Costa Cruises has put down a long-term marker in the Dominican Republic. The Italian line has signed a ten-year agreement with Central Romana Corporation covering fly & cruise operations at La Romana, signed at an industry event in London with Dominican tourism minister David Collado in attendance. Central Romana also recently sealed a matching ten-year deal with AIDA Cruises, so La Romana now anchors two major European cruise brands' Caribbean programmes well into the 2030s.
For Costa, the appeal is predictability. Daniel Caprile, the line's vice president for pricing, itineraries and transportation, said the deal gives years of cooperation with La Romana a stable framework, allowing ships, flights and shore services to be coordinated further in advance. In practice, that means package guests fly straight into La Romana and step aboard shortly after landing — the Caribbean holiday starts at the airport rather than after a transfer.
So what do you actually get if you book? For winter 2026-27, Costa Fascinosa sails two one-week round-trip itineraries from La Romana, combinable into a fortnight. The Antilles Collection hops between Barbados, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Guadeloupe and Tortola — a proper sweep of the Lesser Antilles. The Caribbean Heart route stays closer to Dominican waters, calling at Catalina Island, Cabo Rojo and Samaná plus Turks & Caicos. Costa also touts its exclusive 'Sea Destinations' stops — quieter anchorages like Catalina Bay, Guadeloupe Bay and a spot the line calls the Caribbean Sea Darkest Spot — rather than only busy ports.
Why does this matter if you're planning a Caribbean winter break? Fly & cruise packages bundle the long-haul flight with the sailing, which removes the usual multi-leg hassle of reaching a Caribbean embarkation port. A decade-long commitment also suggests reliable flight scheduling and consistent ship deployment from La Romana, useful if you like to book early. And the Dominican east coast adds a bonus: La Romana sits near Punta Cana's beaches and the resort area of Bayahibe, so a pre- or post-cruise stay is an easy add-on.
