Costa Fascinosa Explained
Costa Fascinosa is a that was ordered in October 2007 for
Costa Crociere. Based on the
Concordia-class design,
Costa Fascinosa was constructed by
Fincantieri's
Marghera shipyard in Venice. Part of a five-ship expansion of the Costa Crociere fleet, the vessel entered service on 6 May 2012. She was Costa Crociere's
flagship until entered service.
Design and construction
Costa Fascinosa and sister ship were ordered in October 2007 as part of a 2.4 billion euro expansion of the Costa Crociere fleet, with five ships entering service between 2009 and 2012 to increase the company's passenger capacity by 50%.[1] [2] Costa Fascinosa cost 510 million euro to build.
The names of the two ships were selected via competition.[1] The first phase saw 16,000 pairs of names submitted by travel agents and their customers from around the world, after being asked to suggest names as part of the send us a sea of names project.[1] These names were to evoke the idea that the ships were "magical" and "glamorous" places.[1] 25 name pairs were shortlisted and placed on the company's website, where over 42,000 visitors voted on their favourite.[1] Favolosa (Italian for "fabulous") and Fascinosa ("fascinating" or "glamorous") were selected as the winning name pair.[1]
The vessel is based on the design already in service with Costa Crociere.[3] Upon completion, the vessel measured 114,500 gross tons.[1] She carries up to 3,780 passengers in 1,506 cabins; six more than previous Concordia-class ships.[1] [4]
Costa Fascinosa is the sixteenth ship in service with Costa Crociere.[1] She was laid down on 3 September 2010 and was delivered to Costa Cruises on 5 May 2012.[5]
Operational history
Costa Fascinosa entered service on 6 May 2012, sailing on a preview cruise before entering regular service on 11 May, cruising to the eastern Mediterranean.[6] She was transferred to South America in November 2012, before returning to the eastern Mediterranean for the summer 2013 season.[6]
Bardo National Museum attack
See main article: Bardo National Museum attack. On 18 March 2015, Costa Fascinosa was in port along with in Tunis when gunmen opened fire on tourists at the Bardo National Museum, including several on a tour bus from Costa Fascinosa. Five passengers from the ship were killed, eight passengers were injured.[7]
2020 COVID-19 pandemic
See also: COVID-19 pandemic on cruise ships. On 11 April 2020, after the disembarkation of the ship, 19 crew members tested positive of COVID-19.[8] On 16 April, the head doctor of the cruise ship died,[9] and as of 21 April, a crew member also died in Brazil hospital.[10]
Notes and References
- Web site: Costa Favolosa and Fascinosa . 3 November 2010 . 16 February 2010 . Cruise Industry News.
- News: Costa Deliziosa handed over . Niemelä . Teijo . 31 January 2010 . Cruise Business Review . 16 February 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212018/http://www.cruisebusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=932%3Acosta-deliziosa-handed-over&catid=43%3Alatest-news-catecory&Itemid=115 . 8 July 2011 .
- Web site: Company profile . Costa Cruises . 16 February 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130514135252/http://www.costacruisesasia.com/B2C/AUS/Corporate/The+company/aboutourselves/aboutourselves.htm . 14 May 2013 . dead .
- Costa Crociere orders two new cruise ships from Fincantieri . Costa Cruises . 18 October 2007 . 16 February 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140221214403/http://www.costacruise.com/B2C/USA/Info/two_new_cruise_ship.htm . 21 February 2014 . dead .
- Web site: Costa Fascinosa Delivered to Costa Cruises Today in Venice, Italy - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News . Cruise Industry News . 2012-05-05 . 2016-01-28.
- Web site: Italy: Fincantieri's Marghera Shipyard Delivers Costa Fascinosa . Shipbuilding Tribune . 7 May 2012 . 17 May 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131222232116/http://shipbuildingtribune.com/2012/05/07/italy-fincantieris-marghera-shipyard-delivers-costa-fascinosa/ . 22 December 2013 . dead .
- Web site: Walker . Jim . Terrorists Kill Tourists as Costa Fascinosa and MSC Splendida Visit Tunis . cruiselawnews.com . 18 March 2015 . 15 January 2020.
- Web site: 19 Filipino Crew Members Test Positive for COVID-19 on Costa Fascinosa | Crew Center. crew-center.com.
- Web site: Head Doctor Aboard Cruise Ship with COVID-19 Outbreak Dies. The Maritime Executive.
- Web site: Costa Fascinosa Crew Member Dies in a Hospital in Brazil | Crew Center. crew-center.com.