The tide appears to be turning for Costa Cruises.
Booking volume for its Easter season cruises this month “exceed the corresponding figures” from last year, Costa said in a statement April 4.
It’s an about-face for a company that just six weeks ago reported a booking drop of 35% year-over-year, following the Jan. 13 Costa Concordia accident in Italy that killed 32 people.
Costa CEO Pier Luigi Foschi told an Italian media outlet in late February that the negative publicity surrounding the Concordia accident could sink Costa.
“Our brand has been massacred by the media,” Foschi said at the time, suggesting that Costa ultimately could fail as a brand.
A few days after that declaration, another Costa ship, the Allegra, suffered an engine room fire and became disabled in the Indian Ocean. It was eventually towed to the Seychelles.
The Allegra was permanently removed from service and the Concordia was deemed beyond repair.
But Foschi’s forward-looking statements about Costa Crociere, which operates the Costa, Aida and Iberocruceros brands, have become decidedly upbeat.
He issued several positive remarks about the group’s 2012 performance when the company released its official 2011 financial results on March 26.
His statements were made available only to Italian media.
In published reports, Foschi predicted that Costa Crociere would “close 2012 with positive financial results.” He did not offer any predictions by brand.
“Despite continuing difficulties, bookings for 2012 are showing an upward trend with encouraging signs of recovery,” he said of the group.
For cruise news and updates, follow Donna Tunney on Twitter @dttravelweekly.