Costa Europa sold to TUI

We have been reliably informed that TUI Thomson have purchased the Costa Europa. This is a strategic move by TUI Thomson to purchase a vessel rather than charter. It was interesting to see that we can assume TUI Thomson will reject the possibility of chartering the Norwegian Majesty with Louis Cruises.

The Costa Europa is a sophisticated cruise ship that reflects the style and atmosphere of continental Europe and has enjoyed a great deal of popularity amongst Costa Crociere passengers. 

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Chinese tour group to visit Taiwan

August will see for the first time a mainland Chinese group travelling directly to Taiwan on a Hong Kong cruise ship when Star Cruises’ SuperStar Aquarius sails on 2 August on a five night cruise to Tainen, Taichung and Keelung (for Taipei). 

This new cruise programme was sanctioned by China’s central government following a series of nine cross-straits cruises from Shanghai to Taiwan earlier this year, made by RCI’s Legend of the Seas and Costa’s Costa Classica. Sphere: Related Content

Costa sees bright future for Spanish market

Bucking the trend set earlier this year, where there were a number of casualties in the Spanish cruise sector, Costa has taken 100% control of Iberocruceros, outing leading Spanish tour operator Orizonia for complete control of the company. Costa believes that the Spanish market is highly significant for the cruise industry and sees strong growth prospects. If that’s the case, why did the others say adios earlier this year? Sphere: Related Content

Costa and RCCL win approval for direct China-Taiwan cruises

In a ground-breaking deal two of the world’s leading cruise lines, Costa Cruises and RCCL, have received approval from the Chinese government for a series of direct cruises linking China with Taiwan this spring. The special cruise ship charters have been undertaken by manufacturing and distribution company Amway (China) Ltd.

Costa has received approval from China’s Ministry of Transport to run three special seven day cruises this April and May, using its 1,680 passenger capacity Costa Classica. After departing Shanghai, the cruises call at the Taiwanese ports of Hualien, Jilong and Taizhong.

RCCL, meanwhile, has received approval to operate six cruises between Shanghai and Taiwan, using its Legend of the Seas, between 14 March and 19 April. The seven day cruises will call at Hualien, Keelung and Taichung. 1,700 Chinese passengers are expected to arrive in Taiwan on the first cruise, the largest single group of Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan since the establishment of the cross-straits ‘three direct links.’

Commenting on the new China-Taiwan cruises, RCCL’s managing director for China, Dr Liu Zinan said: ‘RCCL is very pleased with this chance to contribute to the peace and exchange between the people of both straits. Due to our global strategies and the strong demand from other markets, even though RCCL is not able to fully satisfy its customer’s needs for chartered cruises in China, this has shown us the huge potential for the Chinese market.’   Sphere: Related Content

Fincantieri floats out Costa Deliziosa

The Marghera shipyard of Italy’s Fincantieri has floated out Costa’s 97,000grt, 2,260 passenger capacity Costa Deliziosa, which is due for delivery at the end of 2010. Sistership to Costa Luminosa, also building at the same shipyard and due for delivery in April this year, Costa Deliziosa is set to undertake a winter season, starting February 2010, operating seven-day cruises in the Arabian Gulf from Dubai, with calls in the UAE, Oman and Bahrain. In the summer of 2010 the vessel will redeploy to Europe, operating a series of seven day cruises from Copenhagen to the Norwegian Fjords and Baltic capitals.  Sphere: Related Content

Passengers evacuated from Costa Romantica

Around 1,400 passengers and most of the crew aboard Costa’s Costa Romantica were safely evacuated following an engineroom fire onboard the ship last week while on a cruise from Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires. The vessel was a few miles offshore the Uruguayan holiday resort of Punta del Este when a fire started in one of the ship’s four diesel-generators, resulting in a total blackout. Passengers, mostly from Argentina and Brazil, and the crew were safely taken ashore to Punta del Este.  Sphere: Related Content

Costa completes five ship winter refit programme

Costa Cruises has just completed a five ship winter refit programme at shipyards in Italy, costing €22m. Over a three month period which ended this week, Costa Serena, Costa Europa and Costa Atlantica, were drydocked at Fincantieri’s Palermo yard, Costa Romantica in Genoa and Costa Fortuna in Trieste. 

Included in the work package for all five vessels was the fitting of air-conditioning regulators, as well as the application of the latest generation of silicone-based antifouling hull coatings Sphere: Related Content

Costa Cruises Call for Middle East/Gulf Cruise Association

Calls for Middle East/Gulf Cruise Association

Costa Cruises’ boss Pier Luigi Foschi has called for the formation of a Middle East/Gulf Cruise Association to debate and progress issues such as port infrastructure, shore excursions, and immigration formalities.
Dubai is the focus of the Gulf’s cruise ship industry, with the Emirate building a modern, new cruise within the massive new Dubai Maritime City complex. However, as this new facility won’t be ready for at least three years, operators are currently having to make do with a temporary facility in Port Rashid.

Others in favour of the establishment of the new association include RCCL’s Vice President Michael Bayley and Bahrain’s Chief Executive for Tourism, Marketing and Promotion, Mohammed Nass.

Meanwhile, the latest operator to position a cruise ship in the Gulf is Cyprus-based Louis Cruises. Sphere: Related Content