At Monfalcone, Italy on Saturday March 27, a presentation ceremony was held for the 'Azura', the new flagship for P&O Cruises (Carnival Group), which, at 116,000 gross tonnes, is the twenty-seventh passenger vessel built at the Monfalcone shipyard out of a total of 53 built by Fincantieri.
Present at the ceremony were the President of the Senate, the Right Honourable Renato Schifani, while Carnival UK was represented by CEO David Dingle, P&O Cruises by Managing Director Carol Marlow and Fincantieri by CEO Giuseppe Bono and the Chairman Corrado Antonini.
Incorporating the highest technological standards and providing maximum passenger comfort, the 'Azura' is 290 metres long with a maximum passenger capacity of 4,383 (approximately 2,200 guests and 1,200 crew) accommodated in 2,180 cabins.
The new ship provides passengers with every comfort and a wide range of entertainments, including swimming pools, shops, wellness centres and libraries. On board there will also be the highly innovative "Seascreen": an open-air cinema by the side of the main pool.
The delivery of the 'Azura' further strengthens the relationship between Fincantieri and P&O Cruises, a prestige brand which serves discriminating customers from the highly dynamic British market.
Cooperation between the two companies started out five years ago when Fincantieri built the 82,000-tonne 'Arcadia' at Marghera shipyard and thereafter the 'Ventura' – until March 27 the fleet's flagship – at Monfalcone.
With the 'Azura', since 1990 Fincantieri has built 53 cruise ships, of which 49 for various brands in the Carnival Group. A further ten vessels are scheduled to be built at the group's shipyards within 2012. Altogether these 63 ships will have brought the company revenues of more than US$26 billion dollars.