Move part of international growth strategy

Move part of international growth strategy

Barrhead, Seascanner, Cruise Circle and Cruise1st rapped

Online specialist cruise agency seascanner.co.uk has expanded is to offer a range of exclusive “Smarter Packages” cruise-and stay holidays.

Advertising watchdog upholds complaints against Seascanner and Cruise Circle over adverts for MSC Cruises that promoted the environmental benefits of LNG

Barrhead Travel, Cruise Circle, Cruise 1st and Seascanner all made exaggerated claims regarding the sustainability of cruises in their advertising, according to watchdogs. The Advertising Standards Authority told each of them not to repeat the adverts, which were found to be misleading. On 29 March, a Google ad by Barrhead stated: “Celebrity Cruises. A Strong Focus On Sustainability And Eco-friendly Practices.” The ASA considered consumers would think this meant Celebrity Cruises had sustainability and eco-friendly practices at the heart of the cruises they operated. Barrhead said the wording had been taken, in part, from Celebrity’s website, but it had added the words ‘strong focus’. The ASA also challenged claims made by Cruise Circle, Seascanner and Cruise 1st in relation to MSC ships Euribia and World Europa. Cruise Circle used on image on its website, seen on 20 March, of MSC Euribia with the caption: “German artist […] won a competition to design the hull artwork, entitled #SaveTheSea”. The artwork featured abstract imagery of marine life, including turtles, fish, an octopus and a whale. Text below stated: “Showcasing the line’s commitment to environmental responsibility” and “Eco-Friendly LNG Technology. MSC Euribia is a testament to MSC Cruises’ commitment to sustainability. Powered by LNG, the cleanest marine fuel […]”. Not-for-profit organisation Opportunity Green challenged whether the claims regarding LNG were misleading. Travel Circle said the content came from a third party, and that it could not monitor all content provided by third parties. However, the ASA ruled the advert was ‘likely to mislead’ and should not be repeated in its current form. Opportunity Green also challenged a Seascanner webpage, seen on 20 March, which stated: “MSC World Europaalso introduces cutting-edge environmental technology, including an advanced LNG-powered engine, making it one of the most eco-friendly cruise ships afloat”. The not-for-profit challenged whether the claims ‘environmental technology’ and ‘one of the most eco-friendly cruise ships’ gave a misleading impression about the environmental impact of travel with the ships. Seascanner said the claims were taken from publicly available sources, including a press release by MSC Cruises. However, following contact with the ASA, Seascanner reviewed and removed the complained of text. The ASA also upheld a complaint made against a Cruise 1st claim that MSC ships were ‘powered by LNG, the world’s cleanest marine fuel’. Text on the Cruise 1st website went on to say: “If you’re keen on cruising but worried about the environmental impact, the MSC World Europa offers a green alternative. With sustainability and lessening the impact of cruises on marine life a key driver in the ship’s design, you can rest easy knowing you’re being powered by cleaner fuel and being propelled by blades that mitigate the worst impacts of underwater noise”. The ASA challenged whether the ad gave a misleading impression of the environmental impact of the advertised cruise ship. Cruise 1st said the content of the ad had been populated directly from MSC’s official sources, but the ASA ruled that the ad had exaggerated the environmental credentials of MSC World Europa and was likely to mislead. Following contact from the ASA, Cruise 1st amended the ad. In all three instances, MSC Cruises said they had no control over the form of wording used by travel agents in their advertising.

Hays Travel has made its first online travel agency acquisition, buying Victoria Travel Group Ltd, which owns the Cruise.co.uk brand. Hays said the deal is its ‘most significant acquisition since Thomas Cook’ and it is its seventh major purchase since 2019. Victoria Travel Group’s brands also include Seascanner and German division Kreuzfahrtberater.de. The Group reported sales of £252 million in its most recent financial year. Victoria Travel Group Chief Executive Chris Gardner will remain at the company, alongside Group Chief Financial Officer Carl Tromans, UK Managing Director Tony Andrews and German Managing Director Tom Reiter. As a result of the Hays deal, private investor Bridgepoint has exited Victoria Travel Group as majority shareholder. Hays Chief Operating Office Jonathon Woodall-Johnston and non-executive director Jo Rzymowska will join the Victoria Travel Group board as non-execs. Hays owner and Chair Dame Irene Hays said: “We have been hugely impressed by the strength of the Victoria Travel Group. Their innovative approach to online cruise retailing and the calibre of their management team make Victoria Travel a compelling addition to our business, which aligns with our cruise strategy and growth ambitions. “We are delighted to welcome Chris, Carl, Tony and Tom to our Hays Travel group; they share our values and are all exceptional at what they do. We look forward to working alongside them, exploring opportunities and learning from each other as we seek to continuously improve the choice, experience and value we offer our customers.” Chris Gardner added: “We’re delighted to be joining the Hays Travel family. Their values, customer-first approach, and long-term vision align with ours. This partnership opens up exciting opportunities to grow our brands and deliver even more value to cruise customers in the UK and internationally.” Pictured: Dame Irene and Chris Gardner