Keel laid for new Costa Cruises ship

Costa Cruises new ship Costa Deliziosa is currently under construction in Fincantieri’s shipyard in Marghera, a province of Venice. Costa Deliziosa will be the 15^th ship in the fleet following its introduction in spring 2010.

The keel of Costa Cruises new ship has been laid in the last couple of days. This procedure includes the first section that is 100 metres in length, which was built in the Ancona shipyard and towed to Marghera.

The Costa Deliziosa will have a gross tonnage of 92,700 and will carry 2828 guests. At the same time as Costa Deliziosa is being constructed, three other new Costa Cruises ships are being constructed in Fincantieri’s yards.

In addition to the Costa Deliziosa, the Italian ship builder is finishing the Costa Luminosa and Costa Pacifica (total guest capacity 3780 and 114,500 gross tonnage), the 13^th and 14^th members of the fleet, which are being fitted out in Marghera and Genova-Sestri P. and will be delivered to Costa Cruises in spring 2009.

It is an exciting time for Costa Cruises with a fleet expansion program that includes the introduction of 5 new ships by 2012, all built in Italy by Fincantieri. The total investment from Costa Cruises is around 2.4 billion Euros.

There will be a two further ships entering service in spring 2011 and 2012, in addition to Costa Pacifica, Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa. By 2012 the Costa Cruises fleet will be 17 strong and able to carry some 46,400 guests, a 50% increase on current capacity.