Page 47: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (September 2022)

SHIP DESIGN COSTA TOSCANA

Scott Knutson, Costa

Cruises VP Sales &

Marketing North America, discussing the merits of the ship with Maritime

Reporter’s Bartolomej

Tomic onboard Costa

Toscana earlier this summer.

Photo courtesy Bartolomej Tomic ranean: Savona, Rome (Civitavecchia), is sail on Tuscany [on Costa Toscana], tion came from Carnival Cruise Line, and Naples, Italy; Ibiza and Valencia, sail on Venice [on Costa Venezia], but which said that it was partnering with

Spain; and Marseille, France. During the we’ll move the ship for you and go to Costa Cruises to create a new concept fall cruise season, Palma de Mallorca, ? ve different ports, three different coun- for Carnival’s North American guests

Spain, will replace Ibiza on the itinerary. tries,“ said Knutson. “I like to say, ‘You when Costa Venezia cruise ship joins the relax and we’ll move the scenery.’” Carnival ? eet sailing from New York in

Italian experience As always, cost is a compelling factor the spring of 2023. Costa Venezia will be

While onboard the Costa Toscana, sail- that Costa and others in the space look followed by Costa Firenze arriving in the ing towards Savona, Italy, we caught up to leverage the power of the cruise vaca- spring of 2024 to sail from Long Beach.

with Scott Knutson, VP Sales and Mar- tion. “If you tried to do that on land with keting Costa Cruises in North America. the same kind of accommodations, same “Costa Cruises is one of the brands of quality of meals, entertainment, you’d

Carnival Corporation. We are the dis- be looking at probably $300-400 a day. tinctly international brand not only of If you wanted to do it really on the cheap

Carnival Corp, but in the world,” said on land, you’d be staying in hostels and

Knutson. “[We’ve] been in business jumping in buses and backpacking. The now over 70 years, currently with 11 value is amazing on a Costa ship. I mean, ships and some more in the plans.“ you can sail with us for $100 a day.“

Knutson is responsible for attracting

North American clients to the Mediter- Italian ships, ‘American ranean and to Costa, and his mission is experience’ to “expose [the Costa Cruises] brand to Now, while Knutson’s friends might people who are looking for an Italian want to travel abroad, he’s aware that experience, a fully immersive interna- some people will be looking for more of tional experience,“ and, in his words, an ‘American’ experience. He explains ‘without the international price tag.’ that the “American experience is more

American food, ? rst of all, cuisine, food

You relax and we’ll move that Americans are used to. Typically, portions on an American brand are a lit- the scenery

Costa has four new ships, whose tle bit larger, sauces are a little heavier.“ names re? ect what type of experience Costa used to have two ships in the on can expect aboard: Costa Toscana U.S. but no longer does. We asked Knut- (Tuscany), Costa Smeralda (Emerald son if there were any plans to have its

Coast), Costa Firenze (Florence) and ships back to the region.

Costa Venezia (Venice). “You’ve got the At the time, Knutson could not reveal four iconic destinations in Italy that our much, but con? rmed Costa was work- guests can say, ‘Well, I don’t want to just ing on something along those lines “to go to Tuscany and stay a week because I be shared in the coming weeks.“ want to move around.’ What you can do A week later, the of? cial con? rma- www.marinelink.com 47

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