Smeralda Marks Quantum Leap for Costa
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SHIP REVIEW SMERALDA MARKS QUANTUM LEAP FOR COSTA On a grey December day, the Costa Smeralda sailed from the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland for the warmer waters of the Mediterranean, marking the entry into service of the first LNG-powered ship in the fleet of Costa Crociere. The ship is significant from a technological point of view: It is only the second really large cruise ship to use LNG for fuel and also marks a quantum leap in the size of ships operated by the line. Unlike most other cruise majors such as Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL), MSC Cruises and Genting Hong Kong, the Carnival group had up to this point chosen not to build ships of more than 200,000 gross tons. By Kari Reinikainen Savona is one of the Costa Smeralda’s embarkation and disembarkation ports W CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020 25 24-31 .indd 3 31.1.2020 14.08 Trasvetere he delivery of the Costa Smeralda was postponed twice, Campari Bar suggesting that building an LNG-powered vessel of this size Tis a major challenge, even if the yard in question had built two large LNG ferries before – the pioneering Viking Grace in 2013 and MegaStar four years later. The 182,700 gross ton ship is the first of two similar vessels for the Italian unit of the Carni- val Corporation & plc group; the Costa Toscana is due to follow in October 2021. The ship is the second unit of a class based on a platform shared by four Carnival group companies: Costa Crociere will have two ships and Carnival Cruise Line is also due to have two ships from the Finnish builder. AIDA Cruises in Ger- many took delivery of the AIDAnova, the lead ship of the class, in late 2018 from Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, and has two more vessels due from the same builder. P&O Cruises in the UK is due to receive the Iona, the first of its two ships of this class, from the German builder in the summer. Although the ships feature the same basic design and techni- cal equipment, there are significant differences in the passenger areas and design of public spaces and cabins, which are tai- lored to each brand. These differences are not just cosmetic: On the AIDAnova, the spa was placed forward on deck 7 so that it reached the forepeak; on the Costa Smeralda, this area is not in use for passengers. The design of the Costa Smeralda and its sister ships does not include large indoor promenades or other Gran Bar spectacular areas that would take up lots of space, although the three-deck-high atrium is expansive thanks to the ship’s beam of 42.0 meters. This approach is probably one of the reasons why the per lower berth price tag of the Costa Smeralda com- pares quite favorably with those of some other very large ves- sels currently on order. PRICES AND COST PER LOWER BERTH (LB) OF SOME LARGE CRUISE SHIPS SHIP OWNER GROSS TONS PAX PRICE PRICE/LB Costa Smeralda Costa 185,010 5,224 $1.10bn $210,556 Wonder of the Seas RCCL 225,862 5,400 $1.40bn $256,256 MSC Virtuosa MSC 177,100 4,842 $850m $175,547 MSC Europa MSC 205,700 5,264 $1.13bn $214,665 Global Dream Genting 208,000 4,700 $1.10bn $234,042 Source: Shippax Info, December 2019. Per lower berth cost calculated by CruiseBusiness.com W 26 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020 24-31 .indd 4 31.1.2020 14.08 Large numbers of smaller public venues The ship has 20 decks and 2,612 cabins, 16 restaurants and a total of 10 bars and cafes. The general layout follows a well- established pattern, whereby the principal indoor public areas are located on the boat deck and immediate above and below it. The cabins are located on decks 4 and 5 below the princi- pal public areas, on decks 9 to 14 between the public areas and principal outdoor spaces, and forward on decks 16 and 17. The theatre is located forward on decks 5 and 6 and only runs through two decks. The largest restaurants are located at the stern of decks 5, 6 and 7, while several smaller venues alternate with bars and other public areas on deck 6. A pizzeria and a buffet are located Discover on the uppermost level of the atrium midships on deck 8, with more dining options on deck 16. Cruise ship designers have started to focus more on outer deck space, and on the Costa the silence Smeralda, a bar is located at the stern on deck 7 and on the deck above. A mezzanine also has been provided on both sides of the atrium with dining areas there. A three-deck-high, glass enclosed space that has no roof called Piazza di Spagna – a of the reference to the Spanish Steps in Rome – is one of the visually catching features of the vessel. The spa and the adjacent gym occupy most of the area aft of the midships pool area on deck seas 16. A ship of this size requires efficient links between the various decks, and the Costa Smeralda has three stair towers. The for- ward and midship ones feature eight lifts, while the aft one has six. All three run through decks 5 to 16. W Museum Be it in deluxe cruise ships or offshore platforms, all voyagers and crew members deserve unparalleled safety and comfort. Our marine doors are custom designed to insulate rooms from noises and to block off external disturbances Ristorante Rugantino so that the only thing your guests or crew can fi nd behind the door is an unforgettable experience. www.antti-teollisuus.fi | tel. +358 2 774 4700 24-31 .indd 5 31.1.2020 14.08 Buffet Sagra dei Sapori €6 billion investment program The Beach Club The ship’s engine areas were built at the Meyer group’s Nep- tun shipyard in Germany as large, floating blocks and towed to Finland for insertion into the structure of the vessel. The diesel- electric power plant uses four Caterpillar engines that develop a total of 57,200kW. Two Azipods that deliver a combined output of 37,000kW give the vessel a speed of 21.5 knots. The LNG is stored onboard at a temperature of -162 degrees in three tanks that have a combined capacity of 3,620 cubic meters. Before liquefaction, the gas is treated to remove particles plus nitrogen and sulfur oxides. Particle matter can be eliminated by 95% to 100%, while in emissions of nitrogen oxides there is an 85% direct reduction and in CO2 a reduction of up to 20%. The Costa Smeralda is part of the Costa Group’s fleet-wide expansion plan, with a total of seven new ships slated for deliv- ery by 2023 and an overall investment worth over €6 billion, according to a company statement. Five of these ships will be fueled by LNG. “The Costa Group was the first cruise opera- tor in the world to introduce this ground-breaking innovation in favor of sustainability, which is set to substantially reduce the whole fleet’s environmental impact,” Costa said. The Italian cruise company intends to achieve a 40% reduction in its fleet’s CO2 emissions by 2020, some 10 years ahead of the target laid down by the International Maritime Organization. On account of its environmental performance, which meets current regulatory requirements, the Costa Smeralda has been awarded the Green Plus, the highest additional voluntary nota- tion assigned by the Italian classification society RINA. In addi- tion, most single use plastic items on the Costa Smeralda have been replaced by products made of alternative materials in the bars and restaurants. Once this has been extended fleet-wide, there will be a reduction in consumption of over 50 metric tons of plastic a year. W 28 CRUISEBUSINESS.COM MAGAZINE WINTER 2020 24-31 .indd 6 31.1.2020 14.08 Thalassotherapy Pool International team of architects The interiors on the Costa Smeralda are the result of a proj- ect led by Adam D. Tihany, the American interior designer, with the central idea being to convey and celebrate Italy’s finest all in one location. Tihany led an international team comprising four architectural firms – Dordoni Architetti, Rockwell Group, Jef- frey Beers International and Partner Ship Design – which were called on to design the various areas onboard. “The furnishings, lighting, fabrics and upholstery, and accessories were all made in Italy especially for the new flagship by 15 partners who are all © Norwegian Cruise Line ambassadors of Italian excellence. What’s more, the tribute to Italian design is showcased in the CoDe - Costa Design Museum, the first-ever museum on a cruise ship,” Costa said. The arrival of the Costa Smeralda brings to 29 the number of Scanjet is a trusted supplier of tank level the Costa Group’s ships currently in service. It is the first of the gauging and flooding detection systems company’s ships to be built outside Italy since the Costa Medi- terranea, which entered service in 2003 and was also built in to the world´s leading cruise lines. Finland. Together with the AIDAnova, it is the largest ship in the Costa Group fleet and by far the largest vessel sailing under the Costa Crociere house flag. The Costa Smeralda also marks a clear departure from a trend of gradual evolution of the line’s vessels in terms of size and de- sign. Starting with the 102,587 gross ton Costa Fortuna in 2003, most of its newbuildings – the only exceptions being the two Panamax vessels Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa – have shared platforms with sister brand Carnival Cruise Line, culmi- nating in the 133,500 gross ton Costa Venezia and its yet-to-be- Approved by the major class societies delivered sister ship the Costa Firenze.