Crisis management continues at Costa Cruises following a fire aboard the Costa Allegra Feb. 27. The Italy-based line has been struggling since its Costa Concordia accident in Italy on Jan. 13, which left 25 people dead and at least seven missing. Cruise editor Donna Tunney asked Costa's vice president of sales, Scott Knutson, about the company's response to the crises.
Q: Costa has been hit with a double whammy since the Costa Allegra became temporarily adrift after its onboard fire. Coupled with the Costa Concordia situation, how do you respond to U.S. travel agents who may be concerned about putting a client on a Costa ship?
A: Our first priority from day one of both events has been to take care of the guests onboard the ships, the victims and their families aboard the Concordia and all guests booked in the future who were affected. Next, it's important to understand the root cause of these events and take immediate, thorough and decisive action to prevent them from happening again. We are keenly aware of the potential environmental impact, as well, and we have taken steps to ensure its protection.
I wouldn't wish this set of events on anyone, but it is in times like these when we find out who our agent friends and true partners are. These circumstances reinforce the value of a qualified travel agent who can listen to concerns, ask questions, get in step and respond skillfully. A keen agent will use this opportunity to distinguish themselves with their rationale, knowledge and perspective, like a talented physician or attorney, to understand their clients' concerns and desires to best serve them.
While both events are unfortunate, it's important to keep the scope of each in perspective. The Allegra's engine fire, while not unprecedented in the industry, was quickly extinguished, and the ship's trained officers and crew acted rapidly to minimize the damage. Thankfully, there were no injuries. The Concordia incident, on the other hand, was an extraordinary and rare occurrence, and needs to be seen in the context that Costa is the third most popular cruise line in the world, carrying more than 2 million guests on 15 ships with over 700 departures a year. That suggests a very long and strong safety record over our 64 years of sailing.
Q: From a sales and marketing perspective, what are you doing now to shore up the traveling public's faith in Costa?
A: We recognize that the Costa Concordia tragedy has changed the contemporary cruise industry. It has brought unprecedented scrutiny to a business that remains the world's safest mode of transportation. It has also changed Costa Cruises in some profound ways. It has deepened our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our guests and crew, and to making sure an event like this never happens again.
But this event did not change the way we market and sell our product. We have not changed our longtime strategy of relying on travel agents to be our best brand ambassadors and salespeople. They are our greatest single asset in shoring up the public's faith in Costa Cruises.
Q: Has there been a further drop in bookings since the Allegra fire?
A: The pace of bookings has been consistent over the past 30 days, particularly considering the absence of our own marketing.
Q: What would you like readers to know about Costa going forward?
A: Agents should know that Costa is a strong, safe, responsible and proud company whose employees and crew worldwide are determined to do the right thing, to regain the trust of our partners and our future guests by our actions and to rebuild our brand into an even stronger reputation globally.
For cruise news and updates, follow Donna Tunney on Twitter @dttravelweekly.