SS Eugenio C
{{Short description|Ocean Liner/Cruise Ship Owned By Costa Line}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=TN Eugenio C.jpg |Ship image size=290px |Ship caption=Eugenio C }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country= |Ship flag= |Ship name=*1966–1987: Eugenio C
|Ship owner=*1966–1996: Costa Line
|Ship operator=*1966–1996: Costa Line
|Ship registry= |Ship ordered= |Ship builder=Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico |Ship yard number= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched=21 November 1964 |Ship completed= |Ship christened=by Pinuccia Costa Musso{{cite book |title=Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships |url=https://archive.org/details/berlitzcompleteg0000ward |url-access=registration |last=Ward |first=Douglas |year=1995 |publisher=Berlitz |location=Oxford |isbn=2-8315-1327-8}} |Ship acquired= |Ship in service=31 August 1966 |Ship out of service=May 2005 |Ship identification=*{{IMO Number|6502024}} |Ship nickname= |Ship fate=Scrapped at Alang, India 1 June 2005 |Ship notes= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship tonnage={{GRT|32,753}} |Ship displacement= |Ship length={{convert|217.3|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship beam={{convert|29.3|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draught={{convert|8.6|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship power= |Ship propulsion= |Ship speed={{convert|27|kn|km/h mph}} |Ship capacity=1,636 passengers |Ship crew=424 (maximum) |Ship notes= }} |
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.{{cite web|url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/EugenioCostaPCs.html |title=Eugenio C : Eugenio C - EugenioCosta - Edinburgh Castle - Big Red Boat II
|publisher=Simplonpc.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2010-12-12}}
History
Eugenio C was ordered for the South American service by Costa (Linea C), to replace Frederico C on that route.{{cite web|url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/EugenioCostaPCs.html#anchor1275432 |title=Eugenio C (Costa: 1966-84) |publisher=Simplonpc.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2010-12-12}} Her keel was laid on 4 January 1964 at the Cantieri Riunite dell'Adriatico shipyard in Monfalcone,{{Cite web |title=Eugenio C (1966) |url=https://www.cruiseshipodyssey.com/eugenio-c-1966-linea-c-costa-line/ |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=www.cruiseshipodyssey.com}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/DirectPCs.html#anchor1175167 |title=Edinburgh Castle |publisher=Simplonpc.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2010-12-12}} 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 {{ship||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.{{cite web|url=http://www.ssmaritime.com/bigredboat.htm |title=S.S. Eugenio C |publisher=Ssmaritime.com |date=2000-06-05 |accessdate=2010-12-12}}
File:Cammell Laird, Hebburn - geograph.org.uk - 604911.jpg
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{{cite web|url=http://www.ssmaritime.com/bigredboat3.htm |title=SS The Big Red Boat II |publisher=Ssmaritime.com |date= |accessdate=2010-12-12}} alongside fellow ex-Premier fleet mates Rembrandt and Big Red Boat III.{{cite web|url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/EugenioCostaPCs.html#anchor1275729 |title=Big Red Boat II |publisher=Simplonpc.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2010-12-12}}
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.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Costa Cruises}}
{{Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eugenio C, SS}}
Category:Cruise ships of the United Kingdom
Category:Ships of Costa Cruises