Stelios heads up river

BUDGET cruiseline EasyCruise is to announce a franchise agreement with a riverboat company based in Holland.

The official announcement will be made on Tuesday but EasyGroup founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou said it will operate between Amsterdam and Brussels.

“There are more cheap flights to Amsterdam than anywhere else in Europe,” he said. “The concept of the cruise will be the same and it will give passengers a chance to see Belgium and Holland from a different perspective.”

Meanwhile, Haji-Ioannou said the dining experience on EasyCruises’s existing ocean-going operation would be upgraded in response to customer feedback. The current sports bar will be changed to a pay-as you-go à la carte restaurant, open from 6pm to midnight.

Speaking at the World Travel and Tourism Council summit in Washingtion DC, Haji-Ioannou said he was also “seriously considering” opening a small spa on board. “These additions are optional and will not be built into the price,” he said. “Our aim is still to offer a great value cabin and let the passenger decide what they want to spend on top.”

Average cabin prices are €55 to €60 per night. “We’ll never get to €100 but we certainly can’t survive on €20”, he said.

Haji-Ioannou said load factors were as expected given the product’s hop-on, hop-off nature and stressed feedback has been positive.

“The crux is ‘would you cruise with us again?’ and more than 80% of passengers said they would,” said Haji-Ioannou.

He added agents, who can access 10% off net rates, should not get hung-up on EasyCruise being just a cheap cruising option. “If you sense the client is young, active and up for something new, don’t let them walk out of the door without asking first,” he said.

The Nile and the Greek Islands have been earmarked as potential destinations, with sailings to the latter running round trips from Athens to Mykonos.