Costa Cruises’ 15th Ship, Favolosa, Launched in Italy

Costa Cruises’ newest ship, the Costa Favolosa, took to the sea for the first time on Friday, Aug. 6, at a ceremony held at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard. The 114,500-ton, 3,000-passenger Favolosa will sail on its first cruise in July 2011. It is the fourth of five ships delivered or set to be delivered between 2009 and 2012 for Costa. The total investment in the five new ships is worth 2.4 billion euros. In spring 2012, the Costa Fascinosa, a sister ship to Favolosa, will complete Costa’s fleet expansion program.

The construction of each newbuild involves the labor of around 3,000 people, comprising Fincantieri’s own employees and those of about 500 contracted suppliers, most of which are Italian firms. In overall terms, the fleet investment program launched in 2000 by Costa Crociere S.p.A. Group (comprising Costa Cruises as well as the German AIDA Cruises and Iberocruceros, which operates mainly for the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking markets) is worth some 9.3 billion euros.

The ceremony for the launch of the Costa Favolosa observed the protocol laid down for such occasions by seafaring tradition. The director of the shipyard invited the godmother, Beatrice Siri, to cut the ribbon, sending a bottle of champagne against the bow of the ship. Siri, new building and special projects deputy of Costa Cruises, has been directly involved in the construction of the fleet’s last six ships, including the Costa Favolosa.

On March 8, she received the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic from the president of the republic, Giorgio Napolitano. After the opening of the valves and the gradual flooding of the slipway where the ship has taken shape over the last few months, the hull of the Costa Favolosa was transferred for the first time to the sea. The launch was preceded by the welding of a coin to the base of what used to be the mainmast in a ceremony traditionally considered to augur well.

As the name suggests (Favola is Italian for “fairy tale”), the Costa Favolosa is intended to interpret the excitement and emotion of people who view the cruise as a magical voyage in a contemporary enchanted castle. The main innovations onboard include six suites with private verandas and Jacuzzis; a new entertainment area for teenagers, comprising 4D Cinema, PlayStation World, a bar with ice cream, drinks and popcorn, and a dance floor; a children’s game room; and a new open-air water playground with a pirate galleon. Facilities will include the Samsara Spa; a large lido extending over two decks, with a sliding glass roof and giant movie screen; a Grand Prix driving simulator; and a golf simulator.

The Costa Favolosa will be equipped for “cold ironing,” a system whereby the ship is plugged into shoreside electrical power, enabling generators to be shut down during stopovers in port.

The Costa Favolosa is set to debut on a three-day cruise departing from Venice on July 4, 2011, and calling at Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Koper, Slovenia. This will be followed by a grand inaugural cruise, which leaves Venice on July 7. This 10-day cruise will visit Israel, Greece and Turkey with stopovers in Bari, Corfu, Haifa, Izmir and Dubrovnik. Throughout the 2011 summer season, the Costa Favolosa will offer seven-day cruises from Venice and Bari, Italy, to Olympia, Greece; Izmir and Istanbul, Turkey; and Dubrovnik, Croatia.