23 JAN: Costa Cruises was reportedly still taking bookings for Costa Concordia two days after it ran aground. Simon Calder, travel editor with London newspaper The Independent, told the BBC that he booked a Concordia special for an April sailing last Sunday.

The ship ran aground late the previous Friday night.

Mr Calder, who’s billed by his paper as ‘the man who pays his way’, says he noticed the offer while he was checking the Costa website to see what rights were available to Concordia passengers.

He couldn’t find any information, but did come across the special deal.

He decided to test the company by booking it, and found he could do so.

"They sold it to me, took my money, and then on Monday they sent out the confirmation, complete with a map of where I will be going, and even my cabin number on the ship", he said.

"Quite remarkable that a company should be doing this".

The BBC says it wasn’t able to obtain comment from Costa".