Keel laid for new Costa Cruises ship in Italy

[Cruise News, Cruise.co.uk]

Costa Cruises has announced that work is underway on its new ship Costa Fascinosa, with the keel of the vessel being laid at Fincantieri's shipyard in Marghera.

The liner will be the 16th member of the company's fleet and is due to enter service in spring 2012.

Costa Cruises - which claims to be the largest travel group in Italy and Europe's "favourite cruise company" - revealed that Fascinosa will have the capacity to carry up to 3,780 guests.

Also under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard is Costa Favolosa, which is due to debut in July 2011.

Both ships are part of the operator's fleet expansion programme, which began in 2000 with the aim of bringing 13 new vessels into service by 2012.

Costa Cruises operates itineraries all over the world, giving travellers the opportunity to visit around 250 separate destinations in regions such as the Mediterranean, Baltic, Caribbean, South America and the Far East.

[Malcolm, Essex]

There was a time when Costa ships were 100% Italian in design and decor. However Costa Fascinosa and Costa Costa Favolosa are 'Concordia class' ships, based on Carnival's 'Conquest class' ships.

In turn the 'Conquest' design is based on the 'Destiny class'. Got it?

The Conquest-class design was modified from the Destiny-class design by lengthening the ship by around 59 feet which expanded some of the facilities.

The Costa decor is now designed by marine architect, Joe Farcus, who does the Carnival decor. Sun-glasses will almost certainly be required by the passengers.;)