It is perhaps quite incredible that, after the world had been watching it for months, officials for Italy’s Tuscany region and the island of Giglio are seeking a total of €220 million in damages from Costa Cruises for the 2012 Costa Concordia disaster. The ship remained partially submerged near the port of the holiday island for more than two years before being raised and towed away in 2014 in one of the largest and most complex maritime salvages ever completed. A total of €30 million in damages to Tuscany’s image is included in the claim whilst Giglio had allegedly lost 45,000 visitors due to the disaster. The remaining €190 million is sought for tarnishing the island’s image. Shortly after the January 2012 shipwreck, Costa Cruises also agreed to pay €11,000 to each of the more than 3,000 passengers for items lost and any psychological damages to passengers who suffered no physical injuries. A verdict is awaited in 2015.

The Amen (the former CMV cruise ship Discovery/Island Princess) was noted at anchor off the beaches of Alang on 4th December awaiting certain death ashore.

Following the grounding of the 35,855gt/1981 built Bahamas Celebration off Freeport, Nassau, reports suggest that the listing ship (alongside in Freeport) may be declared a constructive total loss and be replaced short or long term by Costa Cruises’ Costa Celebration. The latter was removed from the Costa fleet as of 22nd November with her 2015 bookings being reallocated by the neoClassica ships. After the incident, passengers returned to Miami aboard the Bimini Superfast.

The troubled Deutschland of Peter Deilmann had attracted interest ahead of the 26th November deadline. No definite buyer came forward although there is still interest in the luxury ship. The vessel’s World Cruise scheduled for December was cancelled.

P&O Australia’s Pacific Dawn is the first of the fleet to receive a revised livery. The 70,285gt/1991 built ship was released from dry dock in Sydney in December complete with a new graphic design. P&O Cruises’ Britannia embarked upon her first sea trials on 7th December ahead of her delivery in March 2015.