All Leisure Group has cancelled Swan Hellenic and Voyages of Discovery cruises due to depart this week.
The company cited “operational reasons” for the cancellation of both departures.
Swan Hellenic’s 350-passenger ship Minerva was due to leave Marseille today (Tuesday) on a 15-day Gateway to Atlantic Islands itinerary to Tenerife.
The 540-passenger Voyages of Discovery vessel Voyager was to leave Port Kelang in Malaysia tomorrow on a 15-day sailing to Singapore, a cruise which was sold out, according to the line’s website.
But the company said: “Due to operational reasons Voyages of Discovery, regrets to inform its passengers that the Riches of the Orient cruise due to start in Malaysia on 4 January, 2017 has been cancelled.
“Voyages of Discovery apologises to all of its passengers who were due to sail on this cruise.” A similar message was posted on the Swan Hellenic website, also citing operational reasons.
No further information was given for sudden cancellation of both departures. Travel Weekly was unable to speak to anyone from All Leisure over the Christmas period.
Market Harborough-based All Leisure Group also runs Hebridean Island Cruises, although operations do not run in the winter. Other All Leisure Group brands include tour operations Travelsphere and Just You.
All Leisure Group de-listed from the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange in June after agreeing a sale and leaseback deal for Hebridean Island Cruises’ vessel Hebridean Princess the previous November, raising £3 million to improve liquidity.
Specialist operator Discovery Egypt was sold by All Leisure as part of a management buy-out in August.
The group, headed by chairman Roger Allard, made a pre-tax profit of £200,000 for the 12 months to October 21, 2015 against a loss of £7.2 million a year earlier.
The company stated when issuing annual results last February that it intended to achieve profitable growth “through the provision of an increasing choice of niche holidays targeted at the UK over 55’s market”.
Allard said at the time: “Trading conditions are expected to remain very challenging, especially in view of the escalating conflict in the Middle East and recent acts of terrorism, and the effect these events may have on consumers’ propensity to travel.”