SHIP LAUNCH MSC Euribia naming ceremony:Andrew McQuarrie reports from Copenhagen
Paradiso acclaims value of ship visits as Euribia named
M
SC Cruises’ UK and Ireland chief has hailed the “crucial” role played by ship
visits as the line aims to work
with more travel agents. MSC Euribia hosted more than 90
agents while sailing from Amsterdam to Copenhagen for its naming ceremony on Thursday, June 8. Antonio Paradiso, the line’s
managing director for the UK and Ireland, said building on the company’s strong relationship with the trade was an “ongoing project”. He said: “You can talk as much
as you want but you need to show the product, and this is becoming even more crucial these days.”
The trade currently accounts
for about 80% of MSC Cruises’ bookings in the UK, Paradiso said, contributing to year-on-year growth of nearly 50%. But he is keen to make more agents aware of the brand. “We will always continue to
grow the trade,” he said, adding that homeworkers had increasingly been in the company’s sights since the pandemic. “If they cannot come to us, we
need to get to them. That’s why we’re continuing to invest in technology, because it’s crucial for our growth.” Webinars have been a key tool in
the strategy. Paradiso added: “I believe we are one of the cruising brands that
AGENTS’ VIEWS
Emma Ayles, The Holiday Village “It’s a beautiful ship – the atrium is
stunning. Euribia has got a lot more than the average ship – it definitely has the wow factor. The Yacht Club is amazing. I didn’t know much about it, but seeing it is a big help and hopefully I’ll be able to sell that on. It’s a nice area to relax in and chill out.”
Richard Light, Experience It Now “I’ve been on some other cruise ships –
Royal Caribbean mainly – but this is the first time I’ve been on an MSC
ship and the experience is fantastic. The sustainability features of the ship are amazing. MSC is not currently a huge market for us, so it’s great to come on board and appreciate its service. I’ll definitely go back and push it to all our staff.”
Peter Goodwin, Cruise1st “I’ve been on a lot of MSC ships and I’ve
loved Euribia. Coming on board really helps because you get to experience what the customer will experience and you can pass that on to them while on the phone. And if they’ve got questions, we’ll know the answers.”
MSC Euribia; inset, godmother Sophia Loren
invests more time in arranging and performing webinars with new agents and even with the agents who are very familiar with MSC – bringing them up to speed with all the latest news and developments.” The line’s success in the UK
this year had been driven in part by the growth of fly-cruise sales, Paradiso said, with demand rising for more-distant destinations. “There are only so many ships you can have in Southampton throughout
the season, so I expect fly-cruise to grow further,” he said, adding that fly-cruises currently accounted for 35% of bookings. “Next year we’re probably looking
at 40% or something like that being fly-cruise,” Paradiso said. “We’re not reducing the capacity
from Southampton. It’s just that we want to grow the fly-cruise business because there is an appetite for destinations which are pretty much long-haul.”
‘This proves that net zero can be done’: MSC claims sustainability first for ship
MSC Cruises bosses championed MSC Euribia’s sustainability
credentials as the ship was named by film legend Sophia Loren. Executive chairman Pierfrancesco
Vago said: “We arrived in Copenhagen today after completing the world’s first net-zero emissions voyage, from Saint-Nazaire in France. This proves that net zero can be done. MSC Euribia is the most energy-efficient cruise ship design in the world.” The two-hour ceremony took
place in Euribia’s 945-seat Delphi Theatre. Other speakers included chief executive Gianni Onorato, while ex-Spandau Ballet frontman
10 15 JUNE 2023
Tony Hadley was among the musical performers. Antonio Paradiso said he was
“thrilled” about the arrival of the line’s second LNG-powered ship. “Euribia represents innovation,
sophistication, state-of-the-art facilities and impeccable service,” he said. “We understand the discerning tastes of our UK and Irish customers, therefore we are confident that MSC Euribia will exceed their expectations and deliver an exceptional experience.” The 6,334-berth ship will
operate in northern Europe this summer before starting departures from Southampton in October.
travelweekly.co.uk
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