Passengers on board Costa Cruises' new flagship, the Costa Diadema, will be able to enjoy a high end motorsport experience, thanks to a Cruden Hexathrill Full Formula Style race car simulator.

The 4,947-passenger ship, nicknamed 'Regina del Mediterraneo' (Queen of the Mediterranean), was christened at a ceremony in Genoa, Italy, on November 7.

The simulator is the same equipment used by professional race car drivers to improve their skills, and is part of the ship's plentiful entertainment provision.

"A simulator is a great idea for a cruise," said Frank Kalff, commercial director at Cruden.

"Drivers can only get better and better the more they practice; a seven-day cruise is therefore ideal for both novice and more experienced racers looking for an adrenalin rush and a great holiday challenge."

Leaving from Savona, Costa Diadema's seven-day cruises in the western Mediterranean Sea, call every week at Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Naples and La Spezia, allowing guests to visit cities such as Florence and Naples, Barcelona and Marseille, in a single cruise.