Italian cruiselines MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises are pinning their hopes on the UK to help fill a massive increase in capacity coming on line over the next couple of years.
Although they would never admit it, both cruiselines have a lot in common – a majority of Italian passengers, a multi-million order book for new ships over the next three years and free cruising year-round for under 18s sharing a cabin with their parents.
They have also both moved away from selling themselves as an Italian alternative to British and American styles of cruising and instead like to push their European credentials.
But there are also differences, most notably the fact that while Costa is owned by US cruising giant Carnival Corporation, MSC Cruises is a family concern, the passenger arm of Italian cargo giant Mediterranean Shipping Company.
Costa Cruises UK managing director Marco Rosa said: “We are owned by Carnival, but it is Italian run. We are the only cruiseline to sail under an Italian flag, but Costa as an Italian-style cruiseline is history. This is for people who want an international cruise, away from other British passengers.”
MSC Cruises, although Italian owned, sails under a Panamanian flag. UK and Ireland chairman Peter Pate said: “We are for people who like Europe and European culture. If agents have clients who want a British cruise, they should not come to us. They should sell them P&O Cruises.”
Although both lines are making headway in the UK market, they are among the least-known cruise brands when it comes to British consumers.
MSC Cruises chief executive officer Pierfrancesco Vago said: “We don’t have a strong brand in the UK so we rely on agents to sell us. In return we direct customers who contact us to agents so 100% of bookings come through the trade. If agents work well with us, we will make them money.”
Costa took 83% more bookings from the UK in 2006/07, but Rosa admitted Brits nevertheless still make up less than 5% of Costa’s total carryings, which hit one million last year and is expected to reach 1.5 million in 2010.
That puts the Brits way behind the Italians at 40% and also trailing the Germans, Spanish and French, even though the UK is the most mature cruising market in Europe.
MSC Cruises UK managing director Claudia Baino said sales from Britain are up 42% this year compared to the same period in 2007.
The cruiseline is targeting 90,000 British passengers within three years to help fill the new tonnage due out by 2010 and launching MSC Poesia in Dover this month was part of the strategy to raise awareness of the name here.
Likewise having cruises from Dover, trialled for a short season last year and being repeated this summer and again in 2009 on bigger ships – with capacity for just over 2,000 passengers against 850 last year – is designed to get the name better known in the UK
For 2010, MSC is bringing the 3,013-passenger MSC Orchestra to Dover. Vago said: “The UK is important to help us grow, so we have to deliver the product.”
What’s new from MSC Cruises
With the naming of MSC Poesia out of the way, MSC Cruises has started the countdown to the launch of its largest ship, MSC Fantasia.
Launching in December 2008, it will weigh 133,500 tons and have capacity for 3,959 passengers. It will also be the cruiseline’s first “destination” ship, according to chief executive officer Pierfrancesco Vago, meaning it is that passengers will choose it because of what’s on board.
Facilities include an all-inclusive top-of-the-ship VIP Yacht Club with butler service suites, an Aqua Park, water slide, Formula 1 simulator and 4D cinema. As it will sail year-round in the Mediterranean, one pool will have a roof that can be opened or closed depending on the weather.
MSC Splendida, a sister to MSC Fantasia, launches in spring 2009 and will also sail in the Med year-round, while MSC Magnifica, a sister to MSC Poesia, named in Dover on April 5, is due in 2010.
Between them, these four ships give MSC 5,824 more cabins and capacity for 14,000 additional passengers.
For 2009, the cruiseline has three ships over winter in South America and three sailing from Venice in summer, including new ship MSC Poesia. The 2009 preview brochure, launched this month, also features MSC Fantasia and MSC Splendida.
MSC also has three new mini-brochures, covering cruises in the Caribbean and over Christmas and the New Year, as well as long repositioning voyages.
What’s new from Costa Cruises
Costa Cruises is expanding in the Gulf next winter as it continues to build a market for seven-night itineraries from Dubai.
For winter 2008/09, the cruiseline is offering voyages around the Gulf on Costa Victoria and Costa Classica, between them offering 200 more cabins a week than was available last winter.
Costa Victoria also has 242 balcony cabins – the first time Costa has had a ship with verandas in the area. UK managing director Marco Rosa said: “Having ships with no balconies there has always been a handicap.” About 28% of bookings for Gulf cruises are from the UK.
Costa is also expanding in the Far East, where Costa Allegra, based in Singapore, is joined by Costa Classica sailing mini-cruises from Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tianjin in China.
There are two new cruises between Québec and New York on the 2,112-passenger Costa Atlantica in October 2009, and a repositioning cruise from Quebec to Fort Lauderdale that calls at New York and overnights in Bermuda.
Meanwhile, Costa Cruises has five new ships launching between 2009 and 2012.
The 2,828-passenger Costa Luminosa and 3,780-passenger Costa Pacifica will be named in June 2009 at a dual christening in Genoa. Both will have Costa’s trademark Samsara Spa, Grand Prix racing car simulator and big pool-side movie screens. Luminosa will also have a 4D cinema and roller-skating track.
The next three as yet unnamed ships, due to launch between 2010 and 2012, will give Costa 17 ships and 50% more cabins to sell by 2012.
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