world, offering the best in Italian style, hospitality and cuisine and providing dream vacations with the best in fun and relaxation. In 2007 over 1.1 million guests chose to cruise with us, a record for the European cruise industry.  Our 12 fleet members, each with her own distinctive characteristics and unique style, all fly the Italian flag and sail each year to 250 destinations in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, South America, the United Arab Emirates, the Far East and the Indian Ocean.