Ctrip acquires UK based travel content aggregator

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 09 January 2015 09 January 2015

Ctrip.com International, Ltd., China’s travel industry giant and the newest cruise ship operator, has just completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Travelfusion. Alan Lam reports.

 

Ctrip’s meteoric rise seems to be endless and gravity defying. Travelfusion is a leading UK-based online Low Cost Carrier (LCC) travel content aggregator and innovator of Direct Connect, which is a distribution platform that enables the world's travel agents and mobile travel services to search and book the content through Travelfusion's API, desktop or internet booking engine technologies and facilitates global payment and settlement solutions.

 

Having recently entered a partnership with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. to set up and operate SkySea Cruises in China, and having launched the most advanced cruise-booking platform in Chinese languagefor booking worldwide cruise voyages, the group’s latest acquisition will help further strengthening its position in the global cruise market. The control of Travelfusion will also mean a firm foothold in the UK and European travel markets. 

 

"The strategic relationship we built with Travelfusion will further extend our leadership in China's international travel market,” said James Liang, Chairman and CEO of Ctrip,“and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our IT system by leveraging Travelfusion's advanced technology. We are excited to work with Travelfusion's team to create greater value for our customers."

 

"China is expected to be the largest travel market in the world,”said Mr. Moshe Rafiah, CEO of Travelfusion,“and Ctrip is the clear leader in the online and mobile travel industry in China. After 15 years of building Travelfusion to be an industry leader, we are thrilled to take further steps to realise and fulfil our potential in such a great market with such a powerful industry leader."

Emerald Princess to be based in Australia for summer 2016

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 07 January 2015 07 January 2015

Princess Cruises, which is part of Carnival Corporation & plc, has announced it will move Emerald Princess to Sydney in November 2016 for its first season down under, Cruise Critic reports.

The 3,082-passenger ship, launched in 2007, is half the age of other Princess ships based in Australia -- Dawn Princess (1997), Sea Princess (1998) and Sun Princess (1995) that are all based in Australia year round -- and several years younger than Diamond Princess, which spends summers in the region. It will also be one of the youngest and largest ships ever deployed in Australia and New Zealand.

As part of the line's continuing expansion in Australia -- its biggest market outside the United States -- the addition of a fifth ship brings its total Australian capacity to a record 11,800 berths.

“With three ships cruising our waters full time and two megaliners visiting for the summer, the 2016 season will offer more exciting options for Australian and New Zealand cruisers," said Stuart Allison, Princess Cruises vice president Australia & New Zealand.

New local itineraries are expected to be unveiled in March this year, with the program to go on sale in April.

Norwegian Escape to feature largest thermal suite at sea

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 06 January 2015 06 January 2015

Norwegian Cruise Line, the contemporary market unit in the Norwegian Cruise Line Holding group, says its newest and largest ship, the 164,000 gross ton Norwegian Escape, will offer a wide array of spaces for guests to relax and unwind while at sea when the ship debuts in October 2015. 

“Guests will be transported into sheer serenity with the line’s most innovative Mandara Spa to date, a tranquil hideaway that at its epicenter will feature the largest Thermal Suite at sea, outfitted with the line’s first Snow Room. In addition to the luxurious spa, adults will have two private lounge spaces to enjoy onboard at Vibe Beach Club and Spice H2O, which will feature an all-new grotto area for guests to cool off after a day of sunbathing,” the company said in a statement.

“Norwegian Escape’s Mandara Spa experience, spanning two decks, will transport guests to a deep state of relaxation, with unobstructed views of the ocean, the opportunity to melt away on one of the 17 heated loungers, or find instant stress relief in the spa’s hydro-therapy pool, whirlpools, steam room, dry sauna, sanarium and salt room.”

“Once guests have heated up, they can step into the rejuvenating cold Snow Room, a first for the line, and enter into arctic refreshment. The Snow Room, which ranges from a frosty 21 degrees to 32 degrees Fahrenheit, sends out a flurry of powdery snow throughout the day. Norwegian Escape’s Snow Room offers guests a multitude of health benefits, including stimulating blood circulation in the body and strengthening the immune system.”

In addition to the Thermal Suite, Norwegian Escape’s Mandara Spa will be equipped with 24 contemporary furnished treatment rooms offering more than 50 signature services for both men and women including massages such as the Elemis Aroma Spa Seaweed Massage; Elemis signature facials such as the luxurious Elemis Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift Facial; and signature body enhancing treatments like the Exotic Lime & Ginger Salt Glow.

Norwegian Escape’s full service salon will have guests looking their very best with a wide-array of hair, nails, waxing and kid-friendly services, along with acupuncture, teeth whitening and cosmetic medical treatments, performed by a licensed medi-spa doctor, such as Botox® Cosmetic, Dysport™, Restylane® and Perlane®. In addition, guests can go home tightened and toned by opting for a Thermage® CPT treatment, a premier non-invasive skin rejuvenating therapy that uses radiofrequency to improve the appearance of skin on the face and body in just one contour treatment. The salon area will also feature a Barber Shop, offering exclusive men’s signature services such as the Elemis Pro-Collagen Grooming Treatment with Shave and more.

Guests looking to stay fit while sailing, or who wish to try a new exercise experience, can do so in Norwegian Escape’s state-of-the-art fitness center furnished with the latest Technogym® weight training and cardio equipment. “All cardio equipment will synch to Apple music devices and feature a large, HD screen from which guests can watch television, follow a set training program or navigate the playlist. Norwegian group fitness favorites will be offered on board including Pilates, body sculpting boot camp, yoga, Zumba and TRX.”

“Boxing buffs can enjoy Norwegian Fight Klub™, a high-intensity cardio boxing class. Personal training sessions will also be available, along with nutritional consultations and metabolic testing,” the company said. 

Chairman featured in Fred. Olsen Cruise Line’s TV campaign

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 06 January 2015 06 January 2015

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines says it has launched a promotional sales campaign on 18 digital TV channels, which will run until 24th January 2015, to showcase its ‘The more you book, the more you save’* cruise sale, its innovative ‘Enjoyment Promise’ and its wide range of regional UK departures. Fred. Olsen’s TV campaign is also supported by a comprehensive mix of print, radio, online and social media promotional activity.

Fred. Olsen’s 30-second TV advertisements – which are being shown on Dave, Gold, PBS America, Good Food, Really, Watch, Eden, Film 4, Drama, Alibi, Yesterday, Home, More 4, National Geographic, Challenge, ITV 3, Quest and Holiday & Cruise channels – highlight its two exciting ‘Turn of Year’ sales initiatives, as well as the variety of destinations that guests can visit on a Fred. Olsen cruise in 2015/16, from ten convenient, regional departures ports: Southampton, Dover, Harwich, Tilbury, Avonmouth (Bristol), Liverpool, Newcastle, Greenock (Glasgow), Rosyth (Edinburgh) and Belfast.

For the first time ever, Mr. Fred. Olsen Junior, Chairman of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines and the sixth generation of the Olsen family, will be voicing a series of regional radio promotions in Dover, Harwich, Tilbury, Liverpool, Greenock (Glasgow), Rosyth (Edinburgh), Newcastle and Belfast, on Smooth Radio, Magic 1548 (Liverpool), Magic 1152 (Newcastle), Classic FM, Clyde 2, Northsound Two  and Tay-AM channels.

Nathan Philpot, Sales and Marketing Director for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said:

“There has never been a better time to book your Fred. Olsen cruise holiday, with a range of great-value sailings to a total of 243 destinations in 80 countries around the globe in 2015/16, from ‘right on your doorstep’.

“As our loyal guests know, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is all about a smaller, friendlier cruise experience, and we are so convinced that you will love what we do that our Chairman, Mr. Fred. Olsen himself, has put his name behind our ‘Enjoyment Promise’. If you are not satisfied with your holiday after a couple of days, Fred. Olsen will arrange to fly you home from the first available port of call and give you your money back: ‘I am Fred. Olsen and that is my promise!’ ”

Fred. Olsen’s ‘Turn of Year’ sales campaign includes promotional posters in key sites in and around Newcastle, Scotland, Essex, Liverpool and Belfast, highlighting the great choice of cruises and destinations available with Fred. Olsen from these ports, as well as posters at bus stops in key locations.

Fred. Olsen’s ‘The more you book, the more you save’ cruise sale encourages customers to make multiple purchases in the same transaction and take advantage of savings of up to 30%. The scheme also offers an attractive discount to customers who only wish to make a single cruise purchase.

In Fred. Olsen’s ‘Turn of Year’ sales campaign, cruise customers can also benefit from ‘Fred.’s ‘Enjoyment Promise’, which was launched in December 2013, and is the biggest initiative of its kind ever to take place in the UK to encourage people to try cruising. ‘Fred’s Enjoyment Promise’ is applicable to new cruise guests only, and is valid on all sailings of five nights or more, for bookings made 12 weeks prior to departure.