MS Costa Allegra
 Costa Allegra in Shanghai
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | list error: <br /> list (help) 1969—1986: Annie Johnson 1986—1988: Regent Moon 1988—1992: Alexandra 1992 onwards: Costa Atlantica[1] |
| Owner | list error: <br /> list (help) 1969—1986: Rederi AB Nordstjernan 1986—1988: Regency Cruises 1988—1990: Compania Naviera Panalexandra 1990 onwards: Costa Cruises[1] |
| Operator | list error: <br /> list (help) 1969—1986: Rederi AB Nordstjernan 1986—1992: laid up/rebuilt 1992 onwards: Costa Cruises[1] |
| Port of registry | list error: <br /> list (help) 1969—1986: Stockholm,  Sweden1986—1988: Limassol,  Cyprus1988—1990:Panama City,  Panama1990—1994: Naples,  Italy1994—2000: Monrovia,  Liberia2000 onwards: Genoa, Italy[1] |
| Builder | list error: <br /> list (help) Wärtsilä Turku shipyard, Turku, Finland (original) T. Mariotti, Genoa, Italy (rebuilding into a cruise ship)[1] |
| Yard number | 1170[1] |
| Launched | 29 April 1969[1] |
| Acquired | 4 December 1969[1] |
| Identification | IMO number 6916885[1] |
| Status | In service |
| General characteristics as built[1] | |
| Class and type | Axel Johnson class container ship |
| Tonnage | 16,289 GRT GRT uses unsupported parameter (help) |
| Displacement | 16,080 t DWT DWT uses unsupported parameter (help) |
| Length | 174.20 m (571 ft 6 in) |
| Beam | 25.75 m (84 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 10.39 m (34 ft 1 in) |
| Installed power | list error: <br /> list (help) 2 × 16PC2V + 2 × 12PC2V Pielstick-Wärtsilä diesels combined 19,139 kW |
| Speed | 23 knots (42.60 kilometres per hour; 26.47 miles per hour) |
| Capacity | 6 passengers |
| General characteristics as Costa Allegra, 1992[1] | |
| Type | cruise ship |
| Tonnage | 28,430 GT GT uses unsupported parameter (help)[2] |
| Displacement | 7,391 t DWT DWT uses unsupported parameter (help) |
| Length | 187.69 m (615 ft 9 in) |
| Beam | 25.75 m (84 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 8.20 m (26 ft 11 in) |
| Decks | 8 (passenger accessible)[2] |
| Installed power | list error: <br /> list (help) 4 × 6R46 Wärtsilä diesels combined 19,123 kW |
| Propulsion | Two propellers[2] |
| Speed | 19 knots (35.19 kilometres per hour; 21.86 miles per hour) |
| Capacity | list error: <br /> list (help) 820 passengers (lower berths) 1072 passengers (all berths)[2] |
| Crew | 450[2] |
MS Costa Allegra is a cruise ship owned and operated by the Italy-based Costa Cruises. She was built in 1969 by the Wärtsilä Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland as the container ship MS Annie Johnson for the Sweden-based Rederi AB Nordstjernan. In 1986 she was sold to Regency Cruises with the intention of being converted into a cruise ship under the name MS Regent Moon, but she was laid up instead. In 1988 she was sold to Compania Naviera Panalexandra and renamed MS Alexandra but continued laid up. In 1990 the ship was acquired by Costa Cruises and rebuilt into a cruise ship at the T. Mariotti shipyard in Genoa, Italy. She entered service as the Costa Allegra in 1992.[1][3]
Annie Johnson
Concept and construction
The Annie Johnson was the second in a series of five container ship built by the Wärtsilä Turku shipyard in Finland for the Swedish shipping company Rederi AB Nordstjernan. She was launched on 29 April 1969 and delivered to her owners on 4 December of the same year, entering service on the same date.[1][4]
Service history
From 1969 until 1986, the Annie Johnson was used as in cargo services by Rederi AB Nordstjernan. On 8 August 1986 the ship was sold to the Greece-based Regency Cruises with the intention of being rebuilt as a cruise ship. With this aim in mind she was renamed Regent Moon.[1][3] Her sister ship MS Axel Johnson was sold to Regency Cruises at the same time, renamed Regent Sun, also with the intention of being converted into a cruise ship. These plans were never realised, and the Regent Moon was laid up in Perama, Greece.[1][5] In May 1988 the Regent Moon was sold to Compania Naviera Panalexandra and renamed Alexandra, but continued laid up until 1990 when she was sold to Costa Cruises.[1][3]
Costa Allegra
Concept and construction
Costa Cruises had acquired the Regent Sun (which had been renamed Italia in the interim) in 1988 and had her conversion into a cruise ship realised, with the ship being delivered in July 1990 as Costa Marina.[5] Following this Costa Cruises acquired the Alexandra on 28 August 1990 for conversion into a cruise ship at the T. Mariotti shipyard in Genoa, Italy, the same shipyard that had rebuilt the Costa Marina. Work on the Alexandra commenced on 4 September 1990. She received an entirely new superstructure in the same style as that of the Costa Marina, as well as new engines. However, unlike the Costa Marina the Alexandra was lenghtened by 13.4 metres (44 feet 0 inches) when rebuilt.[1][2][4][5] Although originally planned to be renamed Costa Azzurra,[3] the ship was eventually renamed Costa Allegra in November 1992. On 16 November 1992 she was delivered to Costa Cruises.[1]
Service history
The Costa Allegra entered service with Costa Cruises on 23 November 1992 with a cruise from Genoa to St. Thomas in the Caribbean. During the early years of her service with Costa she sailed in the Mediterranean during the northern hemisphere summer season, relocating to the Caribbean for the winter.[1] In 2006 the ship was relocated for cruising out of China. At the same time her interiors were refurbished to better suit the Asian cruise market.[2] Her ports of departure in Asia are Singapore and Hong Kong. Countries visited include China, South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.[citation needed]
Design
The eight decks on the Costa Allegra are named after famous impressionist painters. A three deck high glass atrium is the centre of the ship. All throughout the ship, elegant works of art can be found.[2]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Asklander, Micke. "M/S Annie Johnson (1969)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 2008-10-25.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Ward, Douglas (2008). Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. Singapore: Berlitz. pp. 306–307. ISBN 978-981-268-240-6.
- ^ a b c d Miller, William H. Jr. (1995). The Pictorial Encycpedia of Ocean Liners, 1860-1994. Mineola: Dover Publications. p. 5. ISBN 0-486-28437-X.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: checksum (help) - ^ a b de Boer, Bart (2005-05-29). "Costa Allegra - Duckling or Swan?". ShipParade. Retrieved 2008-10-25.
- ^ a b c Asklander, Micke. "M/S Axel Johnson (1969)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 2008-10-25.
