FLORIDA-BASED
cruiseline Renaissance Cruises has ceased trading.
The
company has filed for bankruptcy claiming the situation in the US had damaged
business severely.
Holidaymakers
aboard its eight ‘R series’ ships, which were operating around the Mediterranean
and South Pacific, have had their holidays cut short and are being repatriated.
The
cruiseline made a major effort to boost UK trade sales in February when it
invited agents to see its new 698-passenger vessel, R8, at Portland, Dorset.
But it had always encouraged direct-sell, and urged clients to book by credit
card via its offices in Fort Lauderdale.
Clive
Howard, sales manager for Renaissance general sales agent The Cruise Collection
was unable to confirm how many UK passengers were booked to travel with the
cruiseline.
“The first we knew about the bankruptcy was an
e-mail message on Wednesday. It is a disappointment, because the product was
excellent.”