p22 cruise jan9 6/1/09 17:28 Page 22
Cruise
Lee Hayhurst
020 7921 8001
lhayhurst@ttglive.com
For the latest cruise news, visit
ttglive.com/cruise
In numbers MSC Fantasia
Privately owned MSC will look to the UK for growth this year,
following the launch of MSC Fantasia, its biggest ship yet.
Lee Hayhurst reports from the naming ceremony in Naples
MSC ‘well placed to
The Manhattan Jazz Bar is one Fantasia’s 18 bars
face tough times’
■ The ship can carry 3,900 passengers, MSC CRUISES, which launched MSC Fantasia in
plus 1,300 staff Naples last month, claims its privately owned
■ It is the line’s first ship to have an exclu- status will be a major advantage over rivals
sive Yacht Club, comprising 99 suites, during the downturn.
pool and bar area for premium guests The Italian cruise line also regards the UK as
■ It has a Formula One simulator and a a market in which it can achieve significant
4D virtual reality cinema growth, by working through agents as the cruise
■ The 1,603-seat Theatre L’Avanguardia market in Europe continues to expand.
covers three decks and will feature an “We are among the four largest cruise players
ice-skating show in the world and the first three firms are Sophia Loren, godmother to Fantasia, speaking at the
■ There are 18 bars including the cool publically quoted,” said Achille Staiano, the line’s ship’s naming ceremony in Naples last month
Manhattan Jazz Bar, a Sports Bar full of international markets commercial manager.
memorabilia and Il Cappuccino Coffee Bar “Because we are privately owned we do not are scared, but on the other side look at how we
■ The ship has four pools, one with a roof need to publish any figures, we can control are growing. Cruising is presenting value for
and one for Yacht Club guests only our own destiny and we do not need to pay money which is pushing our growth,” Staiano
■ 80% of the staterooms are outside dividends. said at last month’s launch.
“This allows us to face the tough times. MSC, which claims to have the youngest fleet
We have the flexibility, and on top of that the in the world, having built eight ships since 1993
leadership giving us this strength. We believe at a cost of ¤5.5 billion, has vowed to continue
that the growth in the cruise industry will investing, with the financial backing of its family-
continue at least until 2016. run cargo shipping arm.
“The economic crisis is substantial, and people A sister ship to Fantasia is under construction.
Fantasia’s onboard Formula One simulator
Designed with Europe in mind
Fantasia wins gold
WINTER Mediterranean itineraries, a flexible future, according to international markets
approach to embarkation and disembarkation commercial manager Achille Staiano.
for eco credentials
ports and a value for money message will help And MSC’s presence in its core European
drive growth in the UK, MSC hopes. market means it can offer a range of
New ship Fantasia, fitted with a retractable embarkation and disembarkation points to UK
MSC FANTASIA has been praised for its environmen- roof over one of its pools, is designed to sail customers on its regular round-trip itineraries.
tally friendly credentials, and is the first cruise ship year-round in Europe and will offer eight and Staiano accepted that brand awareness in the
to be awarded the prestigious Six Golden Pearls by 12-day itineraries out of its base in Genoa. UK still needed to increase, despite favourable
international certification society Bureau Veritas. The line claimed its own research into holiday feedback from the trade about the product fol-
The award recognises the vessel’s new water costs showed that a comparable land-based lowing last year’s launch of MSC Poesia in Dover.
treatment technology, use of new-technology alternative in a resort hotel would cost ¤367 “People are saying if MSC is such a good
paints, procedures for recycling, and new waste per person per day, while on one of its ships that product, how come they don’t know about it. We
disposal systems, according to Pierfrancesco Vago, figure was ¤164. are getting a good response in the UK now that
MSC’s chief executive. It currently has eight sales representatives in we have ship visits in the UK so people can touch
The Six Golden Pearls is a voluntary scheme. the UK, and plans to grow that to 12 in the near and feel, and see it’s a reality,” Staiano said.
22 09.01.2009
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