NEWS ROUND-UP
the interview: “Let’s see if we can get consumers who don’t use an agent to start using one” Iain Baillie, page 14
P&O signs top names for Iona’s ‘festival at sea’
Amie Keeley
P&O Cruises will host a “festival at sea” featuring BBC radio DJs and Strictly Come Dancing stars to celebrate the naming of its newest ship, Iona, next year. Grammy award-winners Clean
Bandit, DJs Trevor Nelson, Sara Cox and Jo Whiley, and Blur’s Alex James will be among a host of famous names to appear at Ionafest in July. The ship, which launches two
months earlier in May, will depart from Southampton for a week- long christening cruise on July 4, sailing to the Norwegian fjords. Strictly Come Dancing judge
Motsi Mabuse, professional dancers Amy Dowden and Ben Jones, and comedian Chris Ramsey, will also be among the famous faces providing entertainment on board. The festival headliner and a final
show line-up will be announced closer to the sailing date. It opened for bookings this week. The festival will start with Iona’s
naming celebration on the first evening in Southampton, which will feature headline acts. P&O Cruises president Paul
Ludlow said: “This really is an experience of a lifetime, a complete one-off. When has there ever been
Seabourn Venture will be
christened in Greenwich Seabourn’s first expedition ship Seabourn Venture will be christened in Greenwich before its maiden voyage. The 132-suite ship will set sail from the London port in June 2021 to Oslo. It will visit more than 150 destinations on cruises through to April 2022. Seabourn Venture will run a pre-inaugural sailing to London from Lisbon after it has been delivered by the Italian shipyard.
10 12 DECEMBER 2019 When has there
ever been the opportunity to see these award-winning artists together?
the opportunity to see to these award-winning artists together? “We’re also so excited for our
guests to be a part of the naming celebrations and we have made sure that there’s something for everyone to enjoy, all included in the price
of a ticket to Ionafest 2020.” i Cruise News You Can Use, page 30
Princess reveals celebrity
speakers on Crown Princess Ex-Dallas actress Linda Gray, singer Duncan James and cricket commentator Henry Blofeld are among famous names lined up to speak on Crown Princess sailings from Southampton next summer. The ship will cruise to the Mediterranean, Canary Islands and northern Europe from May to November 2020.
Clare Tobin Alex James Sara Cox Trevor Nelson
Tobin to step down at Olympic and seek new position
Olympic Holidays chief executive Clare Tobin is to step down from her role in January. She will remain with the company
in a non-executive position, but is seeking new opportunities in travel. Tobin joined Olympic three
years ago and has overseen the company’s commercial, operational and marketing activities, removed Olympic’s reliance on charter flying and focused on strengthening relationships with the trade through training and marketing support. Tobin said: “The last three years
have been challenging but hugely rewarding and I am now looking forward to helping Olympic Holidays retain, and further advance, its strong position in the competitive travel marketplace.” Michael Vinales, currently
director of sales and revenue, will become managing director. He has worked in the industry for more than 35 years, including as managing director of Avro and commercial director of Cosmos Tours.
MSC’s Ocean Cay receives first
passengers after Dorian delay MSC Cruises welcomed the first passengers to its new private island Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve last week. Every MSC ship operating a Caribbean itinerary from Miami will call at the Bahamian island. The line had planned to open the island on November 9 but was twice forced to postpone the opening of the “extremely complex” project, in part due to hurricane Dorian.
travelweekly.co.uk
PICTURE: Leigh Kelly
PICTURE: Steve Dunlop
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