MIAMI, July 10, 2007 -- Starting March 2008, Costa is adding Barcelona as its newest embarkation port, on seven night Mediterranean sailings through November 2008 aboard Costa Magica.

Travelers will now also be able to enjoy the vibrant ambience of the Catalan capital during pre and post cruise vacations with Costa, which offers an extensive selection of popular embarkation ports throughout Europe, including Venice, Savona (Genoa), Civitavecchia (Rome), and Copenhagen. These seven-night sailings will depart from Costa's new "Palacrociere" terminal, which was inaugurated in April 2007. Long known as one of Spain's most exciting and sophisticated cities, Barcelona will serve as the starting and ending point on these Mediterranean getaways, which include stops in Marseille, Savona, Naples, Palermo, Tunis and Palma de Mallorca.

With special "Diamond Anniversary Fares" offering savings of up to 60% and attractive air packages, there's simply never been a better time to discover the beauty and romance of the Mediterranean on this classic itinerary of the region's best spots either for the first, second or third time than with Costa. The sailings, which are conveniently scheduled from Friday to Friday, allow guests the opportunity to explore Barcelona both pre and post stay. In addition, Costa has teamed up with new and existing air partners to offer flights from over 150 gateway cities throughout North America.

"Our North American repeat guests tell us that Costa is far and beyond the number one choice for them in Europe as they love to experience our international flair both on and off the ship - or in their words, that the destinations linger with them once they step back onboard and get ready for their next adventure," said Lynn Torrent, President & CEO of Costa Cruise Lines-North America. "After listening closely to our guests' feedback, we learned just how popular Barcelona is with them. As such, it made perfect sense to offer an itinerary that highlights the best of the Mediterranean along with the convenience of embarking and disembarking in one of their favorite destinations."

Fares for the Barcelona sailings aboard the Costa Magica begin at $599 per person. Government taxes are additional and all fares are subject to change and based on availability.

Guests may also take advantage of Costa's "Diamond Anniversary Fares," featuring savings of up to 60%, on many other exciting Mediterranean itineraries. These include sailings aboard the new Costa Serena, with breathtaking itineraries from Venice to Greece, Turkey and Croatia with fares beginning at $799. In addition, these fares are also available on the Costa Concordia from Civitavecchia to Italy, Malta and Greece with fares beginning at $649.

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.

Costa describes itself as follows:

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.