A magical Mediterranean cruise
Alpha Holidays together with Air France KLM airlines sailed 10 of its top sellers in the UAE on a fabulous six-night cruise in the Mediterranean with Costa Cruises in September.
The intention of the Fam trip was to promote MICE travel on board the cruise ship and to give agents first-hand experience of all the facilities that Costa ships can offer for both business and leisure travel.
Onboard the Costa Magica for the cruise was Russell Pereira from Air France KLM; Rochell Saleem from Alpha Holidays — preferred sales agents for Costa Cruises; Jitendra Pania, Omeir Travel; Ayoma Nissanka, Al Naboodah Travel & Tourism; Syed Mohammed Shah, Al Tayer Holidays; Sera Raju, Belhasa Travel & Tourism; Janet Moses, ITS; Waseem Rahmany, Orient Travels & Tours, and Shivanka Santiago from SNTTA Holiday and Aldrino Silveira.
The agents boarded the Costa Magica — a 103,000 tonne ship with a passenger capacity of 3,470 and 1,358 cabins — for a cruise from Italy to Spain and France.
Each participant enjoyed an Ocean View stateroom with private balcony and all the comforts of home including full-board meals, snacks throughout the day and midnight-feasts.
At each port participants took shore excursions such as a visit to Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii in Naples, Palma de Mallorca, Valencia and Marseilles whilst the ship was docked during day.
During the evening as the ship sailed on to its next destination, the group was entertained by sound and laser-light shows, broad-way style performances, musicals and ventriloquists in the Urbino Theatre spanning three levels of the ship. The agents were also invited to two gala dinners with the Captain as a special treat.
Air France KLM and Alpha Holidays also conducted a product presentation onboard focusing on the advantages of promoting incentive travel and groups through their respective products.
Air France KLM provides convenient connections to many European cities to board a Costa Cruise — Amsterdam, Rome, Milan, Venice, Barcelona, Marseilles and Copenhagen name a few.
This was followed by a ship’s visit showcasing Costa Magica’s cabin categories and business facilities such as conference rooms and internet points, recreational facilities including the multiple swimming pools, multipurpose sports pitch and outdoor jogging track which could also be used for team-building activities.
In addition agents visited the 1,300 square metre wellbeing centre which features a gym, treatment rooms, a sauna and Turkish bath and entertainement options such as the disco, casino and Play Station entertainment centres.
They also witnessed a variety of entertainment such as cooking classes, dance classes, aerobic classes and ice sculpting held throughout the day and experienced all the benefits a Costa Cruise has to offer.
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Top Five
Things to do
1 Relax and unwind
Have a massage, sauna or jacuzzi at one of the ship’s wellness centres. Or take a keep-fit class such as aerobics, swimming, gym, dance lessons, or jogging on your own or with your friends.
2 Indulge
Costa offers all kinds of dining options, so you can eat formally or casually, in the open air, in a restaurant or in your stateroom, any time of day or night. Dining choices include poolside dining to midnight buffets. Cosy bistros serve pizza, cappuccino and espresso and room service is on call 24-hours a day.
3 Family fun
There is a wealth of onboard activities to suit the family, from Italian language lessons to cooking classes. Younger guests can take part in the Costa Kids Programme from ages three (out of nappies) to 17.
– which includes everything from pizza parties and pirate treasure hunts to face painting, masquerades, ice cream socials or karaoke contests.
Morning, afternoon and evening events are scheduled to entertain children from three (out of nappies) to 17.
4 Explore the shore
Costa offers over 2,000 different shore excursions, with a new adventure every day, from museums to local crafts and ethnic markets. Excursions are tailor-made and you can go independently or in a group.
5 Get down to business
A cruise ship can make an ideal corporate event or incentive programme. Costa offers the “Business, Relaxed” formula — an incentive program at sea, packed with wonderful locations and guaranteed entertainment. The ship offers numerous meeting rooms kitted out with all the latest technology.
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How to sell
The itinerary:
The agents took a six-night Mediterranean cruise on board the Costa Magica. The group travelled on KLM from Dubai, via Amsterdam to Rome and embarked the ship at the Civitavecchia Port. They called at Naples, Palma De Mallorca, Valencia, Marseilles and Savona.
At the end of the cruise, they were transferred by coach to Milan where they boarded the return flight via Amsterdam. The group experienced Premier and Business class services on KLM and visited the KLM Lounge at the Amsterdam airport.
The cost:
The cost for this cruise starts from US$ 399 per person for an Inside Cabin excluding Port Taxes of US$ 150 and
Cruise Insurance of
US$ 17 per person.
Where to travel:
Costa has over 100 itineraries and 250 destinations world-wide to choose from including Mediterranean, Norwegian and Middle and Far East destinations. Costa Cruises are available throughout the year and offer cruises to suit every taste and every budget.
Useful Contacts:
Tel : +971 4 2940022
Fax : +971 4 2940012
www.costa.com
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What the travel trade said...
Jitendra Pania
Business Development
Executive, Omeir Holidays, Abu Dhabi
Destinations are chosen to cover the major ports in the Western Mediterranean, giving a mix of city and small town experience. It is a wonderful product. I would sell this cruise to everyone.
People from all walks of life and ages can enjoy their time on a cruise. For me the highlight was the friendly crew on board, this made all the difference. They were very kind and went out of their way to help whenever we needed anything. They also provided excellent entertainment throughout the day. I thought the ship was good, clean, spacious and hygienic with all the comforts of home.
The balconies provided the advantage to enjoy the pure sea air and get the first views of land when approaching the ports. A truly fantastic experience!
Ayoma Nissanka
Assistant Supervisor Leisure
Al Naboodah Travels & Tourism
It was a great experience for me and I enjoyed it to the maximum. The destinations — Rome, Naples, Palma De Mallorca, Valencia and Marseilles were very interesting. Each city had its uniqueness and gave us a good impression of what the Mediterranean has to offer.
This cruise is great value for money! There is no hassle when travelling from one city to another with luggage, all meals are included avoiding extra expenses and there is unlimited entertainment for all ages.
In addition, children below 18 years cruise for free throughout most of the year. The accomodation was excellent! All the comforts of home with the additional benefit of waking up in a new city, every day!
Waseem Rahmany
Manager – Business Development
Orient Travel & Tours
This was my first cruise and I now believe it is the only way to go! In seven days we visited six cities — it was pure Italian-style cruising!! I am 100% confident that Costa Cruises would be popular with holidaymakers from this region.
The product is fantastic, good food, amazing onboard entertainment, the newest ships and ultra-modern facilities. I would sell this to leisure travellers, honeymooners, families and corporate offices for their incentive and group travel.
The highlight was the daily shows in the onboard theatre. The Costa Magica performers provided a variety of entertainment from broad-way shows to cartoons catering to all ages and nationalities.
Shivanka Santiago
Senior Tour Consultant
SNTTA Travel & Tours, Dubai
Although this was my first cruise it most certainly won’t be my last! With the variety of entertainment activities conducted by the staff you are never at a loss for things to do. I was truly amazed by everything! What is most important is the “value” factor because what you get for your money is more important than how much you pay.
The all-inclusive nature is quite unbeatable and it also means less planning if your client has a busy schedule. Once clients book a cruise the rest is easy. Rooms, meals and snacks, onboard activities, entertainment, and cruise transportation fees are all included, so they actually get to take a break and relax! This is what a typical vacation should be like and this is exactly what 90% of our clients require.
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About the ship
The costa Magica
Costa Magica is inspired by the charm of Italy’s most beautiful locations: from Capri to Portofino, the Salento, Bellagio, Urbino to Grado, Spoleto and many more. The ship features a spectacular central nine-storey hall and welcoming restaurants inspired by the Sardinia’s Emerald Coast.
The ship also contains prestigious Italian designer stores, extensive outdoor decks, such as the amphitheatre-shaped Maratea deck or the Positano Lido, with the greatest degree of comfort guaranteed by the sliding glass roof, making it suitable for any occasion; as well as the Saturnia Health Club — a wellness centre equipped for every activity.
What’s on board:
- 1,358 cabins including 464 with private balcony
- 4 restaurants & 11 bars
- 6 jacuzzis, four pools
- 1,300 sq m wellness centre with gym and Turkish bath
- An onboard theatre over three levels of the ship