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Costa Cruises Boosts Operations In The Indian Ocean: Double The Cruises To Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar And Réunion

Thanks to an agreement with localauthorities, the Italian company will be the only cruise operator offering a14-day cruise, starting October 2016, with extended stopovers at the mostbeautiful islands in the Indian Ocean. <?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

Genoa,30th September 2015 – Costa Cruises gears up its operations in the Indian Oceanby doubling the number of cruises for the winter 2016-17 season to visit themost beautiful islands of this fantastic vacation destination, an excusive ofthe Italian company since the end of 2006.

The first ofa total of 11 cruises is scheduled to depart on 15th October 2016 and the laston 4th March 2017. The cruise, always for 14 days on board the CostaneoRomantica, will be even more exciting thanks to longer stopovers to allowguests to enjoy more extended visits of the islands.

The cruisewill depart from Mauritius, quite easy to reach with flights from Europe, andthen to the fabulous Seychelles Islands, where the ship will berth for two daysand two nights. The cruise will continue with a focus on discovering the dreambeaches and incredible scenic landscapes of Madagascar, with day calls to NosyBe, Diego Suarez and Tamatave; the next stop, one day and one night, will bethe island of Réunion, with its wild nature; then the return to Mauritius, witha final one day and one night call, for a close encounter with the culture andattractions of this fantastic island, before returning to Europe.

The increasein the number of cruises in the Indian Ocean is the end result of an agreementsigned today in Paris, during the IFTM/Top Resa travel trade show, betweenCosta Cruises, the Seychelles Ministry of Tourism and the Vanilla IslandsOrganisation (the organisation that promotes tourism in the islands of theIndian Ocean).

“We arethe only company proposing regular cruises to these unique islands of theIndian Ocean and offer our Guests an exceptionally beautiful cruise experience”declaredNorbert Stiekema, Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing of CostaCruises – “Thanks to the partnership agreement reached with localauthorities, our tourism offer to these destinations will continue to grow, andduring the 2016-17 winter season we plan on taking about 15,000 guests, andmost of them European, on cruises to the islands”.

Theagreement calls for cooperation and investments for promoting tourism, forimproving port infrastructures and guest hospitality facilities, for flightconnections and for the excursions offered to guests.

On 12December 2015, for the departure of the first Costa neoRomantica Indian Oceancruise of the winter 2015-16 season, all the Ministers of each country memberof the Vanilla Islands will be onboard with Norbert Stiekema for 2 days to workon the future development of the agreement.

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