The "GRIMALDI loves SARDINIA'' campaign continues, with the aim of further expanding the presence of the Neapolitan company on the island and making the latter the center of a dense network of efficient connections for the transport of passengers and freight. After the recent launch of the Palermo-Cagliari ro-pax line, the Grimaldi Group boosts the Livorno-Olbia ro-pax connection: from the second half of February the big, modern and comfortable cruise ferries Cruise Sardegna and Cruise Europa will be deployed on the line, allowing not only to further raise the service quality but also to offer greater capacity for the transport of passengers and freight.
The sister vessels Cruise Sardegna and Cruise Europa fly the Italian flag, are 225 metres long and have a service speed of up to 27.5 knots. Each unit can accommodate 2,850 passengers and 215 cars, as well as 3,050 linear meters of rolling freight, corresponding to about 185 trailers.
Each ship is equipped with 413 cabins of different types (internal, external, junior suite and owner suite) for a total of 1,260 beds, all with air conditioning and en suite facilities, some equipped for passengers with reduced mobility and pets travelling in tow. Available for guests are also 547 comfortable reclining seats, of which 115 are “superior”-class seats.
With the arrival of the Cruise Sardegna and Cruise Europa on the Livorno-Olbia line, the Grimaldi Group will significantly increase the transport capacity available to its customers. In a single journey between the two ports, the company will be able to carry over 1,000 passengers, 120 cars and 65 trailers more than what it has guaranteed so far, all to the benefit not only of customers but also of the environment.
Moreover, a range of facilities are offered on board the Cruise Sardegna and Cruise Europa, provided with the same high standards as on cruise ships. These include à la carte as well as self-service restaurants, cafeterias, a disco, a wellness center, a gym, a swimming pool, shops, a conference room for 300 people, a video game room, a play area for children.
Given the importance of the line, which is strategic for linking Sardinia not only to Central and Northern Italy but also to Central Europe, the Grimaldi Group guarantees its customers who travel or transport freight between Livorno and Olbia a regular, frequent and efficient service. On Saturdays and Sundays the company offers an evening departure from both ports, while from Monday to Friday the frequency of connections doubles with the addition of a morning departure from both Livorno and Olbia. Furthermore, from June to September, the Group will guarantee two departures a day from both ports, one in the morning and one in the evening, seven days a week.
"With the deployment of the Cruise Sardegna and Cruise Europa on the Livorno-Olbia line, we will meet the ever-increasing demand for reliable, regular and competitive connections between Sardinia and mainland Italy, while increasing the quality of the services we offer to our customers travelling to and from the island”, stated Group Managing Director Emanuele Grimaldi. "As already announced, this year Sardinia will be at the center of numerous initiatives that aim to expand our presence in the island and enhance the territorial continuity with the rest of Italy and beyond".
With this novelty, the Grimaldi Group further improves its diversified offer of maritime services to and from Sardinia. These include, beside the Livorno-Olbia line, the historic Civitavecchia-Porto Torres and Barcelona-Porto Torres connections and other regular services for the transport of both freight and passengers, such as Civitavecchia-Olbia, Salerno-Cagliari and Palermo-Cagliari, as well as numerous freight only services linking Porto Torres with Genoa, and Cagliari with Genoa, Livorno and Valencia/Sagunto.