easyCruise celebrates success of first year

posted: 14.03.06

easyCruise sails forward with exciting new developments, growth, and trend-setting ideas.

Miami, Florida, March 13, 2006 – Launched just one year ago at Seatrade 2005, easyCruise reports today a successful first year of offering a flexible cruise product to young, independent-minded travelers. Created by Stelios, the serial entrepreneur, who founded easyJet and all 15 easyGroup businesses, easyCruise provides exceptional itineraries to the Caribbean and French and Italian Rivieras allowing travelers to embark and depart at any port along the route, provided they stay onboard for at least two nights. Unlike a traditional cruise, the easyCruise ship stays in port every night which allows passengers the choice of whether to party the night away on shore or to stay on board and enjoy the facilities. As a result, easyCruise attracts young vacationers, whose average age is in their 30’s, who would not generally have considered cruising.

Encouraged by the very positive response from US passengers and media to easyCruise, the company is now researching the possibilities of offering easyCruise to US passengers out of Miami or Fort Lauderdale to the Bahamas. Stelios recently visited South Florida and the Bahamas to meet relevant authorities and operators to discuss the viability of introducing easyCruise to the region for winter 06/07. There is currently a contest to see whether easyCruise will return to the Caribbean for winter 06/07 or begin cruising in South Florida and the Bahamas.

"Americans seem to like easyCruise because of the youthful independence it brings to the industry," said Stelios. "I think this gives us the opportunity to enter the lion's den and start offering cruises out of Miami and the Bahamas, the cruising center of the world," he concluded.

easyCruiseOne passengers in the Caribbean have an average age of 38 and in the Mediterranean the average is 32 – about 20 years younger than the current published industry average. Of the 90 nationalities who have tried easyCruise, US nationals are the largest group in the Caribbean and the second largest (after UK nationals) in the Mediterranean. easyCruise has reported heavy bookings and high demand through the first quarter of 2006, and having achieved success with a younger market segment and two unique itineraries, easyCruise is now eagerly gearing up for growth as it begins its second year.

In Search of a CEO

Recently, easyCruise began a public search for a full-time CEO. Approximately 250 applications were received for the position with many representing credible candidates from major cruise lines. Paul Ellerby has been appointed interim sales and marketing director for easyCruise during the search. Once Stelios has chosen a chief executive, that person will be responsible for selecting their own management team to drive forward easyCruise’s expansion through the commissioning of new cruise ships, contracting existing operators as franchisees, and establishing a Miami base. Until an easyCruise chief executive is appointed, Paul will report to Stelios and will be based in the easyGroup London office. After the position is filled, Stelios will remain as chairman, and will work closely with the new easyCruise CEO.

Exposure and Growth for a Revolutionary Cruise Concept

Growth for 2006 may come through easyCruise franchising opportunities to operators of existing cruise ships and riverboats who are willing to invest in the easyCruise concept. easyCruise is also likely to establish a US base with possible cruises out of Miami to the Bahamas. Stelios’ decision to begin additional ports of call instead of the current Barbados route will be based on his comparison of each site’s itinerary, cost, and additional factors. He will likely announce this decision in the winter of 2006/2007. Beyond 2008, easyCruise may invest in custom-designed new cruise ships which would accommodate approximately 500 passengers. A comprehensive tender document, which can be viewed in the 'our ships' section of www.easyCruise.com, has been circulated to many shipyards and negotiations are under way.

The TV observational-documentary series about life aboard easyCruise, “Cruiseline,” which was originally broadcast by Sky TV, will be shown on The Travel Channel in the US this year. A second series of 'Cruiseline' is also currently in production detailing easyCruise’s Caribbean voyage.

Expansion of “Luxe for Less”

While easyCruise will continue with its ‘a la carte’ offering, which gives its passengers the freedom to go ashore or stay on board, the company is exploring some new dining, bar, and leisure opportunities on board. Since easyCruise visits some of the most glamorous locations on both sides of the Atlantic, the company is currently in discussions with catering, design and spa companies and consultancies with a possible view to bring more upscale services in these fields on board.

“It is important to further develop the concept of upscale travel aboard easyCruise,” said Stelios. “Although options will be offered on an ‘a la carte’ basis, our savvy travelers have shown they are interested in the services and amenities that can enhance and differentiate their travel experience.”

easyCruise will continue cruising the Caribbean until April 29, 2006 and will begin offering cruises once again in the playground of the rich and famous, along the French and Italian Rivieras, beginning May 13, 2006.

About easyCruise

easyCruise.com is one of the latest ventures launched by Stelios (see www.stelios.com), the serial entrepreneur and founder of the easyGroup (see www.easy.com).

The idea is to offer a unique holiday experience to independently minded travelers in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s. During the summer of 2005, our first ship, named easyCruiseOne was based in the French and the Italian Rivieras, one of the most glamorous parts of the world, known globally as the playground for the rich and famous. During the winter of 2005/06, easyCruiseOne moved on to sail Barbados and the surrounding Caribbean islands and will return in May 2006 to the Mediterranean.

Unlike traditional cruising, the ship stays in port in the afternoon and the evening to encourage people to have fun ashore and sails late at night, or in the early hours of the morning, for the next destination. The flexible one week itineraries allow passengers to embark and depart at any port on the route provided you stay on board at least two nights and no more than fourteen nights.