Cruise Europe will conduct a 4-day educational voyage aboard MSC Splendida beginning on February 7th, offering its members a structured program themed on cruise shipping operations, port interaction and the shipboard product.
The initiative marks the association’s first event of this kind and has attracted ~100 participants.
The voyage will begin in Barcelona, where members will take part in a tour of the port prior to departure. The itinerary then proceeds to Marseille, including an organised visit covering key sites such as the basilica, the palace and the old port. Alongside regional meetings held onboard, the programme also includes a call in Genoa with a scheduled visit to Costa Cruises’ headquarters, where members will meet senior management and representatives from itinerary planning, shore excursions and destination development.
While in Genoa, MSC Cruises executives will lead an onboard workshop addressing topics related to community engagement, shore excursion development and sustainability practices. Before disembarkation in Naples at midday, participants will attend presentations focused on regulatory and environmental matters affecting the cruise sector. These will include an overview of cruise industry representation and policy engagement in Brussels, followed by a session examining the Environmental Port Index and its role in supporting more sustainable port operations.
Cruise Europe has positioned the voyage as an immersive learning experience combining destination visits, industry dialogue and onboard meetings, designed to provide members with a broader operational and strategic perspective on the contemporary cruise business.