Costa Cruises provides perfect formula for race fans

If the roar of the engines, the high speed competition and the glamorous excitement of the Grand Prix season has got your adrenaline pumping – now’s your chance to really get your heart racing with the stimulation of simulation. Now you can test your driving skills on some of the most famous Grand Prix circuits in the world whilst you are all at sea on a Costa Cruise.

The leading Italian cruise liner has fitted state of the art racing simulators on some of its top liners. And with this year’s Italian Grand Prix just about to scream into view, a spin on the sim is even more appropriate. Featured onboard the Costa Concordia and Costa Serena, the jewel of Costa’s racing stable, produced from an original GP car, Costa’s Grand Prix driving simulator provides the perfect conditions for you to put yourself in to Lewis Hamilton’s or even Giancarlo Fisichella’s driving seat.

The result of advanced real-time vehicle modeling, the same technology used by the Grand Prix champion drivers themselves in training, the simulator creates the sense of driving a Grand Prix car as never before, allowing guests to feel every bump and experience the adrenaline of virtual speeds of almost 350 km/h.

The ‘Costa Concordia Grand Prix’ and ‘Costa Serena Grand Prix’ take driving fans to the world’s best racing circuits including Japan, Holland and Brazil as they experience four levels of difficulty progressing from test mode to championship mode.

With only six races left until the end of the season and the crowning of the F1 drivers’ champion for 2008, join Costa Cruises to experience the thrill of the race onboard as you visit Europe’s host destinations - home to some of the greatest F1 drivers and race tracks in history.

COSTA CONCORDIA - ITALY, SPAIN & MALTA
Departing from the vibrant city of Barcelona, the majestic Costa Concordia calls at charming and cosmopolitan Palma de Mallorca before setting sail for exotic Tunis. La Valetta in Malta will enchant you, then visit the colourful Sicilian destination of Palermo. Civitavecchia is the Costa Concordia’s home from where you can visit Rome and the penultimate port of call is at chic Savona.
Cruise back to Barcelona as you enjoy the outstanding onboard facilities including the Samsara Spa, children’s Squok Club and wide range of restaurants and bars. Departs Barcelona, Spain, on 23 September 2008.

Prices start at £699 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside cabin, cruise-only for seven nights, including all meals.

COSTA SERENA – GREECE & TURKEY
Prepare to be dazzled by the ancient history of Greece and Turkey on this fabulous itinerary! Set sail from the historic town of Bari in southern Italy and cruise to Greece to marvel at the ancient ruins of Olympia. The wonders of Turkey can be discovered from Izmir and Istanbul, where you have the opportunity to visit the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. The Venetian harbour in Dubrovnik will enchant you, before you cruise back to Italian waters to visit romantic Venice and return to Bari.Departs Bari 29 September 2008.

Prices start at £699 per person, on a cruise-only basis, for seven nights, including all meals.

The Grand Prix driving simulator will also be featured onboard the Costa Luminosa and Costa Pacifica, launching June 2009.

For more information, log on to Costacruises.co.uk.