Mykonos Magic

Mykonos Magic is a Destiny-class cruise ship owned by Seajets since 2023. Formerly operating as Costa Magica by Costa Crociere, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc, the 102,784 GT vessel joined sister ship Costa Fortuna in 2004 and were referred together as Fortuna-class ships; together, they became the largest ships in the Costa fleet at her time of delivery. Costa Magica paid homage to some of the most famous destinations in Italy including Positano, Portofino, Bellagio, and Sicily, which were incorporated into her public areas and restaurants. 19 years after her debut, Costa sold Costa Magica to Greek/Cypriot ferry company Seajets in 2023 and she was subsequently renamed Mykonos Magic.

Mykonos Magic
Mykonos Magic as Costa Magica in Tallinn, 2018
History
Bermuda
Name
  • Costa Magica (2004–2023)
  • Mykonos Magic (2023–present)
Owner
OperatorCosta Crociere (2004–2020)
Port of registry
BuilderFincantieri, Genoa, Italy
Yard number6087
Laid down1 September 2002
LaunchedNovember 2003
Completed26 October 2004
In serviceNovember 2004
Out of service2020
Identification
StatusDocked in Eleusis as of September 2023.
General characteristics
Class and typeDestiny-class cruise ship
Tonnage
Length272 m (892 ft 5 in) oa
Beam35.5 m (116 ft 6 in)
Decks13
Propulsion2 × diesel engines, 2 × propellers
Speed20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Capacity2,718 passengers
Crew1,068

Design and description

The vessel was designed by the American architect Joe Farcus[1] and is the sister ship to Costa Fortuna.[2] As built Costa Magica had a gross tonnage (GT) of 102,857 and 8,200 tons deadweight (DWT).[3] This later increased to 102,784 GT and 9,859 DWT.[4][5] The cruise ship measures 272 metres (892 ft 5 in) long overall and 230 metres (754 ft 7 in) between perpendiculars with a beam of 35.5 metres (116 ft 6 in).[3][lower-alpha 1]

The ship is powered by two diesel engines turning two fixed pitch propellers creating 34,000 kilowatts (46,000 hp).[3][5] Ward states the ship has two azimuth thruster pods.[2] This gives Costa Magica a maximum speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).[3] The vessel is also equipped with seven electric generating sets creating 64,610 kilowatts (86,640 hp).[5]

As Costa Magica she had 1,359 cabins total, ranging in size from 16.7–44.8 m2 (180–482 sq ft), with 522 having a balcony. The cruise ship has capacity for 2,718 passengers and has a crew of 1,068. There is a nine-deck atrium with a bar on the lowest level, a 1,300 m2 (14,000 sq ft) spa and a three-deck theatre.[6]

Construction and career

The ship was constructed by Fincantieri in Genoa, Italy with the yard number 6087. The vessel was laid down on 1 September 2002 and launched in November 2003. She was completed on 26 October 2004 and entered service in the following month.[2][3] The vessel was owned and operated by Costa Crociere and registered in Genoa.[4][5]

2020 COVID-19 pandemic
See also: COVID-19 pandemic on cruise ships

On 12 March 2020, two passengers aboard were reported to have tested positive for COVID-19 while quarantined in Martinique. The ship, with 3,300 people on board, had been disallowed entry to several sea ports including Grenada, Tobago, Barbados and Saint Lucia, due to over 300 Italian nationals on board.[7] On 16 March, the ship was allowed only to take on provisions and refuel at St. Maarten with no one allowed to leave the ship.[8]

It was later reported that passengers from the ship disembarked in mid-March leaving just the crew aboard. The ship then travelled to Miami, Florida but was not allowed to dock there.[9] 13 crew members were evacuated from Costa Magica and Costa Favolosa to hospitals in Miami after displaying COVID-19 symptoms. The rest of the crew were tested aboard both ships which were lying three miles (4.8 km) off Miami and Eventually, the ship stopped three miles (4.8 km) offshore from Miami, and on 26 March, the U.S. Coast Guard reported evacuation of six sick crew members from the ship.[10][11][12] On 30 March, those who tested negative were taken to the airport and put aboard charter flights to repatriate them to their home nations. Those who tested positive remained aboard the ships, which then sailed for Europe.[13]

An update by CNN on 3 April 2020 stated the ship remained near Miami after "six crew members with respiratory symptoms were evacuated from the ship, and then transported to a hospital". The Port of Miami had not provided consent for the vessel to dock but all passengers had previously disembarked at Guadeloupe.[14]

Canceled transfer to Carnival Cruise Line

On 23 June 2021, it was announced that Costa Magica would be rebranded and transferred to the Carnival fleet in mid-2022, receive a new Carnival name and funnel, and would most likely join the Sunshine-class.[15][16] On 14 June 2022, Carnival revealed that Costa Magica would remain in the Costa fleet, with Costa Luminosa to be transferred instead.[17]

Sale to Seajets

On 8 February 2023, Costa Magica's sale to Seajets, a Greek/Cypriot ferry company, was reported.[18][19] She was later laid up in Greece and renamed Mykonos Magic.[20]

Notes
  1. Ward has the length as 272.3 metres (893 ft 4 in).[2]

Citations
  1. "Costa Magica". Costa Crociere. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  2. Ward 2019, p. 701.
  3. Miramar Ship Index.
  4. Equasis.
  5. Leonardo Info.
  6. Ward 2019, pp. 701–703.
  7. "Breaking News: Two passengers on ship turned away from St. Lucia test positive for coronavirus". St. Lucia News Online. 12 March 2020. Archived from the original on 22 March 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  8. Wong, Melissa (16 March 2020). "Costa Magica resupplies in St Maarten amidst coronavirus fears". The Loop. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  9. Dolven, Taylor (25 March 2020). "Two Costa cruise ships plan to dock at PortMiami Thursday with 30 sick on board". Miami Herald. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  10. "Multiple sick crew members on Costa Magica, Costa Favolosa to be evacuated off Miami". www.nbc-2.com. 26 March 2020. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  11. Hines, Morgan. "Two Costa cruise ships to anchor with sick crew in Miami for 'life-critical' care". USA TODAY.
  12. Bartiromo, Michael (26 March 2020). "2 Costa cruise ships heading toward Florida with dozens of sick crew members on board". Fox News.
  13. Dolven, Taylor (30 March 2020). "Cruise crew board charter flights from Miami to Manila amid coronavirus crisis". Miami Herald. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  14. "Cruise ships are still scrambling for safe harbor". CNN. 3 April 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  15. "Carnival Cruise Line to Get Two More Ships by 2023". Cruise Industry News. 23 June 2021. Archived from the original on 23 June 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  16. "Carnival Cruise Line Adding Two Ships to Fleet". travelpulse.com. 23 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  17. "Costa Luminosa to Transfer to Carnival Cruise Line". Cruise Industry News. 14 June 2022. Archived from the original on 15 June 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  18. Papachristou, Harry (8 February 2023). "Carnival Corp sells Costa brand cruise ship to Greece's Seajets". Tradewinds. London. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  19. "Costa Magica Sold to Seajets". Cruise Industry News. New York. 8 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  20. "Here Are The Last Five Cruise Ship Transactions". Cruise Industry News. New York. 9 March 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.

References
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