Costa Deliziosa

Costa Deliziosa in Helsinki, Finland
Career
Name:	Costa Deliziosa
Owner:	Carnival Corporation & plc
Operator:	Costa Cruises
Port of registry:	Italy, Genoa
Ordered:	2007
Builder:	Fincantieri Marghera, Venice, Italy
Cost:	€450 million
Yard number:	Venezia 6164
Launched:	12 March 2009
Christened:	23 February 2010
Acquired:	31 January 2010
Maiden voyage:	5 February 2010
In service:	February 2010
Identification:	Call sign: IBJD IMO number: 9398917 MMSI no.: 247282900
Status:	Operational
Notes:	[1]
General characteristics
Class and type:	Vista/Spirit class Hybrid cruise ship
Tonnage:	92,700 GT 8,000 DWT
Length:	294 m (964.57 ft)
Beam:	32.3 m (105.97 ft)
Decks:	16 (12 for passenger use)
Speed:	21.6 knots (40.0 km/h) (cruising) 23.6 knots (43.7 km/h) (maximum)
Capacity:	2,828 passengers
Crew:	1,100
Notes:	[1]

Costa Deliziosa is a cruise ship operated by Costa Cruises. Ordered in 2007 as part of a five-ship expansion of the Costa Cruises Fleet, Costa Deliziosa was constructed by Fincantieri, launched in March 2009, and handed over to Costa Cruises in January 2010. She is the flagship of Costa Cruises.

Design and construction

The sister ship of Costa Luminosa, Costa Deliziosa was ordered in 2007 from Italian company Fincantieri.^[2][3] The keel was laid down at the company's shipyard in Ancona.^[2] In July 2008, after the keel and first section were completed, they were towed to the Marghera shipyard for further work.^[2] She was launched on 12 March 2009, when water was admitted to the drydock in which she was built.^[4] The ship was handed over to Costa Cruises on 31 January 2010 at the Venice Passenger Terminal.^[5] Costa Deliziosa is the third ship to be delivered by Fincantieri to Costa Cruises in a nine-month period, and one of five new ships to be in service with the company by 2012; a 50 percent expansion in the fleet's passenger capacity.^[5]

The cruise ship is a hybrid design: taking the best elements from the Vista and Spirit class cruise ships.^[6] Costa Deliziosa is 292 metres (958 ft) long, with a beam of 32.3 metres (106 ft).^[2] The ship has a gross tonnage of 92,700.^[7] Up to 2,828 passengers can be carried in 1,130 cabins.^[2][4] The ship has a cruising speed of 21.6 knots (40.0 km/h), and a top speed of 23.6 knots (43.7 km/h).^[2] Around 3,000 people worked on the construction of Costa Deliziosa which cost more than €450 million .^[5]

Christening

Costa Deliziosa was christened at Port Rashid in the United Arab Emirates on 23 February, during her inaugural voyage, which started from Savona on 5 February; the first cruise ship in the world to be christened in an Arabian city. In deference to the Muslim faith of Dubai a bottle of special date juice was used rather than the traditional sparkling wine, champagne, or prosecco usually used to christen ships.^[5][7][8] The christening is hoped to coincide with the opening ceremony for the new Port Rashid cruise ship terminal.^[9]

Operational history

The ship will spend the first part of her career operating on seven-day cruises in the Persian Gulf.^[4][5] During the northern summer, the ship will be relocated to Copenhagen, for seven-day cruises through the Baltic region.^[4][5]

From 28 December 2011, Costa Deliziosa will embark on a 100-day round-the-world cruise.^[10] Departing from Savona, the ship will visit the Caribbean, Los Angeles, Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt, before returning to Italy.^[10]

Similar ships

• Spirit class - a similar class of Panamax ships operated by Carnival Cruise Lines.
• Radiance class - a similar class of Panamax ships operated by Royal Caribbean International
• MV Arcadia - a similar Panamax ship operated by P&O Cruises.
• MS Queen Victoria - a similar Panamax sized ship operated by Cunard Line.
• Vista class cruise ship - a similar class of Panamax ships operated by Holland America Line
• "Signature class" cruise ship - a similar class of Panamax ships operated by Holland America Line
• Coral Princess and Island Princess - A similar set of Panamax ships operated by Princess Cruises
• Costa Luminosa - A Panamax ships operated by Costa Cruises derived from the Spirit Class and Vista Class designs. Sister ship to Costa Deliziosa

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Advanced Masterdata for the Vessel Costa Deliziosa". VesselTracker. 10 May 2011. http://www.vesseltracker.com/en/Ships/Costa-Deliziosa-9398917.html. Retrieved 8 September 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Costa Deliziosa". Ship-Technology. http://www.ship-technology.com/projects/costa-deliziosa/. Retrieved 1 February 2010. 
3. ^ "Costa Deliziosa - Costa Cruises". CruiseCritic.co.uk. The Independent Traveller, Inc. http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/reviews/review.cfm?ShipID=547. Retrieved 1 February 2010. 
4. ^ ^{a b c d} "The Costa Deliziosa completes her technical launch at the Marghera yards" (Press release). Fincantieri. 12 March 2009. http://www.fincantieri.it/cms/data/browse/news/000270.aspx. Retrieved 1 February 2010. 
5. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Niemelä, Teijo (31 January 2010). "Costa Deliziosa handed over". Cruise Business Review. http://www.cruisebusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=932:costa-deliziosa-handed-over&catid=43:latest-news-catecory&Itemid=115. Retrieved 16 February 2010. 
6. ^ "Luminosa joins Costa fleet". Cruise Business Review. 15 May 2009. http://cruisebusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=411:luminosa-joins-costa-fleet&catid=52:gallery&Itemid=28. Retrieved 1 February 2010. 
7. ^ ^{a b} Fincantieri (30 January 2010). "Fincantieri: Costa Deliziosa, the new jewel of the Costa Cruises fleet, is delivered in Venice", Press Release. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
8. ^ Garrison, Linda (29 January 2010). "Costa Deliziosa Christening Event in Dubai". About.com. http://cruises.about.com/od/costadeliziosa/a/costa_deliziosa_christening.htm. Retrieved 24 April 2010. 
9. ^ Maierbrugger, Arno (29 January 2010). "New Port Rashid terminal set to boost Dubai cruise tourism". Gulf News. http://gulfnews.com/business/property/new-port-rashid-terminal-set-to-boost-dubai-cruise-tourism-1.575210. Retrieved 1 February 2010. 
10. ^ ^{a b} Marilyn (9 February 2010). "Costa To Cruise The Red Sea". Holiday Hypermarket (TUI Travel PLC). http://news.holidayhypermarket.co.uk/Costa-To-Cruise-The-Red-Sea-428182643218.html. Retrieved 15 February 2010. 

External links

• Costa Deliziosa webpage at Costa Cruises