GENOA: Italy’s largest new cruise ship, the “Costa Fortuna” is a nostalgic reminder of the country’s pioneer passenger liners of the past combined with all the luxury of the 21st century.

“The Costa Fortuna pays homage to the giants of Italian shipping,” says Ralph Steffen, press spokesman Germany of the Italian shipping company Costa Crociere.

The Costa Fortuna not only impresses with its interior decor but also with its size — 272 metres long and 66 metres high with accommodation for 3,470 passengers.

The decks carry portraits and models of ships from the pioneering days. But the interior design also reminds of these early days.

Then there is a three-storey theatre, eleven bars, three restaurants, a shopping mall, an art gallery, a casino, a disco and several swimming pools — one of them with a removable roof.

There are 58 suites and 522 of the 1,358 cabins have a private balcony with a seaview. The 105,000 ton ship can travel up to 22 knots (40 kilometres an hour) and is equipped with all modern safety mechanisms.—dpa