11 near-term picture, but it builds loyalty and strengthens the product over time.” Truscello points to several itineraries as examples of the success of Costa’s approach. They include the sevenday Canary Islands fly-and-cruise programme, which combines a shorthaul holiday for European guests with a destination suited to winter travel, and the Greece fly-and-cruise programme from Athens, launched a few years ago. Each year, the cruise line also introduces special cruises for loyal customers, including its Northern Lights cruise in October and its world cruises. “Although these products are targeted at different customer segments, their common appeal is clear: each one offers a distinctive, memorable experience that is difficult to replicate through other forms of travel,” says Truscello. The Mediterranean, Costa’s home market and the region where the brand was born, remains central to its itinerary planning. Truscello sees opportunities for further itinerary development in the Eastern Mediterranean. “In parts of the Eastern Mediterranean, strong destination appeal is accompanied by varying levels of infrastructure readiness for cruise operations,” says Truscello. “Terminal capacity, berth availability, passenger flows and transport links vary considerably from port to port. Where that infrastructure is well developed, the guest experience is noticeably stronger. This is a port-by-port observation rather than a comment on the region as a whole, though.” Beyond the Mediterranean, Truscello highlights one further region as particularly popular among guests. “Northern Europe is the other area where we see consistent guest interest,” he says. “The fjords, North Cape and Northern Lights itineraries attract guests who are looking for distinctive, experience-led travel, and that appetite has remained solid.” Ultimately, Truscello sees the itinerary planning process as a synthesis, with a successful voyage delivering commercial success through smooth operation and outstanding experiences that leave guests satisfied. He therefore views the ideal destinations for an itinerary as the ones that can deliver on all those fronts. “The destinations that work best for us are those that combine guest appeal with operational reliability and well-prepared port infrastructure,” he says. “That combination is what makes a destination a strong long-term partner.” The Mediterranean, Costa Cruises’ home market, remains the line’s central focus Photo: Costa Cruises KEYNOTE
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