Costa Crociere, the Italian unit in Carnival Corp & plc group, says it has recorded a 28% year-on increase in bookings in the April-May period.

“On 25 May, Costa Cruises reached one million guest bookings for cruises in 2012 and was the first European company to top the million mark back in 2007, a feat it has continued to achieve every year since. What’s more, in April and May this year, Costa Cruises achieved booking volumes that were 28% higher than those recorded for the same months in 2011,” the company said in a statement.

The company said the recovery following the sinking of Costa Concordia on 13 January was due to its marketing activities, as well as the support of its customer base and partners. “The latest sales figures reflect the company’s strong business fundamentals, the quality of its product and unfailing customer loyalty,” Costa said.