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April 18, 2006

easyGroup is to roll out an European riverboat cruise service to add to its existing easy-branded businesses.

Stelios Haji-Ioannou is set to unveil an agreement to licence the easyCruise brand to a Dutch riverboat operator.

The service, which will feature orange-coloured easy-brand boats, is due to commence in June with cruises between Amsterdam and Brussels.

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easyCruise announces new itinerary from Amsterdam to Brussels
posted: Apr 18, 2006

Together with its second vessel easyCruise unveils an exciting new look and upgraded onboard facilities. Starting on Friday 14 July 2006, easyCruiseTwo will sail weekly itineraries along the rivers and canals of Holland and Belgium from Amsterdam to Rotterdam, Brussels, Antwerp and back. Following the successful easyCruise concept, easyCruiseTwo will arrive in a new and exciting destination by lunchtime each day so that passengers have the freedom to spend most of the day and night ashore. Sailing during the early hours of the morning, the younger crowd can enjoy the nightlife in some of Europe’s top cities. In addition, passengers can join and leave the cruise where and when they wish, subject to a minimum two night stay.

All passenger cabins on easyCruiseTwo are outside with a window and in response to customer demand more outside cabins will also be opened up on easyCruiseOne during its refit at the end of October 2006. easyCruiseTwo has 50 twin cabins with en-suite bathroom with shower. There is a canopied sun deck with an outdoor hot tub, a bar and restaurant. The riverboat is 80 metres long and carries 100 passengers and a crew of 15. easyCruiseTwo is the first easyCruise vessel to be operated by a franchisee - formerly the ‘M.S. Frontera', the riverboat is owned and operated by Boonstra River Line and will be refurbished to the a easyCruise standard before entering service.

A more sophisticated look!
easyCruiseTwo will be the first vessel to bear a brand new easyCruise livery. Reflecting the aspirations and sophistication of our passengers, the orange hull with website address in large letters, is to be replaced with a more refined graphite grey hull with orange beading and a new and more dynamic logo. The colour scheme of the cabins is also being re-designed. easyCruiseOne will be transformed with the new easyCruise livery when it goes into dry dock in October 2006. Currently easyCruiseOne is finishing its winter season in the Caribbean before returning to the Mediterranean to cruise the French and Italian rivieras from next month, 13 May 2006.

More “Luxe for Less”
easyCruise has also employed a US east coast based consultancy, CB5 Restaurant Group, who has worked with hotel groups and on more than 85 restaurants. CB5 is in the process of designing an on-board food and beverage concept to be used on all easyCruise vessels. Since launch easyCruise has offered its passenger the freedom and independence to go ashore by day and by night as they please. But within the first year of operation more passengers opted to stay on board and enjoy the atmosphere. The sports bar menu on offer turned out to be too limited for passengers and the demand has been for more international cuisine. So in response to customer feedback and to satisfy the desires of its younger clientele, easyCruise has decided that it is worth offering a more upscale dining experience on board.

The first easyCruise vessel with the new updated restaurant and bar will be easyCruiseTwo, sailing from Amsterdam on 14 July 2006. easyCruiseOne will be refurbished in dry dock at the end of the coming summer season in October 2006.

"easyCruise is attracting young, independent passengers who enjoy visiting many of the top destinations on both sides of the Atlantic," said Stelios the serial entrepreneur and founder of easyCruise. "I am delighted that we are now expanding the company and taking the brand further upscale in order to grow the business and keep satisfying our passengers," he continued.

easyCruiseTwo will be launched with prices starting from just €10 per person per night available to book online by the middle of May. Subscribers who register at easyCruise.com will be among the first to receive news when the programme goes on sale.

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the new livery/logo

easycruise one:

Larger Version

easycruisetwo:

Larger Version

tyler

[ 04-18-2006: Message edited by: joe at travelpage ]

Happy the ships begin to look as real ships with the new color sheme. I always thought that of the ship is comming frome a Queens day (national holiday) celebration here in the Netherlands. Ore transporting Dutch soccor fans.

The changes to Easycruise one represent quite a U-turn. People (even younger ones) don't like too much orange, do like window cabins and more onboard dining. Maybe the big lines had it right all along?

As for River Cruising: The likes of RCI, Carnival, Ocean Village and Island Escape have spent a lot of money telling the world that cruising can be fun and exciting. No one has spent a penny telling us that river cruising can be!

I find it harder to imagine younger people taking a river cruise than I do an Ocean cruise. It just sounds too sedate.

[ 04-19-2006: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

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Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:
As for River Cruising: The likes of RCI, Carnival, Ocean Village and Island Escape have spent a lot of money telling the world that cruising can be fun and exciting. No one has spent a penny telling us that river cruising can be!

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River cruising is at the stage that Ocean Cruising was back in the 80s...things are filling w/ minimal expenditure...when one has to fill ships w/ a capacity of only 150 or so - there is definitely less need to spend millions of dollars compared to those lines who have to fill ships of 3000 (or so) EVERY WEEK - eeks!

Most of the river cruise exposure (at least in Canada/ US) seems to be targeting specific audiences via relevent media (i.e. Smithsonian Magazine, Food Magazines etc.) and DEFINITELY by word of mouth.

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easyCruise Amsterdam Ferry Sails in August
May 23, 2006

easyCruise, the hop-on, hop-off party cruise line for 18-40 year old travelers, has announced an August 10 launch date and 7GBP per person, per night introductory rate for its new overnight ferry serving Amsterdam-Brussels. The easyCruise2 boat will offer expanded grub and cabin options compared to easyCruise's exisiting Mediterranean and Caribbean routes, with the same late-night port partying options.

EasyGroup founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou says more passengers choose cheap flights to Amsterdam than any other European city, and that a river ferry alternative will provide travelers with a new perspective on Belgium and Holland. An easyJet ticket London-Amsterdam checks out at about $20-80; a Rail Europe train ticket Brussels-Amsterdam comes in at around $43. Four nights' lodging and passage on the easyCruise Brussels-Amsterdam leg, with overnights in Antwerp and Rotterdam, will be about $75 at non-sale prices.

About Inc.

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