Page 37: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (March 1992)

The Costa Classica, built by Fincantieri.

OUTSTANDING CRUISE SHIPS - A SHOWCASE -

The growth of cruise passen-ger shipping, thought by some industry analysts in 1980s to be short-lived, has main- tained its strong pace for over a decade. According to statistics re- leased by the Cruise Lines Interna- tional Association (CLIA), which represents 35 major cruise opera- tors (about 95 percent of the capac- ity operating out of North America), the cruise shipping market has ex- perienced an annual growth rate of 9.8 percent since 1980. Over the same period, capacity has risen by an annual rate of 8.3 percent.

CLIA projects passenger shipping to increase by a whopping 12.1 per- cent in 1992 and an additional 7.8 percent in 1993.

In order to attract first-time and repeat passengers, many cruise lines are introducing trend-setting new tonnage. The following select port- folio of award-winning "Outstand- ing Cruise Ships," as chosen by the

March, 1992 editors of MARITIME REPORTER, represents some of the most luxuri- ous, precedent-setting, and innova- tive tonnage introduced in the last year by the major cruise lines.

COSTACLASSICA

Fincantieri

Circle 29 on Reader Service Card

CostaClassica's designers and architects spared no expense in de- signingthe 1,300-passenger, 50,000- ton vessel. Built at a cost of $325 million by Italian builder Fincan- tieri's Marghera shipyard for Costa

Cruise Lines, the CostaClassica re- cently entered service, making seven-day cruises in the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

According to Costa Cruise Lines, the 718-1/2-foot CostaClassica's tra- ditional sleek exterior lines set the tone for a vessel that blends Euro- pean style and quality with state-of- the-art technology. The ship's inte- riors were designed by the renowned

Italian architectural firm Gregotti

Associati.

Extensive use of quality materi- als and refinements carry the con- temporary elegance theme through- out the ship—six-foot gesso statues displayed in an elegant garden set- ting, floors made from Carrara marble, hand-made ceramic tiles, teak decks, $20 million in commis- sioned art and artistic furnishings, and tables set with fine crystal and china.

Positioned in the top of the mass market and the lower luxury mar- ket, the 1,300-passenger liner de- parts each Saturday from Ft. Lau- derdale on alternating westbound and eastbound Caribbean cruises.

Both itineraries have been specially designed for year-round, seven-day sailings, calling at Ocho Rios, Grand

Cayman, Playa del Carmen and

Cozumel on her westward trip and

San Juan, St. Thomas and St.

Maarten on her eastward venture.

With a crew of 650, she has 654 cabins located on 10 passenger decks.

Part of Costa Cruise Lines' "Euro-

Luxe Cruises," the CostaClassica will be joined by the smaller 800- passenger CostaAllegra later this year, and her sister, the

CostaRomantica, in late 1993.

Business amenities aboard the ship include a 1,520-square-foot con- ference area, conveniently located in the center of the ship, designed to be flexible with one conference room seating 150 people, plus three 234- square-foot breakout rooms, each accommodating up to 30 people.

Main propulsion for the 20-knot

CostaClassica comprises four Sulzer 8ZAL40S medium-speed engines with a combined output of 28,800 bhp. Auxiliary power is supplied by four 3,660 kw gensets driven by 12- cylinder GMT A320 engines. 37

The Ecstasy, built by Kvaerner Masa Yards