the group market is down but individual passengers are up.
Scandinavian Seaways, currently changing its name to DFDS Seaways, called 1999 an interesting year and said passenger numbers will be up on 1998’s 1m. But these will be based on increased capacity and the real figures are not released until the end of the year.
In February of this year the ferry operator launched a new twice-weekly year-round route from Newcastle to Gothenburg in Sweden with a stop at Kristiansand in Norway. It also increased the peak-season frequency to daily on sailings from Newcastle to Amsterdam. The route reverted back to every-other-day departures on September 19.
DFDS Seaways UK marketing manager Matthew Eastlake said: “June was an incredible month for passengers, but July and August were not as busy as in the past. We have noticed that people are booking much later – sometimes in the week they plan to travel.”
Eastlake said Kristiansand has done well in its first year. “It has created a lot of interest and the fact passengers can still buy duty-free en route helps make it attractive for a short break.”
He said a number of changes are planned for next year. Amsterdam will become a daily service year-round from next March, lifting capacity by 40% and giving the route 44% of the ferry operator’s total capacity.
Esbjerg and Hamburg will be served on alternate days from Harwich. Currently there are three sailings a week to each.
Fjord Line sales and marketing director Mike Wood admitted the ferry operator has been hit by DFDS Seaways’ new service to Norway, but said carryings were also affected by a price war among the airlines, and also possibly by the change of name when Fjord Line bought Color Line’s UK route at the end of last year.
“It’s only when a name is gone you realise how strong it was,” said Wood. “People are looking for a name they know and not finding it.”
Additionally, mini-cruises are becoming a useful tool to market crossings of up to 26hrs.
P&ONSF, which operates daily sailings from Hull to Rotterdam and Zeebrugge, has two-night cruises with time in Bruges, Rotterdam, Amsterdam or the Hague, and themed cruises such as country and line dancing and ’70s music.
P&ONSF’s Pybus said: “These cruises are a good way not only to increase numbers but also the mix of passengers.”
AGENTS trying to keep track of the North Sea ferry market have had their work cut out this year, with numerous new names and routes to remember.
The end result of all these changes has been mixed. Fjord Line, which operates from Newcastle to Bergen in Norway, said passenger carryings this year will be down about 10% to 170,000, while P&O North Sea Ferries will end 1999 unchanged at 1m.
P&ONSF account manager Jim Pybus said within that total the group market is down but individual passengers are up.
Scandinavian Seaways, currently changing its name to DFDS Seaways, called 1999 an interesting year and said passenger numbers will be up on 1998’s 1m. But these will be based on increased capacity and the real figures are not released until the end of the year.
In February of this year the ferry operator launched a new twice-weekly year-round route from Newcastle to Gothenburg in Sweden with a stop at Kristiansand in Norway. It also increased the peak-season frequency to daily on sailings from Newcastle to Amsterdam. The route reverted back to every-other-day departures on September 19.
DFDS Seaways UK marketing manager Matthew Eastlake said: “June was an incredible month for passengers, but July and August were not as busy as in the past. We have noticed that people are booking much later – sometimes in the week they plan to travel.”
Eastlake said Kristiansand has done well in its first year. “It has created a lot of interest and the fact passengers can still buy duty-free en route helps make it attractive for a short break.”
He said a number of changes are planned for next year. Amsterdam will become a daily service year-round from next March, lifting capacity by 40% and giving the route 44% of the ferry operator’s total capacity.
Esbjerg and Hamburg will be served on alternate days from Harwich. Currently there are three sailings a week to each.
Fjord Line sales and marketing director Mike Wood admitted the ferry operator has been hit by DFDS Seaways’ new service to Norway, but said carryings were also affected by a price war among the airlines, and also possibly by the change of name when Fjord Line bought Color Line’s UK route at the end of last year.
“It’s only when a name is gone you realise how strong it was,” said Wood. “People are looking for a name they know and not finding it.”
Additionally, mini-cruises are becoming a useful tool to market crossings of up to 26hrs.
P&ONSF, which operates daily sailings from Hull to Rotterdam and Zeebrugge, has two-night cruises with time in Bruges, Rotterdam, Amsterdam or the Hague, and themed cruises such as country and line dancing and ’70s music.
P&ONSF’s Pybus said: “These cruises are a good way not only to increase numbers but also the mix of passengers.”
Mini-cruise round-up
P&O North Sea Ferries:Motorists Hypermarket Cruise costs £79 for two people and a car, including two nights on board ship between Hull and Zeebrugge with an economy cabin, and a visit to Auchan hypermarket in Dunkirk to stock up on wine and French produce. Auchan is offering a free case of sparkling wine to passengers who spend £60. Offer runs to end of the year. Themed cruises run on this route on October 21-24 and 28-31 (country and line dancing) and November 18-21 and 25-28 (’70s music). Cost is from £28 per person, including reclining seat. Two-night mini-cruises – both nights spent on board ship – and coach transfer to Bruges, Rotterdam and Amsterdam, cost from £28. The Hague is offered on Monday and Tuesday sailings only.
Fjord Line: Afjordable Norway brochure offers three-day cruises from £69, with two nights on the ferry sailing to and from Norway and a couple of hours in Bergen. The four-day option, from £99, allows passengers to spend the third night on the ship while it is in port. Five-day city breaks in Bergen cost from £194 per person.
DFDS Seaways: operates two CruiseBreak brochures – one based on sailings out of Newcastle, the other Harwich – featuring cruise and city breaks. New for 2000 are city breaks in Haarlem from £79 per person for three nights. Two-night CruiseBreaks cost from £49 per person.