Stelios outlines cruise expansion
EasyCruise is to sail in the Caribbean this winter and plans to add a second ship for eastern Mediterranean cruises next summer.
The budget cruise concept was launched by easyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou with a single ship offering an itinerary along the French and Italian rivieras.
The vessel easyCruiseOne will move to either Barbados or Antigua from November to run sailings to St Lucia, Martinique, the St Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada until next April.
A second ship is planned for summer 2006 operating from Athens to Mykonos, Patmos, Rhodes, Heraklion, Hania and Milos.
The company is also considering basing a vessel in the Arabian Gulf for winter 2006-07, possibly based in Dubai.
The company says the average age of passengers in its first season in the Med is 33 – more than 20 years younger than in the traditional cruise industry.
Haji-Ioannou said: “I am very pleased that easyCruise has attracted a younger crowd. In the future we intend to continue growing this younger cruise market and to offer them a wider choice of destinations in each new season.”
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 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026