Costa Cruises, part of Carnival Corporation & plc, has officially taken delivery of its new ship, the Costa Firenze, designed and built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera and inspired by the Florentine Renaissance. The event was held virtually today.
The Costa Firenze is the fourth ship in the company's strategic plan, which includes the delivery of seven new ships to the Costa Group by 2023, representing a total investment of over €6 billion. Eleven of the fourteen ships currently operating in the Costa Cruises fleet were built by Fincantieri, confirming the strong relationship between the two companies and making a significant contribution to the Italian economy by guaranteeing employment for thousands of people at the shipyards and in external companies, primarily involved in interior design.
“The delivery of the new Costa Firenze is a sign of hope and a restart for the tourism and cruise sector. This ship demonstrates, in the most tangible way, the Group’s intention to restart our operations. We hope that people will be able to travel again soon and that more ships will be able to set sail again soon, thus contributing to the revitalization of tourism in Italy, Europe, and around the world,” said Michael Thamm, Group CEO of Costa Group and Carnival Asia. “Looking beyond the pandemic, Costa’s goal is to design a sustainable, zero-emission cruise future, and we hope that our long-standing relationship with Fincantieri will allow both companies to work together on a roadmap toward this ambitious and essential objective.”
Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, stated, “Costa Firenze is the third cruise ship we have delivered since September, and we are pleased that its name evokes one of the most popular art cities in Italy and the world. This delivery is an important milestone, as it demonstrates that the company is returning to normal production levels. Furthermore, I would also like to emphasize that Fincantieri’s economic and financial situation has not changed significantly compared to what we reported in previous quarters. The company has thus demonstrated its resilience, avoiding order cancellations and strengthening our relationships with cruise industry clients. We are a growing company that has gained an international reputation, which facilitates development and allows us to maintain an order book that guarantees long-term visibility with opportunities to increase efficiency, productivity, and profitability.”
“Costa Firenze is an excellent ambassador of Italian style, bringing distinctive Italian taste to seas around the world, from Europe to Asia,” commented Mario Zanetti, Chief Commercial Officer of Costa Cruises and President of Costa Group Asia. “The Costa Firenze concept is inspired by an iconic city that represents Italian art, taste, and sophistication in the collective imagination of the world. We have designed this ship to offer our guests a unique experience, especially families, with a specific offering of entertainment and services.”
The interior design of the Costa Firenze is a tribute to the Tuscan city, the cradle of Renaissance art and culture. The public areas evoke the harmony of a stroll through a Florentine street or square, even down to the choice of colors. The culinary offerings are based on great Mediterranean cuisine, with a wide variety of options thanks to the 13 bars and 7 restaurants on board the Costa Firenze. The ship is perfect for families thanks to its dedicated offerings and innovative leisure activities, such as a genuine onboard amusement park.
When designing the Costa Firenze, the company also paid special attention to sustainability. The Costa Firenze's excellent environmental performance has been recognized by the international certification organization RINA with Green Star 3, a voluntary certification that considers the main aspects of the ship's environmental impact and requires the highest levels of protection and prevention (waste, greywater, blackwater, machinery oil, CO2, ozone, greenhouse gases, particulate matter, sulfur oxides, nitrogen, ballast water). In addition to rewarding compliance with a series of environmental sustainability standards, the certificate also recognizes the operating procedures implemented voluntarily, both during the ship's construction and during its voyages, with the aim of exceeding the environmental protection requirements of international regulations.
The ship will sail in the Mediterranean in 2021, offering two different one-week itineraries in the Western Mediterranean. After October 2021, the ship will move to Asia to join its sister ship, the Costa Venezia, also built by Fincantieri at the Moncalfone shipyard, which has been operating since March 2019.
