MSC maintains market presence and touts return to ex-UK

Posted on 1 April, 2014 by Spacejunkie2

By Phil Davies

MSC maintains market presence and touts return to ex-UK

MSC Cruises is maintaining capacity in the UK market despite withdrawing departures from Southampton after this year.

The Italian line is concentrating on fly-Med sailings in 2015 with dedicated charter flights to serve five ships from Venice and its two biggest vessels MSC Fantasia and Preziosa sailing year-round from Barcelona and Genoa.

Regional connecting flights will be commissionable at 5%.

But UK, Ireland and Australia executive director Giles Hawke (pictured) does not rule out a return to ex-UK cruises in the future.

Hawke, speaking ahead of the 2015/16 programme going on sale on Wednesday – the earliest date ever – revealed that the company aims to more than triple UK passenger numbers from 60,000 this year to 200,000 by 2017.

He would not be drawn on when or if MSC would return to ex-UK departures, but said there would be eight calls in either Southampton or Dover next year which will allow agents to make ship visits.

“We will more than replace our ex-UK capacity with our fly-Med programme,” he said, indicating that MSC would be the biggest player in the sector in 2015 with departures covering both the western and eastern Mediterranean.

The company has taken 500 pre-registrations from consumers ahead of the on-sale date and expects strong trade support, with early booking offers such as discounts of up to £200 off the brochure price and free cabin upgrades for bookings made between April and June.

Prices lead in at £499 per person based on a seven-night fly-cruise from Barcelona on newest ship MSC Preziosa on December 6, 2015.

Other options include the first ship with upgraded MSC Yacht Club facilities – MSC Splendida – sailing in northern Europe.

Hawke said: “I believe we will return to ex-UK cruising but first we want to build the brand and consumer demand to justify us having one of our biggest ships operating out of Southampton.

“We want to build a brand that the consumer understands and one that commands the kind of prices it deserves.”

MSC Opera is being withdrawn to be stretched in size alongside three other Lirica-class ships following this year’s season of departures from Southampton.

Cruise industry must do more to boost numbers, Clia chairman says

Posted on 31 March, 2014 by Spacejunkie2

By Hollie-Rae Merrick

Cruise industry must do more to boost numbers, Clia chairman says

The cruise industry is not doing a good enough job to drive forward the number of Brits taking a cruise, Clia UK and Ireland chairman Jo Rzymowska has told cruise lines.

Speaking at the Clia UK and Ireland AGM on Friday, the Celebrity Cruises boss said the industry needed to get across the array of variety offered on cruise ships – compared to what is offered by land-based holidays.

She said that while the UK was leading the way in Europe in terms of the number of people taking a cruise, numbers hadn’t risen as much as hoped.

“Just under 22 million people every year are cruising with us (globally) – that has doubled over the last decade, which is significant,” she said.

“And in the UK we are still leading the way from a European point of view with 6 million cruises and just over 1.7 million of those from the UK. However, that has remained fairly static as we know for the last couple years.

“We are leading the way, but there is a country snapping at our heels – the Germans. It’s up to us collectively to not let that happen.”

Rzymowska said land-based holidays didn’t offer the same variety as cruises, and that ocean and river vessels offer great access to destinations, a better and more consistent level of customer service, and more choice to suit all needs.

She added: “Land-based holidays don’t offer these to the extent we do, but still only 1.7 million Brits take a cruise. Quite frankly, as an industry we are not doing a good enough job and we need to do a far better job than we are today.”

Clia UK and Ireland’s three working groups – PR, consumer engagement and trade engagement – have been coming up with great ideas on how to take the industry forward, according to Rzymowska.

Globally 95% of the cruise capacity is a member of Clia, with 61 cruise lines. In the UK, US and Australia, Clia works with more than 50,000 agents and Rzymowska said Andy Harmer’s team in the UK was leading the way.

“Our aim is to talk to agents even better and more effectively than we are today. The UK and Ireland, under Andy’s leadership, is leading the way in doing that.”

Allure’s full European season a response to strong UK demand

Posted on 10 February, 2014 by Spacejunkie2

By Dave Jones

The world’s largest cruise ship will spend a full season in Europe for the first time in 2015, with strong UK demand to thank.

Following a year in which many cruise companies reduced their European activities, the news that Royal Caribbean will sail Allure of the Seas from Port Everglades in Florida – where it sails alongside its sister ship Oasis of the Seas on primarily Caribbean focused voyages – to Europe is welcome indeed.

Having carried more than two million passengers on Caribbean cruises since its introduction in 2010, the vessel will return for the first time to the continent where it was constructed and will sail from the Spanish port of Barcelona between May and October 2015.

This will follow on the rudder of Oasis of the Seas’ mini-Mediterranean season, which is scheduled for autumn of this year.

Once it has arrived in Barcelona, Allure of the Seas will offer UK and European passengers a chance to enjoy seven-night cruises calling at Palma de Mallorca, Marseilles, La Spezia (for Florence and Pisa), Civitavecchia (for Rome) and Naples.

According to Dominic Paul, head of Royal Caribbean International sales outside of North America, bringing Allure of the Seas to Europe is a “bold move”, but the cruise line is confident of success.

Speaking to Seatrade Insider, he explained that this confidence comes not only from the merit of its Oasis-class ships, but also in the strength of the UK cruise market and prospects for growth here.

Next year is looking exciting indeed, with Royal Caribbean also planning to home port its new vessel Anthem of the Seas in Southampton once construction has been completed.

Stuart Leven, the Royal Caribbean’s managing director for UK and Ireland, added: “The company is showing a big commitment to the UK market in 2015.

He added: “I believe the combination of an Oasis-class ship with all its on-board options and the great cruise destination of the Mediterranean will be a very compelling argument for both those who haven’t cruised before and also cruisers who have never experienced Oasis.”