Order made to Fincantier.

"Scheduled for completion in 2006, the new building will be bigger than the Costa Fortuna, currently the largest ship in the history of Italian seafaring, which entered into service in November 2003.
The Board of Directors of Costa Crociere has approved a memorandum for the construction of a new ship to be commissioned from Fincantieri. The value of the investment is about 450 million euros, and building work is due to commence this spring.
The new vessel will be built in Genoa, at the Sestri Ponente shipyards.
The name of the new ship has not yet been announced. Set to join the fleet in the summer of 2006, she already boasts an impressive set of vital statistics: 112,000 gross tonnage, 290 metres in length, 1,502 cabins and total guest capacity of 3,800. This means she will outstrip both the Costa Fortuna, the present flagship of the fleet, which entered into service in November 2003, and the Costa Magica, the sister ship currently under construction in the same yard in Sestri Ponente.
Once the new vessel is complete, then, she will become the biggest passenger ship in the history of Italian seafaring."

Source: www.costacruise.com

[ 01-19-2004: Message edited by: Peter P ]

quote:

---

Fincantieri secures Costa order
19/01/2004
Costa Crociere has ordered a new flagship from Fincantieri. Slated for delivery in June 2006, she will be 112,000gt with 1,502 cabins. At 290mtr, the newbuild will be some 17 mtr longer than the 1,358-cabin Costa Fortuna which entered service at the end of last year.
Like Fortuna and sister Costa Magica, scheduled for delivery this November, the newly ordered ship will be built at Sestri shipyard. Particular attention has been paid in the design to make the ship suitable for year-round cruising in the Mediterranean. Highlights will include a 1,900sq mtr wellness area arranged on two decks – making it one of the largest of its kind – and two (out of a total of four) swimming pools fitted with sliding roofs enabling use in any weather. Costa is the first operator to deploy a post-Panamax ship on winter itineraries in the Med.

This latest order will push Costa's lower berths on offer over the 21,000 mark while the company’s recent newbuilding programme totals just under €2bn for five ships, three of which already delivered.

---

It will come to a point where there will be nothing to differentiate themselves from themselves and we will be left with dozens upon dozens of ships that all look exactly alike.

[ 01-19-2004: Message edited by: dmwnc1 ]

quote:

---

Originally posted by dmwnc1:
I know it is more cost effective to build ships this way, but at what cost? Like I mentioned before on another posting...

It will come to a point where there will be nothing to differentiate themselves from themselves and we will be left with dozens upon dozens of ships that all look exactly alike.

[ 01-19-2004: Message edited by: dmwnc1 ]

---

If it is a Grand Class, I will be very disappointed. Where is the differentiation between cruise lines? It's getting to the point where one size fits all, just change out the funnel. At the rate the cruise industry is going, it won't be long before it's right up there with the airline industry. A couple manufacturers of hardware, with a few models and sizes to choose from, and only the logo and interior fitting out is different. Sad.

Ernie

=============

Fincantieri secures Costa order
19/1/2004

Costa Crociere has ordered a new flagship from Fincantieri. Slated for delivery in June 2006, she will be 112,000gt with 1,502 cabins. At 290mtr, the newbuild will be some 17 mtr longer than the 1,358-cabin Costa Fortuna which entered service at the end of last year.
Like Fortuna and sister Costa Magica, scheduled for delivery this November, the newly ordered vessel will be built at Sestri shipyard. Particular attention has been paid in the design to make the ship suitable for year-round cruising in the Mediterranean. Highlights will include a 1,900sq mtr wellness area arranged on two decks – making it one of the largest of its kind – and two (out of a total of four) swimming pools fitted with sliding roofs enabling use in any weather. Costa is the first operator to deploy a post-Panamax ship on winter itineraries in the Med.

quote:

---

eroller posted:
This does not fit the profile of either the Grand or Conquest Class. I can't see how an additional pool on the Conquest Class could be enclosed, based on the layout of the deck area. It would be much easier to enclose a second pool on the Grand Class... probably the forward lap pool.

---

Found this from Fincantieri's site:

quote:

---

The new Costa Crociere ship - technical facts & figures
Ø Gross tonnage 112,000
Ø Length 290.2 m
Ø Breadth 35.5 m
Ø Total passengers 3,800
Ø Crewmembers 1,090
Ø Maximum speed 23.2 knots
Ø Service speed 19.6 knots
Ø Total cabins 1,502 comprising:
§ 920 (61%) oceanview:
• 10 Panorama Suites with veranda
• 42 Suites with veranda
• 14 Demi-Suites with veranda
• 505 with verandas
• 349 with windows
§ 582 interior
Total cabins with veranda: 571 (38% on total cabins)

---

[ 01-27-2004: Message edited by: Keitaro ]

quote:

---

Costa Announces Construction of Its Biggest Ship Yet

On January 19, Carnival-owned Costa Cruises (800/462-6782,
www.costacruise.com) announced it had signed a letter of intent with
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri to construct a 112,000- ton vessel for
delivery in summer 2006. Able to carry 3,800 passengers, the new
vessel will be the largest passenger ship ever operated by an Italian
company, easily eclipsing the two ships Costa launched in the past
year: the 85,000-ton, 2,112-passenger CostaMediterranea and the
105,000-ton, 2,720-passenger CostaFortuna. CostaMagica, a sister ship
to Fortuna, is currently under construction at Fincantieri and is
expected to enter service in November 2004.

A new class of vessel for the line, the as-yet-unnamed 112,000-ton
ship will reportedly offer one of the largest health and wellness
centers at sea, plus a state-of-the-art telecommunications system that
will enable guests to use their cell phones while at sea. Ringers off,
please.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by eroller:
It's getting to the point where one size fits all, just change out the funnel. .

---

Once Carnival purchased all of the worlds major cruise lines, homogenization of products was always the next logical step, from a business point of view. It represents economies of scale. Why design different ships for different brands, when a cosmetic job will be enough to fool the general cruising public.

quote:

---

Originally posted by lebelty:
I got an email today about this new build and it said that she was going to be a new class of shps, maybe she's the prototype of vessel fro Carnival.

tyler

---

The proto-type vessel for Carnival is expected to come in at 180,000gt so I don't think that is the case. Carnival does consider the CONQUEST to be an entire new class of ship, so I'm think Costa does as well and this is probably a Conquest Class ship. I'm surprised at the small percentage of balcony cabins though. I will have to compare that with CARNIVAL CONQUEST. I'm also curious which other pool will be enclosed, and how they will do it? The open decks on CONQUEST are very open, and it doesn't seem that easy to enclose on unless they redesign the entire deck.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:

Why design different ships for different brands, when a cosmetic job will be enough to fool the general cruising public.

Yes, it is sad!

---

Of course that is the cheapest solution, but then why buy all the brands in the first place if you are just going to homogenize them? Eliminate the competition I guess? In the long run I think it jeopardizes the integrity of the brand and eventually consumers may figure it out. Why pay thousands more to sail on QUEEN VICTORIA when you can have the same basic ship as CARNIVAL SPIRIT? Service and food you ask? Well, my experience has led me to believe it's far better on Carnival.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Keitaro:
From a "insider" source I got, the new class of ships will indeed be a NEW class...

---

Interesting. It would really surprise me that Carnival Corp. would design a completely new ship just for Costa. This has not been their policy as of late using Carnival Cruise Lines designs for Costa.

I wonder if it will be truly a new class, designed from scratch, or just a hybrid of an existing class that they are calling a new class? In either case, I can't see any new ship having such a low percentage of balconies. That part doesn't make sense.

quote:

---

Originally posted by eroller:
In either case, I can't see any new ship having such a low percentage of balconies.

---

I think it is much less than, say, on the SPIRIT-class ships (newer design).

PASSENGER CABINS

Penthouse (with balcony): 10
Suites (with balcony): 42
Cabins (with balcony): 504
Cabins (outside with window): 351
Cabins (standard inside): 676
Total cabins: 1,483
Outside cabins ratio: 61%

FORTUNA-class:

PASSENGER CABINS

Penthouse Suites : 8
Suites : 42
Standard cabins (inside) : 506
Standard cabins outside (with balcony) : 472
Standard cabins outside (with window) : 331
Total cabins : 1,359
Outside cabins ratio : 62.7%

[ 01-29-2004: Message edited by: Keitaro ]

CONQUEST
TTL Cabins: 1483
I/S: 576 39%
O/S: 907 61%
BAL: 556 37%

FORTUNA
TTL Cabins: 1359
I/S: 506 37%
O/S: 853 63%
BAL: 522 38%

COSTA NEWBUILD
TTL Cabins: 1502
I/S: 582 39%
O/S: 920 61%
BAL: 571 38%

Based on this information the figures for the Costa Newbuild are VERY close to CARNIVAL CONQUEST. I'm thinking this is just a Conquest Class with a number of modifications to suit Costa. Maybe they are calling it an entire new class?

quote:

---

Originally posted by cruiseny:

I think it is much less than, say, on the SPIRIT-class ships (newer design).

Does anyone have those figures on hand?

---

CARNIVAL SPIRIT
TTL Cabins: 1062
I/S: 213 20%
O/S: 849 80%
BAL: 750 71%

Huge difference bettwen the Spirit Class and Conquest Class. No wonder I much prefer the Spirit Class.