MIAMI (July 29, 2009) — Costa, Europe’s Number One Cruise Line, is offering guests an added protection for job loss under its “Costa Carefree” Job Loss Protection Plan. The program provides coverage for cruise guests who involuntarily lose their job and covers cruise and air fares.
The plan is part of “Costa Carefree,” a recently renamed program that also features Costa’s existing Guest Protection Plan. Both plans must be purchased separately. Job Loss Protection Plan prices range from $19 to $69, depending on the cruise itinerary and may be purchased up to the final cruise payment. The plan allows for reimbursement of cruise fare (and air fare if purchased through Costa) should an individual be involuntarily terminated from their job and has worked for their employer for three years or longer.
“We wanted to offer a guest protection program that allowed our guests to customize based on their needs and that provided assurances that would allow them to truly be more carefree about their cruise purchase,” said Ruben Perez, senior vice president of guest services and revenue management for Costa North America. “The plans in our ‘Costa Carefree’ programs do just that by allowing guests to chose our already existing Guest Protection Plan, our Job Loss Protection Plan, or both.”
Costa’s Guest Protection Plan, administered by BerkelyCare, covers trip cancellations/interruptions, travel delays, emergency medical expenses, evacuations, baggage delays and loss, and emergency worldwide assistance among a variety of other benefits. Plans are commissionable for travel agents at 10%. Complete information on “Costa Carefree” is available at www.costacruises.com.
Costa Cruises is Italy and Europe’s Number One Cruise Line. For the past 60 years its ships have sailed the world, offering the best in Italian style, hospitality and cuisine and providing dream vacations with the best in fun and relaxation. In 2008, 1.2 million guests chose to cruise with Costa, a record for the European cruise industry. The company’s 14 fleet members, each with her own distinctive characteristics and unique style, all fly the Italian flag and sail each year to 250 destinations in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, South America, the United Arab Emirates, the Far East and the Indian Ocean. Three additional ships are on order through 2012.
Costa Cruises has been certified by RINA (Italian Shipping Register) with the BEST4, an integrated system of voluntary certification of corporate compliance with the highest standards governing social accountability (SA 8000, issued in 2001), environment (UNI EN ISO 14001, 2004), safety (OHSAS 18001, 1999) and quality (UNI EN ISO 9001, 2000). All ships in the Costa fleet have been assigned RINA’s Green Star notation certifying that they are operated in compliance with the highest environmental protection standards. Costa Cruises is an official partner of the WWF for the protection of the marine ecoregions of the Mediterranean, the Greater Antilles and Brazil. In Mediobanca’s 2008 survey of over 3,700 Italian enterprises that recorded revenue of atleast 50 million euros the previous fiscal year, Costa Crociere S.p.A. ranks 72nd in terms of sales and in 12th place in regards to profitability.
For reservations or more information regarding Costa Cruises, guests may contact a travel agent, call (800) GO-COSTA or visit http://www.costacruises.com.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
COSTA CRUISES INTRODUCES WEB CHECK-IN FOR GUESTS
Getting Set to Sail is Easy with Three Simple Steps at www.costacruises.com.
MIAMI (July 20, 2009) — Guests sailing with Costa, Europe’s Number One Cruise Line, may now check-in online for their cruise vacation with three simple steps at www.costacruises.com. This new web check-in system is easy to access via Costa’s web site and is available to guests sailing on all of Costa’s itineraries worldwide. These include departures from the Caribbean, South America, Northern Europe, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, Dubai and Far East.
To begin the online check-in process, guests will need to first enter their seven-digit booking number and last name. From there, they may access their boarding form, which they may then fill in with pertinent information needed for sailing. This includes the names and travel documentation information for all guests that are part of the booking. Once all information is filled in, guests simply need to check that the boarding form is complete. If so, their boarding documents are ready to print. The service is available from the time guests have booked and paid for their cruise in full up until the day prior to departure.
“Our web check-in system offers guests an additional ease of travel by allowing them to conveniently check-in from the comfort of their home,” said Ruben Perez, senior vice president of guest services and revenue management for Costa North America. “We’re always looking for ways to make the entire cruise experience more pleasurable for our guests and this is an extension of that. We’re certain many of our guests will quickly appreciate this new service.”
Costa also offers electronic check-in kiosks for guests departing from Port Everglades on Caribbean routes. It was the first cruise line at Port Everglades to offer this service, beginning in spring 2008.
Costa Cruises is Italy and Europe’s Number One Cruise Line. For the past 60 years its ships have sailed the world, offering the best in Italian style, hospitality and cuisine and providing dream vacations with the best in fun and relaxation. In 2008, 1.2 million guests chose to cruise with Costa, a record for the European cruise industry. The company’s 14 fleet members, each with her own distinctive characteristics and unique style, all fly the Italian flag and sail each year to 250 destinations in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, South America, the United Arab Emirates, the Far East and the Indian Ocean. Three additional ships are on order through 2012.
Costa Cruises has been certified by RINA (Italian Shipping Register) with the BEST4, an integrated system of voluntary certification of corporate compliance with the highest standards governing social accountability (SA 8000, issued in 2001), environment (UNI EN ISO 14001, 2004), safety (OHSAS 18001, 1999) and quality (UNI EN ISO 9001, 2000). All ships in the Costa fleet have been assigned RINA’s Green Star notation certifying that they are operated in compliance with the highest environmental protection standards. Costa Cruises is an official partner of the WWF for the protection of the marine ecoregions of the Mediterranean, the Greater Antilles and Brazil. In Mediobanca’s 2008 survey of over 3,700 Italian enterprises that recorded revenue of at least 50 million euros the previous fiscal year, Costa Crociere S.p.A. ranks 72nd in terms of sales and in 12th place in regards to profitability.
For reservations or more information regarding Costa Cruises, guests may contact a travel agent, call (800) GO-COSTA or visit www.costacruises.com.
MIAMI (July 20, 2009) — Guests sailing with Costa, Europe’s Number One Cruise Line, may now check-in online for their cruise vacation with three simple steps at www.costacruises.com. This new web check-in system is easy to access via Costa’s web site and is available to guests sailing on all of Costa’s itineraries worldwide. These include departures from the Caribbean, South America, Northern Europe, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, Dubai and Far East.
To begin the online check-in process, guests will need to first enter their seven-digit booking number and last name. From there, they may access their boarding form, which they may then fill in with pertinent information needed for sailing. This includes the names and travel documentation information for all guests that are part of the booking. Once all information is filled in, guests simply need to check that the boarding form is complete. If so, their boarding documents are ready to print. The service is available from the time guests have booked and paid for their cruise in full up until the day prior to departure.
“Our web check-in system offers guests an additional ease of travel by allowing them to conveniently check-in from the comfort of their home,” said Ruben Perez, senior vice president of guest services and revenue management for Costa North America. “We’re always looking for ways to make the entire cruise experience more pleasurable for our guests and this is an extension of that. We’re certain many of our guests will quickly appreciate this new service.”
Costa also offers electronic check-in kiosks for guests departing from Port Everglades on Caribbean routes. It was the first cruise line at Port Everglades to offer this service, beginning in spring 2008.
Costa Cruises is Italy and Europe’s Number One Cruise Line. For the past 60 years its ships have sailed the world, offering the best in Italian style, hospitality and cuisine and providing dream vacations with the best in fun and relaxation. In 2008, 1.2 million guests chose to cruise with Costa, a record for the European cruise industry. The company’s 14 fleet members, each with her own distinctive characteristics and unique style, all fly the Italian flag and sail each year to 250 destinations in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, South America, the United Arab Emirates, the Far East and the Indian Ocean. Three additional ships are on order through 2012.
Costa Cruises has been certified by RINA (Italian Shipping Register) with the BEST4, an integrated system of voluntary certification of corporate compliance with the highest standards governing social accountability (SA 8000, issued in 2001), environment (UNI EN ISO 14001, 2004), safety (OHSAS 18001, 1999) and quality (UNI EN ISO 9001, 2000). All ships in the Costa fleet have been assigned RINA’s Green Star notation certifying that they are operated in compliance with the highest environmental protection standards. Costa Cruises is an official partner of the WWF for the protection of the marine ecoregions of the Mediterranean, the Greater Antilles and Brazil. In Mediobanca’s 2008 survey of over 3,700 Italian enterprises that recorded revenue of at least 50 million euros the previous fiscal year, Costa Crociere S.p.A. ranks 72nd in terms of sales and in 12th place in regards to profitability.
For reservations or more information regarding Costa Cruises, guests may contact a travel agent, call (800) GO-COSTA or visit www.costacruises.com.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
COSTA CRUISES DONATES 100 OLIVE TREES TO CINQUE TERRE NATIONAL PARK
MIAMI (July 15, 2009) – Costa Cruises, Europe’s Number One Cruise Line, planted 100 organically-certified olive plants today in the Cinque Terre National Park near Castagnoli di Riomaggiore in Italy.
As an environmental effort, Costa Cruises decided to make the inaugural event last month of its two newest ships, the Costa Luminosa and the Costa Pacifica, a “zero impact” event. Carbon dioxide emissions produced during the Guinness world record event will be offset by Costa’s planting of 100 olive trees. The inaugural ceremony took place in Genoa, Italy on June 5, 2009. The planting will repopulate nearly 2,000 square meters of terraced land in the Cinque Terre National Park.
Costa Cruises believes in and actively promotes responsible tourism. Costa’s shore side excursions are a prime example of their accordance with this high priority. Costa offers various eco-tourism excursions, comprising of visits to parks, oases and nature reserves, with programs that minimize the impact on the ecosystem and create economic opportunities for the local communities.
Environmental compliance has always been one of Costa Cruises’ distinguishing features. It’s the only cruise company to have an environmental management system developed according to the latest international standards (UNI EN ISO 14001 2004). These standards are witnessed by the Social and Environmental Report drawn up according to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines and certified by RINA (Italian Register of Shipping).
Costa Cruises was also the first company in the world in 2005 to receive the “Green Star” award from RINA (Italian Register of Shipping). This showcases Costa’s respect for environmental standards relating to the prevention of air and sea pollution. Further confirmation of Costa’s commitment to environmental protection comes from its partnership with W.W.F. Italia, which began in 2005, for conservation and protection of the sea. This year they are dedicated to a conservation project for the Mediterranean Sea.
In 2007 Costa Cruises endorsed the very first version of the voluntary “Venice Blue Flag” agreement designed to safeguard the environment and heritage of Venice.
The initiative, which was made known by the local municipality, is designed to reduce air emissions. Under the terms of this major environmental undertaking, Costa Cruises, along with the other signatories to the agreement, adopts standards for all its ships calling in Venice. The values are stricter than the environmental compliance provisions currently in force. In addition, each year since 2005, the Swiss branch of the tour operator Kuoni has awarded on Costa the Green Planet Award. This award is the highest seal of eco-approval in the travel and tourism sector for the exemplary ecological management and performance of its ships, aimed at minimizing their environmental impact.
Costa Cruises is Italy and Europe’s Number One Cruise Line. For the past 60 years its ships have sailed the world, offering the best in Italian style, hospitality and cuisine and providing dream vacations with the best in fun and relaxation. In 2008, 1.2 million guests chose to cruise with Costa, a record for the European cruise industry. The company’s 14 fleet members, each with her own distinctive characteristics and unique style, all fly the Italian flag and sail each year to 250 destinations in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, South America, the United Arab Emirates, the Far East and the Indian Ocean. Three additional ships are on order through 2012.
Costa Cruises is certified by RINA with the BEST4 status, a detailed system of voluntary certification regarding social responsibility (SA 8000 in 2001), the environment (UNI EN ISO 14001 in 2004), safety (OHSAS 18001 in 2007) and quality (UNI EN ISO 9001 in 2008). All the ships in the Costa fleet have received the RINA “Green Star” award, which certifies respect for the highest standards of environmental protection. Costa Cruises supports WWF Italia in its work to protect the Mediterranean Sea. In 2008, Costa Cruises S.p.A. also came 72nd in terms of turnover and 12th in terms of profitability in the Mediobanca ranking, which covers over 3,700 Italian companies with a turnover of at least 50 million euros in the last financial year. In 2009, Costa Cruises was the fourth best Italian company for reliability and reputation in the international “Global Reputation Pulse” survey, which covers 600 of the biggest companies in 32 countries around the world.
The Cinque Terre National Park
The Cinque Terre National Park is just a few kilometers of land in eastern Liguria. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997 and a few months later it was transformed into the first protected marine area and then into a national park.
The Cinque Terre National Park contains five fishing villages, winding alleys and pastel-colored houses that are all huddled together. The park is home to steep flights of stairs leading to small natural terraces with sheer drops to the sea below, picturesque churches caressed by the waves and even castles, with high stone walls and towers.
The area is cultivated with vines, olive and lemon trees and many miles of winding paths, running along the coast. The paths are located at different heights above sea level and they journey though the vivid and sweet-smelling Mediterranean maquis, the main vegetation of the Mediterranean coasts. The primary attractions for tourists include rural history, ancient rituals, crafts and traditions, including its food and wine.
Costa Cruises is Italy and Europe’s Number One Cruise Line. For the past 60 years its ships have sailed the world, offering the best in Italian style, hospitality and cuisine and providing dream vacations with the best in fun and relaxation. In 2008, 1.2 million guests chose to cruise with Costa, a record for the European cruise industry. The company’s 14 fleet members, each with her own distinctive characteristics and unique style, all fly the Italian flag and sail each year to 250 destinations in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, South America, the United Arab Emirates, the Far East and the Indian Ocean. Three additional ships are on order through 2012.
Costa Cruises has been certified by RINA (Italian Shipping Register) with the BEST4, an integrated system of voluntary certification of corporate compliance with the highest standards governing social accountability (SA 8000, issued in 2001), environment (UNI EN ISO 14001, 2004), safety (OHSAS 18001, 1999) and quality (UNI EN ISO 9001, 2000). All ships in the Costa fleet have been assigned RINA’s Green Star notation certifying that they are operated in compliance with the highest environmental protection standards. Costa Cruises is an official partner of the WWF for the protection of the marine ecoregions of the Mediterranean, the Greater Antilles and Brazil. In Mediobanca’s 2008 survey of over 3,700 Italian enterprises that recorded revenue of at least 50 million euros the previous fiscal year, Costa Crociere S.p.A. ranks 72nd in terms of sales and in 12th place in regards to profitability.
For reservations or more information regarding Costa Cruises, guests may contact a travel agent, call (800) GO-COSTA or visit www.costacruises.com.
As an environmental effort, Costa Cruises decided to make the inaugural event last month of its two newest ships, the Costa Luminosa and the Costa Pacifica, a “zero impact” event. Carbon dioxide emissions produced during the Guinness world record event will be offset by Costa’s planting of 100 olive trees. The inaugural ceremony took place in Genoa, Italy on June 5, 2009. The planting will repopulate nearly 2,000 square meters of terraced land in the Cinque Terre National Park.
Costa Cruises believes in and actively promotes responsible tourism. Costa’s shore side excursions are a prime example of their accordance with this high priority. Costa offers various eco-tourism excursions, comprising of visits to parks, oases and nature reserves, with programs that minimize the impact on the ecosystem and create economic opportunities for the local communities.
Environmental compliance has always been one of Costa Cruises’ distinguishing features. It’s the only cruise company to have an environmental management system developed according to the latest international standards (UNI EN ISO 14001 2004). These standards are witnessed by the Social and Environmental Report drawn up according to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines and certified by RINA (Italian Register of Shipping).
Costa Cruises was also the first company in the world in 2005 to receive the “Green Star” award from RINA (Italian Register of Shipping). This showcases Costa’s respect for environmental standards relating to the prevention of air and sea pollution. Further confirmation of Costa’s commitment to environmental protection comes from its partnership with W.W.F. Italia, which began in 2005, for conservation and protection of the sea. This year they are dedicated to a conservation project for the Mediterranean Sea.
In 2007 Costa Cruises endorsed the very first version of the voluntary “Venice Blue Flag” agreement designed to safeguard the environment and heritage of Venice.
The initiative, which was made known by the local municipality, is designed to reduce air emissions. Under the terms of this major environmental undertaking, Costa Cruises, along with the other signatories to the agreement, adopts standards for all its ships calling in Venice. The values are stricter than the environmental compliance provisions currently in force. In addition, each year since 2005, the Swiss branch of the tour operator Kuoni has awarded on Costa the Green Planet Award. This award is the highest seal of eco-approval in the travel and tourism sector for the exemplary ecological management and performance of its ships, aimed at minimizing their environmental impact.
Costa Cruises is Italy and Europe’s Number One Cruise Line. For the past 60 years its ships have sailed the world, offering the best in Italian style, hospitality and cuisine and providing dream vacations with the best in fun and relaxation. In 2008, 1.2 million guests chose to cruise with Costa, a record for the European cruise industry. The company’s 14 fleet members, each with her own distinctive characteristics and unique style, all fly the Italian flag and sail each year to 250 destinations in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, South America, the United Arab Emirates, the Far East and the Indian Ocean. Three additional ships are on order through 2012.
Costa Cruises is certified by RINA with the BEST4 status, a detailed system of voluntary certification regarding social responsibility (SA 8000 in 2001), the environment (UNI EN ISO 14001 in 2004), safety (OHSAS 18001 in 2007) and quality (UNI EN ISO 9001 in 2008). All the ships in the Costa fleet have received the RINA “Green Star” award, which certifies respect for the highest standards of environmental protection. Costa Cruises supports WWF Italia in its work to protect the Mediterranean Sea. In 2008, Costa Cruises S.p.A. also came 72nd in terms of turnover and 12th in terms of profitability in the Mediobanca ranking, which covers over 3,700 Italian companies with a turnover of at least 50 million euros in the last financial year. In 2009, Costa Cruises was the fourth best Italian company for reliability and reputation in the international “Global Reputation Pulse” survey, which covers 600 of the biggest companies in 32 countries around the world.
The Cinque Terre National Park
The Cinque Terre National Park is just a few kilometers of land in eastern Liguria. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997 and a few months later it was transformed into the first protected marine area and then into a national park.
The Cinque Terre National Park contains five fishing villages, winding alleys and pastel-colored houses that are all huddled together. The park is home to steep flights of stairs leading to small natural terraces with sheer drops to the sea below, picturesque churches caressed by the waves and even castles, with high stone walls and towers.
The area is cultivated with vines, olive and lemon trees and many miles of winding paths, running along the coast. The paths are located at different heights above sea level and they journey though the vivid and sweet-smelling Mediterranean maquis, the main vegetation of the Mediterranean coasts. The primary attractions for tourists include rural history, ancient rituals, crafts and traditions, including its food and wine.
Costa Cruises is Italy and Europe’s Number One Cruise Line. For the past 60 years its ships have sailed the world, offering the best in Italian style, hospitality and cuisine and providing dream vacations with the best in fun and relaxation. In 2008, 1.2 million guests chose to cruise with Costa, a record for the European cruise industry. The company’s 14 fleet members, each with her own distinctive characteristics and unique style, all fly the Italian flag and sail each year to 250 destinations in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, South America, the United Arab Emirates, the Far East and the Indian Ocean. Three additional ships are on order through 2012.
Costa Cruises has been certified by RINA (Italian Shipping Register) with the BEST4, an integrated system of voluntary certification of corporate compliance with the highest standards governing social accountability (SA 8000, issued in 2001), environment (UNI EN ISO 14001, 2004), safety (OHSAS 18001, 1999) and quality (UNI EN ISO 9001, 2000). All ships in the Costa fleet have been assigned RINA’s Green Star notation certifying that they are operated in compliance with the highest environmental protection standards. Costa Cruises is an official partner of the WWF for the protection of the marine ecoregions of the Mediterranean, the Greater Antilles and Brazil. In Mediobanca’s 2008 survey of over 3,700 Italian enterprises that recorded revenue of at least 50 million euros the previous fiscal year, Costa Crociere S.p.A. ranks 72nd in terms of sales and in 12th place in regards to profitability.
For reservations or more information regarding Costa Cruises, guests may contact a travel agent, call (800) GO-COSTA or visit www.costacruises.com.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
COSTA CRUISES NAMES MICHELLE MOLESKI BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER FOR MID-ATLANTIC REGION
MIAMI (July 8, 2009) – Michelle Moleski has been named business development manager for the Mid-Atlantic region, announced Scott Knutson, vice president of sales for Costa Cruise Lines—North America. Her territory includes Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington D.C. In her new position, she will report directly to Bill Dwyer, director of field sales for Costa North America.
Moleski has more than 10 years of experience in sales and account management, most recently as a medical sales representative for Wyeth Consumer Healthcare in New Jersey. While there, she earned various accolades for her sales and customer service skills including the “President’s Gold Cup” award and the “Spirit of Wyeth” award. Prior to joining Wyeth, Moleski was a dermatology specialty representative with Bradley Pharmaceuticals in the Philadelphia area. In this position, she placed in the top three in various national sales contests and was consistently ranked nationally and regionally among the top 10% of sales representatives.
“We’re thrilled to have a vibrant, results-driven sales professional like Michelle lead our business development efforts in the Mid-Atlantic region,” said Knutson. “While new to the travel industry, Michelle has proven to be excellent at establishing strong client relationships in her former positions, something that is key to our sales strategy at Costa.”
Moleski earned a bachelor’s degree from Temple University, where she graduated with honors. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband Brian and four children.
Moleski has more than 10 years of experience in sales and account management, most recently as a medical sales representative for Wyeth Consumer Healthcare in New Jersey. While there, she earned various accolades for her sales and customer service skills including the “President’s Gold Cup” award and the “Spirit of Wyeth” award. Prior to joining Wyeth, Moleski was a dermatology specialty representative with Bradley Pharmaceuticals in the Philadelphia area. In this position, she placed in the top three in various national sales contests and was consistently ranked nationally and regionally among the top 10% of sales representatives.
“We’re thrilled to have a vibrant, results-driven sales professional like Michelle lead our business development efforts in the Mid-Atlantic region,” said Knutson. “While new to the travel industry, Michelle has proven to be excellent at establishing strong client relationships in her former positions, something that is key to our sales strategy at Costa.”
Moleski earned a bachelor’s degree from Temple University, where she graduated with honors. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband Brian and four children.
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