Built as a cruise vessel under yard No 5899 by Fincantieri Breda at Marghera, Italy and completed by Nuovi Cantiere Apuania, Marina di Carrara, Italy under yard No 1138 for Costa Crociere, Naples.
23 April 1992 keel laid down.
28 November 1992 floated out as the COSTA ROMANTICA.
Tonnage 53,049 grt, 7,781 dwt., dim.220.52 x 3079 x 7.30m. (draught), length bpp. 181.9m.
Powered by four 8ZAL40S Sulzer diesel engines, 22,800 kW, twin shafts, speed 19.5 knots.
Accommodation for 1697 passengers.
22 September 1993 after christened by Mrs. Maria Alessandra Costa Fantoni in Venice delivered to owners, Italian flag and registry. Homeport Genoa.
At that time she and her sister the COSTA CLASSICA were the largest passenger vessels under the Italian flag.
07 October 1993 she sailed from Genoa for her maiden voyage to the Canary Islands.
21 November 1993 based at Miami and in a service from Miami to the Caribbean.
During the Northern summer season used for cruises from European ports.
From 2000 again based in Genoa.
25 February 2009 she got a small fire in the engine room off the coast of Uruguay, she was for more as 24 hours dead in the water and there was no electricity or running water, after she was partly repaired she steamed near the coast off Punta del Esta where the passengers were evacuated by landing-boats.
From 2000 she sailed during the summer some routes to the Baltic and the Norwegian fjords.
2001 She was freshened up with new furnishings curtains carpets and fabrics.
29 October 2011 she arrived at the San Giorgio del Porto shipyard, Genoa for a refit.
After her refit accommodation for 1800 passengers.
Tonnage 57,150 grt, 7,781 dwt.
February 2012 returned to service and renamed COSTA neoROMANTICA.
2013 In service, owner given as Costa Crociere SPA, who also managed her. Imo no 8821046.
Pitcairn Island 2013 $2.00 sg?, scott?
Source: http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/costa_romantica_1993.htm http://www.equasis.org http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz
Type: passenger liner
Tonnage: 3,236 GRT
850 metric tons deadweight (DWT)
Length: 92.50 m (303 ft 6 in)
Beam: 14.28 m (46 ft 10 in)
Draught: 5.50 m (18 ft 1 in)
Ice class: 1 C
Installed power: Quadruple steam engine with exhaust steam turbo compressor, 3,300 hk
Propulsion: 1 propeller
Speed: 15 knots (27.78 km/h; 17.26 mph)
Capacity: 600 passengers
252 passenger berths
30 cars (lo-lo)
In 1973 she was sold to Jakob Lines, was renamed SS Bore Nord and converted into a ferry. In 1978 she was bought back by the Ånedin Line (named after the 1970s British TV series The Onedin Line, also popular in Sweden) and was renamed SS Baltic Star. In 1982 the ship's original steam engines were replaced by diesel engines, the ship's prefix hence altered to MS. In 1989 the engines were again replaced by new diesels. In 2002 the ship reverted to the name Birger Jarl.
SS Birger Jarl was ordered by Rederi AB Svea from Finnboda shipyard in Nacka, Stockholm, where the keel of the ship was laid on 16 November 1951. She was launched on 15 January 1953 and named after the 13th century Swedish statesman Birger Jarl. Her maiden voyage was made on 9 June 1953 to Helsinki, after which she started regular services between Stockholm - Helsinki and Stockholm - Turku.
SS Birger Jarl is one of the so-called Olympia ships, built to upgrade the ferry traffic for the Helsinki 1952 Summer Olympics. Her two sister ships, SS Aallotar and SS Bore III, entered service before the Olympics, but SS Birger Jarl was only delivered the year after.
Between 1973 and 1978 the ship sailed under the name SS Bore Nord and between 1978 and 2002 she was SS Baltic Star/MS Baltic Star. In 2002 she was given back her original name.
In 1973 the ship was owned by the Finnish ferry company Jakob Lines and was fitted with a ramp to load vehicles on the aft deck.
In 1976 she was sold to Godby Shipping controlled by the Åland Islands Mikkola family. She was renamed Minisea, but the name was never actually painted on.
In 1976 and -77 she was laid up in the Oslofjord as a hotel ship.
In 1978 she was acquired by Caribbean Shipping Co Inc, Panama who changed her name to S/S Baltic Star.
In 1978 she was renovated in Turku and a 'skybar' and extra cabins were built on the aft deck.
Since 1979 she has sailed on regular cruises between Stockholm and Mariehamn and sometimes on longer cruises in the Baltic Sea.
On 31 May 1979 she collided with the berth in Mariehamn. The berth was damaged and a few small boats sunk. She became stuck between the berth and the vintage sailing ship SS Pommern, which also was damaged. After several hours the ships were separated and could be repaired. S/S Baltic Star departed for Stockholm one day late.
In 1982 the steam engine was replaced by a MAN diesel of 2,900 hp.
In 1988 the engine was replaced by a MAN diesel of 3,600 hp. Maximum speed increased to 16 knots.
Ånedinlinjen has been using the BOOKIT reservations system for its reservations and ticket sales since 1997.
In 2002 the ship sailed once again under the Swedish flag and under her original name, M/S Birger Jarl.
Wikipedia
Aland Islands SG?
