FOUR COSTA SHIPS UNDERGO €15 MILLION REFURBISHMENT

Costa Cruises has spent €15 million refurbishing four of its 12-strong fleet of ships in dry dock.

In addition to technical maintenance, the Italian line carried out on board improvements to the vessels 2,394-passenger Costa Victoria, 1,000-passenger Costa Marina, 3,780-passenger Costa Concordia and 1,680-passenger Costa Classica.

The layout of the public areas and cabins has been restyled, replacing furnishings, carpeting, curtains, fabrics and wall linings.

Old television sets have been replaced with new LCD screens.

On the outer decks, the flooring was replaced with teak.

by Phil Davies

COSTA CRUISES TO SEND THREE SHIPS TO SOUTH AMERICA IN 2008/2009 SEASON

South America is a great place to cruise, and Costa Cruises will increase its presence in South America in the 2008/2009 cruise season by sailing three ships in the area. First, Costa Cruises will send the 86,000-ton Costa Mediterranea to South America with 44 new, exclusive spa accommodations.


The Costa Mediterranea will sail routes to Argentina and will feature a new spa program.


Passengers who book one of 44 exclusive accommodations on the Costa Mediterranea will enjoy privileges including a personalized wellness consultation, three complimentary treatments, two fitness or meditation classes and complimentary access to the Wellness Restaurant, offering a wide array of spa-friendly cuisine. Spa cabins, available in ocean view, veranda and suite categories, will feature aromatherapy diffusers, special shower and air filters, and a mini bar stocked with healthy food and beverage selections. In addition, passengers with these accommodations will be offered priority spa reservation times. The Costa Mediterranea, which has been operating since 2003, features decor inspired by 17th and 18th century Italian noble palazzos. It has a double occupancy capacity of 2,114.


In addition, the Costa Magica and Costa Marina will also sail the region on routes throughout Brazil and Argentina. The 105,000-ton Costa Magica will return to the region on itineraries out of Brazil with weekly routes to Bahia and cruises throughout the Southeastern coast while the intimate, 25,600-ton Costa Marina will sail routes out of Buenos Aires. The Costa Magica entered into service in 2004 and features an interior design that pays homage to the most beautiful Italian places as well as the largest dance floor at sea. It has a double occupancy capacity of 2,720.


The Costa Marina entered service in 1990 and was refurbished in 2002. It features wide windows, skylights and flawless glass atriums that reflect her contemporary design and has a double occupancy capacity of 776.

TWO NEW SHIPS FOR COSTA

Costa Crociere has ordered two new 114,200-ton ships to be delivered in 2011 and 2012. Costa Crociere S.p.A., the Italian subsidiary of Carnival Corporation , signed an agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for the construction of the two new vessels at an all-in cost of approximately euro 1 billion (euro 510 million per ship). The two new ships will be built at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard and be sister ships to Costa Concordia, Costa Serena and Costa Pacifica, the latter of which is currently being built at Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente shipyard. The new ships will each be able to accommodate 3,780 passengers in total (including all upper berths) or 3,012 guests based on double occupancy.

“By ordering two additional ships for our fleet of twelve, plus three ordered previously, we are not only reinforcing our position as the market leader in Italy and Europe, but also responding to the increasing demand for our product from our customers across the globe,” said Pier Luigi Foschi, Chairman and CEO of Costa Crociere S.p.A. “We are very pleased to have Fincantieri build these two new Concordia class ships and to enjoy our continued successful relationship.”Fincantieri’s Chief Executive Officer, Giuseppe Bono, added, “We are most proud to have contributed and to continue contributing to Costa’s growth. The largest cruise operator in Europe, Costa has just celebrated its millionth passenger in the year. I am confident that this alliance will stand the test of time and enable our companies to further consolidate our positions as market leaders in our respective business areas. This new agreement means that over the course of the last year we have gained, in the cruise sector alone, orders for 12 ships, of which 2 options, for a total value of over 5 billion euros.”

The two new ships ordered will offer the same innovative elements featured on the other Concordia class ships including the 23,000 square-foot Samsara spa, which is one of the largest spas at sea, complete with exclusive cabins featuring direct access to the spa and a dedicated restaurant. The ships will also feature two swimming pools with retractable magrodomes, the central one equipped with a giant movie screen and authentic Grand Prix race car driving simulators, which provide the most accurate representation of Formula One driving available. In addition, the new ships will boast 17 additional veranda cabins and an overall total of 1,506 cabins, six more than the other Concordia class ships. The two ships will also feature additional innovations to the spa area as well as upgrades to onboard entertainment for both adults and children and teens, among many other new and unique features.
Costa’s total capacity will increase by 20% (based on double occupancy) with the addition of the two new vessels, confirming the Italian cruiseline’s position as market leader in Europe. The two new orders bring Costa’s fleet expansion programme, which began in 2000, to a total value
of euro 5.5 billion and the total number of vessels introduced between 2000 and 2012 to 13. By 2012, when the last of the new orders is completed, the Costa fleet will be 17 and have a total passenger capacity of approximately 36,700 based on double occupancy. Since 1990 Fincantieri has built 41 cruise ships. This order means that there are now 18 vessels on which construction is in progress or about to start up at the shipyards of Monfalcone, Marghera, Sestri Ponente and Ancona, thereby guaranteeing Fincantieri a market share of45%. These 59 ships have brought the company revenues of over US25 billion dollars. Costa Crociere is based in Italy and boasts 60 years of history. In 2006, Costa Crociere carried a total of 880,000 passengers, a figure which topped the historic 1 million mark in 2007. Its fleet is Europe’s largest and most advanced with 12 ships in service and five on order. By 2012, the Costa fleet will be 17 strong with a total passengers capacity of approximately 36,700. All vessels fly the Italian flag and are deployed in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, South America, Dubai, the Far East and the Indian Ocean.

WHY CRUISE INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO GROW: VAST CHOICES

Cruise travel continues to grow for several reasons, including the fact that many cruisers can drive to their ship, says Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).

Two other reasons: the growing availability of spas and the ability to explore exotic Caribbean destinations.

"One of the important things is no matter what you think you want to do on a vacation, or no matter what you have done and like, you can probably replicate that experience on a cruise," said Bob Sharak, executive vice president of marketing for CLIA.

Twelve ships are taking maiden voyages this year — with several embarking from Southeast ports — and eight new vessels are scheduled to debut next year, according to CLIA.

In the next five years, 40 ships will be introduced, increasing the number of beds from 265,000 to 335,000.

Some of the newest ships offer activities ranging from ice skating to surfing.

Costa and Carnival Cruise Lines as well as Celebrity's new Azamara Cruises brand, have suites next to spas, with perks such as in-room services and restaurants.