Costa Cruises has renewed its partnership with Emirates through 2027, building on two decades of collaboration and reflecting Dubai‘s position as a major global cruise hub. 

The extension of the partnership was signed at ITB Berlin, one of the world’s leading tourism trade fairs, combining the expertise of Costa and Emirates to make the passenger travel experience more convenient through better flight scheduling and integrated connectivity to the cruise terminal.

Costa Cruises and Emirates will collaborate on joint marketing initiatives, harmonised flight scheduling, and availability of convenient flights for cruise passengers to meet demand from key markets through the airline’s network wherever possible.

The partnership will focus on sharing relevant data and insights to improve service, as well as dedicating support teams to cruise passengers to facilitate check-in at Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal. 

Both companies will also work closely on advanced transportation solutions between Dubai International Airport and Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal. Costa Cruises is a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company, which uses Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal as its regional hub.

Costa Cruises and Emirates will also explore opportunities to expand their partnership beyond Dubai to include geographic areas in Costa’s network such as Central and South America, the Far East, and Southeast Asia, similar to the deal signed between TUI and Emirates during the same event. 

“The renewal of the partnership with Emirates is an additional confirmation of the strategic importance of Dubai and the Emirates in Costa’s holiday offering,” said Daniel Caprile, Vice President Pricing and Revenue Management, Itinerary and Transportation, Costa Cruises. 

“Today we celebrate the continuation of our collaboration on marketing initiatives, operational alignments, and strategic planning, aiming at enhancing connectivity and ensuring a smooth journey for our cruise guests,” he added. 

Costa Cruises has been homeporting in Dubai during the annual winter cruise season since 2006 and will be deploying Costa Toscana, its latest generation flagship, in the region for the upcoming 2025/26 season. 

Through the fly-cruise formula, guests will enjoy a week-long cruise from Dubai, with a two-day stopover, and visits to Muscat (Oman), Doha (Qatar), and Abu Dhabi (UAE), discovering ancient traditions, nature but also the futuristic cities these destinations offer. 

Dubai has developed an integrated travel ecosystem for cruise passengers with streamlined visa processes and sophisticated port facilities at Dubai Harbour, complete with dedicated check-in at 12 counters in Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal.

The cruise terminal check-in counters allow passengers who are disembarking from their cruise to fully check-in up to four hours before flight departure with the convenience of exploring Dubai without their luggage before heading directly to the airport.