Costa Cruises Ships Enter Drydock Ahead of Winter Season

Costa Cruises has recently sent two of its ships to drydock as part of routine preparations for the upcoming winter season in Europe. The work focused on maintenance, inspections and general upkeep.

The first vessel to enter drydock was Costa Smeralda, which operates year-round in the Western Mediterranean. The LNG-powered ship arrived at the Chantier Naval de Marseille in late November.

Costa later confirmed that the scheduled work had been completed successfully. In a social media update, the company described the drydock as an important step for the ship, which first entered service in 2019.

Costa also thanked the shipyard team and its own crew for working closely together during the project. Special mention was given to Captain Giovanni Cosini and everyone involved for their commitment and teamwork.

Following the drydock, Costa Smeralda welcomed guests back on board in mid-December. The ship is now offering a series of seven-night winter cruises across the Western Mediterranean.

These sailings include regular calls at ports in France, Spain, Italy and Tunisia. Popular destinations on the itinerary include Marseille, Barcelona and Palermo.

The Costa Fortuna also visited the Marseille shipyard between late November and early December. The vessel underwent routine technical work, class inspections and general maintenance.

Built in 2003, Costa Fortuna is set to leave the Costa fleet next year. Before that, the ship will operate cruises to the Canary Islands and Madeira.

The vessel is also scheduled for a farewell season in the Eastern Mediterranean in 2026. Afterwards, she will return to a European shipyard for a major refurbishment.

Once the refit is complete, the former Costa Fortuna will enter service for Margaritaville at Sea as Beachcomber. She is expected to begin sailing in the Caribbean and the Bahamas in early 2027.