The second quarter of 2019 saw 130 cruise liner calls, with an increase of 27 calls compared to 2018. Transit passengers accounted for 79.9% of the majority of total traffic of 210,671. 

Furthermore, 2,421 passengers visited Gozo while 8,419 spent at least one night on board their berthed cruise liner. Every vessel that berthed in Malta carried approximately 2,028 passengers, 253 more than the previous year, the NSO press release says.  

On the one hand, tourists from EU member states represented 65.5% of total traffic, with Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and France being the major markets. On the other hand, the total number of passengers from non-EU countries stood at 90,966, of whom 42.6% came from the United States. 

Focusing on genders and age, women passengers made up 54.3% of the total and the largest share of passengers fell within the 60-79 age group and was followed by those aged between 40 and 59.  

Traffic ups in H1

Moreover, during the first six months of the year, total cruise passengers increased by 35.3% to 341,659 over 2018. Some 65.6% of the total came from EU member states. Major increases were recorded in the German, American and British markets, according to the NSO figures.

In the first half of the year, women passengers were 184,799 and represented the majority. Most passengers were between 60 and 79 years old, amounting to 138,732, who were followed by passengers aged 40-59, reaching 103,988. 

In addition, there were 151 cruise liner calls during the period January-June, with an average of 2,263 tourists per vessel, compared to 120 calls and approximately 2,105 passengers in the same period of 2018.

The full report with charts and tables is available for download at the NSO website.  

The post Malta’s cruise pax influx soars 44.2% in Q2 first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

MSC Grandiosa will be MSC Cruises’ sixth connected cruise ship featuring the so-called MSC for Me and the second to feature the industry’s very first virtual personal cruise assistant entitled ZOE.

Since its introduction onboard of MSC Meraviglia in 2017, digital innovation programme MSC for Me has been expanded to four more ships: MSC Seaside, MSC Seaview, MSC Bellissima and MSC Splendida, with the prior three having their port of registry in Valletta.

In fact, MSC Bellissima arrived at the Valletta Cruise Port as the 16th ship joining the global feet of MSC Cruises, and the first of two vessels set to come in the Grand Harbour of Valletta this year, according to a press statement issued by the Valletta Waterfront.

MSC for Me is a multi-channel digital program that enables guests to interact with the ship and crew members to better serve their needs, save them time and really get the most of their cruise.

As an expansion of the program, MSC Cruises first introduced the world’s first virtual personal cruise assistant called ZOE on the MSC Bellissima in March, an artificial intelligence (AI) voice-activated technology. Speaking seven languages, ZOE answers hundreds of questions about the cruise, provides information about onboard facilities, offers guidance and suggestions, and help book services.

“Innovation is at the heart of everything we do at MSC Cruises, and technology does not stand still. Since launching our industry-leading digital innovation program MSC for Me in 2017, we continued to research and implement the latest technologies that are specifically designed to enhance our guest experience, ensuring that they can make the most of the rich array of services, activities and facilities that we offer on board our ships,” commented Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises.

New interactive programmes

MSC is also adding new onboard services called the “Friends & Family” and the “MSC for Me Chat”, helping guests to stay connected with the people they are travelling with. All these innovations are designed to save valuable time for the guest that they can spend more time enjoying their vacation.

In order to help guests plan their cruise prior to departure, each passenger can download the MSC for Me app.

Before embarking, guests can benefit from choosing pre-booked experiences, pre-register a credit card and mobile check-in on embarkation day. While aboard, they can purchase a wristband to locate friends and families at any time. Guests are also able to message each other through the app and enjoy their time together.

The post MSC adds digital upgrade to yet another ship first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Transit passengers accounted for the absolute majority of total traffic with a slice of 99.7% of the total; counting 77,85, NSO statistics show. However, every vessel that berthed in Malta carried an average of 3,717 passengers, which figure is 385 less than the previous year.

Passengers from European Union member states comprised 65.9% of the total traffic, with Italy, France and Germany being the main drivers. Some 19% of the total traffic was from the United States.

The post Malta’s cruise traffic grows 11.9% in Q1 first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The ship’s maiden call marks the start of a regular cruise schedule for MSC Bellissima with weekly port calls in Valletta until November. The 315-metre ship is the fourth of 17 cruisers which are set to come into service under MSC’s newbuild plan, the press statement says.

MSC Cruises tagged the event as a key milestone in its strategy. “Malta has always been important to MSC Cruises, and our partnership started many years ago,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises Executive Chairman. He added that since the first ships arrived at Malta in the late 1990s, Valletta has performed well in their Mediterranean itineraries.

“Last year alone our cruise ships made 75 calls to Malta, bringing over 300,000 of our passengers to the Maltese shores, helping to generate a meaningful benefit for the local economy. Today, MSC Bellissima is our fourth cruise ship to have Valletta as her port of registry, and our newest ships all proudly fly the Maltese flag around the world,” he added.

“We are proud to welcome MSC Bellissima on her maiden call to Valletta Cruise Port, and to be welcoming her on 33 other occasions in our scenic, historic port, throughout her inaugural season in the Mediterranean this summer,” said Stephen Xuereb, Valletta Cruise Port’s CEO and Global Ports Holding COO.

“Valletta has positioned itself on the cruise map through close collaboration with all key players, and a drive for excellence. On behalf of both Valletta Cruise Port and Global Ports Holding, we congratulate MSC Cruises on their achievements and look forward to many more years of fruitful cooperation and partnerships,” Mr Xuereb added.

The post MSC Bellissima arrives at Valletta for first time first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.