p9 news May 8 6/5/09 20:05 Page 9
ttglive.com
news
Gills Cruise’s gamble
on deposits ‘pays off’
Lee Hayhurst.
Azura went on sale, followed by Cunard’s Queen
A LEADING cruise agency which slashed deposits Elizabeth on April 1.
for the UK’s biggest cruise launch has said it was The remainder of the programme went on sale
a calculated risk that it would try again. on April 15, the Wednesday after Easter, phased
Cruise lines require a 10% deposit, but Gills in by a combination of brand and departure date.
Cruise Centre is asking for just £50 deposits CCS said the launch prompted huge interest,
for 2010 cruises with Complete Cruise Solution but the cruise market is understood to have
brands, making the difference up itself. dipped since Easter.
Describing the incentive as a “Brucie bonus”, It is also thought Thomas Cook, the UK’s
Gills Cruise Centre chairman Alistair Gill said the biggest cruise retailer, has been aggressively
agency had assessed its exposure if cancellations taking market share from independents.
meant it could not recoup the money. However, Gill said the launch, spurred in part
“It’s risky, but we looked at our exposure and by low deposits, had resulted in “significant busi-
FLOOR FILLER: Peoples Travel’s Chris we were happy with that,” he said. ness”, although he declined to reveal figures.
Kyprianou helps attract more than 3,000 “We have been in this business a long time and Mark Pilkington, CCS head of sales, said: “The
would-be travellers into the Baker Street have huge experience, and we know what’s right new ships have performed very well and the rest
store in London during a promotional and what’s wrong.” of the programme has got off to a good start.”
fortnight that saw the shop floor trans- Gill said the deposit offer, due to run out CCS also plans to run more webinars, or online
formed each day to showcase destinations tomorrow, had been tried before, though never seminars. Pilkington said its first two, about
such as Mozambique, Sri Lanka, Macau on a major programme launch. It had not led to Azura and Queen Elizabeth, had been successful,
and Oman. The agency, part of Emerald increased cancellations, he added. with more than 200 agents signing up for them.
Global Travel, is planning a special The Complete Cruise Solution launch started
promotion for Malaysia on May 20. on March 28, when P&O Cruises’ new ship ■ More cruise news, p22
Sri Lanka defies
war and UK slump
THE UK RECESSION has damaged tourism in Sri
Lanka more than the government’s escalated
war against the rebel Tamil Tigers, according to
the country’s director of tourism in the UK.
But Sanjika Perera told TTG there was growing
optimism, with bookings showing recent signs
of improvement, as the rebels face defeat by
government forces. was dubbed a “chav” cruise, hit the headlines.
In January and February, year-on-year UK
Ventura buoyed
The ship’s commercial performance is
visitor numbers fell 12% and 14% respectively.
In response to the downturn, Sri Lanka by client reviews
understood to be lagging behind the rest of the
ships in the P&O Cruises fleet.
Tourism launched a two-for-one offer through But Mark Pilkington, CCS head of sales, said
agents, tour operators and airlines in the UK. CONSISTENTLY high consumer satisfaction customer feedback was rating the ship at more
Perera said the decline slowed to 6% in March scores for P&O Cruises’ 3,000-passenger than 90%, with passengers saying they would
and he is confident the country will see growth flagship Ventura proved its teething problems recommend it to others.
over the summer. were behind it, the line has claimed. “We had consistently excellent feedback this
“We believe this was entirely to do with the The ship (pictured), the largest and most year as the Caribbean programme came to an
state of the UK economy, rather than fears of family-friendly of P&O Cruises’ fleet of six, end,” he said.
travelling to Sri Lanka,” he said. suffered from a series of bad consumer reviews “Nothing is more important to ensuring good
Perera added that the two-for-one offer had following its launch in 2007. sales than delivering a fantastic experience.”
generated an additional 2,000 bookings for Ventura had a setback at Christmas, when
April, May and June. stories of unruly behaviour by guests on what ■ Ship check: Grand Princess, p60
08.05.2009 09
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