Voyages to Antiquity returns East of Suez Winter 2014-15

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 12 September 2013 12 September 2013

Voyages to Antiquity, the British destinational boutique cruise shipping company, will return East of Suez in the winter of 2014-15, when the 11,563 gross ton Aegean Odyssey will operate 11 fly cruises in the region.

The programme will include the company’s first itineraries to take in ports in East Africa. The cruises are between 17 and 25 nights in duration and any of them include a hotel stay in either the port where the starts or where it terminates. The programme will take AegeanOdyssey as far as Bangkok and Singapore in the east. Voyages to Antiquity has operated cruises in these waters before.

The first cruise in the Winter programme of 2014-15 will sail from Athens on 20 November 2014 and the final one will terminate in the same city on 5 April 2015.

 

Thomson Cruises and Island Cruise md Ellacott joins TUI UK & Ireland board

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 11 September 2013 11 September 2013

TUI UK&I, which is part of the London based TUI Travel plc group, has announced that Fraser Ellacott, currently Managing Director of Thomson & Island Cruises, will join the UK&I board in the newly created position of Customer Operations Director.

Ellacott, who has been the Managing Director of Thomson & Island Cruises since 2011, will now be responsible for all customer facing areas including retail, financial services, contact centres, overseas holiday experience, commercial and ancillaries and the property portfolio. He will also retain responsibility for the Thomson Cruises business, TUI UK & Ireland said in a statement.

Ellacott will report into David Burling, MD of TUI UK&I and start his new role on 1st October 2013. 

David Burling, MD of TUI UK&I said: “Consistent delivery of outstanding customer service at every touch point is crucial to the success of our business and therefore we’ve taken the decision to bring all customer facing roles together in a dedicated customer operation team. I’m pleased to confirm that Fraser Ellacott will take responsibility for this team as the Customer Operations Director and join the UK&I board effective from 1st October 2013. Over the last two years, Fraser has successfully developed the brand strategy for Thomson Cruises and grown the profitability of this area of our business and moving forward he will be instrumental in the growth of our multi-channel customer proposition.”

Ellacott started his career at British Airways where he spent 15 years climbing the management ladder with roles in Engineering, Commercial and Operations. He joined First Choice Airways in 2005 and became a Director of Thomson Airways following the merger of TUI Tourism and First Choice Holidays in 2007. He was appointed Managing Director of Thomson Cruises in April 2011

Sale gain helps Viking Line in static market

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 11 September 2013 11 September 2013

Viking Line, the Finnish cruise ferry company, has reported an increase in net profit for both the second quarter and the first half of the year on back of a sale gain, but volumes of freight and passengers barely changed.

Group net profit rose to €17.4 million in the second quarter from €0.9 million the same period last year, while revenues increased to €140.3 million from €131.9 million. In the first half, the company posted a profit of €1.6 million compared to a loss of €14.1 million. Revenues increased to €255.3 million from €233.1 million. However, both fresh figures were boosted by a €22.8 million gain from the sale of the cruise ferry Isabella to the Tallink Group.

The company carried about 3.0 million passengers in the first six months of the year, a fractional increase year on, while freight volume of about 60,000 units marked a slight drop. However, the new Viking Grace cruise ferry that the company introduced on service between Turku and Stockholm in January, helped the company to grow market share in that service to 58.8%.

Looking ahead, the board said tough competition continues to keep pricing under downward pressure, but it expects the full year net profit to exceed the €1.0 million figure the company reached in 2012, partly due to efforts to reduce costs.

Splendour of the Seas to operate eighth season in Brazil 2014-15

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 10 September 2013 10 September 2013

Royal Caribbean International has announced the winter 2014-15 Brazil and South America season of Splendour of the Seas, the eighth season the ship will spend in these waters,  which is now open for booking.

“Sailing from Sao Paulo (Santos, Brazil), Splendour of the Seas will sail three- to eight-night Brazil cruises, calling at Buzios, Ilha Grande, and Ilhabela, and seven-night Argentina and Uruguay cruises, calling at Punta Del Este and Montevideo (Uruguay), and Buenos Aires (Argentina). A special eight-night sailing, departing on 27 December 2014, will take guests to Porto Belo, Buzios, Ilha Grande and Ilhabela, and see in the New Year at Rio de Janeiro to catch the world-famous fireworks show at Copacabana Beach,, "the company said in a statement.

Holidaymakers also can choose from two transatlantic sailings between Brazil and Spain that start and finish Splendour of the Seas’ winter 2014 season. A 15-night westbound itinerary from Barcelona (Spain) to Sao Paulo (Santos, Brazil) will depart on 22 November 2014 and call at Seville (Cadiz, Spain), Lisbon and Madeira (Funchal) (Portugal), Tenerife (Canary Islands) and Rio De Janeiro (Brazil). Splendour of the Seas returns from Sao Paulo (Santos) to Barcelona on 20 April 2015 and calls at Rio De Janeiro and Salvador De Bahia (Brazil), Tenerife (Canary Islands) and Malaga (Spain).

Splendour of the Seas was recently refurbished to offer guests more dining choices, incredible entertainment and more modern features. Guests can enjoy the Centrum’s aerial, acrobatic musical extravaganza that spans the ship’s six-deck-high atrium.  Splendour of the Seas’ youngest guests, aged between six-36 months, can have fun in the new Royal Babies and Tots Nursery and Royal Caribbean International’s most loyal and suite guests can enjoy the exclusive new Diamond Lounge and Concierge Club, respectively.

All guests can enjoy Splendour of the Seas’ 10 onboard dining options, including speciality restaurants Park Café Gourmet Deli and the Boardwalk Doghouse, which are complimentary, and Chops Grille Steakhouse, Izumi Asian Cuisine, an a la carte menu in the Viking Crown Lounge Nightclub and the exclusive 16-guest Chef’s Table, which carry an additional charge.

Guests can stay connected with the ship’s optional bow-to-stern Wi-Fi service, enjoy the new oversized poolside cinema screen and find out what’s happening onboard and how to get there with new Digital Signage strategically placed throughout the ship. Throughout, all furnishings and upholstery in public spaces and every stateroom were renewed.