GENOA, Italy and TURKU, Finland, Jan.
15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Costa Cruises, the
Italian company of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL;
NYSE: CUK), the world's largest cruise company, today celebrated
the float-out ceremony of the new flagship Costa Toscana at
the Meyer shipyard in Turku,
Finland.
Costa Toscana, as her sister ship Costa Smeralda, is powered by
liquefied natural gas (LNG), the marine industry's most
advanced fuel technology currently available for reducing
emissions, both at sea and during port calls. Costa Group, which
includes Costa Cruises, Germany-based AIDA Cruises and Costa Asia, was
the first in the cruise industry worldwide to introduce this
technology, having ordered five new LNG-powered ships,
two of which, Costa Smeralda and AIDAnova, have already entered
service. They are part of an expansion plan that includes seven
new ships to be delivered to Costa Group by 2023, for a total
investment of more than six billion
euros.
During the float-out ceremony, Costa Toscana officially touched
the sea for the first time, with the flooding of the basin where
she has been built in recent months. She will enter service in
December 2021, once the interior
fittings have been completed.
Mario Zanetti, chief
commercial officer of Costa Cruises and president of Costa Group
Asia, commented: "Despite the current challenging scenario,
Costa Group is confirming its investment in fleet expansion. We are
confident in the recovery of our industry, and we are excited about
the arrival of new ships like Costa Toscana, which embodies the
elements we want to focus on for the future. First of all, it is an
excellent and innovative ship, attractive for new customers, which
is going to be fundamental, especially when people will be able to
freely travel again and will have a great desire for holidays.
Looking beyond the pandemic, the second element we are focusing on
is to complete the transformation of our fleet and operations into
a sustainable model. In addition to LNG technology, we are
developing other innovative solutions, such as shore power and
batteries, as we continue to work towards achieving zero emissions
over time."
"The float-out is always a very special occasion for us
shipbuilders, as the ship is finally set to her natural
environment. As this is also the start of the final stage of
shipbuilding, all the exciting colors, venues and features will
start taking their final form. In the coming months she will be
finalized at the pier and then tested and commissioned in the
autumn for delivery," CEO of Meyer
Turku, Tim Meyer,
said.
Costa Toscana has been designed to be a traveling "smart
city," where sustainable solutions and circular economy
concepts are applied to reduce environmental impact. Thanks to the
use of LNG, it will be possible to virtually eliminate
emissions of sulfur dioxide (zero emissions) and particulate
matter into the atmosphere (95-100% reduction), while also
significantly lowering emissions of nitrogen oxides (direct
reduction of 85%) and CO2 (up to 20%). On board, special
desalinisation plants will process seawater directly to meet
daily water supply requirements, and energy consumption will be
reduced to a minimum thanks to an intelligent energy efficiency
system. In addition, 100% separate collection and
recycling of materials such as plastic, paper, glass and aluminum
will be carried out on board, as part of an integrated approach
aimed at supporting circular economy projects.
The new flagship is a tribute to Tuscany, the result of an extraordinarily
creative project, curated by Adam D. Tihany, designed to
enhance and bring to life in a single location reflecting the best
of this wonderful Italian region, which gives its name to the ship,
its decks and main public areas.
Tihany has worked with an international pool of prestigious
architectural firms – Dordoni Architetti, Jeffrey Beers
International and Partner Ship Design – to design the different
areas of the ship. All the furnishings, lighting, fabrics and
accessories are made in Italy,
whether standard produced or designed specifically for the new
flagship by 15 partners who are highly representative of Italian
excellence.
The facilities on board will fit perfectly into this
extraordinary setting: from the Solemio Spa to the areas dedicated
to entertainment; from the themed bars, in collaboration with major
Italian brands, to the 16 restaurants and areas dedicated to the
"food experience," including the restaurant dedicated to
families with children, and the LAB Restaurant, where you can try
your cooking skills under the guidance of Costa's chefs.
The "heart" of the new flagship will be the "Colosseo," a space
in the centre of the ship spread over three decks, dedicated to the
best shows. The big screens, positioned both on the walls and on
the dome, offer the possibility of creating a different story in
every port of call and in every moment of the holiday.
Also not to be missed is the large stairway on three decks
facing astern: the ideal place for entertaining guests, both young
and old, with an open-air balcony on the top deck featuring a
crystal floor that lets you experience the thrill of "flying" over
the sea.
To relax and enjoy the sun there will be four swimming pools,
one of which will be indoors with salt water, with a new beach
club, which will recreate the atmosphere of a real bathing
establishment.
Comfortable and elegant, the more than 2,600 cabins on
board perfectly reflect Italian style and taste. The "Sea Terrace"
cabins will offer a beautiful veranda where you can have breakfast,
sip an aperitif or simply enjoy the view.
Costa Toscana will make its debut in Brazil in the 2021-22 season. In particular,
the inaugural New Year's Eve cruise will depart from Santos on
Dec. 26, 2021, with a week-long
itinerary visiting Salvador and
Ilhéus, and returning to Santos on Jan. 2,
2022. From Jan. 2 to April 10,
2022, Costa Toscana will offer another 15 cruises with the
same itinerary, embarking in Santos and Salvador. The 15 cruises also include the
Carnival and Easter departures, which will be the ship's last
cruise before the Brazil-Italy
crossing, departing from Santos on April 17,
2022.
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SOURCE Costa Cruises