Stelios welcomes Richard Branson to the cruise industry

posted: 21.10.05

Following today's announcement that the Virgin Group are about to enter the cruise market, Stelios has extended a warm welcome to his fellow serial entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson.

"I think it is a great idea that such a well known brand is about to enter the cruise industry," said Stelios, serial entrepreneur and founder of easyCruise.com . "What attracted me to the cruise industry in the first place was the fact that it is a profitable business catering to an older audience. I have found a different niche. I am also flattered that Richard is now following me into an industry in the same way that I followed him into the airline industry. The Virgin Group will help to grow the overall cruise market. Carnival, P&O and Cunard, all controlled by Micky Arrison can continue to cater for OAP's, Virgin will take the market that is too old to rock and roll and too young to tango and easyCruise will continue to offer a fantastic holiday to the younger crowd," he continued. Stelios completed his welcome by saying, "If Richard wants any advice on how to deal with the British Airways of this industry - Carnival and Arrison - he can always give me a call."

easyCruiseOne has just completed its first summer season along the French and Italian rivieras and will be offering cruises in the Caribbean from 12 November. easyCruiseOne is unique in that it stays in port every night, giving its passengers the choice to party the night away on shore or on board. As a result, the average age of easyCruise passengers during its first season was 32 years old, more than 20 years younger than the published industry average. In a recent study of the easyCruise customer database, published here for the first time, easyCruise can reveal that two thirds of its UK customers are categorised as ABC1 in socio-economic terms.