Page 35: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 1997)

Outstanding Cruise Ships of 1996

INSPIRATION

In a discuskinn of his company's latest new- build, Costa CSjeiere Chairman Dr. Nicola

Costa said that theShip's name, Costa Victoria, expresses the confident® with which his compa- ny operates in the EuropeSn market.

After Bremer Vulkan receded the order to build the ship in late 1993, the y*jrd and three additional companies, namely LloyH^Werft in

Bremerhaven, Schichau Seebeckwerft akdSTN

Atlas Elektronik, began a collaboration topco- duce the 823.4-ft. (251-m), 74,000-gt liner.

The ship's main lobby spans a height of seven decks and is capped by a glass dome. At the bow of the vessel is an observation lounge which affords excellent ocean views. This ship is the only vessel in the cruise line's fleet equipped with two dining rooms, an indoor pooj and a refrigerator and mini-bar in every s^gtte- room.

Costa Victoria was constructed witi^a modu- lar building assembly, with the Bpraier Vulkan shipyard and Schichau SeeJ^ck yard each building one half of the shin^rom different sec- tions. The final assemj^fy took place in the building dock of the isremer Vulkan yard in

Vegesack in Bremenr The engine room section, fitted out under adver in the hall, was carried to the building ^ck with a heavy lift transport system. Hydraulic presses then pushed the vol- ume sections together on special slideways.

In the ship's hull, further engine units and the propulsion unit were completed at the same time as other fitting-out operations. The power system provides current for the two propulsion engines of the ship, and the power station consists of six diesel generators, producing a total of 50,400 kW.

STN Atlas

Elektronik supplied the propulsion unit and the electronic equipment for t ship's managemp^lf systems. The company metalled a bpdge from which the communica- tions^nd/^iavigation technology can be con- trolled/rram a single workstation. This ship control cente^s^as designed to guarantee a high jgree of operational safety.

As its part in the stlic construction process, the Lloyd shipyard fitted oh^the passenger and crew areas of Costa Victoria^&Qer completing mock-ups of every cabin type. In Ms^l996, the vessel was blasted with final coats of^aint in the Lloyd building dock, and shortly thereafter completed its second trial run.

Making its American debut, Costa Victoria sailed into New York Harbor on Oct. 31, 1996, and was greeted at Battery Park by fireboats spraying water, as it made its way to the city's

Passenger Ship Terminal.

This call was part of an inaugural 18-night, transatlantic voyage which began in Genoa,

Italy, on Oct. 20. The ship's seven-night

Caribbean cruises, which set sail from Fort

Lauderdale, Fla., began on Nov. 10. The ship also sails 16-night eastbound transatlantic voy-

Costa Victoria is escorted by a tug during a latter construction phase. ages to

Genoa, Italy, and seven-night cruises from

Venice to Greece and Turkey.

The Bremer Vulkan companies have reported- ly received a follow-up order to Costa Victoria — a 78,000-ton cruise ship to be delivered to

Costa Crociere in July 1997.

Costa Victoria Main

Particulars/Machinery length 823.4 ft. (251 m)

Width 105.8 ft. (32.2 m)

Draft 25.5 ft. (7.8 m) ^sjonnage 74,000 gt

Speod 23 knots

Propulsion ...(2) electric motors, 15,000 kW each lotal power oOtptjt ... 50,400 kW

Passengers 2,250

Crew V 80

Classification society .. .. Registro Italiano Navole

Order value $300 M

Builder Bremer Vulkan consortium

Owner Costa Crociere

Delivery date June 1996

N«me Inspiration

Shipyard Kvaerner Masa Yards

Owner^v Carnival Cruise Lines

Delivery 12J

Charged wi^h build-ing Cshmival Cruise LSjes'

Fantasy class liners,

Feb. 22, 1996, Kvaerner]

Masa-Yards' Helsinki Nj

Shipyard deluded

Inspiration, ttyr sixth superliner o^^ight-ship series fcp^the Florida- basedijtfmpany.

Fantasy, Esctasy and fensation were delivered in 1990, 1991 and 1993.

Fascination was delivered in 1994, and Imagination was honoredXas one of

MR /SiV^CJutstanding

Cruisp<5hips of 1995 after i^^felivery that year.

While these ships share same main character- istics^! build, the public areas o^hese 2,600-pas- senger linefc^ are unique in design.

Following the fantasy mold, Carnival's finest newbuild of this class a diesel-electric AC-A< powerplant consisting of six diesel generators and two cycloconverter-con- trolled electrical propul- motors.

The total onboard power developed is 42,240 kW (57,400 hp), which propels the ship at a service speed of 22.3 knots.

After being handed over to Carnival in early 1996,

Inspiration journeyed to

Miami via Brixham, U.K.

Soon after the 852-ft. (260.6 m), 70,367-gt cruise vessel was deployed in weekly cruises in the

Southern Caribbean from

San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Sisterships Elation and paradise will join liration and complete the^Hantasy class in 1998.

Name Costa Victoria

Shipyard Bremer Vulkan

Owner Costa Crociere

Delivery June 1996

L February, 1997 35