If Willy Wonka on the Seven Seas is a concept that appeals to you, you may want to pay close attention to the new announcement courtesy of Costa Cruises: an entire voyage dedicated to chocolate. Themed cruises are always a treat, but this is definitely taking it to another level. Costa has teamed up with Eurochocolate, which is a lot like what it sounds like: a European festival themed completely around chocolate, offering tastings, activities, souvenirs and a climbing wall that looks like a chocolate bar (yeah, seriously).
While the experience on the cruise won’t have everything that the festival typically offers, it will definitely have more chocolate than you could realistically deal with. Passengers will have a large number of activities to choose from over the course of an eight-day voyage across the Mediterranean. Some of the highlights are cooking and baking classes focused around chocolate, tastings that go beyond just chocolate to chocolate-infused dishes and drinks, and cooking sessions with masters of chocolate Guido Gobino, Enric Rovira and Pierpaolo Ruta. Beyond these events, the whole trip promises to be centered around the theme, both on-board (Costa promises a chocolate sculpture) and at the ports. Stops to chocolate-focused museums and other events will be a guarantee every day that you’re off the ship.
Obviously, the cruise offers the typical cruise experience as well. Nice cabins, ocean views and a swimming pool with a water slide will be available for those who want a break from the chocolatey decadence. A self-service restaurant is available free of charge, with an alternative restaurant called Samsara being an option that isn’t included in the initial trip charge. The ship holds 3780 guests and departs from Genoa on April 17, 2020. Stops in Barcelona, Valletta, Catania and Rome follow. Internal cabins start at around $1000, which doesn’t strike us as a horrible price for this once-in-a-lifetime cruise. Costa’s website does note that the privilege to participate in all on-board activities will cost a bit more (about $130). One thing you won’t be paying for is the “welcome kit,” a courtesy package including “delicious gifts and chocolate-themed gadgets.” While we’re not entirely sure what this means, we definitely want to find out.
If you’re interested in getting in on this trip, bookings are currently available on Costa’s website. One thing to note for our American readers is that it’s indeed a round trip from Italy, so you’ll need to start looking into airfare relatively soon (plane tickets aren’t one of the things included in Costa’s fees!). Start looking now to make sure you don’t miss out!
