Oceania Cruises execs presided over a keel-laying ceremony June 3 for m/s Riviera at the Fincantieri shipyard near Genoa.
Frank Del Rio, the line's founder, chairman and CEO, and Oceania Cruises President Bob Binder welded four U.S. coins to the keel, marking a classic tradition that is said to bring good luck to the ship and its passengers.
The coins, dated 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2009, symbolize the years when keels were laid for the vessels Insignia, Regatta, Nautica and Marina.
m/s Riviera is slated to take to the seas in April 2012. She will accommodate 1,258 passengers, offer 10 dining venues, a Canyon Ranch SpaClub and gym, Bon Appetit Culinary Center, swimming pool and hot tubs.
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