Floor to our merchants: Grimaldi Lines
Francesca Marino, Passenger Department Manager at Grimaldi Lines
Although Grimaldi needs no introduction, could you share a bit about your history and the milestones you have achieved over time?
Grimaldi Lines is the flagship brand through which the Grimaldi Group operates passenger transport across the Mediterranean Sea. Currently, the routes served connect mainland Italy with the two largest islands—Sardinia and Sicily—as well as with Spain, Greece, and Tunisia.
The Grimaldi Lines fleet consists exclusively of modern cruise ferries and ferries, offering guests a wide range of services. The crossing is a pleasant prelude to vacation, with options such as a swim in the pool, dining at the onboard restaurant, or enjoying an evening of entertainment at the disco. Where available, passengers can also relax at the wellness center, balancing gym workouts with soothing massages.
The company has always invested in service quality and environmental sustainability, believing that the future of sea transport lies in safe, comfortable, and increasingly eco-friendly journeys that respect the surrounding environment.
In particular, the two flagship vessels—sister ships Cruise Roma and Cruise Barcelona, which alternate on the Civitavecchia-Porto Torres, Civitavecchia-Barcelona, and Porto Torres-Barcelona routes—embody this environmental commitment. They are the first ships in the Mediterranean to achieve zero emissions while in port: during dock stops, the engines are turned off and special lithium batteries are activated, releasing no harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
What is the typical profile of passengers using your ships? Are they mostly families, couples, or solo travellers?
Our passenger base is extremely diverse. Sea travel is often the preferred option for solo travellers, families, couples, and groups of friends alike. The company offers a variety of accommodation options—including deck passage, seats, and internal, external, and superior cabins—and allows passengers to bring their own vehicles on board as well as travel with their pets.
Normally, how far in advance do people book their tickets? Let’s take the peak summer months of July and August as an example…
Regarding summer bookings, the market has always shown a strong preference for the Advanced Booking promotions.
However, some market segments—particularly those interested in international destinations—prefer last-minute bookings. For this reason, throughout the year, we offer targeted, time-limited promotions designed to meet a wide range of customer needs.
Why did you decide to use MyBank, what problems has it solved for you, and how does it align with your digital development strategy?
At Grimaldi, our priority has always been to provide a user experience that effectively meets customer expectations and facilitates online ticket purchases.
With MyBank, we have added a crucial element to enhancing this customer experience. For example, managing and validating last-minute bookings was challenging with traditional bank transfers, which often couldn’t meet the tight timeframes required.
MyBank’s immediate and irrevocable bank transfer has solved this issue, allowing last-minute purchases without relying solely on card payments. Additionally, this payment method has proven highly efficient for us, speeding up internal processes and reducing costs.
Let’s try to quantify the efficiency of MyBank: by how much have fees been reduced compared to other online payment methods?
Compared to other online payment methods, MyBank’s fees are approximately 70% lower—a significant reduction. Additionally, the automation enabled by this payment method saves us valuable time and resources, allowing us to focus on other important tasks.
What results have you achieved so far with MyBank, and what do you hope to achieve in the future?
Since integrating MyBank into our B2B and B2C e-commerce platforms, we have seen a consistent year-over-year growth trend.
In 2022 alone, our transaction volumes and values increased by 30% and 40%, respectively, compared to the previous year—clear evidence that our customers greatly appreciate this payment option.
Who primarily uses the service (e.g., percentage split between B2B and B2C, travel agencies vs. consumers), and what benefits does it offer?
The use of MyBank is fairly balanced between B2B and B2C, with 56% of transactions coming from B2B—mainly travel agencies—and 44% from B2C, or end consumers. In both cases, MyBank is valued as an alternative payment method to cards and other instruments, particularly appreciated for its security, reliability, and ease of use. Using MyBank’s bank transfer with real-time confirmation means customers don’t impact their card limits and can complete purchases directly through their online banking, which also encourages those who are hesitant about online shopping to make transactions.
Additionally, since MyBank has no transaction amount limits, we’ve observed that it is especially popular for bookings with higher-than-average values.
The information transmitted in real time with a MyBank transfer enables 100% automated reconciliation. How does this feature facilitate your collection processes?
MyBank allows us to receive payments immediately, which in turn improves our working capital. Additionally, it has enabled us to automate accounting entries and streamline refund processes.
To conclude, could you provide three phrases, slogans, or adjectives that best represent MyBank?
MyBank is an immediate payment solution for both customers and businesses that modernizes the traditional bank transfer, which could otherwise lag behind in terms of convenience and speed compared to current payment methods. In a world where e-commerce is rapidly growing, MyBank frees you from credit card limits—an especially significant constraint for B2B transactions—and allows businesses to quickly control and reconcile transactions and refunds.