From Italian Wikipedia:
Con il termine transatlantico si intende in modo generico una nave specializzata nel trasporto di passeggeri su rotte che attraversano un intero oceano, in genere con regolare servizio di linea. Nonostante queste navi siano ormai scomparse dalle rotte oceaniche, il termine è ancora in uso per indicare le navi da crociera; bisogna tuttavia ricordare che i transatlantici (anche se si sono evoluti nel tempo) sono strutturalmente molto diversi dalle moderne navi da crociera.
I am pretty sure that the issue here is not one of ignorance on the part of Mr. Folgiero, but of translation. At the event, did he make his statement in Italian or in English? If in Italian, even if he said “transatlantico,” the word can be used for “cruise ship”; if he said “nave” or “nave de crociera,” we may blame the translator preparing the news release (quite possibly thinking that “liner” would sound better). If Mr. Folgiero spoke in English, did he draft the statement himself, or was it prepared by a publicity staffer unaware of the distinction made in English between “liner” and “cruise ship”? (And if he drafted it himself, he, too, may have been unaware of how much weight we in English—or at least those on this board—put on that distinction.)
In sum, allow for subtle differences in meaning when dealing with non-native speakers. And never trust a translation.