Is Costa Smeralda LNG-powered?

Yes. Costa Smeralda was Costa Cruises' first LNG dual-fuel ship at her December 2019 delivery, the second cruise ship to use LNG propulsion after AIDA's AIDAnova (2018). MSC followed three years later with the World Class (World Europa, 2022).

How does Costa Smeralda compare to other Costa ships?

At 185,010 GT and 5,224 guests, Costa Smeralda is Costa's flagship class — significantly larger than the Vista Class (Firenze/Venezia, 135,500 GT), Diadema Class (132,500 GT), Concordia Class (114,500 GT), and Luminosa Class (Deliziosa, 92,720 GT).

Costa Smeralda — Deck Plans, Live Tracker, Dining & Videos

Item: Costa Smeralda
Rating: 3.5
Author: Ken Baker

Costa Smeralda is an Excellence Class cruise ship operated by Costa Cruises. She entered service in 2019, measures 185,010 gross tons, and carries approximately 5,224 guests at double occupancy with a crew of 1,678.

Key Facts

Cruise Line: Costa Cruises
Class: Excellence Class
Year: 2019
Tonnage: 185,010 GT
Guests: 5,224
Crew: 1,678
IMO: 9781889

Quick Answer: Costa Smeralda is Costa's LNG-powered flagship — 185,010 GT, 5,224 guests, launched in 2019. The largest ship in the fleet at her debut, she runs on liquefied natural gas and offers Italian-themed dining, entertainment, and a distinctly European onboard culture. This page covers deck plans, live tracking, dining venues, and videos.

Who She's For: Travelers who want a large, modern ship with Italian heritage and a multi-language European atmosphere. Costa Smeralda suits families and couples who enjoy Italian cuisine, theatrical entertainment, and Mediterranean cruising at a competitive price point.

Costa Smeralda is Costa's flagship and the lead ship of the Excellence Class — Costa's first LNG-powered ships. At 185,010 GT she is among the largest cruise ships afloat, with an Italian design philosophy that distinguishes her from American-market mega-ships. The onboard language is primarily Italian with multilingual support, and the dining leans heavily on Italian cuisine across four main dining rooms. Her sister Costa Toscana offers the same experience at the same scale on different itineraries.

A First Look at Costa Smeralda

Costa Smeralda offers a memorable cruise experience with Costa Cruises. This ship features modern amenities, diverse dining options, and entertainment for all ages.

Explore the deck plans below to familiarize yourself with the ship's layout, or check out the dining section to see available restaurants and venues.

Costa Smeralda Photo Gallery

Costa Smeralda cruise ship exterior showing LNG-powered Excellence Class design

Costa Smeralda exterior — Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Costa Smeralda cruise ship — Photo: 90763441@N00 via Flickr (CC BY-NC)

Costa Smeralda bow at Savona, September 2020, with "Costa Smeralda" lettering visible — Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Costa Cruises • Excellence Class

Dining on Costa Smeralda → Browse All

Complimentary main dining (4 bistro-style restaurants)

La Colombina — Deck 5 main dining room.

Arlecchino — Deck 6 main dining room.

Il Meneghino — Deck 6 main dining room.

Il Rugantino — Deck 7 main dining room.

La Sagra dei Sapori — Deck 8 buffet.

Specialty (cover charge)

Pummid'Oro Pizzeria — Neapolitan pizza specialty.

Ristorante LAB (Laboratorio Del Gusto) — Tasting-menu specialty with rotating themes.

Teppanyaki — Teppanyaki entertainment dining.

Sushino — Sushi and Japanese specialties.

Bellavista Club — Loyalty (Perla Diamante) members' restaurant.

Panorama Elite — Suites-only restaurant.

Full venue details available on the Costa Cruises official site.

Costa Cruises • Excellence Class

The Logbook: Costa Smeralda

About Costa Smeralda

Costa Smeralda entered service in 2019 as the lead ship of Costa's Excellence Class — Costa's first LNG-powered ships. At 185,010 GT and 5,224 guests with a crew of 1,678, she is among the largest cruise ships afloat. Her sister Costa Toscana followed in 2022. The four-restaurant main-dining concept (La Colombina, Arlecchino, Il Meneghino, Il Rugantino) replaces the traditional two-MDR Costa setup; specialty options include the Laboratorio Del Gusto tasting menu and the Pummid'Oro pizzeria. She has primarily sailed Western Mediterranean itineraries.

View Official Deck Plans →

Watch: Costa Smeralda Highlights

Swipe through ship walkthroughs, top-10s, and stateroom tours.

Key Facts About Costa Smeralda

Class

Excellence Class

Entered Service

2019

Gross Tonnage

185,010 GT

Guests

5,224

Crew

1,678

IMO

9781889

Costa Smeralda Deck Plans

Costa Smeralda — 5,224 guests, lead ship of the LNG-powered Excellence Class with sister Costa Toscana, 185,010 GT.

Generic cruise ship deck layout overview — Simplified deck layout overview

Where Is Costa Smeralda Right Now?

See Costa Smeralda's current position, speed, heading, and next port on the live AIS tracker below.

Live tracking requires JavaScript. You can track Costa Smeralda (IMO 9781889) directly at VesselFinder.

See ports for more information about individual ports.

Frequently Asked Questions About Costa Smeralda

What dining options are on Costa Smeralda?

Four complimentary main dining rooms (La Colombina, Arlecchino, Il Meneghino, Il Rugantino) replace Costa's traditional two-MDR setup, plus the La Sagra dei Sapori buffet. Specialty venues with cover charges include Pummid'Oro Pizzeria, Ristorante LAB (Laboratorio Del Gusto), Teppanyaki, Sushino, the loyalty-only Bellavista Club, and the suites-only Panorama Elite. See the Dining section above.

How big is Costa Smeralda?

185,010 GT, 5,224 guests at double occupancy, 1,678 crew. Excellence Class, entered service 2019. Sister to Costa Toscana.

Where does Costa Smeralda sail?

Western Mediterranean year-round itineraries from Italian ports. Check the live tracker above for current position.

Sources & Attribution

IMO 9781889 verified at VesselFinder (MarineTraffic concurs).

Plan Your Cruise

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