Your Cruise Your Way Cruise Blog

Costa Cruises, the company that pioneered pleasure cruising, and is currently the leading cruise line in Europe and South America, has added another distinction to the fold. Chairman and CEO, Pier Luigi Foschi, has been listed in the ‘Club 33′ - the 33 most important and influential people in global travel industry as published by the American Travel Weekly Magazine. He currently oversees the most modern fleet of any European cruise line with 10 ships sailing to over 160 ports in Europe, Scandinavia, South America, the Caribbean and the the east and west Mediterranean.

Mr Foschi has been recognised alongside several high profile tourism personalities including Virgin Group founder, Richard Branson, Ryan Air CEO, Michael O’Leary, and Jay Rasulo, who manages Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.
Appointed CEO of Costa Cruises in 1997 and Chairman in 2000, Pier Luigi Foschi has been described by the magazine as a ‘global powerhouse’. In the last ten years, the Italian cruise line has more than tripled its turnover as well as its guest numbers, carrying over one million people in the first eight months of 2007 alone.

Under Mr Foschi’s command, Costa is the first major cruise line to have ventured to mainland China and obtain a licence to base an international cruise ship in Beijing. He will also be at the helm of Carnival’s new joint venture in Spain.
Costa is Europe’s largest cruise line, with 12 ships sailing throughout Europe, Asia, South America, the Caribbean and the Middle East. It has a further five ships commissioned, which will enter service by 2012.
Increasingly popular with Australians, Costa is renowned for its lively entertainment, striking décor, extensive children’s facilities, Italian cooking classes, Italian crew passionate about first class service and, of course, Costa’s trademark ‘magnifico’ cuisine.