Costa Fascinosa Floated Out at Fincantieri Shipyard in Italy

Costa Fascinosa Floated Out at Fincantieri Shipyard in Italy

Costa Cruises’ newest ship, the Costa Fascinosa, fleet, was floated out July 29 during a technical launch ceremony at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy. The 114,500-ton, 3,800-passenger ship is set to debut May 2, 2012. Costa’s total investment in Costa Fascinosa is €510 million ($734 million).

During the ceremony, Attilio Dapelo, the shipyard’s director, invited godmother Mirca Pizzato, an employee of the Marghera shipyard, to cut the ribbon and break a bottle of champagne against the bow of the ship.

The dry-dock basin was then filled with water, and the ceremony ended with the welding of a coin at the base of the mainmast, a longstanding maritime custom to bring good luck to the ship and crew.