English accent for Italian cruising

Regular cruise travellers will be familiar with the collections of plaques, plates and other mementoes which ships gather whenever they make their maiden call at a port.
Today was MSC Poesia’s first visit to Southampton, en route from Europe to New York, and there were two plaques presented, one by the harbour authority, and another by the city’s mayor, Carol Cunio.
Southampton was keen to trumpet the fact that they have won MSC’s business away from the rival port of Dover, and the cruise line used the opportunity to publicise MSC Opera’s 2011sailings – there will be two to the Baltic and five to the Norwegian fjords in spring before the ship embarks on a season of nine voyages to France and northern Spain between July and September.
The eight-night itinerary includes visits to Amsterdam, La Rochelle, Bilbao, La Coruna and Cherbourg.
UK and Ireland managing director Giulio Libutti was delighted to report that the number of bookings for next year’s Southampton departures had already reached 2,500 – double the level of business 12 months ago and helped by a trio of free offers.
Children sharing a cabin with their parents cruise free, and the company is offering free parking or free coach transport to the port from anywhere in mailand UK
Opera will also feature “proper” English afternoon tea and in a rare concession – given that visitors were treated to a chef demonstrating how to make gnocchi – some as-yet unspecified British dishes will be added to the Italian menu.
With a sly dig at rivals Costa – who he said could no longer be considered an Italian cruise line because they are now under Carnival’s American management – Libutti commented: “We will have 35 to 40 per cent of our passengers on board from the UK. We don’t want to modify our European nature, but we will give them some English touches.”
In response to suggestions from travel agents, there will also be a UK rep on board to co-ordinate British passengers’ requests and requirements.
Perhaps they should also ask someone to check out their signage – one notice in Poesia’s l’Obelisco buffet restaurant offered “Arrosted bread rolls.”