Costa’s Food and Beverage Program: Always Evolving
Costa Cruises is staying current with the latest trends, said Massimo Leimer, food and beverage director aboard the Costa Diadema, in an interview with Cruise Industry News. “We are a department that is always progressing. We are always making changes adjusting to the newest trends and passenger preferences,” he said. One of these trends is…
MSC’s American Goals
North America is now MSC Cruises’ number one market when it comes to passenger sourcing, according to Gianni Onorato, CEO. “Some time ago, we decided we needed to grow in North America and that is happening for us. We are better positioned and recognized by U.S. customers. We have a distinctive product with strong European…
Luxury Market: Regent’s New Feel
Regent Seven Seas Cruises opened the year with a new brand identity, part of a strategy as the company grows with two new ships and a focus on attracting generation X travelers, said Steve Odell, senior vice president and chief sales officer. Odell called the new ships, coming in 2026 and 2029, part of a…
Cruise Operations: Navigating the Diadema in South America
“We are currently cruising at 17 knots with three generators running, maintaining the necessary speed to arrive at our next port,” Captain Ignazio Giardina told Cruise Industry News onboard the Costa Diadema. The 132,500-ton ship debuted a new seven-night itinerary to Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay this past season. “For us on the bridge, this is…
Explora Journeys: New Take on Ocean Travel
Explora Journeys is an entirely new and fresh take on ocean travel, Anna Nash, president, told Cruise Industry News. “The hardware we have, the ships, is the best in class. The vision comes from a family-owned business with a seafaring heritage of over 300 years; they are masters of the sea. So, we know what…
Windstar: Big Expansion with Two New Ships
“We’re getting two new ships, so with our fleet growing by a third, we have looked at where we want to put additional capacity,” said Jess Peterson, director of destination experience and itinerary planning at Windstar. “With the Star Seeker and our other plans, we are shifting capacity to the Pacific.” After a debut in…
Seabourn: Differentiating Luxury Deployment
Itinerary planning is very much like baking a cake, according to Crystal Morgan, senior director deployment and itinerary planning for Seabourn. Morgan said. “It is the sum of all the ingredients that define a successful itinerary, which is a little bit of science, a little bit of flavor and a little finesse. The end result,…
Virgin: Building Destination Portfolio
The Brilliant Lady will join the Virgin Voyages fleet later this year with four mermaidens, exploring all four corners of the United States in her debut season, said Natasha Salzedo, director itineraries and destinations. The ship first starts in New York before moving to Miami, then the West Coast and then Seattle for Virgin’s debut…