December 14, 2017 - The one in Deerfield Beach / Fl. resident miniature cruise company Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line takes over the aging Costa neoClassica. The ship starts in April 2018 from West Palm Beach / Fl. to 2-night cruises to Grand Bahama Island. The shipping company is already using the Grand Celebration on this route.
The Costa neoClassica completed its maiden voyage under the name Costa Classica on December 17, 1991. In December 2014, it received its current name, and was also subjected to extensive renovations. Since then, the 654 cabin ship has been operating under the label of Costa neoCollection . This program offers Costa guests what is subsumed under the heading of “decelerated travel”. The ship will leave the fleet in March 2018. It will drive for them in the future Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line under the name of Grand Classic.
Costa neoClassica - the future Grand Classic - in the port of Rhodes
Since February 3, 2015 the Grand celebration on behalf of the Cruise Line between West Palm Beach and Freeport / Bahamas. Behind the company is the family of the former CEO and President of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Kevin Sheehan. The Grand Celebration holds a maximum of 1.800 passengers. Originally it was made for Carnival cruise line built. Later she drove for Iberocruceros (a former Carnival brand), and after the brand was discontinued, the ship was taken over by the newly formed Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line. Since then, the cruise ship has been commuting regularly between West Palm Beach and Freeport. Keyword: casino tour.
Grand Celebration on the exit from West Palm Beach
On September 19, 2017, it was announced that FEMA, the United States’s national coordination agency for disaster relief, would charter the ship for 90 days. Members of the National Guard were accommodated on the ship after the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma on St. Thomas, a so-called outer area of the USA. On December 23, 2017, the Grand Celebration will resume its service in the Bahamas after some renovations.
The shipping company considers an annual capacity of more than 500.000 passengers to be feasible with the use of two cruise ships. For the time being, the company has entered into a three-year agreement with the Bahamas authorities on the planned calls for ships.
