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I finally found them on the Costa Australia website!
Here is the link:http://costacruises.com.au/resource/Concordia.pdf
Other than the enlargement of the spa, the center dome over the pool, and a few internal changes to to some lounge arrangements, I don't see very much difference to CARNIVAL CONQUEST. This is definitely a Conquest Class ship through and through ... and that means she will feel VERY crowded when full.
Costa boasted about the ship having special "Spa Cabins" which I thought were supposed to have their own elevator. I don't see the private elevator, and the cabins don't look like anything special except they happen to be close to the spa.
Ernie - feeling like he did when first laying eyes on COSTA ATLANTICA .... disappointed because it was no different than a Carnival ship.
As regard to the Spa Cabins, i noticed in the fore section on Deck 10, there is a spiral staircase that leads to the Spa above. I bet Costa/Carnival decided an elevator is too expensive and opted for stairs instead .
quote:Originally posted by eroller:Ernie - feeling like he did when first laying eyes on COSTA ATLANTICA .... disappointed because it was no different than a Carnival ship.
If the cruise line is using a modified 'class' of vessel to save expense of designing a totaly new ship, there is hardly any point of them making any very many dramatic changes. It defeats the object.
More to the point it does not make for very exciting ships.
Costa Concordia is basically a Conquest class ship designed to operate year round in the Mediterranean.
The Samsara Spa cabins (categories SI-SU) includes inside, outside, balconies, minisuites and suites accomodations. The only difference with the other categories is the flat screen tv.
The guests of this cabins enjoy some privileges:
-Some special treatments at the Samsara Fitness center (tea ceremony, two free passes for the UVB solarium, thalosseterapy).
Costa claims that the Samsara Fitness Center is the largest ever built on a cruise ship.
-A reserved table at the Samsara Restaurant, with healthy menus.
The Samsara Restaurant is located on Belgio Deck, midship and it comprises two wings, adiacent to the Roma Restaurant.
The prices required for the Samsara cabins are quite high.
So Costa Concordia will be a sort of two classes ship.
Having said this I think that Costa Concordia will never be my favourite ship.
She is just an evolutionary version of the 1996 built Carnival Destiny, a project quite dated now, but very successfull for Carnival Corp.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------that is very tru, imagine a design that started in 96 and this is 2006....10 years of the same basic design jus that they..lengthened and widened the vessels as time passed....Destiny class..then Conquest class (lengthened and widened)..then Fortuna class(replace whale tail with a yellow can) now concordia which is jus slightly bigger than the conquests *shakes head*cruiseshipluver
quote:Originally posted by Italian Cruiser: Costa claims that the Samsara Fitness Center is the largest ever built on a cruise ship.-A reserved table at the Samsara Restaurant, with healthy menus.The Samsara Restaurant is located on Belgio Deck, midship and it comprises two wings, adiacent to the Roma Restaurant.The prices required for the Samsara cabins are quite high.
Thanks for the info. That helps explain it a little. My understanding is the next Carnival ship (CARNIVAL FREEDOM) will incorporate all the same changes as the CONDORDIA.
We wouldn't want Carnival and Costa to offer anything different would we?
Ernie
Italianliners
quote:Originally posted by Italianliners:I know that my words doesn't count too much, but i think that Costa does not exist anymore. Italianliners
Italianliners, I don't know why you would say that. Of course your words count, just as much as any of the rest of us. Besides, I agree with everything you said!
Onno: It is easy to find the bow: The pointy thing....O.K. forget it.
[ 01-22-2006: Message edited by: Ernst ]
quote:Ernst wrote:...Why is there then no observation lounge?
Because their market research tells them they don't need one.
******
Cheers
quote:Originally posted by bulbousbow:Because their market research tells them they don't need one. ******Cheers
I know - this is why I tell them that I want one!
(....giving the fact that I am always alone up there they are somehow right...)
quote:Originally posted by Italianliners:I know that my words doesn't count too much, but i think that Costa does not exist anymore. All her ships are from Carnival, and the 5 true italian ships soon will be sold or transfered to others companies. When this happen, Costa will became a true copy of Carnival, but with yelow funnels, because the ships already are the same shi...!Italianliners
As said by eroller your words count italianliners !
I agree with your comments.
The only good thing about the newbuildings in the Costa fleet is the huge number of cabins with private balconies.
Having said this their interiors haven't anything in common with the classic fleet.
I believe that, Costa Victoria apart, all the older cruise ships will leave soon the fleet or moved elsewhere.
The first step was the transfer of Costa Tropicale to P&O Australia.
The second step is the deployment of Costa Allegra to the Far East.
What about the third step ?
Maybe the sale of Costa Marina ?
She is the smallest ship in the fleet, not the older one (Costa Europe is slighty older) but still retains the original engines of her former life as a container ship.
About the " Carnivalization " of Costa Cruises I can say that at the moment it involves just the interiors of the ship and the art auctions.
Having said this I can confirm that Carnival Cruises itself offers a far better product than Costa.
The only difference is that the cuisine of Costa has a little more taste (but Carnival offers more and more choice) and that Italian (as other european languages) is spoken onboard.
Carnival has better shows and better service.
Just an example: on Costa the room service is extra charge, on Carnival is complimentary.
And above all, 'the real Costa' already 'died' (better: changed) with the introduction of the Marina,Allegra, Classica & Romatica - maybe already with the 'US version' introduced aboard the Costa Riviera . Don`t get me wrong: The Classica and Romantica are nice ships - but they were substantially different to the ships Costa had at this time - more different than the Destiny/Vista(Spirit) Class ships are compared to them now.
quote:Originally posted by eroller:My understanding is the next Carnival ship (CARNIVAL FREEDOM) will incorporate all the same changes as the CONDORDIA.
Pam
quote:Originally posted by PamM:These plans have been out quite a while now, wasn't aware they weren't online. Pam
Hi Pam, In the US they are still not published in any brochure, or available on the website. The Costa Australian site was the first I've seen of them.
quote: Ernst wrote : it seems as if they have in mind to position her in the Med all yea
it seems as if they have in mind to position her in the Med all yea
Indeed, according to the french brochure Concordia will spend the 2006/2007 winter in the Med.
Costa Concordia is still the (not so) good ols same Destiny class barely modified. She is already an old ship even before she leaves the yard.The ten years old Costa Victoria was in fact designed at the same period : the early 90's.
The worst of all is that Carnival Corp has already planned to add new Destiny/Conquest ships to their fleets at least untill 2008 !
I think it's a lack of respect for their customers.
For all those on the other side of the Atlantic who may still have false ideas about Costa : this brand is now nothing more than the Carnival Cruise line mass market product marginally adapted to the European market needs. That's all.
And MSC takes the same way. They should be considered as the european RCCL : the main competitor to Costa on the Euro mass market.
quote:Pascal wrote:For all those on the other side of the Atlantic who may still have false ideas about Costa : this brand is now nothing more than the Carnival Cruise line mass market product marginally adapted to the European market needs. That's all.
Well said Pascal!
quote:Originally posted by PamM:How come Costa Concordia is in dry dock at Palermo this week?Pam
How do you know that? Did you see her there?
[ 04-17-2006: Message edited by: Ernst ]
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