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Celebrity bosses gun for UK cruise rivals
Saturday, 27 Jul, 2009
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A row has blown up over claims by Celebrity Cruises’ chiefs that they are out to capture Cunard and top end P&O Cruises’ passengers with a new ship sailing from Southampton.
The assertions came as the US premium line previewed the second of a range of large Solstice class premium ships in the port.
More than 5,000 agents have been invited on board $800 million Celebrity Equinox as part of eight days of launch celebrations.
The Royal Caribbean International five-star sister brand is using the introduction of the 2,850-passenger Equinox as an opportunity to promote ex-UK cruising in 2010 on Celebrity Eclipse, the next vessel in the fleet.
Both Royal Caribbean’s mega ship Independence of the Seas and Celebrity Eclipse will be sailing from Southampton next summer and are expected to carry more than 100,000 passengers between them, according to UK and Ireland managing director and vice-president Robin Shaw.
Shaw revealed that the top third of P&O Cruises’ passengers will be a key target market for Celebrity.
He was backed up by Celebrity president and CEO Dan Hanrahan, who said the company would also be attracting Cunard cruisers.
Hanrahan said: “We will cannibalise P&O and a number of travel agents are telling me ‘Why should we sell Cunard any more?’
“People who may have chosen Cunard in the past and who have now seen this ship, now see this as an extremely attractive alternative.”
But new Cunard boss Peter Shanks disputed the claims citing his company’s experience, heritage, quality and the fact that it will have the youngest fleet in the world with the introduction of Queen Elizabeth at the end of next year.
“It is quite bold of them to be saying that they are the best out of Southampton when they haven’t actually started sailing from here yet,” he said. “What I would agree with is that a lot of Celebrity’s passengers are coming from Royal Caribbean.”
New P&O Cruises managing director Carol Marlow, the previous president of Cunard within the Carnival UK stable, praised Celebrity Equinox and said it was good that different types of cruise experiences were being offered to British cruise passengers.
“The important thing is that we are all offering different experiences and passengers are delighted,” she said. “I don’t see it as a threat but part of a growing marketplace.”
By Phil Davies
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