Costa to reprise Cape Town repositioning for Costa Smeralda 2026/27 Dubai season

Costa Cruises has announced that Costa Smeralda will reposition via South Africa en route to the Arabian Gulf for the 2026/27 winter season, with a scheduled stop in Cape Town underscoring the city’s growing importance as a strategic cruise hub. 

With continued instability in the Red Sea region, more cruise lines are opting to sail around Africa—placing Cape Town firmly on the map as a vital gateway for repositioning voyages between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

Costa Smeralda’s cruise via Cape Town comes after Costa Toscana last season sailed via Cape Town on both her outbound and return repositioning cruises between Europe and the Middle East for the 2025/26 season.

Following the repositioning voyage around the African continent, the LNG-powered Costa Smeralda will homeport in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from December 2026 to March 2027, offering a series of seven-night cruises to key destinations in Qatar and Oman.

The deployment is part of Costa Cruises’ newly released global 2026/27 programme, which includes eight ships operating across five regions. South America and the Caribbean remain the company’s largest markets, with Costa Diadema and Costa Serena sailing from Brazil and Argentina, and Costa Favolosa and Costa Fascinosa cruising from the Dominican Republic and Martinique.

In Europe, Costa Toscana will serve the Western Mediterranean on week-long itineraries to Italy, France, Spain and Tunisia, while Costa Pacifica will reposition to the Canary Islands in early 2027.

Two world cruises also feature in the 2026/27 programme. Costa Serena will offer a new 65-night itinerary from Tokyo to Buenos Aires, departing in October 2026 and visiting 24 ports. Meanwhile, Costa Deliziosa will embark on a traditional round-the-world voyage from Italy, Spain and France in November.

The return of Costa Smeralda to the Middle East comes after her successful deployment during the 2024/25 season, where she became the first Costa vessel to be refuelled with LNG in Dubai. Her presence supports growing regional infrastructure capable of accommodating next-generation cruise ships.

Measuring 337 metres in length and carrying 5,224 guests at double occupancy, Costa Smeralda is one of the largest ships in the fleet. Launched in 2019, the 182,700 GT vessel features nine restaurants—including regional Italian dining and Asian options—15 cafes and bars, three pools, an aqua park, eight whirlpools, a spa and fitness centre, and a full slate of entertainment venues from theatre and jazz clubs to children’s facilities.

As more cruise lines reroute away from the Red Sea, Cape Town is increasingly emerging as a key logistical and tourism node in the global cruise network—bridging continents and connecting major seasonal markets.