HNA establishes new routes from China to Taiwan and Japan

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 15 December 2014 15 December 2014

HNA Tourism Cruise, China’s domestic cruise operator, has announced that its ship Henna will sail on new itineraries to Taiwan and Japan next year. Alan Lam reports.

 

From 29 March 2015, the ship will begin sailing on Xiamen-Taiwan route and from 9 April 2015 a Shanghai-Taiwan-Japan cruise will also be launched.

 

HNA has only just resumed operation from Tianjin lastsummer, after its ship was detained in Jeju in September 2013. This new expansion means the company’s only ship will soon operate from three main cruise terminalsin Mainland China. 

 

As the demand continues to grow rapidly, it is notunreasonable to speculate that the company may soon be, if not already, looking at a second vessel. Clearly any decision on such a move will need to take into consideration of the existing and emerging competitions.

 

Aside from offerings by other international cruise lines,such as Royal Caribbean International, Star Cruises and Costa Crociere, competitions from China’s domestic operators such as Bohai Ferry and the emerging SkySea Cruises cannot be underestimated.

 

Besides South Korea, Taiwan and Japan continue to be the main international destinations for China’s rapidly expanding cruise tourism.These destinations are ideal for short itineraries that currently dominate Chinese cruise scene. 

 

Earlier this month, a delegation from Taiwan, comprised of cruise experts and port representatives, visited Beijing in an effort to promote cruise tourism between the two sides. Despite apreviousrefusal by the Taiwanese authority, China and Taiwan are about to announce a 72-hour visa free visit for cruise passengers.

MSC Cruises’ upgraded e-learning platform for agents goes live

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 15 December 2014 15 December 2014

MSC Expert, an interactive training website that includes detailed information about the entire MSC Cruises' fleet, the company itself and various aspects of the product it offers, has been launched online, the company said in a statement issued by its office in London.

"Over a course of eight modules, agents can learn everything they need to know about MSC Cruises’ comprehensive programme, such as details of each of the 12 ships in the fleet, the wide range of itineraries on offer, on-board facilities, and the support available to MSC Cruises’ valued travel agent partners," the company said.

To promote the re-launch of the training, all agents completing the course successfully before January 31, 2015 will automatically be entered into a draw to win a seven-night Mediterranean cruise.

The eight modules of the platform each contain a lively mix of images and video, with a fun multiple choice questionnaire at the end of each.

Featured sections are:
- Who is MSC?: Find out why MSC Cruises is a leader in world cruising
- Where and when do we travel?: Explore MSC Cruises’ comprehensive itinerary choice and rich selection of destinations
- MSC fleet: Our 12 ships in detail, plus more information on our €5bn fleet improvement and ship-building programme
- Accommodation: There’s a cabin to suit all customers – from well-proportioned insides to the sumptuous luxury of our MSC Yacht Club suites
- A day at sea: Check out MSC`s exceptional dining, limitless activities and family fun
- Family friendly: MSC Cruises` five fantastic kids clubs are free and cater for all age groups
- Serving You: MSC Cruises is committed to making life easier for agents. Here we explain how our Serving You initiative is changing the way we work with the trade
- Experiences: Sell differently with Experiences – we focus on on-board service rather than cabin type. It’s simple to sell and easy for customers to understand.

MSC Cruises head of sales UK & Ireland Janet Parton said: “This is a fantastic way for travel agents to learn and gain knowledge of MSC Cruises, helping them to sell more of our great product and gain that all important commission. And I have no doubt that those agents who stay up to date with MSC Expert will sell the most cruises.

MSC Cruises to add two ships to Eastern Mediterranean next summer

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 12 December 2014 12 December 2014

MSC Cruises, the Geneva based cruise company, said it will deploy additional two ships in the eastern Mediterranean next year, in response to soaring demand for its cruises in the region.

"Between May and November 2015 MSC Poesia (2,550 passengers*) and MSC Magnifica (2,518 passengers) will homeport in Venice, calling at Bari or Brindisi (Italy), Katakolon (Greece), Izmir and Istanbul (Turkey) and Dubrovnik (Croatia)," the company said in a statement.

Currently, MSC Preziosa (3,502 passengers) sails these routes alone, but mounting interest in the eastern Mediterranean, and Turkey in particular, has increased demand for MSC cruises sailings to that part of the world.

The extra capacity means MSC Cruises will be able to carry more than 1,500 additional guests to the region, which is densely packed with fantastic destinations steeped in history, culture and unforgettable experiences.

Turkey among the top MSC destinations in 2014

MSC Cruises can today reveal its three best-selling itineraries from the 202 currently available aboard the 12 ships of the fleet. MSC sails year-round in the Mediterranean, and operates seasonally in northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean and South America, southern Africa, as well as the Emirates and Oman.

The most popular MSC Cruises itinerary in 2014 was sailed by MSC Preziosa this summer out of Venice, calling at Bari, Katakolon, Izmir and Istanbul, before returning to Venice via Dubrovnik

In the second place was a Western Mediterranean cruise, departing Genoa for Naples, Messina, Tunis, Barcelona and Marseilles. This itinerary will be sailed by MSC Fantasia from mid-April to mid-November 2015.

A northern European itinerary came third, with both MSC Orchestra and MSC Sinfonia sailing the Baltic Sea, respectively from Warnemünde and Kiel. While MSC Orchestra called at Stockholm, Tallinn, St Petersburg and Copenhagen, MSC Sinfonia’s calls were at Copenhagen, Gdynia, Helsinki and St Petersburg.

Luca Casaura new Vice President Corporate Marketing of Costa Crociere

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 12 December 2014 12 December 2014

Starting from yesterday Luca Casaura has been appointed Vice President Corporate Marketing of Costa Crociere, reporting to Norbert Stiekema, Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing. In this position Luca Casaura will coordinate all marketing activities concerning the development and positioning of the brand, media and communication strategy, research and product development.

He started out at Unilever Italy in late 1997, before joining the Danone Group in 2000, where he gained a long-lasting experience. Since 2013 he held the position of Activia Global VP Marketing, launching the first ever Global ICP Campaign for the Dairy Market leading brand in 72 countries. Between 2008 and 2012, Luca Casaura has been Marketing, Communication and Media Director for Danone Italy, having previously gained various international experiences, first as Marketing Director of the "Enfants et Desserts" division of Danone France and later as Marketing Director of Danone Canada.

"I am very excited to work with Luca" commented Norbert Stiekema "an outstanding marketer with proven vision, creativity and great capability to bring change, all of which are key elements in building a stronger Costa brand."

Luca Casaura, 42, married and father of a young daughter, with a strong passion for history and theatre, began his international career after graduating in Economics & Politics from the prestigious Bocconi University in Milan.