| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 14/08/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 23 |
| Copyright: Other |
Mediterranean programme
Overcapacity prompts First Choice to cut fleet
Report by TANYAJEFFERIES
FIRST Choice has admitted overcapacity in the Mediterranean has prompted it to cut its cruise fleet from two vessels down to one for next year.The operator is giving chartered ship Bolero back to its owner Festival Cruises at the end of this summer’s season and is only offering its remaining ship, Ausonia, in its newly published summer 2001 programme.
Product director Kyle Haughton admitted: “This summer has been a unique and difficult one. If there had been less cruise ships, it would have been better for the whole market.
“However, it is a blip, because cruising is growing and market demand will catch up with supply.”
Haughton said that another reason for reducing the fleet was that First Choice did not want to become tied to another ship charter when it is about to launch a joint venture with Royal Caribbean Cruises.
The new company, yet to be named, will start operating the Royal Caribbean ship Viking Serenade in the Caribbean from autumn 2001 (Travel Weekly May 22 and August 7).
The new First Choice Cruises summer 2001 brochure offers seven-night cruises on Ausonia out of Cyprus and Majorca. Prices start at £659.
Passengers can now book their dinner table and sitting time for an extra £5 per person and the cabin of their choice for an extra £20 per booking.
Haughton said these innovations were aimed at encouraging passengers to book their cruises early.
He added that two-week ex-UK cruises between Southampton and Cyprus had been dropped because itineraries out of Majorca were more popular.