Tag Archives: costa cruises

Carnival Corp. posts ad concepts for consumers to vote on

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Carnival Corp. has posted six ad concepts for its next marketing campaign, with tools for consumers to vote for the one or ones they like best.
The ad ideas are featured on the revamped WorldsLeadingCruiseLines.com website, along with a new tool to help consumers sort out what kind of cruiser they are and information about Carnival’s various brands.

Each ad concept runs about 90 seconds, including a 20-second introduction by comedian Cedric the Entertainer. The concepts are presented like advertising storyboards, black-and-white sketches accompanied by narration and sometimes background music.

In one, entitled “Unicorn,” a pair of unicorns watch other animals getting on the boat as it starts to rain. The unicorns run through the reasons not to go — too crowded, boring, bad food. The viewer sees scenes of other animals living it up on the ship. The narrator calls the unicorns “clueless,” and says “they think the rain is letting up but we know better.”

Another ad, “Cruise Virgin,” is full of light sexual double entendre and seems tailor-made for a Carnival Cruise Lines audience. “No Robots” turns the obstacles to enjoying a cruise into a series of annoying, intrusive robots.

Coincidentally, Carnival rival Royal Caribbean International features a pair of robot bartenders on its newest ship, Quantum of the Seas.

“Message In A Bottle” and “Getaway” seem to embody some of the themes of Princess Cruises’ current campaign, “Come Back New,” that plays on emotional connections.

In “Message in a Bottle” a fairy tale atmosphere prevails in which the narrator remarks “I can’t believe this is a cruise ship.” A young girl finds a message in a bottle and magical things happen, such as “people become young with a touch” voiced against an image of a massage.

“Getaway” speaks to the need to escape the stresses of life, get away and connect with what matters. Everyday life is represented by a mob of angry, noisy people trying to prevent a cruise ship from sailing, while onboard everything is soothing and relaxed, a playground of oblivious people reconnecting with themselves and loved ones.

The final ad, “Mystery Spot” shows and describes the wake of a cruise ship in lyrical terms. A vaguely Hawaiian melody plays in the background. The narrator says there is a big surprise hidden in the spot. “Let your imagination take over. Check it out,” he says.

Carnival says it will use audience input to pick which of the six concepts will be turned into a first quarter digital and television ad campaign for the company’s nine brands.

Carnival Boosting Fleet Capacity

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Regal Princess

Regal Princess

 The world’s largest cruise ship operator Carnival Corporation & plc  said it would increase fleet capacity by nearly 10 percent from 2014 through 2016, fueled largely by the addition of four new ships across four brands in less than 18 months.

This week, Carnival Corporation is christening two new ships in the span of three days as its Princess and Costa brands host official naming ceremonies for Regal Princess and Costa Diadema, the latest new vessels to join the company’s  fleet of more than 100 ships across nine cruise brands.

Additionally, in 2015, the company’s P&O Cruises UK and AIDA brands will each debut a new ship, giving Carnival Corporation a total of four new ship additions by October of next year.

In addition, Carnival Corporation continues to expand its upgrades and refurbishments to existing ships. In 2015, the company plans upgrades or refurbishments on 17 ships across six of its brands.

The 2015 refurbishment plans include two former Holland America Line ships transferred to P&O Cruises Australia that will undergo complete refurbishment before sailing as Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden starting in November 2015.

The renovated ships will be tailored for Australian and New Zealand passengers.

Diadema05a_07

Carnival Corporation’s four new fleet additions in 18 months are part of the company’s plan to introduce nine new ships across seven of its brands between 2014 and 2017.

AIDA, Carnival Cruise Lines, Costa Cruises, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises UK, Princess Cruises and Seabourn are all expected to debut new cruise ships between now and the early part of 2017.

In 2016, Carnival Cruise Lines will debut Carnival Vista, a 133,500-ton ship that will be the largest ever in its fleet — with the ship being unveiled in a sneak preview in New York in January 2015.

Holland America Line will launch its newest ship, the 99,500-ton ms Koningsdam, a new Pinnacle Class ship that can carry 2,650 passengers.

Also in 2016, AIDA will introduce a new sister ship to the 2015 AIDAprima with capacity for 3,250 passengers, while Seabourn will unveil its newest luxury ship, expected to be the biggest ever built by the brand with the ability to serve 604 passengers.

Looking forward to 2017, Princess Cruises is working with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri to build a 143,000-ton vessel featuring the highly popular design elements introduced by the brand’s two newest ships, and sisters, the Royal Princess and sisters, the Royal Princess and Regal Princess.

$688m Costa Diadema gets wet and sets sail

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Costa Cruises has officially christened its new flagship cruise liner Costa Diadema, which is worth $688 million (£433 million).

On November 7th, at Ponte dei Mille in Genoa’s historic maritime station, the ship was officially named and the ceremony began with a parade of the godmother – Italian travel agent Carolina Miceli – and her international maids of honour, who represented Germany, France, Spain and China.

Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, who is the archbishop of Genoa and president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, blessed the ship while Ms Miceli named the vessel and helped to cut the ribbon to start the celebrations. A three-litre jeroboam of Ferrari Gran Cuvee Trentodoc spumante was opened on the bow of the ship to get proceedings off with a bang.

Fireworks and a light show made impressive viewing outside, while inside there was a gala dinner that had a special menu created by Michelin-star chef Fabio Cucchelli.

Costa Diadema

Once the christening had finished, Costa Diadema started to make its way towards its homeport – the Italian port of Savona –
until the 2015 summer Mediterranean season comes to an end.

It will take passengers on seven-night cruises that call at Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Naples and La Spezia.

The vessel weighs 132,500 tonnes, and is more than 300 m long and 37 m wide, making it quite the force to be reckoned with. Inside, there are 1,862 guest cabins and it is hoped that the view over the sea will remind viewers of an Italian resort.

In terms of relaxation facilities on board the Costa Diadema, there’s an arcade with interactive games, a three-level spa and a 500 m open-air promenade that contains restaurants, bars and cabanas.

Evening entertainment consists of the new shipboard production show Sapori d’Italia (Flavours of Italy), where a range of songs from the last 100 years will be performed by 18-year-old baritone Simone Baldazzi, acrobats Celia and Julian and the Phly Boyz.

What’s more, the masked party La Notte in Maschera finishes off the night-time programme of events.

More than 1,000 shipyard workers helped to build the vessel, along with 2,500 subcontractors and 400 Italian interior suppliers from Fincantieri’s Marghera yard.

Costa Crociere chief executive officer Michael Thamm said: “Costa Diadema is our new flagship, and she will set new standards in the European cruise industry and further strengthen Costa’s leadership in Europe. She is the best expression of our new brand positioning: Italy’s finest – its passion and modern Italian lifestyle, hospitality and elegance.”