MIAMI, July 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Costa, Europe's and South America's Number One Cruise Line, is celebrating one million guest bookings in 2007, a historic record that marks a first for the company and for the European cruise industry as a whole. Costa's one millionth guest booked a cruise on July 17 and is an Italian family who will be part of Costa's celebrations planned for the month of October. The achievement will also be celebrated by Costa worldwide over the next few days with toasts onboard its 12 ships and in the company's 28 offices.

"Our one millionth guest is a historic achievement and one that fills us with pride - this is a testimony of the fact that one million guests have rewarded our passion, the quality and excellence of our work, and the competence and solidity that our company boasts with its 60 years of experience in the cruise business," said Costa Crociere S.p.A. Chairman & CEO, Pier Luigi Foschi. "I would like to thank all of our employees, our guests and our partners for making this possible. However, Costa Crociere's growth plan doesn't stop here. We have our sights set on ambitious new objectives - namely, to raise the number of our guests by 50% in just three years, so as to reach the 1.5 million mark in 2010."

Booking one million guests in an 8-month span is a highly significant statistic for the cruise industry as a whole, which in 2006 welcomed 12 million cruisers worldwide (source: CLIA), including 3.4 million Europeans (source: ECC). In the last 10 years, Costa has more than tripled its number of customers, from 350,000 in 1997 to one million reservations recorded in just 8 months this year.

This growth has been supported by a fleet expansion program with the introduction of 11 ships in a decade (from 2000 to 2010) and an investment worth around 4.5 billion euros. Seven of these vessels were or will be built in Italy by Fincantieri, at a total cost of almost 3.5 billion euros. Costa's fleet is currently 12 strong with all of the vessels flying the Italian flag and with a total guest capacity of approximately 23,200 in double occupancy cabins. Three more ships have been commissioned from Fincantieri - by 2010, when the last of these new builds is delivered, the Costa fleet will have 15 members and a total capacity of approximately 30,800 passengers in double occupancy cabins, confirming its status as Europe's largest and most advanced fleet.

Costa's growth has also had a significant impact on the tourist industry in the cities where its ships have regular stopovers. In 2007, the company will make approximately 600 calls in 10 Italian ports of embarkation included on its itineraries (Savona, Civitavecchia, Naples, Messina, Palermo, Catania, Bari, Ancona, Venice and Trieste), which amounts to 2 million passenger movements (about 26% of the cruise traffic in Italy). It is estimated that these cruisers will spend a total of over 100 million euros during the stopovers.*

The company has also established itself as a leader for innovation in the cruise industry. In the course of the last six decades, Costa has launched a number of global innovations, including the "fly-cruise" formula, which it introduced in 1968 and winter Mediterranean cruises, dating back to 2001. Costa was also the first cruise line in Europe to offer cabins with verandas, and was the fist to offer a retractable magrodome covering two pools on the same deck. Widely regarded as the company's most revolutionary innovation was the introduction of the Samsara Spa on the Costa Concordia and Costa Serena. As one of the largest spas at sea, measuring in at over 23,000 square feet, the Samsara Spa features exclusive spa accommodations with direct access to the expansive wellness center.

Additionally, over the last few years, Costa has introduced a series of incredible new destinations to its breadth of product - many of which are "firsts." In 2006, the company became the first international cruise operator to offer cruises to the Chinese market and became the first cruise company to home port from Dubai. Just recently, Costa announced that in late 2007 they will become the first cruise line to offer routes from Mauritius, with stops in the Seychelles, Kenya and Madagascar. Costa currently offers 37 ports of embarkation around the world and more than 250 destinations are visited by its ships.

The fact that 98% of Costa's guests say they are satisfied or very satisfied with their cruise vacation is a testimony to the service excellence that has set the company apart during its incredible growth. Costa has eight training schools located around the world for its 15,000 employees, comprising 14,000 shipboard personnel and 1,000 shoreside staff. Costa's excellence is also recognized by RINA's B.E.S.T. 4 (Business Excellence Sustainable Task), an integrated voluntary program certifying corporate compliance with the highest international standards in the areas of social accountability (SA 8000, issued in 2001), environment (UNI EN ISO 14001, issued in 2004), safety (OHSAS 18001, issued in 1999) and quality (UNI EN ISO 9001, issued in 2000).

Costa, named "one of the top 10 cruise lines" by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler, offers an experience that is delightfully different in service and cuisine, in an atmosphere filled with love, laughter and la dolce vita. It's called "Cruising Italian Style" and true to its heritage, no detail has been overlooked in bringing the beauty and hospitality of Italy to the sea. Cruising Italian Style ... that's Amore!

The ships of Costa, Europe's Number One Cruise Line, range in size from 30,000-tons to 114,000-tons, and provide an ambience that is distinctly Italian - from the progressive architecture and stylish design to the unforgettable cuisine and gracious hospitality. With twelve ships in service and three on order, Costa offers cruises that span the globe on itineraries of three nights and longer throughout the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, South America, Transatlantic, Far East, Dubai; and at the end of 2007, the Indian Ocean.

For reservations or more information, contact a travel agent, call (800) GO-COSTA or visit http://www.costacruises.com/.

Costa Cruises is a brand of Carnival Corporation and plc .

Costa Cruises is RINA certified with the BEST 4, a highly structured system of certifications involving social responsibility (SA 8000, 2001), environment (UNI EN ISO 14001, 1996), safety (OHSAS 18001, 1999) and quality (UNI EN ISO 9001, 2000). Costa Cruises is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, and The Yachts of Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest, and a commitment to quality and value, our member lines appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets. Together we offer exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations.

*Estimate based on the "European Cruise Contribution" report issued by the European Cruise Council. According to the report, each passenger spends an average of 73 euros at every Italian port visited.

CONTACT: Dana Dominici, Director of Public Relations of Costa Cruise
Lines-North America, +1-954-266-5746, dominici@us.costa.it

Web Site: http://www.costacruises.com/