Rivals warn against Island’s plan to target specific group

First choice and royal caribbean venture

Rivals warn against Island’s plan to target specific group

Report by KIRSTEN BOWLING

FIRSTChoice and Royal Caribbean International’s plans to target first-time cruisers in their 30s and 40s for their joint-venture cruiseline Island have been dismissed as unworkable by rivals.

Island was launched earlier this month(Travel Weekly April 16) promising to offer an informal, relaxed product as an alternative to traditional cruising. However, industry leaders claim it may not be a good idea to focus on particular age groups. Norwegian Cruise Line managing director Bill Ellerington said:”Island is excluding part of the population by targeting only younger people.

“We know from research that the populace is ageing and that it is the older people who are more likely to take a cruise.

“Iwelcome any initiative that could expand the overall market, but I feeltargeting one specific group could cause problems for them in the future,”he added.

Ellerington said the format of the on-board product, with casual dining and well known brands, is similar to NCL’s freestyle cruising.

“They seem to have taken elements from other cruiselines and incorporated them into their product,” he added.

Royal Olympic Cruises operations director Vic Howlett said the cruise sector is not the sort of market where companies can afford to concentrate on one particular age group.

The first Island cruise will depart next March. Island managing director John Drysdale said he is confident the new product will sell.