Travel Partners Join Costa for Global Summit in Barcelona

The second edition of the Costa Global Summit took place yesterday at the Centennial Pavilion of the Fira Montjuic in Barcelona, Spain. The event welcomed more than 2,500 participants, including key partners, travel agents and special guests from around the world. Costa Cruises’ Chief Executive Officer Mario Zanetti, as well as employees from the Customer Hub in Barcelona, presented the news for 2026 and confirmed Costa’s role as a leader in the future of experiential tourism.

The evening’s presentations focused on three strategic pillars of the Sea & Land Wonder Platform: itineraries, with exclusive destinations, to discover iconic places in new ways; food, with exceptional gastronomy that transforms cuisine into an unforgettable sensory journey; and fleet, with innovative and sustainable solutions to make each ship the perfect place to experience wonder.

The Summit opened with a video message from Josh Weinstein, chief executive officer of Carnival Corporation & plc, who highlighted Costa's role within the world's largest cruise line and one of the leading companies in the leisure travel industry. With a combined fleet of more than 90 ships, making 22,000 calls at over 800 ports, Carnival Corporation & plc accounts for 40% of the global cruise market, welcoming almost 13.5 million guests each year with the support of about 160,000 employees. Costa’s distinctive "Sea and Land" itineraries offer an innovative way to discover destinations, combining experiences ashore in different destinations with immersive moments on board.

For over 75 years, Costa has been a pioneer in transforming cruising into the ideal holiday. Costa is also a leader in the global journey towards sustainability, with milestones such as one of the first LNG-powered ships, introduced the industry's first programs for donating surplus food and optimizing the energy of ships through artificial intelligence. Costa continues to drive innovation in cruise tourism with voyages that celebrate wonder and leave lasting memories.

After opening remarks, Karen Lellouche, managing director and senior partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) presented a study on the tourism market, with the latest trends and customer insights on travel behaviors, industry opportunities and the new way of choosing and experiencing holidays. The study provided a clear picture of the industry context, with data, expectations of quality and the desire for meaningful experiences.

Zanetti outlined the company's vision, showing not only how it anticipates trends but also aligns with the trends identified by research. He emphasized that Costa meets the evolving needs of travelers, for whom travel represents connection, discovery and personal expression. Costa revolutionizes the concept of cruising by becoming an Experience Platform, offering exclusive itineraries that combine the wonder of the sea with authentic discovery on land. The approach creates a model that focuses on emotion, personalization, innovation and sustainability.

"For almost 78 years, change and the ability to anticipate the future have been part of our DNA. Today the challenge is to continue to create memorable travel experiences, which connect sea and land in a unique offer in the tourism landscape - said Mario Zanetti, CEO of Costa Cruises - Costa Cruises today is a flexible and adaptive experience platform, capable of creating the right product for each audience based on the season, destination and desires of each guest. This approach intercepts the new generations: Millennials, who have grown by three percentage points in the last three years, choose Costa for experiential itineraries in line with their interests and lifestyles; while mini-cruises are on the rise among GenZ, looking for micro-moments and highly personalized itineraries. Baby boomers and Gen X embrace the concept of longevity travel made up of more time, well-being and meaningful trips, preferring longer cruises. Thanks to investments in the fleet and product, and with the introduction of Sea & Land itineraries, we have expanded our offerings in the Eastern and Western Mediterranean and in the Norwegian fjords, recording a growth of about 9 percentage points year-on-year on the overall satisfaction index of our offer. Innovation and sustainability continue to guide every choice: from the solutions introduced on the Costa Smeralda to improve energy efficiency, to the use of technologies such as AI to further personalize each trip, even before booking. Our goal is to innovate with purpose, creating value for guests, partners and the communities that welcome us."

Francesco Muglia, chief commercial officer & senior vice president of Costa Cruises, explains how this strategy starts from a key concept: reinventing the cruise holiday means putting navigation at the center, evolving the concept of travel between ports into an emotional experience that harmoniously connects sea and land, creating wonder like a sunset in the open sea, a silent dawn, the night that envelops everything. From this idea comes the Sea & Land Wonder Platform, an integrated design of "Sea & Land" itineraries in which navigation becomes a multisensory experience thanks to iconic places in the middle of the sea where time stops and wonder takes shape, and a curation of experiences on land built to meet the different needs of our customers and make the territories live in an authentic and surprising way.

Muglia declared: "We have reinvented the cruise holiday, transforming it into an emotional experience that connects sea and land in an unprecedented way. Our Sea & Land Wonder Platform is a continuum of wonder that integrates itineraries, gastronomy and fleet, building the perfect connection between what happens on board and what happens on land. The Sea & Land itineraries are at the heart of this philosophy, with iconic moments in the middle of the sea and authentic experiences in the destinations, designed to make the journey live in a unique and surprising way."

The event continued with a presentation of the main 2026 innovations in itineraries – one of the most concrete expressions of the Sea & Land Wonder Platform – with a proposal full of surprising journeys: exclusive itineraries, a new collection of Sea & Land Destinations and special cruises, to celebrate wonder through connection with the environment.

Next summer, Costa Pacifica will offer an iconic experience in the Western Mediterranean and an exciting Sea Destination in the bay of Golfo Aranci. For the very first time, guests will be able to disembark at sunset directly from the roadstead and reach the crystal-clear waters of Tavolara Island aboard an elegant boat for an unforgettable swim.

Also with Costa Pacifica, one of the most anticipated experiences will be a special cruise dedicated to the solar eclipse in mid-August, an extraordinary natural phenomenon celebrated with a spectacular marine Sea Destination in the middle of the Balearic Sea, where sky and sea will merge in a unique emotional event. On land, the connection continues with equally iconic experiences such as a tour in a Mehari through the landscapes of Cassis or an unforgettable Vespa ride through the most evocative streets of Rome. Through Costa’s exclusive Sea & Land itineraries, these extraordinary natural events become unforgettable experiences.

Costa Favolosa will sail Northern Europe with a unique offering that combines two UNESCO World Heritage fjords in Norway, Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord, with extraordinary land experiences, including Sea Destinations such as meditation at dawn in front of the Seven Sisters. In autumn, the Club Cruise, dedicated to members of Costa's loyalty program, will extend the season in Northern Europe with the magical experience of the Northern Lights. 

Costa Serena will offer exclusive itineraries in Asia in early summer and autumn, such as the circumnavigation of Japan with scenic moments in iconic bays and aperitifs at sunset. One highlight is a new seaside destination with the Sakurajima volcano on the horizon, where guests can enjoy an ice-cold Japanese beer and freshly prepared gyoza.

In the Caribbean, Costa Fascinosa and Costa Pacifica offer new experiences that turn travel into an exclusive adventure. Among the highlights is Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic, a true "destination within the destination," with a port designed for cruises and landscapes that blend jungle, desert, turquoise waters and ancient quarries, with access to the most exclusive beach of Bahía de Las Águilas. The experience continues with the inauguration of Samaná, Dominican Republic, which follows the same innovative concept focused on experiences that redefine travel. At sea, the magic continues, with a sensational Sea Party in Catalina Bay, where music, atmosphere and ocean come together to create unforgettable memories.

To complete the 2026 offer, in spring Costa Fascinosa will sail three- and four- day mini cruises in the Mediterranean, designed for travelers who want to experience the wonder of Costa in a shorter format, without sacrificing the quality and intensity of the experience.

"The expansion of our portfolio with new itineraries is the clearest demonstration of our ability to create wonder with unique proposals in the tourism scene. We continue to introduce innovations that enrich the travel experience, with a range that ranges from mini-cruises of a few days to the Around the World of over 130 days. Unique proposals such as the Sea & Land itineraries transform each trip into a seamless journey of emotions, where the environment becomes an integral part of the experience. Unrepeatable events, such as the cruise dedicated to the solar eclipse or the magic of the Northern Lights, tell of our desire to enhance the beauty of the world and bring it into every moment of the cruise." – says Luigi Stefanelli, vice president worldwide sales of Costa Cruises.

The event continued with the evolution of Costa’s gastronomic experience, led by chefs Ángel León, Bruno Barbieri and Hélène Darroze, who presented the new concept of the Archipelago restaurant. Launched in 2021 as a symbol of innovation in the world of haute cuisine, Archipelago is evolving and prepares to amaze once again. This spring, it will debut an exclusive concept: for the first time, three starred chefs come together to create a single menu, inspired by the Sea & Land itineraries, offering a multisensory tasting experience. Archipelago becomes a place where cuisine meets scenography: twelve scenes change for as many creations, with atmospheres designed to amplify the pleasure of an unprecedented journey of taste and transform dinner into a shared immersive moment.

The journey continues towards the beating heart of the Sea & Land platform, the fleet. Costa ships represent the core of the company's strategy and are designed to transform every moment on board into an experience of wonder. Since 2021, more than 200 million euros (about USD$230 million) have been invested in a renovation plan that has already involved all units, with the goal of expanding the features of the most popular ships to make them available across the entire fleet, introducing innovative and sustainable solutions that improve energy efficiency and enhance the guest experience, such as the new dining areas, restyled suites and redesigned outdoor spaces.

The star of this evolutionary path is Costa Serena, which, following a recent refit, debuts as a Pop ship, inspired by the world of the gods. It maintains its identity while reinterpreting it in a pop style, featuring bright colors, bold shapes and innovative materials. The atrium is transformed into a true "Temple of Light," no longer a simple point of passage but a stage of light and design. Among the new areas include Pizzeria Pummid'oro, dominated by a gigantic modern Atlas holding a tomato, and Sushino at Costa, where a golden mermaid watches over the restaurant, with its scales melting into the walls creating a unique scenic effect. Completing the experience is a secret Speakeasy, designed to surprise guests with mysterious atmospheres and signature cocktails.

Giuseppe Carino, senior vice president sea-land experience operations of Costa Cruises, says: “As soon as the restyling of Costa Serena and Costa Smeralda has been completed, we continue to invest in the fleet, a pillar of the Sea and Land strategy. We are already planning refits on Costa Toscana, Costa Favolosa and Costa Pacifica, with new concepts for cabins with balconies, to make each ship more and more in line with the wishes of guests and bring the Costa Experience to life".

In closing, Giovanna Loi, vice president of marketing and direct sales for Costa Cruises, presented the brand strategy as a generator of demand and value – a continuous investment in creativity and innovation to bring people to where wonder happens. The Wonder Platform comes to life through a collection of campaigns from different countries, demonstrating how a global idea can be transformed into local emotion and win prizes and recognition. The focus shifts to the new digital scenario, where Costa is a protagonist in the world of AI search, video ecosystem and native social networks, with a simple narrative that resonates with audiences. Finally, the strategy enters the heart of technology with an AI-, data-and partner-driven approach that, thanks to Customer Data Platform (CDP), omnichannel journey and personalization, turns data into tangible experiences and results.

"Inspire, be visible and personalize this is how Costa redefines communication with the customer. We show the Wonder Platform in action with creativity that excites, we conquer space in new digital scenarios – from AI search to native social media – and we transform data into concrete experiences thanks to technology and personalization. An innovative approach that generates demand, value and wonder." - says Giovanna Loi.

The 2026 Costa Global Summit was presented by Manel Fuentes, a well-known Spanish television presenter and journalist, who took the audience on a journey through innovation and wonder.

The event concluded with a dreamlike performance of contemporary dance and circus art by the SALT company, inspired by the Sea and Land Wonder Experience theme. The finale transformed the stage into a universe of emotions, celebrating Costa's ability to amaze and involve.