Amadeus Speeds Ahead With Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines to be available for the first time via a GDS

London: February 14, 2002 – Amadeus, the leading global distribution system (GDS) and technology provider to the travel industry, has signed a contract with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines to distribute booking and sales information to the travel agency and cruise specialist market via Amadeus Cruise.

The agreement means that for the first time agents will be able to have online access via a GDS to the complete range of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ vessels – including: Black Prince; Black Watch; and Braemar – providing a faster more streamlined booking process and an improved customer service.

As the only solution of its kind in the UK market, Amadeus Cruise offers benefits including:

* The ability to increase agent productivity
o Amadeus Cruise replaces many complex cruise booking processes with just one quick and easy booking path
o Direct exchange of messages throughout the booking, confirming reservations instantly and securely in the cruise line system

* Comparison of cruise options
o Ability to check availability on up to three cruise lines on a single screen, saving time and providing the customer with a range of options

* Online access to a range of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines products
o Including: cabin availability; photographs; deck plans; dining options; itineraries; cruise policies and agent specific pricing

* Overhead training cuts
o Reduced complexity of the cruise booking procedure via a ‘point-and-click’ system eliminates cryptic commands and simplifies every booking. Agents can also use ‘fast sell’ and a single-step ‘cabin hold’ facility to save even more time

Nigel Lingard, Marketing Director of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines stated, “Over the past several months we have been speaking to many of our key contacts within the industry and have realised the importance of providing our customers with a real-time online booking solution. Amadeus has the most comprehensive cruise solution in the market which will help us meet and exceed the expectations of both the travel agent community and the wider consumer market.”

“We are extremely pleased that Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines have chosen Amadeus as its online booking solution. In the UK alone, the cruise market is estimated to be worth more than £815 million per year. Even in this softening economic environment, the cruise market is continuing to develop and Amadeus Cruise is evolving with the industry to offer a comprehensive real-time booking solution that meets the needs of both agents and consumers,” said Arnaud Debuchy, managing director of Amadeus UK.

Notes to the Editors:

Amadeus Global Travel Distribution

· Amadeus is the leading global distribution system (GDS) and technology provider, serving the marketing, sales and distribution needs of the world’s travel and tourism industries.

Its comprehensive GDS data processing centre serves 61,870 travel agency locations and more than 10,520 airline sales offices, which together total more than 269,900 points of sale located in over 200 markets worldwide.

Through the Amadeus GDS, travel agencies and airline offices are able to make bookings with 467 airlines, representing more than 95 per cent of the world’s scheduled airline seats. The system also provides access to 61,560 hotels, 48 car rental companies serving some 24,400 locations, and other provider groups including: ferry; rail; cruise; insurance and tour operators.

· Amadeus is a leading application service provider (ASP) to the airline industry.

131 airlines use the Amadeus Sales System in their offices to provide passengers with superior and seamless service at optimal cost.

Amadeus’s new generation of Passenger Service Systems, which include all IT systems associated with inventory management and departure control, will be implemented by British Airways, Qantas and Finnair.

· e-Travel, Amadeus’s e-commerce business unit, is global leader in online travel technology and corporate travel management solutions. It powers the Web pages of 1,393 travel agencies, 177 corporate sites, 18 hotel sites and 139 web sites serving 41 airlines.

Amadeus is headquartered in Madrid, Spain and quoted on the Madrid, Paris and Frankfurt stock exchanges. For the year ended 31 December 2002, the company reported revenues of EUR 1856m and net income of

EUR 148.6m. The Amadeus data centre is in Erding (near Munich), Germany and its principal development offices are located in Sophia Antipolis (near Nice), France. The company has over 4,400 employees worldwide.

For further information please contact:

Amadeus UK
Rob Golledge
T: 0870 990 7851
F: 0870 990 9299
E: [email protected]
W: www.amadeusuk.com
E-mail : [email protected]

Amadeus Press
Bridget Agnew / Anya Velzeboer
Financial Dynamics
T: 020 7269 7219/7174
F: 020 7831 8438
E: [email protected]