MSC pledges not to â€œtrashâ€ UK cruise prices

Friday, 01 Mar, 2010 0

MSC Magnifica

MSC Cruises is to announce prices for its first sailings from Southampton in 2011 at the end of March.

The Italian line is to deploy 2,000-passenger MSC Opera from the port in a bid to attract a high proportion of first time cruisers by running a majority of shorter cruises.

Prices are likely to be competitive with established lines from Southampton and would include free car parking or national coach transfers to the ship.

But a source stressed: "We’re not coming here to trash the market."

CEO Pierfrancesco Vago, speaking at the company showcased new 3,013-passenger ship MSC Magnifica to more than 2,000 travel agents over two nights in Southampton, said: “There are many well known brands from Southampton but there has been a flattening of product offerings which have all become very similar.

“We are different and we will work with the trade and want to grow with the trade to start to influence the consumer about our offering.

“I don’t want to be a leader here, we want to be a player with a different product and high standards.”

Questioned about pricing, he said that in the past with older ships there may have been a more price-driven message.

“Now we have the most modern ships in the world and we don’t want to be discounting,” said Vago. “We can’t afford to discount when we’ve taken delivery of all these new ships."

MSC would be targeting passengers and first timers looking for an international cruise experience, he added.

Vago said there would be a period of consolidation for the company which has grown ten-fold in seven years to 11 ships carrying an expected 1.2 million passengers in 2010.

He ruled out taking over another cruise line but said there was still potential for growth in Europe.

“There is no doubt it is looking like the economy will pick up again therefore cruise still has come way to go in penetrating the European [holiday] market. There is still potential for growth,” said Vago.

MSC Opera will run nine western Europe departures of seven nights with calls in Amsterdam, Brest, Bilbao and La Coruna between June and September 1, 2011.

Two Baltic departures of ten nights duration are scheduled, starting on May 23.

Five eight-night fjords cruises will run in June, including one calling in Oslo.

UK managing director Giulio Libutti said a dedicated 2011 ex-UK cruise brochure would be published at the end of March together with separate brochures for fly-cruises and Caribbean itineraries.

The line is aiming for 50% of all Opera departures to be filled by British passengers – up from 35% expected on this summer’s sailings from Dover.

"We plan continuous growth from the UK and want to enhance the brand image with the consumer. This is still something we need to do," said Libutti.

Agents play an important role in raising the company’s UK profile through promotions and communicating MSC’s distinctive Italian style, he added.

Libuitti did not rule out the use of a larger ship from the UK in the future.

"Having Opera here is a very big investment for us," he said. "We have to show that we deserve a bigger ship.

"A ship with more balconies in the future will help us."

by Phil Davies

below social share icons

Phil Davies

Hilton is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 22 world-class brands comprising nearly 7,300 properties and more than 1.1 million rooms, in...

At Wilderness Safaris we believe in creating life-changing journeys and have been doing so for over 39 years. Our purpose...

Home to America’s Best Beaches, a vibrant arts community and amazing outdoor experiences, St. Pete/Clearwater is a sunny destination that...

In 2024, The Red Sea will be ready to welcome 300,000 guests in line with the completion of 16 hotels...

Virtuoso is the leading global network of agencies specializing in luxury and experiential travel, with more than 20,000 advisors. We...

SAINT LUCIA IS NO ORDINARY ISLAND Equal parts beauty and mystique, Saint Lucia captivates anyone who sets foot on her...

It’s easy to find perfection in Santa Barbara, but what if there was even more of your favorite finds, activities,...

Our leadership is bold. Our agility thrives on open innovation and we embrace the new, whether it’s diversity, trends, challenges....

IHG Hotels & Resorts: Redefining Hospitality Excellence IHG Hotels & Resorts is a globally renowned hospitality company that stands at...

Traveltek is the world-leading provider of online solutions for the travel trade, from consumer-facing websites to call centre applications. We...

The superpower in bed banks for 30 years We are an award-winning and trusted accommodation wholesaler since 1991. We are...

We understand the importance of personal touch We do things a bit differently at Eventsquid. We know that we could...

Arival advances the business of creating amazing in-destination experiences. We provide events, insights, and community for creators and sellers of...

Family-owned Olympic Holidays has been arranging holidays to Greece, the Greek islands and Cyprus for more than half century. The company is unrivalled...

Intrepid Travel is a world leader in sustainable experience-rich travel that has been taking travellers to discover the world’s most amazing places...

We are a small-group adventure travel operator offering more than 750 tours in 100 countries, on all seven continents. Our...

The Oregon Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon, works to enhance visitors’ experiences by providing information, resources and trip planning tools...