Costa Crociere SpA, the leading cruise operator in Europe, will be offering cruises with departures from Dubai Cruise Terminal starting from December 2006. The move by the Italian group which operates the brands AIDA Cruises and Costa Crociere followed a series of official meetings in Dubai. The new cruises will be offered through the 2006/2007 winter season, with departures on Fridays and Saturdays. A total of 25 departures and 70,000 passengers are forecast.