Costa Cruises’ new Vista-class cruise ship Costa Firenze has touched water for the first time as she was floated out of her construction dry-dock at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy.

The ceremony took place at Fincantieri’s Marghera yard, where the cruise ship is being built exclusively for the Chinese cruise market.

She is scheduled to be delivered on September 30^th, 2020, after which she will cruise to Dubai on her maiden voyage.

Costa Firenze, cruising from Dubai next year, touches water for the first time

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The 135,500-gross ton ship follows her sister ship, Costa Venezia, which was delivered earlier this year and also offered a cruise from Dubai on her repositioning voyage from the Mediterranean to Asia.

Together, the two ships will be Costa’s newest tonnage in the Chinese market.

“Costa Firenze is further proof of Costa Cruises’ long-term commitment to the China market,” said Vanessa Li, Vice President, Marketing, Costa Group Asia.

The float out ceremony is a major milestone in a ship’s build cycle

“We aim to bring the beauty of the Italian lifestyle to Chinese guests, offering them an authentic Italian vacation experience. Together with Costa Venezia, which is enjoying great success, the arrival of Costa Firenze will help boost the development of the Chinese cruise industry,” she added.

Costa Cruises has stated that its sees enormous potential in the Chinese cruise market, for the same reason that the Arabian Gulf cruise market is growing so fast.

Only 2% of the total number of Chinese holidaymakers have gone on a cruise, representing ripe grounds for further market penetration.

Magrodome aboard upcoming Costa Firenze

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The ship will be one of the largest and newest ever to cruise from Dubai.

The city will be a key turnaround port on the 51-day grand voyage to Hong Kong, with passengers able to book both legs, or a single cruise (Savona to Dubai or Dubai to Hong Kong).

Costa Firenze had initially been scheduled to cruise from Dubai in October next year, but will do so in September instead due to a change in Costa Cruises’ European fleet deployment plans.

Costa Firenze is due in Dubai in September now instead of October, 2020

Costa Firenze is inspired by the city of Florence while her sister ship Costa Venezia is inspired by Venice.

More details about her on-board features and amenities will be announced in the coming months, Costa Cruises said, but in renderings released with a press release, it appears that the ship will at least boast an impressive pool area and magrodome.