Concordia – BIZARRE Any way you look at it.

UPDATE ADDED 12/29/23

This post is an indepth look at the baffling tale of the Costa Concordia collision with THE ROCK on FRIDAY 13th of January, 2012  at 9.44 pm near the Isle of Giglio.

Yes, this is an old story, and you may think you know all that you care to know about it.  Trust me, there is a lot to uncover.  You may be very surprised.  Like all other very public events, we will never get the whole story.  However, we can glean some very interesting and enlightening truths from the tidbits we discover here and there.  Since everything is indeed connected, the more clues we can collect from any and every event, the clearer our understanding of the world around us becomes.

One thing I do want to say to everyone… beware!  When you are on a vessel in the ocean, you are captive.  Whether you are on a privately owned boat, a commercial OCEANLINER, or a FEMA BARGE, there is no where to go.  You are there for the duration.  There is NO LAW at sea… well at least not any protection of the law for the common people.

Let’s DIVE IN:

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UPDATE ADDED 12/29/23

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I came across this video today and it contains information I had not seen before.  It is also pretty entertaining.  

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END OF UPDATE

 

Friday the 13th, of January, 2012     January = 1 (first month)  so we can write the month and year as:  12012  or   1+2= 3  and 1+2=3  or 3/3   when we add the day  we have  1333 or  333  a powerful number to the Illumined Ones.

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The name Concordia was intended to express the wish for “continuing harmony, unity, and peace between European nations.”   Source

Motto of the European Union

Motto of the European Union
In varietate concordia (English: United in diversity) is the official motto of the European Union (EU), adopted in 2000.

Interesting, 2000, the year the Illumined Ones said they were going to set the CAPSTONE on the PYRAMID.

Its translations in the other 24 official languages of the EU have equal standing. It is inspired by its Latin-language version coined by the Italian Nobel prize winner Ernesto Teodoro MonetaIn varietate concordia or In varietate unitas, which is also used as a compromise. It is one of the newest symbols of the European Union, alongside the European flag and anthem but, unlike most, it is specific to the EU rather than originating from the Council of Europe.

According to the European Commission, “The motto means that, via the EU, Europeans are united in working together for peace and prosperity, and that the many different cultures, traditions and languages in Europe are a positive asset for the continent.” This amounts to the embracement of multiculturalism as the goal of European integration, as opposed to the goal of an emerging European identity which had been advocated in the 1990s.

Costa Concordia

Costa_Concordia_2

Name: Costa Concordia
Owner: Carnival Corporation & plc
Operator: Costa Crocere
Port of registry: Italy
Route: Western Mediterranean
Ordered: 19 January 2004
Builder: Fincantieri Sestri Ponente, Italy
Cost: €450 million (£372 million, US$570 million)
Yard number: 6122
Launched: 2 September 2005
Christened: 7 July 2006
Acquired: 30 June 2006
Maiden voyage: 14 July 2006
In service: July 2006
Out of service: 13 January 2012
Identification: Call sign: IBHD
IMO number: 9320544
MMSI number: 247158500
Status: Capsized off Isola del Giglio, salvage in progress
Class & type: Concordia-class cruise ship
Tonnage: 114,137 GT
Length: 290.20 m (952 ft 1 in) (overall)
247.4 m (811 ft 8 in) (between perpendiculars)
Beam: 35.50 m (116 ft 6 in)
Draught: 8.20 m (26 ft 11 in)
Depth: 14.18 m (46 ft 6 in)
Decks: 13
Installed power: 6 × Wärtsilä 12V46C
75,600 kW (101,380 hp) (combined)
Propulsion: Diesel-electric; two shafts
Alstom propulsion motors (2 × 21 MW)
Two fixed pitch propellers
Speed: 19.6 knots (36 km/h; 23 mph) (service)
23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph) (maximum)
Capacity: 3,780 passengers
Crew: 1,100

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YouTube
 · 242,000+ views
 · 1/15/2012
 · by 

Last Drydock: 2007

COSTA CONCORDIA DECK PLANS

Costa Concordia (built 2006, scrapped in 2015) was the first of all five Concordia-class liners operated by Costa Cruises – together with the sisterships/fleetmates Costa Serena (2007), Costa Pacifica (2009), Costa Favolosa (2011) and Costa Fascinosa (2012), plus the Carnival Cruise Line‘s ship Carnival Splendor (2008).

Costa Concordia cruise ship deck plan shows a total of 1501 staterooms for 3002 passengers (max capacity is 3765 guests) served by 1100 crew/staff. The ship had 13 passenger decks (named after Europe’s largest countries), 14 elevators (passenger lifts), 5 restaurants, 13 lounges and bars, 4D cinema, 4 swimming pools (2 with retractable glass roofs), 5 jacuzzies (also 6 Samsara Spa Suites have own hot tubs), 18 elevators. Concordia had no self-service laundromats on board.

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THE NEW FLAGSHIP COSTA CONCORDIA, THE LARGEST ITALIAN AND EUROPEAN CRUISE VESSEL, CHRISTENED AND FETED IN THE PORT OF ROME

07 JULY 2006

Today, July 7 (7 7), the port of Civitavecchia will be the venue for the christening of Costa Crociere’s new flagship, with a spectacular ceremony featuring Eva Herzigova as the godmother and Antonella Clerici as the Master of Ceremonies.   
Together these two celebrities represent church and state.  Herzigova means DUKE and Clerici means Priest or Clergy.
A superb show directed by Valerio Festi paying homage to “Made in Italy” plus a tribute to fashion under the patronage of AltaRoma with the collaboration of the Italian fashion house Gattinoni.
The arrival of the Costa Concordia brings to 11 the number of ships in the Costa fleet, Europe’s largest and most advanced. Civitavecchia – July 7, 2006 – The christening takes place today in the port of Rome (Civitavecchia) of the Costa Concordia, the new flagship of Costa Crociere. Built in the historic shipyards in Sestri Ponente (Genoa) by Fincantieri, the Italian company and the world’s leading cruise ship and large ferry builder, for the Italian operator Costa Crociere, Europe’s no. 1 cruise company, the Costa Concordia weighs in at 112,000 gross tonnage and can accommodate up to 3780 Guests; this makes her the largest cruise ship flying the Italian flag and the biggest European vessel in terms of capacity. The celebrations for the new flagship, in collaboration with Fincantieri, with the participation of the Port of Rome, Italy’s number one and the Mediterranean’s number two in terms of cruise traffic, and under the patronage of the Latium Regional Administration, the Provincial Administration of Rome and the Municipality of Rome, will be attended by Italian Government representatives, the main local authorities, and show business personalities. The event kicks off with a Gala Dinner on board the ship for over 1300 invited Guests, with a menu specially devised for the occasion by Ettore Bocchia, a Michelin chef at the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio and now a culinary consultant for one of the five restaurants on the Costa Concordia. At 10.30 pm all the Guests will be invited to go quayside and watch the christening ceremony. Supermodel Eva Herzigova will star as the godmother: it will be her task to cut the ribbon and break a bottle of champagne against the side of the ship in accordance with naval tradition. The entire event will be hosted by the Master of Ceremonies Antonella Clerici, one of Italy’s most popular TV presenters. The vessel will be blessed by Cardinal Fumio Hamao, President of the Pontifical Council of the Pastoral Office for Migrants and Travelers. The actual christening will be followed by a show called “The Waters of Rome” produced by the internationally acclaimed artist Valerio Festi, who has staged “cinemascope” outdoor happenings in over 200 towns and cities worldwide. The star of this performance will be Rome, in the dual role of a city of cinema and a city of water. The eternal city’s ties with the movies will be shown in scenes from famous films projected on a big inflatable screen. The theme of water will be portrayed on stage by artists, actors, acrobats and dancers in a live tribute to the Tiber, the fountains of Rome and the sea.
This will be followed by a fashion show paying tribute to Italian Style, staged by AltaRoma with the contribution of Gattinoni, which has been synonymous with style and elegance for 60 years now. The grand finale will feature a spectacular fireworks display, inspired by Baroque art. Light and color will be visible all over the city, illuminating the night and the beauty of the Costa Concordia. “The christening of the Costa Concordia is truly exciting for us,” said Costa Crociere SpA Chairman & CEO Pier Luigi Foschi, “because she is a truly unique and innovative ship, the epitome of Italian made quality and style, which we are proud to christen right here in the port of the nation’s capital. ”Giuseppe Bono, Chief Executive Officer of Fincantieri commented: “This event marks a milestone in our work with Costa Crociere. Our relations with the owner re-commenced in 2000 with a very full construction schedule which we intend to further consolidate: 7 ships, 4 still to be delivered, continue to engage our shipyards in the fleet expansion programme of Costa Crociere. We are pleased to have contributed to Costa’s position as market leader with vessels which bear witness to the world of the construction capability and expertise of Italian industry.” “Being chosen to host the christening of the Costa Concordia,” commented Giovanni Moscherini, Port Authority Commissioner for Rome and Latium, “is important recognition for the port of Civitavecchia, which has this year confirmed its leadership in the cruise sector and, thanks to the deal reached with the world’s leading shipowners, and notably Costa Crociere, is set within the space of a few short years to become the Mediterranean’s number one turnaround port.July 8, the day after the christening ceremony, the Costa Concordia will be presented at a special premiere, again in the port of Rome, to over 3000 Italian and European travel agents; the highlight of the event will be a concert in the evening by the Israeli singer Noa, in the ship’s Teatro Atene.

atene – Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Etymology. From Middle English atenen, ateonen, from Old English *ātēonian, *ātȳnan, *ātīenan, from a- + tēonian (“to injure, irritate, slander”), and tȳnan, tīenan (“to irritate, vex, trouble, insult, revile”), equivalent to a- +‎ teen.

Origin

Atene : 1: Native American (Navajo): from an American English altered form of the Navajo personal name Át’íinii ‘the doer’.2: Italian (southern): from the female personal name Atene a variant of Atena from the Italian name of Athena the Greek goddess of wisdom.3: Italian (southern): variant of Atena a habitational name from a place called Atena Lucana in Salerno province.

Source : DAFN2 : Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, ©2022 by Patrick Hanks and Oxford University Press

Subject to the Terms and Conditions of Ancestry

It is during this period, the first half of the 7th century BC (from 700 to 650), that someone built a settlement with impressively large walls (termed “Cyclopean”*) on the hill upon which perches the town of Atena Lucana, a town with a claim to being the oldest settlement in the area. The most interesting thing about that claim is that archaeologists see the site as having been some sort of communication hub between quite different cultures.

strategically placed at about 650 meters on a hill overlooking the Tanagro river and guarding the ancient approaches to the Diano Plain (Vallo di Diano), the long, narrow passage to southern Italy, There are not a lot of ancient written sources on the origins of Atena Lucana. Roman sources mention Atina or Campus Atinas, and Pliny the Elder calls the inhabitants ‘Atinates’ and lists them as one of the Lucanian peoples. Whether or not the original name corresponded to “Athens,” purportedly so named by Greeks settlers   source

Wikipedia
Atenism was one of the earliest monotheistic religions. It was the worship of the light emanating from the sun god (or rather sun disk), Aten.

Atenism is derived from a presumably masculine deity called Aten, created by Akhenaten, the heretic pharaoh. The word contains a single hard t.

In Greek, “th” is a single letter, theta. So Athena’s name had 5 letters, none of which was a hard t softened by an aspirated letter. And she was a female deity.

As for possible historical links, it is possible that Aten was already in the dustbin of history before Athena came into existence. Aten was erased from history, along with his acolyte Akhenaten as soon as the latter died whilst Athena was a relatively recent addition to the Greek pantheon.

Also, the classical Greek culture under the Athenian hegemony was still hundreds in the future.

The etymology of Athene (Athena being more usual in English; Gr. Ἀθήνη/Ἀθήνα) is ultimately obscure, as many theonyms are.

 What we do know is that she did exist in the pantheon of the Minoans (as A-ta-na with various second elements). Given the make-up of her name — and here I’m out of my bailiwick and rely on the reasoning of others — “Athena” probably pre-dates Greek, which is to say that it’s very old indeed (certainly before 1600 BC).      SOURCE

ORIGIN:
Greek
NAME ROOT:
A- Theós > Athēnâ > Athēnaíā
MEANING:*
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “Athēnâ ‎(Ᾰ̓θηνᾶ) Athēnaíā ‎(Ἀθηναίᾱ),” composed of two elements: “a- (ᾰ̓-)” (used as superlative) plus “theós ‎(θεός)” (divine, a deity, a god, God). In turn, the name means “God coming from the supreme mind.” In Greek mythology, Athena was the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law, justice, strategic warfare, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill. According to most traditions, she was born from Zeus’s head, fully formed and armored. She was depicted crowned with a crested helm, armed with a shield and a spear. Athena represents the most important and well-known woman in Greek mythology. His sacred symbols were the owl and the olive tree; she was often accompanied by his holy animal and wore a cloak made from the Amalthea goat’s skin. Minerva is the Roman goddess identified with Athena.

Athens

city of ancient Attica, capital of modern Greece, from Greek Athenai (plural because the city had several distinct parts), traditionally derived from Athena, but probably assimilated from a lost name in a pre-Hellenic language.
Oct 10, 2017 — An alternative guess is that it is ultimately from Greek aktē “shore, maritime place,” also “raised place.” 

The Costa Concordia will depart from Civitavecchia on her premiere cruise on July 9, and will make stopovers in Tunis (Derived from a Berber root ens “to lie down”, “to pass the night”. Related to the Phoenician goddess Tanit.) , Malta and Tripoli. This will be followed by her 9-day maiden cruise, with departure again from Civitavecchia on July 14 and a stopover in Savona (July 15) as well as calls in Barcelona, Alicante, Gibraltar, Lisbon, Cadiz and Malaga. During the 2006 summer season the Costa Concordia will be offering 7-day Mediterranean cruises calling at Savona, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Tunis, Malta, Palermo and Civitavecchia. Thanks to the introduction of the Costa Concordia, in combination with weekly calls by the Costa Romantica, Costa Crociere is confirming its leadership in the port of Rome, with a total of 70 calls and 200,000 passengers in 2006.

The ship

Costa has invested around 450 million euros in the building of the Costa Concordia, which includes several unique innovations for the global cruise industry. Starting with Samsara Spa, the largest wellness center ever built on a cruise ship (2104 m2). 55 cabins and 12 suites have direct access to the Spa and are linked to a package heralding a new style of wellness vacation. The Costa Concordia is also the first ship to have two swimming pools under a retractable glass roof: one astern and the other amidships on the same deck. This is the largest enclosable outdoor area on any cruise ship (3500 m2), enabling use of the pools also on winter cruises in the Mediterranean, where the ship will be operating until the end of 2007. In addition, the central pool area is fitted with a giant 18 m2 movie screen(remember: “ The star of this performance will be Rome, in the dual role of a city of cinema and a city of water) which can be used for daytime projection of video clips and similar entertainment as well as nighttime film screenings. Another exclusive innovation on board is the totally authentic Grand Prix driving simulator (racing was a huge part of ancient Roman religious feasts – all about horse power), the most accurate representation of F1 ever.

The Costa Concordia is set to become another Italian Made symbol globally: she was built by the Italian company Fincantieri, while her interiors have been decorated by some of Italy’s leading designers and feature works by top Italian artists. The “Club Concordia”, one of five restaurants on board the ship, has menus devised by the Italian culinary innovator Ettore Bocchia, executive chef at the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio and a Michelin restaurateur.

In keeping with all Costa’s most recent ships, the interior decoration of the Costa Concordia, designed by Miami architect Joe Farcus, is based on a central idea, represented in this case by the architectural styles of some of Europe’s loveliest cities, with the public areas of the vessel named accordingly. Also in line with the Costa tradition, the ship displays many contemporary artworks: some 6000 of them, comprising copies and original works by emerging and established artists, contributed by European Art Academies.

If you have not seen these related posts, check them out:

ROME – 2776 YEARS – NEW ROME – 25 YEARS – MASSIVE BOARS

THE MARITIME FUTURE PLANNED FOR YOU.

REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE – As Prophesied – Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4

IN THIS TOGETHER AND BECOMING ONE

BABEL Then and NOW!  (European Union)

Designing the Costa Concordia gave Joe Farcus, Carnival Corp.s interior architect, the opportunity to pull from his love of history and pay tribute to some of his favorite architects.

Farcus has designed the interiors of Carnival Cruise Lines ships for almost 30 years and is responsible for the lines playful, colorful entertainment architecture.

Farcus began designing the interiors of Costa vessels six years ago, starting with the Costa Atlantica.

He designs each vessel with a central idea, and while onboard the Costa Concordia last week, he said that when he learned the Concordia was going to stay in Europe year-round, he decided to focus on design styles of the continents various countries.

There’s a real story here, and each room is part of that story, Farcus said. I liken the ship to a good book, he added. Once you’re in it, you cant stop turning the pages.

Farcus said that when he studied architecture, he always enjoyed the history courses students were required to take.

I’ve made it part of my life, he said. My interest in history has served me well.

For the Concordia, Farcus chose styles ranging from ancient Greek classical architecture to post-modern Italian design of the 1970s.

The Barcelona Casino is inspired by the work of Antoni Gaudi, Barcelonas famous architect and Farcus all-time favorite.

Broken tiles, columns in the form of the Sagrada Familia spires and the iron and copper work that Gaudi used are showcased among the slot machines and gaming tables.

Standing in front of the Vienna Cafe, Farcus explained that the large mirrors on the wall are reflective of the Baroque period in Austria.

Each areas relation to a particular country and design style is not always obvious to casual observers of period architecture.

The London Lounge is modeled after a late 19th century period in England called the Aesthetic Movement, during which designers created things to be beautiful, Farcus said. It was beauty for beauty’s sake.

Zsolnay, a Hungarian ceramics style that was part of the countrys Art Nouveau movement, inspires the Budapest bar. Farcus owns several Zsolnay pieces and modeled some of the rooms statues after them.

Farcus said he styles ships so that the architecture is not in the background, but a part of the show.

You spend a week on a cruise, and you go through a discovery process, Farcus said. This is my contribution to the enjoyment of passengers.

Carnival Corp. manages to keep Farcus busy. He is currently working on the Costa Serenity, the Carnival Freedom and the Carnival Splendor.

Farcus has designed specific rooms for Cunard Line and Holland America Line ships, as well.

Costa CEO Pier Luigi Foschi showed his appreciation for Farcus work in a not-so-subtle way.

Foschi surprised Farcus with a prominently displayed mural by Italian painter Stefano Spera of a scene that features giants of European architecture at one table: Walter Gropius, the German founder of the Bauhaus School; Le Corbusier, the Swiss modernist; Leonardo da Vinci; Antoni Gaudi; and sitting at the center of the table, Joe Farcus.

To contact reporter Johanna Jainchill, send e-mail to jjainchill@travelweekly.com.

 

Its a small world after all. In fact, the Costa Concordia, Costa Cruises newest ship, will let you explore Europe as fast as it takes you to walk from bow to stern.

Every floor of the ship is named for a different European country, and every room is named and designed after a European city.

Pier Luigi Foschi, CEO of Costa Cruises, said during the ships inaugural ceremony in Civitavecchia, Italy, that the name Concordia symbolizes the friendship and harmony of the nations of Europe.

The vessel pays homage to its home, as the ship will sail in Europe year-round, offering Mediterranean cruises from Civitavecchia. TV channels are in German, Italian and Spanish. Only the spa, where the design incorporates designs from many Asian nations, strays from the theme.

From the Dublin Cigar Bars Gothic-inspired stained-glass windows to the Portuguese clay tiles of the Lisbon Discoteque, the rooms are inspired by a design style of its namesake city. A contemporary art collection onboard the ship exhibits the work of young European art students and their instructors.

A special place for spa-goers

The 112,000-ton ship introduces many new features to Costa and to cruising.

The 20,500 square-foot Samsara Spa is the largest at sea and the first to have cabins and suites situated within the spa area. A restaurant, reserved exclusively for spa guests, features healthy cuisine.

Costa originally said that Ettore Bocchia, the Michelin-starred Italian chef and creator of molecular cuisine, would create the spa menu, but during the inaugural sailing it said that Bocchia would be a culinary consultant for the ships specialty restaurant, Club Concordia.

The two-deck spa area incorporates a large fitness center that users noted was a bit crowded with fitness machines.

For a fee, guests have access to a thalassotherapy (mineral water) pool and the thermal suite, which showcases several types of interconnecting sauna and steam rooms. Relaxation areas, including a Tea House and a winter garden, feature sea views and relaxing music.

Spa cabins don’t differ in layout from others, but their Asian-inspired decor resembles the accents and decor of the spa, while other cabins on the ship are decorated with European art.

Guests in the spa cabins have full use of the entire spa.

Elsewhere on the ship, a Formula One Grand Prix race-car simulator is the first of its kind at sea; it is identical to cars used to train actual race car drivers.

European travel agents were giddy upon meeting Vitantonio Liuzzi, the Italian Formula One race car driver who inaugurated the simulator.

The Concordia also has what Costa said is the first chocolate bar at sea. La Cioccolateria offers nine kinds of fruit dipped in a chocolate fountain.

In addition, the ship boasts the largest enclosable pool deck on any cruise ship, Costa said. The two-level Ponte Francia has two swimming pools, four Jacuzzis and the now-ubiquitous giant movie and video screen located above the pool.

Hans Hesselberg, Costas vice president of hotel operations said the ships amenities will reflect the guests predominantly European tastes. Ships in Europe, he said, generally dont blast the air conditioning to the degree that ships in the U.S. do.

Menus are different, as well: In the Med, Costa offers an Italian menu with international flair, he said. In the U.S., Costa features an American menu with an Italian influence. An American menu also means steaks, iced tea and bigger plates.

To contact reporter Johanna Jainchill, send e-mail to jjainchill@travelweekly.com.

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Meet Joe Farcus, Ship Architect

by Paul Motter / Linda Pearl – CruiseMates staff

If you have ever sailed on a Carnival or Costa inaugural cruise, while the passengers wax enthusiastically about every detail they see, there is an exceedingly good chance that the man personally responsible for creating those details is watching you and your fellow passenger’s reactions to them. That man is Joe Farcus, ship architect & designer for Carnival Corporation, renowned in the cruise world for creating the most unusual, creative, daring and sometime outlandish cruise ship designs ever. For the passengers, a new ship is the embodiment of the theme envisioned by the master designer, but for Joe Farcus, the master himself, that moment — when the reins are passed to the Captain and the crew, and the passengers breathe life into the personification of his ideas and imagination — that very moment is when the concept makes the metamorphosis from a project to an actual cruise ship.See Joe’s Designs:   Carnival Legend,   Carnival Spirit,   Carnival Victory

Joe started his association with Carnival with the cruise line’s founder, Ted Arison, father of today’s company chieftain, Micky Arison. His first ship project for Carnival was almost 30 years ago, redecorating the original Empress of Britain to become Carnival’s second cruise ship (after Mardi Gras), the Carnivale.

Arison

The Arison family is a Romanian-Israeli-American business family. Moshe and Sarah Arison immigrated to Ottoman Palestine from Romania in 1882, and were among the founders of the town of Zikhron Ya’akov. Their eldest son was Meir Arison, who was the father of Theodore Arison (later Ted Arison) and two daughters, Aviva and Rina. The family of Ted Arison are his first wife Mina Arison (who became Mina Sapir after marrying her second husband, Yekutiel Sapir), their two children Micky Arison and Shari Arison, Ted’s second wife Marilyn B. Arison, and her son Michael Arison who Ted later adopted, and their spouses.

100 Strong and Powerful Last Names or Surnames

FirstCry Parenting

https://parenting.firstcry.com › articles › 100-strong-a…
Jun 23, 2022 — 3. Arison. The Albanian surname means “son of gold” or “powerful” or “strong.”

Aries | Etymology of Aries by etymonline

Online Etymology Dictionary
Sep 25, 2022 — ARIES: “the Ram,” late Old English, from Latin aries “ram” (related to arietare “to butt”), from a PIE root… See origin and meaning of aries.

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His second project was much more elaborate; a $30 million renovation of the S.A. Vaal, a South African ocean liner, into the 38,000-ton Carnival Festivale, then the biggest cruise ship in Miami. By adding an additional deck for passenger cabins and public rooms, alternating between tropical themes and a red & black saloon motif with hundreds of Tivoli lights everywhere, the ship proved a huge success and Joe Farcus’ role as chief architect and designer for Carnival Cruises has been firmly established to this day.

On the cusp of an announcement that several Carnival ships now feature onboard videos of Joe giving tours of some of his most elaborate Carnival ships, we conducted this interview with him…

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Costa Concordia deck plans

DECK LAYOUTS, REVIEW OF FACILITIES, ACTIVITIES, AMENITIES

Costa Concordia cruise ship

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Deck layouts

Costa Concordia deck plans are property of Scrapped Cruise Ships. All deck layouts are for informational purposes only and CruiseMapper is not responsible for their accuracy.
DECK 01  Olanda
Norway
Costa Concordia Deck 01 - Olanda
DECK 02  Svezia
Sweden
Costa Concordia Deck 02 - Svezia

Deck 03 Belgio-Lower Promenade
Belgium

Costa Concordia Deck 03 - Belgio-Lower Promenade

Deck 04 Grecia-Upper Promenade
Greece

Costa Concordia Deck 04 - Grecia-Upper Promenade

Deck 05Italia
Itay

Costa Concordia Deck 05 - Italia

Deck 06Gran Bretagna
Great Britain

Costa Concordia Deck 06 - Gran Bretagna

Deck 07Irlanda
Ireland

Costa Concordia Deck 07 - Irlanda

Deck 08Portogallo-Bridge
Portugal

Costa Concordia Deck 08 - Portogallo-Bridge

Deck 09Francia-Lido-Pool
France

Costa Concordia Deck 09 - Francia-Lido-Pool

Deck 10Germania
Germany

Costa Concordia Deck 10 - Germania

Deck 11Spagna-Spa
Spain

Costa Concordia Deck 11 - Spagna-Spa

Deck 12Austria-Sports
Austri

Costa Concordia Deck 12 - Austria-Sports

Deck 14Polonia
Poland

Costa Concordia Deck 14 - Polonia

Costa Concordia deck plan review at CruiseMapper provides newest cruise deck plans (2023-2024-2025 valid floor layouts of the vessel) 

Each of the Costa Concordia cruise ship deck plans are conveniently combined with a legend (showing cabin codes) and detailed review of all the deck’s venues and passenger-accessible indoor and outdoor areas. A separate link provides an extensive information on Costa Concordia staterooms (cabins and suites), including photos, cabin plans and amenities by room type and category.

Costa Concordia (built 2006, scrapped in 2015) was the first of all five Concordia-class liners operated by Costa Cruises – together with the sisterships/fleetmates Costa Serena (2007), Costa Pacifica (2009), Costa Favolosa (2011) and Costa Fascinosa (2012), plus the Carnival Cruise Line‘s ship Carnival Splendor (2008).

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COSTA CONCORDIA

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COSTA CONCORDIA, THE RELAXATION CRUISE


HARMONY, UNITY AND PEACE.

These words summarize the spirit of the new flagship of the Costa Cruises fleet. The Costa Concordia, whose launching ceremony was held on September 2 at the Sestri Poniente shipyard in Fincantieri (Genoa), will be the largest passenger ship in Italy. The inaugural cruise, scheduled for July 14, 2006, will depart from Civitavecchia to complete a 9-day itinerary with stopovers in Savona, Barcelona, ​​Alicante, Gibraltar, Lisbon, Cádiz and Malaga, returning to Civitavecchia on July 23. Subsequently, the Costa Concordia will offer 7-day trips visiting the ports of Civitavecchia, Savona, Barcelona, ​​Palma de Mallorca, Tunisia, Malta and Palermo. “This boat is a true example of innovation and high technology,” says Pier Luigi Foschi, President and CEO of Costa Cruises. 

EXCLUSIVE INSTALLATION

With modern and comfortable facilities, the Costa Concordia presents an innovative facility, the Samsara Spa, an exclusive 1,900-square-meter wellness center – spanning two bridges – which will be the largest of these features ever built on a ship. 

Indian philosophy Written and fact-checked by 
Sanskrit:  “flowing around”
Related Topics:  Buddhism/  Indian philosophy  / Jainism  /  afterlife  /  moksha
Samsara, (Sanskrit: “flowing around”) in Indian philosophy, the central  conception  of metempsychosis: the soul, finding itself awash in the “sea of samsara,” strives to find release (moksha) from the bonds of its own past deeds (karma), which form part of the general web of which samsara is made. Buddhism, which does not assume the existence of a permanent soul, accepts a semipermanent personality core that goes through the process of samsara.

The range of samsara stretches from insects (and sometimes vegetables and minerals) to the generative god Brahma. The rank of one’s birth in the hierarchy  of life depends on the quality of the previous life. A variety of explanations of the workings of the karmic process within samsara have been proposed. According to several, the soul after death first goes to a heaven or hell  until it has consumed most of its good or bad karma. Then it returns to a new womb, the remainder of its karma having determined the circumstances of its next life. In theory this allows for the possibility of remembering one’s previous lives (jatismara), a talent that great saints possess or can cultivate. Typical of this belief are the so-called Jataka stories, in which the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism) gives accounts of his previous lives. The Jataka stories also illustrate the moral and salvific potential that comes with an accurate, enlightened  appraisal of the vast network of interconnections described by the idea of samsara.

Saṃsāra

Wikipedia

Saṃsāra (Devanagari: संसार) is a Pali/Sanskrit word that means “wandering” as well as “world,” wherein the term connotes “cyclic change” or, less formally,”running around in circles.” Saṃsāra is referred to with terms or phrases such as transmigration/reincarnationkarmic cycle, or Punarjanman, and “cycle of aimless drifting, wandering or mundane existence”.[1][4][5] When related to the theory of karma it is the cycle of death and rebirth.[1][4][6]

The “cyclicity of all life, matter, and existence” is a fundamental belief of most Indian religions.[4][7][8]

Samsara

DO YOU SEE THE SYMBOL OF ARIES IN SAMARA’s logo??

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San Francisco, California

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Samsara has pioneered an innovative platform—the Connected Operations Cloudwhich combines the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and over 240 integration partners to help organizations improve their physical operations. Customers can use real-time data to make informed decisions on critical areas for improvement in their business. Samsara aims to digitize and optimize the operations that power the global economy  Source

Designed to counter happiness, the facility stands out for treatments based on the principles of Ayurveda, an ancient Indian science of healing and well-being that combines historical techniques of oriental massage with the most avant-garde scientific research. In the indoor pool, in the middle of the center, guests can enjoy thalassotherapy sessions, with air motors that massage the body in ionized seawater at a temperature of 33º C. The spa and the Rasul, A traditional cleansing treatment from the Middle East that uses clay and steam to nourish and revive the skin, are two innovations. A gym, sauna, Turkish bath and solarium complete the facilities of the center.
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SO, the folks on COSTA CONCORDIA believe they are just having a relaxing time of pampering in a spa.  But, they are being indoctrinated into Eastern Teachings.  This is a RELIGIOUS RETRIEAT on the WATER!!
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To fully immerse yourself in the well-being world of the Costa Concordia, passengers will have at their disposal 55 Samsara cabins and 12 Samsara suites, with a pleasant oriental atmosphere. 

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Shipbuilding – Naval Sea Systems Command

Launching

This is the point when the ship enters the water for the first time. Traditionally, it coincides with the ship’s Christening with the ship sliding down the ways into the water with a splash. Today, many launchings take place separately from the Christening. 

Christening
The official launching ceremony recognizing the “floating” of a ship by name and marked with the traditional breaking of a bottle of champagne across the bow.

The blessing of ships dates as far back as the third millennium BC, when the ancient Babylonians, according to a narrative, sacrificed an oxen to the gods upon completion of a ship. Throughout history, different cultures developed and shaped the religious ceremony surrounding a ship launching.

Today the Christening is often conducted after the launching. The ship’s sponsors, who are most often women, break a bottle of champagne against the ship’s bow and ceremonially give the ship its name. 

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The launch of a ship is celebrated with great pomp and splendour. It is one of the most important milestones in the lifecycle of a ship and the launch itself is carried out ceremoniously while upholding traditions and amongst a crowd of owners, manufacturers and well wishers.

No matter what country it may be, Eastern or Western, savage or civilised, the launch of a ship is always the occasion of a picturesque and impressive ceremony. Even among the maritime nations which have adopted identical shipbuilding machinery and scientific procedure for bringing the ship to the launching stage, the details of the ceremony vary according to the spirit and temperament of the people. In the 15th century, the King’s representative would name the ship, drink a goblet of wine, sprinkle wine on the deck at the four cardinal points and then throw the goblet overboardIn Charles II’s time, in the 17th century, the goblet was presented to the master shipwright and not thrown away.

Traditionally, the ship naming and launching ceremony had a meaning where it had brought good fortune and safety to the new ship, its crew, and passengers. The tradition of ship naming ceremony dates back to thousands of years. There are evidences of Babylonian celebrating ship launching in the 3rd millennium BC, and Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians calling on their gods to protect ships before starting voyages.

The Greeks wore olive branch wreaths around their heads, drank wine to honour the gods, and poured water on the new boat to bless it. The Babylonians sacrificed an ox, the Turks sacrificed a sheep, and the Vikings and Tahitians offered up human blood.

During the medieval age, wine was offered as a substitute for the earlier blood sacrifice to mark the opening ceremony of the ships. The traditions continue to be similar even today with the only exception of women christening ships nowadays. Earlier, the ceremony was mainly performed by religious men or officials.

Ship launching imposes stresses on the ship not met during normal operation, in addition to the size and weight of the vessel, and it represents a considerable engineering challenge as well as a public spectacle. The process also involves many traditions intended to invite good luck, such as christening by breaking a sacrificial bottle of champagne over the bow as the ship is named aloud and launched.

There are different ways in which a ship is launched. These are 4 methods:

  1. Air Bags – Launching ships using air bags is an innovative and safe technique to launch ships in water. These airbags are usually cylindrical in shape with hemispherical heads at both ends. They are made of reinforced rubber layers and have high load capacity. This method can easily be used in all types and sizes of vessels.
  2. Floating-out type – Though this is technically not considered a launch, when ships are built in dry docks, the docks are filled with water and the ship is floated out. This is the most popular way and is a preferred choice for many in the industry.
  3. Sideways – Some slipways are built so that the vessel is side-on to the water and is launched sideways. This is done where the limitations of the water channel would not allow lengthwise launching, but occupies a much greater length of shore.
  4. Mechanised – This is normally done for a smaller vessels and involves a mechanical feature.

After a ship is launched, it begins its myriad voyages, generating revenue for its owners, managers, operators and crew. A single vessel plays a vital role in the lives of numerous people across the globe.

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Costa Concordia Christened in Italy

Costa Cruises’ newest ship, the 112,000-ton Costa Concordia, was christened in Civitavecchia, the port for Rome, on Friday night by its godmother, supermodel Eva Herzigova. The dramatic christening included an original theatrical extravaganza entitled “The Waters of Rome,” produced by Valerio Festi. Costa is known throughout the industry for its grand christenings and this was no exception. VIP guests, government officials and media, viewed a massive video screen and on-site “live” action by mermaids, Triton, sea gods, stilt walkers, dancers, and finally, a giant shell emerging from the water that revealed Venus. At that point, the stage turned into a display of haute couture by the Italian fashion house Gattinoni. The ship itself has several distinctive features including a two-deck fitness area, Samsara Suites with direct spa access, four swimming pools (two with retractable roofs), 13 bars, more than 500 cabins with balconies and the first Formula One race car simulator at sea. The ship, which can serve 3,780 guests, will sail the Mediterranean this summer. It departed on its inaugural cruise July 9. 2006

TIL that the champagne bottle failed to break for the launching of the Costa Concordia

An Ill-Omen (Champagne failed to break during christening of Costa Concordia)

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-incidents/cursed-concordia-born-bad-ended-up-worse-20120116-1q1w2.html

Cursed Concordia ‘born bad, ended up worse’

If maritime superstitions are to be believed, the Costa Concordia was doomed from the moment it was launched.

When a grand christening ceremony was held in July 2006 in the port of Civitavecchia, the ceremonial champagne bottle failed to smash against the hull of the luxury liner – now on its side in the sea as rescue workers hunt for missing passengers – and wet the bow.

In a video capturing the moment, some among the crowd which included supermodel Eva Herzigovácan be heard gasping as the bottle is hurled from a height and bounces, unbroken, off the side.

It is a sign some seafarers consider to be a harbinger of bad luck. Ominously, the Titanic was never christened.

It was born bad and ended up worse,” the Italian newspaper Il Giornale pronounced in a headline about Friday’s tragedy.

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Costa Concordia was built and Launched in Genoa, Italy.  After it was recovered from the accident site, it was returned to Genoa to the shipyard where it was built.

 Genoa, Italy – Final destination of the Costa Concordia

Costa Concordia was ordered in 2004 by Carnival Corporation from Fincantieri and built in the Sestri Ponente yard in Genoa, as yard number 6122.

Fincantieri  – etymology and meaning

5 senses: 1. a native, inhabitant, or citizen of Finland 2. a speaker of a Finnic language, esp one of the original inhabitants.

Finn (given name)

Wikipedia
In some cases it is derived from the Old Norse personal name and byname Finnr, meaning “Sámi” or “Finn“.

Why is Italian Finland “Finlandia”?

It means ‘land of the Sami’ (or ‘Finns’), yes.

Italian place and country names are just usually taken from the country’s common name—you’ll find this is true for most other languages (cf. German Finnland, Mandarin 芬蘭 [Fēnlán]). They also often end in -(i)a following other country names (cf. ItaliaSvezia). Its original meaning in Latin was deriving a location from the name for its inhabitants, or more generally, deriving nouns from adjectives.

people
Also known as: Laplander, Lapp, Sāpmi, Saami, Sabme, Same, Samer
Also spelled: Saami, or Same Sami,: Sabme
Also called: LappSami, any member of a people speaking the Sami language and inhabiting Lapland and adjacent areas of northern NorwaySweden, and Finland, as well as the Kola Peninsula of Russia. The three Sami languages, which are mutually unintelligible, are sometimes considered dialects of one language. They belong to the Finno-Ugric branch of the Uralic family. Almost all Sami are now bilingual, and many no longer even speak their native language. In the late 20th century there were from 30,000 to 40,000 Sami in Norway and about 20,000 in Sweden, 6,000 in Finland, and 2,000 in Russia.
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Noun · shipyard · building site …

Costa Concordia was a Concordia-class cruise ship built in 2004 by the Fincantieri, Sestri Ponente yards in Italy and operated from 2005 until 2012 by Costa Crociere (a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation). It was wrecked off the coast of Isola del Giglio in Italy on 13 January 2012. It was declared a total loss and later towed to the port of Genoa where it will be scrapped. The name Concordia was intended to express the wish for “continuing harmony, unity, and peace between European nations.”
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Sestri Ponente

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sestri Ponente
Country Italy
Region Liguria
Metropolitan City Genoa
City Genoa
District Medio Ponente
The Medio Ponente (municipio) administrative district is the westernmost of the yellow areas.

Sestri Ponente is an industrial suburb of Genoa in northwest Italy. It is part of the Medio Ponente municipio of Genoa.

The name is derived from the Latin Sextum, a small village that was likely founded in the second century A.D., where stones were assembled for the Roman road that left from Genoa. No physical records exist about the population of Sestri before the fifteenth century.

ponente   Wikipedia
Etymology edit … From Latin pōnentem, present participle form of pōnō (“to place, put”). 

city in Italy, Italian Genova, from Latin Genua, perhaps from a PIE root meaning “curve, bend,” which could make it a cognate of Geneva. Other theories hold it to be perhaps from janua “gate,” or from the Italic god Janus. Adjective forms in English included Middle English Genoway (also in plural, Janeways), c. 1400, from Old French Genoveis, from Italian Genovese. In later English, Genoese (1550s); Genovese (c. 1600); Genoan (c. 1600); Genovesian (1620s).

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Herzigova launched doomed cruise ship

Supermodel EVA HERZIGOVA predicted disaster when she launched the doomed Italian cruise ship which ran aground on Saturday (14Jan12) after the traditional Champagne bottle ceremony went horribly wrong.

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Civitavecchia (Italian)

Origin & history

From Latin civitas (“city”) + vecchia (“old”), so the name basically means “old city”.

Civitavecchia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Civitavecchia (pronounced [ˌtʃivitaˈvɛkkja]; meaning “ancient town”) iscomune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, in the Italian
region of Lazio.sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, it is located 60 kilometres (37 miles) west-north -west of Rome. The harbour is formed by two piers and a breakwater, on which stands a lighthouse.

History


Civitavecchia in 1699 showing buildings of Roman harbour

Etruscan era[edit]

The whole territory of Civitavecchia is dotted with the remains of Etruscan tombs and it is likely that in the centre of the current city a small Etruscan settlement thrived. The Etruscan necropolis of Mattonara, not far from the Molinari factory, is almost certainly from the 7th – 6th century BC and was most likely connected with the nearby necropolis of Scaglia. An ancient port formed by small parallel basins capable of accommodating single vessels was still visible at the end of the 19th century near Fort Michelangelo.

An Etruscan settlement on the hill of Ficoncella can still be seen where the first baths were built before 70 BC, known by the Romans as Aquae Tauri.

Roman Torre di Lazzaretto

Roman baths of Aquae Tauri

Other sights

The massive Forte Michelangelo was first commissioned from Donato Bramante by Pope Julius II, to defend the port of Rome. The upper part of the “maschio” tower, however, was designed by Michelangelo, whose name is generally applied to the fortress. Pius IV added a convict prison, and the arsenal, designed by Bernini, was built by Alexander VII.[4]

Major cruise lines start and end their cruises at this location, and others stop for shore excursion days to visit Rome and the Vatican, which are ninety minutes away.

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Pictures Of The Glamorous Costa Concordia Before It Crashed

Fabio Tomei via Flickr

Several Flickr users have shared photos from past voyages on the Costa Concordia with us.

The 14-deck ship was designed to sail the Mediterranean Sea year-round


Fabio Tomei via Flickr

The ship, which launched in 2006, was decorated to the nines. Check out that atrium ceiling


Julien Beytrison via Flickr

Glass elevators carried passengers from floor to floor


Fabio Tomei via Flickr

An outdoor movie theater played the classics under starry skies


CarlosPictures via Flickr

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There was lots of space devoted to tanning–and a gigantic water slide


Fabio Tomei via Flickr

There were also four pools–two with retractable roofs for year-round use

costa concordia

Fabio Tomei via Flickr

Here’s a view of the upper deck


Fabio Tomei via Flickr

Inside, everything was ornate


Fabio Tomei via Flickr

A sitting space with European flair


via Flickr

Here’s the entrance to one of the lounges

Fabio Tomei via Flickr

Inside, a piano player was on hand to entertain guests

Fabio Tomei via Flickr

A multi-level lounge with a bar and lots of tables


Fabio Tomei via Flickr

Inside the glitzy casino


Julien Beytrison via Flickr

A look down one of the ship’s long hallways. The ship had 1,500 cabins

Fabio Tomei via Flickr

575 of the rooms came with balconies


Julien Beytrison via Flickr

The facilities were pretty standard for a cruise liner


Julien Beytrison via Flickr

Another shot of the bathroom


Julien Beytrison via Flickr

Lifeboats stored aboard the ship


Fabio Tomei via Flickr

Passengers catch the last rays of sun


Fabio Tomei via Flickr

The ship docked in several ports of call during weeklong Mediterranean journeys

Fabio Tomei via Flickr

And now the glamorous cruiseliner is half-submerged in the sea


Getty / Laura Lezza

The Costa Concordia isn’t the only cruise to end in tragedy

AP

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Picture

​The Recollection of Events & Photos by Peter Grajda

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Sinking of the Concordia caught on camera (Documentary)

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A preliminary account of the final moments before the Costa Concordia ran aground and partially sank, according to the Coast Guard. The luxury cruise ship’s owners said on Sunday that human error contributed to the crash.
Ship leaves Civitavecchia about 7:30 p.m. local time.
Alarm sounds at about 10:30 p.m., according to a Coast Guard commander. The captain later says the ship hit a reef that was not on the navigation charts. According to the Italian Navy, the reef was in an area known as Le Scole.
The captain steers the ship toward shallow waters, near Giglio’s port.
The ship lists and runs aground. A large gash is visible on the ship’s hull.
Helicopters evacuate some survivors to Porto Santo Stefano.

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The Ship representing the continued success of the European Union is taken down by THE ROCK!  (Jesus)

M.S. Costa Concordia | The Unexpected Demise

214,323 views
Jan 7, 2018
Shipster1912
58.6K subscribers
Back in January 2012 – a cruise liner whilst on its cruise sadly sank/capsized, after coming into contact with underwater rocks. Whilst the majority managed to safely abandon the ship, some didn’t and 32 people lost their lives…
JANUARY 26, 2012 / 6:24 PM / 8 YEARS AGO

Ill-fated Italian ship inspired by EU

MIAMI (Reuters) – Given the fading fortunes of the European Union, a good deal of symbolism can probably be read into the fact that it helped inspire the design of the Italian ocean liner that hit a rock and capsized off the Tuscan island of Giglio two weeks ago.


An oil recovery sea platform is seen next to the Costa Concordia cruise ship off the west coast of Italy, at dusk at Giglio island January 26, 2012. REUTERS/Darrin Zammit Lupi

And it was indeed the EU, the economic and political confederation of member states with a combined population of more than 500 million people, that served as the central motif for fashioning the Costa Concordia’s interior, said veteran Miami architect Joe Farcus.

Usually I design ships around what I call the central idea, the point of interest of something that would be the basis of a story,” Farcus said.

On this ship, the idea was for each public room to take a style that was evocative of every country in Europe, in the European Union,” he said. “I think it worked out that every country in the European Union sort of equaled the number of public rooms on the ship.

Poring over photos of the vessel’s over-the-top interior, images taken before its accident and filled to overflowing with bold primary and neon colors, Farcus acknowledged that it was hard to say now exactly which of the rooms represented any particular EU member country.

But he said the towering central atrium took its design cues from the Art Nouveau styles of Belgium, in recognition of its role as the seat of the European Parliament. The piano bar, one of 13 watering holes aboard the ship, was done in Hungarian style because he is of Hungarian descent, Farcus said.

Costa Cruises Chairman and Chief Executive Pier Luigi Foschi also had the EU very much in mind when he named the ship, which was officially christened in July 2006, the Concordia, Farcus said.

“INCREDIBLY SAD”

As in Concord, the name signifies agreement or harmony and friendly, peaceful relations.

“That is how Mr. Foschi came up with the name Concordia, meaning a peaceful gathering of many cultures,” Farcus said.

“It was very, very interesting,” Farcus said on Wednesday at his well-appointed, palm-fringed Miami Beach home.

“To think of her where she is now is so incredibly sad,” the 67-year-old architect said of the Concordia.

The ship is one of dozens Farcus has designed in a career spanning more than 30 years for Carnival Corp, the parent of Italy’s Costa.

“I don’t know anything beyond what I’ve read in the various media reports but it seems like it was a horrible human error situation, which accidents often are,” said Farcus, when asked about what really happened on the Concordia on January 13. At least 16 people were killed and more are missing.

Clearly the damage to the ship was catastrophic,” he said, referring to the “gigantic gashthat tore into the hull of the Concordia and quickly caused it to capsize.

“The list apparently happened practically immediately,” he said. “But there still seemed to be just about an hour where basically whatever should have been done, or could have been done, wasn’t done for whatever reason. Time will tell that story, I guess.”

Though Farcus once earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the architect behind the first passenger ship ever to exceed 100,000 tons, he said the size of gargantuan cruise liners, some of which now boast as much as 225,000 tons, was something that would now be subject to close scrutiny in any post-Concordia safety reviews.

This raises issues and rightly so, it should be looked at,” he said.

“If it floats it can sink.”

Reporting By Tom Brown; Editing by Bill Trott

Described by the company as its new flagship, the $668.8 million Costa Fascinosa is “at the cutting edge of safety and environmental protection standards,” according to the company.

“Costa Fascinosa is the living proof of the progress and the results achieved by two great Italian industries jointly contributing to spread a positive image of ‘Made in Italy’ around the world,” said Giuseppe Bono, chief executive officer of Fincantieri. “We are most pleased to have contributed to the success of Costa, an Italian company which proudly flies the Italian flag.”

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Costa Concordia provided setting for a 2010 Jean-Luc Godard film

 This article is more than 8 years old
Cruise liner served as a self-conscious metaphor for western capital ploughing through choppy waters in Film Socialisme
A still from Film Socialisme
 A still from Jean-Luc Godard’s Film Socialisme.

Anyone who sat through Film Socialisme may have suspected that the Costa Concordia was heading for trouble. The cruise liner was the setting for the first “movement” of Jean-Luc Godard‘s ambitious, infuriating 2010 picture, serving as a self-conscious metaphor for western capital ploughing through choppy waters. In Godard’s film, the Concordia plays the role of a decadent limbo where the tourists drift listlessly amid the ritzy interiors. The passengers include a UN official and an elderly war criminal. The onboard entertainment comes courtesy of an unsmiling Patti Smith.

Film Socialisme divided audiences when it was first unveiled at the Cannes film festival. What some saw as an eccentric masterpiece, others dismissed as an eccentric mess – a wilfully obscure meditation on the nature of globalisation from a cantankerous old genius who took a perverse delight in bamboozling his audience. Godard’s movie ran to a rhythm of disconnected imagery and deliberately garbled subtitles (“spacial form egoism”, “empire or tourism”). It bowed out with a final message of “No Comment”, as if the director was refusing to draw any conclusions, let alone offer possible solutions. Godard’s film told us that the world was doomed and then cut to the credits before disaster struck.

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It was the largest Italian cruise The Concordia ship card

The collision took place one hundred years after the Titanic tragedy. The itinerary also touches the ports of Marseille, Barcelona, ​​Palma de Majorca, Cagliari and Palermo.

A Costa cruise ship

It seems impossible a hundred years after the Titanic tragedy . But it happened. The Costa Concordia had left for a cruise of eight days in the Western Mediterranean, the ship that ran aground near Giglio Island. Costa Concordia, 114,500 tons and 1,500 cabins capable of accommodating up to 3,780 passengers, was heading from Civitavecchia to Savona, the first stop of the ‘Profumo d’Agrumì, as the company christened the itinerary that also touches the ports of Marseille, Barcelona, ​​Palma de Majorca, Cagliari and Palermo, then return to Civitavecchia, Savona and Marseille. A journey to discover the Mediterranean, which turned into a nightmare for the approximately 3,200 passengers at that time on board one of the largest ships in the Costa Crociere fleet, the number one company in Europe. The dimensions, 290.2 meters long by 35.5 meters wide, are in fact “giant of the sea“. Built by Fincantieri , in the historic naval plant of Genoa Sestri Ponente, Concordia entered service in July 2006. Its on-board power plants provide enough electricity to consume a city of 50 thousand inhabitants.

Empty weighs as much as 110 Boeing 747 and the length of the electric cables installed on board could cover five and a half times the distance between Rome and Milan. The teak siding could cover two football fields, while with all the tablecloths on board a 27 km long board could be set. At the time of the inaugural cruise, on July 7, 2006 with Eva Herzigova and Antonella Clerici for godmothers, it was the largest passenger ship flying the Italian flag. On board there is every kind of comfort, including 58 suites with balconies, five restaurants, 13 bars, 5 whirlpools and 4 swimming pools, two of which with removable glass roof, to enjoy the sun even in winter, another for children and one equipped with Toboga.

A veritable “sea floating temple”, as defined by the same company on its website the Internet , with nearly 2000 square meters divided on two bridges earmarked for sport and well-being, and an area of 6000 square meters of spa two floors. As is the tradition of all the latest Costa ships, the interior design of the Costa Concordia, designed by the Miami architect Joe Farcus, follows a thematic path, represented by the architectural and artistic styles developed in Europe . Remarkable, as the Costa tradition dictates, is the presence of works of art on board: over six thousand copies and originals, by 35 contemporary artists.”

Potrebbe interessarti: https://www.palermotoday.it/cronaca/scheda-crociera-costa-concordia-mediterraneo.html
 
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SO CLOSE!!…AND YET SO FAR…
Depending on where you were on the ship, you may or not may not be able to get to open air.  Even if you were able to get to where you could see escape, the perils of getting of the tilted ship were daunting.  Not only that escape had to come through the cold dark waters on a winter night, with limited vision.
The enormous vessel spanned a good distance at the shore.  Depending on where you got into the water, you may have a short swim to shallow water and shore, or you might have to go quite a way in deep water before you could find safety.
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Costa Concordia: Shipment of Mob drugs was hidden aboard cruise liner when it hit rocks off Italian coast, investigators say

The Costa Concordia sank in 2012 with the loss of 32 lives

The ‘Costa Concordia’ sank in 2012 with the loss of 32 lives

The ‘Costa Concordia’ sank in 2012 with the loss of 32 lives ( AFP/Getty )

The doomed Costa Concordia was carrying a huge shipment of Mafia-owned cocaine when it set off on its final voyage, investigators have said.

’Ndrangheta, the feared Calabrian crime syndicate, had its drugs hidden aboard the huge cruise ship that partially capsized in January 2012 with the loss of 32 lives, phone and tape recordings of gang members have revealed.

“The same ship that made us a laughing stock around the world, took the piss out of us, too,” ’Ndrangheta boss Michele Rossi is heard saying to an associate, Massimo Tiralongo, according to police officers investigating the organisation’s vast cocaine-trafficking operation.

Officers from the organised crime investigation group in Florence say that the drugs on the Concordia, which have not been found, were stowed aboard without the knowledge of senior officers or senior company officials, but almost certainly with the complicity of one or more crew members.

The Concordia, with more than 4,000 passengers and crew aboard, partially capsized on the night of 13 January 2012, close to the island of Giglio, after the captain performed a risky manoeuvre which caused it to crash into rocks near the shore, tearing a huge hole in its side.

The Concordia was towed to Genoa in July last year to be scrapped in a complex, €100m operation, which is expected to last nearly two years.

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This is a translation of the transcript of the conversation between Captain Francesco Schettino, commander of the sinking Costa Concordia, and Captain Gregorio De Falco of the Italian coast guard in Livorno.

Captain De Falco repeatedly orders Schettino to return to the ship to oversee the evacuation, while Schettino resists, making excuses that it is dark and that the ship is listing.

De Falco: “This is De Falco speaking from Livorno. Am I speaking with the commander?”

Schettino: “Yes. Good evening, Cmdr. De Falco.”

De Falco: “Please tell me your name.”

Schettino: “I’m Cmdr. Schettino, commander.”

De Falco: “Schettino? Listen Schettino. There are people trapped on board. Now you go with your boat under the prow on the starboard side. There is a pilot ladder. You will climb that ladder and go on board. You go on board and then you will tell me how many people there are. Is that clear? I’m recording this conversation, Cmdr. Schettino…”

De Falco: “Speak up! Put your hand in front of the microphone and speak more loudly, is that clear?”

Schettino: “In this moment, the boat is tipping…”

De Falco: “I understand that, listen, there are people that are coming down the pilot ladder of the prow. You go up that pilot ladder, get on that ship and tell me how many people are still on board. And what they need. Is that clear? You need to tell me if there are children, women or people in need of assistance. And tell me the exact number of each of these categories. Is that clear? Listen Schettino, that you saved yourself from the sea, but I am going to… I’m going to make sure you get in trouble. ...I am going to make you pay for this. Go on board, (expletive)!”

Schettino: “Commander, please…”

De Falco: “No, please. You now get up and go on board. They are telling me that on board there are still…”

Schettino: “I am here with the rescue boats, I am here, I am not going anywhere, I am here…”

De Falco: “What are you doing, commander?”

Schettino: “I am here to co-ordinate the rescue…”

De Falco: “What are you co-ordinating there? Go on board! Co-ordinate the rescue from aboard the ship. Are you refusing?”

Schettino: “No, I am not refusing.”

De Falco: “Are you refusing to go aboard commander? Can you tell me the reason why you are not going?”

Schettino: “I am not going because the other lifeboat is stopped.”

De Falco: “You go aboard. It is an order. Don’t make any more excuses. You have declared ‘abandon ship.’ Now I am in charge. You go on board! Is that clear? Do you hear me? Go, and call me when you are aboard. My air rescue crew is there.”

Schettino: “Where are your rescuers?”

De Falco: “My air rescue is on the prow. Go. There are already bodies, Schettino.”

Schettino: “How many bodies are there?”

De Falco: “I don’t know. I have heard of one. You are the one who has to tell me how many there are. Christ.”

De Falco: “And so what? You want to go home, Schettino? It is dark and you want to go home? Get on that prow of the boat using the pilot ladder and tell me what can be done, how many people there are and what their needs are. Now!”

Schettino: “...I am with my second in command.”

De Falco: “So both of you go up then … You and your second go on board now. Is that clear?”

Schettino: “Commander, I want to go on board, but it is simply that the other boat here … there are other rescuers. It has stopped and is waiting…”

De Falco: “It has been an hour that you have been telling me the same thing. Now, go on board. Go on board! And then tell me immediately how many people there are there.”

Schettino: “OK, commander”

De Falco: “Go, immediately!”

The ROCK THAT SUNK THE CONCORDIA
Firefighters on a dinghy examine a large rock emerging from the side of the luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia, the day after it ran aground on Sunday, January 15, 2012. 
COSTA CONCORDIA was the PRIDE of the EU!!  Designed to display the power and the elegance of the UNION, and more specifically of ROME/ITALY.   The opulence and the extravagance of the vessel was unsurpassed.  Representing all the largest and most powerful nations of the EU, the art, poetry, and music, the history, philosophy and the theosophy.   It was Bragging at its Optimum.
GOD WAS NOT GOING TO HAVE IT!!  I find it amusing, amazing and affirming that the representation of the OATH TAKERS, was brought down by THE ROCK.   We all know who that ROCK represents!!
SO AWESOME!!

Costa Concordia Refloat Operation (Time Lapse)

Updated November 1, 2019

COSTA CONCORDIA

From the oceans we came, and to the ocean we return

ITALY, GROSSETO MONDAY JULY 22 2013 – FIVE CONVICTED

Five employees of an Italian cruise company for the Costa Concordia shipwreck that killed 32 crew and passengers were convicted in an Italian court on Saturday after it accepted their plea bargains.

The longest sentence went to the crisis coordinator for Costa Crociere SpA, the cruise company, who was sentenced to two years and 10 months. Concordia’s hotel director was sentenced to two years and six months while two bridge officers and a helmsman got sentences ranging from one year and eight months to one year and 11 months.

The Concordia, on a week-long Mediterranean cruise, speared a jagged granite reef when, prosecutors allege, Schettino steered the ship too close to Giglio’s rocky shores as a favor to a crewman whose relatives live on the island. If found guilty, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
Schettino has denied the charges and insisted that the rock was not in nautical maps.

The guilty verdicts for multiple manslaughter and negligence were the first reached in the sinking of the cruise liner carrying more than 4,000 crew and passengers near the Tuscan shore in January 2012.

The ship’s captain, the only remaining defendant, was denied a plea bargain and is being tried separately. He faces up to 20 years, if convicted of manslaughter, causing the shipwreck and abandoning the ship. Schettino is charged with manslaughter for causing the January 2012 shipwreck off the Tuscan island of Giglio and abandoning the vessel with thousands aboard.

On Saturday, lawyers representing the 32 victims of the shipwreck said the sentences of the plea bargain — a fraction of what is usually handed down for manslaughter — were inadequate given the gravity of the disaster.

“It seems like a sentence for illegal construction,” said lawyer Massimiliano Gabrielli. “It’s an embarrassment.”

Another lawyer for victims, Daniele Bocciolini, called the sentences “insufficient” and questioned the prosecutors’ hypothesis placing the lion’s share of the blame on Capt. Francesco Schettino.

The five employees of the Costa Crociere SpA cruise company werecharged for their respective roles in the nautical maneuver that put the ship in peril, evacuation and response to the emergency.

The bridge officials and helmsman were also convicted of a charge of causing a shipwreck, in addition to multiple manslaughter and negligence.

Prosecutors accused the crisis coordinator, who wasn’t aboard the ship, of downplaying the severity of the emergency and delaying adequate response, while the hotel director was charged for his role in the evacuation, described by passengers as chaotic.

The helmsman was blamed for steering the ship in the wrong direction after Schettino ordered a corrective maneuver.

Prosecutor Francesco Verusio said the convictions confirmed investigators’ version of events.

“I don’t think there are any more doubts about the responsibility that falls above all on the shoulders of Schettino,” Verusio said.

The Concordia, on a week-long Mediterranean cruise, speared a jagged granite reef  that sliced a 70-meter-long (230-foot) gash in the hull. Seawater rushed in, causing the ship to rapidly lean to one side until it capsized, then drifted to a rocky stretch of seabed just outside the island’s tiny port.

Survivors have described a delayed and confused evacuation. The bodies of two victims were never found, but they were declared dead after a long search.

Costa Crociere, part of the American-based Carnival Corporation, agreed to pay a $1.3m (£860,000) fine in April to settle possible criminal charges.

Most passengers have already accepted compensation of about 11,000 euros ($14,200: £9,400) each, but remaining groups of survivors are holding out for more.

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LATEST 16 DECEMBER 2012

Ever since the wreck of the Costa Concordia 11 months ago, the huge Italian luxury liner has been sitting, semi-submerged, off the coast of Tuscany, looking like a big, beached whale.

It’s the largest passenger ship ever capsized, easily surpassing the Titanic. Removing the ship has turned out to be the most complicated, the most expensive, the most daunting and the
riskiest salvage operation ever.

TITANIC:  it is generally believed that of the ship’s approximately 2,200 passengers and crew members, some 1,500 people perished when the ship sank.  According to the U.S. committee investigating the sinking, 1,517 lives were lost, and its British counterpart determined that 1,503 died.

The Costa Concordia is a rusting carcass, sitting pon two under water mountain peaks. A clock remains frozen in time, marking the hour and minute when the ship lost power. Below the waterline ghostly vestiges of the ship’s contents litter the ocean floor in what the Italian authorities have designated an official crime scene. Thirty people died; two are still missing.

Nick Sloane is the senior salvage master, a South African. Two salvage teams working together plan to roll the 60,000-ton ship in one piece onto an underwater platform, raise it and then
float it away so it can be cut up for scrap. To keep things in perspective, this ship is three football fields long. The actual work is being shared by Nick Sloane’s Titan Salvage, an American company,
and Micoperi, an Italian engineering firm. Sergio Girotto is the company’s project director, in charge of re-floating a 60,000-ton ship filled with seawater.

The engineers are going to, in effect, weld a new ship onto the shipwreck, beginning with the construction of towering steel boxes called “sponsons”. We wish them the best of luck with that and will
report on the project in the coming months.

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CAPTAIN FRANCESCO SCHETTINO NEGLIGENCE CHARGES March 2102

“That evening Schettino had left his reading glasses in the cabin and repeatedly asked Ambrosio to look at the radar to check the route,” Ambrosio’s lawyer Salvatore Catalano said outside a pre-trial hearing on the accident on Saturday.

Ambrosio had made the allegation about Schettino, 51, to investigating magistrates at previous hearings, lawyer Salvatore Catalano added. Schettino has said that the rock hit by the cruise liner was not on his navigational charts.

The captain has acknowledged that he brought the ship too close to the shore, but he says he was not
the only one to blame for the tragedy. Catalano said first officer Ambrosio ordered the evacuation of
the listing vessel before the captain had made up his mind to do it. “He ordered the lifeboats to be
put to sea from deck number four,” Catalano said.

None of those under investigation attended the closed-door hearing in the Tuscan city of Grosseto, which was held in a theatre to accommodate hundreds of victims’ relatives, survivors and lawyers for all sides. Schettino’s lawyer, Bruno Leporatti, did not specifically address the latest accusations levelled by the first officer against the captain, who has already been held up to condemnation and ridicule around the world.

Schettino is accused of a string of charges including multiple manslaughter and abandoning the 114,500-tonne liner before the evacuation of all passengers and crew. He is under arrest at his home in Meta di Sorrento, near Naples.

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BACKGROUND

MS Costa Concordia was a Concordia-class cruise ship operated by Costa Crociere (a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation) and built by the Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente yards in Italy. The name Concordia was intended to express the wish for “continuing harmony, unity, and peace between European nations.”

On 13 January 2012 at about 9:45 pm, in calm seas and overcast weather, under command of
Captain Francesco Schettino, Costa Concordia struck a rock in the Tyrrhenian Sea just off the
eastern shore of Isola del Giglio, off the western coast of Italy about 100 km (62 mi) northwest
of Rome. This tore a 50 m (160 ft) gash on the port (left) side of her hull, which almost immediately
flooded parts of the engine room and caused loss of power to her propulsion and electrical systems.
With water flooding in and listing, the ship drifted back to Giglio Island, where she grounded just
500 m (550 yd) north of the village of Giglio Porto, lying on her starboard (right) side in shallow
water with most of her starboard side under water. Despite the gradual sinking of the ship, its
complete loss of power, and its proximity to shore in calm seas, an order to abandon ship was
not issued until over an hour after the initial impact. Although international maritime law
requires all passengers to be evacuated within 30 minutes of an order to abandon ship, the
evacuation of Costa Concordia took over six hours and not all passengers were evacuated. Of
the 3,229 passengers and 1,023 crew known to have been aboard, 30 bodies have been located,
and two more passengers are missing and presumed dead.

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Accidents and incidents

2008 bow damage

On 22 November 2008, Costa Concordia suffered damage to her bow when high winds over the Sic

ilian city of Palermo pushed the ship against its dock. There were no injuries and repairs started soon after.

Salvage

Salvage experts Smit International assessed removal of Costa Concordia and her 2,380 tonnes of fuel. Smit assessed that any salvage operation could take up to ten months, and the ship may be a constructive total loss. Smit were contracted to remove her fuel, and during the operation it was reported that the ship had shifted 60 cm (23.6 in) since grounding, but there was no immediate prospect of her breaking up or sinking deeper.

Following a competitive tender, in May 2012 it was announced that Titan Salvage and Italianfirm Micoperi had won the salvage contracts. Their plan, expected to cost $300m and therefore

expected to be the most expensive salvage ever, is to:

*Secure the hull to the land using steel cables, to stop her falling into the deeper ocean *Build a horizontal underwater platform below the ship *Bring the hull to vertical, by winching the hull onto the platform
*Attach airtight tanks to either side of the hull *Refloat the hull and tanks *Recovery tow to an Italian port

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Regulatory and industry response

Corrado Clini, Italy’s Minister of Environment, said that saluting, a “custom that has resulted in
an outcome visible to all”, should no longer be tolerated. On 23 January 2012, UNESCO asked
Italy to reroute cruise ships to avoid sailing too close to “culturally and ecologically important
areas”, and on 1 March, Italy excluded large ships from sailing closer than two miles from marine
parks.

The European Maritime Safety Agency was in the process of conducting a review of maritime s
afety when the accident occurred. On 24 January 2012, Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas
told the Transportation Committee of the European Parliament that lessons learned from the
loss of Costa Concordia would be taken into account. British MEP Jacqueline Foster warned
against “trial by television and trial by newspapers”, a view that was backed by fellow British
MEP Brian Simpson, who said that it was “good practice to wait for the official report”.

On 18 January 2012, the Chairman of the United States House Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure announced that it would hold a hearing, conducted jointly with the Committee’s
Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, to “review the events of this specific incident, current
safety measures and training requirements”. Testimony and statements at the 29 February
hearing primarily promoted North American cruise ships as being safe.

Gianni Scerni, the chairman of Registro Italiano Navale (RINA), the classification society that
issued Costa Concordia a certificate of seaworthiness and safety management in November
2011, resigned on 18 January 2012.

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the European Cruise Council (ECC) and the Passenger Shipping Association adopted a new policy requiring all embarking passengers to participate in muster drills before  departure. On 29 January 2012, at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Holland America Line made one passenger disembark from the cruise ship MS Westerdam for “non-compliance” during a mandatory muster drill. On 24 April, the CLIA and the ECC introduced new policies: bridge officers must agree on the route before departing; ships must carry more lifejackets; and access to the bridge must be limited.

In an action some parliamentarians said was a reaction to the wrecking of the Costa Concordia, the Italian government withdrew proposed legislation that would have reduced current restrictions on mineral exploration and production. On July 8, 2012 CNN reported that the disaster brought changes to safety and evacuation procedures in the cruise industry. Carnival, the parent line of Costa, and several other cruise lines now require safety instruction, referred to as muster drills, before leaving port. The new muster policy consists of 12 specific emergency instructions, which include providing information on when and how to don a life jacket, where to muster and what to expect if there is an evacuation of the ship.

Media

Coverage of the shipwreck dominated international media in the days after the disaster. The New York Times called the incident “a drama that seemed to blend tragedy with elements of farce”. Phillip Knightley called it the “most significant event in modern maritime history” because “every single safety procedure designed to make sea travel safe failed miserably”. Francesco Schettino was dubbed “Captain Coward” by the Daily Mail in the UK.

UK’s Channel 4 television commissioned and broadcast two programmes about the disaster. Terror at Sea: The Sinking of the Costa Concordia, broadcast on 31 January 2012, explored how and why the ship went down. The Sinking of the Concordia: Caught on Camera, broadcast on 11 April 2012, provided a minute-by-minute anatomy of the Costa Concordia disaster, made almost entirely from passengers’ mobile phone and video camera footage. The documentary also featured thermal imaging footage of the stricken ship taken by the rescue helicopter, together with pilot commentary, and a recording of the conversation between the Coast Guard and the captain, during which the Coast Guard ordered Captain Schettino to return to his ship.

In Italy

Corriere della Sera stated that Italy owed the world a “convincing  explanation” for the wreck and called for harsh punishment of those found responsible. Il Giornale said the wreck was a “global disaster for Italy”. Il Messaggero said there was “anguish over those still missing”. La Repubblica called the event “a night of errors and lies”. La Stampa criticized the captain for not raising the alarm and refusing to go back on board the ship.

Italian commentators reflected on the contrast between Schettino and De Falco and what it said
about the national character. They represented “the two souls of Italy”, according to Aldo Grasso
in Corriere della Sera. “On the one hand a man hopelessly lost, a coward who shirks his responsibility as a man and an officer, indelibly stained. The other grasps the seriousness of the
situation immediately and tries to remind the first of his obligations.”

Some saw parallels between the incident and the country’s recent political upheavals. “To see
someone that in a moment of difficulty maintains steady nerves is consoling because that is what
we need”, another Corriere della Serra columnist, Beppe Severgnini, told The New York Times. “Italy wants to have steady nerves because we’ve already done the cabaret” route.”

De Falco’s exasperated order to Schettino, “Vada a bordo, cazzo!”  “Get the fuck on board!”  became a catchphrase in Italy.
T-shirts with the phrase were soon printed and sold across the country. It has also been used on Twitter and Facebook. Another Italian newspaper, Il Libero, used it in a cartoon caricaturing German chancellor Angela Merkel, shown rowing away from a ship named Europa Discordia and painted with the symbol of the European Union. It was a reaction to Germany’s refusal to do more, as Monti had requested, to help lower Italy’s borrowing costs.

Titanic comparison

Several media outlets have compared the ship to the Titanic. Survivor Valentina Capuano is a niece of a man who died in the Titanic tragedy 100 years earlier. Capuano said she was “dumbstruck” that history seemed to be repeating itself. Some passengers said that the Titanic theme “My Heart Will Go On” performed by Céline Dion, was playing in a restaurant when the ship hit the rock. Several media commentators contrasted the “women and children first” attitude generally prevailing on the RMS Titanic to the “first come, first served” attitude said to be more prevalent on the Costa Concordia, though no law requires preferential treatment of women and children when evacuating a ship in distress

Sad commentary on what we call progress.   Women’s Lib, Animism, Self Worship, Satan Worship, Transhumanism and the return of all the ancient pagan religions and cultures have totally blurred all boundaries to the point where there is no respect for anything or anyone anymore.  We are a culture that loves the lie and hates the truth, that loves and worships death.  Those most vulnerable are just seen as prey.   The weak, the handicapped, the young, the old…  

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The ‘Bluefish’ by Bluebird Marine Systems Ltd, is designed to carry Scorpion anti pirate weapons. A fleet of such autonomous vessels could be the basis of an international peacekeeping, and/or emergency rescue force.

The COLREGs compliant navigation system that is being developed as project ‘Bluefish’ could have prevented the sinking of the Costa Concordia. This might be of interest to fleet operators.

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Old Camera Found In The Deep Ocean Reveals Horrifying Titanic Photos.

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Cruise Ship Runs Aground Off Italy

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Official Plan to Refloat and Remove Costa Concodia (May 2012)

Memorial

The mayor of Giglio, Sergio Ortelli, and Costa Cruises are in agreement that the massive rock to be removed from the side of the vessel should be suitably positioned on the island as a memorial to the 32 people who lost their lives. Ortelli anticipates the rock will “most likely” be positioned “close to the harbour entrance so that visitors and locals can see it clearly and pay their respects to the victims. What happened that night is something Giglio will never forget and the rock will be a fitting memorial.” The cost of removing the 80-ton rock is estimated at £40,000. There is no date yet set for the creation of the memorial.

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2.07M subscribers

More on the trial and sentencing of Costa Concordia Captain Francesco Schettino. For more on the fifth estate : http://www.cbc.ca/fifth

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Inside the Costa Concordia Wreck, Including never before published images

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Rock that sank the Costa Concordia to become memorial to the 32 people who died

The 80-ton rock

A massive rock lodged into the side of the Costa Concordia, which caused the luxury cruise ship to capsize six months ago, will be removed and turned into a memorial to the 32 people who lost their lives on the ill-fated vessel.

The Costa Concordia capsized in January off the Tuscan coast of Giglio, when it struck the 80-ton rock that lay within a submerged reef.

Captain Francesco Schettino is accused of altering the course of the ship so that it sailed close to the picturesque coast in a bid to impress passengers and crew, as well as locals waiting on a nearby island.

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The massive rock tore a 70-metre hole into the side of the Costa Concordia’s hull before becoming lodged inside the vessel

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Thirty-two people lost their lives when the Costa Concordia cruise ship ran aground off the west coast of Italy in January

The liner sailed straight into the path of the rock, which tore a 70-metre hole into the side of the Costa Concordia’s hull before becoming lodged inside the vessel.

More than 4,000 holidaymakers and crew were on board when the disaster struck just three hours after the ship left port for the start of a Mediterranean cruise on January 13.

Sergio Ortelli, mayor of Giglio, confirmed £40,000 will be spent to remove the rock as part of the judicial investigation into the tragedy and it will later be turned into a “fitting” memorial.

He said: ‘The Costa Cruises company has said this is what they want to happen and it is also what we want to happen.

‘It will be removed and turned into a memorial of some sorts so that the island can pay tribute to those who lost their lives.

‘We have no idea yet where it will be positioned, but most likely it will be close to the harbour entrance so that visitors and locals can see it clearly and pay their respects to the victims.

‘What happened that night is something Giglio will never forget and the rock will be a fitting memorial.’

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Later this month, the 114,000-ton liner will be removed from its resting place at a cost of more than $300million

Later this month, the 114,000-ton liner will be removed from its resting place in what has been described as an “unprecedented” procedure. It is expected to take up to a year and cost more than $300million.

A cage will be built around the Concordia and then barges with cranes will be brought in and anchored to the sea bed to help straighten and refloat the massive 290m ship.

Once upright, it will be towed to a dry dock where it is expected to be scrapped.

Prosecutors have launched an investigation into Mr Schettino’s actions, who is currently under house arrest.

He has been charged with causing a shipwreck, multiple manslaughter, abandoning ship and failing to inform maritime authorities of the situation.

It is claimed that Mr Schettino delayed the order to abandon ship for more than an hour.

This meant that by the time the lifeboats were launched, it was already too late to use them because of the angle of the Concordia.

 Captain Francesco Schettino is accused of causing the shipwreck, among other charges

Many passengers and crew had to make their way down the hull on rope ladders instead.

Witnesses have told prosecutors that Mr Schettino was in a lifeboat when at least 300 people were still on board and needed to be rescued.

This allegation has led to claims of cowardice against the captain, as he saved himself instead of following the maritime tradition of staying at his post as late as possible.

People living in Giglio want the ship removed as quickly as possible and without any lasting environmental impact to the the area.

The coast is a protected maritime park and boasts a strong population of  whales, porpoises and dolphins. The island’s beaches are also a popular attraction for thousands of tourists every summer who flock to Giglio.

Earlier this year, salvage teams pumped off 2,380 tonnes of heavy duty diesel that remained in the ship’s fuel tanks, in a round-the-clock operation lasting five weeks.

Mr Schettino is currently under house arrest at his home in Meta di Sorrento, near Naples.

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