And Still they are coming here!

[Sandielle]

From Cruise News: (I can't give the link to the full story as it mentions a travel agent.)

 

Sydney, September 13, 2011 – COSTA CRUISES, Italy’s largest tourism group and Europe’s no. 1 cruise company, will introduce new cruises out of Australia with the newly renovated ship, Costa neoRomantica. As part of its new itineraries, Costa neoRomantica will stop at Sydney, Melbourne, Darwin, Cairns, Brisbane, Hobart and Burnie ports in Australia, as well as Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington, Akaroa, Dunedin and Fjordland in New Zealand.

 

From September 19, 2012, Australians and New Zealanders will have the opportunity to choose from nine different sailings with either embarkation or disembarkation in Melbourne*, Singapore, Mauritius, Dubai and Savona (Italy). Costa neoRomantica will offer a wide range of cruise options ranging from 21 to 88 nights from Italy to Melbourne, visiting the Arabian Gulf, Indian Ocean, Far East and Australia.

[rugbypopsie]

Obviously all these new cruise lines don't agree that aussies are "in a rut" and never try anything or anywhere new.

Lets hope all this choice results in more competition, interesting itineraries and more reasonable booking conditions for aussie and kiwi cruisers..

[sludger]

Obviously all these new cruise lines don't agree that aussies are "in a rut" and never try anything or anywhere new.

Lets hope all this choice results in more competition, interesting itineraries and more reasonable booking conditions for aussie and kiwi cruisers..

 

Actually it's not really new, It's another part of the Carnival group with another old ship that looks a bit like the Pacific Sun.

 

But on the up side the results of the competition here are to be seen, the latest I heard is that bookings for the Voyager are not what RCI expected and they may drop their prices. We may cancel ours and rebook if that happens.

Also prices on P&O are also coming down with specials even being offered in the school holiday period.

 

Paul

[icat2000]

I want to see variety in the intineraries. Problem with all these cruiseliners is they want top dollar for the same, same, but different ship.

[Australian family]

Actually it's not really new, It's another part of the Carnival group with another old ship that looks a bit like the Pacific Sun.

 

But on the up side the results of the competition here are to be seen, the latest I heard is that bookings for the Voyager are not what RCI expected and they may drop their prices. We may cancel ours and rebook if that happens.

Also prices on P&O are also coming down with specials even being offered in the school holiday period.

 

Paul

 

They thought Australia was the pot of gold, haven't they heard that Aussies aren't spending money either. I guess it will give Carnival an excuse to confirm that us Aussies are in a rut.

 

Is there a story somewhere about the bookings on Voyager?

 

Are Australians finally slowing down with booking cruises with P&O, and realising that there is other cruiselines besides P&O?

[Kiwi Kruzer]

She sure looks like the Pacific Sun but with 3 funnels:D

 

 

 

Costa Romantica

Owner/Operator: Costa Crociere

Year built: 1993

Rebuilt: -

Builder: Fincantieri, Italy

Former names: -

Gross Tonnage 53,049

Length: 220.6 m (718.5 ft)

Beam: 28.0 m (98.4 ft)

Passengers (normal): 1,356

Passengers (maximum): 1,782

Crew: 650

Service speed: 19.8 kn

 

Check out the pics on Barts site....http://www.shipparade.com/az/Costa_Romantica/Costa_Romantica.htm

[Australian family]

She sure looks like the Pacific Sun but with 3 funnels:D

 

 

 

Costa Romantica

Owner/Operator: Costa Crociere

Year built: 1993

Rebuilt: -

Builder: Fincantieri, Italy

Former names: -

Gross Tonnage 53,049

Length: 220.6 m (718.5 ft)

Beam: 28.0 m (98.4 ft)

Passengers (normal): 1,356

Passengers (maximum): 1,782

Crew: 650

Service speed: 19.8 kn

 

Check out the pics on Barts site....http://www.shipparade.com/az/Costa_Romantica/Costa_Romantica.htm

 

So we just get another old ship again, and I guess they will promote it as a new ship.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

So we just get another old ship again, and I guess they will promote it as a new ship.

 

 

It will have new bits.....they are putting on 2 new half decks, and surprise surprise more cabins to crowd more and more passengers into the existing space.:eek:

 

 

"In November 2011, Costa Romantica will undergo a 90 million euro refurbishment. The ship will be totally refurbished. Two new half decks will be added as a part of the refurbishment. This will increase the gross tonnage of the ship from 53,000 to 56,000 tons. After the refurbishing, the ship is to be renamed Costa NeoRomantica".

 

"As Europe’s top cruise company and Italy’s

largest tourism group, Costa is investing

approximately 90 million euros to transform

Costa Romantica into Costa neoRomantica

over the next few months.

New areas will be constructed, including two

new half-decks, 111 additional cabins, more

private balconies and a wine bar.

Samsara Spa, a 4,200 square metre wellness

area, will include a gym, swimming pool for

thalassotherapy, treatment rooms, sauna,

Turkish bath, 50 cabins and six suites and a

special restaurant.

Capacity is set increase from 1,697 to 1,800

passengers, and the total displacement will be

approximately 56,000 gross tonnage."

[rugbypopsie]

If they keep cramming passengers onto these old ships we will need something like the RSPCA to stick up for humans crammed in like live animal transports. It ruins the cruise for me if the only place I can find to sit is in my cabin.

[Australian family]

If they keep cramming passengers onto these old ships we will need something like the RSPCA to stick up for humans crammed in like live animal transports. It ruins the cruise for me if the only place I can find to sit is in my cabin.

 

Maybe they should refer to them as floating sardine tins!

[The_Big_M]

New ship or old ship, the trend is for more passengers. This = more revenue, but at a lower cost, which is what attracts most passengers.

 

Can't recall the last large ship where they reduced the number of cabins...

[Sandielle]

Our just completed cruise supposedly had 300 children aboard even though it wasn't school holidays, however it didn't seem really crowded. We had no trouble finding somewhere to sit in the buffet or on decks etc, and I was surprised there were no really long queues at the tender ports at lunchtimes or the last few tenders.

 

Ordinarily, in shore-based businesses, I tend to believe that cheaper prices create a larger turnover thus making more income, than raising prices to try to recoup losses or boost profits. However, I don't know if this would work in the cruise industry. It would certainly encourage more people to cruise and probably spend more money on board, but would make for 'cans of sardines' as someone put it.

[floatie]

I want to see variety in the intineraries. Problem with all these cruiseliners is they want top dollar for the same, same, but different ship.

 

I agree with you.

There are only so many times you can go to Noumea and Isle of Pines.. "yawn".

We love cruising the South Pacific but some of the destinations are just worn out.

Find some different ports of call and then they will see the custom they are looking for, more than with just another ship.

[room010]

Australia may be a vast country but there are comparatively few viable ports to put on itineraries so the 'same old, same old' problem won't be solved by sending more ships. I don't think the Australian market (pop 22 million) will support these larger ships but the companies aren't necessarily targetting Aussie cruisers, they are after the Asian market (pop several billion). Chinese and other Asian airlines are introducing frequent, cheap services to Australia all the time.

[Royalty X]

We're not just getting the refurbed NeoRomantica from Costa. This one was launched in 2010 and is almost 93,000 tonnes!

 

The ports of Sydney, Melbourne and Perth will welcome the first ever ship from Europe’s Costa Cruises next February, the Costa Deliziosa.

 

Currently, number one in Europe, Costa Cruises is focusing on increasing their global reach and their Asia Pacific operations team will manage sales and support in Australasia as part of this inaugural visit from 1 August 2011.

 

Complete Cruise Solution will continue to support agents in the interim to ensure a seamless transition.

 

Launched in Dubai in February 2010, Deliziosa will be one of the newest and innovative vessels to sail in Australian waters.

 

“Costa Cruises is very excited about bringing Deliziosa to the Australian market early next year,” said Dario Rustico, Vice President Sales & Marketing Pacific Asia Operations, Costa Cruises.

 

“The Australasian market continues to experience phenomenal growth and we believe these changes will create the opportunity for our Asian offices to focus on the region and look for opportunities.”

 

Costa Cruises christened the newest vessel to sail in their 15-strong fleet, Costa Favalosa, last weekend in a glittering ceremony in Trieste. At 114,500 tonnes, she is the largest ship to sail under the Italian flag.

[Royalty X]

Oh, and apparently Costa Deliziosa is the Costa flagship. Video here...

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Its a lovely ship, but its just passing through our waters

on its World Cruise.

 

[jayteeaitch]

The promo looks like a video of a smaller Hal. :)

[bazzaw]

Costa Delicioza is a Vista class ship - same as Arcadia. She was anchored in the harbour with us in Sharm el-Sheikh , when we were on Oriana. As she sailed out in the early evening , she was light up like a lighthouse!! :)

 

Barry