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Industry Insider |
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Princess Cruises name Captain Giuseppe Romano to Commodore of the Fleet |
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Captain Giuseppe Romano, a 31-year veteran of
Princess and Sitmar Cruises, has been named commodore of the
company's 16-ship fleet. He becomes the senior master of the fleet
and will represent the interests of all ships and their captains. The title of commodore is an honor that is traditionally bestowed upon the most senior captain of a fleet of ships, and the position represents the highest rank attainable to a Princess mariner. "We're delighted that Giuseppe Romano will serve as commodore of the Princess fleet," said Alan Buckelew, Princess' chief executive officer. "This honor is a well-deserved recognition of his long career of service and contributions to Princess over the years." Commodore Romano is presently serving aboard Caribbean Princess where he has been master since 2004. Romano, age 56, who hails from Sorrento, Italy, studied at the Nautical Institute "Nino Bixio," Piano di Sorrento, one of the oldest Maritime Schools in Italy. He began his career at sea in 1970 as a cadet with Lauro Lines. After serving for two years in the Italian Navy, Romano sailed on various types of cargo ships, including oil tankers and bulk carriers. He joined Sitmar Cruises as a second officer in the summer of 1976. His first appointment as captain was aboard the former Dawn Princess in December 1990. Throughout his 17-year career as a captain, Commodore Romano has commanded many of the Princess ships. According to Commodore Romano, one of the most memorable events in his career was in the summer of 1998, when as captain of Grand Princess, he was able to sail the new vessel - then the largest cruise ship in the world -- along the coast of his hometown, Sorrento, with family and friends watching from ashore. When not at sea, Romano lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with his wife, Sabina, and two sons, Luca and Marco. |
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New Appointments in the Costa Crociere Group |
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The Costa Crociere Group has announced new
appointments, with effect from January 7, 2008, to support the major
expansion plan following its acquisition of the Spanish brand
Iberocruceros. Costa Cruises’ current Italian Sales & Marketing Director Carlo Schiavon has been appointed Sales & Marketing Director of Iberocruceros, the Spanish cruise brand resulting from a joint venture with Orizonia Corporación, the biggest tour operator in Spain. Costa Crociere S.p.A. has a 75% stake in Iberocruceros, while Orizonia holds the balance. The Company is headquartered in Madrid and has a fleet of two ships in service and a third on order. Following his achievements on the Italian market, Schiavon will oversee the business expansion plan for Iberocruceros, in cooperation with the minority partner. In his new position Schiavon will be reporting to the Iberocruceros General Manager Alfredo Serrano. Schiavon, who has been working in Costa Crociere since 1993, is Venetian, though Genoa is his adoptive home; he is 46 years old, married and has two children. The role of Costa Cruises’ Italian Sales & Marketing Director will be filled by Andrea Tavella (from Genoa, 41 years old, married with 3 children), who has been promoted to this new role from his present position of Director of Marketing Italia. Tavella will be responsible for achieving the ambitious sales and marketing objectives for the Italian market, which accounts for more than 40% of the customers of the Italian cruise line. He will be reporting to the Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing Europe and Rest of the World, Mario Martini. Tavella is a business graduate who has been working in Costa Crociere since 1993, having successfully filled a number of positions within the Company’s Marketing Division. The responsibility for Marketing Italia for the Costa Cruises brand is assigned to Renata Rizzo, currently Marketing Manager Italia, reporting directly to Andrea Tavella. Renata Rizzo is Genoese and has a long experience in Costa Crociere; she will have the objective of developing further demand on the domestic market through innovative marketing plans. Ms. Rizzo is married, she has a son and she is a graduate in Modern Foreign Languages and Literature. |
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Carnival Cruise Lines will launch a new multi-million-dollar advertising campaign |
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Carnival Cruise Lines has launched a new
multi-million-dollar branding campaign that injects a fresh new look
and feel into the company’s various advertising, marketing and
collateral materials. The centerpiece of the wide-ranging initiative is a series of new 30-second television spots which debut Monday, Jan. 7. Backed by the Queen classic “You’re My Best Friend,” the spots feature striking images of guests of all ages enjoying a Carnival cruise, enhanced by sophisticated computer animation and editing techniques that seamlessly blend one scene into another. The end result is a series of highly visual commercials that convey Carnival’s memorable vacation experience by transporting viewers into the relaxed and carefree environment of a “Fun Ship” vacation. Pegged to the song’s key lyrical phrase “Oooh, you make me live,” three different commercials have been created, each targeting a core market for Carnival. “No Age Limit on Fun” showcases multi-generational travel; “A Big New World” is aimed at families; and “A World of Delightful Surprises” focuses on the romance aspect of cruising. Although the commercials are aimed at specific audiences, all three spots convey Carnival’s unique ambiance and diversity of choices, both on-board and ashore. “Carnival has earned its title of world’s most popular cruise line by providing our guests with fun, memorable vacations that are a great value. This new TV ad campaign truly captures the essence of our brand in an entertaining and creative way,” said Ruben Rodriguez, Carnival’s executive vice president of marketing and guest experience. “Exciting new ships and innovations such as the ‘Evolutions of Fun’ ship refurbishment program have added an entirely new dimension to the Carnival vacation experience and this branding effort reflects the continued evolution of the ‘Fun Ship’ product,” he added. The 30-second TV commercials, which were created by Carnival’s advertising agency, Coral Gables, Fla.-based CooperDDB, are just one component of a multi-million-dollar branding effort that is built around the charge to “Let the Fun Begin,” designed to reinforce the company’s core brand value of providing guests with fun, memorable vacations. The phrase has been incorporated into a new consumer and trade print advertising campaign, as well as a variety of marketing and collateral materials. The new print campaign encompasses full-page images gleaned from the various TV spots, with shots of couples and families relaxing in scenic locales and enjoying various on-board activities typically associated with “Fun Ship” cruising. Comprehensive travel agent kits, which combine various marketing materials into one convenient package, with postcards, letterhead, stickers, coasters and items for agents to display in their offices such as welcome and open/close signs, are also part of the new campaign. The new kits will be mailed to travel agents in early 2008. A central design component of the marketing materials – from the line’s new fleet brochure to web banners and more – is a playful new “swirl” motif, a wave-like design that serves to frame photos and other images in the pieces. The new TV spots will air on all major broadcast networks, as well as select cable channels such as USA, TNT, TBS, Food Network, Travel Channel, HGTV, and Discovery Channel. The first of the new spots, focusing on family cruising, can currently be viewed at www.carnival.com/promo/tv. The new print ads will be featured in a variety of national newspapers, as well as consumer magazines such as People, O - The Oprah Magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Food & Wine and Redbook, and trade publications, including Travel Weekly, Travel Agent, Travel Trade, TravelAge West and Vacation Agent. Carnival is the largest and most popular cruise line in the world, with 22 "Fun Ships" operating voyages ranging from three to 18 days in length to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, New England, Canada, Bermuda, Europe, the Greek Isles and South America. The line currently has three new ships on order, including the 113,300-ton Carnival Splendor, set to launch Carnival’s first Northern European cruise program July 13, 2008, and the 130,000-ton Carnival Dream and Carnival Magic – to be the largest “Fun Ships” ever constructed when they enter service in October 2009 and June 2011, respectively. |
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The Yachts of Seabourn order a third new ship |
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A year after The Yachts of Seabourn announced that it
would build two new, ultra luxury ships, advance booking activity
for the first, Seabourn Odyssey, has led to the line's decision to
exercise the option for another. The third sister ship will be built
by T. Mariotti S.p.A. of Genoa, Italy for delivery in summer, 2011.
Seabourn, a division of Miami-based Carnival Corporation & plc has
agreed to the project at an all in cost of approximately Euros 200
million. Seabourn Odyssey will debut in June of 2009. Bookings for its maiden season are being accepted from the general public starting today, after a successful advance booking period reserved for past guests of the line. The second ship in the series is scheduled to enter service in the summer of 2010. "Our decision to order a third new ship is based partly on the enthusiasm we have already seen for our new ship design," explained Seabourn's president & CEO, Pamela Conover. "That enthusiasm, combined with research indicating a continuing robust expansion in demand for ultra luxury cruising in general, convinces us that we have the right formula at the right time," she continued. That formula is embodied in the new, 32,000-GRT ships, which will accommodate just 450 guests in 225 luxury suites, ninety percent of which will offer private verandas. The ships are specifically designed to achieve a balance between Seabourn's small-ship signatures, such as its highly personalized service, truly fine dining and exceptional delivery of destinations, with the added spaciousness, features and amenities that a larger ship will allow. Seabourn's guests will continue to enjoy an unmatched level of personalized service from a skilled and dedicated staff, and one of the highest space-per-guest ratios in the industry. The new ships will maintain the yacht-like onboard ambience that has won the loyalty of affluent travelers, who appreciate all-inclusive policies such as complimentary open bars, open-seating dining and a myriad of thoughtful touches the company calls its Signature Delights. According to Micky Arison, chairman and CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc, "This new trio of beautiful, yacht-like ships will maintain Seabourn's role as the leader in the ultra luxury segment, and position the company to satisfy the growing demand among affluent travelers for more ultra luxury cruising options." Marco Bisagno, president of T.Mariotti S.p.A. noted, "Seabourn's decision to exercise the option well in advance of its expiration indicates that they are pleased with our relationship and the progress of the work thus far. It has become increasingly clear that this design is the perfect balance of intimacy and amenities that foretells the future for ultra luxury cruising vessels." The design specifications call for hulls 650 feet long, with a beam of 84 feet and a draft of 21 feet. The ships will be powered by diesel-generated electricity and operate with twin screw propellers, with a service speed of 19 knots. They will be equipped with two bow thrusters to enhance maneuverability and two stabilizers. The ships will also be "green ships" employing advanced wastewater treatment technology. |
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MSC - Getting involved in Formula 1 |
MSC Cruises will be leading the pack in 2008 as a
supporter of the 2008 FIA Formula 1 World ChampionshipsTM. MSC
Cruises will be featured as a trackside advertiser at four 2008
Grand Prix events:
In addition to adding visibility to the MSC Cruises
brand, this agreement will also allow MSC Cruises to welcome guests
into the invitation-only VIP area known as the Paddock Club. |
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State of the Industry - 44 news ships under construction |
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There are presently 44 new cruise ships under
construction or on order, with plans for at least two more new builds
having been announced. Eight new ships were delivered this past
year.
Carnival Cruise Line -
Carnival Corporation provided a positive outlook on 2008 in its
year-end conference call on Dec. 20, forecasting earnings per share
in the range from $3.10 to $3.30, compared to $2.95 for this fiscal
year. With five new ships being introduced next year the passenger capacity
for the Carnival brands will be up 9 percent in 2008 – 3.4 percent
in North America and 21.7 percent in Europe. Cunard Line hosted a spectacular naming ceremony for the Queen Victoria in Southampton; and Norwegian Cruise Line put on a festive naming ceremony for the Norwegian Gem in New York. |
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The two largest European cruise ship builders contemplate a merger |
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The two largest European cruise ship builders contemplate a merger. The Norwegian giant, Aker Yards ASA, with a workforce of 20,000 operating 18 yards in eight countries including Finland, France, Germany and Brazil is in discussions over a possible merger with Italy's state-owned shipbuilder Fincantieri SpA. Last year, a 39.2% stake in Akers Yards was acquired by South Korea's STX Group (includes STX Shipbuilding, STX Corp. STX Pan Ocean). |
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Alyssa Logan, no longer works for Norwegian Cruise Line |
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Our NCL contact and an avid SITE member, Alyssa Logan has moved on from Norwegian Cruise Line. We understand an opportunity at Celebrity opened up which was a step up the corporate ladder for Alyssa - so she took advantage of the opportunity. We wish her well in her new position. |
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More news from NCL - Colin Veitch steps down from NCL board |
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NCL Corp.’s board of directors
changed this week with the closing of Apollo Management’s $1bn investment. Colin
Veitch, Alberto Ibargüen and former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham voluntary resigned as
directors, according to a filing. Veitch continues as president and ceo of
NCL and a non-voting observer of the board. |