COSTA: CARIBBEAN ”VERY MUCH APPRECIATED” BY EUROPEANS
The Caribbean continues to perform well as a destination among the European clientele, notes Mario Martini, Costa Crociere’s SVP, Sales & Marketing Europe and Rest of the World. Costa is the largest cruise shipping company that primarily targets Europeans, and CBR asked Martini a few questions on recent developments.
1)In the U.S., the Caribbean market has faced continued softness. How does this destination sell in Europe?
The Caribbean is one of our “classic” destinations for the winter season, and it’s still very much appreciated by our guests. Last year we had a very slight slowdown from Europe, due to the new passport requirements introduced in the USA. However, this winter (2006/2007), bookings were again very successful, and the Caribbean was confirmed as one of our “milestones.”
2) Which Caribbean programme sells best in Europe – are there differences in preferences between various countries?
It depends on the country. Italian guests prefer Western Caribbean itineraries (Mexico, Grand Cayman), while other European guests prefer the itineraries geared towards the Virgin Islands and the Bahamas.
3) How would you define a typical European passenger opting for a Caribbean cruise?
During Christmas and Easter holidays, as well as during school holidays, we have a lot of families, while for the rest of the season, most of the guests are couples: honeymooners but also “youthful” couples of all ages.
4) You base your ships in Ft Lauderdale. Do you use charter or scheduled flights in the airlift?
We don’t use charter flights but we have “blocked space” with the main airlines from the main European cities, such as Milan, Paris, Frankfurt.
5) Have you experienced any challenges in arranging enough air lift capacity to run your fly cruise programmes?
We work with a lot of different European and U.S. airlines, and so far, we have not experienced any problems in capacity. Not only for our cruises from Fort Lauderdale, but also for the pre- and post-cruise extensions in New York and Orlando.
6) How do you see the future of the popularity of the Caribbean among European cruise passengers?
Europe is a very interesting area for the development of the cruise industry. In 2005, there were 3.3 million European cruisers, but this is expected to rise to 4 million in 2010. I also think that the Caribbean will benefit a lot from this growth, because it is one of the favourite destinations of European cruisers.
For a sample of what other cruise lines say, please read our article in the 1/2007 issue of cruise Business Review magazine (pg 30-34).
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