lastminute.com and easyGroup tie the knot

posted: 05.12.05

Pink meets orange as two of the most famous names in internet travel join forces for the very first time as lastminute.com and the easyGroup sign their first commercial agreement.

easyCruise was launched this year by the easyGroup which belongs to Stelios the serial entrepreneur, and lastminute.com is the only online travel retailer currently to have an allocation of cabins on easyCruiseOne in the Caribbean this winter - it's debut season in the region.

lastminute.com is offering pre-packaged trips onboard the ship - a move away from easyCruise's usual component-driven travel - but is keeping as much flexibility as possible for the consumer by offering three different departures on a Thursday (from Grenada), Friday (from St Lucia) and Saturday (from Barbados). Prices start from £499 for a seven-night cruise plus return flights in January.

Brent Hoberman, founder and chief executive of lastminute.com, commented: "Two of the best-known, most-trusted online travel brands coming together like this can only be of huge benefit for the consumer. Our great relationships with trans-Atlantic airlines and the fantastic easyCruise itineraries means there is no better value way of cruising the Caribbean this winter.

"We share Stelios' vision of bringing cruising to younger age groups by taking the stuffiness and expense away and believe that the power of these two informal fun brands will only take this further."

easyGroup chairman Stelios added: "I think lastminute will be great at attracting younger people who use the internet to book an easyCruise package inclusive of flights.  Now we can start introducing this beautiful part of the world to a new crowd of holidaymaker."

Unlike traditional cruise ships, easyCruiseOne stays in port in the afternoon and into the evening to encourage passengers to enjoy the destination's attractions and its nightlife - rather than herding them back on to the ship for the evening.

Seven-day rolling itinerary for easyCruiseOne with winter:

Thursday: Grenada
Friday: St Lucia
Saturday: Barbados - one night in port onboard ship
Sunday: Barbados - all day on the island departing in the evening
Monday: St Vincent
Tuesday: Martinique
Wednesday: The Grenadines