Costa Cruises, the Italian brand of Costa Group, Europe's leading cruise company, has been named Official Cruise Line of the 2023 Ryder Cup, the most important team competition in golf, which will be held for the first time in Italy, at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome, from 29 September to 1 October 2023.
is also unveiling an amazing new offer designed specifically for golf enthusiasts and their families. The new "Cruise & Golf" formula will allow them to combine a truly unique golfing experience with the relaxation and fun of a Costa cruise on board Costa Smeralda, the most innovative ship in the fleet. By booking "Cruise & Golf", golf enthusiasts will have the opportunity to play at some of the most beautiful clubs in Italy, France and Spain during the cruise itineraries' port calls. In the meantime, families on holiday will be able to enjoy the services on board or explore wonderful places thanks to the excursions organized by the company.
"Our holidays are aimed at providing unique and enriching experiences, and the combination with golf fits perfectly with this philosophy. To achieve our goal of becoming the reference company in the world of golf, we have come up with a special initiative, never seen before. Our partnership with the Ryder Cup 2023, one of the most popular sporting events in the world, will allow us to reach all golf enthusiasts, while with our new "Cruise & Golf" formula we will offer them and their families a holiday that combines the best of golf with the best of cruising" - says Roberto Alberti, SVP & Chief Commercial Officer of Costa Cruises. “Cruise & Golf will also help to promote the golf clubs of the countries visited and, more generally, represents an opportunity to foster local tourism, considering that 6 out of 10 passengers declare they want to return to the places visited during the cruise”.
Guy Kinnings, Ryder Cup Director and Deputy CEO of the European Tour group, added: “We’re delighted to welcome Costa Cruises to the Ryder Cup partnership family, in what is a truly unique partnership. The Ryder Cup is a full entertainment spectacle, so it felt like a natural fit to work with Costa Cruises to build out a fully rounded experience for their customers as the Ryder Cup heads to Italy for the first time”.
Costa Cruises' new "Cruise & Golf" offer will be available from May 2022 on the Costa Smeralda one-week Western Mediterranean cruises, visiting Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Palermo, Civitavecchia/Rome. Bookings will be open from February 1st, 2022. To take advantage of the new offer, guests simply need to book a cruise on Costa Smeralda and then add one of the two golf packages to their booking, which include three or four "Green Fees" respectively for access to some of the most famous and popular golf clubs in the Mediterranean.
Among the selected golf clubs in Italy are "Marco Simone", the official home of the 2023 Ryder Cup; "Golf Nazionale", the technical center of the Italian Golf Federation; "Olgiata Golf", which has hosted the Italian Open several times; "Acquasanta Golf", one of Italy’s oldest golf clubs; the "Golf Club Garlenda", surrounded by ancient olive groves and pine forests in the beautiful western Ligurian Riviera. In Spain, the "Real Club de Golf El Prat", which has hosted the Spanish Open 10 times; the “PGA de Catalunya", ranked number 1 among golf clubs in Spain and among the top four in Europe; the "Son Gual", among the best golf clubs in Continental Europe; "Alcanada", designed by Robert Trent Jones, with a splendid view of the sea; "Arabella Golf" in Mallorca, with its three magnificent courses Son Vida, Son Quint and Son Muntaner. In France, the "Golf d'Aix Marseille", which hosts the most prestigious national tournaments, the "Golf Bastide de la Salette", with spectacular views over the Garlaban mountain chain and Marseille, the "Golf d'aix-en Provence" and the “Golf Sainte Baume“.The "Marco Simone", the "PGA de Catalunya" and "Alcanada" will be available at an extra price to be added to the package booking.
Costa Smeralda
Costa Cruises' "Cruise & Golf" formula will allow golf enthusiasts to enjoy a real "easy golf" experience. Indeed, in addition to Green Fees, the formula includes a series of special services designed to help guests fully enjoy the golf and cruise experience, with all the comforts. For example, a dedicated transfer from the ship to the golf club and back, priority embarkation and disembarkation at the beginning and end of the cruise, customized transport and storage of golf equipment on board, and a welcome kit in the cabin. In addition, there is a special offer dedicated to golf enthusiasts and their families to enjoy the exceptional variety of restaurants available on Costa Smeralda - including the Archipelago restaurant, offering menus created for Costa by three top chefs, Bruno Barbieri, Hélène Darroze and Ángel León - and to try a range of treatments and services in the “Solemio” onboard spa and beauty salon.