SS Eugenio C

Eugenio C
History
Name	1966–1987: Eugenio C 1987–1999: Eugenio Costa 1999–2000: Edinburgh Castle 2000–2004: The Big Red Boat II 2004–2005: Red Boat
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 August 1966
Out of service	May 2005
Identification	IMO number: 6502024
Fate	Scrapped at Alang, India 1 June 2005
General characteristics
Tonnage	32,753 GRT
Length	217.3 m (712 ft 11 in)
Beam	29.3 m (96 ft 2 in)
Draught	8.6 m (28 ft 3 in)
Speed	27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph)
Capacity	1,636 passengers
Crew	424 (maximum)

SS Eugenio C was a 1966 Italian-built ocean liner/cruise ship originally owned by the Costa Line. She was scrapped as Big Red at Alang, India in June 2005.

History

Eugenio C was ordered for the South American service by Costa (Linea C), to replace 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 ten years she only operated trans-Atlantic voyages between Genoa and South America, until passenger loading dropped rapidly in the 1970s, when 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 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 Eugenio Costa to the Bremer Vulcan shipyards in part exchange for the construction of Costa Victoria. Lowline Shipping would go on to acquire her and charter her to Direct Cruises, a British cruise line which offered budget cruises marketed via telemarketing. $12 million USD was spent on refitting Eugenio Costa into 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 ten-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.

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.