Experienced Maritime Attorneys BLOG

Costa Unveils New Ship, Cuts Ticket Prices

May 18th, 2012

Following the Jan. 13 cruise ship accident in which the COSTA CONCORDIA capsized off the coast of Italy, Costa Cruises has been trying to repair its tarnished image. Costa, part of the British-American company Carnival Cruise Lines, has not only been cutting ticket prices, it also christened a new flagship — the COSTA FASCINOSA — on May 5. Costa’s efforts appear to be working. According to Reuters, Costa experienced a 25 percent annual rise in bookings last month, and Costa Chairman Pier Luigi Foschii said, “Costa has bounced back and booking volumes are back to the same levels recorded this time last year.” As Costa Cruises attempts to move forward and attract new customers, the ill-fated COSTA CONCORDIA sits off the coast of Italy near the island of Giglio, a sad reminder of the 32 lives lost just four short months ago. Captain Francesco Schettino remains on house arrest and could…
Read More »

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Cruise Ship Accidents, Maritime Law | No Comments »

New Cruise Industry Safety Guidelines . . . Too Little, Too Late?

May 16th, 2012

In the wake of the COSTA CONCORDIA tragedy, the cruise industry has been scrambling to save face. Recently, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the European Cruise Council (ECC) announced three new safety policies, which include: Only allowing authorized individuals on the bridge when the captain is dealing with a potentially risky situation Planning a ship’s course ahead of time and communicating it to all bridge team members Having more life jackets on the ship than passengers While these new policies make good sense, the recent announcement begs the question: Why weren’t these policies already in place? Did it really take 32 people dying in the COSTA CONCORDIA disaster for the cruise industry to decide that maybe cruise ships should be required to have more life jackets onboard than people? Did it really take 32 families losing their loved ones in a cruise ship accident for the cruise industry…
Read More »

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Cruise Ship Accidents, Maritime Law | No Comments »

Minnesota Couple Killed in COSTA CONCORDIA Disaster

May 14th, 2012

The death toll now stands at 32, although two bodies have yet to be recovered. Victims of the COSTA CONCORDIA tragedy hailed from around the world: Germany, France, Hungary, Italy, Peru, Spain, India and Minnesota. Three months after the ship capsized off the coast of Italy, Italian officials confirmed two of the identified bodies were those of Barbara and Gerald Heil, an elderly couple from White Bear Lake, Minn. According to media reports, Barbara and Gerald, known by family and friends as “Barb” and “Jerry,” were both devout Catholics who enjoyed being active within the church community. One example of their church involvement was how Jerry arranged Bible study classes and a weekly home visit for a blind, wheelchair-bound parishioner living in a group home. As the couple prepared to embark on a 14-day Mediterranean cruise, they told fellow church members and friends they were excited about taking the trip…
Read More »

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Cruise Ship Accidents, Maritime Law | No Comments »

« Older Entries