Costa Cruises announces new safety procedures

Costa Cruises has introduced a number of new safety measures in the wake of the Concordia disaster.

At the launch of its newest vessel, the $510-million Costa Fascinosa, the company said it is implementing seven new procedures to ensure “the highest safety standard before departure and during the cruise”.
They include emergency training for all guests before the ship leaves port, and the introduction of a real-time route monitoring system.

Changes have also been made to encourage greater shared responsibility, with more crew members allowed to issue orders. The ship’s navigational plan will also be shared with staff during a pre-departure briefing.

They follow new regulations announced last month by the European Cruise Council and the US-based Cruise Lines International Association, restricting visits to the bridge and requiring ships to carry more lifejackets.

Costa Cruises faced criticism following the Concordia disaster on January 13, which resulted in the deaths of at least 32 passengers. The ship ran aground after sailing too close to the island of Giglio, off the coast of Tuscany. Francesco Schettino, the captain, deviated from the ship’s approved route to “salute” the residents on the island.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, it also emerged that safety drills had not taken place prior to the ship’s departure from Civitavecchia.

Meanwhile, the chief executive of Costa, Pier Luigi Foschi, has said that the company is prospering, despite the disaster. He said this weekend's launch of Costa Fascinosa was "an important stepping stone on our company’s road to recovery". He added that booking volumes were at the same level as last year.

Fascinosa will spend the summer sailing from Venice and Bari to Greece and Croatia, before heading to South America in the winter.

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Costa Fascinosa Set for Delivery

Charm and elegance for the new Flagship

Fincantieri will deliver the 114,500-ton Costa Fascinosa to Costa on May 5 at Venice. The ship has completed sea trials and is now in the final fitting out process.

Costa Fascinosa represents an investment of 510 million euros by Carnival Corp. The ship was built by Fincantieri at their Marghera yard and utilized the services of some 500 Italian suppliers and 10,000 workers.

Costa's next ship will be a 132,500-ton vessel also built by Fincantieri for delivery in October 2014. When delivered, the as-yet-unnamed ship will be the largest vessel flying the Italian flag.

With the natural elegance of a diva and the charm of a work of art, Costa Fascinosa is the rising star of the Costa fleet. Enriched with precious and sparkling materials, its environments are inspired by the seductive atmospheres of great historic films, the protagonists who made them famous and the works that brought success to the most celebrated theatres in the world.

Aboard Costa Fascinosa you will experience the greatest thrills of the big screen and the new adventure that is about to begin: your next cruise, brimming with wonderful atmospheres and authentic cinematic locations!

A new adventure is coming....

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