Carnival orders a new cruise ship for the Mediterranean

Carnival Corporation announced an agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for the construction of a new 112,000-ton vessel for its Mediterranean Costa Cruises unit. Delivery is scheduled for Spring 2007. The as-yet-unnamed ship will be a sister ship to the Costa Concordia, which begins a new class for Costa when it debuts in late Spring 2006. The new "Concordia-class" vessels will offer innovative facilities and features, including a wide range of formal and casual dining venues, four swimming pools -- two of which will include retractable domes -- and state-of- the-art telecommunications capabilities. Of the ships' 1,500 staterooms, more than 60 percent will offer either an ocean view or balcony. Including the new Costa ship, Carnival Corporation has 13 new ships under contract and scheduled for delivery between 2005 and 2009.