The Italian cruise ship company Costa Crociere is market leader in Italy and Europe and looks back on a 60-year tradition. In 2008 alone, approximately 1.2 million guests spent their holidays aboard Costa vessels, a peak in the European cruising industry. Costa owns the largest fleet of cruise ships in Europe. Up to 2012, the Costa fleet is scheduled to grow to 16 vessels with a total capacity for passengers of 45,000 persons. All ships sail under the Italian flag and head for 250 destinations every year, in the Mediterranean, Northern countries, the Baltic States, the Caribbean, South America, Dubai and the Arab Emirates, in the Far East and in the Indian Ocean.