Crotone’s Record Cruise Year: A Conversation with Raffaella Del Prete

Record year for cruises with 42 ships and over 30,000 passengers

CROTONE – Crotone is increasingly focusing on cruises as a driver of tourism and economic development, and 2026 is shaping up to be a year of consolidation and growth. Setting the course is Raffaella Del Prete, General Manager of Crotone Cruise Port, during a press conference held at the Municipality to review the season and share the strategy of the cruise terminal, which is part of Global Ports Holding, an international group that manages, among others, the Pythagorean port as well.

“Global Ports Holding is the only one that manages, among others, the Port of Crotone and the Crotone terminal,” Del Prete begins. She continues by clarifying immediately: “For me this is a valuable moment, because I do not live in Crotone, but I have the opportunity to tell the community that hosts us what we are doing. The terminal is the first and last calling card that guests encounter when they arrive and when they depart. That is why it is the place where we can truly make a difference.”

“We do not welcome only ‘cruise passengers,’ but first and foremost ‘guests’”

Raffaella Del Prete of Crotone Cruise Port outlines the results of the work carried out

“You will not hear me speak about ‘cruise passengers,’ you will hear me speak about ‘guests,’ because they arrive in Crotone not only as tourists, but as people coming to live an experience. This is a fundamental shift in order to give proper value to those who arrive. The experience they expect is high quality.”

However, hospitality alone is not enough. “Being smiling and available is essential, but it is not sufficient,” she insists. “We need organization, we need structure, we need rules, we need collaboration.”

Behind the terminal desk there is work that involves the Port Authority, the Municipality, the Coast Guard, law enforcement, private operators, and the entire commercial and tourism sector. A single management company is not enough; real teamwork is required.

Promotion at all the most important nautical fairs worldwide

In this regard, Del Prete thanks the municipal administration of Crotone for opening spaces for dialogue. “This dialogue allows me to say thank you for putting shared rules and opportunities on the table, asking ourselves together: how do we completely transform the image and the functioning of this port?”

Then come the numbers that illustrate the growth. “In 2026 we will have 42 calls, with a 50% increase compared to 2025. Fifty percent is significant, and we are happy. But, frankly speaking, for me it is still not enough: the year has 365 days and 42 calls mean that we still have many free days. Our goal is to fill this calendar more and more. Growth is not only quantitative but also qualitative. We have 11 different cruise lines that have chosen Crotone.”

It is true that our role is to provide a service with a smile and a welcoming approach. We are not just the terminal; we are an integral part of the city.

The objective is to increase the number of arrivals more and more

“This also means investment. In 2017, 2018 and in the following years with the same company, I cannot offer the same experiences every time. I cannot propose the same tour repeatedly. Hence the need to build a range of proposals including food and wine experiences, museums, coastline, archaeological areas, inland visits: we must find diverse attractions capable of satisfying every type of traveler. This is how we encourage them not only to disembark, but also to return in the future as individual tourists.”

Another element that Del Prete highlights is the economic profile of this demand. “We have a high-spending clientele, not a hit-and-run tourism. This audience seeks experiences, quality, authenticity. When we talk about cruises, we are not only talking about the day the ship is in port; we are talking about a medium- to long-term investment. If guests find a welcoming destination, they return.”

There is also a symbolic and relational dimension in the so-called “gagliardetti,” the first meeting between a ship and a port: “I like the exchange of pennants. It is a symbolic moment when we exchange courtesies, talk about cooperation, listen to suggestions. On that occasion, which may seem merely formal, there is enormous emotional value. The photos of those moments tell the story of our presence in international circuits.”

Regarding the calendar, Del Prete goes into detail. “We have published the call schedule on our website so journalists, operators and citizens can consult and download it. If there are changes – for weather, technical or commercial reasons – the digital port log is updated. This allows us to have a near real-time picture.”

Among the symbolic dates she mentions March 19, “when we will welcome a ship from a major cruise line with approximately 930 guests,” and October 31, “when Viking will close the season, reflecting a relationship built over the years.” Particularly significant is the extended autumn season: “From March 18 to December 31: this means season extension. Cruises contribute to the well-being of the territory throughout the year, not only in summer.”

There will be calls even at Christmas and on December 31

For the first time, routes have also been activated from China

Cruises generate immediate value – daily spending – but also long-term value: people return, they bring others, they share their experience.

“In the Crotone area, we work on multiple levels: we are part of a system that sees us present in Miami, Hamburg, at major international fairs. We purchase advertising pages in industry magazines, we work extensively on social media, we build ongoing relationships with cruise line decision-makers. Our task is to position Crotone as a credible and attractive piece within their itineraries.”

At the same time, the key word remains “cooperation.” “We will continue doing what we have started: working in a coordinated way with the Port System Authority, the Municipality, the Coast Guard, law enforcement, and local operators. The port alone is not enough, the ship alone is not enough. A network is required.”