| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 12/06/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 34 |
| Copyright: Other |
Ibiza, Spain: features in Legend’s new three-night Mediterranean itinerary
Profile: by Jane Archer
Legend set to make its mark on Europe
Med programme targets family market
NEW Gibraltar-based cruise company Legend Cruises is entering the European market in May next year after chartering a ship to operate three and four-day mini cruises from Palma.It is in talks with UK tour operators to sell them allocations on the ship which they can then package around a longer stay in Majorca.
The newcomer, which lists among its investors a Cyprus bank, Cyprus tour operator Zeus Travel and various individuals who have worked in the cruise industry, has already launched mini-Caribbean cruises after chartering the ship Odysseus from Royal Olympic Cruises.
It will be renamed Joywave on August 18, ahead of the launch on October 2 of the three and four-night Caribbean Fun Cruises, from Puerta Plata in the Dominican Republic to Cuba and Jamaica and back to Puerta Plata.
There will be two repositioning cruises from Naples to Southampton from September 1-10 and from Southampton to Puerta Plata from September 12-29.
Christos Karavos, managing director of UK-based general sales agent Legend Cruise Marketing, said while these cruises are aimed at couples aged 25-55 years, the Mediterranean cruises will be targeted at the family market.
“They will appeal to middle-class families who want a great holiday,” he added. Like the Caribbean series, the Mediterranean itineraries are branded as “fun cruises”.
The three-night itinerary sails from Palma to Ibiza, Barcelona and back to Palma, while the four-day cruise takes in Naples and Villafranche, near Nice, southern France.
Karavos would not reveal the cost of the cruises as it will be up to operators to price them within a package.
In winter, the ship could be repositioned to the Red Sea or the Canaries. “We are still looking at port availability,” Karavos said.
The Mediterranean cruise ship will have two children’s clubs for youngsters aged four-10 and 11-16, as well as a smaller area for children under four. Karavos, who worked previously for Louis Cruise Lines, said the idea is that the children’s clubs will give parents a chance to relax on their own during the sailings. “Walt Disney does this well, but no-one is doing it properly in Europe,” he claimed. “Some cruiselines have children’s clubs that look after the kids for 2-3hrs a day. We will offer a minimum 6hrs’ care. There will be a lot of co-ordinators on board to entertain the children and allow parents to have a complete break,” he added.
“One plan is to put on an early dinner for the children followed by a movie so parents can have their meal in peace.”
Karavos would not name the cruiseline that Legend is chartering its Palma-based ship from ahead of a formal announcement but he confirmed it is a European company. He said the ship will be refurbished to three-star- plus standard with 287 cabins, including some suites. Other facilities will include a show lounge, cinema, health club, disco, shopping arcade and jogging track.
Karavos said the European cruises will be sold mainly in the UK because it is the fastest-growing cruise market and because Palma is so popular with families, but possibly also in Spain.
Cosmos, JMC, First Choice and Unijet are already featuring the Caribbean Fun Cruise in their Dominican Republic programmes for this year and next year. Karavos said he is talking to the same operators, plus Thomson and Virgin Sun, about the Mediterranean cruises.
factfile
LEGEND cruises
General sales agent: Legend Cruise Marketing, Link House, 140 The Broadway, Surbiton, Surrey, KT6 7JE.
Karavos: the cruises in the Med will betargeted atmiddle-class families
Karavos: the cruises in the Med will betargeted atmiddle-class families
factfile