Beleaguered cruise operator Van Gogh Cruise Lines has called on the trade for support as it vows to “start afresh” following a series of setbacks since its launch.
General manager Emma Ward revealed the firm, formed out of failed company Travelscope Holidays, aims to have a brochure out to agents within six weeks for its first full set of cruises from the end of this year to January 2010.
A spat between the operator’s owners Club Cruise Group, and administrators for Travelscope, which formerly chartered Van Gogh, over a £1.5 million debt is set to be resolved by the end of next week.
The row caused administrators, Menzies Corporate restructuring, to detain Van Gogh with 460 passengers on board in Funchal, Madeira, for several days last week at its penultimate stop on a round-the-world cruise.
Partner Paul Clarke said: “We detained the vessel in Madeira in connection with a substantial debt. It is something we had been looking at for days rather than weeks. It should be resolved within 10 days.”
The cruise operator has cancelled this year’s itineraries after failing to get ABTA membership. It now plans to get a bond with another insurance company. Ward said: “We are looking for trade support. We have two sales people and have employed another person part-time to visit agents.
“I hope the recent problem will be resolved quickly. We cancelled this year’s cruises because we didn’t want to be chasing our tails all summer with discounts. We want to get back to having bookings a year in advance and start afresh.”
She added: “We don’t have to be ABTA bonded to operate cruises.”
The company is appealing against ABTA’s decision. ABTA said it had not granted the company membership due to its “previous connections” with Travelscope.
The majority of cruise companies are not ABTA members.