Costa Cruceros, considered the largest cruise company in the world, celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2018 and aims to increase its fleet significantly over the next decade. The company will receive two next-generation ships in 2019 and 2021 with a revolutionary “green” design and powered by liquefied natural gas, the cleanest fossil fuel in the world.
In this new year of work, its General Manager has managed to strengthen ties with all its partners and identify and create new mutually beneficial long-term opportunities between Costa and its most strategic partners.
Spain and Portugal are strategic source markets for the company, and one of D’Ambrosio’s main goals is to offer customers improved connectivity and accessibility, so in addition to strengthening agreements with Renfe and Iberia, he’s also working day in day out to increase the company’s presence in Spanish ports like Tarragona that is now Costa Cruceros’ base port.
It has also created the “Presupuesto Emocional” (Emotional Budget) to support sales through travel agencies. The idea is to integrate videos, photos, itineraries, ideas and budgets, allowing the agency to send it to the customers as a targetted option so they can see them at home and create more excitement about their expectations for the cruise holiday.
The company’s cruises currently highlight new adult entertainment formats, “La Voz” (The voice) and “Tú si que vales” (You’ve got talent), while the younger ones have their own spaces to enjoy the adventures of Peppa Pig. Culinary offerings have also been enhanced with new menus from the Italian chef, Bruno Barbieri, and the “Bravo Chef” cookery show where passengers can enjoy cooking lessons live and direct.
D’Ambrosio, was named president of CLIA Spain (Cruise Lines International Association) last year, taking over from Belén Wangüemert, Managing Director of Royal Caribbean International in Spain and France, after her three-year term came to an end. This is D’Ambrosio’s 10th year in the company, where he has held different positions of responsibility such as Business Excellence Director until 2012. After that, he was the Director of Strategic Projects in the CEO’s office until March 2015, and then he moved to France to work as the company’s General Manager, and then in September 2016, he started as General Manager for Spain and Portugal. Before joining Costa, he worked for more than 10 years at Accenture, the global management consultancy company.
