news
Agents topped Allure guest list
Sophie Griffiths in Miami. ROYAL CARIBBEAN International targeted customer-facing agents rather than their bosses for celebrations marking the launch of Allure of the Seas, its general manager for UK and Ireland has revealed.
Speaking onboard Allure in Fort Lauderdale,
where 200 UK agents were guests, Jo Rzymowska told TTG: “Last year it was mainly managers who came out and saw Oasis of the Seas.We wanted it to be different this year. There is nothing like experiencing the product first-hand.” Allure, like Oasis, will be based in Fort Lauderdale and will sail Caribbean itineraries after a naming ceremony on November 28. Dominic Paul, managing director for UK and
Ireland, said Oasis and Allure would remain in the Caribbean for the foreseeable future, but would not rule out Europe as a possible future destination for the 5,000-passenger ships. “The ships’ size limit which ports we can take
them to,” he said, “but we never say never.” He added that Royal Caribbean had been forced to swallow some of the costs of Air Passenger Duty for its Caribbean cruises and that it would continue to lobby the government on the issue. “Caribbean bookings are still fairly strong, but the cost of a Caribbean cruise has risen,” he said. Allure is scheduled to call at Royal Caribbean’s private island on Haiti on its maiden voyage,
Europe has not been ruled out as a destination for Allure
which departs on December 1. Royal Caribbean International president Adam Goldstein said the line wanted to develop the cruise market in Brazil, Australia and the United Arab Emirates to provide a “seasonal counterbal- ance” to its European itineraries. Those destinations would provide alternatives to the Caribbean for ships based in Europe during the summer, he said.
■See more pictures and videos from the Allure launch in Miami at
ttglive.com
Allure captain says ship is ‘unique’
ALLURE OF the Seas’ captain believes the ship has its own “unique personality” despite similarities to sister vessel Oasis of the Seas. Speaking to TTGon the bridge of Allure in Fort Lauderdale, Captain Hernan Zini said both ships would become unique icons for Caribbean cruises.
“Allure has a South American element to its
culinary side and its own unique features, such as the 3D theatre and Dreamworks characters,” he said. “And although the tonnage is the same, Allure is five centimetres longer, so we can tease Oasis that we are the biggest in the world.” He said Royal Caribbean wished to keep the ships as unique vessels and that he did not think any similar ships would be built in the near future. “I think they will remain the two biggest ships for a long while,” he said. The ship has a 2,175-strong crew, 400 of whom
Allure’s captain Hernan Zini with TTG’s Sophie Griffiths 06
26.11.2010
previously worked on Oasis, many as managers. “They’ve had great training, which gives us a head start,” said Zini, who works 10-week shifts before having 10 weeks off. He has been with Royal Caribbean for 20 years and a captain for eight.
In brief
■ Deal sends Jet2holidays flying into Tui shops Jet2holidays will be on sale in Thomson and First Choice shops after the Dart Group-owned company struck a deal with Tui Travel. The agreement means Jet2holidays will be on sale at all 862 Tui shops and positioned in prominent positions in stores in the Midlands, northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. ■ More air news, p24
■ Page & Moy in running for marketing award Page & Moy and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau in London have been shortlisted in the leisure and travel category of the Chartered Institute of Marketing Excellence Awards 2010. The winners will be announced on February 15.
■ Global Travel Group conference venue chosen The Global Travel Group’s annual conference will be held in Leicester next year. More than 300 delegates are expected to attend the event on on March 7-8 at the Marriott Hotel. The agenda will review the changes in travel over the past 12 months, including recent consolidation and what that means for the independent sector, and feature tour operator and supplier sessions.
■ Retail guru to speak at Advantage Conference Shops marketing consultant Mary Portas will be a keynote speaker at next year’s Advantage Conference. Portas starred in the BBC’s Mary Queen of Shopsand is an authority on retail and brand communication. She has been credited with reviving Harvey Nichols’ fortunes. Political commentator Andrew Neil will also be speaking.
■ Ex-Holiday Taxis boss returns with Spa site Former Holiday Taxis chief executive Paul Stanyer has returned to the trade with a new venture, Spa Break Holidays. The new website
Spabreakholidays.com launched this week and features spa hotels in Spain, the Canaries, Greece, Cyprus, the Caribbean and Mexico.
■ ‘In-depth’ Pontin’s talks move to boardroom Administrators handling Pontin’s collapse are continuing “in-depth” discussions with compa- nies who have expressed an interest in acquiring the business and its assets. Up to 40 parties are thought to have expressed interest and it could take KPMG until Christmas to work through them. Last week’s TTG said Pontin’s had been trading at a pre-tax loss of £14.4m. The correct figure is £1.4m, compared with a targeted profit of £1.3m.
ttglive.com
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SHIP LAUNCH
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