Costa Cruises’ new 114,500gt Costa Favolosa was delivered in July, and Costa Fascinosa enters service in spring 2012. These sisterships, which each cost €510 million and can carry 3,800 passengers, bring to nine the number of newbuilds ordered by the company from Fincantieri between 2003 and 2012. This has led to the disposal of older and smaller ships and the start of a fleet renewal programme.
The company is to withdraw its oldest and smallest ship, Costa Marina (1969/25,558gt), on 17 November, with reports suggesting she is heading for Korea. Grand Voyager (2000/24,391gt), which currently sails for Iberocruceros, Costa’s Spanish subsidiary, will assume Costa Marina’s 2012 itineraries in the Red Sea, leaving her the only one of three ships originally planned to sail in the region next year.
Costa Allegra (1969/28,430gt), also a candidate for sale, has been chartered to French operator Taaj Cruises for 2012 and will sail a range of itineraries in the Mediterranean, Atlantic Islands, Norwegian Fjords and Baltic between 26 March and 30 October. Costa has confirmed that Costa Romantica (1991/53,049gt) will undergo a major €70 million refit and remodelling at Genoa’s T. Mariotti shipyard between 28 October and 20 February 2012. Sistership Costa Classica (1991/52,926gt) is expected to undergo a similar refit in 2012/13.
