EasyCruise joins industry body
No-frills cruise start-up easyCruise has joined industry body the Passenger Shipping Association.
The new venture from easyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou is due to set sail in the Mediterranean next spring with fares as low as £14.50 for passengers who are prepared to clean their own cabins.
This is a world away from the traditional cruises offered by PSA members which can cost thousands of pounds.
But PSA director Bill Gibbons said: “We have been watching the introduction of easyCruise with interest and am delighted that they will be joining the association from immediate effect.
“EasyCruise is an exciting product that will appeal to the younger generation of 20-40 year olds, building on the first timer market and further strengthening the cruise holiday sector.”
EasyCruise is to sell online from early next year with a ‘hop on, hop off’ service targeting a wider customer base than existing cruise lines, such as backapackers and families.
EasyGroup chairman Mr Haji-Ioannou was quoted in January as saying: “EasyCruise is cheaper and more pleasant than the bus as a means of getting from one part of the Mediterranean to another. The average family of two adults and two children, previously put off by keepng the children occupied for a full seven days at sea, can stay on board for a couple of nights.”
The company’s single vessel will visit 14 cities in 14 days, taking in Nice, Barcelona, Majorca, Ibiza, Malaga, Corsica, Rome and Naples – many of which are served by the easyJet network.
The PSA runs a bonding scheme and is run by a council of management made up of representatives of leading cruise lines.
Report by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports
All eyes on Qatar as Qatar Airways leads a season of global events