Costa Luminosa in Helsinki, 29 June 2015

Costa Luminosa

IMO 9398905
Built 2009, Fincantieri Marghera, Italy
Tonnage 92 700 GT
Length 294,00 m
Width 32,25 m
Draugth 8,00 m
2 260 passengers
6 MaK diesels, combined 64 000 kW
2 azipods (?)
3 bow thrusters
Speed 21,6 knots

The Costa Luminosa is a regular caller at Helsinki, but it seems it was last featured on this blog back in 2011. So it's high time for a rematch. The photos here show the Costa Luminosa departing Helsinki Länsisatama (West Harbour) on the evening of 29 June 2015. Photographed, as per the usual, from Sisä-Hattu. Click on the individual images to see them in larger size.

The Vista-class remains one of my favourite modern cruise ship designs. Though admittedly the original, more heavily terraced aft design was superior.

Rose bushes remain highly picturesque foreground objects.

As do the rowan and... whatever the tress on the right is called in English bushes.

Nice.

And naturally the traditional shot with The Photogenic Tree must be included.

And a parting shot with red granite.

Next time: Azores

Costa Pacifica in Helsinki, 9 May 2013

Costa Pacifica

IMO 9378498
Built 2009, Fincantieri Sestri Ponente, Genoa, Italy
Tonnage 114 000 GT
Length 290,20 m
Width 35,50 m
Draugth 8,20 m
3 800 passengers
6 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 75 600 kW
2 azipods
3 bow thrusters
1 stern thuster
Speed 19,6 knots

Nothing much say about the Costa Pacifica. She was the fourth unit of the Concordia-class to be built, but the third delivered to Costa Cruises (as the third unit in the class was built for Carnival Cruise Lines).

Yesterday, the Costa Pacifica opened the summer cruise season in Helsinki's West Harbour. For some reason she departed already at 13.00, which meant one could photograph her from Hernesaari without taking images against the light.

Unfortunately the Pacifica had come to port stern first, and hence it was impossible to get a bow view from Hernesaari.

The angular look of the Fincantieri-built Costa/Carnival ships doesn't quite fit Costa's funnel stylings.

Next time: Aranda.

Costa Voyager in Helsinki, 15 June 2012

Costa Voyager

IMO 9183506
Name history: Olympic Voyager, Olympia Voyager, Voyager, Grand Voyager, Costa Voyager
Built 2000, Blohm & Voss Hamburg, Germany
Tonnage 24 391 GT
Length 180,40 m
Width 25,50 m
Draugth 7,30 m
840 passengers (lower berths), 920 passengers (maximum)
4 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 37 800 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
Speed 28 knots

The Costa Voyager made her maiden visit to Helsinki a month ago. She was not originally slated to visit the area this year, but following the fire of the Costa Allegra, the Costa Voayger was moved to take over the Allgera's itineraries. The Costa Voyager was built in 2000 as the Olympic Voyager, the first newbuilt ship for Royal Olympic Cruises (formed in 1997 in a merger of Epirotiki Lines and Sun Line). The Olympic Committee objected to the use of the term "olympic" in the name and the company was rebranded as Royal Olympia Cruises in 2002. In 2004 the Olympic Voyager became the Olympia Voyager to match the rebranding.

However, Royal Olympia Cruises went bankrupt already in 2004. The Olympia Voyager passed on to V-Ships and was chartered to Iberojet Cruceros of Spain as the Voyager (although marketed as the Grand Voyager). In the end of 2005 the ship was renamed Grand Voyager. In 2007 Iberojet Cruceros became Iberocruceros, a joint venture between Carnival Corporation & plc and Orizonia Corporation. In 2011 the Grand Voyager was tranferred within the Carnival group to Costa Cruises, becoming the Costa Voyager.

The photographs below show the Costa Voyager passing through the Kustaanmiekka Strait in Helsinki on the afternoon of 15 June 2012. Click on the images to see them in larger size.

According to my friend Bruce Peter, this is another one of those Knud E. Hansen -designed things. Quite sleek, but then again it is designed to run at 28 knots.

Based on the markings on the superstructure, the ship seemed to be doing this cruise under charter to Taaj Cruises - whoever they are.

In the strait, with JT Line's local ferry Amiraali in the foreground.

Outbound, following in the wake of the Azamara Journey.

Costa Luminosa in Helsinki, 3 August 2011

Costa Luminosa

IMO 9398905
Built 2009, Fincantieri Marghera, Italy
Tonnage 92 700 GT
Length 294,00 m
Width 32,25 m
Draugth 8,00 m
2 260 passengers
6 MaK diesels, combined 64 000 kW
2 azipods (?)
3 bow thrusters
Speed 21,6 knots

Costa Luminosa (again) departing from Helsinki West Harbour (again), photographed from Sisä-Hattu (again). Never the less, I think you people will like these images (I know for certain that Tero will). Click on the individual images to see them in larger size.

Maybe it's the fact that it's a Costa ship, but to me this image looks like it could be from the Mediterranean, not late-summery Helsinki (of course, the Baltic Princess in the background gives the truth away).

Why should the ship always be the centerpiece? In actual fact, this one to me looks like it could be from a cruise line's promotional brochure.

Bulrushes, very nautical.

More bulrushes and a finnish granite beach, sculpted by centuries of ice. Okay, I'm starting to sound like a travel advertisement for Finland. I'll stop now.

That tree is just fantastically shaped to give backdrops (or father, frontdrops) for photography.

Costa Luminosa in Helsinki, 23 June 2011

Costa Luminosa

IMO 9398905
Built 2009, Fincantieri Marghera, Italy
Tonnage 92 700 GT
Length 294,00 m
Width 32,25 m
Draught 8,00 m
2 260 passengers
6 MaK diesels, combined 64 000 kW
2 azipods (?)
3 bow thrusters
Speed 21,6 knots

There's very little new to say about the Costa Luminosa. She's been a common visitor in Helsinki during this summer. The photographs below show her departing from Helsinki west harbour on 23 June 2011. Photographed from Sisä-Hattu. Click on the individual images to see larger size.

Costa Luminosa at quay, with Superstar passing her. A slight difference in size, don't you agree?

Pulling away from the cruise quay at Hernesaari.

Windy days attract sailboats. Sadly, the barges used for deepening the sealane are less photogenic.

Elegant profile... though the aft superstructure is perfance a bit too built-in.

And then onwards to the open sea.

Costa Concordia, 27 May 2009

Costa Concordia

IMO 9320544
Built 2006, Fincantieri Sestri Ponente, Genoa, Italy
Tonnage 112 000 GT
Length 290,20 m
Width 35,50 m
Draugth 8,05 m
3 800 passengers
6 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 75 600 kW
2 azipods
3 bow thrusters
1 stern thuster
Speed 19,6 knots

Costa Concordia is another modern mega-ship belonging to a ship class consisting of several different ships. But with Costa Cruises we're entering into muddy waters on how to define a class. Most Costa ships built since the the line was taken over by the Carnival Corporation have been built to a similar or identical design as those built for Carnival Cruise Line, and there are several variations of each design, often indistinguishable from the others. So the Costa Concordia is either the lead ship of the Concordia-class, an extended version of a Fortuna-class ships or an enlarged Triumph-class ship - take your pic. Regardless of the class, she has the angular design that has mostly been a trademark of Carnival Cruise Line, but with Costa's bold-upright funnel (which are often referred to - at least in Finland - as "toilet paper rolls" due to their shape).

[Edit 14. January 2012] The Costa Concordia sunk near the Isola del Giglio on the night between 13 and 14 January 2012. The ship hit a sandbank or a reef shortly after departing Civitavecchia, which tore and 30-meter hole in her hull and the ship begun listing. She eventually capsized and partially sank later during the night, fortunately after evacuation had been completed. At the time of writing three people have been confirmed to have died, but search for possible missing persons is ongoing.

Photographs below show the Costa Concordia shortly after departure from La Goulette, Tunisia on 27 May 2009. Photographed from onboard MSC Sinfonia. Click on the image(s) to view full size.

Passing MSC Sinfonia (no foghorns this time), La Goulette in the background.

Personally I actually rather like the shape of the aft of the ship, even if the front isn't that neat.

Turning further on the shipping lane out of La Goulette.

Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa, 1 July 2010

Costa Luminosa

IMO 9398905
Built 2009, Fincantieri Marghera, Italy
Tonnage 92 700 GT
Length 294,00 m
Width 32,25 m
Draught 8,00 m
2 260 passengers
6 MaK diesels, combined 64 000 kW
2 azipods (?)
3 bow thrusters
Speed 21,6 knots

Costa Deliziosa

IMO 9398917
Built 2010, Fincantieri Marghera, Italy
Tonnage 92 720 GT
Length 294,00 m
Width 32,25 m
Draught 8,00 m
2 260 passengers
6 MaK diesels, combined 64 000 kW
2 azipods (?)
3 bow thrusters
Speed 21,6 knots

Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa are a pair of sister constructed for Costa Cruises in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Unlike most Costa ships, which are based on the same designs as those of Carnival Cruise Lines, the Costa Luminosa and her sister are mostly based on the Vista-class ships sailing for Holland America Line, P&O Cruises and Cunard Line, while incorpating elements of the Spirit-class ships built in Helsinki for Carnival and Costa in 2000-2004.

As is common for the various versions of the Vista class, the Luminosa and Deliziosa have a very attractive, balanced and simple profile.

Photographs below are of the Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa on 1 July 2010, when they were in Helsinki at the same time. Photographed from Vattuniemi. Click on the image(s) for full size.

Costa Luminosa (left) passing Costa Deliziosa (right) while departing the cruise quay on Hernesaari.

Costa Luminosa

Costa Luminosa, again.

Costa Luminosa, with Pihlajasaari in the background.

Costa Deliziosa, identifiable from her sister by the darker funnel colour (maybe the Luminosa's has faded during the year she has been in service before her sister?).

Costa Deliziosa, with Pihlajasaari in the background. Unfortunately the distance between the ships was so long that it was impossible to get a good picture of them together on the sea.

Costa Deliziosa heading for the open sea.