Costa Crociere S.p.A. is the largest Italian group in Tourism, based in Genoa. The brands Costa Crociere, AIDA Cruises and IberoCruceros belong to Costa Crociere S.p.A. and include a total of 27 ships in active service and 4 on order. The ships currently in service fly the Italian flag and operate in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, the United Arab Emirates, the Far East and the Indian Ocean.
Costa Crociere S.p.A. is part of Carnival Corporation & plc, world leader in the cruise industry, and is a member of the prestigious World's Leading Cruise Lines, an association of the world's most important cruise companies.
The Company, turnover and significant figures
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- Costa has the biggest and the most modern fleet of all European cruise operators: 15 ships with a capacity of 40.800 total guests. Another 2 ships are foreseen to be delivered within 2012 and 2014. They will bring the Costa fleet to a total number of 17 ships and to a total passenger capacity of 50.000. From 2000 to 2012 Costa Crociere will invest around 6 billion Euros for new ships, 5 of which only in Italy.
- In 2008 Costa Crociere appeared in the Mediobanca classification, carried out on 3,700 Italian companies, which considers the best companies that reached a turnover exceeding 50 million Euros in the latest fiscal year. Costa reached the 72nd position per turnover and the 12th position per profitability.
- Costa Crociere is an international company with offices in 27 cities in 14 different countries: Genoa, Bari, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Linz, Zurich, Brussels, Lisbon, Miami, Buenos Aires, Sao Paolo, Rio de Janeiro, Manila, La Romana (Dominican Republic), Hong Kong and Shanghai.
The company is able to count on a young and international staff: 80% of Costa's 19,000 employees - consisting of about 18,000 onboard and 1,000 ground staff - are under 40 years old and come from 70 different countries.
- In 2008, 98% of all passengers were satisfied clients.
There are 80,000 Travel Agencies working with Costa Crociere all over the world.
- Costa Crociere is RINA certified with the B.E.S.T. 4 (Business Excellence Sustainable Task), an integrated system of voluntary certification of corporate compliance with the highest international standards involving social accountability (SA 8000), environment (UNI EN ISO 14001), safety (OHSAS 18001) and quality (UNI EN ISO 9001).
- Costa Crociere is the first company in the world that was awarded by RINA with the voluntary "Green Star" notation for the whole fleet. The assignment of the Green Star means that RINA has certified that all Costa's vessels are operated in an environmentally responsible manner and help protect the air and sea in the areas where they sail. The Green Star notation is based on the highest environmental protection standards for the prevention of pollution of the marine environment and it is actually stricter than the prevailing provisions of the international MARPOL convention.
- Since July 2005 Costa Crociere has been supporting the W.W.F. (World Wildlife Fund) Italia) for the protection of three of the most precious and endangered marine Ecoregions in the world: the areas of the Mediterranean Sea, the Greater Antilles, and north-eastern Brazil. Costa Crociere' s commitment is aimed at providing every passenger with informative and educational material. Furthermore, targeted operations will be carried out by WWF ITALIA in the three Ecoregions, thanks partly to the financial support of its new partner Costa Crociere and all its Guests.
In 2000 Costa Crociere launched a programme to enlarge its fleet, involving an investment of
about 5.5 billion Euros over a thirteen-year period:
- In July 2000 the Costa Atlantica came into service (2,680 total guests), built in the Finnish Kvaerner Masa Yards shipyard, the ship that marked the beginning for the substantial increase programme of the Costa fleet.
- In April 2001 the Costa Tropicale came into service (with a tonnage of 36,000 tons and a passenger capacity of 1,411 total guests), given to P&O Australia in October 2005.
- In April 2002 the Costa Europa came into service (1,830 total guests).
- On 22nd May 2003 the Costa Mediterranea, twin sister of the Costa Atlantica, was delivered.
- On November 14th, 2003 the Costa Fortuna was delivered, the first of the two ships with a tonnage of 102,600 tons, with a passenger capacity each of 3,470 total guests, ordered to Fincantieri of Genoa Sestri Ponente.
- On 29 October 2004 the Costa Magica, the sister of the Costa Fortuna, was delivered.
- In July 2006 the Costa Concordia came into service, a new ship with a tonnage of 114,500 tons and with a passenger capacity of 3,780 total guests, the first of three twin ships to be built at Fincantieri Yard of Genoa Sestri Ponente.
- In May 2007 the Costa Serena, the new twin sister ship of the Costa Concordia, was delivered to the company. The Costa fleet therefore reaches 12 ships with a total passenger capacity of 29,400.
- At the end of April 2009 the Costa Luminosa, a new ship with a tonnage of 92,600 tons and with a passenger capacity of 2,826 total guests, will come into service. It is being built at Fincantieri Yard in Marghera.
- At the end of May 2009 the Costa Pacifica, twin sister of the Costa Concordia and of the Costa Serena, will come into service. Within the end of 2009 the Costa fleet will reach 14 ships with a total passenger capacity of about 36,000 guests.
- In January 2010, Costa Deliziosa, the second ship with a tonnage of 92,600 tons and with a passenger capacity of 2,826 total guests, will join the fleet. The Costa fleet will therefore reach 15 ships with a total passenger capacity of about 38,800 guests.
- In spring 2011 the new ship of the “Concordia” class, Costa Favolosa come into service.
- November 2011 come in service Costa Voyager (24.000 tons and 927 total guests);
- In spring 2010 will come in service Costa Fascinosa, twin of Costa Favolosa;
- October 2014 will come in service a new ship (132.500 tons and 4.928 total guests capacity).
The Costa fleet will reach a total of 17 ships with a total passenger capacity of about 50,000 guests.
Aida Cruises - Iberocruceros
AIDA CRUISES is the leading cruise company of the German market. At present 7 AIDA ships are in active service: AIDAcara, AIDAvita, AIDAaura, AIDAdiva, AIDAbella, AIDAluna with a total capacity of 15,000 guests (in double occupancy cabins). Another 4 ships are on order and will come into service in spring 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016. AIDA ships are marketed in German speaking countries and are known for their young style and informal service. (www.aida.de)
IBEROCRUCEROS, the new brand of Costa Crociere, created in September 2007, operates exclusively in the Spanish market, currently with 4 ships, the Grand Mistral, the Grand Voyager, the Grand Celebration and the Grand Holiday.
