Costa Cruises
Costa Crociere S.p.A., operating as Costa Cruises, is an Italian cruise line founded in 1854 and organized as a wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc since 2000. Based in Genoa, Italy, the cruise line primarily caters to the Italian cruise market, but the company's fourteen ships, which all sail under the Italian flag, provides itineraries sailing to countries globally.
History
Founded in 1854 by Giacomo Costa as Giacomo Costa fu Andrea, the company originally operated cargo ships, carrying olive oils and textiles. In 1924, the company was passed to the founder's sons and started commercial activities, buying the ship, Ravenna. In 1947, the name of the company was changed to Linea C.Commercial activities continued for one more year until 1948, with the introduction of passenger services, beginning with regular services between Italy and South America operated by the ship, Anna C. She marked the start of scheduled operations between Italy and South America after being the first ocean liner to cross the South Atlantic Ocean following World War II.
In 1959, the company gradually transitioned into offering more pleasure holidays, with trips being offered in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean regions. Linea C proceeded to take ownership of its first purpose-built cruise ship in 1964 and went on to own 12 more ships by 1980, making the company the owner of the world's largest fleet of passenger ships. In 1986, Linea C changed its name to Costa Cruises and became a cruise-centered business.
In March 1997, Carnival Corporation and Airtours PLC purchased Costa Cruises for $300 million. At the time, Costa Cruises had been the leading European cruise line, with an estimated market share of 19%. Carnival and Airtours both acquired 50% each of the company.
As subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc
In 2000, Carnival Corporation fully acquired Costa Crociere after Carnival bought out Airtours' 50% interest in Costa for $525 million. In 2002, Carnival Corporation and P&O Princess Cruises merged to form Carnival Corporation & plc, bringing together both companies' assets under one corporation. As of 2018, Costa accounted for approximately 12% of Carnival Corporation & plc's revenue.In 2004, Costa Crociere purchased control of AIDA Cruises in Germany. In 2007, Carnival Corporation and Orizonia Group created Ibero Cruises in a joint venture. Ibero was absorbed into Costa Cruises in 2014.
In 2012, the company gained international attention when Costa Concordia ran aground and capsized off the coast of Italy on 13 January 2012. Thirty-two people died in the disaster. Six weeks later, the company made headlines again when a fire on Costa Allegra left it drifting without power for 13 hours in waters near Somalia frequented by pirates, before the ship was taken under tow.
In February 2018, Costa announced its partnership with football club, Juventus.
In December 2019, Costa debuted Costa Smeralda and became the second cruise line to operate a cruise ship fully powered by liquefied natural gas, after AIDA debuted one year earlier. Costa Smeralda is to be joined by her sister LNG ship, Costa Toscana, in 2021. On 30 January 2020 Costa Smeralda was quarantined along with some 6,000 passengers at the Italian port of Civitavecchia following two suspected cases of Covid-19.
Market position and demographics
As of 2015, Italians accounted for 25 to 30% of bookings on most Costa cruise holidays, followed by the French, the Germans, and the Spanish. North Americans only made up approximately between 5 and 15% of the passengers aboard most ships. English is also mandated as the "universal" language on every Costa ship, and all crew members are required to be able to communicate in it.During an interview with Travel Pulse in 2015, Scott Knutson, vice president of sales and marketing for Costa Cruises North America, shared his thoughts on Costa's position in the cruise industry and its ways of adapting to an international audience:
The most important thing to keep in mind is that we are an international product. We are uniquely positioned as the only international brand that hasn’t adapted its product to the American market. That authenticity allows us to go to a certain segment of the market. It’s those vacationers who like the international experience—the food, the wine, the service.
Fleet
Current fleet
Classica class
Atlantica">Spirit class cruise ship">Atlantica class
Fortuna (Triumph)">Destiny class cruise ship">Fortuna (Triumph) class
Concordia">Concordia class cruise ship">Concordia class
Luminosa">Vista class cruise ship">Luminosa class (Hybrid Spirit/Vista Class)
Diadema (Dream)">Dream class cruise ship">Diadema (Dream) class
Venezia (Vista)">Vista-class cruise ship (Carnival)">Venezia (Vista) class
Excellence">Excellence-class cruise ship">Excellence class
Future fleet
Former fleet
Accidents and incidents
See also Carnival Cruise Line's accidents and incidents for incidents associated with the parent company's other cruise operations.MV ''Bianca C.'' fire and sinking
On 22 October 1961, Bianca C. was off Grenada when an explosion occurred in the engine room. Two crew members died in the explosion and the ship subsequently caught on fire. Local fishermen helped rescue the passengers and crew, but as the local authorities did not have the equipment to extinguish the fire, the ship was left to burn until the British frigate arrived from Puerto Rico. The burning ship was in the main anchorage and would block the harbour if it sank there, so the Londonderry towed it to a different location where the Bianca C. sank on 24 October 1961.''Costa Concordia'' capsizing
On 13 January 2012, Costa Concordia ran aground off Isola del Giglio in Tuscany. The ship capsized and partially sank, killing 32 people. In 2014, the ship was parbuckled and refloated with caissons, and in July 2014, she was towed to the Port of Genoa over a period of five days, where it was dismantled and eventually scrapped. The total cost of the disaster was estimated to be over $2 billion.On 11 February 2015, the captain at the helm during the sinking, Francesco Schettino, was found guilty by an Italian court of multiple manslaughter, causing the shipwreck, and abandoning his passengers. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison. An Italian appeals court on 31 May 2016 upheld the 16-year prison sentence.
''Costa Allegra'' engine room fire
On 27 February 2012, Costa Allegra suffered an engine room fire and went adrift in the Indian Ocean. After several days adrift without power, the ship was towed to the Seychelles island of Desroches, but was unable to dock there. She was then towed to Mahé, Seychelles, where the passengers disembarked. No casualties were reported.On 9 March 2012, it was announced that Costa Allegra would not return to service with Costa, and she was given to Themis Maritime Ltd ship company. In late 2012, Costa Allegra was beached at Aliaga, Turkey, for scrapping.