Costa Cruises is introducing seven new safety measures in the wake of January’s Costa Concordia disaster.
The initiatives were unveiled at the introduction of new 3,800-passenger ship Costa Fascinosa in Venice.
The measures include passenger emergency training procedures being strengthened beyond regulatory requirements, tightened policies restricting access to the bridge, a new real-time route monitoring system and more information on safety procedures being included on the Italian line’s website.
The company also pledged to ensure passengers attend emergency drills.
Costa chairman and chief executive Pier Luigi Foschi described the delivery of the new €510 million flagship as “an important stepping stone on our company’s road to recovery”.
He said: “After the recent incident, despite the economic downturn and the impact on consumption, Costa has bounced back and booking volumes are back to the same levels recorded this time last year, ahead of our own expectations.
“Our share of the market in the main countries where we operate has not been affected: we were, are and will remain number one in Europe. This is thanks to the quality of our product, the strength of our brand, which comes with a guarantee of over 60 years of experience, and our unfailing customer loyalty.
“We will continue to work for our customers, offering them even better and safer cruises on fantastic ships like the Costa Fascinosa.”
Foschi said the long-term fundamentals of the business remain strong, with the launch of the new ship just two months after the €90 million revamp of Costa neoRomantica.