Costa Diadema

The 2014-built Costa Diadema cruise ship is of the Dream-class Costa liners, the flagship (replacing Costa Fascinosa) and the newest of Costa Cruises vessels. Diadema means “tiara” in Italian.

The vessel (IMO number 9636888) is currently Italy-flagged (MMSI 247353700) and registered in Genoa.

History - construction and ownership

Costa Cruises is a Genoa-headquartered subsidiary company owned by Carnival Corporation. Costa is Europe's second-largest cruise line (after MSC) with year-round operations in the Mediterranean. Costa was founded in 1854 as a cargo shipping company. It started passenger shipping services in 1947, with regular Transatlantic crossings between Europe (Italy) and South America. In 2000, Costa Cruises was acquired by Carnival Corporation (shipowner).

The 3800-passenger ship Costa Diadema is designed with many innovations in different areas such as food, entertainment, and technology. When put in service, Costa Diadema became the largest Italian-flagged cruise ship afloat. The shape of the cruise ship is similar to the Carnival's Dream, but is different in several ways: it is larger, with more space on board, with new decor and overall design. Diadema’s refined elegance and exquisite atmosphere will make you feel in comfort and full relax. A wide range of attractions awaits for you to experience endless food selection with flavors from the whole world, and the pampering Samsara Spa for maximum well­being.

Besides the ship's staff and crew, Costa cruise passengers are also served by Peper robots - the latest cyborg technology implemented fleetwide in 2016. These humanoid robots greet and guide passengers upon embarkation. They also assist them throughout the cruise by providing information and tips on onboard dining, entertainment, enrichment program (workshops, pre-scheduled events), casino and shopping promotions, shore excursions and tours. Pepper robots are mobile and communicate in 3 languages (English, German, Italian). They can also interpret human emotions by analyzing voice tones and facial expressions.

Decks and Cabins

Costa Diadema staterooms (1886 total, in 15 grades) include 28x Suites, 905x Balconies (of which 100x “Cove Balcony”), 240x Oceanviews, 666x Inside (of which 17x single), 36x wheelchair-accessible cabins. The total number of Samsara Spa staterooms is 161, of which 11x Suites, 90x Balcony, 40x Interior.

The largest accommodations are the Grand Suites (275-345 ft2 / 26-32 m2, with terraces sized 65-85-275 ft2 / 6-8-26 m2).

The boat has 14 passenger decks, of which 9 are with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Costa Cruises Diadema is ready to sparkle with exclusive innovations in entertainment and technology. Diadema offers seven restaurants, four of which (Samsara Restaurant, the Club Restaurant, Teppanyaki Restaurant, Piazza Pizza Pizzeria) at an additional charge, fifteen bars, including ‘Vinoteca Huit­Huit’, ‘Birreria La Fiamma’, ‘Bar Bollicine’, ‘Gelateria Amarillo’. Scudo Rosso Restaurant is the larger of the two MDRs stretching the entire width of Diadema's Deck 3. For those who want a cooked breakfast of bacon and eggs, Scudo Rosso Restaurant is the only free place to find it. Sissi Restaurant is the second main dinner option. Sissi's golden colors are enhanced with mother-of-pearl details. Panoramic windows allow for ocean views on two sides. Sissi is dinner-only and occasionally opens for lunch on sea days. Costa Diadema also offers complimentary 24-Hour Room-Service.

Follows the complete list of Costa Diadema restaurants and food bars.

• Ristorante “Scudo Rosso” (complimentary forward Dining Room, operates with open seating Breakfast and Lunch, 2 assigned seatings for Dinner - at 6:30 pm and 9 pm)
• Ristorante “Sissi” (complimentary 2-level aft Dining Room with 2 fixed Dinner seatings)
• Ristorante Club Diadema (specialty a la carte restaurant; Steakhouse menu and extensive wine list; dinner-only, reservations required)
• Tavola Teppanyaki (Japanese restaurant with Asian cuisine)
• La Piazza Pizza (24-hour pizzeria, complimentary)
• Ristorante Samsara (serves healthy and low-calorie food; with complimentary dining room for guests in Samsara Spa cabins, and a specialty restaurant for other passengers at a surcharge/reservations are required)
• Ristorante Corona Blu (self-service buffet restaurant, complimentary; offers breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea at 4-5 pm, and dinner; in the evening is transformed into Pizzeria, complimentary, with waiter service).

Introduced in 2021, "Destination Dishes" are complimentary and available at the MDR's/main dining rooms fleetwide. They are based on individual recipes designed by a "celebrity chef trio" (Bruno Barbieri/Italian, Helene Darroze/French, Angel Leon/Spanish) and interpret the traditional food of the destinations to be visiting by the ship on the following day of the voyage.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The unique Samsara Spa ­spreads on four floors at 7800 m2, and features a modern gym, spa, treatment rooms, thalassotherapy pool, sauna, UVA solarium, steam room. An outdoor jogging track, multisports pitch, eight hot tubs and three pools (one is with a retractable roof), and even a baby pool are also available on board – and not only for keen sportsmen, of course. As for entertainment, a lot can be said. The 4D Cinema, 3-storey theatre, disco, and country-rock club offer something for everyone. Try your luck at least once at the casino, or join the kids in the 2-­storey games area and the Grand Prix Simulator.

Follows the complete list of Costa Diadema lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Teatro Emerald (3-tiered theatre and main show lounge; hosts grand scale show productions, musicals, classical concerts, ballet performances, circus, and laser light shows)
• 4D cinema room (featuring 3D films with moving seats)
• Grand Bar Orlov (with own dance floor and stage for live performances; hosts quiz games and fashion reviews)
• Country Rock Club (nightclub bar for classic rock music)
• Cigar Lounge and Bar (also selling cigars and fine liquor)
• Bar Bollicine (Prosecco bar serving wines and champagne)
• Sala Carte (cards room)
• Casino Golden Jubilee (served by bar Golden Jubilee)
• Diadema Atrium (multi-deck “Atrio Eliodoro” - an open-floor area with live music and entertainment, served by Eliodoro Lobby Bar)
• Atrio Sissi (2-level, aft location smaller Atrium)
• Sala Desiree and Sala Tiara (lounge bars)
• “Principe Nero” (“The Black Prince” piano bar)
• Salone “La Buena” (grand lounge with La Buena Bar)
• Discoteca Opernball (2-level Disco Nightclub, DJ program nightly; served by Opernball Bar)
• Biblioteca Gubelin and Internet Point (Library/computers room)
• Portobello Market Piazza and Galleria Shops (duty and tax-free shops for brand watches, jewelry, perfumes, fashion clothes, Costa-logo merchandise, sportswear, gifts, tobacco, and liquor)
• Birreria “La Fiamma” (brewery/beerhouse with English pub menu); Vinoteca “Huit-Huit” (wines bar)
• Gelateria Amarillo (ice-cream parlor)
• Bar Stella del Sud and Balconata (with 2 cantilevered Whirlpools)
• Area Foto (Photo Gallery and Shop)
• Scuderia Costa (themed bar Formula 1 with Grand Prix simulator)
• Mondo Virtuale (Video Games Arcade)
• Cappella (Wedding Chapel, also used for religious services)
• Squok Club (kids lounge with Mini Club (3-6 yo) and Maxi Club (7-11 yo) playing rooms; with complimentary kids program and supervised activities; complimentary babysitting)
• Teen Zone (teenagers' lounge with Teen Junior (12-14 yo) and Teen Club (15-17 yo) rooms; complimentary supervised activities, themed parties, sports contests)
• Centro Benessere Samsara (3-level Spa and Wellness complex, with Fitness and separate Spinning/Aerobics Room; Venus Beauty Salon, Massages and Treatments Rooms, Japanese TeaRoom, Relaxation Room, Thermal Suites, Solarium, Tepidarium (heated loungers), Laconium (low humidity sauna), Aroma Steam Baths, Thalassotherapy pool, Turkish Bath, Solarium, Saunas, Kinesis Room. All Diadema’s guests in Samsara Spa staterooms have free access to most of the Spa complex)
• Lido Diana pool area (lido pool with two Whirlpools, huge LED screen, PlayStation nights; served by two Bars)
• Lido Stella del Sud pool area (with two Whirlpools, served by two Bars)
• Lido Squok (kids’ mini Aquapark)
• Winter Garden (glass-roofed bar lounge; live plants, live music)
• Balconata Belle Etoile (outdoor movie screen)
• Solarium (open-air relaxation area)
• Campo da Gioco (combined court for tennis and basketball); Pista da Jogging (Power Walking/Jogging Track), doubled with a Roller Skating Track; Putting Green Area; Virtual Golf Game.

Itineraries

Costa Diadema itinerary program is based on European voyages (mainly in the Western Mediterranean). Seasonally, Diadema is deployed in the Caribbean for roundtrips from Guadeloupe (Pointe-a-Pitre on Grande-Terre Island) as well as Transatlantic crossings (RepositionCruises.com) between Europe and the Caribbean.

In September 2022 was canceled Costa Diadema's winter schedule (Nov 18, 2022, thru March 28, 2023/137x total departures) that included 14-day Canary Islands voyages leaving roundtrip from homeports in Italy (Savona), Spain (Valencia, Barcelona) and France (Marseilles). The boat restarted operations on April 7, 2023, out of Barcelona.

Diadema is among Costa's largest liners. Following the inaugural cruise/maiden voyage (November 10, 2014, Venice to Savona), it became the largest Italy-flagged vessel. and replaced Costa Fascinosa as flagship. From the same DREAM-class (sisterships) are the "Carnival Fun Ships" Carnival Breeze, Carnival Dream, Carnival Magic.

At the time, Diadema was Costa's largest shipbuilding order - placed on August 3, 2011.

The vessel's physical construction/assembly at Marghera Shipyard (Venice Italy) started on December 10, 2012, with the keel-laying ceremony.

The vessel was launched/floated out from drydock on November 16, 2013, officially delivered to Costa on October 25th, 2014, and christened on November 7th in Venice. The inaugural cruise left Venice on November 8th. The 7-day Western Mediterranean itinerary visited port cities in Italy (Naples, La Spezia, Savona), Spain (Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca) and France (Marseille).

Diadema was the first-ever cruise ship to debut a laser maze show. All guests of the event were allowed to race through it. In 2016, on Diadema was tested Costa's 4GOODFOOD program for decreasing food waste on cruises. The results were ~50% reduction in food waste, and up to 20% lower food consumption at the onboard self-service buffet restaurants.

In 2017, the Diadema became the fleet's first vessel on which was introduced the onboard-made, certified mozzarella produced from buffalo milk. The new product (branded "Latteria del Curatino") was created via a partnership with two Campania-based dairy companies - "Comat" (dairy equipment manufacturer) and "Podere dei Leoni" (creamery, a leading Italian producer of certified buffalo mozzarella). With Diadema, Costa became the world's first cruise company to serve fresh-made mozzarella on board.

Costa Diadema's last drydock refurbishment was in 2023 (November 5-19) conducted at Chantier Naval de Marseille (France). The project included general maintenance works, classification inspections and technical overhauls, as well as renovations and upgrades to all public areas, venues and passenger staterooms, including new carpeting and soft furniture.