NEWS YOU CAN USE — CRUISE NEWS
Koningsdam to be first HAL ship to offer family cabins Hollie-Rae Merrick
Holland America Line’s new ship, Koningsdam, will be the first in the fleet to offer family cabins. The 2,650-passenger ship, which is due to launch on April 8, 2016, will have 32 family staterooms big enough to sleep up to five people. Speaking at a preview event in London, Mark Kammerer, international marketing and sales vice-president, said the new cabins would be outside, but without balconies, because the space usually taken up by a balcony was being utilised inside the cabin.
“This won’t be our
most family-friendly ship because I like to think all our ships are family-friendly and of the same standard,” he said. Kammerer said the line was also
increasingly looking at the singles market, and Koningsdam, which will be christened in May, will have 12 single cabins. Other new features include
Scenic boosts trade focus by revamping brochure ordering
River cruise line Scenic’s brochures are now available to order through TradeGate. Staff at Scenic had previously
sent out brochures on request, but now agents can order them in bulk, including the new 2016 brochure released this month. Speaking to agents at a launch
event on the Thames (pictured), Angela Sloan, head of sales for Scenic and sister brand Emerald Waterways, said: “We want to
the Grand Dutch Cafe, which will serve drinks and small bites. Kammerer said the area was designed to be “reminiscent of the canal homes you’d find in Holland”.
He added that Holland America
had refreshed some of the other culinary options on board. Dive In at The Terrace, located
support the trade in every way possible, whether it’s by helping with a client evening or just being on hand to help with bookings. “We know it’s a difficult
environment, so we want to be as trade-friendly as we can.”
Koningsdam’s main dining room and a family cabin (inset)
Star Clippers starts construction of first new-build vessel since Royal in 2000
Tall-ships sailing specialist Star Clippers has started construction work on a new ship, due to be launched in the summer of 2017. The yet-to-be-named vessel – the line’s first new-build since Royal Clipper in 2000 – will be the fourth in the fleet. It will be Star’s biggest, weighing 8,770 tons and with capacity for 300 passengers. The estimated build cost is €100 million. The cabin grades will include
next to the pools, will now serve made-to-order hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken. This is being rolled out fleet-wide, as Kammerer admitted the previous offering wasn’t of a high enough standard. “If we are honest, it was disappointing, and we were doing ourselves a disservice,” he said. Koningsdam’s Lido Market area will also be revamped, with clear areas for different styles of food. Meanwhile, Kammerer revealed that the line’s existing ships would be fitted with New York Pizza restaurants.
hollandamerica.com
The line’s new campaign,
Wonders Never Cease, will focus on highlighting the ‘wonder moments’ that happen on a Scenic cruise. To celebrate the launch of the 2016 brochure, Scenic is giving agents the chance to win prizes. For every 2016 Scenic booking made, agents will earn one letter in the word ‘wonder’. Agents who gain all six letters in the word will be entered into a draw to win one of several prizes, including tickets to Oktoberfest and £250 towards their agency’s Christmas party.
scenic.co.uk
34 suites with balconies and four ‘owner’s suites’. There will also be three swimming pools and a watersports platform. The ship will initially sail the line’s Mediterranean and Caribbean itineraries, with sales expected to open in 2016. Star Clippers owner Mikael
Krafft said: “The UK market for our product has increased tremendously, with sales more than doubling in the past three years. “We have a general sales agent,
Fred Olsen Travel, but we also sell through a huge number of agents. We work only with the travel trade and have no direct sales in the UK. “Being a rather small line, it’s much more economical for us to have agents as partners because they are highly specialised in marketing and selling. “We are far happier getting 50 bookings through an agent than trying to take 10 bookings direct.”
Royal Clipper
28 May 2015 —
travelweekly.co.uk • 25
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