Four Costa Cruise ships are to return to service from 13 ports in the Mediterranean this summer.
The Italian Carnival Corporation brand’s Med cruises will include two ships in the west and two in the east with sailings to Italy, France, Spain and Greece.
They feature extended stays at ports of call and organised shore excursions.
However, the line’s summer season in northern Europe and all other cruises scheduled until mid-September have been cancelled.
The company cited the level of uncertainty on the reopening of several destinations “which does not currently guarantee the feasibility of the itineraries”.
Costa is in the process of informing travel agents and customers affected by the changes with detailed information ship by ship.
Costa’s newest vessels will operate in the western Mediterranean LNG-powered flagship Costa Smeralda and Costa Firenze, delivered last December.
Costa Smeralda will run previously announced mini-cruises or a week-long itinerary from May 1 calling at Savona, La Spezia, Civitavecchia, Naples, Messina and Cagliari until July 3.
The ship will then run week-long cruises visiting Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma, Palermo and Civitavecchia.
Cruises in Italy will continue to be available on Costa Firenze, which will set sail on its first trip on July 4, with an all-Italian itinerary that including Savona, Civitavecchia, Palermo, Naples, Messina and Cagliari.
Costa Firenze will also sail on one-week cruises including Savona, Civitavecchia, Naples, Ibiza, Barcelona and Marseilles from September 12 until mid-October.
Sister ships Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa are being deployed in the eastern Med.
Cruises by Costa Luminosa start on May 16 from Trieste and Bari the following day to Corfu, Piraeus (Athens), Mykonos and Katakolon.
Costa Deliziosa will resume sailings from June 26 with a week-long itinerary covering Venice, an extended day and night stop in Mykonos, followed by Katakolon, Corfu and Bari.
Costa president Mario Zanetti said:”We have updated our programme for this summer based on a scenario of port and destination re-openings that is becoming increasingly clear and that now allows us to better plan our operations and offer extraordinary cruise vacations to the many guests who look forward to relaxing and memorable holidays.
“We decided to focus on destinations in the Mediterranean, close to our European guests, that can be discovered or re-discovered in a truly unique way.
“Now we can finally say that the Costa summer begins, and we cannot wait to welcome our loyal guests as well as newcomers – all of whom can count on us for high-quality service, dining and entertainment, wonderful destinations and an exceptional on board experience with enhanced safety protocols.”