Big Red Boat II
ClassCruise Ship | Flag state- |
Maiden Voyage Date1966 | Cruise Age59 |
Cruise LinePremier Cruises | Category- |
Ship statistics
Gross Tonnage- | Deck Levels- | Crew-to-Passenger Ratio- |
Length217.3m/713ft | Decks with cabins- | Passengers-to-space ratio- |
Width29.3m/96ft | Cabins- | Ice Class- |
Passengers1,636 | Displacement- | Inflatable boat- |
Introduction to the cruise
History
Owner
1966-1996: Costa Line
1996-1998: Bremer Vulkan shipyard
1998-1999: Lowline Shipping
1999-2003: Cammell Laird
2003-2005: Argo Ship Management
Operator
1966-1996: Costa Line
1998-1999: Direct Cruises
1999-2000: Premier Cruise Line
2000-2005: laid up
Builder: Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico
Launched: 21 November 1964
Christened: by Pinuccia Costa Musso
In service: 31 Aug 1966
Out of service: May 2005
Identification: IMO number: 6502024
Fate: Scrapped at Alang, India 1 June 2005
General characteristics
Tonnage: 32,753 gross register tons (GRT)
Length: 217.3 m (713 ft)
Beam: 29.3 m (96 ft)
Draught: 8.6 m (28 ft)
Speed: 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph)
Capacity: 1,636 passengers
Crew: 424 (maximum)
The SS Eugenio C was a 1966 Italian built ocean liner/cruise ship originally owned by the Costa Line. She was scrapped as the Big Red at Alang, India in June 2005.
History
Eugenio C was ordered for the South American service by Costa (Linea C), to replace the Frederico C on that route. Her keel was laid on 4 January 1964, with Eugenio C being delivered to Costa on 22 August 1966, the same day she set out on her maiden trans-Atlantic voyage. For 10 years she only operated trans-Atlantic voyages between Genoa and South America, until passenger loading dropped rapidly in the 1970s, when the Eugenio C began cruising. After 1983 she would cross the Atlantic Ocean twice a year on a repositioning voyage. In 1984 she was extensively renovated and renamed the Eugenio Costa. It was planned the vessel would be renamed American Adventure and transferred to American Family Cruises, which was to be a branch of Costa, but this plan was never realized. Eugenio Costa completed her last cruise for her original owners in November 1996.
Costa sold the Eugenio Costa to the Bremer Vulcan shipyards in part exchange for the construction of the Costa Victoria. Lowline Shipping would go on to acquire her and well charter her to Direct Cruises, a British cruise line which offered budget cruises marketed via telemarketing. $12 million USD was spent on refitting the Eugenio Costa into the Edinburgh Castle. The vessel's mechanical problems brought about great difficulty to Direct and Lowline, until Direct filed for liquidation and Lowline Shipping filed for bankruptcy in 1999. Ownership of Edinburgh Castle was passed on to Lowline's main creditor, shipbuilder Cammell Laird.
Eugenio C as The Big Red Boat II but still bearing her Edinburgh Castle colors.
Cammell Laird chartered the vessel to Premier Cruises, renaming her The Big Red Boat II and having her go under a 10-month $25 million USD overhaul. Premier went into liquidation in September 2000, as a result Cammell Laird briefly chartered her to the United States Government, after which time she was laid up at Freeport, Bahamas alongside fellow ex-Premier fleet mates Rembrandt and Big Red Boat III.
Demise
The Big Red Boat II was sold to Argo Ship Management, who kept her up on the market. By 2005 it was obvious cruise companies were not willing to take their chances with her due to her history of mechanical problems. The vessel was renamed Red Boat, stopping in the Azores to refuel before being broken up for scrap at Alang scrapyards.
Owner
1966-1996: Costa Line
1996-1998: Bremer Vulkan shipyard
1998-1999: Lowline Shipping
1999-2003: Cammell Laird
2003-2005: Argo Ship Management
Operator
1966-1996: Costa Line
1998-1999: Direct Cruises
1999-2000: Premier Cruise Line
2000-2005: laid up
Builder: Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico
Launched: 21 November 1964
Christened: by Pinuccia Costa Musso
In service: 31 Aug 1966
Out of service: May 2005
Identification: IMO number: 6502024
Fate: Scrapped at Alang, India 1 June 2005
General characteristics
Tonnage: 32,753 gross register tons (GRT)
Length: 217.3 m (713 ft)
Beam: 29.3 m (96 ft)
Draught: 8.6 m (28 ft)
Speed: 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph)
Capacity: 1,636 passengers
Crew: 424 (maximum)
The SS Eugenio C was a 1966 Italian built ocean liner/cruise ship originally owned by the Costa Line. She was scrapped as the Big Red at Alang, India in June 2005.
History
Eugenio C was ordered for the South American service by Costa (Linea C), to replace the Frederico C on that route. Her keel was laid on 4 January 1964, with Eugenio C being delivered to Costa on 22 August 1966, the same day she set out on her maiden trans-Atlantic voyage. For 10 years she only operated trans-Atlantic voyages between Genoa and South America, until passenger loading dropped rapidly in the 1970s, when the Eugenio C began cruising. After 1983 she would cross the Atlantic Ocean twice a year on a repositioning voyage. In 1984 she was extensively renovated and renamed the Eugenio Costa. It was planned the vessel would be renamed American Adventure and transferred to American Family Cruises, which was to be a branch of Costa, but this plan was never realized. Eugenio Costa completed her last cruise for her original owners in November 1996.
Costa sold the Eugenio Costa to the Bremer Vulcan shipyards in part exchange for the construction of the Costa Victoria. Lowline Shipping would go on to acquire her and well charter her to Direct Cruises, a British cruise line which offered budget cruises marketed via telemarketing. $12 million USD was spent on refitting the Eugenio Costa into the Edinburgh Castle. The vessel's mechanical problems brought about great difficulty to Direct and Lowline, until Direct filed for liquidation and Lowline Shipping filed for bankruptcy in 1999. Ownership of Edinburgh Castle was passed on to Lowline's main creditor, shipbuilder Cammell Laird.
Eugenio C as The Big Red Boat II but still bearing her Edinburgh Castle colors.
Cammell Laird chartered the vessel to Premier Cruises, renaming her The Big Red Boat II and having her go under a 10-month $25 million USD overhaul. Premier went into liquidation in September 2000, as a result Cammell Laird briefly chartered her to the United States Government, after which time she was laid up at Freeport, Bahamas alongside fellow ex-Premier fleet mates Rembrandt and Big Red Boat III.
Demise
The Big Red Boat II was sold to Argo Ship Management, who kept her up on the market. By 2005 it was obvious cruise companies were not willing to take their chances with her due to her history of mechanical problems. The vessel was renamed Red Boat, stopping in the Azores to refuel before being broken up for scrap at Alang scrapyards.
