Costa Crociere S.p.A., Italy’s largest tourism group and Europe’s no. 1 cruise company, has placed a new order with Fincantieri S.p.A. for the construction of a new cruise ship.

The new ship ordered today, with a gross tonnage of 132,500, 3,700 lower berths, 4,928 total capacity and 1,854 cabins, will be the largest Italian cruise ship and the 10th ship ordered from Fincantieri by Costa Cruises in the past 10 years. The new flagship in the Costa fleet and the Italian passenger fleet will be built at the Fincantieri in Marghera (Venice), for a total ship owner’s all-in cost of approximately €150,000 per lower berth. Delivery is planned for October 2014. The new ship will be an innovative evolution of the "Concordia-class”, developed by integrating and improving the main features of the latest successful Costa ships entered into service. This new ship order is subject to financing.

At the same time Costa Crociere S.p.A. also announced the sale of the Costa Marina, which has been in service for more than 20 years, and as of November 2011 will no longer be part of the fleet.