News

Costa to increase its focus on the Mediterranean starting 2020

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 29 August 2019 29 August 2019

Costa Cruises has announced major news with the further strengthening of the Italian company in the Mediterranean starting from 2020.

In winter 2020/21 Costa Fortuna will be offering two new 14-day itineraries, which mark Costa’s return to Turkey and Israel. The first, departing from Savona on December 6, 2020 and February 7, 2021, includes Marseille (France), Barcelona (Spain), Iráklion (Greece), Izmir (Turkey), an overnight call in Istanbul (Turkey), Athens (Greece), Palermo and Naples. The second itinerary, which also sails from Savona on January 10 and March 7, 2021, will be calling in Marseille (France), Barcelona (Spain), Iráklion (Greece), an overnight call in Haifa (Israel), Kusadasi (Turkey), Palermo and Naples. During the rest of the winter season, Costa Fortuna will be offering one-week itineraries in the Western Mediterranean, also calling at Valencia.

Commenting on the news, Costa Cruises President Neil Palomba said: "Costa’s strategy for the next few years is based on sustainable development while meeting the increasing trends in demand. This announcement is in line with that strategy, our aim being to exceed our guests’ expectations. For this reason, we are working to further enhance our presence in the Mediterranean, making it more than ever our home region, with a range of itineraries suiting all needs, in terms of both duration and destinations covered.”

Costa’s presence in the Mediterranean Sea will be boosted upon the arrival of Costa Smeralda and Costa Toscana, the two new flagships under construction at the Meyer shipyard in Turku, Finland. From November this year, Costa Smeralda will be offering 7-night cruises in the Western Mediterranean, together with Costa Toscana, due to enter service in 2021. These two ships constitute a veritable environmental breakthrough: they will both be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the world’s cleanest burning fossil fuel, both in port and at sea, thus minimizing environmental impact.

Another addition to the fleet, Costa Firenze, currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera (Italy), will be deployed in Asia earlier than originally planned. Costa Firenze and her sister ship Costa Venezia, launched last March, are Costa’s first ships specifically designed for the Chinese market, where the Italian company was the first to start operating back in 2006 and is currently the market leader. In order to meet the growing demand from Chinese and Asian guests, after her delivery scheduled on September 30, 2020, Costa Firenze will be heading straight to China; this means she will no longer be operating on the Italy, France and Spain itineraries previously scheduled for October 2020.

As a result of these changes, in winter 2020/21 Costa Mediterranea will be replacing Costa Fortuna, offering the same itineraries from Singapore to discover Cambodia, Malaysia and Thailand. The company is also planning changes to Costa Victoria’s program after September 9, 2020, and to Costa Luminosa’s Caribbean program in winter 2020/21, which are therefore no longer available for bookings.

Costa Cruises is already informing travel agencies and guests of these changes, in order to guarantee that everyone has alternative solutions for their holidays.

Comment – GPH-Nassau deal hugely important to both parties

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 29 August 2019 29 August 2019

An agreement between a consortium led by Global Ports Holding Plc (GPH) and the Government of the Bahamas that gives the former a 25 year lease on cruise facilities in Nassau through a consortium called Nassau Cruise Port (NCP)is vitally important to both GPH as a company and Nassau as a destination.

GPH, which is headquartered in Istanbul and listed in London, has seen its shares fall by more than half since flotation in 2017. First trouble with cruise ports in the Eastern Mediterranean and lately weak performance of its cargo handling ports in Turkey has disappointed investors.

The company has been in need of good news and major one for that. Such news came today: shares in GPH closed 10% higher at £3.30 on the news.

The fortunes of Nassau took a turn for the better when, earlier in the summer, US based cruise ships were banned to call at Cuban ports by the US President Donald Trump. Nassau is an obvious winner as cruise lines look at new itineraries.

Making the port more interesting to cruise lines and their passengers through major investment should help Nassau to take full advantage of its geographical location close to south Florida and the new situation that has embraced the cruise industry in the Caribbean.

Global Ports Holding wins 25 year concession to operate Nassau Cruise Port

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 29 August 2019 29 August 2019

Global Ports Holding Plc (GPH), the world's largest independent cruise port operator, said that it through Nassau Cruise Port Ltd (NCP) has signed a 25-year port operation and lease agreement with the Government of the Bahamas for the Prince George Wharf and related areas at Nassau cruise port.

NCP is a consortium comprising GPH, the Bahamas Investment Fund and the Yes Foundation. Shares in the Istanbul based GPH that is listed in London soared 10.4% to £3.30 on the news.

Nassau is one of the most popular cruise destinations in the world, attracting 3.7 million passengers per year with its unique combination of natural beauty and cultural heritage. It is in close proximity to the United States, with the largest cruise port in the world, Miami, within easy cruising distance.

Under the terms of the agreement, GPH will use its global expertise and operating model to manage Nassau Cruise Port. In addition, NCP will invest up to $250 million in expanding the capacity of the port, as well as taking a number of innovative steps to transform the cruise port experience for both the passengers and the local population.

The Nassau Cruise Port project involves the regeneration of the port and local town of Nassau. Through a majority Bahamian-owned public-private partnership (PPP), Global Ports Holding will work to enhance the cruise passenger experience and provide additional business opportunities for the local population.

The project will also see the building of a new terminal building; the creation of an event and entertainment area; investment into improving the current retail facilities; and the design and construction of new food and beverage facilities. It will integrate the port into Bay Street and downtown Nassau, with the expectation that it will act as a catalyst for the wider development of the downtown area. NCP is expected to complete the construction in 24 months.

Following the transformation of Nassau Cruise Port, the new waterfront is envisioned to be an attraction in its own right. The port will become a modern, world-class destination with large open spaces, as well as sufficient shaded areas to enable visitor comfort while being attentive to special needs, elderly passengers and children.

The project will feature improved transportation connections, traffic flow and signage, and will include an intermodal area for bus stops, taxis and parking. The new terminal will also include electric trams to transport passengers from ships to the terminal.

The new retail area will offer a great shopping experience to cruise passengers with the ability to experience Bahamian culture by providing retail space for local artisans and farmers. Underpinning the whole development will be key environmental stewardship considerations.

GPH Chairman and Co-Founder Mehmet Kutman said: "I am delighted that Nassau Cruise Port Ltd has signed a port operation and lease agreement for Prince George Wharf at Nassau Cruise Port. This is a truly historic moment for Global Ports Holding, building on our track record of investment in the Caribbean region. "

GPH CEO, Emre Sayin, said: "We are excited to apply our best practice model to develop the cruise offer in Nassau. Nassau will now become the biggest cruise port in our portfolio, increasing our passenger volumes by 50%. The GPH team very much looks forward to working with our partners, the cruise lines and the people of the Bahamas to reinvigorate the iconic cruise port and to make Nassau a great experience.”