Fincantieri Presents Azura, A New Technological Jewel

At Presence of President Schifani Fincantieri Presents “Azura.”

Today at Monfalcone there was the presentation of the “Azura”, the new flagship for P&O Cruises (Carnival Group), which, at 116,000 gross tonnes, is the twenty seventh passenger vessel built by Monfalcone shipyard out of a total of 53 built by Fincantieri.

Present at the ceremony were the President of the Senate, the Right Honourable Renato Schifani, while Carnival UK was represented by the CEO David Dingle, P&O Cruises by the Managing Director Carol Marlow and Fincantieri by the CEO Giuseppe Bono and the Chairman Corrado Antonini.

Incorporating the highest technological standards and providing maximum passenger comfort, the “Azura” is 290 metres long with a maximum passenger capacity of 4,383 (approximately 2,200 guests and 1,200 crew) accommodated in 2,180 cabins.

The new ship provides passengers with every comfort and a wide range of entertainment, including swimming pools, shops, wellness centres and libraries. On board there will also be the highly innovative “Seascreen”: an open-air cinema by the side of the main pool.
The delivery of the “Azura” further strengthens the relationship between Fincantieri and P&O Cruises, a prestige brand which serves discriminating customers from the highly dynamic British market.

Cooperation between the two companies started out five years ago when Fincantieri built the 82,000-ton “Arcadia” at Marghera shipyard and thereafter the “Ventura” – until today the fleet’s flagship - at Monfalcone.

With the “Azura”, since 1990 Fincantieri, world leader in the sector, has built 53 cruise ships, of which 49 for various brands in the Carnival Group. A further 10 vessels will be built at the group’s shipyards within 2012. These 63 ships guaranteed to the company revenues for more than 26 billion dollars.