p22 cruise mar6 3/3/09 16:50 Page 22
Cruise
Lee Hayhurst
020 7921 8001
lhayhurst@ttglive.com
For the latest cruise news, visit
ttglive.com/cruise
In brief
■ Silversea’s new Silver Spirit floats out
Luxury cruise line Silversea’s new Silver Spirit has
been floated out at the Italian shipyard where
it is being built. The ship is due to set sail on
December 23 on an 11-day maiden voyage from
Barcelona to Lisbon. The line’s online agent
training has been expanded to include a new
module on the 540-passenger Silver Spirit.
■ NCL wins Bahamas tourism accolade
NCL was named cruise line of the year by the
Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation at Thomson Cruises hosted top-selling agents, including Debbie Catlin (left) and Samantha Roberts (right) of The Co-operative
the islands’ 13th Annual Cacique Awards. NCL Travel, at a dance masterclass from Strictly Come Dancing ’s Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova, in London last week
was the first cruise line to sail to the Bahamas
in 1966, and currently has five ships visiting
the Caribbean destination.
Thomson mulls a
■ Windstar returns to Canary Islands
Windstar Cruises is to return to the Canary Islands
after a 10-year break. The luxury operator has
released details of two new seven-night cruises
transfer to Island
in November this year on Wind Spirit. The ship
will leave Lisbon on November 14 before visiting He added that cruise prices were up and
Katherine Lawrey.
Casablanca, Agadir, Morocco, Lanzarote, Las THOMSON Cruises could transfer one of its ships occupancy was ahead for Thomson Cruises on
Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife before the to its single-ship Island Cruises brand if it feels this time last year.
return leg. Fly-cruise fares lead in at £2,166. there is demand for the more informal line. “We are a British cruise line with British cur-
David Selby, head of Thomson Cruises, said rency onboard and that makes us so much better
he was looking into the possibility of adding value than any euro/dollar cruise line,” he said.
ttglive.com
For the very latest cruise news,
another Island ship at the end of this year. Island Cruises has retained a number of its
visit
ttglive.com/cruise
Last year Island Cruises, the joint-venture on the road sales team, which Selby said had
between First Choice and Royal Caribbean Inter- boosted third-party bookings for Thomson.
national, came under Thomson Cruises manage- Island Escape is currently in Brazil, serving the
ment after the First Choice/Thomson merger. Brazilian market, but in November it will move
This saw Island Star, the line’s Royal to the Canary Islands where it will be targeted
Caribbean-owned ship, leave the fleet. at the UK market. Selby said forward bookings
Selby said: “We are weighing up customer for both lines were good.
satisfaction and potential costs, and it may be “We invest in entertainment and innovations
that we decide to convert a Thomson ship into such as ‘Get Up and Dance’ with Darren and Lilia
an Island product.” [from Strictly Come Dancing ],” he said.
LCA targets new
Qantas Holidays and the Radisson SAS Hotel
Stansted, gain access to the 100 LCA cruise
affiliate members
specialist agents though emails and the LCA’s
EVERYTHING’S ALL WHITE: Staff at magazine Stowaway, read by 50,000 customers,
Cruise Thomas Cook’s Accrington call as well as networking lunches and other events.
centre had a surprise visitor last week. P&O THE LEADING Cruise Agents of the UK has invited Affiliate membership subscription costs £450
Cruises’ resident chef and Hell’s Kitchen ports, destinations and accommodation suppliers a year. The next LCA meeting will be held at the
star Marco Pierre White popped in to give to join an affiliate programme. Radisson SAS Stansted on March 25.
consultants an insight into life onboard the Affiliate members, which already include Anyone interested in attending should contact
three ships on which he has restaurants. Superbreak, BAA Stansted, the Falkland Islands, Matt Bates on 01292 316820.
22 06.03.2009
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