During a low-key event that was oceans from
Costa Cruises' trademark fireworks-laden christening spectaculars, the line
named its newest ship today in Venice.
Elsa Gnudi, the daughter of Italy's minister of tourism, Pier Gnudi, served as
godmother of the 114,500-ton, 3,000-passenger Costa Fascinosa, the debut of
which marks the first major step forward for a company still coming to terms
with its part in the worst cruise ship disaster in a century.
During a poignant moment, Fascinosa cruise-director-turned- master-of-ceremonies
Stefhane Codeluppi called for a minute of silence to remember the 32 people who
perished after Costa Concordia capsized off the coast of Tuscany in January.
Still, despite this year's tragic back
story, Costa executives expressed optimism over the future of the brand. In a
press release, Costa's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Pier Luigi Foschi,
said the company has "bounced back" and that "booking volumes are back to the
same levels recorded this time last year."
"Our share of the market in the main countries where we operate has not been
affected. We were, are and will remain number one in Europe," he stated, adding
that Costa's fleet expansion will continue. Its next new ship is scheduled to
launch in fall 2014.
The line also used the day to introduce a number of new safety initiatives,
focusing on passenger training, bridge management and pre-voyage navigation
plans -- three areas under intense scrutiny in the Concordia investigation.
Among other plans, Costa said it will launch a new real-time route-monitoring
system. Concordia's captain, Franceso Schettino, is accused of taking the ship
on a dangerous unauthorized path in order to "salute" the residents of Tuscany's
Isla Giglio. The ex-captain has claimed repeatedly that his superiors told him
to take the course as a means to garner publicity for the line.
Costa will also adopt a new bridge
management model, and strengthen policies that regulate the bridge. Schettino,
who remains under house arrest on charges including manslaughter, causing a
shipwreck and abandoning ship, was allegedly distracted by bridge guests at the
time of the accident.
Costa's own announcements come just over a week after the cruise industry's
largest organization, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA),
revealed a number of safety-related prescriptions targeting similar areas of
concern.
Fascinosa's cruises 10-night Eastern Mediterranean with calls in Greece, Israel
and Turkey. |
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