Royal Caribbean increases own presence in the Mediterranean, beginning from Italy and from Genoa



The crocieristico group American Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL), than work with the marks Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises, Pullmantur, CDF Croisières de France and TUI Cruises, is remarkablly increasing own presence in the basin of the Mediterranean and in particular in Italy, where this year - as well as from Civitavecchia, Venice and Genoa - it will offer departures also from the ports of Bari and Messina, ports of call to which in the 2013 the sixth port of boarding of Naples will come abreast.

Today in the center of the Harbour Authority of Genoa the general manager of RCL Cruises Ltd. - Italy, Gianni Rotondo, have introduced the new initiatives of the group to begin from those for the port of the capital of Liguria, in which this year with the single brand Royal Caribbean International will double the ports of call going up from the seven of 2011 to the 15 programmed ones in 2012 with the flagship of Mariner of the Seas, for a total of about 57.000 enlivened passengers. Moreover two binoculars of Celebrity Cruises will land to Genoa also two ships: Celebrity Eclipse and Celebrity Silhouette. This year the three ships will realize in the genoese port of call a traffic of about 70.000 passengers, very 43,000 in more regarding 2011, with a correspondent increase of the economic return on the induced one of the entire territory.

About economic return of the cruises it has been spoken diffusely in the today's encounter, that it has been occasion for the presentation of the first relationship of the Observatory Italian Territorial Crocieristico (OCTI), working group composed by Lara Penco, Giorgia Profumo and Massimo Albanese who has been born last year from the collaboration between the Faculty of Economy of the University of Studies Genoa and RCCL. The relationship examines not only the direct expenses of the companies and the passengers who come down to earth, but also the aspects legacies to the valorization of the territory generated from the landings place of the cruise ships to Genoa.

The relationship evidences that for every touched to Genoa RCCL it has spold about 56.000 euros, for a total of about 395.000 euros for the season 2011, figure that comprises harbour expenses for the ship, the passengers, the organization of the terminal and the activities of tourist organization on the territory.

In the course of the season 2011 RCCL have fed in the genoese port of call a total traffic of some 24.500 people, of which 8,900 in boarding and 15,600 in transit. The "hikers", that is those who have acquire a excursion offered from the company, and the "free transits" have been pairs respective to about 2.500 and 13.100 units. OCTI has realized a survey interviewing 208 free crocieristi, of which 147 passengers of transit (42 hikers and 105 transits) and 61 fleeting imbarcatisi to Genoa. The medium expense for category of croceristi has turned out the following one: figure embarks 85 euros per capita (that is raised to 194 euros if the crocierista opts in order to stay a night to Genoa); free transits 40 euros; hikers 25 euros (draft of expenses extra-excursion). For every port of call esteem therefore that altogether the crocieristi have spold about 800.000 euros.

The relationship concludes therefore that, against the direct expense of RCCL (395,000 euros) and of the crocieristi (about 800.000 euros), the generated total direct expense from crocieristica season 2011 on the territory of the Province of Genoa have grazed 1,2 million euros.

Various they are also the elements characterized as profits in order to contribute to the valorization of the capital of Liguria. Between these the image of the represented genoese territory in seven million catalogues distributed in the main Countries in which work the crocieristica company. The Observatory has estimated in beyond 17 million people the public reached from catalogues, of which almost 12,5 million adult people, and in about two million the number the potential ones "interested" that they succeed to know Genoa by means of the RCCL communication.

As well as on Genoa, the strategy of penetration in the sudeuropeo market of RCCL spaces in all the Mediterranean basin, area in which the by now group American it boasts a solid presence: "the number of ours touched in Italy and the Mediterranean - Gianni Rotondo has confirmed - is equivalent to that of the two main ones competitor: Costa and MSC".

In the season the 2012 in Italy Royal Caribbean group will use for own fleet, besides the five ports of boarding of Bari, Civitavecchia, Genoa, Messina and Venice, also 17 ports of port of call, for a total of 22 ports against the 19 of 2011 and for the total ones 698 ports of call regarding 689 in 2011.

The first port of port of call of the group remains Civitavecchia (with 193 touched), followed from Livorno (103), Venice (99), Naples (93), Messina (38), Bari (33), Genoa (19), Sorrento (19), Capri (18), Catania (17), Salerno (16), Amalfi (15), Ravenna (10), Portofino (5), Cagliari (4), Palermo (2), Portoferraio (2) and La Spezia (1). Moreover the ports of call of Brindisi (4), Portovenere enter in programming RCCL (3), Trapani (2), Porto Cervo (1) and Porto Empedocle (1). The ships of the group American who this year carries out port of call in Italy are 19 against the 17 of 2011.