The Costa Toscana has just embarked on its maiden cruise in the Mediterranean, welcomed with great fanfare by the local port and political authorities in Marseille on 6 March. the symbol of recovery by the Italian company Costa. The cruise industry was particularly hard hit during the two years of the pandemic, with cruise passengers sickened by Covid-19, ships refused entry to certain ports and moored for long months at a time.
Thanks to the ebb of the epidemic, ships have been gradually returning to sea over the last few weeks. Most often with reduced gaugesThis measure is justified by the airlines as a means of distancing passengers from each other, but it can also be interpreted as a result of booking volumes that are still lower than in 2019. The war being waged by Russia in Ukraine could also weigh on future sales, already forcing airlines to cross St Petersburg off their itinerary in the Baltic Sea. The current surge in oil and gas prices is also likely to have an impact on cruise fares, as the companies will not be able to absorb the extra costs over the long term.
A recovery in cruise business with no visibility
While Costa and its competitor MSC were carrying out between 30 and 40 Mice operations a year before the crisis, this activity is trying to a low-speed restart in the wake of the group market. "During the pandemic, we postponed, sometimes several times, the operations we had in our portfolio without practically losing any customers, whether it was small groups of 20 people, reward trips for several hundred sales staff or the chartering of a cruise liner for 2,000 guests." says Frédéric Saint-Paul, Sales Director at Costa Croisières.
Mini-cruises in the Mediterranean departing from Marseille, a port easily accessible by TGV or by plane, remain popular for these operations with both operators. " We programme several 3 to 5-night cruises from Marseille in June and October. It's easier for companies to use than fitting a two- or three-day event into a week-long cruise." says Gianluca Martini, one of MSC's commercial directors, who is also promoting its Armonia-class liners, which have a smaller capacity (970 cabins) and are better suited to full privatisation.
" However, the market remains unpredictable, with last-minute requests for groups of 200 to 400 people departing within the next three months" adds Frédéric Saint-Paul. These late bookings come from companies that don't want to commit too far in advance for fear of yet another wave of the pandemic. " MSC also receives requests for events a month before departure, which is very rare for this type of operation." confirms Gianluca Martini. Conversely, two liners, the MSC Poesia and the future MSC World Europa, have been chartered from November 2019 by the Qatar to act as floating hotels during the Football World Cup in November and December 2022.
To support the Group market in general, and Mice in particular, Costa has launched a promotion with one free person for every 10 who pay. And is promoting its new excursions concept based on experience, more in line with the expectations of corporate customers. " Some programmes are tailor-made, with original activities subcontracted to local receptive partners according to strict specifications and respecting the timing of each escalation.explains Frédéric Saint-Paul. For its part, in November 2021 MSC brought together heads of events agencies and companies on a special cruise aboard the MSC Grandiosa to showcase its top-of-the-range MSC Yacht Club and the advantages of an offshore operation Unity of location, free privatisation of spaces and technical resources, same class of booths...
Communicating sustainable cruising
The two cruisers then respond to the environmental concerns companies by communicating extensively on the actions taken in this area: filtering chimney smoke, waste sorting, water treatment, reducing food waste, etc.". MSC has designed a environmental charterbecause this is one of the criteria companies use to make their choices" says Gianluca Martini. " The environment is an argument that was not put forward in the past, but has now become an essential element for companies. It is argued at every call for tenders" adds Frédéric Saint-Paul. The Costa Toscana will be the second ship in the fleet to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), after the Costa Smeralda, its sister ship launched in 2020.
This technology makes it possible to reduce particulate emissions (from 95 to 100%), sulphur oxide (100%), nitrogen oxide (85%) and CO2 (up to 20%). " We are already working on testing other innovations, such as fuel cells and batteries, with the ultimate aim of producing the first zero-emission cruise ship" said Mario Zanetti, Chairman of Costa Crociere, at the ceremony in Marseille. A port where, from 2025, cruise ships will be able to plug in electrically to the quayside for "zero smoke" ports of call. All of which should go a long way to restoring the reputation of the cruise industry in Marseilles...
The Costa Toscana, the new giant of the seas With a capacity of 6,730 passengers, the Costa Toscana has 2,663 cabinsThis year, it will be sailing through the heart of the Mediterranean, with 15 restaurants, 18 bars, a theatre and a host of lounges, 4 swimming pools, a spa, a sports hall, a casino, boutiques... in the Western Mediterranean from Marseille every Saturday. The programme includes stops in Savona, Civitavecchia (the port of Rome), Naples, Ibiza (or Palma de Mallorca) and Valencia. |
